I have been a bit stressed since all the rain, floods, roads collapsing, and staying close to home since Christmas in my county so I am relying on my book friends for good cheer. The first book I am rereading and is "The Code of the Woosters" by P.G. Wodehouse. It features the wonderful Jeeves and Wooster and their madcap adventures. I think there is humor on every page, for example Bertie Wooster describes his friend as "All right up to the neck, but from there on pure concrete." So many adventures around a sterling silver cow creamer. Will marriages go ahead, will people end up arrested? Mary commented that the audio book versions of Wodehouse books are wonderful, I would like to try one some day.
The second book I am also rereading, "Miss Buncle Married" by D.E. Stevenson. If you haven't read "Miss Buncle's Book" read that one first, it is very humorous. Miss Buncle needs money and writes a novel which is published and which gets her into big trouble in the English village where she lives.
The third book "14,000 Things to be Happy About" by Barbara Ann Kipfer has a title that is self explanatory. She developed her list over a 50 year period and this is an updated version.
Her tips are each just a few words or a sentence. "A cake baking." "Pet portraits." "Clutch purses." "Dulcimer music" and "Green Goddess salad dressing" are a sampling.
The next book I am reading (yes, I am currently reading several books) is "The Secret Diary of Hendrik Groen: 83 1/4 Years Old" by apparently Hendrik Groen himself. After some research I learned that the actual author is a Dutch writer, Peter de Smet, 61 when this book was published six years ago.This is fun, Hendrik lives in an old folks home in Amsterdam and is grumpy and active and finds friends to go out and have adventures with. There are two or three more books in this series.
Just for fun and a glimpse of beauty, I show you my new orchids that my younger son bought me for Christmas, one purple, one white and one yellow. Orchids are a favorite with me, so pretty and easy care. The main thing is finding the right light for them, they like an east facing window so they don't get sun burned. They don't tolerate intense direct sunlight, especially afternoon sun.
Have you found any lighthearted books to read that you can recommend in a comment?
29 comments:
Those orchids are beautiful! I went through a Jeeves & Wooster phase a few years ago when I read all the Wodehouse books -- hilarious! The humour is in the way Wodehouse expresses himself on the page, not in the plot(s) themselves. There's really only one basic plot (with minor variations) for the whole series.
"The Secret Diary of Hendrik Groen: 83 1/4 Years Old" must be a take-off on the famous British series of "Adrian Mole" comedic books by Sue Townsend. The first book in that series is "The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole, Aged 13 3/4." Like Wodehouse, the humour is in the writing -- the young and inexperienced Adrian has no clue what the adults around him are doing, but we (the more sophisticated and worldly readers) can tell from his descriptions exactly what's going on unbeknownst to his naive retelling -- divorce, affairs, etc. See Wikipedia for the full list of Adrian Mole books -- they are well worth reading --
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Secret_Diary_of_Adrian_Mole,_Aged_13%C2%BE
Your orchids are beautiful. I jotted down the names of a couple of the books. Love the last one about the old guy in the retirement home.
Have a wonderful Sunday-xo Diana
I love P G Wodehouse! I have lots of his books as audiobooks. It;s wonderful to hear his fantastic descriptions read by a good actor.
My mom is reading The Littlest Library. It's about a library in a phone booth. I'm glad you're finding cheer, Terra!
Your orchards are just beautiful - you have a green thumb!
Like the book about things to be happy about - I started a grateful journal about 20 years ago and still going strong.
I too am reading 'light-hearted' books so have already downloaded some of your books on my kindle. Thank you. These are the types of books I read... and write.
Recently my granddaughter had us watch the "Wednesday" series on Netflix (I think). It's about Wednesday Addams, the youngest daughter from The Addams Family. It's strange, a bit weird.. and a lot darker than the original Addams Family show. Anyway, I have to make sure I do light reading before bed to overturn the strangeness.
I'm looking for my next read right now and Hendrick Groen sounds like an absolute delight! The 14,000 Things reminds me of a writing exercise years ago -- to pen lists of 100. That which we love, we miss, we loathe ... I can't remember the rest. It sounded easy-peasy, but it was anything but!
Happy Sunday!
Gorgeous orchids ~ Xo
Wishing you good health, laughter and love in your days,
A ShutterBug Explores,
aka (A Creative Harbor)
Your orchids are lovely. I wish our local library carried a wider assortment of 'older' books. So many sound so interesting but hard to find. GM
The beautiful orchids have a good place in your loving home!
Books can be best friends!
In wintetime the days here in Bavaria are short and so I cannot read. But in summer I love to sit in my gaden and read a good book. One book in one summer! My best friend! I enjoy every single word, every single sentence, when I have a good book. I read VERY slowly :)
The orchids are so pretty!
All of those books sound good. I'm saving the titles.
Those orchids are so pretty.
Those orchids are really pretty.
The books sound like fun reads. I like being able to get lost in a book.
I love orchids. So pretty my friend.
www.rsrue.blogspot.com
Lovely orchids in your home and the colours are so pretty. I shall try and get some of those books from the library and enjoy reading them. Thank you x
Sounds like you've got quite a variety of reading material. I tend to read non-fiction -- and some of it is more heartbreaking than lighthearted. So much learning to do where history is concerned. Your orchids are lovely. Have never had any myself. Not sure they'd like the environment here. I feel like my houseplants basically survive but don't necessarily thrive since all the windows in our apartment are tinted. Have a good Wednesday.
Thanks for the book information. I too love orchids, but will wait until spring to get some new ones. I only have one in bloom right now and several pots with the leaves of those who bloomed earlier.
Your orchids are just lovely! Flowers bring a special bit of cheer, don't they?
I recently listened to a few audio books on Audible but there is a cost for the service and so I cancelled my membership. My sister tells me I can listen for free through the library system but so far I have not tried signing up. In the meantime I listened to Marley and Me. The book is so much better than the movie and very entertaining.
I love Jeeves and Wooster. The stories also exist as BBC Radio plays which are excellent. I'm sure you could find them somewhere.
I shall look out for Miss Buncle. I love listening to Jeeves and Wooster on the radio but so not keen on reading them
.
Now I've ordered Miss Buncle!
The Diary of a Provincial Lady
by E.M. Delafield
I am currently reading Sean Dietrich's book (and I am thinking I am getting this right) "Caution. This Truck Stops For Boiled Peanuts". He's a southern storyteller and I am so often uplifted (sometimes tearfully so) by his writing. I get a short tale every day in my email box that he has written too. for free.
Thanks for the book tips. I will have to check them out. The Secret Diary sounds very interesting!
I love orchids, they are so pretty.
melodyjacob.com
I'm all about adding cheer! And your orchis -- wow. I can't seem to grow anything inside. These are lovely.
I started reading Miss Buncle's Book last night on your recommendation. So far so good.
I’ve read several Stevenson books but not any Miss Bunche ones. I’ll have to search for one. Like your friend, we are avoiding indoor restaurants and always happy to find one with outdoor seating. Your orchids are so pretty.
Always looking for good reads. I recently finished two books by Marie Benedict. She is quite an interesting writer. I have two more of her books to finish. I have lots of the vintage books that I love, especially with humor. I am always happy to get more ideas for good reading-
THANK YOU!
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