The Official Unofficial Book Group Book Discussion thread

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Diogenes
Diogenes
Dec 2024
6:19am, 23 Dec 2024
89,900 posts
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Diogenes
I like the commitment to collecting matching editions
Northern Exile
Northern Exile
Dec 2024
8:39am, 23 Dec 2024
10,706 posts
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Northern Exile
Me too
Northern Exile
Northern Exile
Dec 2024
8:41am, 23 Dec 2024
10,707 posts
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Northern Exile
I'm not sure if I'm really enjoying Pillars of the Earth. I already hate a couple of characters and that's not a good sign with several hundred pages to go.
Red Squirrel
Red Squirrel
Dec 2024
9:31pm, 23 Dec 2024
24,873 posts
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Red Squirrel
I didn’t pick up Our Man In Havana today from the charity shop, as it was too expensive. Instead I got Thistle Soup by Peter Kerr. I’ve been after it for a while and have never managed to get it from a library. Happy to have a funny UK-based travel book to read over Christmas.
Columba
Columba
Dec 2024
10:19pm, 23 Dec 2024
22,658 posts
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Columba
I've got a shelf like that, McG, though they don't match quite as well as yours do. Most are Penguins, one Vintage and one hardback.
Columba
Columba
Dec 2024
10:22pm, 23 Dec 2024
22,659 posts
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Columba
Today I bought The Count of Monte Cristo. I read it in late childhood / early teens and can remember nothing about it except that someone is imprisoned for a very long time but eventually escapes. I was surprised at what a thick book it is. Should keep me going for a long time.
Diogenes
Diogenes
Dec 2024
10:23pm, 23 Dec 2024
89,920 posts
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Diogenes
Mine are a mixture of vintage and penguins. I think Ministry of Fear is my favourite
Chrisull
Chrisull
Dec 2024
4:49pm, 31 Dec 2024
22,541 posts
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Chrisull
Just finished "Hunt for the Shadow Wolf: Lost History of wolves in the United Kingdom" by Derek Gow. He lives about 15 miles from me, where he has his farm and various containing various interesting species such as lynx, but no wolves. Anyone who read his beaver book expecting a lot of very funny, filthy and interesting anecdotes of these creatures, will note the more melancholy and subdued tone in this book.

It's not really a book that preaches the re-introduction of wolves (although Gow is undoubtedly in favour), it is a history of how the UK has demonised and completely exterminated wolves (Europe of course has only failed by the dint of its size, the persecution was no less relentless).

It's fascinating, although Gow is quite scattershot, starting off by tracing historical references to wolves in architecture (a churchdoor in Abbey Dore), literature, and history. There is place name etymology, stories of royalty and wolves, quests to find various wolf "memorabilia" (taxidermy, paws etc) and folklore about the last wolves. In the mid 1700s was when the last ones were wiped out in England (some hung on in Ireland til the 1800s), although by the 1300s they were already scarce. Wool was a lot to blame, its high price meant that anything that threatened the money had to be eliminated. But as always it's more complex than that.

The last chapter but one was particularly hard to take, a description of wolf-traps and some of the methods of torture inflicted on our pet dogs' near cousins. People remain petrified of them, and even when living in an open captivity, video-ed and followed they are not safe, as farmers happily dispatch them with aplomb on Tiktok and EU leader Ursula Von Der Leyen re-ignited the witch-hunt and ancient fear when one killed her pony. But still you come away with a respect, for a wonderful, majesterial and much maligned animal whose fierce intelligence and loyalty demands admiration, and look to a future where they can co-exist with us at least in Europe, if not here.
Sharkie
Sharkie
Dec 2024
5:05pm, 31 Dec 2024
23,062 posts
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Sharkie
I've loved wolves since my mum read me and our kid the original Jungle Book in bedtime installments



Still one of the best- and strangely accurate depictions of wolves in literature, especially considering when it was written - late 1890s I think)

@Chrisull I'd like to read Hunt for the Shadow Wolf, but fear it would make me too sad.

One of the best -and best written -books I've read this year is Raising Hare which is certainly melancholy and wince inducing in places, but also uplifting and calming. I instantly started reading it a second time. Haven't done that since Reservoir 13 - whic I was a lot more impressed by than you were. 'Ladybird book' indeed!' Cheek!
Northern Exile
Northern Exile
Dec 2024
6:06pm, 31 Dec 2024
10,720 posts
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Northern Exile
My mum bought me a copy of White Fang when I was a little lad and I've been entranced by them ever since. I will give Derek Gow's book a read, it sounds interesting.

p.s. I've still got that book :-)

About This Thread

Maintained by Diogenes
Unofficial books, underground discussion, MASSIVE SPOILERS.

Some of the most discussed books include:

Piranesi by Susanna Clarke
(mind-bending mystery with halls and statues)
hive.co.uk



The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman (geriatric murder mystery from Britain's tallest comedic brainbox)
hive.co.uk

The Salt Path by Raynor Winn
(Memoir of a homeless couple walking the SWCP)
hive.co.uk

Milkman by Anna Burns
(Superlative prize-winning fiction)
Hive link: hive.co.uk

The Player Of Games by Iain M. Banks (Sci-Fi)
Hive link: hive.co.uk

The Watchmaker of Filigree Street by Natasha Pulley (weird steampunk)
Hive link: hive.co.uk

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