Ben

Awh wasn't it the cutest? I was lucky enough to have it sent as an ARC and you may or may not know this but I am a HUGE FAN OF PENGUINS. Fab book.

What are these book cull things you people speak of... Happy reading in 2017 Michelle, hope it's a great one.

Oh go on then, I'll pop in with my comments. Spending time with the OH for most of it, but read a bit of On Beauty to and from work today and will probably spend most of my evening with it. Good luck to everyone else participating.

Bon Iver's 'new' album Ellipsis. Really do think it's a great record.

Thanks, Frankie. Amazingly Chabon had never really come to my attention before 2016's Moonglow which I reviewed as an ARC. I loved the way he writes and instantly made a promise to myself to explore his work further. So happy this is commented upon so highly by my fellow BCF-ers. As for The Woman Who Went to Bed for a Year, I really can't remember when I read it now - a couple of years ago maybe? - but I wrote quite a strong review on how much I didn't like it. Not sure if I just didn't *get* it as such, but wasn't particularly enthused by any characters and I didn't really see what it was aiming at in the long-run. I also know a few people on here felt the same. Not saying you should give it up if you don't want to... but there's so many other wonderful books to read.

Thank you Frankie, I hope your 2017 reading is wonderful too! I'm sure I'll be finding many literary gems in your thread to be fair... Thanks, LP. Right back atcha'. Jasper Fforde I've been meaning to read forever now, so definitely this year, and I'm sure Pratchett will sneak a few on the list. He's already ear-marked as my go-to 'lighter', funny reads author, to break up some of the big beasties.

Little reading update: currently making my way through Zadie Smith's On Beauty and so far really enjoying it. Love Smith's range of characters - I feel like each member of the Belsey family has a distinct personality and that she's spent a lot of time really moulding them. The feel of it - and the style of writing - reminds me of McEwan's work, and I sense there probably isn't going to be too much in the way of plot. I've read about half so far so could be wrong, though... need more hours in the day!

Well, if you're not enjoying it, I say life's too short. There are too many other books waiting. You too, Alexi. My TBR is nuts, but yes, here's hoping I can prompt some good reads in your direction.

Absolutely! (Can't imagine I'll hold out long...) This is probably the only solution to not buying any new books. Ooh, I did not, will definitely check that one out. Thank you for the recommendation.

Happy reading in 2017 Hayley, hope it's a GREAT one.

Happy 2017 reading Wiloyd. I always look forward to your threads/lists/reviews so shall be stopping by regularly. Hope you have another fantastic year.

It was?! I read this and thought it was okay, but I'm completely astonished that it was nominated for the Man Booker. Very little reading done for me today. I'm very much enjoying On Beauty but just haven't had much time to sit down with it. Intended to read on commute to new job today but was a bit nervous about where I was getting off/less familiar surroundings, so couldn't concentrate and didn't bother. Will hopefully get a couple of hours to sit down with it tonight before bed.

Thank you and right back atcha', hope it's a great reading year. Yep, we shall see how it goes. Well... I cheated a bit as I'd read a little bit before 2017 but whose counting?

Thanks Claire. It's amazing how divisive Smith is... for every person that loves a certain one of her novels, there is another that doesn't like it. Promising early signs with On Beauty - she has a beautiful writing style and I'm very intrigued about the direction she'll take the story. I'd be reluctant to recommend On the Road if you feel you'll struggle with the language - Kerouac's stream-of-consciousness writing style is not easy at all to follow. I personally think it's worth persevering with, but I know many others don't agree. Thank you. It's interesting that you have the exact same opinion as me for all her different books. Shall report back with how I get on with this one.

Also went into WH Smiths today for first bookshop visit of 2017 and DIDN'T BUY ANYTHING. I haven't even promised not to buy as many books this year but something is telling me to at least wait a little while.

Completely insurmountable, but never mind. Happy reading to you too, Noll, hope it's a great one! Thanks, Peacefield. I love King, my problem is I just never get around to those big door-stoppers! I will make The Shining a priority though. Hope you have a fabulous 2017 filled with wonderful books.

Thank you Madeleine! Hope 2017 is kind to you too.

Happy 2017 reading for you Noll, hope it's a great one.

Decided on Zadie Smith's On Beauty next, despite hearing mixed reviews. In the past I enjoyed White Teeth but actually abandoned NW so we'll see which side of the line this falls. Synopsis Why do we fall in love with the people we do? Why do we visit our mistakes on our children? What makes life truly beautiful? Set in New England mainly and London partly, On Beauty concerns a pair of feuding families—the Belseys and the Kippses—and a clutch of doomed affairs. It puts low morals among high ideals and asks some searching questions about what life does to love. For the Belseys and the Kippses, the confusions—both personal and political—of our uncertain age are about to be brought close to home: right to the heart of family. I do really like the sound of this, so will hope to get properly stuck into before I start my new job tomorrow.

This is good to hear, Anna. I haven't read any of his others, but Moonglow was fabulous!

Happy reading in 2017 Chrissy, hope it's a great one.

Just a little disclaimer on reviews this year: I'm not sure what format they're going to take, or how exhaustive they'll be. I intended to just write a couple of lines on Big Sur and it ended up a bit longer, so I think I'll just see how it goes book-by-book. I'm not making promises to write extensive reviews - or even bother with them at all this year - my priority is reading and enjoying... with the odd brief comments/review if I'm feeling that way inclined.

Inver, long time no speak! Hope you and the family are well. Thank you for the well wishes, the TBR is indeed quite a bit to get through. In any case, hope you have a great 2017 - be it reading or other things, I hope they go well for you.

Big Sur by Jack Kerouac So I finished my first read of 2017, Jack Kerouac's Big Sur. The first thing I should probably mention, if you're not already familiar with his work, is that Kerouac's writing style is definitely not for everyone, with long, meandering. stream-of-consciousness sentences - and a frequent ignoring of conventional grammar. Seriously: commas are routinely ignored and full stops are a rare sight indeed. It takes some getting used to. Kerouac's writing is, however, in my humble opinion, beautiful. Clearly the product of a tortured, wild man, addicted to alcohol and the endless drive to live life to its fullest - but in this reader's eyes there is a genius to his descriptions; a way of seeing the world that wouldn't even occur to most others. He plays endlessly with words and language, manipulating it to his own will, producing crazy flights of linguistic fancy that have you guffawing and producing melancholic sighs - often both in the space of a single paragraph. Big Sur is part of the Duluoz Legnd - Kerouac's vast array of travel writings that essentially chronicle his incredible life - but it is very much a different kettle of fish compared to Kerouac's better-known and oft-praised On the Road. That novel, which propelled him to such unwanted fame, basically tipped him over the edge. Big Sur chronicles Kerouac's descent into madness - his struggle to deal with the success and responsibility brought on by his earlier novel's success. “I’m just plumb sick and tired… of the whole nerve-wracking scene", he says - and he means it. A friend offers Jack Duluoz - the pseudonym Kerouac uses throughout all his books - Big Sur cabin, a place to stay, hold up, write, and ultimately use to save himself. Sadly, this does not prove to be the case, as Jack goes on relentless drinking binges, starts a twisted love affair with his friend Cody Pomeray's (Neal Cassady in real life) mistress, and generally becomes increasingly more paranoid about the motives of his friends. He falls out of love with nature, argues and fights, struggles to make sense of anything, drinks himself into further stupors, and waits for the end. Big Sur is not a book that is easy to 'enjoy', at least not in the traditional sense. It's too harrowing, too painful - perhaps, after all, too real. It isn't easy to sympathise with Duluoz (or, rather, Kerouac) who was obviously not the nicest of people. He was, however, a distinctly troubled man, and a very talented one. This book, one of his last before death finally caught up with him, is so far removed from the free-flowing, optimism and celebration of the Beat lifestyle that we got in On the Road. This is no great American dream, the romance of the road. Instead, it is the stark reality that death waits for us all. A tough read, but one worth exploring. ★★★★☆

Thanks bobbles, you've picked out a lot of books that I intend to read sooner rather than later, particularly The Grapes of Wrath and my Murakami (all of which I bought myself over Christmas). Good to know that you thought so highly of those picks, and 'more Stephen King' is a general goal I have any year anyway. Right back atcha'. Just commented on your thread but I'll say it here now: I hope you also have a good 2017 filled with some excellent books. Well, as I just mentioned to bobbles more Stephen King is always on the agenda, but I'll keep a particular eye out for this one. I know some aren't impressed with his more recent stuff - or at least not so much - but good to know this has your seal of approval. I like Coben, one of those that I know I can just pick up when I need something a bit easier and guarantee myself a solid thriller. Those Tracy books, however, were given to me a lifetime ago now, but I should probably start with Monkeewrench before getting to those two I'd imagine? As for Koontz, I've always found him a bit hit-and-miss, but the Odd Thomas books are definitely on the radar! I've a weird relationship with these. My aunt recommended them to my not long before she passed away, and I took them but they've merely sat on my shelves ever since. (Not to dwell, but I would imagine there's something to that reasoning...) She died when I was fourteen, which probably would have been the perfect time to read them. Now, I'm 23 and it seems like the moment has maybe passed. Safe to say I'll probably never remove them though, so you never know... I have heard this is possibly a bit of struggle on Kindle due to footnotes and whatnot. Mine is an e-book copy... I'm so behind with Donoghue but have heard such great things about her new one The Wonder - and of course Room was immensely popular. Do intend to read both at some stage - they both sound great. So happy you loved all of these. I believe I got Middlesex after hearing a discussion about it on here (might have been on your book thread?) and the Cormoran Strike books I can't wait to get into. I too struggle to find crime thrillers that I love to re-read, so it's interesting that these prompt that reaction from you - they must have been really good. Kundera I will definitely read this year. Have been awfully torn by this for the obvious reasons - not an actual 'novel', my beloved HP being continued in this manner, etc. - but I'm not going to be a snob. I like the idea of what they've tried to do, bringing in a different era (and indeed the recent Fantastic Beasts stuff). Just hope that I love it. Interesting order. I loved White Teeth when I did it for a module at university, but NW I started and abandoned. To this day I'm not sure if it was the book or the mood I was in... I had On Beauty shortlisted as a January '17 read so if I do go ahead I hope I get on better with it than you did. "I will always, always recommend Virginia Woolf." WHERE DO I START SHE'S SO INTIMIDATING. "I also saw a lot of books I want to read myself [:)" Good to know, hope I can recommend some your way this year.