flight paths discussion

summer is in full swing
by the time July rolls around
people are ready to play
and joy is to be found
in the simple pleasure
of lying on the ground
on the sand by the sea
or under a tree
with a book for sure
who could want more

Beautiful poem!

I didn't get a lot of reading done in June. Had some family issues to deal with, then my back went out. I'm hoping for a better July.

I'm starting the month by continuing with The Famished Road. The situation in the story has now changed & I'm hoping it'll change my outlook on the book. The first 40% was a bit the same again & again. The writing is smooth & fluid but the story is very slow & repetitive. I'm hoping things change now and something starts to happen.

I will also restart The Humans Who Went Extinct: Why Neanderthals Died Out and We Survived by skimming the part I've already read. It's a fascinating book, with plenty of detail. I didn't have time to concentrate on it, so will go back and continue onwards. I've missed reading this. The story is truly fascinating.

I will also continue with We. I can certainly see the similarities to 1984.

I've also got quite a pile from the library. I hope I have reading time in July to get to them all.

Love the poem Magdelanye!

Petra: I own several copies of Famished Road, lol. I've started it several times--and liked the beginning--but for some reason I've always been interrupted. Can't wait to read your reaction to it

Ellie, the beginning was really good. I was pulled into the story right away. But it changed and became quite violent and repetitive. It was harder to continue.

However, I did finish The Famished Road and appreciated the look into poor Nigerian lives. Their lives are harsh and they walk the line between drastically poor and death. They live that close to the edge. The corruption is, in part, a way to survive and, perhaps, to thrive (something we all wish for).
By the end of the book, I appreciated it very much. I enjoyed the writing throughout, I didn't like the violence and appreciated the look at a World that is changing forever. Worth the read but not easy.

I also finished We and enjoyed it. It's not as focussed & detailed as 1984 but it has the same feeling of control and loss of Self.

Lastly, I (finally) finished The Life of Charles Dickens: Volume 3 and finished this biography. It's the best biography of Dickens I've read from a personal perspective. I think it's as close to the real man we can get. Forster was a good and dear friend and he knew Dickens well and it shows in this work. However, Forster's writing is quite dry and he is very careful to protect Dickens' privacy, so there's a lot that isn't said. The best parts were the excerpts from letters that Dickens had written. There were a lot of excerpts, so this biography works well. ....but it's not a page turner. It took me 5 years to read the 3 volumes. I'm glad I read it and I'm glad I'm finished with it. Well worth the effort, though.

I'm now reading The Birds and enjoying it.

Petra wrote: "Ellie, the beginning was really good. I was pulled into the story right away. But it changed and became quite violent and repetitive. It was harder to continue.

However, I did finish [book:The Fam..."

Thanks Petra. I guess that's the reason I've started Road so many times and then stopped. Maybe knowing that I'll be able to actually keep going

Ellie did you continue with the famished road?
I hope you did end up loving it