I’m listening to early evening fireworks going off so it is definately that time of year… I’ve listened to reviews on the radio, looked at lists of reviews in the papers, so now its my turn… And you know, I can only do this because of one of my New Year’s resolutions from a couple of years ago has stuck – keeping a list of things I’ve read. No apologies for nerdyism, without it I forget. I absorb them and move on; now I’m reminded what I’ve read and that reminder brings them back to life.
So, this is what stood out: The Outrun (Amy Liptrot) – I absorbed the cold, wind open landscapes of the Orkneys and also wanted to live in a remote cottage and listen to corncrakes; The Long Walk to Freedom (Nelson Mandela) – fascinating to read his perspective on those long hard years and life. I’ve visited classics in the form of Villette – the French took me by surprise and currently Hard Times – Dickens’ descriptions and characterisations are so good despite his mysogenist characterisations (realistic I guess). On a lighter note, the May Coffin Road and Lewis Trilogy took me to the islands again; Dawn French to NY; and Jackie Fleming’s The Trouble with Women made me laugh out loud and reminded me of those treasured cartoon books I collected in the 80’s.
And now, I feel a New Year’s snack and beverage coming on; …think I’ll leave Hard Times for a few hours…
