Spring Reading

(in no particular order)


Books:

“And Another Thing” by Eoin Colfer
On behalf of Douglas Adams’s Trust, Eoin Colfer set out to write the next book in Douglas Adam’s Increasingly Inaccurately Named Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy Trilogy, and as such we now have Part Six of Three. I enjoyed the book, however there was not the same amount of Science and Maths which existed in Adam’s books which I found disappointing. Instead Eoin Colfer uses religion. 6/10


“Unseen Academicals” by Terry Pratchett (twice)
I enjoyed Unseen Academicals; however I know that a lot of people didn’t. I quite like football, well, Australian Rules Football, and that probably helps. But, I thought the story was more about people then football. There were a few plot leaps, but enjoyable. “The thing about football – the important thing about football – is that it is not just about football” 6/10


“Perfume: The Story of a Murderer” by Patrick Suskind
I loved how Suskind was able to describe common everyday things in language that was gripping and made the book so lovely to read. At the end of every chapter you I wanted to keep on reading, I had to start making my breaks in the middle of chapters. My only negative would be why wasn’t there more people with that same unique scent. 9/10


“Stiff Upper Lips and Baggy Green Caps: A Sledger’s History of the Ashes” by Simon Briggs
This book was rather disappointing. With a sub-title such as “A Sledger’s History” I was hoping for a lot more sledges. “Which of you bastards, called this bastard a bastard?” 3/10


“The Complete Polysyllabic Spree” by Nick Hornby
I bought this book thinking that it had been written by Mark Haddon. Well not Mark Haddon as clearly Nick was written on the cover, but the person who wrote “The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time” which turns out was by Mark Haddon and not Nick Hornby. The Complete Polysyllabic Spree is a collection of articles that Nick Hornby wrote for a paper which listed the books that he bought and the books that he read each month. It would be very interesting to keep a list of books read, however I think (sorry, I know) that some people will make fun of my choice of reading. A large positive about this book, is that it inspires you to read more. Now where did I put that Dickens… "If you are reading a book that is killing you, put it down and read something else, just as you would reach for the remote if you weren't enjoying a TV program." 9/10


“Fever Pitch” by Nick Hornby
This was just not my cup of tea. There are some lovely sentences and the descriptions of society are interesting, but you can’t like every book out there.


“The Sparrow” by Mary Doria Russell
It’s a good book, but I found the ending very very fast. I liked the constant changing from the past to the present, though it did take me a while to get used to it. I’m always a bit slow when two characters have similar names. 7/10


“Man Walks into a Bar” by Stephen Arnott and Mike Haskins (parts)
Quite punny. How can you grade a joke book? Actually how can you grade any books, it is so dependant on how you are feeling at any particular time. And the purpose for what you are reading. The 7/10 for Man Walks into a Bar is very different to the 7/10 for The Sparrow. Also when grading out of 10 for books, no book gets a 10.



Plays:

“The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark” by William Shakespeare
It took me too long to read, partially because I lost the book. But it was okay. The question is: Will I go and see it as a play? Probably.


“Katerina” by Paula Armstrong
It’s a good play that will make you laugh


“Titus Andronicus” by William Shakespeare (read a million times)
Well maybe I didn’t read it quite that many times, but it would be close to one hundred times.