Reading the 20th Century discussion

It's that time of year when many of us take a backwards glance at the year that was, so with that in mind here's a little questionnaire designed to share what we have each enjoyed about 2018 here at RTTC and what we are looking forward to in 2018....


What was the best book you read in 2018?

What was the worst book you read in 2018?

Which author(s) did you fall in love with, or rediscover, in 2018?

What are your reading plans for 2018?

Which author(s) or book(s) are you most looking forward to reading in 2018?

What else do you want to say about what you read in 2018?

Here's my replies.....



What was the best book you read in 2018?

Very tricky. I read some wonderful books. Probably a toss up between Wolf Hall and The History Man


What was the worst book you read in 2018?

I’ve not read many duffers this year. Looking back at my reviews it’s probably Eat Move Sleep: How Small Choices Lead to Big Changes


Which author(s) did you fall in love with, or rediscover, in 2018?

I was never out of love with P.G. Wodehouse but this autumn I have taken great delight in reading a few of his books.

I finally got to read Hilary Mantel and was, predictably, blown away

I started reading Mick Herron’s Slough House books in December 2017 (thanks again Susan) and had finished the lot by the end of January 2018. Quite brilliant - as you doubtless know


What are your reading plans for 2018?

Try to make inroads into the plethora of books I have on my shelf, kindle and audible library that I have bought and am yet to read. Sadly that might mean participating in a few less group reads, buddy reads etc.


Which author(s) or book(s) are you most looking forward to reading in 2018?

More P.G. Wodehouse, more Hilary Mantel, more Rose Tremain


What else do you want to say about what you read in 2018?

It’s been another great year. Really embracing audiobooks has helped me to read 125 books throughout this year (and counting). I always have one audiobook and one physical/kindle book on the go.


Have a wonderful seasonal period.

I'm looking forward to sharing more literary discussion with you lovely lovely people in 2018.

What was the best book you read in 2018?
Milkman. Or maybe Under The Rock, or Flights...

What was the worst book you read in 2018?
The Power by Naomi Alderman (perhaps I am being a little unfair but I was expecting much more given the hype)

Which author(s) did you fall in love with, or rediscover, in 2018?
Anna Burns, Daisy Johnson. Muriel Spark probably counts too.

What are your reading plans for 2018?
Nothing specific - except perhaps to read slightly less.

Which author(s) or book(s) are you most looking forward to reading in 2018?
There are plenty on the shelf already that are bound to slip, but I would like to read the 2 remaining Booker winners. And Ali Smith's Spring

What else do you want to say about what you read in 2018?
It has been another very enjoyable year, not least because of this and other groups and my many wonderful and learned friends here.

Hugh wrote: "....perhaps to read slightly less"


You've intrigued me Hugh.

Do you feel you've been overdoing the reading?

What will you do with the extra time?

Nigeyb wrote: "Hugh wrote: "....perhaps to read slightly less"


You've intrigued me Hugh.

Do you feel you've been overdoing the reading?

What will you do with the extra time?"

I just feel that I can't carry on increasing the numbers every year indefinitely, and perhaps reading has reached the point where it is interfering too much with other things. I find it very hard to fnd time to listen to music these days...

Thanks Hugh. If your reading is getting in the way of enjoying music then you have my sympathy.

Here's to a more balanced 2019.

What was the best book you read in 2018?
North and South It was a re-read for me and I enjoy it more each time. It’s such a rich book with social comment about town versus country, the intellectual life versus the practical one, working class versus middle class, the roles of women, industrialisation and on and on. Very thought-provoking, and a great love story thrown in for good measure.

But an honourable mention goes to Cider With Rosie and that is down to the mod read we had of that book. I found the views, experience and insight of the group to add hugely to my appreciation - thanks so much!

What was the worst book you read in 2018?
There are several contenders for this one, but I’ll choose The Invisible Woman: Taking on the Vintage Years. I think what disappointed me most about this one was that she was so clearly writing it as a commercial project (she says as much in the book) rather than because she had a book’s worth of insight to share. Consequently she padded out an interesting idea beyond its reasonable limits.
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

However, the Smiley Sue Award for Grumpiest Review goes to The Last Hours. Boy was I irritated when I wrote that one! (It’s a very long review but the first and last couple of paragraphs sum up how I felt.)
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Which author(s) did you fall in love with, or rediscover, in 2018?
Charles Dickens, and that’s all down to Goodreads and Youtube. I’ve always been daunted by these weighty novels. I didn’t feel I could maintain interest or remember the plot or characters for long enough to finish one of them. However I’ve joined in with several other readers for Bleak House and I'm really enjoying it.

What are your reading plans for 2019?
Next year I’d like to leave far more room in my reading plans for spontaneous reads (or is that a contradiction in terms?!). This year I was trying to get through piles of books in the house, some of which I’ve had for years and never read. I did pretty well, so next year is all about 'tripping over' great finds.

Which author(s) or book(s) are you most looking forward to reading in 2019?
I’d like to try to read some Tolkien. I went to an exhibition of his sketches and manuscripts this year and it’s prompted me to read The Hobbit some time soon. Whether I get further than that remains to be seen. I have reservations similar to those about Dickens.

What else do you want to say about what you read in 2018?
I was branching out a bit, reading books or authors I didn’t know and/or wasn’t sure about, and I was quite determined about ditching books I wasn’t enjoying. As a result I left quite a few books unfinished but also found some gems I might not have tried back in the day when I thought I had to finish every book I started (and why do we think that anyway?).

Lastly I just wanted to say thank you to all the kind folk in this group. You have hugely increased the joy I’ve had from reading this year and I appreciate it.

What was the best book you read in 2018?

Too hard to narrow it to just one, so (in no particular order) A Dry White Season, The Widow, News of the World and A Very Long Engagement shine among those I loved.

What was the worst book you read in 2018?

Hands down, Ties

Which author(s) did you fall in love with, or rediscover, in 2018?

Elizabeth Taylor, Georges Simenon are the two that stand out, but there are others.

What are your reading plans for 2019?

I will be reading some longer books in 2019. I also plan to read more mysteries. This was something I added in more of in 2018 and enjoyed my increased time spent with them.

Which author(s) or book(s) are you most looking forward to reading in 2019?

In conjunction with the longer books, Upton Sinclair, but also for the Cazalet Chronicles, Elizabeth Jane Howard

What else do you want to say about what you read in 2018?

I joined 3 groups in 2018. An Elizabeth Taylor group, which will wind down in 2019, but this and the mods mystery group have enhanced my reading. I'll never be sorry for joining them.

Sue, I hope you find you are well rewarded in your reading of Bleak House. It is one of my favorites by Dickens.

What was the best book you read in 2018?

Non-Fiction: Ma’am Darling
Fiction: The Long Drop
I am indebted to Nigeyb for both those suggestions - so thank you.

What was the worst book you read in 2018?

Flood by Stephen Baxter
An Untamed State by Roxane Gay
Both for my non-Goodreads book group. HATED them both...

Which author(s) did you fall in love with, or rediscover, in 2018?

Phil Rickman and Stuart MacBride. I had read both before, but really want to read all their books. I also discovered Denise Mina and Donald Henderson, a long out of print author, whose books I really adore.

What are your reading plans for 2018?

To try to read a whole series all the way through. Hopefully Phil Rickman, whose novels I have happily discovered through the urging of my friend, and fellow reviewer, Damaskcat.

Which author(s) or book(s) are you most looking forward to reading in 2018?

Stalingrad by Vassily Grossman, out in English for the first time next June. I have suggested this as a buddy read - it's pretty long, but Roman Clodia is brave enough to join me :)

What else do you want to say about what you read in 2018?

Have really enjoyed my Goodreads groups - both this and Detectives. Am enjoying, The Magic Mountain and do want to do some longer reads. I have tried to balance book groups and reviewing this year with making sure I make time for personal reads. However, I am also very aware of how lucky I am to get so many review books and I appreciate them greatly. Pleased to have had lots of auto approvals and gifted books by publishers this year on NetGalley. As a reader, I am aware I am spoilt, not least by the company of my Goodreads friends.

The Grossman book sounds unmissable, but I am not sure I will get round to it until the paperback so probably 2020...

Fair enough. I have pre-ordered on kindle. If it goes well, maybe we can follow with Life and Fate.

Elizabeth (Alaska) wrote: "Sue, I hope you find you are well rewarded in your reading of Bleak House. It is one of my favorites by Dickens."

Thanks Elizabeth - I'm about 7 chapters in so far and it's not nearly as hard work as I'd thought. Witty and intriguing and mysterious!

What was the best book you read in 2018?
Hard to pick just one but really liked Lamentation by C.J. Sansom Also Dominion by this author and The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Slow Horses

What was the worst book you read in 2018?
The Hundred-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out of the Window and Disappeared by Jonas Jonasson

Which author(s) did you fall in love with, or rediscover, in 2018?
Jane Harper and Mick Herron both new to me , and Susan Hill

What are your reading plans for 2019?
I belong to a 52 books a year group so aim to complete that this year. Also to read some of the 3,000 plus paper books we have accumulated

Which author(s) or book(s) are you most looking forward to reading in 2019?
Mick Herron Michael Connelly

What else do you want to say about what you read in 2018?
Pleased I took more of an interest in this group, as it has made me dig out some of the books which have been left unread.

Jill wrote: "What was the best book you read in 2018?
Hard to pick just one but really liked Lamentation by C.J. Sansom Also Dominion by this author and [book:The ..."

C. Sansom is such a favourite of mine, Jill. SO glad you have enjoyed Mick Herron.

I keep meaning to read both Jane Harper and Michael Connelly.

What was the best book you read in 2018?
River and The White Book, but there are several more I could mention.
Best non-fiction: Hearts And Minds: The Untold Story of the Great Pilgrimage and How Women Won the Vote

What was the worst book you read in 2018?
Flood was easily the worst and particularly annoying because it pretends to be addressing the serious issues of climate change and rising sea levels.

Which author(s) did you fall in love with, or rediscover, in 2018?
László Krasznahorkai. If this was a love affair it would not be a very healthy one, as his books are pessimistic and leave me dazed and confused. I intend to read several more of them.

What are your reading plans for 2019?
I do not make reading plans, apart from pouncing on a few literary prize lists when they are announced and reserving all those books the library has copies of. The M&G group has introduced me to some less famous literary prizes and few of those books are available from libraries, so I should plan a budget.

Which author(s) or book(s) are you most looking forward to reading in 2019?
Women's Prize for Fiction list and Man Booker International list, both announced in March, and Spring, whether it is on any of the prize lists or not.

What else do you want to say about what you read in 2018?
I have enjoyed the slow group read of The Magic Mountain and I'm sorry I have not had as much to say as some other group members. The earlier part of the book is a lot funnier than I remembered and I think the slower pace brought that out.

Thanks to everyone who has replied. I love reading about what people have enjoyed and the end of a calendar year is a great time to take stock.

I agree, I love reading these. So, here are mine...

What was the best book you read in 2018?

Hard to pick just one, so I'm greedily choosing My Year of Rest and Relaxation, The Mars Room and, surprisingly for me as it's non-fiction, The Radium Girls. All written by women and largely about women's experiences - so that's me pigeon-holed!

What was the worst book you read in 2018?

Just glanced through my 1- and 2-star reviews but I think 'worst' books for me are about disappointment rather than just trying something that, for whatever reason, I didn't like. So in the 'hyped but letdown' category I'd say the long-expected Macbeth from Jo Nesbo as part of the Hogarth Shakespeare series; and the truly dire The Revolution of Marina M. which I gave up on at p.350 (of 800) - as I said in my review, it was as if Twilight's Bella Swan has been thrust into the Russian Revolution and all she could do was witter on about which gorgeous man she wanted to be with!

Which author(s) did you fall in love with, or rediscover, in 2018?

My discovery was David Peace and his mesmerising Red Riding quartet (egged on by Nigeyb and Susan - so thanks both!). I also rediscovered Edith Wharton (The House of Mirth) and was reminded all over again how offbeat and wonderful Mosshfegh is.

What are your reading plans for 2019?

I want to read Rachel Cusk and her Outline trilogy; more Wharton and Henry James. I'm loving our buddy-read of The Magic Mountain so much that I'd like to get to Mann's Doctor Faustus.

Which author(s) or book(s) are you most looking forward to reading in 2019?

Like Susan, I'm excited about Grossman's Stalingrad and keen to follow up with his Life and Fate.

What else do you want to say about what you read in 2018?

Amidst all the more serious stuff, I've hugely enjoyed the monthly Agatha Christie reads with the Reading the Detectives group, as well as new crime fiction by Tana French and others.

This has also been the year when I've set up and am joint moderator on a GR group reading Ovid's Metamorphoses (www.goodreads.com/group/show/733510) - do pop over and join us if you're interested.

Roman Clodia wrote: "more Wharton and Henry James"

Yay! I've been trying more new-to-me authors and need to revisit these two, who are perennial favorites.

Yes, I'd read Wharton's 'big' novels which I'd like to re-read but also want to try her short stories and less well-known books. I came to James late but *love* him now - luckily he was prolific enough to keep me for occupied for years!

Roman Clodia wrote: "Yes, I'd read Wharton's 'big' novels which I'd like to re-read but also want to try her short stories and less well-known books. I came to James late but *love* him now - luckily he was prolific en..."

I have her Madame de Treymes and Others penciled in for winter reading. That said, I have done a *lot* of penciling, and not sure I'll get to it.

Coincidentally, I just read Madame de Treymes a week or so ago - and found it very Jamesian.

Roman Clodia wrote: "Coincidentally, I just read Madame de Treymes a week or so ago - and found it very Jamesian."

Maybe I'll blacken in my penciling on it, then!

Roman Clodia wrote: "My discovery was David Peace and his mesmerising Red Riding quartet (egged on by Nigeyb and Susan - so thanks both!)."

Wonderful. Thanks. So glad it merited a mention in your review.

What was the best book you read in 2018?
It's a tie between two American giants Moby-Dick or, The Whale by Melville and The Town by Faulkner

What was the worst book you read in 2018?
No terrible one star books this year, a few mysteries were disappointing, I've opted for The Murder at Sissingham Hall as it was probably the worst let down.

Which author(s) did you fall in love with, or rediscover, in 2018?
Oh so many. Fell in love with the aforementioned Melville and Faulkner, plus Mick Herron, Elizabeth Taylor and Philip Kerr. Re-fell in love with Graham Greene, Evelyn Waugh and now the latest CJ Sansom is reminding me why I love Shardlake

What are your reading plans for 2019?
Less planning, more going with the flow. And 2019 WILL be the year I clear some of my huge backlog of books I own.

Which author(s) or book(s) are you most looking forward to reading in 2019?
Invitation to the Waltz and The Garden of the Finzi Continis

What else do you want to say about what you read in 2018?
I've really enjoyed 2018, a great variety of books. I probably over committed on my various group reads (GR and real life) but I can't be sure I won't do the same next year.

Pamela - Mick Herron and Philip Kerr - hurrah! And Shardlake :) What wonderful taste you have!

I do keep meaning to read The Garden of the FInzi Coninis. I noticed it was on kindle a while ago and added it to my never-ending TBR list...

I haven't read any Phillip Kerr , but the other two I love, so will have to remedy that!

Susan wrote: "Pamela - Mick Herron and Philip Kerr - hurrah! And Shardlake :) What wonderful taste you have..."

Well, I have you to thank for Herron and Kerr, so we must share that wonderful taste :)

Jill wrote: "I haven't read any Phillip Kerr , but the other two I love, so will have to remedy that!"

Kerr gets a big thumbs up from this book lover

Best: I gave 3 books 5 stars this year - The Dogs of Bedlam Farm: An Adventure with Sixteen Sheep, Three Dogs, Two Donkeys, and Me, Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI and The Fifth Risk.

Worst - my only one-star - Red Lobster, White Trash, & the Blue Lagoon: Joe Queenan's America - what a jerk. What an elitist! By trying all the things he thought those lesser than him liked he practically became "white trash" all on his own. As though he was trying to become a hillbilly or something he became worse than any hillbilly I have ever known and I am now living in my 2nd "hillbilly" state.

Author: I discovered David Grann and Michael Lewis. I think I have some Lewis on my Kindle and I have already picked up 2-3 of Grann's books. But he can also be read, I believe, in either The New Yorker or The New York Times (not sure which, but probably the former).

Reading Plans: To continue trying to read some of these partially read books (especially those with only 60 pages left) and to be distracted by the new shiny object (The Fifth Risk and Impeachment are two examples of this, plus the 4-5 political sitting on the floor).

Looking forward: to the Michael Beschloss and Doris Kearns Goodwin books (on the floor). Also picked up Why Read Moby-Dick? and possibly a re-read of Moby-Dick or, The Whale itself.

What about '18: I read a fair variety of books. Apparently only 3 measured up to my idea of perfection. But I found some new writers - Craig Rice, Soji Shimada (of course, I may have read the only book translated into English), have gone back to Rex Stout.

I am having computer key problems. I think they need cleaning. Hope I caught all of the missing letters.

I've never read Moby Dick and it's been mentioned twice. Hmmm. Should I be tempted?

Moby Dick, yes! I read it with a reading group this year and gave it 5-stars.

Roman Clodia wrote: "Moby Dick, yes! I read it with a reading group this year and gave it 5-stars."

Same here, and I'd expected it to be a real struggle but it was awesome!

I'm tempted. I have always wanted to read it.

Nigeyb wrote: "Jill wrote: "I haven't read any Phillip Kerr , but the other two I love, so will have to remedy that!"

Kerr gets a big thumbs up from this book lover"

I read my first Kerr just recently - and the next two Bernie Gunther on the Winter list!

I still can't believe we lost Philip Kerr this year though...

I read Moby Dick years ago. It was a book my mother was awarded by her Sunday school and she always treasured.

I read the copy my father received when he was 8. It had his cousin's name in it. But I gave it away so I'll have to get a new copy. Here is a link to the Moby Dick Big read - http://www.mobydickbigread.com/ - from a few years ago.

Count me in as another one who loved Moby Dick - though I didn’t really take in some of the bits about whales.

Perhaps I will tackle it next year then :)

A shame it's not a 20th century book, otherwise we could have done it as a buddy read

What was the best book you read in 2018?

Without doubt it was St Petersburg: Three Centuries of Murderous Desire, a really interesting read covering art, culture and politics. For fiction it was The Blue Room by Georges Simenon.

What was the worst book you read in 2018?

No real duds but I was disappointed with Stephen Baxter's The Massacre of Mankind, his sequel to H.G.Wells' The War of the Worlds Baxter writes hard SF and I did enjoy his earlier The Time Ships which was a sequel to Wells' The Time Machine but The Massacre of Mankind did not work for me.

Which author(s) did you fall in love with, or rediscover in 2018?

I discovered Georges Simenon (the non Maigret novels) and through Nigeyb Jocelyn Brooke. I rediscovered John le Carré and Roger Zelazny.

What are your reading plans for 2019?

I do not really have reading plans but this year I entered the Goodreads challenge to read 65 books (currently standing at 62 read). The problem with this is that I have concentrated on reading shorter books so next year I hope to read some of the doorstep books I have on my physical shelves.

Which author(s) or book(s) are you most looking forward to reading in 2019?

I am looking forward to reading Oscar: A Biography and also some more novels by Jocelyn Brooke. I am also looking forward to discovering new authors for me through RTTC and my other Goodreads groups.

What else do you want to say about what you read in 2018?

Looking back on the books I have read this year there are quite few thrillers and spy books. This is a genre that I have not read for a while but for various reasons these seemed to work for me this year.

Stephen Baxter wrote Flood too, Andrew. Truly dreadful book!

Have added St Petersburg to my TBR list, Andrew. A beautiful city.

I hope that you enjoy St Petersburg as much as I did.

I went there some years ago now, Andrew. Loved it.

Jill wrote: "I haven't read any Phillip Kerr , but the other two I love, so will have to remedy that!"

I definitely enjoyed Phillip Kerr. One of the many authors I want to get back to.

Love seeing how diverse our lists are.

What was the best book you read in 2018?
tie:
Flights by Olga Tokarczuk
Happiness by Aminatta Forna

What was the worst book you read in 2018?
Not the worst, but I don't get the hype over A Ladder to the Sky which I found plodding and dull.

Which author(s) did you fall in love with, or rediscover, in 2018?
Maggie O'Farrell
Claire Messud
Aminatta Forna

What are your reading plans for 2019?
Like Hugh, I'd like to read fewer books as I have other projects in mind. But I said the same thing this time last year and in fact, read more than I did in 2017. So...time will tell.

Which author(s) or book(s) are you most looking forward to reading in 2019?
The Memory of Love

Tombland
Drive Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead
Spring

What else do you want to say about what you read in 2018?
I read a lot of books from Netgalley and Edelweiss this year and felt it decreased my pleasure in reading as I felt obliged to finish books I otherwise would have abandoned. Plan to do a lot less of that in 2019.

What was the best book you read in 2018?
Impossible to choose just one, but I think some of my favourites have been books I've read with this group. I gave five stars to several, but will go for The Collected Novellas of Stefan Zweig and Dirty Snow by Georges Simenon - two brilliant European books which I will definitely return to. Oh, and old favourites The End of the Affair and Cider with Rosie.

What was the worst book you read in 2018?
I haven't read much that I really thought was bad, but a few that weren't to my taste. I really didn't like A Quiet Life in the Country, a historical mystery which we read over on Reading the Detectives, about an aristocratic lady and her maid/ companion who work together as detectives. Leaden dialogue, and lots of it.

Which author(s) did you fall in love with, or rediscover, in 2018?
I fell back in love with Evelyn Waugh and PG Wodehouse, while new discoveries for me included Elizabeth Fair, a Dean Street Press author who is slightly similar to Angela Thirkell, and, thanks to this group again. Mollie Panter-Downes.

What are your reading plans for 2018?
I'd like to follow through on some of the series I've started (quite a few detective ones, including Rex Stout) and read more non-fiction. I'd also like slip in some more Victorians, as they are really my first love and I've been neglecting them lately.

Which author(s) or book(s) are you most looking forward to reading in 2018?
I'm planning to reread Dombey and Son by Dickens. I've been giving myself a break from rereading him, but it has been too long now and I'm excited about going back to my favourite author.

What else do you want to say about what you read in 2018?
This has been a very busy and stressful year for me, so I've tended to go in for a lot of comfort reading at times.

Judy wrote: "I'd also like slip in some more Victorians, as they are really my first love and I've been neglecting them lately. "

Nice to see this comment - I have read less 19th Century fiction this year. I miss Trollope especially, but also Hardy, Gissing, Balzac, Collins, Turgenev - and certainly more, including some I've been wanting to explore.

With the, much anticipated, Stalingrad , a future, long buddy read, next year, I am eager to read more Russian literature. Have this on my TBR list - The Anna Karenina Fix: Life Lessons from Russian Literature

Talking of Dickens, I am enjoying a fun book, Mr Dickens and his Carol and have a couple of Dickens novels on Audible that I hope to fit in next year.