Monthly Archives: January 2014

The Colour of Milk by Nell Leyshon 2014/ 176 pages rating 8.5 / historical fiction At only 176 pages, this is a novella, really, but those are often the best size for a deceptively simple story, well told, where every … Continue reading →

The Bookman’s Tale by Charlie Lovett 2013/353 pages rating B / historical crime Amanda is dead, but her husband, Peter Byerly, hasn’t quite come to grips with that even after two years. Peter is a book collector and antiquarian, Amanda … Continue reading →

Cold Comfort Farm by Stella Gibbons 1932 / 260 pages Rating: 9 / satire- classic “But there have always been Starkadders at Cold Comfort Farm,” screeches the aged and reclusive Aunt Ada Doom, who long, long ago saw something nasty … Continue reading →

The Secret History of the Mongol Queens: How the Daughters of Genghis Khan Rescued His Empire by Jack Weatherford 2010 / 336 p. rating: 8.5 / non-fiction / Asia history Thanks to viscous vandalizing of the documents over the centuries, … Continue reading →

Morality Play by Barry Unsworth 1995 / 207 pages rating – 8.75 / historical fiction -crime Unsworth is a master of historical fiction and Morality Ply is likely one of his best. Taking place in northern England of the 14th … Continue reading →

by Stewart Gordon 2008 / 228 pages non-fiction / history – Asia rating: 8.75 Reading this book not too long after Civilization by Niall Ferguson enlarges both of them, I think. Makes me wonder what kind of “apps” (Ferguson’s term) … Continue reading →

Quarantine by Jim Crace 1998 / historical (?) fiction Rating – 8 Interesting fictional take on Jesus’ time in the desert being tempted by Satan. Great character development and wonderfully well written.  Historical period only in the sense that Jesus … Continue reading →

by Charles Palliser – 2013 historical crime fiction rating – 8 First book of 2014 and it’s a decent start. I wasn’t familiar with Charles Palliser prior to Rustication but I gather he has a notable oeuvre and good following. … Continue reading →

These are my best reads of 2013: (about 175 books) Fiction The Luminaries by Eleanor Catton The Door by Madga Szabo Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie HHhH by Laurent Binet Warlock by Oakley Hall ? The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt … Continue reading →

These are the books I read in 12/2013: The Story of a New Name by Elena Ferrante ~ rating 9 Orange is the new Black by ____ ~ rating 6 Blood and Beauty by Sarah Dunant. ~ rating 5 The … Continue reading →