It is a cold dark afternoon and I have revived the custom I instigated last year of spending such afternoons in my Boudoir AKA my bedroom. It is all very comforting and rather cosy and I am writing this on my bed wearing the latest in lounge wear from Marks & Spencer which I have lived in since its arrival (as the spaghetti bol stains down the front will attest to), woolly socks and a snug blanket over me. Propped up with fat pillows and cushions, radio on and laptop to hand, it is all rather hygge'ish.
I have had a question asked of me by many of you, namely, Elaine you have not ranted lately - will there be one soon?
My reply to that is that in the current situation rants are useless and upsetting and there are such bigger things taking place in the world that my reaction to stupidity and cupidity seem rather unimportant. I could rant about the way the government are being led by the nose by scientists who seem staggeringly unable to see that practically everything they say is incorrect, get pissed off at the media who love scaring us all witless and lots more, but I am not going to. As I have said before, if one has a platform of any sort, I think you have to be careful about imposing your political thoughts on anybody else. Why would they be interested and it also shows a kind of arrogance in the assumption that anybody wants to know what you think. So I will try and keep this book and chat orientated today.
I have recently been sent catalogues by the British Library and Oxford University Press with the question Hello Elaine how are you do you want any books in the attached? I do try and restrain my greed but it is very hard. So I have sent off copious lists to both with the proviso that they only send me what they can spare and I am terribly sorry if I am asking too much but I do appreciate all you send me.......I always say this because I always feels this way and am amazed when brand new shiny books thunder through my letterbox or pile up in the cupboard by my door. A sense of gratitude mixed with astonishment really.
I am working my way through a re-read of PD James as I believe I mentioned but have broken off for a while as I do feel that sometimes a binge read can stop you appreciating an author if you overdo it. I am loving them though.
I am finding myself reading lighter stuff too as though I have some really interesting books lined up my brain seems to be a bit mushy these days and I do find it hard to concentrate. With non-fiction you really do need to have the Old Grey Cells working properly in order to review in a decent manner.
And the mention of Little Grey Cells leads me seamlessly into mentioning a wonderful book which the publishers sent me this week - Agatha Christie, Poirot, The Greatest Detective in the Word by Mark Aldridge. It is 100 years since The Mysterious Affair at Styles was published and we all met Poirot and her books are still in print and sell in millions around the world. This book starts with her writing in the 1920's and comes right up to date and I have started it and feel that I will have no trouble concentrating on this one.
And then a delivery about an hour ago and this was inside the padded envelope A Surprise for Christmas and other seasonal mysteries from the wonderful British Library Classic Crime series. How I love these books! Not only for the fascinating content but also for the wonderful covers. This collection of stories is edited, as ever, by Martin Edwards whose knowledge of the Golden Age of Crime never fails to leave me in awe.
I am wondering why books on murder and mystery are of such comfort to me at this time?
I don't think I need an answer to that..................
