Well following in deense‘s footsteps I’ve decided to keep track of my books this year!
1 – The Sea by John Banville
This book was winner of the Man Booker Prize last year and I have to admit I read almost all of it between xmas and new year – but it still squeaks onto this year’s list by a few pages 😉
It’s one of those books that takes you somewhat by surprise – it seems to prattle along reminiscing about a childhood holiday – but then is more than you were expecting. I really think I’ll have to reread.
2 – Lords and Ladies and 3 – Guards! Guards! by Terry Pratchett (both reread)
I read these in the immediate post party timeframe – as I needed something fluffy before I went back to Mr Literature 😉 The first is a Witches story – with Granny Weatherwax in a conflict of wills with the aforementioned Lords and Ladies (elves). The second is the first time the Night Watch appear and introduces Carrot, Sam Vimes, Nobby et al.
I love Terry Pratchett and read each new book happily when they come out – they’re not qute total fluff and well written – but are a bit of a guilty pleasure.
4 – Kafka on the Shore by Haruki Murakami
The best way to describe this for me is Japanese magic realism… An old man who talks to cats, a mysterious killing and the central character a 15 year old boy who runs away from home. I loved this – but don’t expect all the ends to get neatly tied up!
5 – On Beauty by Zadie Smith
This is her third novel – the first one White Teeth was a critic’s pick (and I liked it too).
On Beauty is about a family living in a college town near Boston. The father is an English white art history academic and the mother a black nurse their three children range in age from 15 to 21. They come in contact with right wing black academic and plot ensues 😉 This beautiful novel deals with issues of class and race identity as well as just being very engaging.