Reading again

 

After Christmas, I started reading again.  I was given  the new novel from Jan Karon called In the Company of Others.  It is the second in the Father Tim series.  It was given to me as a Christmas gift.  I was so excited because I have loved all of the previous books.  Well, this was just not up to her past works.  It was boring.  I thought maybe it was me but I just read some of the reviews from readers here on the Barnes & Noble website.  So, I would say if you are fanatical about reading each book in a series, read it. 

Then, I read Fall of Giants by Ken Follett.  MAGNIFICIENT!!!!  It was one of the best books I have read in a long time.  It is the first of a trilogy in the century series.  It starts in 1912 before the Great War.  We are taken from Wales to Russia and back to America and then to Germany.  It tells the story of several families which I know we follow through the entire series.  I learned a lot about the war and the really interesting thing was at the same time there were several programs about the war on the military history channel so it made some of the scenes in the book very real and very intense. The characters are well developed and even the mean people are interesting.  I loved this book. The last sentence of this book is probably the very most stunning and thought provoking sentence that I have ever read.  It truly tells of the things to come.

I have picked up Lord of the Rings-Fellowship of the Ring by J.R.R. Tolkien again.  I started it before Christmas, but put it down due to lack of time.  I absolutely love the trilogy movies.  I have the first and third on my DVR and hope I can pick up the second sometime.  The book is much easier to read now that I know the characters through the movie so well.  When I read The Hobbit before the movies came out, I found it hard to read because I didn’t understand the language of Tolkien.  Now, it is much easier and I should probably read it again.  This is one of the 100 must reads on the list.

Now for future books

 

I just found a copy of Dr Jekyll & Mr. Hyde.  I think I will read it as a “just because” I purchased a copy at a yard sale.  I know about it and would you believe that this is one of the old black and white movies that I have not seen.  There are two versions—one with Frederic March (1932) and the newer one (1941) with Spencer Tracy as the lead actors.  So, I  think I will make this a book and movie extravaganza.  Some friends and I did this when we read The Maltese Falcon.  My next book I want to read is  A Red Herring without Mustard by Alan Bradley.  I have read books one and two about this 11 year old detective named Flavia de Luce. It is not a “kiddie” book.  They are just great reads.  I think, I am also in the mood for more of Inspector Lynley from author, Elizabeth George. 

 

So, get you a new set of reading glasses from the Dollar Store,  a mug of spiced tea and a new light bulb and lets start reading!

See you in a few!

Madelyn