Even though it is the shortest month, February always seems to drag. I have no idea why it feels that way. Didn’t quite reach my target of 16 books, but I am happy with 15, including three five star books this month! So here is what I read
Books Read
The Bookseller’s Tale – Martin Latham – 4.5 stars
Wahala – Nikki May – 3 stars
The Ship Asunder – Tom Nancollas – 3.5 stars
Dandelions – Thea Lenarduzzi – 3.5 stars
Pharmakon – Almudena Sánchez Tr. Katie Whittemore – 3.5 stars
The Quiet Moon – Kevin Parr – 4 stars
Sea Fever – Stuart Franklin – 3 stars
RSPB How to Photograph Garden Birds – Mark Carwardine – 3.5 stars
Making Cocoa for Kingsley Amis – Wendy Cope – 4 stars
Asian Waters – Humphrey Hawksley – 3.5 stars
Park Life – Tom Chesshyre – 3.5 stars
Walking With Nomads – Alice Morrison – 4 stars
Book(s) Of The Month
Eating to Extinction – Dan Saladino – 5 stars
This is a brilliant exploration of the global food system and the perilous state it is in because of our reliance on only a few species of Food. We need to start bringing more diversity into the food system as soon as possible.
Under The Blue – Oana Aristide – 5 stars
Even though this is about the catastrophic effects of a global pandemic, this is a brilliantly written story of three people who are trying to get to safety.
The Lost Orchards – Liz Copas & Nick Poole – 5 stars
I love books on orchards and this one about the discovery of the apple trees that were once thought lost is quite magical.
Top Genres
Normal service is starting to be resumed…
Natural History– 4
Fiction– 4
Poetry– 3
Science Fiction– 3
History– 3
Fantasy– 3
Photography– 2
Travel– 2
Politics– 1
Environmental– 1
Top Publishers
Faber & Faber– 3
Simon & Schuster– 3
Particular Books– 2
Little Toller– 2
William Heinemann– 1
Peepal Tree Press– 1
Basic Books– 1
Bardwell Press– 1
Serpent’s Tail– 1
William Collins– 1
Review Copies Received
Two Lights: Walking through Landscapes of Loss and Life– James Roberts
The Last Sunset in the West: Britain’s Vanishing West Coast Orcas– Natalie Sanders
More Numbers Every Day: How Data, Stats, and Figures Control Our Lives and How to Set Ourselves Free– Micael Dahlén & Helge Thorbjørnsen
Cry of the Wild: Tales of sea, woods and hill– Charles Foster
The Flaw in the Crystal: And Other Uncanny Stories by May Sinclair– Ed. Mike Ashley
Library Books Checked Out
Nightwalking: Four Journeys into Britain After Dark– John Lewis-Stempel
Cane, Corn & Gully– Safiya Kamaria Kinshasa
Manorism– Yomi Sode
Quiet– Victoria Adukwei Bulley
The Last Overland: Singapore to London: The Return Journey Of The Iconic Land Rover Expedition– Alex Bescoby
Wayfinding: The Art And Science Of How We Find And Lose Our Way– Michael Bond
The Catch– Fiona Sampson
Ravilious & Co: The Pattern Of Friendship– Andy Friend
The Road: A Story of Romans and Ways to the Past– Christopher Hadley
All My Wild Mothers: A Memoir Of Motherhood, Loss And An Apothecary Garden– Victoria Bennet
Waypoints: A Journey On Foot – Robert Martineau
Grounded: A Journey Into The Landscapes Of Our Ancestors– James Canton
Books Bought
The Meaning of Liff– Douglas Adams & John Lloyd
The Old Drift– Namwali Serpell
It’s Not About the Tapas: A Spanish Adventure on Two Wheels– Polly Evans
The London Nobody Knows– Geoffrey Fletcher
West with the Night– Beryl Markham
The Wild Flowers of Dorset– Stuart Roberts
Spanish Lessons: Beginning a New Life In Spain– Derek Lambert
A Short Philosophy of Birds– “Philippe J. Dubois & Élise Rousseau”
Write It All Down: How to Put Your Life on the Page– Cathy Rentzenbrink
Travelling Light: Journeys Among Special People and Places– Alastair Sawday
I Remember: Farming Memories of Lincolnshire– George L.A. Lunn
Back to Nature: How To Love Life – And Save It– Chris Packham & Megan McCubbin
Castles and Forts– Colin Pomeroy
Landscapes of Legend: The Secret Heart of Britain– John Matthews & Michael J. Stead
Two Degrees West– Nicholas Crane (Signed)
Any from this long list that you have read? Any that you now want to read? Let me know in the comments below (now they are working again)
I also loved Under the Blue — a book that deserved a lot more attention! I have the whole of the Folio Prize poetry shortlist out from the library and hope to read and review them all before the announcement.
I had read two of them already and they had the rest in Poole library. I probably won’t review them as I find poetry very difficult to review.
I am 1/3 of the way through Waypoints by Martineau. Interesting combo of history or ideas interspersed with his walk.
I am looking forward to reading it. I like books that blend many different things as that reflects life, or at least my life.
I keep seeing Nightwalking and I’m sure I’ve read It’s Not About the Tapas … and so I did, in 2009 https://librofulltime.wordpress.com/2009/11/28/polly-evans-its-not-about-the-tapas/ appropriate as I’m sitting in Spain trying to catch up with my blog posts right now!
Very nice! Enjoy the sun and your break