Books read in 2018

[rich_jacko]

As I mentioned a year ago, I wanted to spend some time in 2018 actually re-reading some of the books I've already got, rather than merely devouring new ones. And I did. This year, I have re-read:

• His Dark Materials et al (Philip Pullman)
• all of The Dresden Files (Jim Butcher) - now please hurry up and finish writing Peace Talks, Jim!
• Gulliver's Travels (Jonathan Swift)
• various Roald Dahls, and also read Boy and Going Solo for the first time

I haven't only been re-reading, of course. On top of that, this year I have also read:

• The Thrilling Adventures of Lovelace & Babbage (Sydney Padua) - possibly my new favourite book ever!
• Dunstan (Conn Iggulden)
• Star Wars: Scoundrels (Timothy Zahn)
• The Furthest Station (Ben Aaronovitch)
• The Signalman (Charles Dickens)

...and quite a lot of non-fiction for a change:

• Harry Potter: A History of Magic (various)
• Other Minds: The Octopus and the Evolution of Intelligent Life (Peter Godfrey-Smith)
• Hello, Is This Planet Earth? (Major Tim Peake)
• Rise (Gina Miller)
• We Have No Idea: A Guide to the Unknown Universe (Jorge Cham & Daniel Whiteson)

I still have a few books waiting on my "to read" shelf, but beyond those, I have no idea what I'll be reading in 2019 yet! :o)

Comments

[tallbint]

Which three books would you recommend if you could choose any type or style? I realised recently I tend to stick to books I know and rarely pick up an author I haven’t heard of but would love to read more and one of my aims for 2019 is to try different authors and to read something that isn’t fantasy or a crime drama...

[rich_jacko]

Oooh, that's a impossible question to answer! Instead I'll try to think what I've enjoyed recently that you might not have come across...

Like I said in the post above, Lovelace & Babbage (a souvenir from the science museum!) was my favourite read of last year but, since it's a graphic novel set in a parallel universe in which our heroes use a fully working Analytical Engine to fight crime, it doesn't really fit your "not fantasy or crime" criteria ;o)

If you're up for sci-fi, I loved "The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet" and "A Closed and Common Orbit" by Becky Chambers (and I'm looking forward to "Record of a Spaceborn Few" being released in paperback in March). Her books are properly grown up sci-fi - character-driven, thought-provoking, and able to make you laugh and cry in equal measure.

Another author I'm really glad I discovered recently is Jonas Jonasson. He writes very quirky, dark-yet-upbeat comedies in which relatively ordinary characters get into ridiculous scrapes and international incidents. His style of humour is similar to Wes Anderson films, so may not be to everyone's tastes.

[tallbint]

Thank you, they all sound good. I have been re-reading the Jim Butcher series and working my way through the Ian Ramkin “Rebus” books (Scottish policeman series) so it will be nice to widen my reading a bit.