By the end of the year all the words just pile up, so there’s a need to assess the situation so we can all move on. Looking back I note that my reading this year was reasonably eclectic, but unfortunately not always satisfying. Thankfully there weren’t any books read that were as noxiously offensive as the infamous Finkler Question (I will not even reference it - you just don’t want to know...); but probably the least worthy was Sarah Dunant’s Sacred Hearts. That was a book club read, so I had no choice in the matter - the things I do! Enforced reading has its benefits however, with Hannah Kent’s Burial Rites proving to be one of the best novels I have ever read, and that’s no mean feat. Other highlights include The Rachel Papers by Martin Amis, J.G.Ballard’s The Complete Short Stories, Samuel Delany’s The Einstein Intersection and Annabel Smith’s The Ark, which achieves that rare feat of pushing at the boundaries of the novel.
Do I have any New Year’s resolutions? No - I just want to read.
So pleased my book was one of your highlights of the year. I think Burial Rites is a brilliant book too. I was lucky enough to interview Hannah about it at Perth Writer's festival last year and it was so interesting to hear more about her writing and thinking process behind the book.
ReplyDeleteI haven't read The Finkler Question but I've heard nothing but negative reviews. And this year I attempted Jacobsen's book 'J' and found it utterly impenetrable. So I'm not in a rush to try anything else he's written.
Hope 2015 will be a good reading year for you. Here's my wrap-up of my year in reading http://annabelsmith.com/?p=2420
I'd give Jacobson a wide berth! Hope all is going well with your book and actually I'll have to email you about that....
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