Only 78 Books December 13 2017

As I dated this blog I realised that it is December ...Already!

That means many things.

In retail it is our most important month of trade.

We hope to do well enough to cover the lean months that are to come.

Strength, fortitude and probably a little red wine are required.

December is also a month of reflection.

Where did this year go?

What did we achieve?

My year certainly started well and happily.

A family wedding which was attended by our nearest and dearest.

The best daughter in law in the world joined our fold.

And when I look back that feeling of euphoria has stayed with me all year.

But being the person I am I tend to measure my year in the quality and quantity of books that I have read.

And as I looked at my list of books that I have read I realised that here I am in

the first week of December and I am only reading my seventy ninth book for the year.

That may sound a lot for some of you.

Others may scoff...

You should scoff!

I usually read at least two novels a week. Do the maths ...That means

over a hundred books a year.

So what happened this year?

Frankly I do not know.

Maybe I watched too many movies.

Maybe I attended a few too many dinners.

Probably I worked too many weekends to have the time and the space to read more.

I am not sure.

But as I review the list I realise I read the most amazing books.

I started the year with the wonderful Kavalier and Clay by Michael Chabon ( book number one January 2017).

I continued with the History of Seven killings by Marlon James followed by the inimitable Underground Rail Road by Colson Whitehead .

( I would vote that as my best read of the year).

Mind you I think I equally enjoyed Gilead by Marilynne Robinson ( a short tome that took me ages to read each sentence was so perfect and mind blowing)

The Heart’s Invisible Furies by John Boyne  was read during my Irish phase.

I fell in love with Elizabeth Strout .

And in between I decided to revisit some classics.

I reread all the Brontes and Pride and Prejudice was reread again  for the umpteenth time.

Actually if there is ever a competition.

I am sure I can recite 3 books quite easily

Pride and Prejudice

Winnie The Pooh

and  Where the Wild Things Are ( Maurice Sendak)

I tend to reread those regularly.

Since I see the Sendak and Milne as New Year rituals I do not add them to my list of books read.

However I do add the Jane Austen.

That book takes more time  and is not read on the first of January to get  me into the spirit of the new year.

Every January I need Pooh bear to remind me what  a wonderful life I have and to reawaken my inner child and start having fun.

As just in case I start to doubt this Max always reminds me that I can go to where the wild things are!