I am a Hemingway convert

... at least to For Whom the Bell Tolls. I have to admit that I think it's a masterpiece. It's a tragic story but one with flashes of humour. The different characters are skillfully drawn and although the action takes place over only 3 days, the scope is much wider with individuals giving their own histories or thinking about things that have happened in their lives. I definitely recommend this book. It wasn't a book-a-day for me, as it took more like 2 and a half days to read - but it's worth taking the time to read it.

My next book was Robert Capa: the Definitive Collection by Richard Whelan. This was a huge tome featuring all of Robert Capa's best and most well-known works, from the early 1930s to just before his death in Indochina after stepping on a landmine. He took the famous "Falling Soldier" photograph of a Spanish loyalist militiaman. I love photography books - but I have to say I prefer photojournalism to anything more "arty".

Next I read Tobin: Evil Beyond Belief by Annabelle Love. This was a 100-page publication given away by a daily newspaper. It was well-constructed, bringing together Peter Tobin's life, terrible crimes and ultimate capture and imprisonment. However I felt the victims deserved a better-quality book. The tone in parts was sensationalist, and could not compare in any way with the works of such true-crime writers as Ann Rule or Jerry Bledsoe, with their psychological analysis and evident empathy for the victims. The breaking-down of the text into a paragraph for each sentence made it seem very "jerky" to read.

Finally I read a children's book, Mistress Masham's Repose by T H White. T H White is the author of The Once and Future King, which retells the Arthurian legends. Mistress Masham's Repose is one of those children's books with plenty for adults as well. I am sure there are very bright children who would pick up on White's use of language and historical and cultural references in this book, but I would imagine that these aspects would mainly appeal to adults, while the little people, a cruel governess, the spirited little heroine and her nocturnal adventures would be enthralling for children. There are humorous aspects for both age groups however. White's story of the Lilliputians who came to England is original (Mary Norton's The Borrowers was not published for another 5 years). I wonder if this has ever been a film?

Day 124; Book 122

For Whom the Bell Tolls by Ernest Hemingway

I'm in the middle of this so can't count it as read yet. It was on my bookshelf but I only remember the start so maybe I hadn't read past that. I didn't like the start, certainly. I've read on now though and I'm really enjoying it and can't wait to get back to it. Hemingway is writing about the Republicans in the Spanish Civil War, but he has not shrunk from describing the atrocities committed on each side. Having suffered through The Old Man and the Sea, I wasn't particularly keen to read Hemingway again, and I didn't like his macho image. Despite this, his basic humanity comes through in his understanding of the characters. I may read more of this author now (which would increase my reading of American literature).

Rocket! The Ubiquitous Leaf!

Have you noticed that rocket is taking over the world? Or at least the ready-made salad world? I have to confess that when I was a girl I had never even heard of rocket. Salad was lettuce (the ordinary kind), tomato and cucumber, served with salad cream. Yum! Nowadays even the rabbits seem to demand fancy salad leaves (iceberg is actually bad for them). Next time you buy a salad, see if it has rocket in it!

Heart of Spain: Robert Capa's Photographs of the Spanish Civil War

I recalled this book last week from the library when I was reading George Orwell's Homage to Catalonia. Capa's photographs, taken from the anti-fascist side, cover most of the period of the Spanish Civil War, except for some months after his girlfriend Gerda Taro was accidentally killed. As a result they go right from the euphoria of the early days of the peoples' militias, including photographs of women on the front line, to the very last days of the war when refugees were fleeing Spain to an uncertain welcome in France. Some of the most touching photographs show the disbandment of the International Brigades, and others the former Spanish fighters interned in France. The photographs are accompanied by comprehensive text studies of the war.

Day 120; Book 118

The Skeleton in the Closet by M C Beaton

This seems to be a stand-alone novel by the author of the Agatha Raisin series. The hero, a bit of a social misfit through the fault of his parents, finds himself with money and a mystery to solve. The writing is of M C Beaton's usual standard and her main characters are attractive but after feisty Agatha any other characters will be a bit of a let-down. To paraphrase Dr Johnson rather drastically, this book is worth reading, but not worth going to buy!

Day 119; Book 117

A Wedding in December by Anita Shreve

This was well written, cleverly constructed, had a bit of a revelation and a happy-ish ending ... but was ultimately depressing! I didn't really care for the characters, even the "good" guys, and I don't think I'll be reading any more of Anita Shreve's books (which is a shame because there are lots of them). It's tending towards the literary end of fiction so it was a satisfying read in some respects, but just not for me.

I've just bought The Skeleton in the Closet by M C Beaton so hopefully that will be more to my taste. I think it's a stand-alone mystery; I looked at her Hamish Macbeth series but as the first volume wasn't in stock I decided to wait until I could get that.

Day 118; Book 116

Time to Depart by Lindsey Davis

This is another in the series featuring the Ancient Roman detective, Marcus Didius Falco. As usual it mixes crime with the wisecracks of our hero, as well as humour involving his extended family and romance with his aristocratic girlfriend Helena Justina. We also learn about Roman history along the way, which is nice and painless!

Day 117; Book 115