What we're reading and watching.....

Here's what some of us have been enjoying lately..



I'm still into comfort reading as life is bumpy - alternating between Alexander McCall Smith's 'The Dog Who Came In From The Cold' and Sue Limb's hilarious 'Love's Labours'. I'm also dipping into a Buddhist book called 'Radical Acceptance' by Tara Brach, and 'Clear Your Clutter with Feng Shui' by Karen Kingston - guess who's moving house?!? Oh, and I'm kind of saving my own novel, now that it is a Real Book, to read as if I were a Real Reader... And I'm watching The Voice, The Apprentice and a horribly addictive series called Four Rooms: if you ever want material for eccentric, downright wierd characters, take a look at both the dealers and the sellers.
Susie
I'm reading The Reluctant Detective by independent author Sinclair Macleod. It's set in Glasgow - where my former boss and some colleagues were based. There's a great sense of the city and its underbelly, with a whiff of Scottish noir about the book. It's good to see how another writer creates atmosphere and scenes. And it's a timely reminder - as the author promotes his fourth novel - that I need to get my finger out with another one of mine!  
Derek

I'm reading The Corner: A Year In The Life Of An Inner City Neighbourhood by David Simon and Ed Burns. It's an in depth, gritty and disturbing look at the drugs war in Baltimore. I'm watching Indian Ocean with Simon Reeve on BBC and Skins which I Sky Plused ages ago. 
Gillian

I'm just finishing 'The Woman Who Went To Bed For A Year' by Sue Townsend -  I haven't read anything of hers since Adrian Mole lost his last zit.  It's had its humorous moments and it's been perfect bed-time reading. My next on the list is either 'The Book Thief' or Jodi Picoult's 'Lone Wolf'. 
Telly-wise we've been cringing at the 'Judges' trying to sing on The Voice (the contestants have NOTHING to worry about) and trying to work out which bit of Simon Cowell's face is still real on 'Britains Got Talent' - I know, we're so cultured in our house! 
Debs

I'm reading 'Incendiary' by Chris Cleve and loving it. An unusual and gripping narrative, with an intriguing mc, though I have to confess I'm finding one of the secondary characters a little caricature like.. I'm watching and addicted to 'Homeland' on tv (am a little bit in love/lust with Damien Lewis) Plus the new series of 'The Killing' started this week and I can already tell its going to both enthral and drive me mad!
Fionnuala


I've just finished Slated, the brilliant debut YA novel by Teri Terry and am now on my book group choice, Every Contact Leaves a Trace. Too soon to tell but looks right up my street.  As for television, I'm mourning the end of both Scott and Bailey and Homeland, while guffawing at the Apprentice and then hiding behind my fingers at Dexter.
Caroline G

What books and tv/film are you enjoying right now, dear Strictly readers? Got any recommendations?

4 comments:

Karen said...

I'm reading The Woman Who Went to Bed for a Year, which is nicely amusing, and am scaring myself silly by listening to John Harding's Florence & Giles in the car.

Am also addicted to The Killing, Homeland and The Apprentice :o)

Debs Riccio said...

Karen, I finished the Sue Townsend last night - let me know what you thought of the ending?
And I LOVED 'Florence and Giles' - I bet is IS creepy read aloud... do you get sounds effects as well?

Caroline Green said...

Ooh am intrigued now about Florence and Giles! off to check it out...

DT said...

I hadn't thought about talking books. I recently borrowed "Keep the Aspidistra Flying' and it's brilliant, helped in no small part by Richard E Grant's diction. He was also in the film, apparently.