October reading round-up
Happy November, folks! Suddenly life is full of Christmas plans and all the people we promised to catch up with before the end of the year. And yet through summer I always think October and November will be quiet. One day I’ll learn!
We started the month on holiday in Yorkshire, which was lovely and relaxing and already feels like a thousand years ago. I went to see The Crucible at Bristol Old Vic, a “theatrical experience” called The Stick House in the Bristol Temple Meads tunnels (a creepy gothic fairy-tale-type story that wouldn’t be out of place in an Angela Carter novel), Salman Rushdie talking about his new book and Bill Bailey on his latest comedy tour. The large collection of tickets for stuff on the fridge is finally all gone now and I’m itching to book something in!
I also got excited about the news that Gilmore Girls is returning and checked out the new Amazon TV series of The Man in the High Castle, based on the book by Philip K Dick. The first two episodes are excellent, a strong contender for best recent book-to-TV adaptation. We also saw The Martian at the cinema, which is a great film. Should I read the book? Reviews were very mixed when it came out, but if I add the proviso that I’m comfortable with all the science/tech stuff, does that help?
Books read
A Little Gold Book of Ghastly Stuff by Neil Gaiman
My Turn to Make the Tea by Monica Dickens
The Sandman, Vol. 3: Dream Country by Neil Gaiman, Kelley Jones, Charles Vess, Colleen Doran and Malcolm Jones III
Transmetropolitan, Vol. 8: Dirge by Warren Ellis, Darick Robertson and Rodney Ramos
Transmetropolitan, Vol. 9: The Cure by Warren Ellis, Darick Robertson and Rodney Ramos
Transmetropolitan, Vol. 10: One More Time by Warren Ellis, Darick Robertson and Rodney Ramos
The Magic Toyshop by Angela Carter
My favourite read of October was the last one: The Magic Toyshop by Angela Carter. What was yours?
You should read the book. It was, and is, one of my favorites of books I’ve read this year. I read it earlier in the year. I haven’t seen the movie, but I would like to, probably when it comes out on DVD.
As for my favorite read of last month, it was a three-way tie among The Crossover by Kwame Alexander, Brown Girl Dreaming by Jacqueline Woodson, and The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman. All excellent in their own way.
I saw the Martian as well and while the movie was awfully good, the book was even better so I definitely vote for you reading it.