More reading!

I live in a house full of books. As a child, new books were a rare treat so when I grew up, got a home of my own and access to as many books as I wanted, many through charity shops, and the chance to share my love of books through Bookcrossing I went a bit mad and my home started to fill with books. I find it very difficult to let a book go without having read it, so the march to the exit route by my books is slow. With this in mind I am trying to read and pass on as many books as I can this year. I am quite pleased with the progress I am making, even though I know I will never run out of something to read!

In the last week I have read The Odessa Stone by C C Chambers (teenage fantasy, not my kind of book at all), Odd One Out by Monica McInerney (escapist chicklit, very quick read and good fun) and The Crucible by Arthur Miller. This is going to a friend at book group who said that she was looking for books connected with the Salem Witch Trials after seeing the BBC programme "Who Do You Think You Are?" with Sarah Jessica Parker as the subject. This traced back her family and found that one of her ancestors was accused of witchcraft, but escaped hanging as the law changed around the time of her arrest. Very interesting, and well worth watching.

Both The Odessa Stone and Odd One Out are toward the four month reading challenge.

Step outside my comfort zone!

I enjoy crafts, I always have. The whole process of turning a pile of sometimes quite random stuff into something either useful or decorative gives me huge satisfaction and makes me feel like I'm bringing some sort of order into my life. I only really make things for myself, after all, I'm only me, I'm not special, why should I think my efforts are any good?

Last summer Mr Pixie and I attended a local country agricultural show, and there in a tent were the entries to the handicrafts competitions. There were some beautiful pieces of craftwork there, many of them similar to the kind of things I make. There and then I set myself the challenge of entering something into at least one of the classes this year, now the details have been published and it's time to get crafting!

There are sixteen handicraft classes in the show, my next step is deciding which I will enter. So far I have my eye on "a pair of knitted socks", "a piece of patchwork", "a handmade card", "a bag in any medium", "a cushion" and "a doorstop". If I had time I would enter every one of the sixteen classes! I also have a cross stitch I am working on, if I get it finished in time I will enter it for either "an item made from a kit" or "an embroidered picture".

I am now setting forth my intention to spend at least one hour per day working toward entering more than one well made item into this show. It's time to stop hiding my light under a bushel!

No Time For Romance by Lucilla Andrews

This is the memoirs of a girl who began nursing during World War II at the age of eighteen. Coming from a fairly sheltered background she found the reality of war and its injuries deeply affecting, helping her to grow as a person as well as a nurse. There were many humorous episodes described and some unique characters but always underlying these are the horrors of war.
My only criticism of the book was the way her husband's illness was dealt with (or not dealt with). I was curious about the nature of his sickness and wonder whether I missed the details of it, but I don't think I did. I felt quite humbled by the stoicism of the nurses described in this book, and by the courage shown by the injured servicemen.
Definity a book to read when in the midst of a pity-party!

Suburbanistasby Pamela Redmond Satran

Chicklit? Maybe. Henlit? Maybe.

Stella and Mary Jean were best friends through their childhood days, then Stella ran off to become an A-list movie star. When she returns to the town in which she grew up will she be able to connect with her old friend despite the huge differences between their lives?
Of course she will, we can guess that from the start of the story. Much of the book is formulaic - when we read that Mary Jean is a frumpy mother of four we just know that Stella is going to take her under her wing and help her turn her life around and face new challenges. I didn't pick up this book looking for great classic literature, I wanted a quick, fun read, and that is exactly what I got.

Burned Alive by Souad

I've had this book for a while, and have only just picked it up to read. This is the story of a survivor of an honour killing, her brother in law poured petrol over her and set her alight. Her crime? She fell in love, committed the sin of sex before marriage and became pregnant. Women from her village took her to hospital where she was left to die. A worker with an international charity discovered her fate and at great risk to her own personal safety rescued the gravely ill girl and brought her to Europe to start a new life.

This book roused very strong emotions for me. I felt anger that there are still places in the world where girls are seen to be of less value than animals, and where once a family has enough daughters to carry out all the household tasks any further baby girls born can be smothered. I feel desperately sad that there are societies where an act that brings aparent dishonour on the family can be punished by death rather than forgiven. Still more I feel immense gratitude that I live a relatively free life in a western country.

A Walk to Remember by Nicholas Sparks

Landon Carter is one of the popular kids at school, plenty of friends, son of successful parentsgood home in a small town in 1950s America. Jamie Sullivan is the daughter of the local preacher, seen as a bit strange at school, more interested in charitable works at the local orphanage than hanging out with other teenagers. When they start spending time together while rehearsing for the Christmas play they become close, but all is not destined to run smoothly.

In some ways this is a predictable book, but still a delightful little read. The story is told very simply, and I found that I couldn't help feeling the characters' emotions along with them. I admit, I did have a tear in my eye at one point despite anticipating the turn events would take.

I have included this in the four month reading challenge - a book with a four word title.

Life is good

Life is good. The weather has changed for the better, the sun is shining, the birds are singing outside my window and I'm happy.

I am married to a fantastic man, I have three sons who I love more than they will ever know, I have a wonderful family.

I have a roof over my head, plenty to eat, clothes to wear and shoes for my feet.

I am healthy, literate, I live in a country where I can express my opinions without fear of repression or repercussions.

For all these things, and many more, I am grateful.