New Leaf Vote for September 2019 • Labour of Love: Working Class

[astrangerhere]

D'Oh! I missed the vote! But if Rebanks has won it (no runoff?), I cannot wait to discuss this with others. This book was in my top 10 the year I read it, and I have gifted it to multiple different people.

[CRussel]

It was on my wife's list for last year as well. I haven't read it, so looking forward to it.

[Bookpossum]

Originally Posted by astrangerhere

D'Oh! I missed the vote! But if Rebanks has won it (no runoff?), I cannot wait to discuss this with others. This book was in my top 10 the year I read it, and I have gifted it to multiple different people.

Well, that's quite a recommendation!

I hope you are feeling better now, astrangerhere.

[Twitchly]

I’m looking forward to this one!

If this sort of book is right up your alley — and if you’re not squeamish — there’s a British show called “The Yorkshire Vet” you might enjoy. We’ve been watching it on Acorn TV here in the States. It follows a (real) group of vets who work in the town where James Herriot (Alf Wight) practiced. It’s surprisingly engaging, though I confess to closing my eyes on occasion.

[CRussel]

Originally Posted by Twitchly

I’m looking forward to this one!

If this sort of book is right up your alley — and if you’re not squeamish — there’s a British show called “The Yorkshire Vet” you might enjoy. We’ve been watching it on Acorn TV here in the States. It follows a (real) group of vets who work in the town where James Herriot (Alf Wight) practiced. It’s surprisingly engaging, though I confess to closing my eyes on occasion.

Yes, not quite the soap opera of Herriot's All Creatures, but engaging none the less.

(FWIW, just starting The Shepherd's Life now, having finished off my current read.)

[gmw]

Originally Posted by CRussel

Yes, not quite the soap opera of Herriot's All Creatures, but engaging none the less.

(FWIW, just starting The Shepherd's Life now, having finished off my current read.)

One thing I had not expected was for it to make me angry right from the opening pages. I really hope he can turn things around so I don't dislike him quite so much as I do at the moment.

[astrangerhere]

Originally Posted by gmw

One thing I had not expected was for it to make me angry right from the opening pages. I really hope he can turn things around so I don't dislike him quite so much as I do at the moment.

He was a little brat when younger, to be sure. But I don't know that I have heard anyone be angry at the opening pages...

Of course, I was pre-disposed to like it as I had been following his twitter/instagram for almost a year (which is almost exclusively photos of his farm, sheep, and dogs).

[gmw]

Originally Posted by astrangerhere

He was a little brat when younger, to be sure. But I don't know that I have heard anyone be angry at the opening pages...

Of course, I was pre-disposed to like it as I had been following his twitter/instagram for almost a year (which is almost exclusively photos of his farm, sheep, and dogs).

I really had expected to like this, but ... oh, the rest had better wait until the 15th, because if I start at the moment I might not stop. Let's just say that I find people who abdicate responsibility for their actions to be quite annoying, and it put me in a lousy mood for the start of the book, which has made me hypercritical and so not doing the book, or me, any favours.

[CRussel]

I agree, gmw, but think we'd best leave that for the 15th and the discussion thread. I will note, however, that I've powered past the worst of it, and my DW is quite a fan of the author, for the same reasons as astrangerhere.

[astrangerhere]

I'm starting to wonder if my record of nominating things the whole group dislikes is going to continue...

[issybird]

Originally Posted by astrangerhere

I'm starting to wonder if my record of nominating things the whole group dislikes is going to continue...

LOL! I think we've all that feeling. Mostly unjustified.

I think it's more that no book has been universally liked, just as none has been universally disliked. Speaking personally, of all our selections while I've naturally enough liked some more than others, I've thought virtually all were worth reading and that even the possible single exception was justified by a good discussion. In any case, I think a book where we were all agreed on its merits wouldn't lend itself to much of a conversation. But it's also true that individual tastes are more congruent with some than with others.

Along those lines, I'll note that a book I was considering for the current nominations got five stars from you at Goodreads (which is why I abandoned it; I like to avoid rereads when I can).

[astrangerhere]

Originally Posted by issybird

Along those lines, I'll note that a book I was considering for the current nominations got five stars from you at Goodreads (which is why I abandoned it; I like to avoid rereads when I can).

Which book?

[issybird]

Originally Posted by astrangerhere

Which book?

Walker Percy's The Movie-Goer.

[Bookworm_Girl]

Originally Posted by astrangerhere

I'm starting to wonder if my record of nominating things the whole group dislikes is going to continue...

I like this book, and Never Let Me Go was one of my favorite discussions last year!

[Bookpossum]

Ditto on both counts from me!