Unabridged Opinions

Alan Bennett’s The Uncommon Reader is one of those books that seemed to be everywhere at once.  Everywhere except the library, obviously, where the wait for the book was over a month. After reading it, I completely understood why it took so long to be returned: if the previous library-users have the same impulses I do, they waited to return the library copy until they had a copy of their own–because after reading this book once, I just knew it had to live in the house permanently.

Bennett’s Uncommon Reader is separated from the common man by years of breeding, tradition, and training.  She is, in fact, so far away from the common man that she rarely notices the emotions or reactions of those around her. Of course, when you are Queen of England, it must be easy to lose sight of what may happen to regular people so confusion about the rest of the world is perhaps to be expected. Confusion about libraries, though, and reading is a universal trait, I think, and one that Bennett mines with aplomb to create what is basically a love story about books and words. Continue reading

I was lucky enough to get this book, Sarah Singleton’s The Poison Garden, in one of the give-aways that Simon and Schuster (UK) have on Facebook. (I know! I’m occasionally unimpressed by Facebook for a variety of reasons, but free books? get me every time.)  Now, to the book at hand.

First, I feel I must say that the children in this book, Thomas and Maud, are both charming and appropriately childlike.  Although Thomas is the central character and the main focus of the book, Maud has a delicate force and power all of her own, and I appreciated the attention that Singleton paid to her. Thomas, a little older and more suspicious than Maud, reacts to all of the strange situations he finds himself in with bravery, but he also (as many children his age would) looks to those around him for support.  Although much of that support is questionable (and possibly deadly), it is still a refreshing change from the nearly-adult independence found in a number of children in fiction. Continue reading

Thursday Tea is a lovely meme hosted by Anastasia at Birdbrain(ed) Book Blog.  I first found it through the wonderful Beth Fish Reads.  Here’s how it works: Tell us what tea you are drinking (and if you like it). And then tell us what book are you reading (and if you like it). Finally, tell us if they go together.

The tea:

Fortnum and Mason’s Christmas Blend: first, I should mention that we did get this as…a Christmas gift.  But, I’ve kept the tin sealed, and the tea seems to be doing fine.  It’s a lovely black tea with orange peel and various other flavourings.  I only tend to drink it when I need a strong pick-me-up, though, as it *feels* quite caffeinated!

The book: Finger-Lickin Fifteen by Janet Evanovich

This book is the most recent in the Stephanie Plum series.  Although it’s definitely full of pranks and hijinks that will be familiar to readers of the series, there are still a number of laugh out loud bits, and Stephanie is still the last person you would ever want to loan your car.  Although it doesn’t have the depth that the thirteenth in the series did (and even Stephanie feels she is spinning her wheels a bit), it was still a fun, cheerful read and definitely felt appropriate for the summer! Even the British, intermittently rainy, summer.

Do they go together?

Ummm, well, Stephanie is most emphatically not a Fortnum and Mason’s sort of girl, but they both served to brighten up my day.

What are you drinking and reading this week?