tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-446727280609751914.post5651122271685253408..comments2024-02-10T19:58:20.327+00:00Comments on Stuck in a Book: Festive ReadingStuckInABookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10017836017530130716noreply@blogger.comBlogger21125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-446727280609751914.post-73915872905983038622009-12-14T16:25:00.658+00:002009-12-14T16:25:00.658+00:00I don't like to tackle anything that might nee...I don't like to tackle anything that might need the exercise of grey matter over the holiday period, don't know why, but just do. So the Byatt and the Atwoods will take a back seat and it will be crime, mystery, adventure and romance all the way. One thing I do every year without fail is to read A Christmas Carol and to watch the Muppet Christmas Carol as well!!Elainehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17739410242766153431noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-446727280609751914.post-27546751157614575822009-12-13T08:47:50.737+00:002009-12-13T08:47:50.737+00:00"Lanterns accross the snow" by Susan Hil..."Lanterns accross the snow" by Susan Hill is a great Christmas read. Short, evocative and my copy has beautiful woodcut illustrations by Katherine Lindsley. I also enjoy digging out "The Christmas Reader", a Penguin Anthology compiled by Godrey Smith. Then there is the magical short story "The Gift of the Magi" by O'Henry, which my father gave me to read many years ago.henriettanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-446727280609751914.post-24779750978988131412009-12-13T06:24:25.778+00:002009-12-13T06:24:25.778+00:00"The cat who came for Christmas" by Clev..."The cat who came for Christmas" by Cleveland Amory would please cat-lovers. An unsentimental middle-aged journalist rescues a starving, hurt cat on Christmas Eve and thus begins a relationship between the writer and the stray cat. <br /><br />Happy Christmassue roslyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06097490578091030842noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-446727280609751914.post-80624955472168309932009-12-12T15:51:57.758+00:002009-12-12T15:51:57.758+00:00I will choose a reading theme if I am going away, ...I will choose a reading theme if I am going away, so when I went to Israel I made sure I tried to take some Israeli authors or ones based where I am going to. Not really though for seasons, though I duid read a supernatural based book around Halloween. <br /><br />I see Christmas as the time to read some big old books I have been wanting to a while like Great Expectations and Peyton Place.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-446727280609751914.post-66184860338575662242009-12-12T14:18:06.379+00:002009-12-12T14:18:06.379+00:00The Christmas Mystery sounds like one for me - not...The Christmas Mystery sounds like one for me - not least because I can only manage a chapter a day at such a busy time of year!<br />Traditionally Christmas is a time for telling tales by the fireside - and ghost stories feature large in the seasonal collection - all the more scary in the darkness!<br />Look out for The Turn of The Screw BBC1 9.00 pm on December 30th - some of which was filmed in Norton sub Hamdon churchyard earlier this year. (Folk overseas can pick up a copy by Henry James - your hair will stand on end!)<br />The Snow Goose by Paul Gallico is making a come-back on Radio 4 - so grab your copy before the shops sell out. I can remember my sister shedding a tear over it when I was too young to read it myself.<br />Failing that, Miss Hargreaves celebrates Christmas, I seem to remember!OVWnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-446727280609751914.post-18856904306285233122009-12-11T18:43:16.887+00:002009-12-11T18:43:16.887+00:00Okay this one's a bit of a guy's Christmas...Okay this one's a bit of a guy's Christmas selection, but I'm starting The Thin Man by Dashell Hammett, which is the famous noir crime story set at Christmastime.Mike Snoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-446727280609751914.post-56852579823349588762009-12-11T15:12:59.779+00:002009-12-11T15:12:59.779+00:00I meant to mention (in my own post too) the season...I meant to mention (in my own post too) the seasonal reads post that Justine Picardie recently wrote: http://justine-picardie.blogspot.com/2009/11/seasonal-reads.html<br />Some wonderful ideas there and ones that I had planned to read/reread this year if it hadn't been for the time constraint. Some of the wintry titles -as opposed to strictly Christmassy- I may read in January/February.Paperback Readerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14579608422235511054noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-446727280609751914.post-46761954678488139322009-12-11T14:45:28.702+00:002009-12-11T14:45:28.702+00:00My reading is definitely seasonal--but not exclusi...My reading is definitely seasonal--but not exclusively. Some books just feel more wintry--almost all of Dickens, for example--and I can't bear to read them in the summer (or a summery book in winter). <br />Meanwhile, my husband and I decided to start the tradition last year of reading <i>A Christmas Carol</i> every year. I also used to read <i>To Kill a Mockingbird</i> every fall, but I haven't done that in a couple of years.Tiffany Norrishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16030610462498175664noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-446727280609751914.post-88852391351083472222009-12-11T13:49:49.626+00:002009-12-11T13:49:49.626+00:00Rumer Godden's The Story of Holly and Ivy is a...Rumer Godden's The Story of Holly and Ivy is a wonderful Christmas book, and I read it every year. It's all about an orphan girl called Ivy who has nowhere to go for Christmas, and is trying to find a family. It is funny and heartwarming.<br /><br />Also, the unjustly unknown Life and Legends of Santa Claus, by Julie Lane. It's a dear book about a boy called Nicholas who makes toys for the children in his village; and in each chapter, he sort of grows into being Santa Claus more and more. The illustrations are absolutely gorgeous woodcuts, and the story is wonderful.Jennyhttp://jennysbooks.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-446727280609751914.post-58698828404898458862009-12-11T13:43:26.612+00:002009-12-11T13:43:26.612+00:00I collect Christmas picture books with cats as the...I collect Christmas picture books with cats as the main characters! So, every Christmas, I get them out, read all of them again, and then decorate my house with them. The book covers are so festive with the reds, greens, blues, silvers. They add such a classic and classy look. <br /><br />Titles include Holly by Ruth Brown, The Christmas Cat by Efner Tudor Holmes illustrated by Tasha Tudor, A Pussycat's Christmas by Margerat Wise Brown illustrated by Anne Mortimer, Santa's Snow Cat by Sue Stainton illustrated by Anne Mortimer, What Cats Want for Christmas. <br /><br />Any suggestions of Christmas cats books would be appreciated -- the more the merry.<br /><br />Merry Christmas!Barbara on the Bookcasehttp://blog.readinggroupchoices.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-446727280609751914.post-49887205982653939192009-12-11T13:29:18.671+00:002009-12-11T13:29:18.671+00:00A Christmas Carol by Dickens is a perennial favour...A Christmas Carol by Dickens is a perennial favourite of mine, though this year I'm planning on reading the other short stories that come with the book.Darlenehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07415316482631852565noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-446727280609751914.post-56000365293677081092009-12-11T11:04:20.015+00:002009-12-11T11:04:20.015+00:00The Christmas Mystery is a lovely book and one I r...The Christmas Mystery is a lovely book and one I read for a book group at Christmas a few years ago.<br /><br />I don't normally read as seasonally as I intend to this year but I felt inspired -and a little obligated- because it is my first year blogging. Moreover, I am not feeling very festive this year and I thought that the reading would help. It also gives me an excuse to finally read the festively entitled Comyns book!<br /><br />The Bell is also on my immediate TBR pile and yet I can never seem to quite reach it...Paperback Readerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14579608422235511054noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-446727280609751914.post-34390609030634186722009-12-11T10:07:16.162+00:002009-12-11T10:07:16.162+00:00I don't tend to theme my reading but I do want...I don't tend to theme my reading but I do want to read The Box of Delights this year. I have whole stack of books that I have saved up for my holiday reading - only a week to go and I can't wait!Bloomsbury Bellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12770210075581113565noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-446727280609751914.post-71361393320618067382009-12-11T09:23:12.362+00:002009-12-11T09:23:12.362+00:00PS: I LOVE The Christmas Mystery - it is a while s...PS: I LOVE The Christmas Mystery - it is a while since I read that, but I've left it too late for this advent.verityhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16825551404394913715noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-446727280609751914.post-20538898808276920602009-12-11T09:22:45.932+00:002009-12-11T09:22:45.932+00:00I'm planning to reread the Miss Read Christmas...I'm planning to reread the Miss Read Christmas book. Otherwise I have a whole stack of non Christmas books which I know will delight me - a couple of Greyladies titles, a Persephone or two, Nightingale Wood, and Dear Mr Bigelow which I'm very excited about.verityhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16825551404394913715noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-446727280609751914.post-44709263044598968102009-12-11T08:53:28.386+00:002009-12-11T08:53:28.386+00:00I like rereading A Christmas Carol at this time of...I like rereading A Christmas Carol at this time of year, even if it's only to dip into it here and there or read bits to my son. It is just the best Christmas book ever.<br /> Having arranged to do a joint reread/post with Mrs B at The Literary Stew on The Greengage Summer first thing in January, I'm not exactly following a Christmas theme at the moment, but I might treat myself to another Dorothy L. Sayers, The Nine Tailors, which begins on New Year's Eve and has snow, churches and lots of bells.bookheaperhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04122059232579616191noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-446727280609751914.post-30588041136977626892009-12-11T08:33:58.112+00:002009-12-11T08:33:58.112+00:00No I never do seasonal reading, themed reading, re...No I never do seasonal reading, themed reading, reading in the nude or anything other than just book reading!<br /><br />Omnivorous CatDark Pussnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-446727280609751914.post-46072961191867191952009-12-11T07:55:20.672+00:002009-12-11T07:55:20.672+00:00I'm going to read "A Christmas carol"...I'm going to read "A Christmas carol" by Dickens. It has just been reprinted in French.<br />I hope you'll enjoy "The bell" by Murdoch !<br />LewerentzAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-446727280609751914.post-91460929238189757172009-12-11T03:20:42.065+00:002009-12-11T03:20:42.065+00:00I'm finally reading Little Women. It opens on ...I'm finally reading Little Women. It opens on a christmas scene and has several episodes in winter. It's lovely so far!The Literary Stewhttp://theliterarystew.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-446727280609751914.post-70438042673462682582009-12-11T01:17:27.868+00:002009-12-11T01:17:27.868+00:00At this time of year, I always treat myself to a c...At this time of year, I always treat myself to a comfort read, not necessarily Christmas-related, per se. This year I'm indulging in a re-read of Dorothy Sayers' Murder Must Advertise and Whose Body? The inscriptions indicate that I received them from my parents for Christmas when I was just fifteen, in 1976.BookishNYChttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15371857770323002742noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-446727280609751914.post-47834875252572906732009-12-11T01:08:20.552+00:002009-12-11T01:08:20.552+00:00I'm going to read Robert Browning's long 1...I'm going to read Robert Browning's long 1850 poem <i>Christmas Eve and Easter Day</i>. I'm just assuming that it's festive, and could be quite wrong.Amateur Reader (Tom)https://www.blogger.com/profile/13675275555757408496noreply@blogger.com