Believe me, this IS a book blog, I promise you but over the last week my time for reading has practically vanished. This may have something to do with the fact that I am back on the daily commute into London and the usual pattern of get up in morning, get ready, get on train, fall asleep, work, back on train, fall asleep, home, eat and fall asleep. Put like that, the lifestyle is a tad less than riveting I feel. Add a 20 minute walk to and from the office morning and evening and you can see that I am finding reading time somewhat difficult. When I started commuting many moons ago I had all sorts of grand ideas about using the time on the train for books but within a week I realised it was not going to happen.
I must say, however, that the walk to work is taking me into parts of the city I had not seen for many years, if at all. I end up cutting through Smithfield where there is a simply lovely church, and five minutes later came across a wall plaque commemorating William Wallace, who apparently was beheaded at Smithfield, and the rail in front of it is festooned with tartan ribbons and bunches of dried heather. I intend to take my camera in with me this week and take some shots. Also down the road is the fantastic Victorian gothic Prudential building designed by Arthur Waterhouse which really is worth a look at. Years ago my mum and I used to go shopping at Gamages right next door. No longer there now of course, knocked down but it was one of those lovely old fashioned stores with odd stairs and corners, knitting and embroidery silks cheek by jowl with Irish linen tea towels and crockery. Just the place one would expect to find Miss Marple. And talking of Miss Marple…
I have just spent the last few weeks working my way through all the Miss Marple DVD’s which I have 
blogged about and I gather that this weekend there is another series of the appalling new Marple series with Geraldine McEwan. At Bertram’s Hotel is the one being shown on Sunday and according to the Radio Times "It’s full of Christie’s classic touches – Nazi war criminals, lesbians, a gay man in makeup, sex before marriage…er hang on a minute" yes, the entire story has been taken to pieces and put back together again, which begs the question, why bother, why not just commission a new piece of drama? This series has been truly dreadful and I shall not be wasting my time on Sunday night tuning in, I will probably be watching the last of my DVDs – Body in the Library and all will be right with the world. I have also just purchased the new biography of Dame Agatha Christie who I find a fascinating enigma and I am looking forward to tackling this door step size tome.
I have purchased a few other books as well, including the lovely Hans Christian Andersen illustrated by Whistler from Harwich Old Books, a new Victoria Clayton (formerly Victoria Walker and whose books for children have been reprinted by Fidra) and I have got hold of a copy of Death in a White Tie by Ngaio Marsh and a few others of hers nice and cheaply on Alibis and they are on their way. I am getting stocked up for the winter just in case I get snowed in and the trains to London break down.
Ah, if wishes were horses beggars would ride……..
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