Book Beginnings: A Fragment of Fear

A Fragment of Fear, by John Bingham (first published 1965). First paragraph of Chapter 1:

We live in a dangerous age, and this is not only because of the hydrogen bomb and high taxation.

About the Book:

"James Compton, a young journalist and crime writer, becomes intrigued by, and then involved in, the mysterious death of an older British woman tourist apparently on holiday near the ruins of Pompeii. On his return to England he becomes further implicated in what he now knows was a murder, but his efforts to help the police are sabotaged by unknown forces who discredit him to such an extent that his evidence and his theories are devalued. However, so determined is he to bring the criminals to justice that he endangers not only his own life but that of his fiancee Juliet on the very day of their long awaited wedding." (–GoodReads)

Initial Thoughts:

Well, my first thought was something about how very, very true that opening line is — especially with all the craziness we're living through at this moment in time. I guess every era has its dangers, but some just seem more frightening than others. And make you feel extremely helpless. But fortunately, this book has kept me nicely distracted from current events, at least for a while.

Have a good weekend, everyone. Stay safe. Stay calm. And happy reading!

Rose City Reader hosts Book Beginnings on Friday.  As she says, the idea is to post the first sentence (or so) of the book you're currently reading, along with any first impressions or thoughts you have about the book, the author, etc.  It's a wonderful way of adding new books to your must-read list, and a chance to connect with other readers and bloggers.

Book Beginnings: The Five Red Herrings

The Five Red Herrings, by Dorothy L. Sayers (first published 1931). These are the book's opening lines:

If one lives in Galloway, one either fishes or paints. 'Either' is perhaps misleading, for most of the painters are fishers also in their spare time. To be neither of these things is considered odd and almost eccentric.

About the Book:

"The body was on the pointed rocks alongside the stream. The artist might have fallen from the cliff where he was painting, but there are too many suspicious elements — particularly the medical evidence that proves he'd been dead nearly half a day, though eyewitnesses had seen him alive a scant hour earlier. And then there are the six prime suspects — all of them artists, all of whom wished him dead. Five are red herrings, but one has created a masterpiece of murder that baffles everyone, including Lord Peter Wimsey."

Initial Thoughts:

The Five Red Herrings is one of the few Lord Peter Wimsey mysteries I've never read. It's been on my must-read list for decades now, and one of my 2020 reading challenges finally gave me the nudge I needed to get started on it.

I love Lord Peter, and he's up to his usual form in this one. But I'm having a really hard time getting through all the Scottish dialect in the book. It's definitely slowing me down. Will I be able to stick with it long enough to finish? Och! A dinnae ken.

Anyway....Happy reading, everyone!

Rose City Reader hosts Book Beginnings on Friday.  As she says, the idea is to post the first sentence (or so) of the book you're currently reading, along with any first impressions or thoughts you have about the book, the author, etc.  It's a wonderful way of adding new books to your must-read list, and a chance to connect with other readers and bloggers.

WWW Wednesdays: 26 February 2020

It's Wednesday and that means it's time for WWW Wednesdays! This meme was originally hosted by MizB over at A Daily Rhythm, and then revived by Sam Stevens of Taking on a World of Words. Just three questions, once a week:

1. What are you currently reading?

Almost done with The Illness Lesson, by Clare Beams....

Getting ready to start reading The Collected Works of Gretchen Oyster, by Cary Fagan. It was an Early Reviewer book from Library Thing, and I really should have gotten it read by now. Too many books calling my name.

Also still reading Jane Eyre, a bit at a time. It's probably going to be a year-long effort, but I'm sticking with it.

2. What did you recently finish reading?

In the last couple of weeks, I've finished:

An ARC of Anita Abriel's The Light After the War....

Evidence of Love, a true-crime tale by John Bloom and Jim Atkinson, downloaded (free!) from Amazon....

And a couple of classic children's books that have been on my TBR list for quite a while -- Ramona and Her Father, by Beverly Cleary (read for the Newbery Reading Challenge)....

and Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day, by Judith Viorst....

3. What do you think you’ll read next?

Well, I have several ARCs lined up that I need to get to ASAP. These two are at the top of the pile....

Book Beginnings: The Illness Lesson

Cover art by Michelle Kingdom
Cover design by Emily Mahon

The Illness Lesson, by Clare Beams (Doubleday, February 2020). This is the book's first sentence:

The first of the birds Caroline mistook for her own mind's work.

About the Book:

At their newly founded school, Samuel Hood and his daughter Caroline promise a groundbreaking education for young women. But Caroline has grave misgivings. After all, her own unconventional education has left her unmarriageable and isolated, unsuited to the narrow roles afforded women in 19th century New England. 

When a mysterious flock of red birds descends on the town, Caroline alone seems to find them unsettling. But it's not long before the assembled students begin to manifest bizarre symptoms: rashes, seizures, headaches, verbal tics, night wanderings. One by one, they sicken. Fearing ruin for the school, Samuel overrules Caroline's pleas to inform the girls' parents and turns instead to a noted physician, a man whose sinister ministrations--based on a shocking historic treatment--horrify Caroline. As the men around her continue to dictate, disastrously, all terms of the girls' experience, Caroline's body too begins to betray her. To save herself and her young charges, she will have to defy every rule that has governed her life, her mind, her body, and her world.

Initial Thoughts:

I was interested in this book because I had heard that the plot echoed the story of Bronson Alcott and his attempts to establish a similar school in the 19th century. And the hints are definitely there, but this book is so much more than that. I'm about midway through it, and it's turning out to be (by far) the best debut novel I've read in quite a while. Clare Beams is a wonderful discovery! Hoping the second half doesn't let me down.

Happy Friday, everyone! And happy reading! And have a lovely weekend.

Rose City Reader hosts Book Beginnings on Friday.  As she says, the idea is to post the first sentence (or so) of the book you're currently reading, along with any first impressions or thoughts you have about the book, the author, etc.  It's a wonderful way of adding new books to your must-read list, and a chance to connect with other readers and bloggers.

Book Beginnings: The Circus

The Circus, by Jonas Karlsson (Hogarth Press, February 2020). This is the book's first sentence:

It all started with the usual discussion: is it possible to be friends with someone who listens to "Fix You" by Coldplay?

About the Book:

"The gentle, off-beat narrator of The Circus is perfectly content with his quiet life. By day he works in a bakery, and by night he obsessively organizes and reorganizes his record collection: it’s all just the way he likes it. But when his childhood friend Magnus comes calling out of the blue, the contours of our narrator’s familiar world begin to shift. On a visit to the circus together, Magnus volunteers to participate in the magician’s disappearing act, and midway through the routine he vanishes. Is this part of the act? What’s happened to Magnus? And who is it calling on the phone in the dead of night, breathing into the receiver, but never saying a word?.... The Circus is a funhouse mirror of a read—one that ingeniously reveals the way we see ourselves and the stories we tell. "

Initial Thoughts:

Well, first of all — I realize I have no idea what "Fix You" sounds like. I have no idea what Coldplay sound(s) like. I know it's a music group, but (as far as I know) I've never heard any of their music. I suppose that could have made a difference in my reaction to this book. So let me just nip over to YouTube and listen a bit.

OK — I'm back. I will probably never be a Coldplay fan. But I don't think I'd rule you out as a pal if you were a fan. That seems a little extreme.

But let's get back to the book at hand. The Circus is the third work I've read by the Swedish writer Jonas Karlsson. I loved the first two novels: The Room and The Invoice. This one was also enjoyable and clever, and definitely worth reading, but just didn't have the wow-factor of the others. Will try to get a short review up in a day or so.

Darn. Can't get that Coldplay tune out of my head now.

Happy Friday, everyone! And happy reading! And have a lovely weekend.

Rose City Reader hosts Book Beginnings on Friday.  As she says, the idea is to post the first sentence (or so) of the book you're currently reading, along with any first impressions or thoughts you have about the book, the author, etc.  It's a wonderful way of adding new books to your must-read list, and a chance to connect with other readers and bloggers.

It's Monday! What Are You Reading?

So now it's February.

January was pretty busy around here, so even though it was a nice, long month, I'm a little surprised that it's already over. But even with all our activities, I managed to get a few books read.

Finished in January:

• Bitter End (The First Nero Wolfe Novella), by Rex Stout
• In the Last Analysis (Kate Fansler Mysteries, #1), by Amanda Cross
• The Circus, by Jonas Karlsson 

Also one that I'm finishing up today (but will list it as a January read):

• Unexplained Laughter, by Alice Thomas Ellis

Those were all fairly short reads, and very entertaining — especially that last one. I read Alice Thomas Ellis's The Other Side of the Fire several years ago and loved it, too. I'm a real fan of her writing, but her books weren't easy to find until just recently.

Will try to get some short reviews up later in the week.

So far, this month I've started:

Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Brontë
(which will probably be a year-long project)

and...

The Light After the War, by Anita Abriel

The Light After the War is due to be issued this month, by Atria Books. I'm reading an advance edition from NetGalley and hope to finish it up before its publication date. So I need to get back to the books!

Happy reading, everyone!

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? is hosted by Kathryn at Book Date. If you want to let the world know what you're going to be reading this week, head on over to her blog and leave your link. It's also a great way to discover new books and new blogs.

2020 Newbery Reading Challenge

Hosted by: Julie @ Smiling Shelves
Dates: January 1 - December 31, 2020

Click HERE for guidelines and sign-ups.

Children's lit is one of my "guilty pleasures." Actually, some of my favorite reads over the last few years have been Newbery or Caldecott Medal winners or nominees. And since there are many more I want to read, this challenge is perfect for me.

I'm signing up for the "L'Engle" level, 15-29 points. You can read all about the point system and the various levels, as well as all the other guidelines, on the challenge announcement page HERE. During the year, I'll be tracking my progress and keeping all my lists over on my challenge blog (HERE).