This month I was happy to knock off three titles that have been on the TBR pile on my shelf for the past year. My progress has been slow, but every time I finally read one of these books that has been waiting patiently for so long, I’m glad I made the effort.
Of these, I think the most thought-provoking was The Blood of the Martyrs, a historical novel about the first persecution of Christians under Nero. I really want to hunt down more books by Naomi Mitchison, who seems an absolutely fascinating person as well as a brilliant writer. And I’ll try to review this one soon.
What’s been most interesting to you, as we enter the final stretch of the year?
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Reviews
- I did a video review of some of the latest releases from the Folio Society, perfect for holiday gifts.
- Elsewhere, for Witch Week I reviewed Circe and participated in a discussion of The Other Wind.
Other Books Read
- Weave a Circle Round by Kari Maaren
- The New Rules of Marriage by Terrence Real
- God in Concord by Jane Langton
- The Blood of the Martyrs by Naomi Mitchison – Review to come
- The Owl Service by Alan Garner – Reread
Other Features and Events
- For Nonfiction November, I asked How should fiction and nonfiction mix?
- I shared a quotation from Les Miserables from my chapter-a-day readalong, corresponding to Armistice Day, November 11.
- I put together some fiction/nonfiction pairings from my reading this year, finding some serendipitous connections.
Shared in the Sunday Post hosted by Caffeinated Book Reviewer, the Month in Review linkup at The Book Date, and the Monthly Wrap-up Round-up hosted by Feed Your Fiction Addiction
The Emerald City Book Review Archive 
The Blood of the Martyrs sounds great, I might give it a try sometime. I know what you mean, I’ve been slow at reading too, but finishing a book that has been on your TBR for a while can be satisfying. Have a good week!
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I’m very happy to have made any kind of progress with this pile!
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I too was drawn to your mention of Blood of the Martyrs: I had Charles Kingsley’s Hypatia on my Classics Spin list, though it didn’t come up. It’s a sort of reverse version of the familiar stories of Early Christian martyrdoms: Hypatia was a Neoplatonist lecturer in Egypt in the early 5th century torn to pieces by a frenzied mob, stirred up by what one can only call a Christian ‘hate preacher’. Rabid blood lust really respects no creed.
Thanks again, Lory, for your contributions to Witch Week 2018 (curious how themes mingle here!)—this year’s incarnation would really have been hugely poorer without your selfless input as well as your setting such a high standard to aim for. Lizzie and I really can’t say enough how grateful we are!
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It was my pleasure to be a participant in Witch Week without having to do all the behind the scenes grunt work.
And that’s interesting about Hypatia – I guess pseudo-Christian hate preachers have been around for a very long time. Mitchison’s version emphasizes the radical nonviolence of her particular set of subjects, though around them there are many different currents of practice and belief, not all peaceful.
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Happy December! 🙂
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Thanks, you too!
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Are you going to write about Weave A Circle Round?
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I don’t think I have enough to say for a full review, but I might mention it in some context. I wasn’t that impressed, though it was okay as a light diversion.
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Happy December!
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Thanks Freda!
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I never thought of doing a video review of books, hmmm.
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It’s a good thing to think about. I never considered making a video till another blogger tagged me in a Booktube challenge – then I found it surprisingly enjoyable!
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The magic of incremental effort, eh? Keep knocking off those TBRs one by one and soon the mountain will be a molehill. Well, that’s what I keep telling myself anyway – I’ve spent the whole year working on my classics/back-list TBR, and slowly but surely I’m whittling it down. Have a great December!! ❤️
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I’m chipping away, but the problem is I keep buying new books at a rate greater than that of reading … oh well, it still makes a difference. 🙂
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Sounds like a good month, Lory! I love reading a book I’ve been planning to read for a long time. And for me, it’s often a lot longer than a year 🙂
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I’ve had books around for many years, and been glad when I finally got around to them!
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Lory, my favourite read in November was the new cookbook, The Hairy Dieters (6) Make It Easy by the UK’s favourites The Hairy Bikers: Si King & Dave Myers. I really look forward to your thoughts on The Blood of the Martyrs by Naomi Mitchison. Happy reading in December!
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A cookbook by the Hairy Bikers sounds like fun!
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I love video reviews! They really bring out the true feelings the reader had about the books. That’s great you were able to knock out some more of your TBR. I’m working on reading books with promised reviews.
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I always feel really bad if I don’t read review books in a timely way, so I’m glad I got through some of these recently.
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