On the 'To Read' pile

There is an always growing number of books on my 'must read' pile.  Usual routes to that stack are recommendations from friends, reviews from newspapers, radio programmes or blogs and almost never the Amazon 'people who bought this also bought this' link.

So, here follow the next candidates;

i) Bella Bathurst - The Lighthouse Stevensons. Biography of a family that would have been remarkable enough for their tenacity in building lighthouses in the face of enormous difficulties.  That one member of the family decided against the family business and instead gave us 'Kidnapped', 'Treasure Island' and more is an even more fascinating tale.  This should be a great read.

ii) Giles Foden - Zanzibar.  This is around a decade old now and I have to admit it was an impulse buy in HMV on Oxford Street, the two quid price sticker drawing me in.  I have something of a 'problem' with GIles Foden. I love 'The Last King of Scotland', but found both that and 'Ladysmith' terribly difficult to read, despite the end result being ultimately rewarding.  With 'Zanzibar', I suspect that I will find out whether it is him or me!

iii) Patrick McGuinness - The Last Hundred Days.  I've been saving this, hoping that I can really savour it. It is a book that I really want to enjoy. The unfolding drama of Christmas 1989 in Romania, the bloody conclusion and mindboggling aftermath of events like the Mineriad protests with legions of workers propping up a government that looked remarkably similar to what came before. I've always wanted to know more and I'm hoping that this will be the book to tell me.  I'm also delighted to see that there is more to Mr McGuinness than his appearances as sidekick to Peter Kay and a shouty Cilla for the new generation on ITV1.

iv) Simon Winder - Germania.  ''Don't Lets Be Beastly to the Germans'' sang Noel Coward, yet so often we are,  This was a purchase as part of that most heinous of offers, 3 for 2 in an airport branch of WHSmith.  The companion volumes in this unholy triumvirate were 'Blood River' by Tim Butcher, which was exceptional, and 'The Last Englishman' a biography of Arthur Ransome which has been so dry that reading it is redolent of those competitions to scoff cream crackers without water.  What am I expecting from 'Germania'?  A well-written introduction to Germany would be good and a few jokes too.  A greater understanding of a fascinating and somewhat alien (to a Brit at least) culture would be a bonus.  We shall see.