What I've been reading

One Day
by David Nicholls

narrated by Anna Bentinck

"She peered up at him through her fringe as he leant against the cheap buttoned headboard and even without her spectacles on it was clear why he might want to stay exactly this way. Eyes closed, the cigarette glued languidly to his lower lip, the dawn light warming the side of his face through the red filter of the curtains, he had the knack of looking perpetually posed for a photograph."

Unusually, it's been a while since finishing this book before writing my review - but there's been a lot going on. It was interesting enough, and I enjoyed the concept of relating the events of one day over a period of years - a lot can be implied and you don't have to hear the detail, it certainly maintains the pace of the story. But in the end the characters weren't drawn sympathetically enough, and I didn't much like either of them, so it felt a bit shallow. Not bad though, and much better than my choices over the previous month.

Let's Explore Diabetes With Owls
by David Sedaris

narrated by the Author

"A guy walks into a bar. From here, the story could take many turns. A guy walks into a bar and meets the love of his life. A guy walks into a bar and finds no one else is there. When this guy is David Sedaris, the possibilities are endless, but the result is always the same: he will delight you with twists of humour and intelligence."

I like David Sedaris, and that's all that's needed for this collection of readings, some live to an audience, others narrated in the studio. There isn't much diabetes in it - in fact I don't remember any - but I do remember the owls, which are stuffed. He appeared live in Leamington Spa in March, and I would have gone to the show, but I was away skiing.

The Mask of Dimitrios
by Eric Ambler

narrated by Tony Gardener

"English crime novelist Charles Latimer is travelling in Istanbul when he makes the acquaintance of Turkish police inspector Colonel Haki. It is from him that he first hears of the mysterious Dimitrios - an infamous master criminal, long wanted by the law, whose body has just been fished out of the Bosphorus."

A title from my list of 'Classics' but from an author I hadn't heard of before. It's a historical thriller in the mould of John Le Carre, but written earlier last century, and includes historical detail about the politics of Eastern Europe between the wars that was wasted on me. A quality read, though, and worth the time spent.

The Alchemist
by Paul Coelho

narrated by Jeremy Irons

"Here is the magical story of Santiago, an Andalusian shepherd boy who yearns to travel in search of a worldly treasure as extravagant as any ever found. From his home in Spain he journeys to the markets of Tangiers into the Egyptian desert where a fateful encounter with the Alchemist awaits him."

Another book that appears on the 'Classic' list, quite short and poetically written, although that might be down to the translation. I think there is a sub-text in the story, but I'm too dense to pick it up - parables are not my thing. On the surface, a straightforward tale with a likeable hero and a happy ending.

Counselling People with Diabetes
by Richard Shillitoe

"This book takes you through the steps in the helping process; forming a relationship with the patient, agreeing goals for care, giving advice and information, supporting patients and families and helping them through difficult times."

This is a library book from work, not all that recent, but reiterating messages that are only refined and improved in newer textbooks. I'm attending the level 2 Behaviour Change course next week, so this has helped to remind me of the areas that I'm aware need more attention.

Relics of the Dead
by Ariana Franklin

"Medieval Glastonbury - human remains have been uncovered. Are these the bones of King Arthur and Guinevere? On hearing of this momentous discovery, King Henry II demands evidence that the legendary Arthur is dead. So he calls upon his Mistress of the Art of Death, anatomist Adelia Aguilar, to examine the bones."

I like the way this writer puts her mysteries together, making for a book that I end up reading at a wild gallop, reaching the end, and thinking, "I should have read that more slowly, I'm sure I would have enjoyed it even more." But when there's a plot to untangle I can't slow down - one reason that audio books are so satisfying for me: they make me read at a pace that forces me to absorb every word without skipping through.