The Folklore of Discworld by Terry Practchett and Jacqueline Simpson

This wasn't a Pratchett book in the strictest sense, more that it used Discworld characters to expand on the theme of folklore. For example, the final chapter is regarding Death, and it discusses how we arrived at the "typical" portrayal of him as a skeleton upon a white horse (who sadly is only called Binky on the Disc, and not on Earth). Chapters cover the major mythological creatures found on both the Disc and Earth (vampires, werewolves, elves etc) discussing various legends found on Earth, and how they are portrayed on the Disc. It also covers Witchcraft, standing stones and so on.

I liked this book a lot. I found it very interesting, and I will be hunting down some of the books mentioned in the bibliography. I feel Simpson has had more of an input in the book than Pratchett, and I was also a little disappointed that there was no mention of the "Death is female" belief that many have been made aware of through reading Neil Gaiman's Sandman series. That aside, this was a very enjoyable read, and it was a much easier read than the other Discworld crossover I've attempted, which was The Science of Discworld. Then again, I'm not very scientific, so that probably just says something about me!

The Bell Jar, Sylvia Plath's semi-autobiographical novel.

Now, I had an idea of what to expect with this book, especially as it was published (initially under a pseudonym) a few weeks before Plath's suicide. The book is written from the perspective of Esther Greenwood, a promising scholarship student, and it begins with her spending time in New York on an all-expenses paid trip, working for a magazine. It is during this time that she starts to feel, initially, inadequate. This inadequacy spirals, and eventually Esther is being treated in various psychiatric wards and asylums. This was a bit painful to read in parts, and it could only have been written by someone who had experienced the same as Esther- her emotions are laid completely bare in parts. The description of shock treatment was especially harrowing.I'm glad I read this book though. I would advise a small amount of caution though, as it does deal with issues that could be distressing to the reader, especially if depression is something they've encountered.

Cleopatra's Needle - Two wheels by the water to Cairo by Anne Mustoe.

I picked this book up in my local charity shop, as the idea of someone cycling to Egypt sounded interesting, especially as I've traveled to Egypt myself. I'd never heard of the book or the author before, but I'm going to look out for her other books.This really was a fascinating book. Anne makes the trip from London, the site of one of Cleopatra's needles, and makes her way to Heliopolis, where it originally stood. This is done on Condor, her trusty orange bicycle. She aims to travel near water at all times, meaning she cycles along the Thames, the Seine, the Rhone and the Po. Unfortunately, this is undertaken at a time when Europe was beset by flooding. This, however was not the worst of what she had to face. She found herself in a Muslim country at the time of the September 11 attacks. After taking some time to assess the situation she continues- a welcome tourist for the hotels she stays in. The book is written in a chatty, lively style. It's slightly more formal than a Bill Bryson book, but don't let that put you off. There's a genuine warmth in this book, both for cycling and for the countries visited (well, most of them, some countries looked down on "a mere cyclist"). The book has a few appendices, including bike specifications, a time-line of Cleopatra's life, and a list of the French names for fish. This last appendix may seem strange, but the author found it useful in France and wanted to pass it on. There's also a mystery hidden in it, explained at the end. If you are interested in cycling, Egypt or travel I'd definitely recommend this book!

The Tale of Sinuhe and Other Ancient Egyptian Poems 1940-1640 BC.

I'm interested in Egyptology, and have heard of many of these stories before (such as The Tale of the Shipwrecked Sailor). This isn't a book I'll be reading again soon, but it is interesting. I think I should have read it when I was at university (I studied Ancient History and Archaeology) to appreciate it more.What doesn't help is that many of the tales come from damaged papyrii, so you lose a lot of detail, and of course there are all the nuances lost in translation. However, if you're interested in Egyptology I'd suggest you pick this up as a bit of light reading, though it's not really a book you can read in long sessions.

I did some short reviews of books on another site, thought I would repost them here:

Cleopatra by Michael Grant

This is an historical biography of one of the most famous women of the ancient world. I would guess that when most people think of Cleopatra, images of a ruthless temptress come to mind, bolstered by sources such as Shakespeare and Roman propaganda. Michael Grant argues that Cleopatra was merely born ahead of her time, in an era where a woman was not able to rule alone, and in the case of the Ptolomies, had to be married to her brother.She was not innocent however, and had some of her own siblings put to death to further her ambitions. This happened in Rome too, but as is the case in history, the winner gets the best press. Grant uses a variety of sources to try and get to the truth behind the myth.I found this an enjoyable book, and very informative. I don't know how much more information has come to light since the book was published (1972), as I don't know a great deal about Ptolomaic Egypt. This book has inspired me to read more about the subject however.