My current book pile is getting to be a bit of a stack, and that's before Christmas. I haven't been devoting much time to reading, plus I am getting bogged down with one book. Theoretically I am in the middle of reading four books, but actually I'm only actively reading two.
One of the Scottish noir writers of detective fiction. Having read Conviction, I can tell you Denise Mina is probably one of the best such writers around. Looking forward to reading this one.
Bought from a Charity Shop
I've read her previous books on ancestry and burial practices. Like her TV presenting, her books are approachable, informative and immensely relatable. This one is about how the end of the Roman Empire coincided with the rise of Christianity.
Bought from The Whitby Bookshop
Bought from The Whitby Bookshop
Zombies In Western Culture - Vervaeke, Mastropietro & Miscevic
A slim volume of what I suspect is more an academic outline than a fully fledged book. But I've heard John Vervaeke talking about this subject and its seems a more useful analogy than you might think. That the dominant presence of zombies in our popular movies is a reflection of our cultures unease with the loss of meaning.
A Birthday Present
Currently Reading
A Birthday Present
Currently Reading
In my reading of Christian history and literature I've been meaning to investigate the mystic apophatic tradition, of which Eckhart seems pretty central. This book has a favourable reputation as a broad introduction to his thought.
A Birthday Present
A compendium of Merwin's poetry, unknown in the UK, but a much lauded man of US literature. I've taken to reading a couple of poems a day, at 529 pages I have around 170 to go. Its a bit like climbing a mountain, some very lovely views and aspects, but surrounded by a considerable amount of applied effort. If I maintain my current level of reading, I may finish this compendium in February 2026.
Ordered from Holt Bookshop
Currently Reading
An apparently helpful book about how to avoid becoming polarised in our beliefs, and unable to hear opinions that don't accord with our own. A somewhat timely book. I believe I need a little help in this area myself, so lets see what this has to offer.
Bought from Book Hive Aylsham
Subtitled -A Study In Meaning, Barfield was one of the 'Inklings' along with Tolkein & Lewis. An influential thinker whose ideas and theories about poetry and language are probably more wide ranging in their influence than I realise. I want to read this to see if I can get a grasp on what the fuss is about. Wish me luck, cos I think I might need it. Feeling a tad intimidated.
A Birthday Present
Again someone I've seen being interviewed on The Sacred podcast. I'm always fascinated by people whose job is to interact with darker vile and unacceptable people in our society. Adshead is a forensic Psychiatrist whose patients are serial killers, arsonists, stalkers. Basicly the sort of folk the tabloids would label 'monsters'.
A Birthday Present
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Seen Harari speaking on videos several times and been really impressed with his clarity of thought and even handed nature. So I thought I'd read one of his highly thought of books.
Bought from Waterstones Norwich
Bought from Waterstones Norwich
I've been wanting to get a general overview of Japanese history for a while. There are plenty of lengthy magisterial tombes, that I wouldn't want to buy without some overall sense of how the history rolls out. There appears to be some sort of in joke going on between publishers about who has the briefest history.
Bought from Waterstones Norwich
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I heard about this from Dua Lipa's Book podcast Service 95. She was interviewing the author and this seemed an intriguing reading prospect. Four differing representations of the life of a controversial millionaire and his wife. I'm about three quarters through, and really enjoying it so far.
Bought from a Charity Shop
Currently Reading
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I've been thinking about reading an introduction to Eastern Orthodoxy for a while So I bought this in a book sale, its a fifty year old book, with several revised editions before now. I'm finding it a bit dry historically, surprisingly not a lot of warmth or enthusiasm for his subject coming across. Hence, I am making slow if not dogged progress with it.
Bought from the Beccles Bookshop
Currently Reading
BOOKSHOPS
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