The Silver Pigs - by Lindsey Davis

I enjoyed this book. It's quite a straightforward read. I look forward to getting some more in the series.

The concept of placing the story in Roman times is interesting and does seem to work. I have reasonable faith in the author's integrity, which is important for me to be able to believe in a story. It was interesting trying to relate the Roman place names to modern England, for example.

I enjoyed some of the humour. I do wonder whether going to Britain would have been viewed quite some gloomily. I have an idea that the climate was better then.

I found the Roman people's names hard to deal with. They had several names, like we do, but they seem to be used differently. What I found confusing was the apparently inconsistent use of parts of names. For example, Publius Camillus Meto is variously referred to [by the author, not in dialogue] as Publius, Meto and Camillus Meto.

All in all, I'd recommend this book.

What I'm reading ...

I have started The Silver Pigs by Lindsey Davis.

This is the first of a series of books about a detective called Falco. They are set in Roman times. Whilst I admit to being skeptical, I know that this is series is well thought of. So I'll give it a try.

Headbanger - by Hugo Hamilton

This story is about Pat Coyne, a rather idealistic policeman in Dublin, and his brush with some underworld thugs. It's not a detective novel. It's much more about Coyne's personality, his marriage and his life.

The book is quite fast paced and easy to pick up and put down, with no chapters, just occasional breaks. The good news is that it does have a clearly defined ending [I hate books with no clear ending!].

Bookclub programme

I heard the programme this afternoon. Sadly, they did not use my question. Although I was slightly disappointed, it was still interesting to hear the programme resulting from the recording that I attended. The way the questions in the programme followed a logical sequence was quite a contrast to the somewhat random order at the recording.

I will go again sometime - when they next have an author that particularly interests me.

What I'm reading ...

I have started Headbanger by Hugo Hamilton.

As I have mentioned elsewhere, I have been sampling the work of various contemporary Irish novelists and I have been a while getting around the HH.

It seems to be the story about a policeman in Dublin. A fairly straightforward read, judging by the first few pages.

Bookclub programme

Next Sunday [BBC Radio 4 at 16:00 GMT] will be the next edition of Bookclub, which is the one with Bill Bryson that I attended the recording of. I wonder if they used my question? I guess I'll find out on Sunday...

The programme is repeated the following Thursday at 16:00 GMT and will be available via bbc.co.uk Listen Again for the month thereafter.

I Sleep at Red Lights - by Bruce Stockler

I enjoyed this book. Like most well-written autobiographies, it was a fascinating page-turner. Although it is supposed to be about being a stay at home dad and parent to triplets, it has much wider scope. It is very honest and personal - lots of thoughts on what family life and relationships are all about. I found the dynamics of his marriage very interesting. The study of the very well-defined characters of the children was beautifully sketched - I feel like I know them.

I was happy that it was an "untranslated" American book. I have commented elsewhere about bad translation. It served to remind me that I often find American lifestyles very foreign - there are many things that I don't identify with ... Some of the terminology was new to me. I can guess what a "play date" is, even if we don't really have a term for it. I was rather foxed by "tag sale" [what is it?] and "step-down unit" [in a hospital]. As a wise man once said: "Two great nations separated by a common language."

I'd recommend this book to anyone - it'll make you smile [and blink occasionally ...] and it'll make you think about your own life.