The Best of Smash Hits: The 80s by Mark FrithMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
Non-Fiction, 2008. I was born at the end of the 80s, so it's not 'nostalgic' as such, but it is great fun!
The Best of June and School Friend by Lara MaiklemMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
Non-Fiction, 2007. Great selection of stories and features from 1960s and 70s June and School Friend. My fave thing about is the illustration - it makes such a change from the kids comics today!
Movies of the 30s by Jürgen MüllerMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
Non-Fiction, 2006. Another gorgeous book from Taschen. Lots and lots of beautiful pictures from the golden age of Hollywood.
Georgiana: Duchess of Devonshire by Amanda ForemanMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
Non-Fiction, 2001. I couldn't put this down! It's a fascinating biography of a fascinating woman, and how she manipulated and, at times, was constrained by the society of the time.
The Best Of Boyfriend: Stories, Fashion, Fun And Features From Your Favourite 'Swingin' Sixties Girls Mag! by Melissa HylandMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
Non-Fiction, 2008. I hadn't heard of Boyfriend magazine before coming across this, but I'll certainly look out for it among the other old mags in the future. This is a fab introduction to the type of thing older teenage girls were reading in the 1960s!
Widdershins by Jordan L. HawkMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
Fiction, 2012. I really enjoyed this gay romance / sci-fi fantasy / whodunnit! The early twentieth century setting works well, grounding the more fantastical elements, and also gives us the awesome character of Christine - a gun toting Egyptologist who has never let her gender get in the way of adventure. The romance is sweet and believable too. An all around great read!
Mary Had a Little Lamb by Little LearnersMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
Fiction, 2012. Very sweet board book with an attached fluffy finger puppet. My only quibble is that it can be awkward to turn the pages / close the book because of the puppet, but my baby loves it all the same!
Hairy Maclary from Donaldson's Dairy by Lynley DoddMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
Fiction, 1983. Short rhyming story that is both super cute and perfect as a bedtime story - my toddler is a big fan!
The Italian Boy: A Tale of Murder and Body Snatching in 1830s London by Sarah WiseMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
Non-Fiction, 2005. Fascinating read about the case of The Italian Boy and the wider history of body snatching in London. I knew about Burke and Hare, as ingrained in popular culture as they are, but this case was completely new to me. I particularly enjoyed the material on contemporary beliefs about body snatching and 'burking', and public reaction to suspected instances of it. My only quibble is that the background information on contemporary life is heavy going if you're already familiar with the period, but it's still well worth reading.
Handsome Brute: The Story of a Ladykiller by Sean O'ConnorMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
Non-Fiction, 2013. This is a well researched and in-depth look at Neville Heath, his victims, and the realities of life in 1946 Britain. Instead of relying on the contemporary press coverage, O'Connor goes back to the beginning and destroys some of the myths surrounding the case, particularly those relating to Heath's first victim, Margery Gardner.
Footsteps in the Snow by Charles LachmanMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
Non-Fiction, 2014. I hadn't heard of this case, the coldest cold case conviction in US history, but the book is a really comprehensive read which covers the case itself, its place in popular memory, and how the lives of all those involved were impacted by the crime over the following decades. It's not as fast or as flash a read as many other true crime books, but I don't feel that that's a bad thing - the more background information, the better.
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Oh, that Best of Smash Hits would be fun to read I think. It would bring back a load of memories. Hope you have a great day!
ReplyDeleteIt was loads of fun to read - all the old posters and interviews were fab! :)
DeleteOoooh interesting, I'm going to have to check out some of those... off to look them up... thanks for sharing your thoughts and recommendations!
ReplyDeleteIt was a good month this month - everything lived up to my expectations!
DeleteAll that, in one month?! Wow. I added some to my Goodreads account
ReplyDeleteYeah - it's my insomnia showing itself!
DeleteWow how on earth do you have the time to do all that reading? I used to always have my head buried in a book and very rarely read now. I might check some of these out. Thanks for linking to #PickNMix
ReplyDeleteMostly insomnia, to be honest! x
DeleteWe love Hairy McClary :)
ReplyDelete#readwithme
He's so cute! x
DeleteLove Hairy Maclary. You read just as much as me :) thanks for sharing with #ReadWithMe
ReplyDeleteI'd never heard of him until Marianna was born and my in-laws bought her all Anthony's old favourites - I'm a big fan now though!
DeleteSome fantastic books on your list! love the smash hits one, I am a 80's child as well so brings back memories! xx
ReplyDelete#readwithme
It's really cool - lots of fashion pieces, and tons of pop culture! x
DeleteWow, you've read a lot of fun retro stuff this month! I like the sound of all the true crime stuff you've read. I haven't heard of any of those cases. I think I might have to look them up!
ReplyDeleteI'm a true crime addict! My problem is I only like historical cases and I'm fast running out of good books on them!
Deleteoh Hairy Mclary is my favourite! :) i LOVE THAT BOOK! Angela from Daysinbed
ReplyDeleteHe's the favourite bedtime read at the moment!
DeleteI love that you included Hairy Maclary in your list! Bet you've read it more than any of the others!! #readwithme
ReplyDeleteHehe, oh yes!
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