Ahhhh… and relax! Here in the UK it is the second day of a lovely long extended weekend because it is of course Easter. I have to admit the closest thing to a religion I have is my books, but I do always find Easter a very calming time of year and this weekend nothing has been planned, no volunteering has been scheduled and it’s a rare thing at Savidge Towers. The main agenda, apart from some services (as The Converted One is Catholic) at the church, is mainly books and movies (such as Clash of the Titans in 3D).
Before I go on to mention my possible reading plans over Easter I wanted to draw your attention to a post this week that I think you can all help with. The lovely Polly of Novel Insights as she goes on a quest to find long forgotten books by authors we love. Do pop over and leave some suggestions, I am interested to see what this list ends up being and am sure we will all want to give some unknown-to-us titles a whirl.
So then, Easter reading plans. I always have a nice little pile of maybes on my bedside (or actually on my bed in the case of the picture below) that I have been meaning to read a while or have just come in and are instantly tempting that I might just give a go over the break. This four day weekend I will be finishing off some pesky books I have meandered through but am enjoying, so not actually that pesky, and seeing if I can get along with any of these…
- Skin Lane – Neil Bartlett (at the top because of next weeks NTTVBG)
- I’m Not Scared – Niccolo Ammaniti (for my unchallenging sort of challenge ‘Lost in Translation’)
- Necropolis – Catharine Arnold (because I start my tours next weekend at Highgate)
- The Seamstress – Frances De Pontes Peebles (it’s a tome of a novel, I like to try and read something mammoth over a break, plus its Brazilian which I resolved to read more books from)
- As The Earth Turns Silver – Alison Wong (new in and sounds very me, Evie Wyld’s boyfriend sent me it so I have a feeling it must be good… or else, ha)
- The Lacuna – Barbara Kingsolver (haven’t read her before and do really want to, also want to get through my hardbacks and it’s an Orange contender)
There you have it a short-ish post from me as have so much reading I want to do. Do pop by to Polly’s post and leave some suggestions and also let me know what you are planning on reading over the next few days, or books that you have started and are reading right now.
Savidge Reads 
As the Earth Turns Silver has been on my radar for a while now, so I’m definitely looking forward to reading your review of that one.
My Easter weekend is almost halfway through now, but I’ve still got plans to read something from Richard Yates, and possibly Pullman’s newest book, The Good Man Jesus and the Scoundrel Christ as well. Maybe if I have time for Angela Carter (for Claire @ Paperback Reader’s Angela Month)… But it’s still summer (well, technically it’s autumn) here in NZ, so I might end up going to the beach and not reading as much. =)
I hadnt heard of the Alison Wong book until very recently and it sounds like it could be just my sort of book so we will see.
I am most jealous of your time by the beach, if I did that here I think I would freeze to death hahha. Oh and my thoughts on the Pullman will be up tomorrow.
I’m just starting Skin Lane, but don’t expect to get much reading done as we’ll be spending hours on the M6 today and tomorrow – I wish I could read in cars…
Oh wouldnt reading in cars be marvellous, I can on coaches not cars though I get proper sick. Glad to hear someone is reading Skim Lane will be interested to see how many people give it a whirl.
I am interested in I’m Not Scared. I’ve seen the movie, which was great.
I didnt even know there was a movie Sandy, thought I don’t like seeing movies till after I have read the book.
I read one Kingsolver so long ago I don’t remember the title and cannot find it either, just sure it wasnot The Poisonwood Bible which came much later. This weekend I will probably finish Marilynne Robinson Housekeeping and I have just started Mark Salzman Lying Awake which is really intriguing.
I havent heard of the Mark Salzman, or indeed of him but I like an intriguing book so I will have to look up that one.
The Poisonwood Bible is one of my Grans very favourite reads so I am hoping The Lacuna is as good, mind you so far I havent stuck to my easter reading at all haha.
Thank you Your Lovliness for the link. I’m hoping to get some ideas as otherwise I may have to go on a massive research mission although that could be interesting too 🙂
Your comment about books being the closest things to a religion for you made me giggle.
Hahahaha I like the title Your Lovliness, I might have to make that an official title from now on. I weirdly could thing of lots of forgotten classics not by famous authors but thats not quite what you are aiming for is it. I keep forgetting the back catalogue of Frances Hodgson Burnett, must read more of her.
Lovely pile of books you’ve got there. Enjoy your Easter break and have a happy Easter – I’m halfway through The Historian and loving it. A bit of a slow week for me – hopefully will be able to read more next week
The Historian is huge so am sure you can be forgiven for taking a nice long time over it, its never good to rush any book long or short.
I’m reading a couple of lighter books right now before I start Skin Lane next week. Right now it’s Tarquin Hall’s The Case of the Missing Servant. After that I think I will go for the Picture of Dorian Gray graphic novel that I found recently. I guess I should save some lighter books for AFTER Skin Lane too!
A graphic version of Dorian Gray I would imagine would be very good. I am just reading a few short books (not even pictured) before I start Skin Lane, am looking forward to a dark thriller.
I’m planning on reading The Seamstress this year, so I really hope it’s good! I really enjoyed I’m Not Scared. 🙂
I am planning on opening that book straight after I finish Skin Lane partly because I have two days empty and its a mammoth book and I dont tend to have enough time for those on the whole which is sad.
Think you might enjoy The Lacuna. The first parts in Mexico with all Frida and Diego are as vivid as their art works. There is an incredible vibrancy in that part of the book. Even though it pales a little in the midst of McCarthyism in the US after that, it still is a very taut narrative thread throughout perhaps as a reflection of the protagonist’s own tension in disguising the fact that he is gay. The politicized tangents are sometimes lack subtlety (and I say this even though I share her views), but this is still a very skillfully crafted nove;.