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Books read or listened to during December

2/4/2016

Friends

This is the list of books that I read or listened to as part of my target of 52 books in a year during the month of December.

The Poisoned Pen – Arthur B Reeve.
Railway To the Grave by Edward Marston
Time Machine by H G Wells
Whose Body by Dorothy Sayers
The Exploits of Elaine by Arthur B. Reeve
Crusade by Robyn Young
Preaching Matters by Jonathan Lamb
Extraordinary People by Peter May
Requem by Robin Young
Brothers in Blood by Simon Scarrow

This takes us to the end of week eleven with the following stats fiction 18 (audio books 4) non fiction 5

Books read 10 to 13

1/26/2016

Friends

For reasons that I cant go into here I am pausing writing reviews for the books that I am reading. Maybe start again at a later date but I will still record what i read as part of the fifty two books in a year challenge. So this is a record of books 10 through to 13

The Man in the Snow by Rory Clements
Dane Love The Galloway Highlands
John C Lennox Against the flow
The House of the Whispering Pines - Anna Katharine Green

Which means that I ended week six with the following stats fiction 9 (audio books 3) non fiction 4. This takes my list to the end of November.

The Queens Man by Rory Clements

11/12/2015

Friends
This is my review of The Queens Man by Rory Clements. The observant will realise that I am slowly working through the Rory Clements series about John Shakespeare. We now have gone back in time just to confuse the issue to a much younger John starting out in his career as an intelligencer (a sixteenth century spy) .

Once the reader had got used to the idea of everyone being so much younger and John yet to marry, it was a good story. What I find the most interesting with Rory's books is that they are based on real events and real characters that, certainly within schooling I did not know anything about.

I was told that the reign of Queen Elizabeth the First, was generally peace and prosperity, but evidently this was not the case. Intrigue, plotting, corruption and murder were the run of the day.

This story is all about Mary Queen of Scots, and the various plots both in support and against her. John is sent to investigate what is going on. He gradually uncovers plot within plot, like pealing an onion, except in this case the heart of the onion seems to be related to his family. Is he going to end up causing his family to be put to the rack, or can he save them from this terrible fate.

Fortunately there are other intelligencers at work, who have their own private agendas, but these may just help John out of the terrible predicament that he finds himself in.

I will record this as book 9 , week 4 fiction 7 (audio books 2) non fiction 2

Whose Body by Dorothy L Sayers

11/9/2015

Friends

The second book from my catch up was one I listened to as a librivox recording Whose Body by Dorothy L Sayers. https://librivox.org/whose-body-by-dorothy-l-sayers/ Now though again this is a book that contains the aristocracy, they are portrayed in a much more understandable way.

I am not sure if this was the first Lord Peter Wimsey mystery, but it was certainly one of the first, as such Dorothy spends quite a lot of time expanding and building the various characters involved. In her later books this is not the case as it is assumed that the reader knows who they are.

Lord Peter is asked by his mother The Dowager Duchess of Denver to investigate the strange occurrence of a dead body, that has been found by her vicar's architect in the bath wearing nothing but a pair of pince-nez.

There then follows a complex but very understandable plot line of trying to work out where this dead body has come from. At the same time a prominent investor has gone missing. Are these two cases linked in some way, and if so how.

To solve the various mysteries Lord Peter has to expose himself to the killer, who so nearly kills him, but of course this does not happen as Lord Peter has to live another day so he can star in the series of books.

A very enjoyable book full of humour mixed in with mystery. I will record this as book 8 , week 4 fiction 6 (audio books 2) non fiction 2

Death in a White tie by Ngaio Marsh

11/6/2015

Friends
Well I thought I would make every effort to keep this list up to date but I did not allow for being knocked for six with a cold come flu, but better now and so can catch up with a few reviews of the books that I read whilst not feeling too well.

The first book I read was Death in a White tie by Ngaio Marsh. This was a book that had been recommended to me as one I might like. Maybe it was the font, or in my view the authors annoying habit of referring to the characters with their surname or in this case it was more likely to be their title, but during the text any conversation was more likely to refer to some nickname. Without a crib to know who “Bunty” was or other such names, it was so hard to follow that I did not enjoy the book that much.

In fact I would not have bothered to finish it except that, it was such a bizarre murder Lord Robert murdered in thick fog in the back of a cab and no-one was able to make out who did it including the non attentive cabbie.

With a few minutes thought there is only one real character who could have carried out the murder and 90% of the book could have been really missed out. Anyway this was book

I will record this as book 7 , week 3 fiction 5 (audio books 1) non fiction 2

Barnabas A good man full of faith by Robert Dale

11/2/2015

Friends

This is my review of the book Barnabas A good man full of faith by Robert Dale, which I have read recently. Though this is a short book it is a very up lifting book. The name Barnabas means “Son of Encouragement” and his life reflects that.

The book explores the various references that relate to Barnabas in the New Testament. How he starts off as the one one person who takes Saul under his wing, following on from Saul's road to Damascus experience and conversion. A fact that is often overlooked, but I do question myself thinking would I be willing to look after someone who until that point in time has been going round searching for Christians so that they could be handed over to the authorities and killed.

From then on he covers some key events in Paul, as Saul has become known missionary journeys, as he travels around with Barnabas. Acts 15 records a difference of opinion in the early church, and Barnabas helps resolve the conflict. In all cases the truth is uppermost even if it does seem to sometimes get in the way.

We then come to the parting of the ways with John Mark, Paul takes Silas on his next journey and Barnabas takes John Mark to Cyprus.

The book has ten chapters and each is packed with thought provoking insight into different aspects of Barnabas' life. His example is a good challenge for us to follow.

This was book 6, first book of the new month, week 3 fiction 4 (audio books 1) non fiction 2

Gods Undertaker – Has Science buried God by John C Lennox

10/30/2015

Friends

This is my review of the book Gods Undertaker – Has Science buried God by John C Lennox, which I have read recently. John is an author that I came across at the Keswick Convention, when there last year, and I am really pleased that I did.

The cover of the book is covered with quotes from a large variety of people all far more famous than me, so I will quote a couple just to help put the book into context. “There is no more important debate than this-science versus religion. But it needs to begin again, with clear understanding of what science and religion actually are. Lenox has done this wonderfully” Colin Tudge, The Guardian.
“An excoriating demolition of Dawkins overreach from biology to religion” Melanie Phillips, The Spectator.

So these two quotes start to put the book in context. John looks at the different fields of science and understanding and considers how they relate to the truth that we are the result of random events. The idea given by some modern commentators that science has squeezed out God. But when the hype, and misinformation is removed and one starts to look at the facts and not a biased interpretation of these facts then this is shown not to be the case.

As John is a professor of Mathematics he is able to give an insight into the very complex area of probability of certain events occurring. He usefully compares the event that he is considering to the probability of an event occurring using the alphabet, which is comprehensible, he then leads us on to consider the enormity of what actually happens with life at a cellular, level, or even within that.
This is a fascinating and complex subject, which he helps to make understandable. It seems that several of the processes required for life to exist have the chicken and egg syndrome ie which came first the chicken or the egg. To work they need some external input to get them started, which of course when all other scenarios have been discounted then having them activated by a creator God, is not so far fetched, and perfectly logical.

The best part of the book for me was Johns interpretation of the Start of John's Gospel and how it fits into the creation process. A really inspired insight.

I do not think it is wrong to inquire about, or question our world around us but in doing so we need to make sure we consider the facts, and not those who can “shout the loudest”.

In my view this is a really well written thought provoking book and can be passed on to anyone who is curious about how we got here as a human race.

This was book 5 week 2 fiction 4 (audio books 1) non fiction 1

Rage by Simon Conway

10/27/2015

Friends
This is my review of the book Rage by Simon Conway, which I read recently. Having read two later books by Simon, I thought I would go back and read the first one. Maybe I should have got a clue as to the nature of the book by the title, but this is not a book to read if one is feeling depressed.

The book is set in the few days before the start of the Invasion of Iraq in 2003, and our hero Jonah Said is posted to the un-zone between Iraq and Kuwait, as an observer. This is evidently not a very nice place and within the first few pages Jonah is beaten up, and the person he is with has had their throat cut.
Things then go downhill from there, with the Americans seemingly trying to secretly find a lost supply smallpox so it can then be used as a weapon of mass destruction and as such the excuse for the war. The weapon is hidden in some cars which have been lost in a container. So the hunt is on for the right container. Everyone wants to find the container.
I would not say that I enjoyed the book and certainly if I had not read the others I would have finished it, and as such I would not be reviewing it, as I only bother to comment on books I actually finish.
Yes it did fill in the back story that is prominent in the subsequent books and make them make more sense. Yes it was very realistic in its description. It reminded me of a Mad Max film. I will read something lighter next.
This was book 4 week 2 fiction 4 (audio books 1) non fiction 0

Ashton-Kirk Secret Agent by John Thomas McIntyre

10/23/2015

Friends

This is the review of Ashton-Kirk Secret Agent by John Thomas McIntyre, which I listened to recently whilst travelling in the car, as a librivox recording. This is a great story to pass away the time as the miles role by, as like the previous Ashton-Kirk story I listened to his resources seem immense.

The plot line is so difficult to solve that only someone like Ashton-Kirk (who is modelled on the lines of Sherlock Holmes) can solve it. Interestingly the Author has provided a summary quoted below. Whilst this summary seems to say a lot it does not in fact give any details of the story away and so spoil the delightfully complex plot line, so nor will I 'Those who have read "Ashton-Kirk, Investigator" will recall references to several affairs in which the United States government found the investigator's unusual powers of inestimable service. In such matters, tremendous interests often stand dangerously balanced, and the most delicate touch is required if they are not to be sent toppling. As Ashton-Kirk has said: "When a crisis arises between two of the giant modern nations, with their vast armies, their swift fleets, their dreadful engines of war, the hands which control their affairs must be steady, secret, and sure. Otherwise an unthinkable horror might be brought about." It frequently happens that such a crisis arises, the issue is joined and fought out to the bitter end, and the watchful public press never gets even a hint of it. Indeed, if the secret archives of the nations were thrown open for inspection, a long series of appalling dangers would be shown to have been passed by each—dangers arising from small and apparently remote things, but capable of swift and deadly growth. Experience, steady courage, and sure talent are required in dealing with such things; and these qualities Ashton-Kirk possesses in abundance. To be sure, the departments of the government have the "Secret Service" at their hand; but the specialist is called in when the general practitioner is at a loss, and he is as much a part of the structure as his regularly employed colleague. The adventure of the present story is only one of many to be told of Ashton-Kirk'.

This is just the right sort of story for a long flight, or car journey whisking one off to a different world. All good fun.
This was book 3 week 1 fiction 3 (audio books 1) non fiction 0

The Corners of the Globe by Robert Goddard

10/21/2015

Friends

This is my review of the book the Corners of the Globe by Robert Goddard, which I have read recently. Having finished book one of the trilogy The Ways of the World I started this book, book two. Our hero Max, is now acting as a British secret agent, and has been sent to find the mysterious German spy master Fritz Lemmer.

The first task he is given is to go up to the Orkney Isles to retrieve, an encoded secret document, that turns out to have details of all of Lemmers agents. Having obtained the document, Max is then chased across the land by Lemmers agents. They are trying to get hold of the document, before Max can get it decoded.

The chase is very exciting and a great page turner. The pile of bodies that there is at the end is quite impressive. I won't reveal what happened to the document, did it get decoded or not, but Lemmer evidently had agents working in the British Government at the highest levels. So Max really does not know who to trust, especially when he is put on the police wanted lists as a killer.

The chase goes from the North of Scotland to south of France, and reconnects with the peace conference that is going on in Paris. Without revealing too much the Japanese delegation now comes into play. All parties seem to be converging on the cruise ship that is going to Japan, but if the third book is true to form then this may not be the case.

The only frustration with the book is the ending. To say that it is a cliffhanger is an understatement, with Max about to be killed. But I don't think Max will be killed immediately as he is needed for the third book. With Christmas coming soon it is on my Christmas list. I have been told I have to wait till and cannot get it before then.

This is a really enjoyable escapist book, just right for curling up in front of the fire and forgetting what is going on in our world, having been transported back almost a century. This was book 2 week 1 fiction 2 (audio books 0) non fiction 0