Some recent reading.............
Earth to Earth is a delightful and charming book and one I will read again and again. The author writes of wildlife to be found in churchyards and the book has beautiful illustrations and photos accompanied by quotations. This is a book to treasure.
I have mentioned before how much I love Richard Fortey's geology books - his latest offering is about a wood he bought in the Chilterns. Delightfully written it is full of the wildlife he finds, history and geology.Highly recommended.
I do have a copy of the Bee "bible" but
I wanted a book that concentrates just on Bumble Bees. This is an excellent guide - already I am finding it easier to distinguish between true bumble bees and cuckoo bumbles! Highly recommended if you are interested in bumble bees and identifying them.
When I started to re-read the first few of the "Jamie" books by Diana Gabaldon I had forgotten how long they were! This one is 1059 pages and it has taken me a couple of months to finish it inbetween reading other books. I will have a break before continuing with the series but I think the remainder are books I haven't read before.
The Stranger from the Sea is another book I have read before. The Poldark books are very enjoyable and easy reading. Rather than waiting for the next tv series to start I think I will continue re-reading the series.
Warning- comment below on the Dark Angel by Elly Griffiths may contain a few spoilers if you are intending to read the book.
I treated myself to the latest Ruth Galloway book for the holiday and it does not disappoint although the shock ending makes me wonder what will happen between Ruth and Nelson even if Nelson's wife's baby isn't his. Sorry I hope I am not giving away too many spoilers. I believe the next in the series is due out soon - not sure how long it will take before I give in and buy it!
Leaving books I have knitted Timothy a new jumper :)
Golden Rod is still flowering profusely in the garden and still attracting butterflies, hoverflies and bees galore.
22 comments:
It is really quite astounding that blogging enables us to get to know people so well, people who in all likelihood we will never meet in person. It is always a great pleasure to get to know a fellow bibliophile and of course we have chatted about books before. As for bees, I have several references too. They are a hard taxon to identify when one does not focus on them as a main pursuit. And so many other insects, hoverflies for example, can look confusingly like bees. But it is always fun to have a go and try to nail down the species. I am almost finished reading a fabulous book by Adam Nicholson called “The Seabird’s Cry.” This is without doubt one of the best natural history works I have ever read, and the author writes with a command of the language rivalling the finest wordsmiths of our age. Thanks for sharing your recent choices with us. Keep doing it. I am sending you a warm Canadian hug - from one book lover to another.
I also meant to add that I have a work by Stefan Buczacki, the author of “Earth to Earth” called “Fauna Britannica” which is quite fabulous. Are you familiar with this book? It is apparently part of a series because I also have “Birds Brittanica” by Mark Cocker and Richard Mabey, and “Bugs Britannica” by Peter Marren and Richard Mabey. I have other volumes by both Cocker and Mabey. Perhaps there are other titles in this series, I don’t know.
David Gascoigne - Thank you so much for your very kind comment - I always enjoy exchanging comments with you about books - as you say it is so good to meet fellow bibliophiles. I would agree with your comments about bees being difficult to id when you don't focus on them alone. In fact, it applies to so many other aspects of natural history where I only "dabble" but it is always good to try and identify new species.
Thanks so much for mentioning the Adam Nicholson book which I have definitely added to my wish list! It recently won the Wainwright Prize which is a UK award for best Travel/Nature Writing. You really cannot beat good "nature writing" either from many years ago such as Richard Jefferies and Edward Thomas or more recent such as Robert MacFarlane, Mark Cocker and John Lewis-Stempel.
I also possess copies of "Fauna Britannica", Birds Britannica and Bugs Britannica :) Great minds think alike :) I must admit I have not read them cover to cover but I do dip into them regularly. Peter Marren (I am currently reading his "Rainbow Dust" and Richard Mabey are both authors I also enjoy- I still have some Richard Mabey to buy. Returning to the Britannica books I also have Flora Britannica by Richard Mabey but sadly I only have the "concise" version of this. I will check now and see if I can find any others in the series and come back to you.
Thanks again :)
David Gascoigne - I have just had a quick look on Amazon UK and it doesn't look as there are any more in the Britannica series apart from the 4 mentioned above.
I will keep an eye open for “Flora Britannica” although if I have to source it in the UK postage costs on a large volume such as this can become stratospheric!
David Gascoigne - It would be extortionate to post even within the UK - so I dread to think what it would cost to Canada!
I remember Stefan Buczacki from Gardener's World many years ago, he used to report from his garden in Stratford-upon-Avon. It looks a fascinating book about one of your favourite subjects. I must seek it out. Love Elly Griffiths and you are right the new one doesn't disappoint, I like her Stephens and Mephisto books too. I believe she has a stand alone novel coming out soon. Love Timothy's new sweater:)
Rosie - Thank you. I didn't realise he lived in Stratford. I have a feeling that the book my be available from Book People??? a lot cheaper than I paid for it!
Now I am more or less up to date with the RG books (apart from the one about to be published) I think I will start the Stephens and Mephisto series - thanks so much for reminding me. I often visit the lists of books you have read for ideas. We seem to have similar tastes :) So glad I started reading "crime" and "detective" type novels as, apart from Agatha Christie years ago, it is a genre I have never visited before. I can't believe how many of them are so difficult to put down!! :) Not sure if you will see this reply but have you read Inspector Morse?? Am about to start a new blog post and you will soon see why I am asking :)
I've read three Morse books, quite some time ago, The Last Bus to Woodstock I'm sure was the title of one, another was about a jewel and set in the Ashmolean Museum and another was about a row of houses where someone was shot through their window instead of a neighbour as the killer counted the houses wrong from the back. Can't remember the titles of either of those. I have seen all of the Morse TV series though sometimes more than once, same with Lewis:)
Some excellent recommendations. I am about 1/3 of the way through the new Elly Griffiths (and no you haven't spoilt it for me) - saw it had just come out in paperback in Tesco, and just HAD to have it! I have been having an EG few weeks and had just picked up The Handmaid's Tale again, only to see the new EG!
Rosie - Thanks so much for replying. I must admit I never watched the tv series :( but I may try the first book in the series. We were in Oxford recently and saw two locations where the tv series was filmed - hence my interest. Thanks again.
Bovey Belle - Thanks so much. I did try to be careful how much I gave away! I just love that series so I am not surprised you just had to buy it!!!!! Her books are so readable and sheer escapism. Am about to try another of her series recommended by Rosie a few comments ago. Have you tried the Joy Ellis fenland series? Can't remember if I have seen any books of hers on your blog but they are very good too. Persevere if you try with the first one because I didn't at first like the main character. By the end of the book you can see why she acts as she does.
Oh dear - I am trying not to buy more books at present, but now see what you have started! I shall simply have to have the wildlife books.
I remember Stefan from Gardeners Question Time.
I love the semi bee theme in your book reading :-)
It goes without saying that I love Timothy's new jumper. A bear needs a new outfit every now and then :-)
Great selection of books, I have Earth to Earth book as you know, lovely book. Like the look of The wood for the trees book. Will keep an eye out for that one.
Bee books will be going on my list once we have sorted the garden out.
Amanda xx
I’ve got the new bee book too but haven't had a chance to look at it yet. I always appreciate your nature book recommendations. The churchyard one made me think of Gods Acre, which I also got years ago after you wrote about it. Elly G is one of my faves too, although I’m getting a little tired of the repetitive almost but not quite between Ruth and Nelson!
Toffeeapple - Thanks so much. I know the feeling about trying not to buy yet more books but as you can see there are times I cannot resist temptation! Earth to Earth is available from BookPeople for £4.99 - a bargain!
CherryPie - Thank you - Timothy seems quite pleased with his new jumper! I have knitted him a scarf to match for when it goes colder! Sadly a hat is beyond my knitting skills without a pattern!
Amanda Peters - Thank you - yes I am so pleased I bought the Earth to Earth book - it is a book to treasure! I think you wouldlike the The Wood for the Trees book - I really enjoy Fortey's engaging writing style - his geology books are very good too :) Hope all is going well with the garden and house :) Bee book is very good.
Countryside Tales - Thank you. I have a pile of books to read!!! I really do buy too many! I still refer to the God's Acre book - it is one of my favourites. I know what you mean about the almost but not quite in the Elly G RG books. I suspect the death of a certain person is going to complicate matters and will mean the almost but not quite will continue :( I know it is only fiction but I do so want the N and RG situation to have a happy ending!!!
It's always good to read a post about books! I do need a good guide to bees, it looks like i'm adding to my wish list!
Pam - Thank you :) The Bee Field Guide covers all bees - very comprehensive but the Bumble Bee concentrates just on bumbles - both are very good :)
I always enjoy your book tips. I had a fall and injured my ribs last week (paramedic job - they were *brilliant*), so have found holding a heavy book quite hard the last few days, but I'm ready to return to zoologist Lucy Cooke's extraordinary book, 'The Unexpected Truth about Animals', which has raised a few eyebrows along the way so far... Then 'The Seabird's Cry' by Adam Nicolson awaits, which should be right up my street, particularly since I have enjoyed his 'Sea Room' and 'Arcadia'. I am always drawn to the nature prose of Mark Cocker - I may have said it before, but I feel his description of a murmuration in 'Crow Country' is exceptional.
Caroline Gill Thank you. I am sorry to hear of your fall and wish you a speedy recovery. I hadn't heard of the Lucy Cooke book so thank you - I will be checking it out :) Yes, I too love the writing of Mark Cocker - "Crow Country" is one of the best books I have read. There was an article I read recently in "Birdwatching" magazine about a wood he had bought in Norfolk which was interesting. Hope you feel better soon.
Thank you - yes, I'm easing off the painkillers now, but have to be careful how I move (or breathe!). We saw what we think is our first Magpie moth today (David tells me it is marked as 'common', but a first is always a thrill!)
Caroline Gill - I am so pleased to hear you are slowly getting better. Well done on the first Magpie moth - they are so pretty :) Seeing a new species is always wonderful.
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