28 Comments

Ah you've read so many stunning books this year. I raise a 🥛 to Milkman and a 🥃 to War and Peace. A category of its own indeed. And The Marriage Portrait and Cuddy were my only two DNFs this year, for different reasons. I've read far less this year, but far more in many ways. And it has been a pleasure to grant myself and others the permission to read slowly. Looking forward to the next year, and thank for the shoutout for the readalongs!

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Thanks Simon! Yes it's certainly a fruitful change of pace. Are you still planning to finish Cuddy?

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Anne - great list. I see a few I might add to my own reading list. I am reading Demon Copperhead this year, immediately following David Copperfield. Should be quite interesting. Also, I am joining in both of Simon's slow-reads. Should be a great year.

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I’m sure it will be!

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That’s given me so many prompts for books to read! Good to see Homegoing, Ness, and Little Dorrit there; I rate them very highly. And I was thinking of re-reading Wide Sargasso Sea in 2024. Mmm, maybe that’s now less of a priority. And glad you enjoyed Friday’s Child. And now there’s a list of books to add to my list thanks to you!

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Your recommendation to try Georgette Heyer was useful for me!

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Great list and insights, thanks so much for sharing!

Giovanni's Room is a favourite of mine, the desperation and torment of them both just reeks off the page. Really powerful. And good to see An Immense World on there, too - funnily enough the story I posted this morning on my Substack was inspired by the book and some of those fascinating case studies, of which I am trying to remember as many as possible. And kudos to Yong for his tireless research, as you say.

Une très bonne année to you, may it be full of good books 📚

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Oh and I had to take notes on An Immense World, which I almost never do for an audiobook--but there were just too many gems to let them fade!

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Thanks Connor, glad you enjoyed those too! And same to you :)

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I've added 3 more books to my 2024 tbr just based on your gorgeous reviews of them... thanks!

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Hooray!

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What a great list, thanks for the recommendations. My to-read list is growing rapidly!

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My pleasure, and same! 😅

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Anne, I love the way you've set out this list into very appealing categories, and made me think about what I've read recently (and plan on reading in 2024) in a new way. 'Uneven' is a great way of describing a book you look forward to, and others think is brilliant, but you find a tiny bit disappointing.

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What a year in Reading! Thanks for sharing..

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My pleasure!

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Have read and enjoyed Robert McFarlane's The Wild Places (and actually quoted from it in something I wrote). I guess I have the rest of his bibliography to dig into.

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Absolutely! Underland is excellent and I also really enjoyed Landmarks and The Old Ways. Still have to finish Mountains of the Mind and The Wild Places.

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What a glorious variety of books for devouring! Your commentary is what makes the list so effective! I’m saving!

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Hooray!

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Ness sounds right up my street... that’s going on my 2024 to read list!

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It’s a beautiful book!

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A great list of books! Good to see Little Dorrit on your list. I'm very fond of that one. And yes, the Circumlocution Office and its Barnacles are priceless, aren't they?

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Yes indeed!

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Have you read any other Ishiguro books?

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I’ve read a few--Remains of the Day, Never Let Me Go, and the short story collection Nocturnes. Never Let Me Go is my favorite!

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Would highly recommend An Artist of the Floating World.

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Cool, it’s on my list!

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