Janet

Whilst compiling my comprehensive 'to read' pile I've found another couple from this year, taking my total acquired in 2012 to 41. It looks like my total 'to read' pile is going to come in a little under 100. Scary biscuits. This doesn't include Kindle books - I'm not counting those as they don't take up any physical room. At the rate I read, it'll take me over a year to read them all. I'm not sure I want that kind of pressure. I think I might thin out some that I think I'm unlikely ever to read. I feel quite intimidated by it!

I really enjoyed War Horse, Karen. I managed to read it just before I went to see it at the cinema. Have you seen the film? I love Gavin and Stacey! I also liked James and Ruth Jones when they appeared in the ITV drama Fat Friends. I'm glad you enjoyed the book.

I need to compile a list of all my 'to read' books. I have some left from those that I bought last year and some from previous years (before I started keeping a note of books purchased. I will get onto it so I know exactly what I'm up against. Thanks, Kylie. Thanks, Karen.

What's a Friday freebie, and where does one get one?!

Thanks, Kay. I just hope I can stick to it!

Your best bet is good 'ol Wikipedia. Ricky Gervais's page Stephen Merchant's page You'll find links to An Idiot Abroad on there too.

At this date in 2011 I had acquired 32 new books. By the end of 2011 it had gone up to 53. I therefore made the above resolution (in the last sentence). This year so far: Total new books acquired in 2012 (including library books): 41 Number of these read: 21 Total cost* of books acquired: £34.16 Library Books: 8 Library Books Read: 7 It's ridiculous. I just can't seem to help myself. I am now resolving - once again - to buy fewer books. For the remainder of this year I am going to do my best to reduce my 'to read' pile which must be in excess 50 unread books, taking into account previous years. The caveat to this statement is that I have an Amazon gift voucher which I must spend before its expiry date - but it doesn't expire for ages (I've made a note on my calendar so I don't miss the deadline!) so if there is a 'must have' book then I will use this - and I will also buy Book Club books. Finally, I will get books from the library for my World Challenge (or download them to my Kindle) as I'm keen to continue with this challenge. Claire gets a mention here - she's inspirational, having reduced her own 'to read' pile into single figures!!! I'm not sure how well I'll do at it - as you can clearly tell, my willpower is pathetic - but I will give it my best shot.

Thanks. It's an interesting question, and one I've been pondering all afternoon, but having thought about it, I don't remember any of them being ahead of their time. Thanks - it really does feel good.

Thanks. I'm not sure there were any gems that I was unlikely to have read without this challenge - I managed to choose the majority of them from my Wish List. There were a couple I really struggled with though - and would have given up on if it wasn't for this challenge. Notably A Room With A View by E M Forster (which disappointingly I found to be very dull - I'd been looking forward to it), The Enchanted Castle by E Nesbit (ditto - and yet the Railway Children is one of my all-time favourite children's books/films) and the last two of the challenge - The Cruise of the Snark by Jack London and the E E Cummings book, both of which were very dry. But overall it was an enjoyable experience. I think the one I wouldn't have picked up and did enjoy was Pollyanna by Eleanor Parker (I think Claire might have suggested that one?)

Thanks Claire. I've enjoyed doing it, but I must say I'm glad to be at an end. I was considering another challenge but I think that for the moment I'll concentrate on my World Challenge - and trying to take a leaf out of your book and trying to reduce my 'to read' pile.

I have just finished my last book for this challenge! The Enormous Room by E E Cummings - 1920s non-fiction - published 1922 There seems to be some confusion over the classification of this book. Some sites classify it as non-fiction and some as 'autobiographical fiction'. However, whether it is embellished by E E Cummings or not, it is still based on real events and real people so I am classifying it as non-fiction. It has taken my just 26 days shy of 4 years to finish this challenge - on the whole, I've enjoyed doing it!

Thanks, Kay. I don't think I'm going to rush to buy Fragile Things, but if I come across it on my travels then I might just pick it up.

Yes, I definitely can't see this one being made. I wouldn't be surprised if the rest of the series never gets filmed (although I guess that would be a shame). I don't mind shocking - has Gaiman published a book of short stories? *Goes to Google*

Great review, Kay. I love the sound of this one!

Awesome locker number! Glad it's going okay.

Brick Lane by Monica Ali The ‘blurb’ At the tender age of eighteen, Nazneen’s life is turned upside down. After an arranged marriage to a man twenty years her elder she exchanges her Bangladeshi village for a block of flats in London’s East End. In this new world, where poor people can be fat and even dogs go on diets, she struggles to make sense of her existence – and do her duty to her husband, a man of inflated ideas (and stomach), he sorely tests her compliance. But Nazneen submits, as she must, to Fate and devotes her life to raising her family and slapping down her demons of discontent Nazneen lives a happy life in Bangladesh with her sister Hasina and her parents – she knows that an arranged marriage is on the cards and when it happens it is to a Bangladeshi man who lives in far away London and who is about 20 years her senior. She moves to Brick Lane in the borough of Tower Hamlets where she feels isolated, being unable to speak the language. Her husband, Chanu, is a kind man with many ambitious plans, but sadly none of these seem to come to fruition and he soon becomes disillusioned as he slips down the career ladder. Nazneen settles into her new life and starts making friends within her community, including a spirited young woman called Razia who works from home making clothing. Nazneen longs to do the same but Chanu is not keen. Eventually he relents and buys Nazneen a sewing machine – he is keen for the family to return “home” to Bangladesh and knows the extra money will eventually help him realise this ambition. Life plods along for Nazneen, Chanu and their two girls, Shahana and Bibi until the eventful day on 11 September 2011 when the attacks on America take place and life suddenly changes. The area becomes one of unrest where cultures who have rubbed along okay suddenly become wary of each other. Nazneen finds herself unwittingly drawn to the man who brings the clothing to her flat, Karim as he gathers the Bangladeshi community together to decide how to defend themselves against attacks on their culture, whilst Chanu desperately makes plans for the family to leave the country – but Nazeen, Shahana and Bibi aren’t going to go without a fight… Brick Lane is mostly set in London (well, d'uh!) but there is some of it set in Bangladesh. I think I'd have preferred a bit more of Bangladesh in it to experience the culture in situ, so to speak, but the reader does at least experience some of this in the regular correspondence from Nazneen’s sister Hasina, who ran away for a ‘love match’ which went wrong and now, shamed and unable to return to the village, lives life as best she can in difficult circumstances. Reading about it on Wikipedia now there was a lot of controversy about it and the way Bengali people were portrayed but I think most readers are intelligent enough to know that the characters are stereotypical rather than typical. I really enjoyed this book – the writing and the characters – and was sorry when it came to an end.

I have just finished Stardust by Neil Gaiman - what a fantastic book!

The Last Battle by C S Lewis The ‘blurb’ "To my side, all true Narnians! Would you wait till your new masters have killed you all, one by one?" It is Narnia's darkest hour. A false Aslan is commanding all Narnians to work for the cruel Calormenes and striking terror into every heart. King Tiran's only hope is to call Eustace and Jill back to Narnia, in an attempt to find the true Aslan and restore peace to the land. But a mighty battle lies ahead. This is the final part of the Narnia Chronicles and is set during the reign of the 4x great-grandson of King Caspian X - King Tirian. Narnia has enjoyed many years of peace and success under Tirian’s reign, but one day a centaur called Roonwit visits Tirian and tells him that the stars predict that an evil is coming to Narnia. Meanwhile an ape called Shift spots something floating in a river and persuades Puzzle the donkey to retrieve it. It’s a lion’s pelt and Shift comes up with a cunning plan that will enable him to fool the people of Narnia that Aslan has returned and that Shift is doing Aslan’s bidding. He persuades an unwilling and naive Puzzle to don the skin and pretend to be Aslan. At the same time, he forces the Narnians to work for him, cutting down the talking trees to sell to the Calormene people on the pretence of raising money for Aslan. He also manages to convince the people that the Aslan and the Calormene god Tash are one and the same. Tirian and his supporters take on Shift but are overpowered. As Tirian is tied up he calls on Aslan for help and sees a vision of Digory and Polly (from The Magician’s Nephew) the Pevensie children (with the exception of Susan) and Eustace and Jill – and they, in ‘our world’, see him. Jill and Eustace arrive in Narnia for the titular Last Battle. None of the books have lived up to The Magician’s Nephew or The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe - this one felt like a book of two halves – the first being the conflict caused by Shift pretending Aslan had returned and the second Of all the books in the series, this is the one that I remembered least about from when I first read them many, many years ago as a child. As a child I am sure I didn’t really take in the religious aspect of them. As an adult it is very obvious. It’s not this aspect of it that left me feeling rather cold towards the book, but I just didn’t enjoy the story, and I didn’t like Lewis’ treatment of Susan. I guess he had his reasons but it seems a shame that she was treated the way she was, just to make a point. Overall I was left feeling unrewarded by making it to the end of the series. In future if I do decide to revisit Narnia it will only be to re-read The Magician’s Nephew and The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe

I've been struggling to write a review of it, Kay. I didn't really enjoy it and I certainly agree that none of them have lived up to The Magician's Nephew or The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. I can't remember where I read it, but I'm pretty certain that the rights to the remaining films have expired - so if the original company (or someone new) wish to make TMN they'll have to apply for rights again. It's a shame as I'd like to see a version of that.

I haven't read it yet. I'm pleased to hear you enjoyed it - I've got it on my 'to read' pile and it qualifies as Peru for my World Challenge (although she's classed as Chilean, she was born in Peru and I'm doing my challenge based on country of birth) - I will bump it up my list.

I'm glad you had a good time, June. Lizzie's race was good!

You've read some cracking books, Feste. I particularly love The Book Thief, Rebecca and Birdsong. You're in for a treat with A Thousand Splendid Suns. What did you think of The House of the Spirits by Isabel Allande?