I recently discovered Dorothy Sayers, and I absolutely love her writing style. I first came across her on YouTube and listened to a few audio books, beautifully read by Ian Carmichael. The audio books were very enjoyable, and a recent trip to the used book store with grandchildren gave me an opportunity to look for a few of Sayers' books, and luckily I found two. I just finished reading Clouds of Witness, it was excellent, I couldn't put it down. The plots are well thought out, the main character, Lord Peter Wimsey, is very entertaining. There is wry humor though out her stories and you find yourself rather amused as she tongue in cheek pokes fun at the formalities of the legal system.
Over the past week BBC 4 extra radio had a reading of Sweet Caress by William Boyd, I listened to an installment one day and really enjoyed it, I looked to see if our local library had a copy of the book, they did so I put it on hold. On Saturday I picked up my library book and having finished Clouds of Witness yesterday I began reading Sweet Caress last night. Well, I lucked out, the story was immediately engaging and I couldn't put it down, I took the book up to bed and fell asleep reading it. Are you ever woken up by the book you are reading as it slips out of your hands onto the floor. It is very enjoyable to find books that just simply hit my sweet spot.
Over Christmas I re-read a favorite Agatha Christie, N or M, a nice quick read with enjoyable characters. The book is not spoiled by knowing, who did it, in some ways it changes it up because you are more aware of the slyness of the perpetrator(s). And another re-read was Less Than Angels by Barbara Pym, I absolutely love her books, and own a copy of all but maybe one, I even have a copy of her cookbook written by Barbara and her sister, and a biography. Pym has been described as the Jane Austen of the 20th century, and I would agree, her stories are really a comedy of manners, they describe ordinary people navigating life within the social norms of their class. The stories are amusing and like a stream they burble along, but beneath the surface a lot is going on. The only sad story she wrote, and it is sad, dealing with the loneliness of old age, is Quartet in Autumn, but that said it is still a really good read.
I really don't care to purchase books, as most are available at the library and many are good for one read only, but a few I know I will read over and over. I enjoy Agatha Christie, and have read and re-read a number of her books, the same with Barbara Pym, and I can now add Dorothy Sayers to the list.
What are you currently reading?
2 comments:
Dorothy Sayers book "The Nine Tailors" is brilliant if you can get hold of that, Bean.
It's on Amazon, which give you a Look Inside section to see if you like it.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B004JHY91G/ref=dp-kindle-redirect?_encoding=UTF8&btkr=1
x
The Nine Tailors was my introduction to Sayers, it is an excellent story, I listened to it on an audio book and couldn't stop listening. I knew after that I had to read her books and was happy to find a couple very cheap paperbacks at the used book store. She really is a most excellent writer so much detail, so many characters, so much humor, and so very enjoyable. It is always good to find someone new to read.
Bean
Post a Comment