Wednesday was agreeably surprised first thing with Brahms' Double Concerto finale

[oursin]

What I read

Finished The Doxies Penalty - I wonder where my copies of the first two in the sequence have got to? should like to revisit.

Kent Haruf, Plainsong (1999) - I think I mentioned when reading another work by Haruf that I had been intrigued by an essay in a collection by Ursula Le Guin about his novels, so I was looking out for these at 'taking a punt' prices. I feel that, um, admire the writing, the subtle subdued effects etc etc etc but not impelled to rush out and acquire everything he ever wrote.

For a massive change of pace, Megan Abbott, El Dorado Drive (2025) which was good if grim noirish about sisters who were brought up in comfort and then the economy crashed, getting caught up in a rather creepy pyramid-type scheme.

Then another change of pace, Julia Quinn, Romancing Mister Bridgerton (Bridgertons, #4) (2004) as it was on Kobo promotion and I felt maybe I should given these a whirl, but not massively taken. Kind of slow.

Then yet another Dick Francis, Decider (1993), pretty good, even if we have yet another dysfunctional privileged family (this one owns, or at least, is in the process of inheriting, a racecourse), at least one of whom is a raging psychopath. The competence-porn in this one involves architecture, in particular restoration of ruined buildings, with a side-trip to erecting a big top and how circuses deal with potential fires etc (plot-relevant).

On the go

Somebody somewhere some while ago was mentioning Somerset Maugham's Cakes and Ale (1930), which I literally read in my schooldays and never since, and had it mentally on a list to look at again, so downloaded it from The Faded Page and am well stuck in. Love Our Narrator being bitchy about Literary Circles, not so much enthralled by the actual plot.

Up next

Dunno. It's that time of year when I really have no idea what I want to read. Maybe that book about the Bigfoot Community?

Comments

[kore]

NEW MEGAN ABBOTT? //rushes out

I know I read that book during my Somerset Maugham kick but I can't really remember anything about it.

[snippy]

I liked Decider largely because of the protagonist's family and how he dealt with the race course-owning family members.

[regshoe]

It may have been me mentioning Cakes and Ale! I loved the stuff about writers and literary circles, and I think it would make an interesting re-read remembering the twist at the end.

[oursin]

Very likely! Yes, the stuff about literary cliques and reputation-mongering was great.

[oracne]

Julia Quinn's romances are the first wallpaper historicals I remember reading. I read the whole Bridgerton series but most of them didn't stick in my mind.

I love Dick Francis books so much.