Working as I do at Christchurch City Libraries, I hear of (and read) so many great books, and watch so many excellent movies and tv, that my For Later Shelf remains stationary, no that's not quite true, it continues to grow. Shrinkage would mean less getting distracted by the ideal cover bringing such promise of a great read. Or a certain actor being in something I have not seen, mean't to see but didn't get there, fancy it because they're in it etc.
This is the time of the year when gardening is what should be happening of course. Fruit and Vegetables are my thing so once the first mad rush of getting everything into the ground is over I hope to be found with my feet up, glass of beer and a good book and here's a taste of what might happen for Ms Bishi this month.
My Grandmother sends Her Love not too heavy but hopefully equally as enjoyable as Man Called Ove, also by Fredrik Backman, who comes highly recommended.
A touch of nostalgia here, re-visiting Soap. This could be great and the laughs as good as 30? years ago - or the remembered satirical humour will fail to ignite. Give it a go anyway.
How to Avoid Huge Ships and other implausibly Titled Books. Again not too demanding but I'm hoping for some good laughs and "You won't believe this title" moments when Mr Bishi will give up trying to read his book and enjoy the humour.
The Reader on the 6.27 is an odd concept. This poor sod, Guylain, works in a book pulping plant, hates it, not fussed about his life either but stays sane by reading aloud on the train, pages he has saved from the pulper. One day he finds himself reading the diary of a lonely woman.... she sounds a lot like him.... This has huge promise and what a neat idea for a book!
I've been with great restraint making my way through the Shardlake series. History is fascinating and Henry VIII's reign has to be one of the most interesting politically and religiously speaking. Add to that a good old fashioned murder or two and you have Matthew Shardlake, hunchback lawyer, brilliant brain, honest and used by Cromwell (and then Cranmer) to shine a light on murders and other nefarious goings on. C.J. Sansom writes so well its easy to forget which century one is living in.
These Dividing Walls promises a great story to disappear into if the cover is anything to go by.
The Lubetkin Legacy - Berthold Lubetkin considered himself an architect of the people, his belief " nothing is too good for ordinary people". The ordinary people in this novel live in a Lubetkin building in London. Peopled with a cross section of the UN and full of characters. Sounds like good holiday reading.
Old Filth comes highly recommended and reading the synopsis is sufficient to warrant its place:"A touch of magic combines with compassion, humour and delicacy to make OLD FILTH a genuine masterpiece".
A touch of reality here: Whipping Boy, "The 40 year search for my 12 year old Bully" is the subtitle. Billed as part childhood memoir and part literary thriller, Alan Kurzweil obsessively tracks down Cesar Augustus, his bully over 40 years ago. Having written this I think this might be my next read.
How are your For Later shelves going? Or is it a notebook that you carry round with you, filled with suggestions from friends and staff? Do share how you keep track of future reading.
Add a comment to: Bibliobishi’s Optimistic Reading and Viewing for January and Beyond