Read Scotland 2014 discussion

Link up your Hebridean reads here!

Hello! Very excited for this challenge! Here two books that I know are set on Lewis:

The Blackhouse
The Lewis Man

Katie wrote: "Hello! Very excited for this challenge! Here two books that I know are set on Lewis:

The Blackhouse
The Lewis Man"

Glad you signed on, Katie! I'm looking forward to reading these books this year! Thanks.

Just finished my second book, by scottish author, rosamunde pilcher, 'snow in april'. Loved it. Had read it before, but so long ago, i really didn't remember it. Her books are such engrossing easy reading, and the snow was certainly appropriate to our 46 inches so far, this winter! Think i will read d. E. Stevenson's 'the baker's daughter' next. It was the first place i had heard of curling. Since we'll see it at the upcoming olympics, i think i will read it in honor of that :)

Hello, Julie! Thanks for telling me about this challenge! I have just read the first two books of Christine Marion Fraser's three part autobiography. I loved them! Blue Above The Chimneys and Roses 'Round the Door. I do think I'll try one of the Peter May books this year, too!

Third book done - "under Gemini' by Pilcher. and just beginning, 'a risk worth taking, by her son, robin. am waiting to receive, 'blue above the chimneys' - they just told me the copy i ordered wasn't available after all, so have re-ordered it. in the meantime, i'll read the robin pilcher. also need to finish 'seasons on harris' - a nonfiction 'travel' book that i began and just never finished, though i really enjoyed it. so will put it ahead of others on my TBR list :)

That reminds me to step across our sidewalk to our personal library. I'm sure I have something by Rosamund Pilcher. It came to my attention recently that she's Scottish. I also have a motherload of fantastic novels set in Scotland, by authors who clearly admire the place as I do.

i don't know if others are on pinterest or not, but for those who are, i would love to see others make a board of their scottish reading ideas. i made one. would love to see other peoples' gathered together and get more ideas for my own reading :)

Most have blogs, for joining challenges and listing their content. Here's my Scottish post! In my menu you'll see I premiered my 3 challenges Feb 1. Peggy is with me there. Everyone is welcome to come combine their reading. Carolyn http://cmriedel.w.ordpress.com/2013/1...

I saw your Pinterest board Julie. That's a good idea. I'll do up a page for it on my blog too. Carolyn I envy you your own library! Wish I was your neighbor!

Maybe you'll win from my giveaway list. :) We're live now and I won't be able to contain myself from a draw or contest soon! Would happily be your neighbour too. {Suddenly "Mr. Roger's Neighbourhood" sings in my head}. It's tempting for jokes that his puppet was "Mr. McFeeley"!

C. wrote: "Maybe you'll win from my giveaway list. :) We're live now and I won't be able to contain myself from a draw or contest soon! Would happily be your neighbour too. {Suddenly "Mr. Roger's Neighbou..."

I know, Carolyn! What was he thinking when he named that character. He was the postman! LOL!

Julie wrote: "i don't know if others are on pinterest or not, but for those who are, i would love to see others make a board of their scottish reading ideas. i made one. would love to see other peoples' gather..."

Julie, your Pinterest board for Scottish books is excellent. Have picked out a couple of ideas and followed the board.

I've been seeking out everything i could get my hands on ever since our trip in 2007. I've read a bunch and have a bunch waiting for me to get to them. It's been my way of kind of extending our trip :)

Julie, do let me know how you like my list on my blog.

I am new to blogs - how do I go to your blog?

That link I gave, when you asked for people's Scottish location / author ideas. :) Here is the post with which I joined. http://cmriedel.wordpress.com/2013/11...

I am still trying to figure out how this reading challenge works. This is my first one. Do we list what books we've read here? Are we all supposed to be reading the same book each week? Or, do we just pick and choose from the bookshelf and read what we like?

I have finished Green Are My Mountains. I really, really enjoyed this book! I am now looking for her fourth autobiography, Beyond The Rainbow.

I am also listening to Death of a Kingfisherand I've started reading a Kindle edition of That Autumn in Edinburgh which I am enjoying. Fun, romantic and fast moving.

Christine Marion Fraser lived near Dunoon, Scotland when she was writing most of her books. She and her husband and daughter used to vacation on the Isle of Mull and vicinity. Here is the blurb from Amazon about her first fictional novel..."The first volume of a series depicting a tightly-knit, warm-hearted Hebridean community with their own lives and customs, loves and feuds, childbirths and deaths. In their midst Shona and Niall fight for their forbidden love."

Oh, one more thing, apparently Christine Marion Fraser sold more books inside Scotland than Catherine Cookson. :) I guess you can tell I really love this author now. :)

Teresa wrote: "I am still trying to figure out how this reading challenge works. This is my first one. Do we list what books we've read here? Are we all supposed to be reading the same book each week? Or, do we j..."
Hello Teresa! Do exactly what you just did listing what you've read and how you liked it! You don't have to pick just books off the bookshelf here either. Just so long as they are Scottish. There is a discussion topic set up if anyone is interested in doing a 'buddy' read with others of the same book but it's not mandatory or anything. You've listed some books I think I would like and need to check into! Thanks!

thanks for asking, teresa, i wasn't sure exactly how to do it either! i have my 'blue above the chimney' now, but need to finish my current robin pilcher first. and 'rhanna' is waiting on me too. and i've begun 'eminent dogs, dangerous men' - my problem is getting so excited about books that i just have to start in on several at once - like our collie who would go for 10 tennis balls in the air at once :)

Oh yes, Julie! That is me too! A book for every mood.

I don't start more than one but definitely relate to wanting to read so many. I adore/support physical books only and have collected bargains in bulk since I was a teenager (that's another blog article I could share - heehee)! By now I have such an excellent collection of to-read titles, I literally shop throughout my own home to fulfill 44 reading challenges a year. It's so much fun to match subjects and countries of origin and genres. Meeting people with whom to discuss what I read is another treasure of these pastimes. :) Carolyn. http://cmriedel.wordpress.com/2012/07...

finished my 5th book, robin pilcher's 'an ocean apart'. had read it a long time ago. enjoyed it again. think i'm ready to move on to another author for awhile :) really, though am going to have to take time off my scottish list to read charles' finch's newest british mystery, 'an old betrayal'. finally got it from being on hold for it at the library!

I have now finished my 5th book:
The Chronicles of Iona: Prophet (Historical Fiction)****
This challenge is finding me reading an eclectic mix:
Christine Marion Fraser's FIRST three autobiogrpahies.
Death of a Dreamer by M. C. Beaton (Hamish MacBeth Mys.) and The Chronicles His. Fic. I am currently switching between: Man With Two Dogs by Angus Whitson, Tracing Your Scottish Family History by Anthony Adolph and Death of a Kingfisher by M. C. Beaton.

Finished my 6th book, 'the shetland bus'. Loved it. So glad i came across it on the kindle deal of the day! Wish i knew a producer or screenwriter to send it to!

Finished my 7th book, 'Eminent Dogs Dangerous Men Searching Through Scotland for a Border Collie' by Donald McCaig. A Virginia farmer goes to Scotland, meandering through the sheepdog trials, looking for a border collie to take home to help herd his sheep, and to enter sheepdog trials with back at home. The book has a quote on the front from James Herriott, 'Donald McCaig is quite simply a great writer.' Yes, that says it all.

I think I will write a few titles that I really want to make myself do for this challenge. There are several that have been waiting for me to get to them: either the highland journals of Queen Victoria, or the journals of Dorothy Wordsworth; Blue Above the Chimneys; and maybe Searching for Scotland by Morton; A Sense of Belonging to Scotland by Andy Hall

Finished my 8th book, Deborah Crombie's, 'Now May You Weep'. It was a re-read and enjoyed it as much as first time. Takes place at a cooking b&b weekend in scotland, near a distillery. I remembered who did it, but not why, so that kept the mystery going for me on the second time through. Besides, you read them as much for the interweaving of the main characters' relationships as for the mystery.

Are all her books set in Scotland Julie?

I wish they were, but no, only that one.

Just finished the new Hamish MacBeth by M. C. Beaton - 'Death of a Policeman'. They are all alike - you know exactly what will happen. And yet, whenever there is a new one, there I am, with it on hold at the library! So that is number 9 of my book challenge.

Number 10 of the challenge - just finished d. e. stevenson's 'the empty world'. i had read it years and years ago through interlibrary loan, but it has been re-published since then and a friend sold me her copy. it is an odd one for stevenson, as it was written in the 1930's and was her one try at sci-fi. but really i enjoyed it a lot. i was surprised. it is strange. ideas of sci-fi from the 30's are bound to be a bit strange. it's a bit stiff. and yet i had trouble putting it down. i kind of zipped through it because i wanted to know what was going to happen next, so that is a pretty good sign of a good book. it is old-fashioned. this time, though it hit me that this was the plot used by the movie '2012', in which the earth was going to suffer a catastrophe and a few people knew and planned for it - was surprised at how many likenesses there were between the plots. anyway, a very fun read.

Finished book 11 of the challenge - Deborah Goes to Dover by M. C. Beaton. Not too crazy about it nor the series. I think I just don't like Regency Romance. And it was supposed to be funny, but I didn't 'LOL' :) Will go back to Wodehouse for humor.

I have a feeling I'm going to have to switch up to the next level of the challenge pretty soon :)

Julie wrote: "Finished book 11 of the challenge - Deborah Goes to Dover by M. C. Beaton. Not too crazy about it nor the series. I think I just don't like Regency Romance. And it was supposed to be funny, but ..."

I didn't care for her regency's either, Julie

Just finished book 12 of the challenge, 'Love Over Scotland' by McCall Smith. I really like anything he writes. This isn't my favorite series. But I felt that way about the Dalhousie series and now I love it, so I am sticking with it. Have begun the next one now. Found out I left one out, so will go back to it next time.

Just finished book 13 of the challenge, 'A Sense of Belonging to Scotland The favourite places of Scottish personalities' by Andy Hall. For anyone who has been there or who just enjoys the beauty of the landscape, or who wants recommendations for specific places to go in the future, this is a great book.

Julie, you've successfully climbed Ben Nevis! Congratulations.

thanks, Peggy! if only I could really do that!

I have finished over the 8 books for the Highlander and will continue here.

Jane wrote: "I have finished over the 8 books for the Highlander and will continue here."
Congrats, Jane!