Cornflower Blues, 2018

    My books of the year list is a shorter one this time (here is last year's for comparison).

    In non-fiction, Henry Marsh makes a reappearance, this time with Admissions his second volume of memoirs, while Laura Freeman - an outstanding newcomer - shares top spot for The Reading Cure.

    In fiction, Dear Mrs. Bird came along at a very difficult time, but A.J. Pearce's perfect pitch helped me through; Anne Youngson, showing that you're never too old to begin a new career, is a worthy Blue with her debut Meet Me at the Museum (which is getting the wider recognition it deserves), and joining them on the podium are two old hands, Kate Atkinson for Transcription, and William Boyd for Love is Blind.

    If you have a moment, perhaps you'd share your reading highlights of the year.

Comments

[Adele Geras]

My highlights: 5 novels by Mick Herron, plus 2 novellas by him. Tombland by CJSansom. The Great Beli vets by Rebecca Makkah and in non fiction Educated by Tara Westover. Happy New Year to you and yours! Xx

[Adele Geras]

Great Believers! Sorry!

[Cornflower]

Super! Thank you, Adele, and the same to you! xx

[Mary]

The one book that still resonates with me this year is Handywoman by Kate Davies. Very moving, real life story.

[Cornflower]

I haven't read it, Mary, but I do follow Kate and I know her story - she used to live quite near me and I met her once when we were both out walking our dogs so I had the chance to talk to her briefly about her recovery.

[Anne B-A]

Some interesting suggestions here - thank you! 2018 has been a very good and satisfying reading year for me. My best reads are as follows - Commonwealth by Ann Patchett, The Tenant of Wildfell Hall by Anne Bronte, Home Fire by Kamila Shamsie, The Heart is a Lonely Hunter by Carson MCCullers, Moonfleet by Falkner, (I remember loving it as a child and I completely loved re-reading it at the grand age of 54!) Old Filth by Jane Gardam (why has it taken me so long to discover Jane Gardam???) and Educated by Tara Westover. I am kicking 2019 off with Northanger Abbey as it is such a long time since I have read it I cannot remember the story and I fancy a little of Jane Austen to ease me into the new year.

Thanks for such a great blog Karen - you are very generous spirited with your writing and thoughts. Happy new year to you!

[Victoria]

I had a really good reading year. Stand out for me was Trio by Sue Gee which I'd never have read if it wasn't for you! I loved Meet Me at the Museum too, less keen on Dear Mrs Bird though I enjoyed it. Loved Commonwealth, The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden and The Others series by Anne Bishop, top notch urban fantasy.

And the "Can't think why I haven't read him before" slot is Colm Toibin who is just wonderful.

[Anne]

Main standout fiction for me The Essex Serpent by Sarah Perry, The Mitford Murders by Jessica Fellowes, Night Train to Lisbon byPascal Mercier and The Keeper of Lost Things Ruth Hogan, for non fiction I enjoyed Pilgrims Guide to Scotland by DonaldSmith. I have ordered Transgressions by Kate Atkinson from the library.
Best wishes for the coming year to you , Karen ,from Anne

[Cornflower]

Jane Gardam is great!
A good idea to start the year with JA - she's very much on my 'must re-read' list, too.
Thank you for your kind words, Anne; a happy new year to you, and hope to see you soon (I'll be in touch!).

[Cornflower]

So glad Trio is finding new fans!
Victoria, we should have a post (or series) titled 'Can't think why ...' - I've yet to read CT, though I've had The Master on my wish list for ages.

[Cornflower]

Thank you, Anne, and I'm glad to hear The Mitford Murders is good as it caught my eye a while ago. As for The Essex Serpent, I had to put it down (to read something else) when I was not far in so I must begin again.

[Fran H-B]

A good reading year for me, several on my lists have been first heard of here so thank you. Meet me at The Museum is one, and I hope it grows in readership as very special. Always hard to whittle down my list but the very best include Circe by Madeline Miller, The Music Shop, Rachel Joyce, The Gallows Pole, Benjamin Myers and Burial Rites by Hannah Kent. A month long read of The Odyssey in June was certainly a highlight of the year. Plenty of non- fiction too; Orchid Summer by Jon Dunn, The Salt Path; Raynor Winn, Something of His Art; Horatio Clare and Curlew Moon by Mary Colwell. A few vague plans for 2019 which include more biography and 'classics' which I have had on my shelf and never got round to. One thing is certain, I will never read all the books I would like to, which does mean I shall never be without something to read!

[Jane from Dorset]

Lots of books I would like to read in the lists above but they haven’t yet arrived in the local Ixfam shop. However if you are willing to wait they usually appear....
This year’s good reads we’re All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr, Crawford by Alex Langland, Five Rivers Met on a Wooded Plain (partly set in Salisbury hospital and I read it while I was a patient so a confusion of fact and fiction), Transcriptions by Kate Atkinson and The Outrun by Amy Liptrot.
Best wishes for 2019 and thank you for your inspirational blogs when so many others have stopped writing.

[LizF]

I agree with you on Dear Mrs Bird and also loved The Salt Path, The Outrun and Lucy Mangan's Bookworm which I see in your sidebar ( and I thought was a joy!)

Colm Toibin is a wonderful writer although I have yet to read The Master - time to search the library catalogue perhaps!

[Cornflower]

I have Circe waiting, also Burial Rights, so thank you for the reminder.

[Cornflower]

Thank you, Jane.

[Cornflower]

Glad to hear you liked Bookworm!

[Margaret Powling]

I gave up on Dear Mrs Bird, I found it irritating and a bit silly. But I loved Meet me at the Museum, it was a beautiful story.