Even though I'm not an enthusiast of doing year reviews, I do enjoy looking back on the books I read and do a top 5. First of all, it's fun to look back and see that you didn't even remember the books you read (I only do because I write them down). And then you can look back and think of the ones that really inspired you and that were really significant and sometimes this brings a surprise or two.
This year, it wasn't very hard to pick the good ones. This wasn't the best reading year of my life, I'm afraid.
- The Lost Art of Keeping Secrets (Eva Rice) - reading this book was like eating a luxury cake with layers. It is a girly book, don't be mistaken, even the pages are pink on the side. But it has the most perfect ingredients - a 50's setting, the dawn of rock'n'roll, an old mansion, unusual characters, particularly a young man who is a magician and names like Penelope and Igby and really decent writing.
- Passion (Jude Morgan) - Not only is the book long, but each page contains a world of images, feelings and thoughts, a lifetime of considerations. You have to take it slowly but if you do you'll enjoy every step of the way. True masterpiece!
- Love in Idleness (Charlotte Mendelson) - this book is so crazy but also so inspirational. I drank every sentence and it is a big influence on how I write at the moment.
- La Aventura del Tocador de Senoras (Eduardo Mendoza) (portuguese version) - more or less 'the adventure in the ladies hairdresser's' - hilarious book, completely nonsensical and funny.
- Dynamic of the Unconscious: Seminars in Psychological Astrology (Liz Greene /Howard Sasportas) - the non-fiction section of my top5. Wow, just wow. I'm still reading this because I'm taking one step at the time but the way they explain archetypes and psychological development with Astrology is simply brilliant.
Posts
14 comments:
why, thank you for that!
thank you for your list...i've been having trouble reading books lately. i've read about 6 this year but that's pathetic for me! (i'll spare you the long list of those i only got halfway through before abandoning them...sigh)
hm, i guess i should say LAST year! :)
Those sound like interestign books. I read too many wonderful books last year and can't decide on a top 5...
Outliers: A Story of Success -Malcolm Gladwell
Incendiary -Chris Cleave
The Sacred and Profane Love Machine -Iris Murdoch
Pulp -Charles Bukowski
The Bad Place -Dean Koontz
Shadow: Oh, don't thank me, there's no need.
Chrispito: Yeah, that happens sometimes. Except I'm really strict with myself I always finish whatever I'm reading, no matter how awful it is. lol
Crafty: Oh lucky you :)
SirBarrett: Oh cool! You did your own list. Will investigate.
your pictures on your blog are very artistic...i really like them..thought provoking
DM- Thx. I'm a voracious reader, but like you, I only remember if I write them down or see the title in print.
I've not read any of these. Onto my list!
devil, this is an interesting list. will surely look them up. i did a lot of re-reading this year. and i, like sirbarret will share a small list for everyone's benefit.
the wind up bird chronicle -
haruki murakami
the liar - stephen fry
the glass palace - amitav ghosh
the white castle - orhan pamuk
and chrispito, i went an entire year without reading. but i quickly made up for that in the next six months. hang in there.
Hi Milly, thanks. I took this one by accident but it turned out to be funny. :)
Gel - they usually get mixed up if I don't write them down - I think: now when did I read this?
Phish: thanks for that. I read that Murakami one. I don't know what to say about it. I'm divided between thinking it was a good experience or an awful waste of many, many hours. lol
I read 'Passion' beacause you recomended it...everything you say in this review is true..but I found I had to work hard to finish it! Books are sometimes like milestones in the year..but they are also like saplings that grow within you deepening your experience and knowledge.
Niall: I am divided - on the one hand I force myself to read every book until the end but on the other I think we should only read what feels right to us. Passion was a bit of a challenge language-wise but I always wanted to keep reading.
I loved the swirl effect.
I feel it shows like you have read so much and in spite of that, some truly stayed out from the large array on the shelf. :)
Aathira, that's a nice way of looking at it. That bookshelf is from a store, made entirely of comic books. ;)
Post a Comment