Reading...
Since it is summer and my hands have been busy with gardening, I have not been doing a lot of knitting. Instead, I have been reading. I am a member of an online group of D E Stephenson admirers, and we usually have a book that we are discussing. The Yahoo group has just finished talking about her book The Four Graces, and the Facebook group is just starting to read and discuss House on the Cliff. I usually read the book under discussion, but so often I can't put it down - I just forge through the whole thing in an afternoon or evening! We spend a few days discussing each chapter...I occasionally post a comment, but more often I take the opportunity to re-read an old favorite, and check in on the discussion occasionally to see what sidelines they go off on! Even more than the analysis of the book, I enjoy the aside information and comments.
DE Stevenson enjoyed a long literary career, writing in the UK. She began in the late 1920's and continued into the 1960's. Since she wrote about the everyday lives of people, her books are a lovely window into all of the changes, trials and adaptations of the people in England and Scotland through those times. As much as the story line, our discussions cover all kinds of social issues: from prejudice to managing rationing through the war years! I do so enjoy these groups and all the things they come up with!
Aside from the DE Stevenson books, I am also reading Robin Pilcher and Gil McNeil. I know... from this post it appears that I am an Anglophile, and in some ways I am.... but I do like some American authors, as well.... these are just the books that I happen to be reading now.
Earlier this week, I had been listening to Gil McNeil's book "Knit one, Pearl one", which I have from Audible on my phone.... I don't remember how many times I have listened to it, but quite a few. I wanted to back-track and read her two previous books to refresh myself of the back-story (Knit one, Pearl one is the third in her series about her character Jo Mackenzie) and so off to the Library I went (since they are not available on Audible)... only to find the first book was checked out. Not finding all the books available to read in order annoyed me, so once I got back home, I just had myself a little sit-down at the computer and good old Amazon had tons of her books on the "New and Used" list... so I tracked down as many of her books that I could find and ordered them all! Lucky for me, all the Jo Mackenzie books came on the same day so I had myself a grand time reading through both of the earlier books; "Beach Street Knitting Society and Yarn Club" (aka 'Divas don't knit' in the UK) and "Needles and Pearls".
Even though I am not a single mom trying to make my way running a business and raising small children, I can still identify with Jo and many of her challenges. I sympathise with the issues that I have not experienced, and rejoice with her in her thrilling jaunts with movie stars and other famous people! I thoroughly enjoy the rhythm of Gil's McNeil's writing and how she helps her characters swing from one drama to the next, just like it happens to so many of us in real life.... I mean how would YOU feel if you found yourself pulled away from the normal rat race to run a shop and manage small children with their fussing about what to eat for supper, their school activities and birthday parties and .... out of the blue you get a phone call and are roped into the orbit of a famous film star? Talk about culture shock- and still trying to maintain a level of "normal" for the kids?!! I think Jo's relationship to Grace Harrison is just about spot-on!.... BFF sharing confidences one minute, and accidentally crossing that invisible line and triggering the diva's shut-down mechanism the next... that surely hits a believable button with me!
Granted, I really don't think any one person could have all the crazy things happen to them that Jo Mackenzie does, but still, it is a jolly good read and takes me out of MY normal rut!
Now I have another rainy day and the perfect opportunity to read.... but I am still waiting fro another Gil McNeil book to arrive so that I can read another set in order: Only Boy for Me and In the Wee Small Hours.... I have the second but want to read them in order.
Oh, well... I have plenty of other things I need to get done indoors....
DE Stevenson enjoyed a long literary career, writing in the UK. She began in the late 1920's and continued into the 1960's. Since she wrote about the everyday lives of people, her books are a lovely window into all of the changes, trials and adaptations of the people in England and Scotland through those times. As much as the story line, our discussions cover all kinds of social issues: from prejudice to managing rationing through the war years! I do so enjoy these groups and all the things they come up with!
Aside from the DE Stevenson books, I am also reading Robin Pilcher and Gil McNeil. I know... from this post it appears that I am an Anglophile, and in some ways I am.... but I do like some American authors, as well.... these are just the books that I happen to be reading now.
Earlier this week, I had been listening to Gil McNeil's book "Knit one, Pearl one", which I have from Audible on my phone.... I don't remember how many times I have listened to it, but quite a few. I wanted to back-track and read her two previous books to refresh myself of the back-story (Knit one, Pearl one is the third in her series about her character Jo Mackenzie) and so off to the Library I went (since they are not available on Audible)... only to find the first book was checked out. Not finding all the books available to read in order annoyed me, so once I got back home, I just had myself a little sit-down at the computer and good old Amazon had tons of her books on the "New and Used" list... so I tracked down as many of her books that I could find and ordered them all! Lucky for me, all the Jo Mackenzie books came on the same day so I had myself a grand time reading through both of the earlier books; "Beach Street Knitting Society and Yarn Club" (aka 'Divas don't knit' in the UK) and "Needles and Pearls".
Even though I am not a single mom trying to make my way running a business and raising small children, I can still identify with Jo and many of her challenges. I sympathise with the issues that I have not experienced, and rejoice with her in her thrilling jaunts with movie stars and other famous people! I thoroughly enjoy the rhythm of Gil's McNeil's writing and how she helps her characters swing from one drama to the next, just like it happens to so many of us in real life.... I mean how would YOU feel if you found yourself pulled away from the normal rat race to run a shop and manage small children with their fussing about what to eat for supper, their school activities and birthday parties and .... out of the blue you get a phone call and are roped into the orbit of a famous film star? Talk about culture shock- and still trying to maintain a level of "normal" for the kids?!! I think Jo's relationship to Grace Harrison is just about spot-on!.... BFF sharing confidences one minute, and accidentally crossing that invisible line and triggering the diva's shut-down mechanism the next... that surely hits a believable button with me!
Granted, I really don't think any one person could have all the crazy things happen to them that Jo Mackenzie does, but still, it is a jolly good read and takes me out of MY normal rut!
Now I have another rainy day and the perfect opportunity to read.... but I am still waiting fro another Gil McNeil book to arrive so that I can read another set in order: Only Boy for Me and In the Wee Small Hours.... I have the second but want to read them in order.
Oh, well... I have plenty of other things I need to get done indoors....
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