Friday, February 4, 2011

Book Blogger Hop: Current Reading

Book Blogger Hop
It’s time for this week’s Book Blogger Hop, hosted at Crazy for Books.  This week’s question is short and sweet:

"What are you reading now and why are you reading it?"

As usual, given that I have a butterfly mind and a very poor ability to focus and concentrate, I am reading multiple books at the moment.  As I'll be posting separately about each one, I don’t propose to say too much here but hey are:

1.         The American Civil War by John Keegan.  As I mentioned in my aprés-Christmas post, I know very little about the American Civil War but, as I'm interested in history, I wanted to learn more about this period.  Sir John Keegan is one of the UK’s leading military historians and so his new book was a welcome find amongst Santa’s offerings.  Part-way through, this is definitely living up to expectations.

2.         Cabal by Michael Dibdin.  The BBC has recently televised adaptations of the first three books in the Aurelio Zen detective series.  Having read them nearly 20 years ago, I found myself querying the TV version as being both too far removed from the original text and far more light and superficial.  So, I’ve gone back and re-read them.  And I’m correct.  The BBC series was still enjoyable for Sunday evening entertainment but totally misses the serious issues raised by the novels and the complex shades of grey they were written in.  The books are commentaries on modern Italy as much as genre detective stories, whereas the TV series was easy fluff.

3.         Humboldt’s Gift by Saul Bellow. This is the next in my 1,001 Books Challenge and, as I have only just started it, I don’t have anything really to say about it yet.

4.         Kitchen Diaries by Nigel Slater.  A diary of his cooking year with lots of new recipes, the master of simple but delicious cooking has produced a masterpiece.  I am up to August and really wish I was two stones lighter so I could cook my way through this without guilt or having to buy new trousers.  I f you are interested in food and haven’t yet come across Mr Slater, you are missing out.  Great recipes, drool-inducing writing.

5.         Gumbo Tales by Sara Roahen.  This is a book about the characteristic ingredients and recipes in the cuisine of New Orleans, written by an adoptive New Orleanian(?).  Fascinating and hungry-making writing, it remains incomplete only because my TBR pile keeps intervening.

Hopefully, I will get through all these in the next couple of weeks and can then dig out some new volumes to keep me entertained.

9 comments:

Alex (The Sleepless Reader) said...

There's a lot of variety there, impressive!

Tasha said...

Just stopping by to share some Friday blog love! Hope you have a great weekend!

Shan said...

That is variety! I think I will check out the Nigel Slater book.

Here's My Hop

Elizabeth said...

Wow...I admire you that you can read more than one at once and you definitely are reading a lot of books.

Hopping by from the blog hop....

Stop by my blog if you like to see my answer and to read my reviews.

Have a fun hop.

http://silversolara.blogspot.com

pussreboots said...

I started a book list and later a book blog much for the same reason you did. I am reading four types of books. Come see what they are.

Alison Can Read said...

Hopping through. New follower!
I've heard that Battle Cry of Freedom by J. McPherson is the must-read Civil War book.
My Hop

Sugar and Snark said...

Hopping by to say have a great weekend!

New follower :)

Lu
http://quickquotesquills.blogspot.com/

Rachel said...

Hi! just stopping by via the hop. Thought I'd say hello.

I love how you have estimated how many books you have left to read! .. getting there is a worthy goal. Consider me your newest follower.

Rachel
And the plot thickens...

Falaise said...

Thanks for all the comment, everyone and I shall make sure to visit all your blogs when I get the chance.