On my reading list

I've been reading like a madwoman these last few weeks, especially since I stopped feeling bad about reading in the galleries when it's a quiet day at the museum. Some of my recent favorites have included "The Historian" by Elizabeth Kostova, recommended to me by the wonderful Rochelle Keyhan, any new Laurie King novel I haven't read yet, a new collection of short stories by Roddy Doyle and a few out of order mysteries by Deborah Crombie, recommended to me by Sue Schaper.

Most recently, however, I just finished this incredible book called "Among the Bohemians". Written by Virginia Nicholson, daughter of Quentin Bell, granddaughter of Vanessa Bell and grand-niece of Virginia Woolfe, it not only describes the life of famous family members and other Bohemians in 1900-1939 London, like Dylan and Caitlin Thomas, Duncan Grant, Vita Sackville-West, Nina Hamnett and Augustus and Dorelia John but also goes into detail about their everyday existence. There was a twelve- page long dramatis personnae at the end of the book which was vital for remembering who had love affairs with whom and who was married to whom and who were related. Ms. Nicholson described the Bohemian philosophy behind child-rearing, food, dress, place in society, women's rights, travel, career, etc., asking specific questions at the beginning of each chapter and answering them with details from hundreds of primary sources. This book had extra special significance to me as well because a large chunk of the latest Mary Russell experience "The Language of Bees" takes place in 1925 Bohemia in London and many of the places mentioned in Mary's world were described and more detail and explained to me in "Among the Bohemians". I couldn't put it down and was fascinated by the bizarre, strange, passionate and sometimes desirable lives that these Bohemians. lived. I high recommend it.

So now that I'm finished with that, I'm looking for new books and new recommendations. I ran out of English books so I stopped at this used bookstore on Dizengoff in Tel Aviv and bought one awful book that I polished off in about two seconds and now am in the middle of Herman Wouk's "Youngblood Hawk", which I'm really enjoying. I liked reading "City Boy" and so far have not been disappointed with this one. Once that's done though, I'm looking into reading up on the Inklings. I've read the Narnia Chronicles and the Hobbit but I need to read more of Lewis and Tolkien's other writing, as well as read up on my Charles Williams. A friend recently sent me a short C.S. Lewis essay on "Exmass" which was part of an Inklings blog. I went back to the beginning of the blog and have been reading through short bits and pieces of Inklings writings and I'm fascinated. I can't wait to read more of their books and essays. Plus once I'm back in Ox, I can read the Inklings stuff right where they discussed it- in the lovely and cozy Eagle and Child!



And when I'm back in Oxford, what's on my list? Well, duh. April 27th is the release date of "God of the Hive", the TENTH Mary Russell/Sherlock Holmes novel and I plan on eating it up in the first two days. Maybe even literally :)
But really, any recommendations are appreciated! I always love reading new and exciting books!