electricland: (Default)
electricland ([personal profile] electricland) wrote2003-10-07 06:47 pm

Book update

What I've read lately:

Nelson Mandela's autobiography (for book club -- only managed half by Thursday night, but read the rest on the weekend). Absolutely compulsive reading, I recommend it wholeheartedly. I didn't know half this stuff; fascinating to watch a just revolution being put together from the inside. South Africa is damn lucky to have had people like this fighting on its behalf. Although, that said, it's necessarily a bit one-sided and personal; I would like an outside viewpoint on a lot of these events, because I simply don't know enough about them.

A College of Magics -- I got a craving. (Mostly because when I've had my bag sitting around gaping open for several weeks, I start chanting Jane's line: "One is either packed or unpacked. There is no middle ground.") Still love it. It threw me the first time because it took such sharp turns, but now I know what's coming, it works for me a lot better. This time around, having been there, I realized that Aravis is based on Edinburgh. I suspect that Greenlaw is more than likely based on Mont St-Michel. She has taste.

Tell Me Lies, by Jennifer Crusie (a girl needs some light reading and it was at the used bookstore for comparatively cheap)

Time Lord (no, it's not a Dr. Who tie-in, it's the biography of Sir Sandford Fleming) -- reading this on the bus in rather disjointed fashion. I'm enjoying it, but it's rather puttery after Mandela.

Naked Brunch, by Sparkle Hayter ([livejournal.com profile] crankygrrl lent it to me); good fun although I felt she devoted a bit too much attention to her secondary characters towards the end. But a neat premise and a happy ending and a (disguised) New York setting make me forgive her.

Heard Margaret MacMillan on Ideas last night and she was a riot. Now I really have to read Paris 1919 -- I think Mummy has it.

[identity profile] electricland.livejournal.com 2003-10-09 07:11 am (UTC)(link)
Well there you go, my dear. You need to read the book.

1) The ANC was founded in 1912, predating Mandela by a number of years.

2) Once the ENTIRE high command is jailed with you, it gets easier to stay in touch!