Currently Reading - Jul 2013

Just a quick post tonight. In between our Sunday night TV fare; having just watched Endeavour on PBS (excellent series) and about to watch True Blood on HBO (of course, another of our favourites, one of the few shows that keeps us guessing all the time.. weird and strange folks involved in that series) and then The Newsroom, one of the missus' favourites..

Had a reasonably productive day today, finished cleaning the highest gutter while the missus trimmed trees and such. Then we felt somewhat energetic and washed down the back of the house.. it needed it.. I do feel as though I got a mite too much sun today, beautiful day that it was.. So now we relax, will take the puppies out for a walk around the Close after The Newsroom.. Oh, here are a couple of new photos of the two terrors.. they both went to the 'cleaners' this past week.. Bonnie was 'the dream dog' according to Lindy, our pet groomer....

Bonnie, slightly distracted in mid-pose

 

 

Clyde was 'ok', it being his first visit to the groomer, since we got him.. :0)

 

Clyde, posing with a little help from a friend.

 

They have adjusted reasonably well to our life-style, or rather we've been assimilated into theirs.. *g*.. We've started going for 3 or 4 walks a day. All is well, they have enlivened up our place..

 

So.. to books.. What am I reading currently...

 



Murder in the Central Committee by Manuel Vazquez Montalban. I bought another book in this series, The Angst Ridden Executive, at my local book store, but I wanted to start with the first book in the series. Set in Spain, this time in Madrid, it features, ex-Communist, ex-CIA operative, Pepe Carvalho, now a private detective, hired by the Spanish Communist party to solve the murder of the party leader at a meeting of the Central Committee. I'm enjoying the story overall, so far. I do find the translation cumbersome at times, or maybe it's just the flowery style of the author. But there are pearls within the story and I'm finding as I get into it, that I'm enjoying it more and more and getting into the flow of the writing. I look forward to seeing how it all resolves itself.

 

 

The Gods of Mars by Edgar Rice Burroughs. This month I've focused on various Edgar Rice Burroughs' stories, two new series and so far, the first John Carter book, A Princess of Mars. To finish off the month, I'm reading the second book in the Barsoom series. This story takes place 10 years after the first, when John Carter has returned to Earth and is desperate to return to Mars, as when he was thrust out of Mars last book, the atmosphere was disappearing and he wants to find his dear wife, Dejah Thoris. In this story, so far, he has landed (so to speak) in the land of the Dead and is trying to find his way out.  As the write up on the back says, "After the long exile on Earth, John Carter finally returned to his beloved Mars. But beautiful Dejah Thoris, the woman he loved, had vanished. Now he was trapped in the legendary Eden of Mars, an Eden from which none ever escaped alive".. So far, the story is as good as the first, with new beings, the Plant people, the fierce Black Pirates of Barsoom and the Holy Therns being introduced so far, as well as Thuvia, the Maid of Mars.. Great stuff!

 

The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood, by Howard Pyle. I'm reading this as part of my Time Traveller's Challenge. For Jul to Sept, we are reading books set in the Middle Ages, 5 - 15 AD. I've chosen the adventures of Robin Hood. I found this edition at Russell Books in Victoria; it was published in 1952. Love the drawings within and so far, the story is excellent. Not a surprise, really. I may read another book in this challenge later, but first I plan to enjoy this thoroughly. The book was originally written in 1883 by American illustrator and writer, Howard Pyle and features a number of stories, adventures of Robin Hood and his merry men. It's been enjoyable, so far.

So there you have it.. Next BLogs I hope to review my July readings and also provide an idea of some of the books I plan to read in August. It's been a great year so far. :0)