The Content Reader

There has not been that many reviews here lately, although I have read quite a lot. Well, time is the culprit. Here are a few short notes on some of the books I have read in June. Three books by Colm Tóibín;   The Empty Family, Brooklyn and The Heather Blazing. All about family relationships, or the difficulty with such relationships. The first one contains short stories of different kind of family relationships. Often we might think of family as mom, dad and children, but Tóibín finds so many more kinds, and they are not always happy ones. The other two books also deals with family. In Brooklyn, Eilis Lancey, moves to New York when she cannot find work in 1950s Ireland. All alone in a new country, totally different from her old world, we see how she changes in trying to find a happy life for herself. It is very sensitively written and shows clearly how people change/develop coming to a new place, and how it also changes the relationship with the people left behind. The ...

I did read a few books during December, but it was so busy, so I did not have time to do any reviews. Here is a short summary of the books. The Four Swans by Winston Graham: No 6 in the Poldark saga and we are entering into the second generation of Poldarks. Ross and Demelza, Elizabeth and Warleggan are still there, but other family members enters the story. Well told as usual. Interesting insight into the politics and wars at the time, mixed with unexpected family drama. Time for the 7th book which is The Angry Tide. Under the Greenwood Tree by Thomas Hardy: I bough this book visiting his childhood house in Dorset. I love the writing of Hardy, but had some difficulties with this one. Partly because it was written in dialect, and I find it difficult to read. The first half was rather uninteresting, but the latter part picked up and I enjoyed this local story of young love and countryside traditions. Five Great Short Stories by Anton Chekhov: I have had this for years,...

Many years ago I read the first books in this series and really loved it. I don't know why I did not continue to read the following books, but alas did not. However, waiting for the first season of the new BBC Poldark tv-series, I read the first four Poldark books in a row. Difficult to stop! Whatever BBC does, it does very well. The Poldark series are no exception. Absolutely fantastic! Wonderful actors, wonderful scenery and a wonderful script that follows the books very well. The absolute highlight is of course Aidan Turner as Poldark. You can just not think of anyone else who would do the part so well. The other actors are also perfectly cast and it makes it the top adaption it is. I am now watching the second season (I think they do two books per season) and it gets better and better. To prepare myself for the third season which seems to be on the way, I have bought the next three books in the series; The Black Moon, The Four Swans and The Angry Tide. I am more than...

Addictive! This is the word to describe what happens when you start reading the first book in this series. Winston Graham has written historical fiction at its best. Cornwall in the end of the 18th century, where people are mainly depending on the tin and copper mines. The story starts when Ross, a young man from the higher classes, but without money, comes back after having fought in the American wars. Being rather disillusioned by his experience, he is on his way home. Already in the stage coach he gets news that his father has died. Deciding at the spur of the moment, not to go directly home, but visit his uncle to inquire more about the circumstances, he get his second chock when he learns that his first love, Elizabeth, is to marry his cousin Francis. With these devastating news he goes back to his house, Nampara , where he grew up. It is in an appalling state, and no money to take care of it. However, he is determined to take it back to how it once was. The other part of ...

Yes, you read it right! I have downloaded a couple of e-books to enlighten my stay in Mallorca. I am going there tomorrow. Being alone for the first few days, I will enjoy the freedom to read most of the days. Having been busy lately with visitors, I have not been able to read as much as I would have liked. So, promise that there will be a few reviews coming up here. So, what has inspired me to buy books again? First, having started to watch the BBC drama Poldark , based on the books by Winston Graham, I had to buy the first four books. I read the first two, when I was young (many years ago now, and quite forgotten, although I remember loving them). The first four are Ross, Demelza, Jeremy and Warleggan. I also found for free from Endeavour Press , To Be a Lady: Biography of Catherine Cookson  by Cliff Goodwin. I remember reading a lot of her books as I was younger (!!don't worry, I am not going back to my childhood memories yet, although it might seem so). Also found on YouTub...