BOTM: R.A. Heinlein, Double Star (1956)
L. Booth (ed.), Wisden Cricketers' Almanack (2021)
D. Feldman, Unorthodox (2012)
E. Ferrante, My brilliant friend (2011)
H. Freeman, House of Glass (2020)
R.A. Heinlein, Starship troopers (1959)
E. John, Following on (2016)
E. John, Wayfaring stranger (2019)
F. Lieber, The big time (1958)
T. Pratchett, Equal Rites (1987)*
C. Simak, The waystation (1964)
G. Stein, The autobiography of Alice B. Toklas (1933)
A. van Voght, Slan (1940)
I've been very busy at work this month, so I retreated into early science fiction. Listed here are the Hugo award winners from 1940, 1956-9 and 1964. I thoroughly enjoyed them, especially Simak, van Voght, and Heinlein's Double Star. I'm much more glad I read them than Stein's autobiography, which I found hard going. I really liked Emma John's books, especially her one on bluegrass. I also, after a faltering start, really liked My brilliant friend, though it inevitably didn't live up to the hype. House of Glass was similarly interesting.
So, a lot to like, and I struggled to pick a favourite. I think I'd take Double Star, which was exactly what I needed, and which was taut and well done. It's also a plot that in no way required any science fiction whatsoever, but Heinlein put it in anyway.
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