A book update: Recent highlights and upcoming reads

It's been 4 months since my last post on books or reading, which I think is a long enough break for topics I find so enjoyable (and which I hope are also enjoyable for you!). What is more, I have recently finished three excellent books and I hold the belief that if you read an excellent book, it is worth letting others know of its existence.

Excellent book number one was The Hundred Year Old Man Who Climbed Out of the Window and Disappeared, by Swedish author Jonas Jonasson. Can we just pause and reflect on how delightful that title is? And also how wonderful the author's name is?

Titles aside, this really is an excellent read. The hundred year old man in question is Allan Karlsson, who exited his bedroom window to avoid the 100th birthday celebrations being provided by his aged care home. The book alternates between his adventures after climbing out the window, which are quite a tale, and the adventures he got up to earlier in this life, which span multiple countries, drinking sessions with American presidents, turbulent relations with Stalin, and unexpected friendship with Chinese leaders. I highly recommend it!

Excellent book number two was Life After Life by Kate Atkinson. Now, in truth, I can't call this book an excellent read - good yes, excellent no. It was, however, a thought-provoking read and it maintained Kate Atkinson's position in my mind as an author worth reading. The story revolves around Ursula Todd, who is re-born numerous times when her life ends prematurely in various ways. Her multiple lives come together in a way that suggests a sense of purpose (fate if you will), and which makes one wonder what it would be like if we did get multiple opportunities to get our own lives 'right'.

Life After Life...with a green smoothie and Tarragon Salad/ Thai Papaya Salad mix

My enjoyment of this book was also boosted by it accompanying me to The Raw Kitchen Cafe, where I recreated the meal I had with Mel of Veganise This! earlier in the year (albeit with a green smoothie instead of a coffee). Mr Bite was watching football in the area and I think it is safe to say that our separate afternoons were perfect for each of us. Mine was certainly blissful.

Excellent book number three was The Shark Net by Robert Drewe. Published more than 10 years ago, I'm not sure why it took me so long to read this Australian bestseller. It is, you see, set in Perth, my hometown - and there is something wonderful about reading a book set in an area you know well. It is hard to know if the book would be as enjoyable to non-Western Australians, but I'd like to think it reflects 1950s Australia in a way that would be universally enjoyable to read.

After finishing three excellent books, I found myself in the unusual position of having a depleted bedside table and no books waiting for my attention. This prompted a library visit today, and I now have a bedside table with six books, as pictured above. The two by Alison Weir will allow me to re-indulge my enjoyment of Tudor period history, which I read voraciously at the start of the year but have had a break from since. The Ethics of What We Eat and Jessica Ennis' autobiography make up some non-fiction contributions, and two novels round out the fiction side.

I am so grateful for the luxury of reading, and for the luxury of six books waiting to be investigated.

What have you read recently? Have you read any of the books I mention here?

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