Random Jottings

My Book of the Year

If you have read my previous post then you will know that I have not read any books this year of great pith and moment, nor any that the Glitterati would acknowledge.   You will also know that this worries me not a jot.

But then in Novemberf I read Shakespeare:the Man who pays the Rent. Judi Dench in conversation discussing her roles over the years and her take on the characters.   I was bowled over totally by this wonderful book and, if I was Minister of Education, I would ensure that a copy of this was on the desk of every single teacher in the land who is trying to inculcate the marvels of Shakespeare into young minds.  

It is simply glorious. Here is the link to my thoughts of just a few weeks ago.

https://randomjottings.typepad.com/random_jottings_of_an_ope/2023/11/shakespeare-the-man-who-pays-the-rent-judi-dench-1.html

Goodbye 2023

I am glad to see the back of this year.  It has not been a particularly wonderful one from my point of view. I have no intention of discussing the political situation either which has also added to the general feeling of depression that a lot of us are feeling.

I have been suffering from problems with my right hip for some time and over the last eighteen months it got worse and in 2023 restricted my movements and my life considerably. On checking my diary I see I cancelled three concerts in London, two holidays and other invitations as I was just not sure I could deal with it all.

A visit to my GP who referred me to a consultant and then told me merrily "Oh you will have a wait of at least two years" put the tin hat on it. I decided to raid my bank account and savings and arrange for a private operation.  I am still angry at this. I have paid into the NHS my entire life, not used it very often for which I am grateful, but when I really needed care, it failed me. I was lucky to have the money to pay but it has left a gaping hole in my savings and if I need another such operation in the next few years, then it will all go.

I, therefore, made the decision that I would budget carefully and take out private medical insurance. I never thought I would have to do it but now that i have made the decision and sorted it out, I feel peace of mind. It means I do not have to rely on the NHS again which, hopefully, means that one more person can get care. At least, I hope so.

So I am starting 2024 off in a feeling, not of optimism, but a determination that it will be better.  I have a cruise booked in July for a week exploring the Norwegian fjords which I have always wanted to do. I had to cancel a cruise I had planned this year but the company said I could use my deposit against another cruise and this is what I have done.

I also hope to be attending Queen's tennis again, another event I had to cancel in 2023, and I have a few other places lined up I wish to revisit. I am not going to overdo it but see how I get on.

My reading has been of the relaxing variety throughout the year. I am pretty sure that if the judges of the Booker Prize checked my reading list their literary noses would be turned up but I have reached the stage in my reading life when I do not care about keeping up with the trends or the latest Rushdie, Smith, Amis etc etc.  When I first started Random Jottings I made a huge effort to keep up with the latest in modern literature and novels and, though I read some excellent stuff, it never warmed the heart.  While admiring authors such as Margaret Atwood, who I think is a superb writer, I never feel that I wish to re-read any of such writing. It leaves me cold though intellectually I can sit back in appreciation.

So this year has been murder, romance, Golden Age crime, D E Stevenson, Miss Read, Molly Clavering, P G Wodehouse and my beloved Victorian writers. I recently re-read North and South by Mrs Gaskell and had forgotten how much I liked it.  Over Christmas I picked up Persuasion which is my favourite Jane Austen and I am looking at my shelves and contemplating Trollope again.   I shall continue with the odd post on From my Shelves which I did in 2023 as there are so many books there I have loved and reviewed and I think it is a good idea to revisit them.

My Book of the Year will be up tomorrow but in the meantime thank you all once again for sticking with me through 2023 when my posts have not been as numerous as before, and your kind comments and remarks. They have meant a great deal to me and will continue to do so.

Here is to 2024!

Merry Christmas

May I wish you all a Merry and Blessed Christmas.  I shall be back in a few days and will be reviewing my 2023 reading and I want to thank all of you who have stayed with me over so many years and left comments and shared thoughts with me. It means a great deal.

The Outsider - Jane Casey

I have long been an admirer of the Maeve Kerrigan books by Jane Casey and have read them all, one by one, as they were published. While I thoroughly enjoyed the first three or four in the series, I think they gained impetus with the introduction of DI Josh Derwent who immediately created a chemistry with Maeve which made the books even better than they were.

On the surface Josh is the very epitome of a Male Chauvenistic Pig with his attitude and sneering but dig underneath and you will find there lurks a softer, caring person who covers up his feedlings with a tough exterior.  

This book, The Outsider, takes place in the time between The Cutting Place and The Close and tells the story of Rob, an ex-lover of Maeve who left her with no reason, leaving her bereft. He manages to let her know some time later that he has had to go undercover, but the hurt of his betrayal had cut deep.  The Outsider is his story.

Rob comes upon a car crash and rushe to help the victim, administering first aid and saving his life. It is then we discover that the person who he is following is a powerful criminal whose family he is trying to infiltrate and this accident gives him the perfect opportunity to do so.

Being undercover and watching every single move, every word said and every action taken, with the sure knowledge that he is being watched for signs that will make him distrusted, is nerve wracking and dangerous.  The family is dysfunctional, cruel and unfeeling and Rob has to witness an abused wife who he is unable to help and to also be careful not to respond to the overtures being made to him by the daughter of the house.

Without giving too much of the plot away, Rob ends up being interrogated in a police station by Maeve and Josh and has a chance to see her again.  They seem to reignite their relationship for one brief night but it is clear that Maeve no longer trusts or loves him and is still recovering from the trauma she endured in The Cutting Room.

As with all Jane Casey's books I have to sit down and devote an afternoon to reading straight through as they are gripping and exciting and so well written with a never flagging narrative drive.   This one plugs gaps in the story of Maeve and Josh and also gives an understanding of where Maeve is mentally in The Close.

If you have yet to read this series, and I strongly recommend that you do, I think it best if they are read in order as over time the relationship between Maeve and Josh grows and changes and, quite frankly, if they do not get together soon I am going to scream with frustration...

Another winner from Jane Casey. Simply terrifix

PS Please note this is an ebook only. The next Maeve/Josh book is out in March 2024.