WWW Wednesday is a meme hosted by Taking on a World of Words. The three Ws are:
- What are you currently reading?
- What did you recently finish reading?
- What do you think youβll read next?
What are you currently reading?
Ok, so 2019 won’t be the year, where I run my first marathon. But Charles Dickens’ Nicholas Nickleby serves fine as this year’s marathon challenge; it certainly requires time and stamina! If I continue to read one episode per week, I should be done before Christmas.
At this stage Jonas Jonasson’s The Girl Who Saved the King of Sweden doesn’t quite live up to The Hundred-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out of the Window and Disappeared, but it is fun, nevertheless, and Nombeko is such a wicked heroine.
What did you recently finish reading?
The Travelling Cat Chronicles by Hiro Arikawa is narrated by a cat. A wise, quirky one at that, who possesses many of the characteristics that make cats so unique and charming. I have been keen to read more Japanese literature and this story sounded lovely.
After having entered the blogging community, I read lots of wonderful reviews, which provide great inspiration. And yet, I can’t help myself doing random downloads to my Kindle. But who can resist The Wonderful Wizard of Oz?
What do you think you’ll read next?
I have often considered The Salt Path, in which Raynor Winn writes about walking the 630 miles of the South West Coast Path with her husband after learning that he is terminally ill. Sandra mentioning this book in her WWW post gave me the last push to acquire it.
The Wall by John Lanchester is another impulse buy. It takes place in a dystopian future, where a young soldier must defend the Wall and keep out the Others. Since I have recently read about a dystopian future (A Handmaid’s Tale) and about a wall (Ghost Wall) I might save this one for later.
I read about Chocky on Nicki’s Secret Library blog and Nicki also mentioned that it is available on the RBdigital app. Having enjoyed other of John Wyndham’s novels, I hurried to download this story about a boy who is apparently going through a phase of talking to himself. But it soon transpires something else is going on…
What are you reading at the moment? And which one do you think, I should read next?
Fantastic collection of audiobooks! I want to listen to another Dickens this year, I was hoping to get to Oliver Twist but it’s not looking so likely at the moment.
Thanks! Yes, you do need time for Dickens. There is always next year for Oliver Twist. And perhaps we will both listen to Dicken’s A Christmas Carol some time in December. π
Oh yes I’ve been listening to A Christmas Carol annually for a few years now, and can’t wait to hear it again this December.
Me too! π
And me! π
I love Cornwall so I’m attracted to The Salt Path. Hope you enjoy it.
Here’s my WWW: https://whatcathyreadnext.wordpress.com/2019/09/25/wwwwednesdays-25th-september-19/
I have never been there, but have heard so many people talking positively about Cornwall. And I am very much looking forward to The Salt Path!
My partner is really into the Oz series and all its various iterations and retellings and adaptations, and I’ve been recently thinking I should read the book so I know what he’s on about. I think I read the first one when I was quite young, but that’s as far as I got. What did you think of it?
Here’s my WWW for this week.
I thought it was quite fun. I listened to the audiobook and Anne Hathaway did a great job narrating. It is a very short book and if your partner is into the story, why not give it a go, so you know what he is talking about.π
I bought the Cat Travelling Chronicles at the airport last year but I still haven’t read it. I’m a little afraid for hurting when I read it ;-). Why did I buy it then? Well I do love books about animals so I just couldn’t resist :-). I also have a copy of The Wall that I won on Twitter but it’s not really my thing, atm I’m not sure I’ll read it, but I do look forward to hearing your opinion, maybe you can still convince me otherwise :-). Happy reading!
Yes, The Travelling Cat Chronicles is sad, but there are also a lot of sweet and endearing moments and I thought it was beautiful story. Actually, I am not sure The Wall is my thing either. Perhaps I should stop and think for 5 seconds before downloading random stuff! π
The Travelling Cat Chronicles!! I will be curious as to your thoughts, that book looks totally appealing <3
It was very appealing! I will post a review. Eventually… π
Great collection of reads! I have often wanted to read another Dickens but the time! You’re right. Takes some dedication. https://www.autismfamilypower.com/www-wednesday-september-25-2019/
Thanks! Yes, dedication is the right phrase in connection with Dickens. I find it works well reading Dickens slowly. My goal is approximately one episode per week, so I get a similar experience to people who read it when it was first published (Nicholas Nickleby was originally published as a monthly serial).
I’ve enjoyed every John Wyndham novel I’ve read over the last few years, yet I keep forgetting Chocky exists. The name sounded familiar while I was reading your post and I was surprised to see he was the author before my memory got jogging. It sounds well worth checking out. Happy reading!
http://musewithmeblog.com/2019/09/25/www-wednesday-september-25-2019/
Actually, I’d never heard about Chocky, before I saw it on Nicki’s blog recently. But since I enjoyed The Day of the Triffids and The Chrysalids, I thought it was worth to give this one a try. It is relatively short and it sounds great!
I had the Cat Traveling on my TBR for a while and I keep reading that it is sad…tell me the truth, will it crush me?
I too have an ever growing pile of books I have discovered on other blog sites and yet I cannot stop downloading things on Kindle either. You are in good company here!
Here is my WWW: https://silverbuttonbooks.com/2019/09/25/www-wednesday-september-25-2019/
Yes, The Travelling Cat Chronicles is sad, but I don’t think I will crush you and it is totally worth reading. Also, I can ensure cat lovers, that the cat is mostly fine, that is not the source of the sadness. Good to hear, I am not the only one doing the Kindle download thing. It is just too much fun to browse around and stumble upon random books!
The travelling cat chronicles sounds super fun and the cover is soo sooo cuteeee!! πππβ€οΈβ€οΈβ€οΈβ€οΈ And your next reads are soo beautiful too! HAPPY READING! ππ
Agreed, it is such a lovely cover. And the story is great as well; not exactly fun, but bittersweet, poignant and altogether lovely. Especially if you like cats! πΊπ
I love the sound of The Travelling Cat Chronicles by Hiro Arikawa π Recently, I have been reading cosy, crime-fiction Agatha Raisin and the Wellspring of Death, which has been cheering me up. π
The Travelling Cat Chronicles was a great read, which I would highly recommend! It is a bit sad though, so don’t read it when you need cheering up! Cosy crime is a perfect way to relax. I’ve read a couple of Agatha Raisin, but not the one you mention. Glad you enjoyed it! π
The Travelling Cat Chronicles sounds lovely, and right up my alley! I’m sort of burned out with the dog protagonist books, so why not throw it over to a cat? :3 The Wall sounds interesting, too, and I’m really into dystopia this year. Happy reading!
The Travelling Cat Chronicles was lovely! I haven’t come across many, but my experiences with animal narrators have been a bit mixed. Here it worked really well though. I too have read a decent amount of dystopia, so I might wait a bit with The Wall.
Chocky is a great book – one of my favourite Wyndhams. Mind you, nearly every one of his books I’ve read is one of my favourites! But Chocky is so thought-provoking and just a tiny bit spooky – enjoy! And of course Nicholas Nickleby – glad you’re going for an episode a week rather than the origianl timetable. I’d have hated to have had to wait weeks for the next instalment if I’d lived in Dickens’ time. I should be starting Barnaby Rudge in a couple of months for my annual Christmas Dickens – aargh! Can it be possible another year has almost gone??
Barnaby Rudge! I finished him earlier this year. (Must produce some thoughts from the random notes that sit with countless others waiting to be polished into a review. You’ve given me the push I need. But then… Nicholby’s notes are also waiting. Oh my! π±)
π Being two Dickens’ books behind in your reviews is pretty impressive!
As is combining Nicholas and Nickleby into a single word π΅ And, umm….. who said I was only two reviews behind when it comes to Dickens? π€¦ββοΈπ
Good to hear about Chocky. I think it is different from the other Wyndham books I’ve read, but thought-provoking and a bit spooky sounds good to me. Do you read a full length Dickens every Christmas? A Christmas Carol just won’t do? π Technically, there is more than 25% of the year left. So personally I prefer not to think about Christmas just yet. But you are right, time flies…
Haha – yes, a full novel plus A Christmas Carol every year! It’s my major Christmas tradition. π
A book narrated by a cat?! Yes, please! And good luck with Nicholas Nickleby! I know Dickens is some dense reading! I tried Great Expectations and had to take a break – hoping to go back to it one day though! Happy reading!
I’ve had mixed experiences with animal narrators, but with this one it worked well! Ah, I hope you manage to finish Great Expectations at some point. If I ever get through Nicholas Nickleby, Great Expectations might be my next Dickens.
That’s great; I’ve got to get an animal-narrated book! LOL! I really want to finish Great Expectations – I pledge to restart it soon! I’d love to read all of Dickens’ works and I hope you’re enjoying Nicholas Nickleby! I love that title! LOL!
Such great books! I am reading, rather than listening, to Dickens (though I am listening to Tomalin’s biography) but I generally have a Dickens on the go, reading a bit most days. I enjoyed Nicklebury – really must post about it! And I’ve been wanting to read The Travelling Cat Chronicles for so long! As for those random Kindle downloads – they’re just too tempting! π
I would love to read your views on NN, we could compare notes! Of course it will be another 2-3 months before I finish it, so you have a bit of time… The Travelling Cat Chronicles was lovely, I hope you get to read it at some point. Kindle downloads are the only form of impulse shopping I allow for myself, normally I am very disciplined. E-book downloads don’t really feel like shopping though. You don’t have to get out a credit card, and you don’t receive a physical item, which takes up space in the house (self-deception? Me?)
Yup, books are my big weakness when it comes to impulse shopping. It’s all been made too easy. Btw, I meant to endorse Chocky too. Not my favourite Wyndham (in fact low down on my list) but spooky and definitely worth reading. I loved all his books and still have my copies from decades ago. I have very few books that I’ve managed to hang on to from so long ago which is testament to how much I loved them. I was thinking just the other day that I should re-read them but I’m wary. Don’t want to sully the memories!
Good to hear you approve of Chocky even if it wasn’t your favourite Wyndham. Don’t think, I would have guessed you were a Wyndham fan, but that is definitely something we have in common!
Ha ha indeed! Even I had a stretch of sci-fi love many years ago π I’ve been through a number of reading lives! π
The Salt Path sounds sooooo good! I really enjoyed The Traveling Cat Chronicles, and NN is a Dickens I really need to read!
I am very much looking forward to The Salt Path! Glad you enjoyed The Travelling Cat Chronicles, I did as well. And yes, you probably ought to read Nicholas Nickleby. You do have a Dickens πΌ at home after all. I am sure he will be having words with you if you leave out this classic!
This is a very exciting list! The Salt Path was my book club pick a couple of months ago. I was unsure if it would be too βslowβ at first but I ended up realising thatβs basically part of the whole message – taking your time and figuring out what really matters. Itβs a really inspiring read and I canβt wait to hear what you think of it!
πMPπ X
Thanks! I am glad you found The Salt Path inspiring. From what I’ve read, it should be a book perfect for me, but I don’t always get it right, so I guess we will have to see. Will definitely let you know my opinion, but it might be some time ahead. My reading, and in particular my reviews, don’t seem to progress very quickly these days!
Of course, no pressure at all – I know the feeling! Reading and reviewing should be a pleasure not a chore anyway X x x