And the Mountains Echoed

Hosseini, K. (2013).  And the Mountains Echoed. London: Bloomsbury Publishing.

I don't know quite how to describe this read.  Abdullah and Pari are separated when they are young and meet again late in life.  The rest of the story describes the context of Afghanistan, the people, the way of life, and their happenings.  The book is a good read.  Dr Anne awards 7/10.

Dancing at the Scottish Traditional Boat Festival in Portsoy

Anne McArthur's Dancers just love to dance at the Boat Festival.

What are they discussing?

EENY MEENY

Arlidge, M.J. (2014). Eeny Meeny. London: Penguin Books

Number four in the Richard and Judy Book Club.

Dr Anne has never been the fan of detective stories but as she has bought the whole set of the summer book club she picked this one for a trip to Edinburgh yesterday.  She was up at 5 am and headed for the Huntly train at 6.09.  It was pulling out of the station as she arrived.  She headed onto the A96 and thought about Inverurie.  As she got nearer Inverurie there was traffic and the speed was curtailed so she thought Dyce.  The train was in the station when she arrived but of course she still had to park the car.

Dr Anne sat in the car to wait for the train to Glasgow and pulled out Eeny Meeny.  She has only just surfaced.  Let's abduct two people leave them with no food and water.  There is a gun with one shot, a mobile phone with little power and a message to say that when one person has been shot dead the other will be freed.  She doesn't remember the journey to Edinburgh. She was in a hurry to leave the meeting to get back on the train.  Only essentials have been done today.  Dr Anne awards another 8/10.

Mad about you

Moriarty, S. (2013). Mad about you. London: Penguin Books

Dr Anne is feeling a bit low just now.  That is when she likes a read.  She doesn't have a kindle although her friends keep nagging her about buying one.  She likes the book in her hand.

This summer she has the full selection from Richard and Judy's Book Club.

This was a gentle book of everyday people.  The family had moved from Ireland to London chasing a job.  This was the guy settling into a new job, the wife left to look after the children and set up home, look for a job, hire a nanny, and deal with the consequences - a stalker.  Who is the stalker, what does the he/she do, how is he/she found out? Dr Anne awards a 7/10.

The Lie

Dunmore, H. (2014). The Lie. London: Random House

Dr Anne picked up this book at Aberdeen Airport on her way to Chelsea last week.  It is another of Richard and Judy's summer reads.  Set in Cornwall Dan moves between his present day 1920, his childhood context in a one parent family and his close friendship with someone not of his ilk and the context of his time in the trenches of WW1.  It is a compulsive read showing the games that the mind plays and how it affects what happens in the present.  

Dr Anne awards it a healthy 7/10.

Chelsea 2014

Dr Anne and Greygranite made their expedition to Chelsea this week.  They look forward to this annual get together and enjoy the reflection time as much as the experience.

This year they started with the Artisan Gardens as there was a probability of rain.  Greygranite and Dr Anne had different favourites.  Greygranite fell in love with The DialAFlight Potter's Garden.  Dr Anne  favoured Arita, Togenkyo - A Paradise on Earth and The Topiarist Garden at West Green House.  Which one does she choose as her favourite?

The DialAFlight Potter's Garden

Arita

Togenkyo - A Paradise on Earth

The Topiarist Garden at West Green

From the Artisan Gardens they went to the Show Gardens.  Both liked the RBC Waterscape Garden and Positively Stoke-on-Trent.  Dr Anne loved Hope on the Horizon.  The peace and tranquility ebbed out.  Dr Anne also liked The Massachusetts Garden as it reminded her of times on the East Coast of America.

RBC Waterscape Garden

Moorcroft Ball in

Positively Stoke on Trent

Love on the Horizon

Help for Heroes

The Massachusetts Garden

She is not reading a book.   She is looking at her phone.

The Great Pavilion is central to Greygranite and Dr Anne's day.  They split for two hours and do their own thing.  Greygranite headed to the viola stand while Dr Anne systematically worked the Pavilion.  She was blown by the Waitrose stand, loved the Caribbean stand and of course the City of Birmingham  is always of the highest standard. Dr Anne spent a bit of time at the sustainability stands listening to the music trees make.

The Exotic Caribbean

Dr Anne's favourite  lavenders

Waitrose totally enthralled Dr Anne.

The flower arranging pavilion was a disappointment this year but that was more Dr Anne's frame of mind than the quality of the exhibits.

From the Ruins

Pimms in Ranelagh Gardens was an annual treat.  Greygranite and Dr Anne met up with best friends Peter and Chiku.

The Fresh Gardens was the next stop.  Dr Anne loved The WellChild Garden.  The group of figures would do very nicely in East Neuk's Garden.  Flora by Gucci was an attraction and Reachout was spectacular.

The WellChild Garden

Flora by Gucci

Reachout

There was of course the shopping on the avenue and next day walking around Sloane Square.

Before we met

Whitehouse, L. (2014). Before We Met. London: Bloomsbury.

Greygranite and Dr Anne have been on their annual expedition to Chelsea.  Dr Anne has been out of the reading mode because of stuff.  She picked up a couple of Richard and Judy's Summer Book Club 2014.

Before We Met is definitely a page turner from the moment Dr Anne boarded the flight at Aberdeen until she arrived back home with two chapters to read.  The twists and turns kept Dr Anne on edge from beginning to end.  The lies that Mark worked to keep Hannah in the dark.  Why - his early years.  Give me a boy until he is five and I will give you the man…

Dr Anne awards nearing a 9/10.  This comes near equal to The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas and The Power of One and Tandia.