Categories: uncategorized
Date: 08 September 2007 15:47:40
Jack the Lass has said nice things about me on her wiblog, so I now feel duty bound to come and write something!
So, I know I haven't updated for ages, so what have we been up to? Last Saturday night we went to Cardiff to see Kate Rusby, who was excellent as ever. We also realised how un-used we are to going to proper sit-down gigs in proper venues that start on time - we got there a couple of minutes after the time on the ticket, and she was half way through her first song! Also bumped into Rhys and Lemly at the interval which was great. I think the best thing was that I somehow wasn't aware she had a new album out, and when she said 'this song is from my new album, which is out on monday, but we have some here' I think there was an audible squeak from me. (Album is very good. Fewer twiddly numbers than usual, and I wasn't sure to begin with, but it's growing on me.)
Good haul of birthday books today - all huge and hardback. I think my autumn reading is sorted.
In God We Doubt by John Humphrys, which I am really looking forward to reading. I love the sub-title "Confessions of a failed atheist". There was an extract from this in the Sunday Times last week, which I enjoyed. I like John Humphrys' writing (actually I could have just put a full stop after 'Humphrys' there), and this book is also beautifully type-set, which always makes reading much nicer. (Or is that just me?)
Mitfords: Letters Between Six Sisters edited by Charlotte Mosley. My goodness this looks like it's going to be a good read. (It's also ENORMOUS.) I first read some of Nancy Mitford's books a few years ago, and I love them. Then I read a bit about the family, and I've also read a couple of biographies, but the letters look like they're going to be particularly fascinating. The thing with the Mitfords is that if you invented them, no-one would believe a word of it. There were six girls (a brother as well, but he always gets rather overshadowed): Nancy was the writer, Diana a fascist (married to Oswald Mosley), Deborah is now Duchess of Devonshire, Jessica a communist, Unity fell in love with Hitler and shot herself when WWII broke out, and Pamela was the relatively normal one who John Betjeman (he called her the Rural Mitford) was in love with. This would be a perfect bath book if it wasn't too heavy to hold above the water! (The only problem with reading this stuff is that it does tend to make me start talking like a 1930s deb, but it'll wear orf. off.)
A History of Modern Britain by Andrew Marr. Am I single-handedly keeping BBC news people in business? Possibly. I caught a couple of episodes of the tv series this is based around, and really enjoyed it. I like readable history. I also like Andrew Marr. (What is it with me and the BBC?!) I confessed to a friend I bumped into in the bookshop (I bought this one with birthday tokens) that I do find Andrew Marr, jug-ears and all, strangely attractive. She admitted that she feels the same, so it's not just me! (Mr b's response to this: you're both mental.)
I must go and have the rest of my birthday now, there are chocolates downstairs!