Out with the Old, in with the New!

It wasn’t all bad but for various personal reasons, 2022 has been one of the most stressful years of my life with more sadness than joy. So, along with the healing power of nature, books were a much-needed escape and respite from reality. At particularly low points, it was hard to concentrate, and longer books were more of a challenge to get through. But I hit my goal of 50+ books which included a few non-fiction titles and a selection of memoirs.

As always, because I mainly read books recommended by those whose opinion I value, there’s not many I didn’t really enjoy, and I didn’t abandon any of the 52 books I chose. Likely an unpopular opinon coming up… the one disappointment though was by one of my favourite writers. I’ve always been a big fan of Maggie O’Farrell’s work and I enjoyed seeing her at the Edinburgh Book Festival in the summer. But her latest novel, The Marriage Portrait, didn’t engage me as much as I’d hoped. I don’t read a lot of historical fiction and my brain at the time of reading wasn’t at peace so that might explain why it didn’t grab me.  

Thankfully, another favourite writer of mine, Elizabeth Strout, did live up to my high expectations and I devoured Lucy by the Sea.. As thought-provoking as ever, I love Elizabeth Strout’s writing. But now one of my favourite fictional characters from her novels, Olive Kitteridge, has a new rival in Elizabeth Zott, a feminist icon from Lessons in Chemisty by Bonnie Garmus.

It’s always easier to remember the impact of books I read later in the year (must make notes next year!) but one of my final reads of 2022 would have a lasting impression whenever I’d read it. The old cliche, ‘Don’t judge a book by its cover’ nearly put me off Lessons in Chemistry. It struck me as looking a bit like a ‘chick lit‘ novel and might be too lightweight for my tastes. How wrong I was as there’s plenty of darkness woven within this very tight plot. I can’t recommend this book highly enough. It made me laugh out loud and sniff back tears – that’s quite an achievement within the pages of a single story. It’s funny, sad, interesting and ultimately inspiring – lessons for life scatter its pages!

Other standout fiction titles included: –

Sorrow and Bliss by Meg Mason

Paper Cup by Karen Campbell

Ginger and Me by Elissa Soave

Young Mungo by Douglas Stuart

A Ladder to the Sky by John Boyne

Becoming Strangers by Louise Dean

Shrines of Gaiety by Kate Atkinson

The Queen of Dirt Island by Donal Ryan

Memorable memoirs I read were One Body by Catherine Simpson, This Much is True by Miriam Margoles and Ready for Absolutely Nothing by Susannah Constantine. I had a fangirl moment when I met Susannah recently at the Bookface Sip and Swap book event in Glasgow and she was fabulous – funny, sharp and glam!

 

My top non-fiction reads were Tomb with a View by Peter Ross and Around the World in 80 Trains by Monisha Rajesh. Two thoroughly fascinating reads which were the right mix of interesting and entertaining.

If you struggled too this year, then all the very best for 2023 and to spending many more hours between the pages!

 

 

 

 

Banana Bread or Books?

Way back in May 2020., when I wrote a blog post with the title, Literary Lockdown, I never thought we’d still be in the same position months later and now into a new year.

The beautiful campus of University of Stirling

I’m very lucky to live in the countryside where I’ve got lovely local walks literally on my doorstep. Getting outside to appreciate nature has kept me sane. During a short respite from restrictions, I went on a guided nature walk around the campus of Stirling university last autumn.

On the walk, the ranger showed the group a recently released book, Every Day Nature by Andy Beer, that she recommended for nature lovers. I dropped heavy hints before Christmas, but Santa didn’t deliver it.

So, I ended up treating myself with Christmas money (thanks Mum!). It’s a beautiful book with gorgeous watercolour illustrations and it offers a daily dose of inspiration to help you notice seasonal changes and enjoy nature. I love the casual conversational tone of the book, “It is not the kind of nature that is restricted to nature reserves or remote places. Instead it is deliberately about things you will find in a garden, a park, a hedgerow or a road verge”. I’m looking forward to this wee gem of a book keeping me company throughout 2021.

 

Many folk took the time during lockdown to clear out and declutter their homes. I’ve always been tidy so this wasn’t on my ‘to do’ list but I did decide to reorder my book shelves.

Many years ago, as a student, I worked part-time in a library. The Dewey Decimal system is my default when arranging books and I’ve always liked things in alphabetical order.

But I’m also a very visual person and with the rainbow being the symbol of lockdown I fancied rearranging my books by colour. Initially, I wasn’t sure if I’d be able to live with the effect but I’ve got used to it now and will leave them like that for the time being. I also made a commitment to stick to a ‘one in, one out’ policy.

My two fiction bookshelves are full and although I generally buy a book a week, I’m not going to buy more shelves.

My hope is that they find a good home and maybe provide a much-needed distraction during tough times. You can buy official book fairy stickers like I have or simply use a Post-It note and a ribbon if you have one. I always seal the books inside a poly pocket in case of rain, well I do live in Scotland!

 

 

What’s got you through lockdown? Baking banana bread or books?

 

Reading My Way Through A Year Like No Other

Well, what can I say about 2020 that hasn’t been said already? If ever there was a need to read for escapism it was this year. So, you’d think that my annual reading total would’ve rocketed. You’d be wrong. In fact, this year I read 53 books, only two down on last year’s number and like previous years, roughly one a week.

Lockdown earlier in the year was when we probably had the best weather which is ideal for reading in the sunshine but also great for gardening and going local walks which is why I think my reading habits didn’t change dramatically. My taste in writers and genres was much the same too.

I read several great memoirs – Born a Crime by Trevor Noah, The Only Gaijin in the Village by Iain Maloney, Hungry by Grace Dent, My Heart’s Content by Angela Hughes and If You Don’t Know Me by Now by Sathnam Sangerha (as recommended by the excellent The Big Scottish Book Club superbly hosted by Damian Barr – catch up with it over the festive season on BBC iPlayer if you missed it).

Fiction favourites? It’s an eclectic mix and it’s always hard to pick only a handful but the ones that will stick with me are Meet Me at the Museum by Anne Youngson, Boy Parts by Eliza Clark, Hamnet by Maggie O’Farrell, The Young Team by Graeme Armstrong, When All Is Said by Anne Griffin, Girl, Woman, Other by Bernadine Evaristo, Strange Flowers by Donal Ryan and Scabby Queen by Kirstin Innes.

Special mention must be made to Shuggie Bain by Douglas Stuart. A worthy winner of the Booker Prize with characters I cared about, especially wee Shuggie and his memorable mammy, Agnes.

I hope books have helped you cope with the strangest of times too. Any recommendations for me to look forward to reading in the new year?