Bibliography, December 2018

BOTM: J. Lahiri, The Lowland (2013)

N. Bulawayo, We need new names (2013)

D. Cadbury, The dinosaur hunters (2000)

S. Cooper, The Dark is rising (1973)

S. Hill, Howards End is on the Landing (2010)*

L. de Lisle, The white king (2018)
R. Ozeki, A Tale for the time being (2013)
A. Patchett, State of wonder (2011)
E. Ruete, Memoirs of an Arabian princess from Zanzibar (1868)
C. Toibin, Testament of Mary (2013)
P.G. Wodehouse, Sunset at Blandings (1977)
E. Zola, L'Assommoir (1877)
S. Zweig, Genius and Discovery: Five Historical Miniatures (1927 and 1940. New translation 2016)

Perhaps fittingly, Susan Hill's book about rereading, which I remember being underwhelmed by the first time I read it, I loved this time. For a while, I thought it would get book of the month, but I had a late surge of reading while in Wales. Astute readers will note that much of that surge was the remains of the 2013 Booker shortlist, which they really did get wrong, but has definitely confirmed me in my intention to read all the shortlists. Best of that remaining list and best of this month's reading was The Lowland. The write up isn't promising - it's plot is triggered by the Naxalite rebellion in India, but plays out in a domestic apartment in Rhode Island - but it's a cracking story and gently, wistfully, sad, though with shocking moments. It's a reminder too of the complex stories around each individual migration, and in this case especially about identity and obligation.

The surge also means I can give a definitive ranking of the 2013 Booker shortlist. Although they got the ranking wrong, it was a good list, with only Toibin's terrible Testament of Many undeserving of a place. My ranking:

1. Crace
2. Lahiri
3. Catton
4. Ozeki
5. Bulawayo
6. Toibin

Bibliography, November 2018

BOTM: J. Morris, Trieste and the meaning of nowhere (2001)

E.M. Brent - Dyer, The chalet school and the Lintons (1934)*
E. Hemmingway, Death in the Afternoon (1940)
O.S. Card, Children of the Mind (1996)
U. K. Le Guin, The wind's twelve quarters (1975)
U. K. Le Guin, The compass rose (1982)
S. Zweig, Beware of Pity (1939)

This was a disappointing month. Most of these were weak, though Hemmingway did allow me to really appreciate the extraordinary brilliance of Flanders and Swann's satire on the subject. Anyway, honourable exceptions go to the Chalet School and to the BOTM. Trieste... is gentle and lovely. Very clearly, Jan Morris shares my affection for the dusty byways of history and (by inexorable logic) the Habsburgs. Trieste is where this comes across best. I want to go now.