To acquire the habit of reading is to construct for yourself a refuge from almost all the miseries of life. – Somerset Maugham
Five of the books I read this year were sent to me from the depths of Lancashire by my former Latin master John McC. I thank him again for these great reads: Death in Summer by William Trevor; The Doctor’s Wife by Brian Moore; The Children of Dynmouth by William Trevor; Love and Summer by William Trevor; and Other People’s Lives by William Trevor.
(An *** after the entry means I re-read the book.)
JANUARY
1. Kingfisher by Gerald Seymour***
2. Field of Blood by Gerald Seymour***
FEBRUARY
3. Purge by Sofi Oksanen
4. The Spider’s Web by Nigel McCrery
MARCH
5. Kennedy’s Brain by Henning Mankell
6. Death in Summer by William Trevor
7. The Doctor’s Wife by Brian Moore
8. Running Wild by J.G. Ballard
9. Strata by Terry Pratchet
APRIL
10. The Shooting Party by Isobel Colegate
11. Green River Rising by Tim Willocks***
12. Get Shorty by Elmore Leonard***
13. Mr Majestyk by Elmore Leonard***
14. Unknown Man No 89 by Elmore Leonard***
MAY
15. Tinker, Tailor, Soldier Spy by John le Carré***
16. The Children of Dynmouth by William Trevor
17. The Children of Men by P.D. James***
18. Love and Summer by William Trevor
JUNE
19. Greybeard by Brian Aldiss***
20. The Sense of an Ending by Julian Barnes
21. The Turn of the Screw by Henry James***
22. Touch by Elmore Leonard***
23. Earthly Powers by Anthony Burgess***
24. Headlong by Michael Frayn***
JULY
25. Other People’s Lives by William Trevor
26. The Chrysalids by John Wyndham***
AUGUST
27. Karate It’s Not All Bowing, Grunting and Farting! By Paul & Barbara Chadwick***
28. Amazonia by James Rollins
SEPTEMBER
29. The Daffodil Affair by Michael Innes
30. The Rainmaker by John Grisham
OCTOBER
31. Time for a Tiger by Anthony Burgess***
32. The Enemy in the Blanket by Anthony Burgess***
33. Beds in the East by Anthony Burgess***
NOVEMBER
34. Home Run by Gerald Seymour
35. La théorie du panda by Pascal Garnier (French)
DECEMBER
36. Doctored Evidence by Donna Leon
37. Knock by Jules Romains (French)
Some good stuff there! William Trevor is a lovely writer – The Children of Dynmouth is a very disturbing book but terrific. I must find my copy and re-read it. Get Shorty is my favourite Elmore Leonard.
Have you read Towards the End of the Morning by Michael Frayn? If not, it’s well worth seeking out – one of the best and funniest newspaper novels ever written. Any resemblance to the Telegraph may or may not be purely coincidental…
Bill, Yes, I have read Towards the End of the Morning by Michael Frayn – a classic. But a long while ago; I must get hold of a copy and re-read it. Get Shorty is great and I also enjoyed the film. Bonne Année!
And to you! Health and happiness.
oh so much wonderful william trevor!
Great…I’m just about to order books and this list wil be superb!
A belated but warm bonne annee form me, too. I am mightily impressed and shamed by your list which includes many books I may well have considered reading but never got around to acquiring, even free from the library.
I just posted my 2012 reading list too, I see we only have one book in common this year. I’ll update my “to read” list from yours!