What I've been reading

My Ántonia
by Willa Cather

narrated by Jeff Cummings

"Through Jim Burden's voice we revisit the remarkable struggles of immigrant life in the Nebraska heartland, with the Russian brothers plagued by memories of a fateful sleigh ride, Antonia's desperately homesick father and self-indulgent mother, and the coy Lena Lingard."

I really enjoyed this one from the classics list, though I'd never heard of the author before. The pronunciation of the eponymous character's name is An-to-NEE-ya, because she and her family are immigrants from Bohemia, and one of the joys of an audiobook is that the narrator can convey the accents and voices much more clearly than if I were reading from print. It's an interesting story in an unfamiliar setting (to me) with well-defined relatable characters, and plenty of action, tragedy and suspense. There are three other books by the same author on the list, so I might come back to those.

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
by J. K. Rowling

"As Voldemort's sinister forces amass and a spirit of gloom and fear sweeps the land, it becomes more and more clear to Harry that he will soon have to confront his destiny."

I liked this one more than most in the series, probably because there's less interaction between Harry and the bad guys to endure - but that's replaced by having to put up with teenage hormones. I even understand the plot with the Horcruxes a bit better this time, and that's saying something because it's still stupidly complicated.

The Midnight Library
by Matt Haig

"Somewhere out beyond the edge of the universe there is a library that contains an infinite number of books, each one the story of another reality. One tells the story of your life as it is, along with another book for the other life you could have lived if you had made a different choice at any point in your life."

This was lent to me by a Buddhist friend after I had expressed regret at a decision I had made earlier in my life. He challenged my statement, and insisted that I would find the book interesting and relevant, and he was right. It is well written and thought-provoking and its message has stayed with me ever since I finished it - if I had acted differently in that decision there is no knowing whether the outcome would have been better - the person I am now is predicated upon all my past decisions, good or bad. There is much to be thankful for and little point in dwelling on regrets.

I Hear Her Words: An Introduction to Women in Buddhism
by Alice Collett

"Is there gender equality in Buddhist traditions? What do Buddhist texts say about women? Do Buddhist ethics support prejudice against women? Are there Buddhist doctrines that imply that women are inferior to men?"

This is a new publication from the Buddhist catalogue, and I saw it advertised and decided it wasn't really for me, but then I was given it as a present. So I've read it, and it contains lots of information about women in Buddhism. Sometimes there was misogyny and sometimes there wasn't, and should I ever need to refer to it, it will be on my shelf. And that's about it.

The Assistant
by Bernard Melamud

narrated by Richard Davidson

"Morris Bober, a grocer in postwar Brooklyn, 'wants better' for himself and his family. First two robbers appear and hold him up; then things take a turn for the better when broken-nosed Frank Alpine becomes his assistant."

I discovered that there are a number of books in the Audible catalogue that are free as long as you listen to them by streaming rather than downloading, and as I was running out of my yearly credits I thought I'd give it a try, using my phone rather than my very old iPod. The streaming works well, and the book (another one from my classics list) is a little strange but not too bad. The narrator also does a great job of representing an immigrant Jew in Brooklyn.

The Story of Tracy Beaker
by Jacqueline Wilson

"Tracy Beaker's not exactly sure what her mother does, because Tracy has been in foster care for as long as she can remember. And maybe one day Tracy's mother will show up and reclaim her long-lost daughter, and together they'll have fabulous adventures. Then again, maybe she won't."

Double Act
by Jacqueline Wilson

"Ruby and Garnet are ten-year-old twins. Bossy, bouncy, funny Ruby loves to take charge, and is desperate to be a famous actress, while quiet, sensitive, academic Garnet loves nothing more than to curl up with one of her favourite books."

I was staying with family LLJ&L (although J&L have now left home so I'm going to have to think of new names) and had a bit of spare time. I was allocated to L's bedroom and found her collection of Jacqueline Wilson books, some of which are on my classic lists. So I read a couple - they aren't long, and are easy to read given that they are aimed at youngsters. But they tackle difficult topics - foster care, adoption, parental death, family disruption. I wasn't going to be buying or borrowing them, although it would only have taken me an hour or so to read them in a library, so I'm glad I now know what sort of books they are.