reading list

Like I said, I did an awful lot of reading on the beach whilst I was in France. I really enjoyed
Nigel Slater's Toast, even though I thought that the vignette, single episode style would wear thin. It didn't at all, although I would definitely not recommend the book to anyone on a diet. It makes you very hungry reading it. But most definitely enjoyable, easy reading.

I also read Finding Myself by Toby Litt. This was a strange one, because I spent a large quantity of time hating the novel, and its "clever" style, the narrative voice, and the general story. However, I could hardly put the book down, so it must be compelling in some way. I'm not sure I could recommend, since I'm still not entirely sure whether I actually liked it. However, I can definitely say that you will not feel any smarter, or better for reading it. That's about all I can say for the moment.

The third book I read was Elegance by Kathleen Tessaro. Definite chick lit. Had a strange moment of plot symmetry with Finding Myself, which was bizarre. Not at all bad, but not at all good. By this stage I was beginning to tire of conversationally toned contemporary novels, and have turned instead to the elegant prose of Evelyn Waugh's Brideshead Revisited which makes such a correct and proper change. I have been told that I will bore of the Catholicism, but for the moment I am enjoying Sebastien Flyte and his teddy bear. Sure, if I bore, I can always stop. There is nothing to keep me reading should I desire to stop. I am a free agent now, and never have to read a "proper" book again, should I not choose to. But to give up reading! Never. It is such a complete joy.