Someone in my on-line book club suggested we compile a Top Ten list of the fiction, and the non-fiction books we read this year – and re-reads counted too, if the re-read was this year. This gave me much happy thinking time, though I was pleased that we were satisfied with just the two lists, rather than ranking WITHIN those lists, else the arguments with myself and the shufflings up and down could have taken me into daffodil time next year. All, being books I loved, were reviewed on here, follow the links for those gushy, enthusing reviews
So, in no particular preference order but more or less the ‘as I read and reviewed’ order here are, Ta Daa………..The Fictions
1) The Wall. Marlen Haushofer. This has nothing to do with Pink Floyd, though it was also made into a film!
Marlen Haushofer was an Austrian author who wrote this rather extraordinary post-apocalypse book in the 60s, later made into an equally wonderful movie, prompting the welcome reissue of the book. It has been mis-described as an eco-feminist Utopian novel. Eco-feminist it may well be, but some people have a remarkable idea of Utopia, is all I can say!
2) Dark Matter by Michelle Paver. This is a chiller/thriller set in the far far North. And how I love books with a setting in the freezing cold of Nordic isolation. Beautifully written, Madness, class and utter isolation and things which can’t be named, set in the 30s. Genuinely terrifying, a one for the short days as long as there isn’t a power failure!
3) Night Film Marisha Pessl What to say! Donna Tartt’s michievous younger sister (not really, but that is what her writing is like) She has Tartt’s intelligence, but is infinitely more playful. Here are noir god games and solving a mystery all hooked in with indie film making
4) Anthony Doerr’s All The Light We Cannot See is a beautifully written book, with some ‘magical realism’ touches, set in the second world war in Paris and Berlin The central character is a young blind French girl, and a rather gentle young boy in Germany who is swept up by the Nazi machine, into being part of the invading army. The story is told in alternate chapters by the two protagonists, and is wondrous, heart wrenching and stunning
5) The Magus John Fowles I have been reading and re-reading this every 5 or 10 years. This year was one of those years, as reading the Pessl sent me enjoyably back to it. Iconic book, hugely influential. A literary page-turner, I recognised its influence in the Pessl book. Yes it has the flaws of the time, a rather patriarchal elitism but Fowles a novelist who was absolutely extending the literary form, whilst creating a page turner. This was also made into a film. A dreadful one.
6) Bodies of Light Sarah Moss. I’d read her earlier Night Waking, with some reservations, but she had fallen off my radar, till a book club member raved about this one. Which grabbed me without any reservations. Indeed it sent me on to further Moss reads. Stunning. Feminism and much more 1850s-1880s and the fierce women who fought for us to get education
7) The Visitors Rebecca Mascull This might almost be my favourite of the year because it took me so by surprise. Nearly missed it as the dust-jacket makes it look a bit marshmallow. Anything but. Set mainly in Kent and South Africa, at the time of the Boer war, the central character is a wonderfully fierce deaf-blind girl, and how. I’m chomping at the bit for Mascull’s second book to come out in 2015. With this book, she joins the ranks of writers whom I find myself on literary crusade for. I was so impressed by Mascull that offered the chance to interview her by the publsiher, I jumped
8) The Bone Clocks David Mitchell Not his best, but I can never pass a Mitchell book by, and he always leaves me thinking hard. Some real pyrotechnics, a mash-up of times, places, genres and some absolutely stonking writing A writer who seems to have a whole army of voices inside him. A huge novel in scope, style and genre-bending. Some of the sections miss the mark, but others are extraordinary. He hits the bulls-eye so unerringly that the fact that sometimes he clumsily breaks things is forgiveable
9) The Narrow Road To The Deep North Richard Flanagan The Booker this year, and one of those lacerating reads about war – this time Australian POWs in Japanese camps, and the building of the Burma railway, but there is much more to it than that, despite the real horror there is a huge sense of humanity and tenderness rolling through it. Curiously, though I have no stomach at all for the inventions of gore, I continue compelled to read books about the evidence of our atrocities. Writers making us look into the mirror of who we are, for good and ill.
10) This is Life Dan Rhodes As a complete break to my preferred diet of heavy lit fic, this is a delightful bubble, set in the art and performance world in Paris. it’s some kind of romantic fantasy, fabulously written, audacious, utterly joyful and good-humoured and I grinned, smiled and laughed my way through it, which makes a change from weeping my way through a book!
Non-Fiction
I was fairly shocked to see that I hadn’t read that much non fiction this year – and a lot of the books I had read (or re-read) were biographies or autobiographies, particularly – most of which were written by fiction writers. Even so, I did have to work hard to whittle down to 10 specials. I think the autobio subject matter reflects the fact that I am inveterately curious about individual stories, and the way one life can illuminate many. I need to be grabbed by the warmth and immediacy of heart, and the felt sense of in-the-gut truth, as well as the wrestles and weighings up and judgement of mind. So, reflections and stories written by writers, about aspects of their own lives are more likely to engage me than a more academic and distanced study. It also probably illustrates that though i have been through academia, I lack the intellectual rigour of academia, and remain greedy for the subjectivity of individual story
1) To The River Olivia Laing A combination of nature writing (which I love) and writing about literature (which I also love!) Laing walked the length of the River Ouse (where Virginia Woolf drowned herself) there is a lot about Woolf, and other writers and artists with a connection to the area, but also the history, geography and culture of those connected to where the river runs. And as with my love of the immediate story of the author within the subject (providing you resonate to the authorial voice) I like Laing’s relationship to her subjects
2 A Spy Among Friends Ben Macintyre This is the closest I get, in this list, to conventional biography, where the author does not engage in relationship with his subject matter but tells a story (Kim Philby’s) via traditional journalistic research, whilst standing outside the subject (which of course we can never completely do, as the writer/researcher of course arranges material and writes from their own subjectivity
3) Foreign Correspondence Geraldine Brooks Brooks is an Australian author who sets out to discover the penpals she had corresponded with from the 60s, some 30 years later. Lots about history and culture across the world. Its a bit of a detective investigation into her own past, and the lives of those penpals. Full of individual life stories.
5) My Salinger Year Joanne Smith Rakoff. Rakoff worked in an old fashioned literary agent’s – Salinger’s agent and this is a lovely meander around the changing face of publishing, a great book for someone who loves reading about writing, publishing, and all things bookie.
6) Listening to Scent – An Olfactory Journey Jennifer Peace Rhind Okay, a brilliant book about an area I specialise in, lots of stuff about chemistry and developing olfactory skills. I was delighted to find a book which taught me a huge amount of new information in an area I think I know quite a lot about! Probably not so compelling for wider audiences though
7) The Spirit In Aromatherapy Gill Farrar-Halls. Another ‘with my professional hat on’ This time, it’s actually more about the nature of the therapeutic relationship than anything else, even though the title says its about the oils. She’s been a Buddhist most of her life, and there’s a lot of very pertinent stuff about how that has profound effects on how the client/therapist relationship cab be handled. I do like books written from a Buddhist perspective which are not overtly ‘about’ Buddhism
8) Limonov Emmanuel Carrere Back to the territory I normally keep for fiction – disturbing ambiguity. Limonov is an extremely complex,Russian political activist, criminal and writer, often deeply unattractive in some of his actions and ideologies. Carrere is a campaigning French journalist, of Russian ancestry, and uses Limonov’s life to explore Russia in the twentieth century – and also approaches his subject matter from a Buddhist perspective. It’s not a traditional biography, since the writer inserts his own autobiography into the mix
9) How to be a Heroine Samantha Ellis Wonderfully witty account by Ellis, a playwright, of the fictional women who shaped her. It’s another book about reading, the power of literature and would make a great book club read, as you can’t help arguing with Ellis about YOUR favourite heroines which she missed out!
10) Cider With Rosie – Laurie Lee (this was a re-read) In some ways reading the Olivia Laing sent me back to Lee, who also later set out on an epic walk, this is about the Gloucestershire he left, and is one of those wonderful books where the connection to ‘what it means to be English’ is passionate and beautiful, a sense of landscape and culture, a recording of ways of life and community which were already dying when Lee recorded them, in the 30s. A pride and ownership of the roots to time and place, without jingoism
So…………did any of these make your ‘best reads of the year’ lists? And, as pertinently, will any of them have a chance of making your 2015 lists!
I’d love to read The Visitors and This Is Life. Will look for it. 🙂
Oh, brilliant choices! – they are both, in the end, feel-good without saccharine
Yay! I’m excited to read them. 😉
I really enjoyed The Narrow Road to the Deep North, and there’s a couple of others there that I’ve had my eye on so I’ll have to give them a go. Thanks for the recommendations.
You’re welcome Liz.
No I’m sorry – I must insist you put them in order and declare a Book of the Year… hurry up!
Well, I’m intrigued to see that our lists don’t have a single crossover this year – this may be a first! However I did enjoy A Spy Among Friends and still have Dark Matter on the TBR… both from your recommendations. 🙂
Well I kind of hinted that the Mascull has been a stand-out, but then all the others say ‘Me! ME!
The Toibin was one of the 6 or 7 other fictions which I struggled with, wondering if there was some way I could squeeze 17 in to 10. A bit like that old Cadbury’s Dairy Milk Ad. Isn’t it amazing how quickly any conversation can lead back to chocolate!
I do think you will really enjoy the Paver, and I would be surprised if the porpentine doesn’t have an extreme quivering fit. Don’t leave it till summer, much better in the darkness. A perfect solstice read
Yes, I was surprised the Toibin wasn’t in there. I know we disagree, but I really feel last year was particularly poor for new fiction. He was the only one of the ‘greats’ who lived up to his reputation, of those I read. And possibly because of the anniversary, but we seem to have been steeped even more than usual in harking back to our beloved wars. I fear I find it tedious…
Yes, I’m looking forward to it – nearly clear of review books now, so I should be able to get through some of the ones that have been lingering on the TBR…
Now, I have Night Film, but a couple of reviews made me wonder if it was any good. But if it has your approval, then that’s good enough for me!
Oh thank you crimeworm. Now I’m nervous in case you don’t surrender to the wicked Pessl wit and imagination
Spooky sort of cover, on The Visitors. Night Film is a really original looking book. Good to see Ben Macintyre there! All The Light We Cannot See – when I see the words “magical realism”, I think, not for me…My Salinger Year has been mentioned in a lot of round ups of the year, so I really must investigate it too!
I think you and FictionFan both do a neat sidestep around Magical Realism! It’s only a smidgen in the Doerr, rather than a fully fledged Phoenix!
And I meant to say, The Visitors sounds like one I’ll be looking out for!
Oh Good. She is, after all my ‘author on a mission for’, of the year.
I’m waiting ever so impatiently for Richard North to become available in the library. I also have All The Light We Cannot See on request but. Ow I’ve noticed those words magical realism I’m starting to doubt if this is for me.
It is the merest touch Bookertalk. Don’t cancel that request!
Christmas evening…nothing much on TV so it is time to read some blogs. I found some wonderful suggestions in this post. I have to read the reviews a second time to whittle down a choice of a few books. Olivia Laing is a discovery for me this year with her book Trip to Echo Spring. I will definitely read her book that you suggested! Great review….thanks so much.
Thank you Nancy
I just started “All the Light We Cannot See.” I’m liking it so far. I started “My Salinger Year” awhile ago. For reasons I cannot recall, I put it down. Perhaps I lost it in the portion of the pile that slipped under the bed. 😀
I just finished reading “Big Little Lies.” Hilarious, brilliantly plotted, and filled with some extremely insightful commentary on being a parent and school politics. I also like its venture into the topic of domestic abuse.
Still in the mountains. Heading to Yosemite Valley for the weekend. Must give our son his first taste of one of the most beautiful places on earth.
Happy New Year!
I love hearing your travelling excerpts! How are the family doing the trail getting on?
I’m glad you are enjoying the Doerr and sorry Salinger did a runner. Your bed and book relationship sounds like mine. It’s amazing what eventually shows up under the bed when mattress turning and deep under the bed cleaning happens!
Will be posting about our travels shortly. Stay tuned…we’re unpacking at the moment.
Ear trumpet poised at the ready to pick up the first sounds of narration!
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