The surprise of the year was Ten Thousand Apologies: Fat White Family and the Miracle of Failure by Adelle Stripe and Lias Saoudi. I have outlived music bios but this was exceptional. https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Fiction honourable mentions to The Book of Emmett by Deborah Forster and one from the past The Sea and Summer by George Turner. Both conceptually fine novels. The outstanding Richard Flanagan’s The Narrow Road to the Deep North was at times breathtaking. “A great book compels you to reread your own soul.” I read the most depressing novel I have ever read in my life. A Fine Balance by Rohinton Mistry. Not much to say about that one.
On the other end of the scale the fun book of the year was the gently humorous Poor Man Wealth by Rod Usher.
For the Term of His Natural Life by Marcus Clark was outstanding, an Australian classic.
Nonfiction honourable mentions to War by Sebastian Junger and The Age of Kali by William Dalrymple had me glued to the pages. Tribe another by Sebastian Junger was very thought provoking. A Brief History of Thailand by Richard A. Ruth was a fine read on the subject. ...more
My favourites for the year were from Australian authors.
From the past, George Johnston and his magnificent novels My Brother Jack and its equally superb Clean Straw For Nothing.
Contemporary author Richard Flanagan was a read three times, with each book a pleasure beyond expectations. All three novels read had a differing theme other than the fact they were set in Tasmania.
Nature writing has never been something I had really thought I would enjoy, but Rogue Intensities by Angela Rockel was a joy.
I came into the possession of Misty Moderns: Australian Tonalists 1915 – 1950 that was produced on behalf of The Art Gallery of South Australia for an exhibition of Tonalist artists held in 2008 with this book produced by exhibition curator Tracey Lock-Weir. Love this coffee table style publication. A pleasure to look at the wonderful art from that period when the mood takes, and a book I will dip in and out of for many years to come....more
26 books. 10 less than last year. After covid dissipated as a major disruption to my working life time was very much of the essence. Work became hecti26 books. 10 less than last year. After covid dissipated as a major disruption to my working life time was very much of the essence. Work became hectic and long. I began to take later in life exercise as important to my wellbeing and spent at least a couple of hours a day walking. This all changed my reading habits. I am not sure it was that good a reading year other than a couple that stood out.
Musicophilia: Tales of Music and the Brain by Oliver Sacks It was interesting to read my review back. I have since discovered Spotify and it has changed my music listening. It has allowed my need to discover and listen to new music to be reignited. https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
The A Brief History serious produced a gem in A Brief History of the Crusades: Islam and Christianity in the Struggle for World Supremacy by Geoffrey Hindley. https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
In terms of personal pleasure I really enjoyed Norfolk Island: A Revised and Enlarged History 1774-1998 by Merval Hoare. I suppose a visit to what seemed a quant speck in the ocean that I had no intention of ever visiting but enjoyed immensely helped. https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Homage To Catalonia by George Orwell is a must read for anyone who has an interest in the thoughts and ideas that were the genesis for his great works of later years. https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Russell Braddon’s The Naked Island is a must read for anyone with the stomach for a brutal firsthand account of life as a POW under the Japanese in WW2. https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Language Families of the World is an excellent primer for anyone with an interest in language but is not requiring too much depth on the subject. Perfect for the inquisitive. https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Non fiction. The following were superb Australian History and a must read for anyone with an interest in that area. 'Me Write Myself’: The Free Aboriginal Inhabitants of Van Diemen’s Land at Wybalenna, 1832–47 by Leonie Stevens. https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3...
In the non Australian area KL: A History of the Nazi Concentration Camps by Nikolaus Wachsmann was outstanding and to quote GR friend Sharn ‘I cannot recommend this book highly enough, though it is of course with a heavy heart. Monumental.’
I was blessed with some superb fiction this year. A Brief History of Seven Killings by Marlon James and The Sellout by Paul Beatty both won the Man BoI was blessed with some superb fiction this year. A Brief History of Seven Killings by Marlon James and The Sellout by Paul Beatty both won the Man Booker and long may, in my opinion, that award provide such profoundly brilliant reading. I also read some wonderful Australian literature that left me impressed in a manner that had me salivating for more. Tirra Lirra by the River by Jessica Anderson, Harlands Half Acre by David Malouf, A Descant For Gossips, Wake in Fright by Kenneth Cook and To The Islands by Randolph Stow showed my native literature at its finest. Add to that a play by David Ireland called Image in the Clay that I found profoundly interesting.
Honourable mentions include The Harp of the South by Ruth Park. If not for slight surgery sweet writing this would also have been mentioned above.
Last but not least is the magnificent Life and Fate by Vasily Grossman. For me a masterpiece.
On the nonfiction front this year was a letdown. The best was probably The Vandemonian Wars by Nick Brodie. This book was in fact a laborious read but had a significant story to tell. The Cultural Revolution by Frank Dikotter was of the standard of the previous 2 in his trilogy on China and a must read for anyone that has an interest in the subject. One book I really enjoyed was Everett Ruess : A Vagabond For Beauty that was a fascinating local tale of a young traveller who went missing in the Utah desert in 1934. A link to what I read in 2017. https://www.goodreads.com/review/list...
This year I am making no promises to myself on what I read. Let what I am in the mood for be how it is....more
Goodreads has changed my reading habits over the past few years. Previously my reading of fiction was very limited but has expanded due to explorationGoodreads has changed my reading habits over the past few years. Previously my reading of fiction was very limited but has expanded due to exploration of others reading habits. I now look forward to actually reading fiction! From previously reading very little local literature, Australian, I have found to my surprise how much I have enjoyed it.
His other book The Glass Canoe was also a wonderful read and is the epitome, for me at least, of that I believe is called Comparative Literature. Fantastic book.
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The Glass Canoe
I have a couple more of Ireland's to get through and will be doing so in 2017.
Both Don Quixote and Flowers of Algernon were as good as suggested by the critics and readers. I enjoyed them thoroughly. All The Light we Cannot See was also a very good book and will, I think, be remembered well into the future. This review here by Will Byrnes sums this book up for me. https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
One other fiction work deserves to be mentioned. I loved Pavane by Keith Roberts with a passion. The poetical and lyrical writing was spellbinding for me personally. I reread chapters, called Measures by the author, being absolutely sucked into his alternate world. Why he tacked on the last chapter left me astonished. My advice to those that like descriptive fiction of the alternate style is read this book but do not read the last chapter.
On the non fiction front two stand-outs for the year.
Tony Judt's Postwar: A History of Europe Since 1945 was superb. Well written, informative, thoughtful and maybe as good an attempt at being historically even handed as I can think of.
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Postwar: A History of Europe Since 1945
I also had the "pleasure" of reading the worst history book I have ever read. Band of Brothers by Stephan Ambrose is without a doubt appalling. It rates high on Goodreads and I put that down to the very good TV serious that brought to life the individuals for the average reader.
2017 I am aiming for 45 books read. I have six WW2 books lined up for book club read. In between I will finish out David Ireland and a couple of other Australian authors. I also hope to read more Stuart and English Civil War/War of the Three Kingdoms. A period I enjoy and have neglected recently.
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