What have you recently finished reading?

Last night I stayed up a bit late reading this one, actually: Heavenly Bodies: Cult Treasures and Spectacular Saints from the Catacombs, by Paul Koudounaris. It’s about the “catacomb saints”, skeletons exhumed from the catacombs of Rome and sent to various European churches as relics. It’s a bit macabre — they are skeletons, after all — but also beautiful. While it’s not a way of worship I agree with, it’s fascinating to read about and see the love and veneration people had for these “saints”, and to learn about their origins.

I initially thought they were from actual Vatican crypts, but seemingly not; they’re actually from a Roman cemetery containing mostly (but not exclusively) Christian inhumations. Anyway, I’ll talk about the book a bit more when I review the book, but it was fascinating, and it’s very beautiful.

What are you currently reading?

Too many books at once, as ever! I’m still partway through my reread of Vivian Shaw’s Greta Helsing series, being somewhat stalled by exams, exam stress, and the resulting urge to read non-fiction that has nothing to do with my own particular subject. So right now my most active read is a book by the director general of archaeological works at Pompeii, Gabriel Zuchtrigel: The Buried City, which the inside flap of the dust cover says discusses new finds in Pompeii. Thus far, it’s not really the case, but more about the author’s career in archaeology and how it led him to Pompeii and prepared him to interpret the city. Which is interesting, but not what I’d hoped for, and it’s a bit… rambling. I hope there’ll be more about actual finds as the book continues.

I’m also reading David J. Gibson’s Planting Clues, which is about the use of botany in forensics and prosecutions. I was eager to read it, but it really does go into some technical stuff about both botany and law, so I didn’t quite have the focus. I’ll get back to it soon.

Aaaand I’m also reading The Medieval Scriptorium, by Sara J. Charles, which is heavy on the history of Christianity and, again, had my mind wandering a bit for now, and The Library of Ancient Wisdom, by Selena Wisnom, which is perfect for my mood right now, I just haven’t got very far into it yet.

And… you know what, let’s stop there.

What will you be reading next?

No idea! I got a bunch of fascinating new books in my exam-distraction book spree at the weekend, so perhaps one of them — I particularly have my eye on David Hone’s The Future of Dinosaurs, because, well, dinosaurs. I also started rereading Nghi Vo’s Singing Hills books, so maybe more of those; they do stand alone, but they build up a world, and it’s been a while since I visited some parts of it, so the refresher seemed timely. Aaaand I was rereading The Scum Villain’s Self-Saving System, which I might get back to as well: it’s amazing how much more sense it all makes with more knowledge of the genre and related genres. It’s not even my first reread, but each time I have a little more context.