Month: December 2010

I’m typing this up a few days early, so perhaps the list won’t be complete if I finish a book or two before midnight strikes on December 31st. There are a few books here waiting review, which will appear sometime in 2011 – so don’t worry if yours is mentioned here and not yet reviewed! I’ll also do my annual End of Year Meme, but not until January. Here’s the lot – and I made my annual target of over 100 books! As before, re-reads have an ‘x’ in front of them.

x1. The Provincial Lady Goes Furhter – E.M. Delafield
2. In the Springtime of the Year – Susan Hill
3. A Game of Hide and Seek – Elizabeth Taylor
4. The Unspoken Truth – Angelica Garnett
5. Nothing is Safe – E.M. Delafield
6. Mrs. Tim of the Regiment – D.E. Stevenson
7. Betwixt and Between – Rosa Maria Bracco
8. In the Garden of the North American Martyrs – Tobias Wolff
9. Nella Last’s War – Nella Last
x10. Sisters By A River – Barbara Comyns
11. Immortality – Milan Kundera
12. The Perks of Being a Wallflower – Stephen Chbosky
13. White is for Witching – Helen Oyeyemi
14. Staying With Relations – Rose Macaulay
15. The Blue Fox – Sjon
16. Beside the Sea – Veronique Olmi
x17. The Provincial Lady in America – E.M. Delafield
18. David Golder – Irene Nemirovsky
19. Can Any Mother Help Me? – Jenna Bailey (ed.)
20. Miss Mole – E.H. Young
21. Mrs. Dose the Doctor’s Wife – Joyce Dennys
x22. The Provincial Lady in Wartime – E.M. Delafield
23. High Wages – Dorothy Whipple
24. The Overdose – Joyce Dennys
25. Mystery Mile – Margery Allingham
26. Travels With My Aunt – Graham Greene
27. Aunt’s Aren’t Gentlemen – P.G. Wodehouse
x28. Matty and the Dearingroydes – Richmal Crompton
29. The British Character Studied and Revealed – Pont
30. Hector and the Search for Happiness – Francois Lelord
31. Identity – Milan Kundera
32. Boxer, Beetle – Ned Beauman
33. The Haunted Bridge and other stories – Jane Gordon-Cumming
34. The Behaviour of Moths – Poppy Adams
35. The Maintenance of Headway – Magnus Mills
36. A Long Long Way – Sebastian Barry
37. The Girl With Glass Feet – Ali Shaw
38. The Art of Gardening – Mary Robinson
39. Friends Like These – Danny Wallace
40. Brother of the More Famous Jack – Barbara Trapido
41. Secret Lives – E.F. Benson
42. Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? – Edward Albee
x43. Miss Ranskill Comes Home – Barbara Euphan Todd
44. Little Boy Lost – Marghanita Laski
45. Jude the Obscure – Thomas Hardy
46. Images in a Mirror – Sigrid Undset
x47. The Dover Road – A.A. Milne
48. The Man Who Planted Trees – Jean Giono, Michael McCurdy
49. The Elegance of the Hedgehog – Muriel Barbery
50. The Vet’s Daughter – Barbara Comyns
51. Stone in a Landslide – Maria Barbal
52. The Green Child – Herbert Read
53. Flower Phantoms – Ronald Fraser
54. A Harp in Lowndes Square – Rachel Ferguson
55. The Sandcastle – Iris Murdoch
56. Being George Devine’s Daughter – Harriet Devine
57. Mr. Rosenblum’s List – Natasha Solomons
58. More Talk of Jane Austen – Sheila Kaye-Smith, G.B. Stern
59. Too Much Happiness – Alice Munro
60. Two Days in Aragon – Molly Keane
61. The Poetics of Space – Gaston Bachelard
62. The Seraphim Room – Edith Olivier
63. The Murder at the Vicarage – Agatha Christie
64. The Little Stranger – Sarah Waters
65. Wish Her Safe At Home – Stephen Benatar
66. The Graveyard Book – Neil Gaiman
67. The Debt to Pleasure – John Lanchester
68. Andrina and other stories – George Mackay Brown
x69. Once A Week – A.A. Milne
70. Let’s Kill Uncle – Rohan O’Grady
71. Fantasy: The Literature of Subversion – Rosemary Jackson
72. Birds in Tiny Cages – Barbara Comyns
73. The Uncanny House – Mary L. Pendered
74. Frankenstein – Mary Shelley
75. The House in the Country – Bernadette Murphy
76. Travelling Light – Tove Jansson
77. The Driver’s Seat – Muriel Spark
78. Portrait of the Mother as a Young Woman – Friederich Christian Delius
79. The Hours (screenplay) – David Hare
80. The Loved One – Evelyn Waugh
81. A Kid for Two Farthings – Wolf Mankowitz
82. Stevenson Under the Palm Trees – Albert Manguel
83. The Turn of the Screw – Henry James
84. Mister Pip – Lloyd Jones
85. An Unexpected Guest – Bernadette Murphy
x86. Howards End is on the Landing – Susan Hill
87. Magical Realism and the Fantastic – Amaryll Beatrice Chanady
88. Which Way? – Theodora Benson
89. The Uncanny – Nicholas Royle
90. Villette – Charlotte Bronte
91. Stories of the Strange and Sinister – Frank Baker
92. What is Psychoanalysis? – Isador H. Coriat
93. Fantasy and Mimesis – Kathryn Hume
94. The Penelopiad – Margaret Atwood
95. Remember, Remember – Hazel McHaffie
96. The Fantastic: A Strctural Approach to a Literary Genre – Tveztan Todorov
97. Loitering With Intent – Muriel Spark
98. Make Me an offer – Wolf Mankowitz
99. Strange Glory – L.H. Myers
100. The Slap – Christos Tsiolkas
101. The Fantastic in Literature – Eric Rabkin
102. The Good Earth – Pearl S. Buck
103. Joy Street: A Wartime Romance in Letters – Mirren Barford, John Lewes
104. Love on the Supertax – Marghanita Laski
105. Tepper Isn’t Going Out – Calvin Trillin
106. Lazy Thoughts of a Lazy Girl – Jenny Wren
107. All Quiet on the Orient Express – Magnus Mills
108. Wait For Me! – Deborah Devonshire
109. The Haunted Bookshop – Christopher Morley
110. Dangerous Ages – Rose Macaulay
x111. The Magician’s Nephew – C.S. Lewis
x112. The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe – C.S. Lewis
x113. The Horse and His Boy – C.S. Lewis
x114. Prince Caspian – C.S. Lewis
115. The Night Watch – Sarah Waters

I’ve been enjoying the top ten (or however many) lists which have been popping up all over the blogosphere recently. Making my own is always a highlight of the last days of December – scouring back through the wonderful reads I’ve been treated to throughout the year. As usual, far more than ten were worthy of being heralded, but I have whittled it down to just ten. And, yes, it is in order. The order is subjective, in terms of my appreciation, rather than objective quality – and would doubtless change if I made this list again next week, but I do love a list. Click on each title to take you to my review of them. Here it is, in reverse order:

10.) The Good Earth – Pearl S. Buck
The first of two book group reads which made my list, this tale of a Chinese farmer and his family is told simply but so well.

9.) Jude the Obscure – Thomas Hardy
And this is the second. Having tried and failed to read this back in 2004, was pleased to try again – and was swept away.

8.) Being George Devine’s Daughter – Harriet Devine
A wonderful gift from a fellow blogger, and a captivating tale of childhood among theatre’s greats.

7.) The Man Who Planted Trees – Jean Giono
Enchantingly simple. Giono’s name is in the list, but it is Michael McCurdy’s warm, striking woodcuts which make this book special.

6.) The Loved One – Evelyn Waugh
I’m glad I persevered with Waugh, as this short, hilarious look at the American funeral industry is an absolute joy.

5.) The Vet’s Daughter – Barbara Comyns
Comyn’s surreal but poignant style never lets you down, and this spectacular novel is no exception.

4.) Wait For Me! – Deborah Devonshire
Mitford mania continues apace here at Stuck-in-a-Book, as you’ll have seen in my recent review. Don’t forget to enter the draw for a copy.

3.) Travelling Light – Tove Jansson
The only book to appear on both this list and Project 24, Tove Jansson’s gentle touch and incredible insight into human nature is nigh-on flawless. More translations, please.

2.) Loitering With Intent – Muriel Spark
My favourite novel read this year, told so cleverly and with inimitable talent.

1.) Nella Last’s War – Nella Last
An early read in 2010, but my lasting favourite – a very talented writer who, but for Mass Observation, would never have had courage to put pen to paper. I’m looking forward to reading her later diaries in 2011.

(photo source)

“But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Saviour has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”
I hope you and your loved ones all have a wonderful Christmas Day!

With love – Simon

I hope you’re having a lovely Christmas Eve – it’s the big Christmas meal tonight here in the Thomas household, since tomorrow is rather a busy day for Our Vicar. So get the Quorn roast in the oven (and some bird or other for the carnivores) and wrap up warm for tonight’s midnight service, should you be going to one. It’s one of my favourite services of the year – looking forward to it.

But I have so many summary-type posts to come between Christmas and New Year (you’ll be dying to know what my Top Ten Books of 2010 are, yes?) that I thought I’d bring up the topic of New Year’s Resolutions today. Sorry if that’s confusing matters…

So, do you make them? Of course, my big resolution this year was Project 24 – and if I manage the last week, then I’ll have done it! And every year I make a half-hearted resolution not to bite my nails… and every year it fails within minutes.

I don’t think I’ll be making any big personal New Year’s Resolutions, but I have decided on a New Year’s Blogger Resolution: to reply to comments! It isn’t that I’ve had a policy against it before – far from it – I simply never seem to remember to do it. I love those bloggers who do, and love checking back to see whether or not they have. Thus, I am determined to become one of those bloggers. Hold me to it, guys, if I don’t…

So, howsabout you? Any resolutions and – more pertinently – any blogging resolutions?

I’m embroiled in re-reading the Narnia series (don’t worry, Mr. Dickens, I’ll dig you out again – only Prince Caspian has a bit of a war on his hands right now, and I don’t want to leave him to fight it out alone) – but I’m going to post a sort of scattergun blog post with links and suchlike.

1.) I was rather excited about this lovely post from AOL’s MyDaily, which has sweetly picked Stuck-in-a-Book as its Blog of the Week. I especially liked “At Stuck in a Book it’s less about marks out of ten and more about being part of an extremely welcoming community” – that’s what I hope all of us make together.

2.) This link was forwarded to me by Verity. It is a petition asking Oxfordshire County Council to reconsider closing 20 libraries in the county. I know cuts have to be made, and everyone thinks their cause is the most important, but surely enabling widespread free access to books is something worth fighting for? Even if you don’t live in the area, do consider signing the petition, out of worldwide library-users solidarity!

3.) Guy at Pursewarden has concocted another fiendishly difficult Christmas Quiz. Of the 40 questions, I knew the answers to 3. Perhaps you’ll fare better than I did…

4.) This is a fun list, courtesy of Tripbase, of the Top 10 Fictional Travellers. So fun, I can very nearly forgive ‘Waldo’ where ‘Wally’ should be…

5.) Gael Chatelain got in touch with me regarding an interesting publishing decision for her second novel, Do Unto Others. It is published online, to include music that Chatelain has herself composed – and here’s the interesting part: you can choose how much to pay for it, from zilch upwards. Click here for more.

Oh, and the picture? Entirely irrelevant to the post… except, isn’t she SCHWEET?!

I got an email yesterday which reminded me I’d yet to talk about Slightly Foxed, who very kindly sent me the Winter 2010 edition of their journal – so I quickly unearthed it from the boxes of books I’d transported from Oxford to Somerset (was it good sense or simply coincidence that made it near the top of the box? Sadly, I suspect, the latter) and have sat down for an enjoyable half an hour. I am very far from exhausting it, and indeed have only read two or three in full, but I wanted to make sure I mentioned it before Christmas – and it’s not the sort of thing you’d want to rush.

For those not in the know, Slightly Foxed (as well as having one of the best selection of second-hand books ever – if not the cheapest – at their bookshop on Gloucester Road in London Town) publish a journal celebrating literature. It’s a very reader-friendly look at a whole range of authors, novels, and genres – not merely those recently published, but mostly those sitting on the margins of literature. As they say in their accompanying material, Slightly Foxed is more like a bookish friend, really, than a literary periodical. Companionable and unstuffy, each quarter it offer 96 pages of personal recommendations for books of lasting interest, old and new – the kind of good reads you knew you were looking for but somehow haven’t been able to find.If you’re anything like me, you’re thinking “that sounds a lot like a blog” – and you’re not wrong. It has the heart of a blog, but in print, and a selection of great names, great editing, and exhaustively researched. When I say the ‘heart of a blog’, I mean the sort of things they use to describe themselves above. These are passionate readers writing about books people might actually want to read.

My main bugbear with Slightly Foxed – and the reason why, until now, I have looked at their periodicals but never bought them. They are incredibly coy about the contents. The contents page tries to lure with titles as vague as ‘Cheers!’; ‘No Swotting…’; ‘Uncomfortable Truths’; ‘Essential Baggage’; ‘Spellbound’ etc. etc. Even now that I’ve at least flicked through every article, I can’t remember to which works these titles further. Presumably this ambiguity is deliberate… but why? I find it infuriating, and if the pieces themselves weren’t so captivating, I’m not sure I’d think it worth the struggle.

Because once you’ve been baffled by the contents, and fought your way through to the pieces, there are so many treats. Slightly Foxed have genuine variety and lesser-known authors, rather than simply nodding towards someone like Graham Greene and pretending they’re obscure. The authors considered range from the fairly familiar (John Betjeman, Daisy Ashford) to those with whom I’m familiar, but recognise aren’t all that widely known (Molly Keane, Beverley Nichols) to – by far the biggest category – those about whom I know nothing (Joann Sfar, Tete-Michel Kpomassiem…) I would be surprised if anybody could pick any SF up and not meet a new friend.

With so much variety, I can only really give a general recommendation. I will, however, quickly mention the first piece, by Daisy Hay, on that adorable book The Young Visiters [sic] by Daisy Ashford. Like all the other articles, this is four-parts appreciation to one-part literary criticism (much more fun than straight lit crit, I’m sure you’ll agree) but I did learn that my beloved Katherine Mansfield wrote one of the first reviews of the book. For those who don’t know The Young Visiters, it was written by a nine year old, later found and published with a foreword by J.M. Barrie. Basically it’s the adult world as understood by a child, but one who spent much of her time eavesdropping on grown-up conversation, mingling register in her writing. Hay points out her favourite line as ‘Oh Hurrah shouted Ethel I shall soon be ready as I had my bath last night so wont wash very much now.’ Hay writes delightfully of the book and, even if it sheds little new light on the work, it is thoroughly enjoyable to read.

I definitely think any fond reader of blogs would enjoy Slightly Foxed, if they can afford a subscription (may I suggest a last minute Christmas present for the bibliophile in your life – or something to drop hints about?) – it’s full of appreciation, celebration, admiration, and jubilation. You’ll nod in agreement when meeting old friends; hunt through your shelves when spying casual acquaintances; and run to the bookshop when greeting attractive strangers.

I don’t know about you, but I’m always a little nonplussed when people talk about the perfect book to read on the beach, or in autumn, or when it’s cold, etc. etc. I tend simply to read the book I want or need to read next, with little consideration for the temperature, season, or day of the week.

But this year, I’m embracing it – I’ve lined up a couple of books which I think are perfect for long winter evenings. Why does winter suit long books in my head? I baulk at the idea of fluffy fiction on beaches – surely uninterrupted time on the beach is perfect for long, complex novels? – but chunky novels for winter seem to work. And I’ve got a couple lined up – Great Expectations by one Mr. C. Dickens, and Sarah Waters’ The Night Watch. You know my feelings about long books, but I’m going to put the winter evenings to good use.

I’m about 50 pages into Great Expectations and loving it. How have I not read any Dickens since 2004? I’ve read Hard Times, David Copperfield, and Our Mutual Friend and either loved or very much liked them all. And I’m loving this one – Dickens’ way with dialogue is unparalleled.

But I’ll write about it properly when I’m finished – this post is just to ask whether or not you have any Christmas/winter reading planned, and whether or not you plan your reading by season etc.? Let me know!