Would you like a book?

 

    Thanks to a kind publisher I am giving away a beautiful, very Cornflower-y book over on the other site, but on this site off my own bat and as it's World Book Night I'd like to offer a copy of the Orange Prize shortlisted The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller to some lucky winner. I know I've gone on about that novel since I read it last year, but I thought it was breathtaking and I really do want to shout about it.

    To enter (and the draw is open to all, regardless of location), please leave a comment on this post naming a novel you've particularly enjoyed over the last year or so, and I'll pull a name out of the hat soon.

Comments

[Lomazowr]

MR. Churchill's secretary

[Dorothy]

I have just finished 'Faith' by Jennifer Haigh and it was the best modern fiction I have read all year. I had to insert modern because i have also re-read and loved The Go-Between by L.P. Hartley.

[Nicola]

I have recently read 'Everything Beautiful Began After' by Simon Van Booy. Simon Van Booy is a recipient of the Frank O'Connor Short Story Prize, and his novel certainly reads with the 'poeticness' and precision of a short story. Anyone who is interested in the depths to which language can reach should read this book.

[LauraC]

Best book that I have read in the last year is Greenbanks by Dorothy Whipple.

[Janice]

My favorite books so far this year are "The Night Circus" by Erin Mergenstern and "The English Major" by Jim Harrison

Now I would dearly love to read "Song of Achilles" - I read a sample on my Kindle.

[Katie B]

I have only recently read Sense and Sensibility, and loved it. I hadn't appreciated Austen's humor before.

Katie

[Natalia]

It sounds like an interesting book.
After Downtown Abbey I read The House at Riverton by Kate Morton and really liked. Then, continuing with the WWI theme, I discovered the Ian Rutledge's mystery novels by Charles Todd.

[LynneHiscoe]

The Hare with Amber Eyes by Edmund de Waal was my favourite book in the past year.
The Song of Achilles sounds wonderful!

[Melissa]

Oh gosh, it's hard to pick just one book so I'll mention two - definitely loved When God was a Rabbit by Sarah Winman but that was at least last year! Recently I liked The Snow Child by Eowyn Ivey.

Thanks for the chance to win this book!m

[craftygreenpoet]

I just finished Bleak House by Charles Dickens which I thoroughly enjoyed!

[Karen]

Set in Louisiana at the end of the nineteenth century, my choice is 'The Awakening' by Kate Chopin.

[margaret46]

I enjoyed The Kashmir Shawl and have passed it on to a friend.Please put my name into the hat-thanks.

[Pam - Travellin' Penguin]

Just want to say I think it is a lovely idea to give away a book. I don't need to go into the draw as I have so many TBR books I am afraid it may sit on the pile of books here and go all musty and it sounds too nice for that. Hope the winner enjoys it. Pam

[Dark Puss]

Hard work but getting a very positive thumbs up from me my recommendation is The Magic Mountain.

[A Facebook User]

The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry. Original and thought-provoking.

[m]

My favourite so far this year has been Pure by Andrew Miller.

[Geraldine]

Have just finished The Dovekeepers by Alice Hoffman and enjoyed it greatly.

[Tracey]

Waiting for Sunrise....Fabulous read!

[cindy]

Like Pam, I don't want a book either - that pile by my bed won't read itself. However, couldn't resist saying that this year I've discovered Barbara Pym (what took me so long!) and particularly enjoyed Excellent Women. Now I'm immersed in The Sisters Brothers by Patrick deWitt - and loving it. It really is different from my usual choices - and literally a world away from Ms Pym!

[michi]

Since I happened to find this wonderful website a couple of months ago, I've been enjoying visiting here every day, but my shyness has kept me from leaving comments. But I  'm taking this opportunity to say hello and let you know that here is another fan of your site.

My best reading, although I haven't finished yet, is Stefan Zweig's "The Post Office Girl". I came across this book at my local library without any knowledge except author's name, but it's turned out to be a great read. Hopefully it has a satisfying ending, ideally a happy one as I'm sympathising  and empathising the heroine a lot.

[Lauren]

Inda by Sherwood Smith! I really enjoyed it!

[melody]

I really enjoyed The Sense of an Ending by Julian Barnes and am amazed he achieved so much in such a short book.

[Claire]

I am reading some Elizabeth Taylor novels as this is her centenary. Reminding me of Barbara Pym and so I think Cindy might like them. As with a couple of other readers, don't include me in the draw. Already so many waiting!

[ChrisCross53]

Best recent read has to be Miss Hargreaves, by Frank Baker, which is absolutely delightful, but has a dark edge.

[Marina McIntire]

Oooh! So many recommended books here; I'll have to come back and cull the best of them.
My best this year was Bleak House. Dickens made me laugh and cry! I read it to honor his 200th -- but I never expected to be so moved by this story. After all, I've seen at least one television version. It was wonderful.

[Cornflower]

I've read a collection of his short stories and was very impressed.

[Cornflower]

Hello, Michi, and thankyou for your kind words!

[Rosie H]

The best new-to-me novel I have read this year probably has to be Barbara Euphan Todd's Miss Ranskill Comes Home - but other Persephones have run it very close, especially Bricks and Mortar. Please add me to the draw!

[ctussaud]

I recently read The Bellweather Revivals by Benjamin Wood (Secret History meets Brideshead in Cambridge!) and am very keen to read The song of Achilles. May I draw your attention to Christopher Logue's poems set on The Iliad:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=christopher+logue+war+music&x=0&y=0

[elaine rickett]

My favourite read this year has to be The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society by Mary Ann Schaeffer. Once I had read it I turned back to the first page and read it again.

[Nancy]

Spy Story, by Len Deighton.

I participated in the World Book Night (U.S.) - and chose The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks. Since we weren't home yesterday, I delivered the 20 copies of the book today to the Amherst Survival Center that serves quite a sizeable population of low-income families, single moms, welfare recipients, and the homeless as well. My books were delivered to a local bookstore whose owner was also a participant - he delivered 20 copies of Barbara Kingsolver's Poisonwood Bible to the same location, passing them out as lunch was being served yesterday (I wasn't able to be there before lunch was over today). The folks can take a book to keep or to read and return for someone else to read.

[EllenB]

I loved Kingfishers Catch Fire by Rumer Godden. I have long been a fan of hers, have read most of her works for adults, and wonder why she is not read or talked about much these days.

[Claire 'Word by Word']

Most recently I was quickly drawn into and continuously hanuted by 'The Snow Child' a rare mix of exquisite storytelling and a quality of writing and use of language that seemed to push all my buttons. Always looking for the next one that will delight equally and trying to understand why.

[Iris]

I have read so many enjoyable books this year, but to stick with the theme of the Orange Prize for this year, I'll name "Island of Wings".

[Victoria Corby]

Definitely the star read of the last year was A Moveable Feast by Hemmingway (and usually I hate him) which is faction - he said it's fiction but it's about his time in Paris in the 20's. Otherwise I read two other outstanding books which are completely out of my normal reading zone, Lonesome Dove and Under An English Heaaven by Robert Radcliffe, one about cowboys, the other about bomber pilots, and both simply brilliant reads.

[SmitoniusAndSonata]

I really enjoyed Major Pettigrew's Last Stand . It made a long train journey pass very pleasantly .

[Lila]

I really enjoyed reading The Fountain Overflows with your book group! I have passed it on to a friend who loved it too.

[Helen]

I really liked 'An Equal Stillness' by Francesca Kay. I think you recommended it on this site. Loved the pace and the style.

[Gill Edwards]

I loved 'before i go to sleep' by SJ Watson. it was so gripping with a clever twist in the tale.

[Puffin Patchwork]

I would love to read The Song of Achilles after reading your review. I love Mary Renault's The King Must Die and The Bull from the Sea, so it sounds like my cup of tea.
My favourite new reads recently are I Capture the Castle and the Provincial Lady series. My favourite re-read, The Heaven Tree by Edith Pargeter, the first in a trilogy which I highly recommend!

[Evelyn]

I loved 'The Evolution of Bruno Littlemore' by Benjamin Hale.

[Anji]

My list of books to be read is quite long, not to mention the pile by my bed waiting for my attention and it would seem that each day there is more delicious offerings to tempt me. This year I have enjoyed Major Pettigrew's last Stand by Helen Simonson and Maps for lost Lovers by Nadeem Aslam.

In my travels around the city and across the Province I have enjoyed listening to Winter in Madrid by CJ Samson, the Swan Thieves by Elizabeth Kostova and currently in the cd player is The Right Stuff by Elizabeth Jane Howard.

[Mystica]

I loved the book on Edwina Mountbatten by Janet Morgan which I recently read and reviewed. Gave me a totally different picture to the one we generally know about.

[Arti]

Hope I'm not too late to the game. A while ago I read Colum McCann's and was really impressed by his writing. Recently I finished his Everything in this Country Must which consists of a novella and two short stories, and they are very moving, affirming my great respect and admiration for McCann's spare and powerful writing.

[Arti]

Must be a glitch, I meant to write down "... I read Colum McCann's Let the Great World Spin in the above comment. Thanks.

[Pippa]

Am i too late-favourite book this year "Gillespie and I". Have recommended this to so many people.

Pippa

[Margaret Powling]

My favourite of last year: Season of Light by Katharine McMahon.

[Deborah]

I loved Andrew Taylor's "The Anatomy of Ghosts" - a compelling and beautifully written novel. This was quickly followed by "Bledding Heart Square" which was just as good.

[Rebecca]

Am currently "reading" a fascinating book about Creativity called Imagine: How Creativity Works by Jonah Lerher. Fascinating. Unusual for me to read non-fiction, but what a pleasure!

[AnnP]

Several of my favourite novels have already been mentioned so I'll go with Gillian Lynne - A Dancer in Wartime.