Friday 29 March 2013

MY SUNDAY BEST BOOKS

Thank you very much for all the lovely comments via the blog, twitter and facebook concerning  the story of PUTTING RIGHT THE PAST. I had a good time writing them and explaining how and why I wrote the book.


There are some great book review websites and blogs (one of my addictions) and there is no way I would ever be able to do what they do. I know of one site where the lovely lady manages to read three or four books per week, she then writes fabulous long reviews about them. What I would like to do is tell you about some of the books and authors I have enjoyed over the last twenty odd years; thanks to websites like Amazon most of the books are still available.

My reading habit is a bit odd or so I'm told; the thing is I keep certain books for different situations. When I'm writing I seem to stick to biographies, real life story's and travel books. Other times I just love to read my favourite authors, fiction by the boat load escaping into other peoples worlds, that's when I'm at my happiest.

Then I have what I call my 'SUNDAY BEST BOOKS',  people of a certain age will remember that when we were young we had clothes that we only wore on Sundays and special occasions. Well I have books like that, I think it's because I have been reading some authors for so many years, I like to treat their books with lots of love and respect, that's not saying I don't treat all books with repect, but these just have that little bit of extra love given to them, am I being stupid I don't know
                                

If one of my favorite authors has a book out say in February and I know I have a holiday in June I will save it until then, because I know I won't have to rush through it. This list does get added to all the time, at the moment I think there are about twenty authors on it; one author was only added just last year but her book has become one of my all-time favourite reads, more about that in a later blog. 

I do think you have to be in the right mood for for certain books, even down to what time of the year it is, I did say I was odd didn't I and the older I get the worse I become. My obsessive reading habit all started with one book and to this day it's still one of my all-time favourites, even though it was written way back in 1992.

The book I'm talking about was written by Robert James Waller 'THE BRIDGES OF MADISON COUNTY', let me tell you about the book and how I came to read it.





I first started to read this book at Gatwick airport; I was going on holiday to the Canary Islands. The book had been featured in a big way on The Oprah show, all of America seemed to be talking about it. When I'd got myself settled in my seat on the plane, an older lady sitting next to me had noticed the book, she remarked that she didn't think it was a good idea for me to be reading it now and suggested I saved it for my holiday as I would probably get upset, and perhaps being on a plane wasn't the best place for, well lets say being emotional.

As the story unfolds it's a very hot summer in Madison County Iowa, the year is 1965 a middle-aged photographer, Robert Kincaid is lost, so he drives up to a farm to ask directions. That is where he meets Francesca Johnson an Italian war bride, she is there alone as her husband and children have gone off to the state fair. She directs him to the location he's looking for, but then she invites him to join her later for dinner. During dinner Roberts talks to her about art and poetry; these are things she never gets to talk about with the local towns people. This takes her right back to when she was a Neapolitan girl and not just a bored farmers wife.The next night she invites him back again for dinner and with a little help from a few glasses of brandy, one thing leads to another and thats where I'm going to leave them.

If you have never read this book, I suggest you might like to give it a go, It's a short book and the two characters come to life in an instant. I find that nowadays a lot of books seem to be full of young fit glamorous creatures, so to have a love story about two people in their late forties is so refreshing.

Back to the plane I hear you say, well I managed to finish the book during the flight and just like the lady sat beside me said I did cry, actually I sobbed and when I turned towards her she was crying too. The book was later made into a wonderful film with Meryl Streep and Clint Eastwood, I loved the film but I was so glad I read the book first.

As well as my favorite books I will in the next few blogs talk about some of my SUNDAY BEST authors.





17 comments:

  1. I loved that book too Ian,great choice.

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    1. Thank you Anne it was over twenty years since I read it but I remember the time so clearly. X

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  2. Hubbie bought me a copy before we were married and signed it 'The second greatest love story of all time!' He's so soppy :) xx

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    1. How lovely, I wish I had known that before i blogged. I was given a kettle and a pair of oven gloves not quite the same. x

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  3. I actually 'read' it as an audio book in my car in the 90s. I remember arriving at work quite steamed up! Part of me thought it was terribly soppy. the other loved it to bits. Of course the narrator helped. Quite liked the film too but nothing could compare with That Voice ..
    Thanks for reminding me, Ian Ali B

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  4. Thank you for taking the time to comment it's just one of those books that has stayed with me, but I could not tell you why. The same thing happened with a book I read last year, a week does not go by where I don't think of it, all very strange.x

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  5. I'm going to enjoy reading about your 'Sunday Bests' Ian. Loved this. Thank you x

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    1. Thank you, I just wanted to do something a little different. Authors books and CDs I have liked over the last twenty odd years. x

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  6. I've never read this. Sounds great :)) x

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    1. Yes it is a good read only about 170 pages and back 20 years ago it was the book all America was talking about. TV programes were broadcast from the famous bridge. x

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  7. I haven't read this book Ian. Looking forward to hearing about the other books on your Sunday Best list : ))

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    1. Only 170 pages but a real good read, Oprah made several TV programes from the famous bridge, also the film is lovely. x

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  8. Sounds like a good book, Ian. Looking forward to hearing about the rest on your Sunday best list, Ian. :-)

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    1. A sunday best book I read last year has become another of my all time favourite books, the author is so lovely and I can't wait for her 2nd book to come out in July.x

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  9. Thanks for that, I shall definitely take a closer look. I just wish I could go on a 'reading' week, where I could just read, read, read.

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  10. It's a short read but a really nice one, thanks again Sue for leaving a comment. x

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  11. That has got to be the best film I have ever seen. Maybe I'll read the book next but I cried so much when I saw the film I wonder if the book would be an anti-climax.

    Rosalind Adam is Writing in the Rain

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