hi all
the lovely ladies on ‘starting chemo tomorrow (april)’ made a great suggestio about sharing good books. i thought this was fab so i started it here (hope you dont mind ladies).
my last read: ‘But Can You Drink The Water?’.
Set in the 80s a liverpudlian family emmigrate to south africa. very funny in parts with entertaining characters.
rating:
Plot- 8/10
Ease to follow with chemo head-10/10
great idea SCACO I am not quite up to reading yet the weeks have taken their toll, butI am lesley pearse, maeve binchey, cathy kelly sort but not apposed to most good reads… best book I ever read highly reccommended was called ‘remember me’ by lesley pearse Ive reccommended it to loads and they have all loved it fiction based on facts of a true story, if that makes sense, another excellent lesley pearse is called ‘Hope’ agin a fab story entwined with factual history set in the crimea war brilliant!
edited to thank SCACO who started this thread but credited this post to the april chemo thread XXX
Brilliant thread!
I read voraciously and always have about 2 or 3 books on the go.
During all sessions at the hospital I have needed short easy to digest books and here are a couple: Will follow Scaco’s lead and give points:-
1 - The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society
Plot- 9/10
Ease to follow with hospital head-8/10
2 - A whole series of crime novels by JD Robb, called the ‘In Death’ series - very silly in some ways a bit more Mills and Boonsy with loads of sex!! Set in 2058 in New York, they are very easy reading for hospital or chemo heads!
Plot- 6/10
Ease - 7/10.
In general, for anyone who loves crime thrillers, read Michael Connelly, Simon Kernick, and Lee Childs.
Got loads more, will try and contain myself and come back each day!
Wandyx
Good thread - I have always read voraciously but have been struggling somehow through treatment so far, as anything too literary just completely defeats me! Will be good to see recomendations for books that can be enjoyed with a chemo brain!
great idea for a thread!
I love Katie Flynn, trying to read Heading Home at the moment, its easy to pick up and read a little at a time., most of her books are based on life in Liverpool, a city close to my ancestors hearts,it takes me to a time and place that has sadly gone .
Plot 8/10
Ease of reading 9/10
hi
If you fancy getting into a long read then Ken Follet is yer man. I have just read World without end, and found it fascinating. Set in Medieval England it gives you a real flavour of the social conditions people lived in through the eyes of a group of central characters.
One of his books was televised, Pillars of the Earth.
Its a huge volume but I found that I couldn’t put it down and it was a good distraction. I have a kindle so didn’t have to wrestle with a large book 8-). Amazon have a half price event on kindle books. I am so pleased I have mine.
x sarah
Hi all!
When I’ve got my “reading head” on - Worzel Gummage style!- I love books. Recently enjoyed " Room" - very original - can’t remember author, sorry, also " Engleby" by Sebastien Faulks is excellent. Philip Pullman’s “His Dark Materials” trilogy v.good and thought- provoking re:religion, love, death - everything! Also like Audrey Niffenger or something - “Her fearful Symmetry” and “The Time Traveller’s Wife” and all Marina Lywenka’s books so far - immigrants’ experience in UK. Sorry about spelling - last 2 surnames wrong! “Lucky Jim” - Kingsley Amis and Sue Townend’s Adrian Mole series are v. funny.
All the best, Sarahx
Hi Sarah,
Like the sound of the book you mentioned - my sister-in-law recommended " Pillars of the Earth", but I forgot to order it/watch it! We’re quite interested in Medieval life at home at the moment as we have been watching “Filthy Cities” on BBC2, which is great, but not when you’re eating! Kindles seem good too - will have to save up as my poor old credit card needs a rest!
Love, Sarahx
You cant beat Lance Armstrongs Its not about the bike and complete come back from cancer true inspiration
Hi SCACO,
Thanks for this thread. I had no idea how many ladies love reading crime novels! I also enjoy horror (feel I could write one now) novels, the usual - Steven King, James Patterson, Dean Koonz. I love all the Rebus books and havestarted trying out new authors. I cannot remember them all off hand at the moment (blame chemo-brain) but I will devour anything. Wandy, I agree about Michael Connelly and Lee Childs but haven’t tried Simon Kernick - I intend to though.
Sue xx
What a good idea of yours ‘stay calm’. I am also an avid reader but selectively so!
I’ve been touched by people’s kindness in lending or giving me books - but most of the ‘Triumph Over Cancer… or any other adversity’ genre are not for me. Everyone to their own, I guess.
Am a fan of William Boyd, Kate Atkinson, Anne Tyler …
Shall follow this thread with interest.
I’ve been re-reading some of the classic Agatha Christies, among other things. Just about right for waiting rooms or days when you’re only half awake most of the time.
I recommend Jasper fforde’s Thursday Next books to anyone who combines a love of books with a slightly surreal sense of humour or an appreciation of parodies of modern life. If you can’t take it all in because of chemo fog, they are worth re-reading.
I also enjoy science fiction and fantasy at the more literary/social commentary end of the scale. I’ll read anything by Ursula Le Guin, however bad I feel, and Terry Pratchett makes me laugh while he slips in the commentary.
I’ll need to look through the pile; the more serious reading I’ve done has been for professional development and is about language.
Cheryl
My OH gave me a Kindle for Christmas and I had it a day early to take into hospital. That day I bought the Stieg Larsson “Girl” series.
However, given the time to read I am a totally avid and very fast reader. Since Christmas Eve I have put 50 books onto the Kindle and so far have read all but three of them! I’m afraid I’ve been reading when I really should have been writing something else… SCACO et al - I think you know what I mean!
I’ve downloaded a lot of free books just to try them (in fact the huge majority have been free) and have deleted about 5 of them immediately after reading as they were so awful.
Highlights:
The Stieg Larsson books - probably no comment needed about these!
A couple of the Aurelio Zen series by Michael Dibdin (recently dramatised on TV, but rather mangled from the books) - Plot 8/10. Ease of reading 4/10 (very hard to follow - far too much concentration needed!) I need to try these again when I can concentrate a bit more!
The Pawn (Patrick Bowers Files) by Steven James plus a couple more of this series - fairly junky crime thrillers - a bit forumulaic and predictable but OK with chemo head. Plot 7/10. Ease of reading 9/10
Wading Home: A Novel of New Orleans by Rosalyn Story. I really enjoyed this book - set during and after the floods, partly documentary type story, partly mystery - wonderfully descriptive language about jazz and cooking - very evocative of the place and atmosphere. Plot 9/10. Ease of reading 8/10.
Plus some really junky sci-fi and fantasy books that I love to read but will not admit to, let alone name in public!!!
Jane xxx
I know what you mean Alto about naming and shaming secret reads!!
I named my JD Robbs though, so you ought to be able to name your sci-fi’s!!
Not easy or hosp or chemo head reading but if you like historical, Dorothy Dunnetts’ Lymond series and Niccolo series. Very dense reading, but absolutely stunning writing.
Plots - 10/10
Ease - 3/4 out /10.
Absolutely no chance Wandy - far too embarrassing for a sensible, mature adult!
Cromercrab - you’re a bad influence for mentioning the Amazon sale - you’ve just forced me to have a look and buy five more books, all for about £1. It’s all your fault if I don’t get my writing done!
Jane xxx
bump - someone was looking for it.
Alto I love sci-fi [and JD Robb] my Kindle is my new best friends-I’ll name some sci fi favourite authors for you 
Robin Hobb
Anne McCaffrey
Marion Zimmer Bradley
George Martin
I also like Stephen Booth,James Patterson,Faye and Jonathan Kellerman and so many others I cant list them.Top of my light reading list is Phil Rickman’s Merrily Watkins series.
Never be ashamed to tell anyone what you read.One of the greatest gifts you can give your children is to let them see you reading a book[not a magazine or newspaper]just for pleasure.I am a retired English teacher-I love Jane Austen,some Dickens etc etc but light reading is good for your mind and soul honestly.[I’ve never managed a Mills and Boon though :)]
Love valx
Hi
Totally agree.( another teacher)I always loved reading. Favourite book is The Englsh Patient, but have been corrupted by a frequent bcc poster ( you know who you are) into reading the Sookie Stackhouse series of vampire trashy novels. Totally entertaining if you like that sort of thing but certainly not intellectually challenging. Escapism is great.
OH got a kindle and loves it, but I love the smell and feel of a book.
Debx
I love Anne McCaffrey and MZB. My first introduction to sci fi was my dad’s old Isaac Asimov and EE “Doc” Smith books and I also devoured every Andre Norton and Robert Heinlein in the library. I never quite got the point of Arthur C. Clarke though.
Jane xxx
I generally prefer books, but kindle is great if you are feeling very weak or have a sore arm or if you can’t take enough books with you. I speak as a person whose first preparation for a holiday is to buy new books and half fill the suitcase with them. My older daughter gave me a kindle for Christmas, and it is good when you have to wait a long time, especially for a fast reader. I’ve been hunting up Dickens and Trollope that I haven’t read yet (free) and it’s also worthwhile checking Project Gutenberg for books out of copywrite–you just have to download them to your computer first and then transfer to the kindle or any other reader you have.
You need to check prices–I was going to download a book I wanted to read for CPD, but the kindle version was quite expensive and I got the hardback more cheaply on a discount. I’m glad I checked.
But I can read a book in the bath, and I wouldn’t dare do that with the kindle. And yes, I really prefer books.
Cheryl