Thursday, March 05, 2009

Reading Matter(s)

Today is World Book Day here in the UK. I can't imagine a world without books or indeed, my life without a book or two on my bedside table or on the coffee table just waiting to be read. If I love a book I can read it very quickly not wanting it to end but equally desperate to know the conclusion. Other books I can meander through, leave whilst I read another, and come back to, days later and carry on reading again. I like to read for an hour in the afternoon if I can, when the day's chores are done with time before I have to start to prepare an evening meal. I curl up in a comfy chair or stretch out on the bed, usually with a mug of tea and a cat on my lap and just enjoy the luxury of reading. I count myself very lucky to be able to do this. So what am I reading at the moment? Well, two books on the same subject and, as you know from previous posts, one of my literary heroes - William Shakespeare.



The first book, which I've nearly finished reading is by Bill Bryson. I've wanted to read 'Shakespeare' for some time and I haven't been disappointed. You don't get the 'laugh out loud' moments you get with some of Bill Bryson's books, but his gentle, witty and humerous way of writing and his easy way of explaining the historical background makes the book very readable and the sights, smells and language of Elizabethan and Jacobean England are almost within your grasp. The other book The Lodger by Charles Nicholl is waiting to be read. Based on research done by American academics Charles and Hulda Wallace, who in 1909, in the Public Records Office in London, came across a series of twenty six documents which made up a litigation roll from the Court of Requests detailing what is known as the Belott-Mountjoy dispute. These relate to a case from 1612 between Huguenot wigmaker Christopher Mountjoy and his son-in-law Stephen Belott. So where does Shakespeare come into this I hear you ask? Well, he was asked to give a statement, which he signed on 11th May 1612, because he had been a lodger in the house of Christopher Mountjoy in Cripplegate, London in 1604, the year the dispute first started. This house stood on the corner of Monkwell Street and Silver Street. Hence the full title of the book 'The Lodger, Shakespeare on Silver Street.'

I will finish reading 'Shakespeare' in the next couple of days but I'm going to sneak in one of John Harvey's 'Resnick' books before I walk down Silver Street.

11 comments:

  1. Without you, today would have passed me by and what you do every afternoon is what Susan and I keep promising ourselves, but never manage. Maybe soon.

    Last week we bought three books for the price of two. I am about to start 'Netherland' by Joseph O'Neill, which has received mixed reviews, but a dip into its pages in the bookshop was enough to persuade me that it had the potential to hook me. I admit I was attracted by its mix of New York around the edges, a Dutchman, cricket and West Indians.

    Susan went for 'The Suspicions of Mr Whicher…' by Kate Summerscale, which is 'holding' her interest', but the method of annotation Susan says is 'worse than useless'. She's two chapters in. So, we're doing our bit for World Book day.

    The other book, which has yet to be opened, we bought was 'A History of the Mediterranean' by John Julias Norwich, which Susan is expecting to be as good as his two books about the Normans in southern Italy and Sicily.

    Keep up the good work. Love Robert.

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  2. quite fancy those, I'm reading The Gargoyle at the moment, (it's a Richard & Judy book). Very odd and very interesting, just want to find out what is going on there... Oh by the way, do you know anything about cyclamen plants? /found one in the garden in a pot, and it seems to have grown some seeds, like little brown nuts, do i just plant them or wait until they drop off... commplete numpty when it comes to gardening...
    Rosie x

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  3. You and my sister have the same love of books and reading. I can remember as a kid she would read to me before bedtime. Fond memories!

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  4. I definitely want to read the Shakespeare book..thanks!!

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  5. Happy reading Rosie, I had not noticed World Book Day this year. I am Bill Bryson fan, the Shakespeare book would appeal to my husband, I must look out for it.

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  6. Rosie,
    I know this is not about reading, but you mentioned that you had "a mug of tea"? I didn't think that that could come out of the mouth of an English woman (just kidding) - here on the US they have a very romanticized idea about "tea." (don't know if I told you, I am Dutch)

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  8. Bill Bryson is a treasure, isn't he? I have not yet read his Shakespeare, and am grateful for the reminder!!

    Happy Friday!!

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  9. My life would be bereft without books, my favourite day of the month is book group day. I am halfway through Bill Bryson. I also didn't realise that it was World Book Day, Margaret

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  10. Hi Rosie,
    I deleted my comment as realised what I had said, doh! Bill Bryson's biography of Shakespeare does sound excellent though.

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  11. Have not read Bill Bryson, but the book you refer to sounds fascinating. Off to Amazon now to add it to my wish list. Thanks for the tip!

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