Reading the landscape

This month I have been doing a lot of reading, when I haven’t been teaching, writing or gardening, that is. I bought a stupid number of books at the Christian Aid book sale, and they’re all sitting in a big reproachful pile, looking at me like neglected cats. I will get round to them soon, really I will, but recently I have tackled all three of Gerald Durrell’s Corfu books, and all one of his brother Lawrence’s Corfu books. I’m off there for a holiday in a few weeks, so it’ll be good to have them fresh in my mind.

I also picked up, without really knowing what it was, Travels with Epicurus by Daniel Klein, attracted by the fact that it’s set on the Greek island of Hydra. It turned out to be a delightful book on the philosophy of having a pleasurable old age. It’s been an unexpected joy to read, and I would definitely recommend it, even if you’re not old yet (My 21 year old daughter has been enjoying it too).

Best of all though, has been Joan Lennon’s latest novel, Silver Skin. it has a wonderfully original time slip which moves between the distant future and the Neolithic settlement of Skara Brae on Orkney. Rab, from the future, and Cait, from the past, appear to be insurmountably different, but still manage to develop a deep and affecting relationship. I worried about both of them all the way through, they became so real in my mind.

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