What I've been reading

The Thorn Birds
by Colleen McCullough

"Paddy Cleary moves his wife, Fiona, and their seven children to Drogheda, the vast Australian sheep station owned by his autocratic and childless older sister. More than half a century later, the only survivor of the third generation sets a course of life and love halfway around the world from her roots."

I found this on one of the charity tables you get at the entrance/exit of a supermarket, and I knew it was in my Classic Books list so I picked it up. For a change (for a book on that list) it was both readable and enjoyable, and a couple of people who saw me reading it commented on how they had also enjoyed both the book and the TV series back in the day. I usually like a good family saga - the only thing that seems worthy of comment in this case is the unusual setup whereby none of the characters ever lacked money, so the author had the leeway to enable them to do pretty much anything she wanted.

Capital
by John Lanchester

"The residents of Pepys Road, London all receive an anonymous postcard one day with a simple message: We Want What You Have. As the mystery of the postcards deepens, the world around Pepys Road is turned upside down by the financial crash."

I read all of this while I was volunteering at the retreat centre, most of it on my last day off. While I was reading it I was puzzled by the number of different characters and stories woven through the chapters, wondering how they could all be relevant. Aren't the best stories those where not a word is wasted, where everything contributes to the thread of the plot? The mystery of the postcards is solved at the end, and incorporates most of the characters (but not all), and it was satisfying enough.

All Creatures Great and Small
by James Herriot

narrated by Christopher Timothy

"The young Herriot takes up his calling, and discovers that the realities of veterinary practice in rural Yorkshire are very different from the sterile setting of veterinary school."

The first two books of the series have been put together in this audio book, narrated by the actor who played the author in the TV series from my youth. Nothing challenging, short chapters, interesting characters, nice easy listening.

The Mark of Zorro
by Johnston McCulley

narrated by B. J. Harrison

"Caballero. Patriot. Vigilante. Follow the swashbuckling adventures of Zorro, as he metes out his own brand of justice against the tyrannical oppressors of young California."

Classic story, no surprises here as the mysterious hero rights wrongs, wins the girl, almost gets caught by the bad guys but is saved at the last minute and his identity is revealed (although we knew all along who he was). Nice.