"419" by Will Ferguson

Excellent book recommended to me by Eva. It broadened my horizons by giving me a vey good feel for the complexities of life in Nigeria. I have to ask Eva why she hated the ending, though it certainly is too bad that the boy with the beautiful smile had to die. It was amazing how people's actions affected the lives of others, even half way around the world. The book implies that we can be buffeted by forces so all encompassing that they are invisible to us. I finished this book in New Jersey, at Bridget's house.

"Casting the Runes and other Ghost Stories" by M.R. James

Ghost stories by an author I had never heard of, but who is apparently important in the ghost story genre. The stories are very British, and very similar, but I did grow fond of them due to their well educated background. The ghosts and spooks are inferred, rather than described as actually existing. Folklore is often mentioned, and I do enjoy folklore.

"Cashel Byron's Profession" by Bernard Shaw

To my surprise, I enjoyed this book quite a bit. Finished reading it in NB, where we went to help care for Lucas while Lochlan was being born. I bought this book a long time ago, based on the fact that one of my high school compositions about the play "Joan of Arc" closely matched what Bernard Shaw had himself written in the introduction. Based on that, I figured we were simpatico and that I would like this book as well. I guess the subject matter of a prize fighter made me reluctant to read it, but I need not have feared. Book contains: very intelligent and wealthy gentle woman; very stupid but kind hearted boxer who falls in love with her, and turns out to be a gentleman as well; ironic observations by the author that made me laugh out loud; British class system; romance.

"Simisola" by Ruth Rendell

I enjoyed this book so much that I didn't even read the ending early. Main themes were unemployment and slavery in England. I have a feeling I enjoy Ruth Rendell slightly more than I do PD James.

"Zombies of the Gene Pool" by Sharyn McCrumb

I had Ray buy this book because I like Sharyn McCrumb, and I thought I had never read it. It's closely linked to "Bimbos of the Death Sun", which I did remember reading and enjoying. It turn out I did read this book as well, though I only remember it vaguely, and I do remember its being the inferior of the pair. I did enjoy it, and figure I had a more mature perspective on it this time round, since it involves older people dredging up a time capsule they buried in their youth. Included cogent commentary about science fiction fandom.

"Skios" by Michael Frayn

Ray bought this book for me. I wanted it because Simon Baker said he would be reading it, and I read that the author had a good record. The book was a clever and amusing farce. But it didn't end with emotional fulfillment for me. It was too intellectually structured to bother with that, I guess. The plot was...stolen identities, mistaken identities, amusing occurrences, coincidences.

"A Feast for Crows" by George R.R. Martin

A very good, very long book. The number of threads that Martin is juggling is amazing. And he keeps growing them! I read some reviews of these later books that complained, among other things, about the introduction of new characters we don't care about. That's not true for me, but I must admit that I did skim some parts a little bit. The book is just too long and too detailed to read every section carefully. And I can reinforce the main points by watching the tv series.