Wednesday 7 May 2014

Favourite Reads - My Fictional World

Posted by Rosie

Ages ago the lovely Jocelyn over at The Reading Residence asked me to join her linky all about favourite books and ever since then it has been one of those things that constantly drops off the end of my To Do List.  After all pigs object if they are not fed or cleaned out, boys need taking and collecting from places and weeds grow to triffid sizes if I don’t keep on top of them.  However, now on holiday I have no pigs to feed, ne weeds to pull and the boys are chilling here at my Mum’s.  I can therefore FINALLY get my favourite reads consigned to print!

Favourite Childhood Reads

I was an absolute Enid Blyton fan – "Famous Five", "Secret Seven" and "The St Clare’s" series being my favourites.  I went to a boarding school (as a day girl) and I always hoped my time there would be more like St Clare’s.  It wasn’t though and I hated school so I used the stories to dream of how things might have been had I gone to St Clare’s not St Clotilde’s!  Before I found Enid Blyton I was a "Tomas the Tank Engine" fan and was most upset if we went to the library and there wasn’t a new ne to take out.  Back then (ha ha – I am showing my age here) there were only the original Thomas stories written in quaint old fashioned language that sometimes I didn’t understand.  However I loved the pictures and all the antics the various engines and carriages got up to.  After Thomas and Ms Blyton I then moved on to CS Lewis and the "Narnia" books.  Oh how I wished I could find a way to get that magical land (along with thousands of other children no doubt!)

Favourite Teenage Reads 
My father was a man who lived for horses and all his books virtually had an equine connection and I steadily worked my way through them.  I especially remember one about a man and his 2 horses who rode the length of South America, something I found too incredible to believe possible.  My all time horsy favourite though was "The Maltese Cat" by Kipling, the story of an old flea-bitten pony who helped to win a great polo match though his bravery and determination.  As a complete change of genre I also loved anything by Jilly Cooper (including “Polo” of course) and "The Flowers in the Attic" series.  For O Level English Literature we did Harper Lee’s "To Kill a Mockingbird" and despite reading it several times before the exam I never tired of it.  It opened my eyes so much.  Oh and of course anything by Danielle Steele.  How could I have forgotten her books!! Quite easily thinking about it.  Moving swiftly on then ....

Current Favourite Authors

I don’t tend to gravitate towards any one particular author but enjoy a range of books more by subject that author.  Two of my latest good reads have been “Call the Midwife” by Jennifer Worth (I have just bought the 2 next books) and “The Help” by Kathryn Stockett.


3 Favourite Genres and Top Titles

1. History – fact or fiction and generally any period.  "Sarum" was a real favourite here.
2. Cookery Books – I’ve just bought myself a bread book by James Morton and will be trying out some new bread recipes once I get back off holiday.  Pretty much anything by Hugh Fearnly-Whittingstall hits the mark and my Be-Ro cookbook is positively falling to pieces due to so much use!
3. Classics – "Jane Eyre", "Tess of the D’Urbevilles" and "Far from the Madding Crowd" were all wonderful.  Oh and "Great Expectations" ... and "The Merchant of Venice" if I am allowed to slip a play in.

Least Favourite Genres

There are lots of genres I tend never read – Sci-Fi, Horror and Detective stories are 3 that spring to mind (and gay werewolf porn but then that was a genre I have only just learnt exists and I REALLY do not want to go there!).  That said about genres I don't read though I loved “Alien” and have read many Agatha Christie books!  However anything where I can't empathise with the characters though is a no no for me.

Fictional Place you would like to visit

Well that would have to be Narnia wouldn’t it?!  Or maybe St Clare’s so I could get the school days I dreamed of.

Favourite Villains

Hmmmm – don’t tend to read much with villains and can’ think of any from books I have read long ago.  I shall have to pass on this one!  Mind you if villains who come good in the end count I would have to say Scrooge from “A Christmas Carol”.

Books to make you Sob

"The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas" certainly bought a lump to my throat and anything with animals runs the risk of raising a tear!  I want to read "War Horse" but at the same time I think it will be too sad.  Have you read it?  Should I?  Oh and "Call The Midwife" had me blubbing recently!


Books that make me Smile or Laugh

Oh dear, I’m not sure I read books that make me laugh.  That said many of the books I read to the boys were great and I STILL know many of the words from The Gruffalo which we all adored:

“A mouse took a walk through the deep dark wood.  A fox saw the mouse and the mouse looked good ...”

Why don’t you let us know what your favourite and least favourite reads are?  Head over to The Reading Residence here and you can link up your favourite reads blog post and see what books others have enjoyed reading.

The Reading Residence


4 comments :

  1. Really enjoyed reading this. Sounds like we've read lots of the same books. I adored the St Clare's books and then the Riders series and Flowers in the Attic are probably the reads I most remember from my teens. Rupert Campbell-Black could be a villain come good, too? Thanks so much for sharing & joining in with #MyFictionalWorld

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    1. It was fun thinking back to what I used to read and seeing how my tastes have changed. Thanks for running the linky!

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  2. I've been follow James Morton and the great british bake off after watching it on the plane back to Taiwan!! Wish a could get his book, too!!
    Thank you all so much, I've been making jam and sourdough bread and lots of baking : )
    Miss you all
    xoxoxo

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    1. We miss you too Sarah but I am so pleased to hear you are making bread and jam. I am back processing rhubarb again!

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