Paul's Grand European Tour 1

Begin at my roots I suppose. Maternal side is decidedly Irish and what is more Irish than a drop of Porter and the Porter indeed. DUBLIN's fair city.

The Opening Words

I will start the year at least spiritually back in my home place of Yorkshire by reading : Now Then : The Story of Yorkshire and its People by Rick Broadbent.





"In 2021, the Yorkshire Society issued a report into the future of the region. The survey answers were to be expected: people overwhelmingly saw themselves as from Yorkshire, not England; twice as many respondents would vote for a Yorkshire parliament than against it; a quarter said, yes, they could see Yorkshire being an independent country. Part of this is down to a superiority complex and part to the scars and suspicion of outsiders, southrons and offcumdens. Yorkshire welcomes you with terms and conditions and an understanding that just because you're paranoid doesn't mean they're not coming for you. "

Interested...........?

As far as a I know we have at least four 'native' Yorkies in the group: John Simpson, Tony (meanderer), Luci (elkidee) and myself and others with links to the county too.

It is the county of the Brontes, Priestley, Gissing, Ted Hughes, Alan Bennett, Keith Waterhouse John Braine, Susan Hill, AS Byatt, Margaret Drabble, Kate Atkinson, Helen Dunmore, Simon Armitage, Harold Wilson, Herbert Asquith, Sean Bean, Michael Parkinson and Sir Geoffrey Boycott

It is the county of the White Rose and a King unfairly maligned and York with its proud walls and minster and beautiful dales, and desolate coal fields of yore, of bitter ale and largely bitter socialist politics, of sweeping shorelines from Dracula haunted Whitby to the Flamborough Head.

It is the county of Yorkshire Cricket of my beloved Leeds United a team of excellence, hard men and near misses, passion and pride. It is a county of two Sheffields - United and Wednesday. It is the county of Jessica Ennis and Kelly Holmes and Dorothy Hyman. It is the county of Seb Coe and Peter Elliott, of Joe Root and Harry Brook, of Prince Naseem and Josh Warrington of the Brownlee brothers and Adam Peaty.

Some more General Fairfax, Judi Dench, Peter O'Toole, Patrick Stewart, Tom Wilkinson, Stan Barstow, Joanne Harris, Helen Fielding, Mel B, Barbara Hepworth and Henry Moore.

Pulp, Human League, Kaiser Chiefs, Embrace, Terrorvision, Chumbawamba, Gang of Four, ABC.

Poem

This is from "Dublin" by one of my favourite poets, the great Louis Macneice. It captures the Dublin I know. I have spent quite a bit of time in my later youth sampling the earthy delights of that fine old city.



Grey brick upon brick,
Declamatory bronze
On sombre pedestals –
O'Connell, Grattan, Moore –
And the brewery tugs and the swans
On the balustraded stream
And the bare bones of a fanlight
Over a hungry door
And the air soft on the cheek
And porter running from the taps
With a head of yellow cream
And Nelson on his pillar
Watching his world collapse.

This never was my town,
I was not born or bred
Nor schooled here and she will not
Have me alive or dead
But yet she holds my mind
With her seedy elegance,
With her gentle veils of rain
And all her ghosts that walk
And all that hide behind
Her Georgian facades –
The catcalls and the pain,
The glamour of her squalor,
The bravado of her talk.

Books Read

Currently Reading

Reading Cycle One 1 January - 6 January 2025

Family Pic.

Days of being together :

THE GRAND EUROPEAN BOOK TOUR



January : Prelude - 19th Century Europe
February : Scandinavia
March : Warsaw Pact
April : Ottoman Empire
May : Non-National Languages
June : Caesar to Meloni
July : The Germanic World
August : Anita Fameulstee Memorial Month (Benelux)
September : Books About European Places
October : La Belle France
November : Iberian Peninsula
December : Back to the Future : 21st Century in translation

British Author Challenge (Hosted by my friend Amanda)



January - The stage
February - Kia Abdullah & Adrian Tchaikovsky
March -
April -
May -
June -
July -
August -
September -
October -
November -
December -

American Author Challenge (Hosted with occasional assistance this year by my friend Linda)



JANUARY - Pacific North West
FEBRUARY - American Muslims (I will guest host)
MARCH -
APRIL -
MAY -
JUNE -
JULY
AUGUST -
SEPTEMBER -
OCTOBER
NOVEMBER -
DECEMBER

Books Added in 2025

2025 Book Stats

Welcome to my first thread of 2025.

I have begun to set up my thread but I doubt that I shall be too active for a few days at least.

I suppose I am the group's Malaysian correspondent and have lived in Kuala Lumpur and the region since 1994. I am married to She-Who-Must-Be-Obeyed (apologies to Horace Rumpole), Hani and have three "kids", Yasmyne, Kyran and Belle and one grandchild - the irrepressible Pip. All are currently in the UK whilst I struggle here to finish my projects in order to join them. Erni is my live in maid - member of my family to all intents and the world's best coffee maker. I have been in the group since 2011.

Love pretty much all types of reading, love stats and have been known to add many more books than I read.

Welcome to another year of the Challenge, Paul!

Thank you, Jim. I wouldn't miss it for anything.

Someone I will miss at this time of the year especially is our dear late friend Anita who was always so active at this time of the year welcoming everyone to the group - especially newcomers.

Hi!

>15 amanda4242: My thread(s) would be much poorer without you, Amanda. Thanks for your friendship in the group.

Greetings! Looking forward to another year of enjoying your threads, Paul.

>17 Kristelh: Thank you Kristel and I look forward very much t your visits and visiting your thread.

Happy new thread, Paul. I hope to be a more regular visitor this year though I know better than to expect to truly be able to *keep up*.... All the best for the new year and I hope you realize your goal to make it home, finally.

Hi Paul, looking forward to being very active this year.

Hi Paul - wishing you a good reading year in 2025.

>19 jessibud2: Lovely to see you Shelley. I am hopeful of a great 2025.

>20 johnsimpson: That will be great John.

>21 avatiakh: Thank you Kerry. I wish you the same. xx

Hi Paul! Happy new thread, and wishing you a great reading year.

Hi Paul, welcome to another year of, hopefully, wonderful reading in 2025.

Happy new thread Paul!

May the new year see you swiftly reunited with your lovely family!

>24 EllaTim: Thank you, Ella and I hope to meet up with you and Marc at some stage in 2025.

>25 lindapanzo: Thank you, Linda. I hope for you a happier year and plenty of books and love.

>26 quondame: Thank you dear Susan. That is primary amongst my own wishes for 2025. xx

Happy New Thread!

>30 PaulCranswick: Thank you Silver. Lovely to see you here bright and early.

>1 PaulCranswick: Ah - in "Dublin's Fair City" - my favorite beer - and mix of Guinness Stout and Bass Ale for the perfect St. Patrick Celebration!

>31 m.belljackson: Yes please, Marianne! Also known as a Black and Tan which has mixed connotations in Ireland.

Off to a great start already, Paul! I truly hope to be more active this year than in the past few. I’ve let life get in my way far too much. I’m going to change that in 2025.

>33 Matke: I greatly look forward to that, Gail. I enjoy your company in the group.

A bit upset this morning as Kyran has been admitted to the hospital in Sheffield with bronchial complaints. Belle took him as he is staying with her and Hani will get there in the morning.

Also one of our cats, Jinxy has been taken to the vet as she is unable to stand up properly and is walking with a list. Don't know if it is a nerve thing or whether she has imbibed something she shouldn't have.

Kyran is chipper at least but Jinxy isn't.

Dear Friend

I send wishes that Kyran will be in good care in the hospital and will heal quickly. And, of course being the animal lover that I am, I am saddened by the news of your cat Jinxy. Please keep us posted.

>36 Whisper1: I will do, Linda. I haven't been able to concentrate much this morning to be honest.

Wishing Kyran the best of care and a speedy recovery...it's so hard to have loved ones ill when you're so far apart. And sharing your concern over Jinxy as well...love those furry kids too.

Get well soon, Kyran!

>38 laytonwoman3rd: Thank you, Linda. Still waiting to hear from Kyran this morning but Jinxy will stay at the Vet's place tonight for observation.

>39 drneutron: Thank you Jim.

Happy New (2025) thread Paul! I hope Kyran will soon be out of hospital and make a speedy recovery. I will be reading Stone Yard Devotional very soon as well - it’s one I had for Christmas.

>41 SandDune: Thank you, Rhian. Your nearest and dearest will be happy just now as our team sits top of the Championship.

Stone Yard Devotional has had very good reviews.

Cheers to your first thread of 2025, Paul!
Thinking of Kyran and the entire Cranswick family. What a tense time especially when you're unable to be at his side.

Dear Paul, you have chosen many interesting challenges for the new reading year. All the best to Kyran - hoping he gets well soon!

Here's hoping that both man and beast are on the mend and that you will have a great year of reading and life in 2025!

Hello my friend! Happy to be following you again in 2025. Hope everyone heals up quickly and wishing for a better New Year!! xoxo

>43 Carmenere: Lovely to see you, Lynda and I look forward to your thread when it arrives! Kyran is thankfully on the mend, I think.

>44 PersephonesLibrary: I am so pleased to see you back this year, Kathe. xx

>45 Tess_W: Man seems on the mend, Tess, but still awaiting news on beast!

>46 Berly: Thanks Kimmers - I think you need to come and Taekwondo the heck out of the ill health both our families have had this past year. xx

>2 PaulCranswick: My family harks back to Yorkshire, many generations ago now. (My grandparents moved to Canada, and I moved to the US.) Oddly, we've kept some traditions, such that there's a feeling of familiarity when I get to know more recent Yorkie transplants.

>49 ArlieS: That is probably why we are so in tune, Arlie!

Hey Paul,

Just wanted a turnabout visit. You come to see me in the new digs, I come to see you.

Looking forward to spending more time in this bright spot of the weird world we live in.

Happy New Thread and I'll echo the sentiments of our friends here. I hope Kyran and Jynxy are on the mend...

>51 mahsdad: I have been there twice already, Jeff!!

In book stats this year I am also going to log progress against your lists plus a few more of my own.

The vet opens at 10 am. Hopefully Jinxy is improved.

>48 PaulCranswick:

As you wish, Paul. Kicking the sh*t out of bad health for both our families! Come on 2025!! : )

>53 Berly: Wow Kimmers. The kicker looks more uncomfortable than those two chaps on the receiving end!

Nah. Piece of cake. ; )

>55 Berly: Must be an impressive cake!