vivdunstan

I should be asleep now, but I've had a dire night with my neurological disease, sprinting to the bathroom constantly and unrelentingly for many hours. So ended up typing up ideas for my Venice virtual tour instead of sleeping! Still stuff to fill out, especially some of the details, but thought I'd share the notes so far.

( expand to see lengthy notes )

P.S. I've been to Venice several times in person, so am very familiar with a lot of the core concepts and places. Not sure I will ever get back! But this virtual tour should be fun.

A bumper crop of more books finished in the last month. Helped again by some library books.

( earlier books )
1. Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle
2. City of Vengeance (Cesare Aldo book 1) by D.V. Bishop
3. Beside the Ocean of Time by George Mackay Brown
4. Delirium's Party: A Little Endless Storybook by Jill Thompson
5. The Haunted Trail: Classic Tales of the Rambling Weird by Weird Walk
6. Manga Classics Sherlock Holmes volume 1 A Study in Scarlet by Arthur Conan Doyle, Crystal S. Chan and Julien Choy
7. Glenshee: Glen of the Fairies by Antony Mackenzie Smith
8. Insomniacs After School volume 7 (manga) by Makoto Ojiro
9. Forgotten Churches: Exploring England's Hidden Treasures by Luke Sherlock
10. Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil by V.E. Schwab

Of the newly finished ones, I enjoyed Arthur Conan Doyle's Memoirs collection of Sherlock Holmes stories yet again. The David Bishop book was a Renaissance Italy thriller, the first in an ongoing series, and very enjoyable. The George Mackay Brown novel (Saltire award winning and Booker shortlisted) was still magical, on a reread. I found the Sandman Little Endless graphic novel on a book clearout/rummage, so read it again quickly before passing it on to charity. The rambling "Tales of the Weird" book was interesting, but not a great run of stories for me. Enjoyed the manga Sherlock Holmes. Still really enjoying the Insomniacs After School manga series. Loved the church history book, and enjoyed with provisos the V.E. Schwab vampire book, newly published in June. That last one was read for my book club. I wouldn't have got to it so quickly otherwise.

Watching this recent documentary on the BBC. Is on the iPlayer for UK folks.

Bit shocked how wobbly I am now, and how dangerous it felt today going upstairs in Waterstones to the cafe - it felt as though I was about to fall on the stairs several times. Martin was coming up behind me. But overjoyed to have managed a rare midweek afternoon outing with him, during the summer too. For once I was awake enough during the day, and he was free - still using up holidays urgently before August. Really pleased how far I managed to walk into the Dundee University Botanic Gardens, even if it was very slowly with two sticks, and I sat down an awful lot! So nice to be sitting out among the plants and trees. I had fun sketching in various places in the garden. Martin was all over photographing plants, birds (especially that jay he was over the moon to see) and butterflies. We couldn't park near enough to Vintage Strings music shop on Perth Road to nip in, so headed to Waterstones instead. Where I was able to look at and buy one book I'd really fancied. And bought another I have been tempted with for a year or two. Getting to the cafe upstairs was extremely hazardous for me today, but we had a lovely sit down and drink/eat there. Then home. I will be very wobbly tonight and probably tomorrow too. But it was absolutely worth it. Oh and while out we also returned a library book that we'd not got back to the university library before today. Again I sat sketching while Martin scooted off to the library with my book.

The pictures show (1) a birder in action in the Botanic Gardens, (2) one of his jay photos (we are so pleased with these!), and (3) my book haul from Waterstones.

Finished loads more books, and just wrapped up my 50th book of the year. I'd set a very modest Goodreads reading goal of 25 books this year. I knew I was intending to read a lot of lengthy books. But I've more than doubled it.

Among the new books, Steeple Chasing was a fun glimpse into church architecture, history and people. Though probably overlong. It did feel like a slog after a while.

Of course I reread Roger Zelazny's Halloween delight! And enjoyed it as much as every year.

Clanlands, by two Outlander actors (one also a hobbit) was fun, and often really insightful into Scottish history. But overly blokey for me.

Mario's Butt was an entertaining perspective on video game characters and design. Though an easier read for those games I was familiar with, having played myself, or watched Martin play.

The Insomniacs After School manga series continues to be enchanting. I already have the next two volumes in hand, ready to continue reading.

Travis Baldree's followup (well more a prequel) to Legends & Lattes was fun, but didn't quite hit the high spots of his earlier book. But a charming fantasy setting, with added bookshop content.

( earlier books... )
1. Steeple Chasing: Around Britain by Church by Peter Ross
2. A Night in the Lonesome October by Roger Zelazny
3. Clanlands: Whisky, Warfare, and a Scottish Adventure Like No Other by Sam Heughan and Graham McTavish
4. Things I Learned from Mario's Butt by Laura Kate Dale
5. Insomniacs After School (manga) volume 4 by Makoto Ojiro
6. Bookshops & Bonedust by Travis Baldree