Reading Wrap Up / October 2024

A casual chat about all the interesting books I read in October as well as many films I saw at the London film festival. Click ‘Show More’ for info.

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Books discussed & purchase links:

The Black Prince – Iris Murdoch

Nickel Boys – Colson Whitehead

Unicorn - Amrou Al-Kadhi

Gliff – Ali Smith

Stay with Me – Hanne Orstavik (translated by Martin Aitken)

Queer – William S Burroughs

The Folding Star – Alan Hollinghurst

I Am Not Raymond Wallace – Sam Kenyon

Smoke and Ashes – Amitav Ghosh

Playground – Richard Powers

Our London Lives – Christine Dwyer Hickey

The Woman in White – Wilkie Collins

My full reviews of some of these books:

Playground – Richard Powers

Gliff – Ali Smith

The Woman in White – Wilkie Collins

Our London Lives – Christine Dwyer Hickey

Chapters:
0:00 Intro
0:30 Iris Murdoch
3:34 Some Men in London
6:00 London Film Festival
12:14 Ali Smith stage adaptation of Autumn
14:25 Gliff
17:04 Alan Hollinghurst
19:01 Stay with Me
22:21 The Folding Star
26:01 Queer
30:12 I Am Not Raymond Wallace
32:05 Smoke and Ashes
36:24 Playground
38:55 Our London Lives
41:35 The Woman in White
43:03 Conclusion

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Get in touch

[AnonB]

During October, I read Piranesi and In the Dream House. Enjoyed both of them. I want to re-read Piranesi!

[nirajsolanki]

I read the following books in October:
Martyr! by Kaveh Akbar
The New Life by Tom Crewe
Small Things Like These by Claire Keegan
Choice by Neel Mukherjee
Cloud Cuckoo Land by Anthony Doerr
The Lost Bookshop by Evie Woods
Justice by Michael Sandel

[TheEmzies]

I wish I lived in London to attend all these fabulous events!

[barbaralemon]

I read A Walk in the Park by Kevin Fedarko. This is a non fiction adventure true story of hiking in the Grand Canyon. Not only is this an exciting page-turner but this is beautifully written and informative. I am putting this wonderful book in my top 5 winners of 2024!

[ygftiui]

My favorites I read this month. The Unicorn Woman Gayle Jones, The Sound of Waves Yukio Mishima, No One Belongs Here More Than You. Miranda July The Martins David Foenkinos TR Sam Taylor. Looks like we both had a good month

[Book_Hugger]

These are some wonderful reviews and I have some for them on my TBR currently: Smoke and Ashes, Playground, Griff, and now Stay with Me!
What I am reading currently:
Tell, by Jonathan Buckley
What I read in October:
Choice by Neel Mukherjee
Martyr by Kaveh Akbar
Dry Your Tears to Perfect Your Aim by
Jacob Wren
The Villain's Dance by
Fiston Mwanza Mujila with Roland Glasser (Translator)
Rejection by Tony Tulathimutte
The Book Censor's Library by
Bothayna Al-Essa, Sawad Hussain (Translator), Ranya Abdelrahman (Translator)
Held by Anne Michaels
Creation Lake by Rachel Kushner
Where the Wind Calls Home by
Samar Yazbek with Leri Price (Translator)
The Fishermen by
Chigozie Obioma
My Friends by
Hisham Matar

So basically, shortlisted prize readings! 😂 Ready for December to read at random, but I have been enjoying what I have been reading from the shortlists over all.

[sudeshnaG]

Just finished Smoke and Ashes by Amitav Ghosh after reading his Ibis trilogy—what a fascinating follow-up! Highly recommend!

[booksandsarcasm]

Really looking forward to the podcast!

[michaeldornan]

I wa off to bed and thought would listened to you for a minute or two. No way.Had to read the whole lot and it was very enjoyable. I have read Our Evenings and in addition to getting a shock you may be surprised It's a very beautiful book. But may I recommend the book I have just read by a Brazilian author who was called Victor Heringer. It was called The Love of Singular Men... Stunning!

[neetupd]

I only read one book last month...The bee sting by Paul Murray and enjoyed it very much!😊

[jacquelinemcmenamin]

Best books read in October
Intermezzo
James
Held
Wellness
I’m currently reading Playground
Our Evenings is on my November TBR
Best book so far in November
Clear by Carys Davies

[clarepotter]

I've bought the Ghosh memoir, thanks for your review.

[carmenaguilar]

Trying hard to finish the short list of the Booker prize... Currently reading Held (Audible) read by the author. Not super keen on her voice, though. Last to read is Creation Lake. I hope to make it before they announce the winner.😅

[wouterdemuyt]

Last month I read:
Creation Lake by Rachel Kushner: an original point of view and interesting ideas, but it lacked characters I could really engage with.
Damascus Station by David McCloskey: a spy novel, not literary but well written, very entertaining, and I learned some things about Syria.
Precipice by Robert Harris: A historical novel about the English PM in 1914. Okay but I expected better from Harris.
Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir: I listened to the audiobook: an entertaining SF story without literary ambitions, great performance by the voice actor.
Caledonian Road by Andrew O'Hagan: parts of it were quite good, as was the overall idea, but ultimately it was overambitious and far too long with lots of characters I - luckily - couldn't relate with.
Clear by Carys Davies: the best book I read last month: so well written and sensitive with real characters, a good story and interesting facts about lost dialects. If you haven't read this, you should, I think you'll love it.
The Adventures Of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain: I'm reading James now, so I reread this: the first part on the Mississippi is fabulous, but it becomes a bit too farcical after that, even as it stays enjoyable throughout.

[barbarahelgaker]

We live in Time sounds great and I see Andrew Garfield is in it, he is always good!