Random Jottings

Random's Books of the Year

I love lists and love reading other bloggers who post on the best books they have read in 2013. Love looking at the Guardian et al and see what the litterati think are their best books, most of whom I have never heard of. So as it is New Year's Eve tomorrow thought I had better sort mine out. Here goes. They are in no particular order.  If you wish to read my review of each one then just click on title and, hopefully, if my IT skills are up to scratch, you should find yourself on the relevant page.

• The Mystery of Princess Louise - Lucinda Hawksley
• The Assassination of the Archduke - Greg King and Sue Woolmans
• Richard Burton Diaries edited by Chris Williams
• Longbourn - Jo Baker
• Knight Crusader - Ronald Welch
• Letters from Skye - Jessica Brockmole
• India Carr and the Shadow of Anarchy - Carol K Carr
• Capturing the Light - Roger Watson and Helen Rappaport
• The Blue Castle - L M Montgomery
• Serving Victoria, Life in the Royal Household - Kate Hubbard

Notes on the above: Though Knight Crusader by Ronald Welch is on this list, I can recommend all the books about the Carey family written by this author. Slightly Foxed are bringing them all out again over the next year or two and I can highly recommend them. They have a huge historical span and, though they were written for children, all adults can read and enjoy them. I am looking forward to reading them all in due course.

The Blue Castle by L M Montgomery makes this list as though I have read it countless times, this was a delightful new edition and I loved it all over again. I reviewed it as I wanted more people to discover this delightful book.   Now that this author's books are out of copyright, new editions of some of her lesser known books will be republished which is wonderful.   Virago have already reprinted the three Emily books and I bought them and re-read them and loved them once more.   And yes, I already have editions of these but could not resist buying these rather delightful paperbacks. So keep an eye out for more offerings from this wonderful author.

Other books I wish to mention which I loved in 2013 are all the books by Madeleine Brent, much loved by me some forty years ago and now reprinted by Souvenir Press. My reviews of these titles are here and so glad they are available again.

When I was in Australia earlier this year Bloomsbury were incredibly generous to me and sent lots of books direct to my Kindle.    Among those I rediscovered from their list were The Lorimer LIne sequence of books by Anne Melville, which I also remember well from my teenage years. Still immensely readable.   And then the joy of The Children of the Archbishop by Norman Collins which I first read when I was thirteen. Loved at the time but did not appreciate the Trollopian feel of it, now I do.   Then Bond Street Story, London Belongs to me and Anna by the same author.   Bloomsbury have a wonderful elist - do check it out.

Looking back on my list of books this year, once again crime fiction feature heavily. I have re-read all of Ngaio Marsh this year and am now embarking on an Agatha Christie voyage but do not plan on reading all of them. There are 60+ to get through and some of them I do not wish to visit again.

Clear once again that the Orange Prize, the Booker Prize et al do not find a place in Random Jottings. I used to feel guilty about the lack of modern fiction I read, or rather do not read, but I have ceased to worry about that now. I am old enough to read what I please and though I may have no claim to be one of the litterati, I love what I read and intend to carry on doing so.

I usually read around 230 books a year but am down this year, just making 190. This is due to many more hours and days spent with my gorgeous granddaughters so am not complaining.   And part of that time is also spent reading books to Florence and Beatrice so wonderful to nurture the joy of books in my darling girls.

And, finally, I always like to choose one book as my Book of the Year and my criteria for my choice is that it keeps me totally engrossed throughout my read and the memory of it stays with me for a long time afterwards.   

There were two such books fighting for this title but in the end I choose The Assassination of the Archduke by Greg King and Sue Woolmans. A marvellous book, tragic and moving.

Roll on 2014 and lots more interesting and exciting books to come.

Post Christmas

Time to get my Books of the Year list ready and hope to do that in the next day or so. Wonderful Christmas though tiring as it always is with small children. Florence slept with me and spent most of the time moving around and wriggling and so not much sleep but worth it for her little body snuggled up to mine.

Family preparing for move to new house so packing up and removal being carried out and Helen and I took the girls to the Toy Museum at Bethnal Green which has a posher name now but no matter, it was wonderful. Spotted toys I used to have as a child so will take myself off there another day on my own. Florence needed to be kept an eye on and now that Beatrice is walking she is everywhere so Helen was chasing in one direction and me in the other.

Have to tell you about my Christmas presents. My two daughters had got together and planned the entire thing. Baking was the theme and I received a cook book, a Peppa Pig apron amongst other things but the piece de resistance was two VIP tickets to see Paul Hollywood on tour when he comes to Ipswich in May. These tickets are not only best seats in the house BUT I get to meet and greet the Man Himself before the show begins.  I may just faint.....

I have a spare ticket so who shall I take?

Having a quiet weekend after all the excitement and tidying up, sorting out stuff for the charity shop, having a clear out, brought loads of throw out stuff back with me from London to take as well and that is now done. Have been catching up on Death Comes to Pemberley which I am enjoying very much. The main reason is pictured here. 

I thought the book was poor and only came to life in the court room scene so was not expecting to like it but I am.

So a lazy day and am trolling around in my nightie and dressing gown at mo, nobody to see me and so good to relax and rest. 

Back tomorrow.

A joyous Christmas to you all

I wish all my readers and visitors a joyous and happy Christmas. I am taking a week off from Random Jottings and will be back as soon as I can. Helping family with a move straight after Christmas so it is going to be a pretty busy time and so blogging has to take a back seat for a few days.

  

So Happy Christmas and God Bless us Every one

xxx

Christmas Cooking - last bits

Have decorated the cake and made some mincemeat streusal and that is that now!

http://randomjottings.typepad.com/random_and_the_great_colc/2013/12/final-christmas-cooking.html

Random on Strictly Come Dancing - 2013

Had a few people asking where are your comments on this year's Strictly?  So as the final is this weekend thought better get them in quick.   I posted at the start but been so busy recently that the world of sequins and glitter has got a bit lost.   OK catch up

So now we know who is in the final and I think it is going to be a goodie. Thought last year was a bit meh with Lewis whathisface stripping off to a leotard in order to win. Yes I know if you have got it, flaunt it, but a little flaunt goes a long long way...

Natalie and Artem. I do worry about Artem and feel he may not have enough shirts in his wardrobe and perhaps I ought to send him a couple. He is always half dressed and he really should be careful he does not get a cold on his chest though it is usually protected by his female partner draped all over him so perhaps I am worrying too much.   Great pair, impeccable dancing and simply stunning to watch. I always love their routines but there seems to be a lack of chemistry between them. Difficult to explain why, they seem to get on and like each other very much but it doesn't quite work somehow. Same with him and Holly V last year, you really need the Vital Spark.   The public don't seem to take to the pairing either, witness the perfect score last week and ending in the dance off. It seems she has had dance training in the past (which shows) and she will suffer for this as did Miss Van Outen last year as the Great British Public do not like somebody with an Unfair Advantage.  

Also the fact that she fainted, had a slipped disc and yet was dancing merrily the following week has caused a lot of Oh YEH around the nation. BBC talked it up and dramatised it and this may not have done Nat much good.   We shall see.

Abby and Alijaz - she has really turned into a great dancer. At first I was a bit unsure of her and thought she was just another empty headed WAG but seems she has a steely determination and has worked incredibly hard at this and it is clear she is having a great time. Gorgeous posture, shaping and grace.   She is the one to watch I think.   Her habit of hopping and twitching all the time, the tossing of the tousled hair and the continual checking of herself in the monitor can get a tad irritating but I rather like her.   Of course having such a stunning partner helps and most of the time she looks at him as if she is dying to rip his clothes off and get a room.   So do we all dear...

Sophie and Brendon - beautiful, elegant, graceful and classy. All the things that most of the other finalists are not.   Brendon seems slightly in awe of Sophie which can only be a good thing but is thrilled to bits to have such a wonderful partner (after the past two he has had to drag around the dance floor, Victoria Pendleton and Lulu hardly surprising) but, as per, he does tend to shoot his mouth off a bit at the judges. Note to Brendon: this is never a good thing.   James Jordan does it regularly too and who did he get partnered with this year?

However, his choreography has been wonderful and delighted that we will be seeing her stunning Charleston and their beautiful Viennese waltz again. They deserve to win. And please note, she has avoided the I have been Tangoed look which is wonderful.

Unlike the other finalist, the Cuprinol Queen, Susanna Reid who gets more orange each week and is now the colour of mahogany. Utterly ghastly and add that to her incessant gurning and her slightly mad Latin dancing and I am staggered she got through.  I think the real reason is her partner Kevin from Grimsby, who is doomed to be called that for the rest of his life methinks.   We Brits think the fact he comes from Grimsby very amusing, why I do not know and this moniker has stuck with him. He is a total and utter sweetie and everybody loves him and I think this is the reason the orange one has made the final. I wonder if he would have the same allure if he was Kevin from Clackheaton or Kevin from Little Dipping or Puddlington in the Marsh? 

Final thoughts.   Dear Sir Bruce you must go now.   This series has been particularly cringeworthy to watch, with his laboured jokes, his fluffing with the autocue, the names of the contestants and even addressing Darcy as Dave.   I am now beginning to understand Tess Daly's slightly manic grin and terrified eyes as it seems she has the ear piece in all the time and has to steer Bruce around and look after him. She must be petrified he is going to fall over.

And re Tess - can somebody get her a stylist or replace the one she has?   An endless series of frocks that do her no favours and I find it puzzling that somebody as tall, slim and lovely as her always looks like a dog's dinner.

Claudia Winkleman - her of the mad fringe and Dusty Springfield eyes. Yes, she is totally potty and though this habit of galloping on to stage and standing with her toes turned in and looking winsome, is acutely ANNOYING, she has a natural and witty style which Tess lacks. May not to be to everyone's taste but I think she and Tess make a good team.   In the paper this morning Len Goodman said he thought they made a great team and why shouldn't there be two front women?  Not necessary to have a man there.

I love Len...

Tomorrow night my friend Rosemary comes round for supper and we sit and watch and criticise and yell and scream. It has now become a ritual and we will be getting out the spray tan, the glitter and the sequins and hair spray. I may whip out my old gold lurex top from the charity shop bag and put my pink bustier on in honour of the occasion.

Or I may not bearing in mind that I drive Rosemary home afterwards.

For me, it should be Sophie and Brendon.    But I feel I am doomed to disappointment.

We shall see.

The Mystery of Princess Louise - Lucinda Hawksley

It is that time of year when we all seem to be running around and getting nothing done and Random has certainly taken a back seat at the mo and am feeling a bit guilty about it.   So back to a book review and a great book too.

This biography of Princess Louise by Lucinda Hawksley is immensely readable and totally engrossing.  About this time last year I was raving about Magnificent Obsession by Helen Rappaport and, despite everything, feeling sorry for Queen Victoria.   Since then I have read Jane Ridley's biography of Edward VII and now this and I am really struggling to maintain my sympathy for the Queen.    Yes a traumatic and appalling loss when your husband dies and you are left bereft at 42 with no idea how you are to carry on, but so sad that her children were no comfort to her and that she seemed to actively dislike most of them most of the time.  She resented Albert spending time with them when he could have been with her and once they started to lead their own lives she tried her best to make them as miserable as she by her rules and restrictions.  Seems to me plain jealousy that they were young and had their lives to make and she resented that deeply. Why should they be happy when she was not?

Princess Louise was one of the children in the nursery who seemed to have been overlooked as she did not stand out in anyway. Vicky was the clever one, Bertie the poor beleagured dunce, Arthur a favourite and Louise came nowhere.   She formed a close relationship with Leopold, her haemophiliac brother, whose life was even more restricted than hers and this closeness continued as they grew into adulthood, another thing for Victoria to spoil.   When Leopold was seriously ill when he was older he wished for his favourite sister to visit him,  but even though the doctors said it would do him good,  the Queen would not allow it. Unbelievable cruelty.

Louise was also close to Bertie and his wife Alexandra and, as the Princess of Wales found herself unable to carry out royal duties because of her increasing ill health and deafness, the brother and sister found themselves stepping into the limelight and keeping the royal show on the road in the absence of their mother. Princess Louise was pretty, graceful and charming with an easy going manner that endeared her to all she met and she was regarded as one of the most popular members of the Royal Family.

The author found it difficult to obtain access to certain archives and documents relating to the Princess because it seemed she might have had a colourful past.   Beggars belief that this is still being concealed when one looks at the junketing and behaviour of some of the Windsors over the last 60 years or so.

Louise was a sculptor and a painter and mixed with the pre-Raphaelites and was a keen member of the Aesthetic movement.  She had an affair with her sculpting tutor Joseph Edgar Boehm and there has also been a hint that she might or might not have had an affair with Princess Beatrice's handsome husband, Liko. As he and his wife had to live with the Queen as she would not part with Beatrice, it would hardly be suprising if he was not attracted to his lovely sister-in-law to add a bit of excitement in his life.  

The matter of a husband for her seemed to be of paramount importance and the Queen was most anxious to see her settled. Bertie seemed to agree and a comment from him that Louise should be married and needs to be was rather pointed. Bertie's robust sexual appetite has been well documented and it seems he recognised that Louise had a similar temperament.    What made the marriage imperative was the rumour that Louise had given birth to a son.

In 1866 a young army officer was appointed as Leopold's new tutor. He was handsome and charming and, as Louise was frequently with her brother, she spent a great deal of time with George Stirling. The Queen approved of him and declared herself 'much pleased' and so it was a shock when he was dismissed just four months after being appointed.   The reason given was that Leopold needed somebody more used to dealing with persons of 'delicate health'.   The rest of this year Louise travelled abroad with her mother and kept out of the public eye.   The archives on this period are hidden away so no proof of this is available but it is odd, that despite being dismissed, Stirling continued to receive a salary from the royal purse and  a generous annuity for years to come. In return, he was silent.

Louise married Lorne, the son of the Duke of Argyll and the British public were delighted that their most popular princess was not being married off to yet another German princeling. It was portrayed as a love match which is certainly as far from the truth as it is possible to be. Lorne was handsome and charming but there had been rumours about his sexuality for some time and it was clear that he was not really interested in women, but marrying a daughter of Queen Victoria was a feather in the family's cap and she had to marry somebody, on this the Queen was adamant.

Poor Louise.    Not many of the Queen's children had happy marriages and she was no exception. She spent as much time as possible away from her husband becoming very proactive in her campaign for women's education and was supportive of rights for women. She painted and sculpted and scandalised her mother by visiting George Eliot, who was barred from society.  She had a constant battle with the Queen to lead her life the way she wanted and refused to toe the line.

And then there was the death of her long term lover, Boehm and the circumstances surrounding it. Found dead in his studio by the Princess, there are many reports that he was, in fact, in bed with Louise when he had his fatal attack and had to be smuggled back into his studio to be 'discovered' by a close friend.

Unputdownable and despite the restrictions placed on the author, well researched with a general lack of my most unfavourite words in a biography, to wit 'it seems probable that' or 'it seems likely' which sometimes haunt a second rate book.

This is far from that and gives us yet another aspect of the fascinating life of Queen Victoria and another viewpoint on how she influenced, or blighted, the lives of her children .   Marvellous stuff.

The Windsors are often referred to as a 'dysfunctional family'.   After reading this all I can say it that it is obviously in their genes....

More Christmas recommendations

OK here I am after an incredibly busy week. I have decided not to do this book sale thingy again. As I said in my last post, lovely people and great fun but it is the carrying and lifting and loading in and out of the car etc which makes the whole exercise exhausting.

Anyway I have had a nice quiet weekend catching up on domestic bits and pieces, have made my Christmas cake, sent off parcels to daughter in Oz, remortgaged my apartment to pay for it (not really but you know what I mean....), taken shedloads of paperbacks to the charity shop and generally clearing and tidying up.

More recommendations.   If you like Michael Connelly as I do, then you will be pleased to know that he has another book out (a Harry Bosch one earlier this year) but this one is about Mick Haller who I think I prefer as a main character. The Gods of Guilt has the usual snappy dialogue and the wonderful legal details and court room scenes. What is not to like?

Then the latest Jack Reacher, Never go Back.    What can one say about these? I enjoy them enormously but that does not stop me from saying that they are all exactly the same, lone man comes to town, sorts out problem, beds glam female and then departs on the local bus.   Fun though.

The latest Stephanie Plum book - Take down Twenty.  Again, you know what you are going to get and they are a hoot.

Twelfth Hour by Ada Leverson.   This was sent to me by a publisher, Mike Walmer,who got in touch on the recommendation of Simon of Stuck in a Book (thanks Simon!) and has a small but growing list of books
which are right up my strasse.   I love The Little Otleys by this author and delighted to find that somebody else loves them too.    This is a small paperback and can be slotted into any stocking around. I will be reviewing more fully in the New Year. .Click on the title to go to his website.

Blue Remembered Hills - Rosemary Sutcliff. I have yet to finish this but am halfway through and have no hesitation in recommending it. One of my favourite authors who has been responsible for keeping me happy and enthralled for hours as a child, this is a memoir of her childhood.   Published by those gorgeous people at Slightly Foxed and, again, perfect stocking size.

The Santa Klaus Murder -Mavis Doriel Hay. I know I have already mentioned this but must just remind you that this is the perfect Christmas murder, long out of print, and available from another set of gorgeous people, this time at the British Library.

The Beau Monde - Hannah Greig.  One of those books from OUP that you just want to hold and stroke as the paper is so wonderfully classy and the cover is gorgeous.   Friends of mine who recently attended the Georgian exhibition at the British Library said these were piled up for your delectation and delight. A wonderful present if you have attended the Georgians, and a wonderful present if you have not.   And no, I do NOT work for the British Library in case you were wondering....

And, finally, if you have friends who love history and biographies then please remember the following:

The Assassination of the Archduke - Sue Woolmans and Greg King

Magnificent Obsession - Helen Rappaport

Edward VII - Jane Ridley

Serving Victoria - Kate Hubbard

and my other recommendation, although I am only a third into my read, but am loving it is Princess Louise by Lucinda Hawksley.

There, that should keep you going.

Apologies

Sorry to all my readers for the gap in writing but the last week has been so busy and, quite frankly, all I have had time for is reading magazines, packing up parcels to go to Australia and catching up, so that no serious reading has taken place at all.   I have read the lastest Felix Francis Dick Francis book if that makes sense, a re-read of The Lighthouse by P D James and am currently starting the latest Jack Reacher book which is already shaping up to be exactly the same as all the others.

So I have decided to write this week off completely and will be back later on at the weekend with a summing up of other reads I have yet to write about and recommend.  

The book fair was great fun but will not be doing it again, met lovely people and had lots of bookish chats but humping boxes of books in and out of cars and up and down on tables and then repacking and putting away again did not do my back much good. Also at one stage I stepped out of the car and put my foot into a drain, beautifully covered up by leaves so I could not see it there, and fetched up flat on my face in the car park.   My composure and dignity were severely compromised but fortunately nothing broken or sprained for which I am most grateful.  I have to remember I am no longer a spring chicken, more like an old pullet, and must not overdo it.

I am off to London tomorrow but this will be a relaxing day as I shall be meeting up with old friends from my online reading and chat group and eating and drinking and yakking is the order of the day. As we are in the area of the British Library I may just pop in and take a look at their shop as well.......

More at the weekend and, again, my apologies.