I am delighted to be participating in the High Summer Read-a-thon hosted by Michelle, The True Book Addict, over at her Seasons of Reading. I’m planning on a small menu of reading options for the week. First, I plan to read two books for an upcoming Fictional 100 post: Beowulf in the J. R. R. Tolkien translation, newly published by Christopher Tolkien, and as a companion, Grendel by John Gardner.
I’m reading The Lady and the Unicorn by Tracy Chevalier for TuesBookTalk Read-a-Longs.
I’d like to make a start on The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt and The Signature of All Things by Elizabeth Gilbert.
Finally, I plan to begin Last Bus to Woodstock, the first Inspector Morse mystery by Colin Dexter. I’ve been following the Endeavour series on MasterpiecePBS, and the finale airs this Sunday evening. Although I’ve watched and appreciated John Thaw’s signature portrayal of the mature detective, young Endeavor Morse, played most winningly by Shaun Evans, has finally gotten my attention enough to explore reading the mysteries!
I’m glad to have the focus of the Read-a-thon, for one week at least! I will report back in a wrap-up post next week, and later in a review of Tolkien’s Beowulf.
Great list, Lucy! You know I’ve been wanting to read Grendel, as I think it has made it on a couple of our TuesBookTalk polls (it never wins 😛 ).
I LOVE Endeavour! I need to read the books too. Shaun Evans is my new nerdy crush. 😉 Do the books start when he’s a young man, like in Endeavour? Just curious, as I also like the Inspector Morse mysteries.
Hope you enjoy the reading this week. Thanks for joining us!
Thanks, Michelle! I’ve gotten plenty of new reading ideas from your choices on the TuesBookTalk polls.
I don’t know yet about the Morse mysteries, whether they are all set when he is in his middle years or whether they sometimes flash back to his beginnings–it will be fascinating to find out. The writers on Endeavour certainly left him in a pickle for the season finale cliffhanger! 🙂
great lineup Lucy! can’t believe I missed this one – an annual for me =)
Thank you, Sharon! It was fun for me to participate, and helped focus my ever-wandering attention! 🙂