Book Club Catch-Up

There has been quite a gap between posts but that doesn't mean that I haven't been reading or I have missed club. Rather that I have been travelling and working. I always find time to read - books are my sleeping pill, my anti depressant and my tranquiliser! What have I been reading?

I read Fifty Shades of Grey as promised, and even though it is badly written, it is compelling and HOT! The other two books in the trilogy arrived at bookclub with brown paper covers so they could be secretly read! I have heard book two is better and I have it on my Kindle. I have also enjoyed "Far from my Father's House" by Jill McGivering. Set in Afghanistan, it's the moving and compassionate account of a family life torn apart by the Taliban. I was reminded of The Kite Runner and it was very well written with strong characters and a great story line.

I really enjoyed The Paris Wife by Paula McClain which is an account of Ernest Hemingway's life in bohemian Paris during the Jazz age 1920s where life is fuelled by gossip, alcohol and infidelity. Its written from the perspective of Hadley Richardson, Hemingway's wife, and gives a fascinating glimpse into her marriage to this talented, troubles, volatile free spirit. It made me want to find out more about her, read some of Hemmingway's work and revisit Paris!

I am currently reading "Why be Happy when you could be Normal" by Jeanette Winterson. A million miles away from Paris, its set in Accrington, Lancashire where the author was raised by her adopted mother, a peculiar, pentecostal, eccentric woman. It gives a hilarious account of growing up in Lancashire that I can really relate to. I have on my bookshelf this author's best selling novel, "Oranges are not the only Fruit," but have never found the time to read it. After enjoying her auto biography it's definitely my next read.
Mr Christian Grey will have to wait - he won't like that one bit!