Saturday 23 December 2017

December 23rd and the Library Books for Christmas

When I collected my books from  Novembers Library van visit, there were three seasonal ones amongst them..............
Jeanette Winterson  - Christmas Days; 12 stories and 12 feasts for 12 days.
Product Details

The library website summary says
" Everybody loves a Christmas story. The tradition of the 'Twelve Days of Christmas' is a tradition of celebration, sharing and giving. And what better way to do that than with a story? Read these stories by the fire, in the snow, travelling home for the holidays. Give them to friends, wrap them up for someone you love, read them aloud, read them alone, read them together. Enjoy the season of peace and goodwill, mystery, and a little bit of magic. There are ghosts here and jovial spirits. Chances at love and tricks with time. There is frost and icicles, mistletoe and sledges. There is a Christmas Tree with mysterious powers. There's a donkey with a golden nose and a tinsel baby that talks. There's a cat and a dog and a solid silver frog. There's a Christmas cracker with a surprising gift inside. There's a haunted house and a disappearing train. There are Yule-tides and holly wreaths"

I read and enjoyed but wasn't overwhelmed.

Although the latest book - Nine Lessons - by East Anglian author Nicola Upson isn't necessarily a Christmas book it is set during the Christmas season in Cambridge. This is the 7th in her crime series featuring Josephine Tey, so well written and an excellent read. If you like historical crime and haven't read these it's best to start with the first, look at Fantastic Fiction for more info 

 

From Col's room on the 10th floor at Addenbrookes he could just see the top of Kings College Chapel, which is the pictured on the front of the book and famous for it's Nine Lessons and Carols service on Christmas Eve.

Still here from November is Edward Marston's latest offering " A Christmas Railway Mystery" - that will be a quick and predictable read, actually I might not even read it because I've just remembered that I abandoned his last one as it was so dreadful.
I also have half the November books still here, what with one thing and another, didn't seem to get much read.

But on Thursday it was Decembers library van day and I collected another load of ordered books and there is yet another Christmas book amongst them


On the far right is Tidings; A Christmas Journey by Ruth Padel. The library summary says.......
"In the tradition of Charles Dickens and Dylan Thomas, 'Tidings' takes us on a journey into the heart of Christmas, showing us celebrations down the ages and across the globe - as dawn sweeps from East Australia to Bethlehem, from London to the Statue of Liberty in New York. This is Christmas in all its magic, reminding us that it is a time not only of good tidings, but of loneliness and longing, compassion and connection.

I've read it, took less than an hour, it's a poem in a small book.

Plenty of other interesting books there too.

Thank you to everyone for lovely comments yesterday. It was such a surprise that Colin could come home as the consultant told us early on that he would need at least 3 weeks after the transplant and that meant definitely stuck there for Christmas. When he had his own stem cells back in 2016 he was in hospital for 7 weeks, due to various problems, so we had been quite prepared for that to happen again.


 Back Tomorrow
Sue

25 comments:

  1. wishing you both a peaceful Christmas

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    1. Best wishes to you both and hope you and the animals have a nice quiet Christmas with no problems.

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    1. Thank you to everyone who has sent good wishes and encouragement to both Sue and myself over the last few month. Your comments and prayers give a extra strength to fight on. Many thanks Colin

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    2. What a lovely comment Colin and so nice to hear from you - so pleased you made it home in time - just concentrate on getting well. We are all sending many prayers your way and for Sue too who is a tower of strength for you through all this. Lets hope 2018 will be the year when you emerge from this dark tunnel and regain you health fully.
      Have a happy and peaceful Christmas together.

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    3. Have a quiet and restful time, Sue and Colin. Catriona

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  3. Wishing you both a Happy and Peaceful Christmas.
    Nadolig Llawen!

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  4. I see you have The Lost Words, illustrated by Jackie Morris on your new pile of books. We stayed next door to her when we stayed at Treleddyd Fawr and I met her and had a chat while I was walking Suky along the coastal path, she's a lovely lady.

    Wishing both you and Colin all the very best for a peaceful Christmas together. Lovely to read Col's comment above. xx

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    1. Had no idea it was such a HUGE book when I ordered it from the library, struggling off the library van I dropped it in a muddy bit - have leaned it up but hope I don't get charged for damage. Very Large and lovely pictures not what I expected.

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  5. Such lovely news that your husband is home for Christmas. I hope you have a wonderful time and he continues to recover and all is good. I saw in the photo that you have "Netherwood" from the library - I so hope you enjoy it, I thought it a wonderful read. I've tried to get the author's second book but so far cannot locate a copy in Canada. I'm currently waiting for a book The Bookseller which had a lot of good recommendations. All good wishes for the Christmas season. Jean/Winnipeg

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    1. Correction the title is The Diary of a Bookseller.

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    2. Not sure about Netherwood it might be a bit too much like Downton abbey . But Diary Of Bookseller was one of my favourite books of 2017

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  6. So glad to hear Col is home, hospitals are horrible places!! You'll just have to keep everyone away and avoid bringing too many germs home yourself. Aw shucks, you get to hibernate! Enjoy your careful Christmas, what a lovely surprise

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    1. We are going to check "Cold Status" before visiting anyone. Have had to avoid small granddaughter so far - sadly

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  7. Fabulous news about Colin - I should think that covers 'best Christmas present' for every member of the family :) Hope you and yours have a lovely Christmas. Wishing you all the best. Suzanne and the gang at Number 38. xx

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    1. Had to alter plans and buy food - but much nicer to have him home, than stuck in a room on his own miles away!

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  8. Wonderful news that Col is home for Xmas. I hope he gets better each day! My daughter is in the middle of chemo so understand about trying to keep free of infections! Merry Xmas to you and yours and best wishes for a 'healthy' 2018.

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    1. 2016 chemo and stem cell treatment was just one long catalogue of infections every couple of weeks so we are trying hard to avoid that this time.

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  9. Hi Sue and Colin, I read your blog every day but up to now never comment, my own daughter went through her battle with Hodgkin Lymphoma this year and is now in remission ,I wish the same good news for you this coming New Year,have a wonderful Christmas the pair of you xxx

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    1. Wonderful news about your daughter and thank you for the good wishes.

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  10. What a wonderful lot of books. I haven't read any of the Nicola Upson books but they sound like something I'd enjoy. So glad to hear Col is home! Enjoy your time together

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