NaBloPoMo - What I am reading

I will try and keep this post a little shorter today! So, here is a photo of the books I am currently reading. Quite a mix. (Sorry the photo isn't great)

From the bottom up - Story of Ireland by Neil Hegarty came about because I recently went to Belfast with my hubby for three nights. For many years I've wanted to do this trip for the Titanic Experience exhibition and to see The Giant's Causeway. We were blessed with beautiful weather (it rained mainly at night and for a while on the first day) and I was knocked out by the countryside and coastline. Included in the trip was a tour of Belfast taking in the Protest and Peace Walls. We also visited Belfast Castle and there were short stops for photo opportunities during the days out. The day we came home we had hours to spare so we went off to City Hall for a free guided tour and to take in the exhibition about Ireland. After hearing so much about the Troubles on TV and from our most excellent tour guide who grew up in Belfast, I wanted to learn more about this place. Hence the book. I'm half way through it and it covers Ireland's beginnings, some of which is familiar to me as I have an interest in Celtic Christianity and Druids. I've reached the 1840's in the book and I'm learning a lot. Nothing is ever straightforward in history, but right now I'm inclined to think that Henry VIII played a big part. Had he not split from the Catholic church maybe, just maybe things would have been different. Then again, maybe not. There are so many influences surrounding the history of a place as countries are invaded and take on new language, forced or voluntarily convert to another religion and intermarry. It's still going on today. I guess in the end one cannot lay the blame at one person. What I do know is that we must learn to forgive and move on. Belfast is doing that and I found it a very safe place with lovely friendly people.

To Fold the Evening Star (New and selected Poems) - Ian MacMillan. I had the pleasure of meeting Ian at Winchester Poetry Festival and he signed my book for me. This is my dip in and out of book. It's been on the go for quite some time but I'm over half way through. It's a combination of poetry and stories. I love the stories perhaps more because they tickle my funny bone. Hearing him read was great. He really is a character and I could listen to his accent all night. I picked up some poetry writing techniques from him too and tried them out on a couple of my poems.

Sapiens (A Brief History of Humankind) by Yuval Noah Harari is fascinating. I began this one because the library was closed so I had to wait a whole day to change my books. I get jittery without a book on the go. I gave in and began it. It's now my in between book so it's taking a little time to read at over 400 pages, but I am over half way through it now. It certainly makes you look at life in a different way.

The Stone Circle by Elly Griffiths. I'm a big fan of Elly's books. This Dr Ruth Galloway Mystery is the eleventh in the series, and yes I've read all the others as well as her Brighton Mystery Series and The Stranger Diaries (a stand alone book). These books are lovely to dive into and meet the same characters again. It's like coming home. I'm almost half way through this one.

The Pocket Encyclopedia of Impressionists. I started this just before beginning an art history course on the Impressionists last month. The book was given to me by a neighbour having a clear out ages ago (he knows I like art). However, the print is so tiny I almost need a magnifying glass to read it! Therefore I've not progressed much through it. I did borrow a library book before that, having forgotten I had this one. Small print puts me off reading. You need a really good light and I fear daylight hours is the only time I'm going to read this. (but not like today which feels more like evening with the rain lashing at the window).

So, there we have it, my current reading pile (not to be confused with the ever growing waiting pile!). What are you reading? Do you read several books at the same time or just one? What are your preferences, genres, authors? I'd love to know.