Last year, I decided that I'd start reading Agatha Christie murder mystery novels in chronological order, there's 66 of them in total and I managed twelve last year so that leaves me 54 to go at. Obviously, I'm reading other books in between. I used to read Agatha Christie in my teens but I can't remember any of them now. This month I've read Lord Edgware Dies, another of Christie's books where Poirot is the investigating detective. I've enjoyed every one of her books so far, she really was a master at weaving a plot with plenty of twists, dead ends and red herrings.
Another book I've read this month is Ballet Shoes by Noel Streatfeild. It's actually a children's book aimed at 8 to 12 year olds but when I saw it, it brought back memories of the television adaptation from when I was a child and I just had to read it. It tells the story of adopted sisters Pauline, Petrova and Posy Fossil and their lives as they attend a dance and acting school. It's such a lovely book, I enjoyed reading it and I'm sure any children who take ballet lessons would love this book too, as would their mums.
As I mentioned in my Charity Shop Books post, I've got a pile of books waiting for me, I'm actually spoilt for choice at the moment as there's so many I'm eager to read. I wonder which will be next.
What a great thing to do. My daughter is reading her way through them whilst studying for her A levels so not as quick as you are but she is loving it. About 2 weeks ago we visited her grave on the week of her 40th anniversary of her death. Link here just in case you are interested... http://eclectichomelife.blogspot.co.uk/2016/01/sunlit-sunday-2016.html
ReplyDeleteI'm sure your daughter will enjoy the books too, I used to read them when I was about her age but I can't remember any of the plots now. I shall pop over and read your post, I knew she'd died in the 70's but didn't realise it was coming up to the 40th anniversary.
DeleteShe lived in our village towards the end of her life and her grandson still lives in the house. There is a huge Christie following around here, with scheduled walks etc often during the year to take in Christie moments...
DeleteHow interesting. I'm looking forward to popping over and reading your post. I don't really know that much about the author herself, though I've watched a couple of documentaries and it seems that parts of her life were as intriguing as the mysteries she wrote.
DeleteI am planning on looking for books in charity shops this lunchtimex
ReplyDeleteI hope you find some good ones. I got a good haul last week but didn't find any I wanted when I popped in this weekend.
DeleteI don't read on a regular basis. But I do read when I'm on holiday. I have so many emails at work containing the latest law on something or another concerning my job, I'm all read out by the time I get home.
ReplyDeleteYou will have more time when you retire, you may find you read more then. I love reading on holiday, I get through more books then than I do at home. I think it's because there's nothing there waiting for my attention and I can relax.
DeleteI read that whole series, starting with Ballet Shoes not too long ago. Never too old for a good story.
ReplyDeleteThat's true. I don't mind whether a book's aimed at the younger generation or not, a good story's a good story. I don't know the rest of the series.
DeleteThe ballet books I absolutely loved as a child were those by Lorna Hill, starting with A Dream of Sadler's Wells. Some years ago I managed to buy them all again, in the editions I had as a child with their dust jackets, too. I still love them!
ReplyDeleteMargaret P
I don't know those books. How lovely that you managed to track them down again, it's nice to still have books we had in our childhood.
DeleteNice to see you are carrying on with reading your Agatha Christie books. I think I read some but definitely not all. I had a clear out of books just before christmas of those I know I wouldn't read again. Our Tesco has a charity bookshelf and by the time I went in the next day on my way home from work most of them had gone. I did wonder if they ended up as Christmas gifts as they looked like new.
ReplyDeleteI shall keep going with the Agatha Christie books, I just hope that I manage to track them all down, I haven't had any problem so far. I donate books to the charity bookshelf in Tesco too and have had the same experience. The ones I donate don't seem to hang around long.
DeleteI've started looking out for books in the charity shop. I did get some lovely Christmas ones last year. I've started collecting The Famous Five series again unfortunately they don't appear in charity shops! Enjoy your reading x
ReplyDeleteCharity shops are great for picking up books, I've managed to get quite a few that I've been after for a fraction of the cost they'd have been new. I loved the Famous Five books when I was a child but my very favourite Enid Blytons were the Mystery series.
DeleteI loved Ballet Shoes, but my favourite Stretfeild was always Thursday's Child.
ReplyDeleteI'm not familiar with any of her other books but I remember loving Ballet Shoes when it was shown on tv. Perhaps it was because I took ballet lessons myself as a child, well, in to my teens.
DeleteWe used to have story time when I was teaching even for the 11 year olds and it was a really good excuse to read children's books as I always read them myself before reading them to the children.
ReplyDeleteI think teachers have a very good excuse for reading children's books, mind you, I don't need an excuse, I'm not bothered what age a book is aimed at, I can enjoy kids books just as much as adult ones and I think if a book's well written it will appeal to all ages.
DeleteI read lots of Agatha Christie when I was working in libraries but haven't read any for years, the trouble is there are just so many new authors writing books I like that I don't have enough hours in the day!
ReplyDeleteI know exactly what you mean. My reading time is limited because of everything else I want to fit in to my day so the books I do read have to earn the time I allow for them. I do choose carefully, as you say, there's so many good books just waiting to be read.
DeleteSadly I have not been reading too much of late, hopefully I will get back into it soon. I do love reading with the Grandchildren and hope the love of books will be passed on.
ReplyDeleteThere are definitely times when I don't read as much as usual too. I used to love reading with Daniel and Eleanor, they enjoyed reading aloud, however, I wouldn't consider either of them an avid reader themselves, sadly. I'm hoping that they may still come to it in time.
DeleteI have always been an avid reader - I remember being disappointed that I didn't learn to read on my first day at school, so that I could read my comic!! These days I mostly read on my Kindle, but we also collect charity shop books to take on holiday - we read them then leave them there.
ReplyDeleteI could already read when I started school. They'd introduced the I.T.A. teaching method where words are written as they sound but as I could already read, I missed out on this, thank goodness. You had to learn to read one way and then learn the proper way. I don't think it was long before it was scrapped.
DeleteI've often thought of re-reading some of the books that I read as a child. One in particular, Pippi Longstocking, really sticks out in my mind as an all-time favourite. I recently gave a copy to my daughter, but she has yet to read it. I'm quite excited to hear what she thinks once she does.
ReplyDeleteThat's a good thing about having children, you're able to share some of the books you enjoyed as children with them. Mind you, they don't necessarily like the same things, I remember reading certain books to Daniel and Eleanor which I'd enjoyed as a child but they didn't take to them at all.
DeleteIt's so hard resisting books from the charity shop when they a reasonable price. Nice to vary the type of book too, like you say there is just so much out there.
ReplyDeleteLisa x
It is. My pile of books to be read is going up and up, I'm not complaining though, it's nice to have lots of books to look forward to.
DeleteI'm steadily getting through a pile of old favourites which Douglas got down from a high shelf for me. It's been fun re-reading them again. :o)
ReplyDeleteI don't reread many books but I do tend to forget the story once I've read a book so I suppose I could. There's just so many books I've never read before that I want to read that I don't have time.
DeleteI too used to love reading as a child, often having several books on the go at the same time. Sadly now I rarely have time to read for pleasure, but I must reread Ballet Shoes, i loved it, and the Bbc adaptation :-)
ReplyDeleteI know the feeling of not having enough time to read, I was the same when the kids were young but I'm so pleased that I've got back in to it now. I really enjoyed reading Ballet Shoes, it's one of the programmes I watched as a child which stuck in my memory and the book is just as lovely.
DeleteGood to see that you're still enjoying the Poirot books. Happy reading. Flighty xx
ReplyDeleteI am, and there's still plenty to go. I think I'll miss them once I've read the lot.
Delete54 to go, wow that is a lot of reading still to do! I loved Ballet Shoes as a child too, I am looking forward to the day I can read it to my daughter.
ReplyDeleteI'm averaging one Agatha Christie book a month so it will take me a few years yet. I loved going back over the books I enjoyed as a child and reading them to Eleanor, and some of them to Daniel too, though I have to say that they weren't always keen on the ones I liked.
DeleteWhen you read the Agatha Christie books do you think of the television adaptation and picture the actor who plays Poirot in your mind? I know I do and for me it actually makes the reading more enjoyable. I loved reading Noel Streatfield's books, so did our girls and our granddaughter still talks about her favourite children's books - Ballet Shoes and the ice skating one, White Boots. There was another theatrical family one that I've never found called The Swish of the Curtain, probably because it's out of print.
ReplyDeleteI've never actually watched an episode of Poirot, though obviously I'm familiar with David Suchet and I must admit that it is him who I picture as I read the books. Ballet Shoes is the only Noel Streatfeild book I knew but I now know she wrote a whole set of similar books. It's a shame you can't find The Swish of the Curtain, perhaps Ebay would be a good place to watch out for it.
DeleteI haven't read the Poirot, but I adore Ballet Shoes!!! I have a copy - lost my original one somewhere along the way - and I love it! Posy, Petrova, Pauline, Gum, all of them!! xx
ReplyDeleteIt's such a lovely story, isn't it? I remember stitting with friends watching the television adaptation when I was a child and we were all engrossed.
DeleteI don't think I've ever read an Agatha Christie novel... It's about time I did though! :)
ReplyDeleteI'm sure you'd enjoy them, they're so easy to read and do keep your attention.
DeleteOh my goodness! DD and I were only talking about Agatha Christie on the weekend and that I've never read her books and may think about doing some, but the other book is one I asked if I might read my granddaughter as she loves ballet/dancing and one of my favourite books was White Boots and I still have a copy although not my original. Long story about how I lost all my favourite childhood books. Take care.
ReplyDeleteI really enjoy the Agatha Christie books, they keep my interest the whole way through and the stories are so good. I'm sure your grandaughter would love Ballet Shoes if she likes dancing, it's such a lovely story.
DeleteBallet Shoes is a good favourite isn't it ... and do you know I can't ever remember reading an Agatha Christie book. I have seen plays etc both on stage and television though. A very good writer indeed.
ReplyDeleteHope your week is going well.
All the best Jan
I really enjoyed reading Ballet Shoes, it brought back lots of memories. I read quite a bit of Agatha Christie in my teens but I'm enjoying reading them again, I can't remember any of the plots from when I read them previously.
DeleteI'm so glad you got back into reading Jo, I am an avid reader but unfortunately the only one in the house....I can quite easily devour a boo in a week!! I too love some of the children's books, I don't think you can really put an age on them, besides which when I am feeling tired the teenage books are easier to digest and remember....I love to read all sorts of books but i think my favourite are probably the supernatural sort as it really takes me away form it all for a while.
ReplyDeleteI used to spend hours reading to Daniel and Eleanor hoping it would instil a love of reading in them but neither of them seem bothered. They read the odd thing but that's it. I used to wonder what people would think of me reading children's books but I couldn't care less these days, there are some wonderful kids books out there and I think adults can enjoy them just as much as children do.
DeleteI agree about there being some marvelous children's books...charlotte's web, black beauty....the list is endless. I could spend my life reading, I hate having to put a book down once I've started it.xxx
ReplyDeleteCharlotte's Web is such a lovely story, isn't it? That's another one which I could read now. I tend to take a while to get in to a book but then once I do I can't wait to get to the end and see what happens.
DeleteOh I loved Ballet Shoes as a child, a lovely series.m
ReplyDeleteMy daughter is reading And Then There Were None and writing her own murder mystery story at school. She's enjoying describing each murder, always over the tea table it seems. xx
I used to read Agatha Christie books when I was in my teens, I'm pleased I've got back in to them again now. I remember Daniel writing murder stories at school, he loved making them as gory as possible.
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