dom

I've just finished listening to an excellent audiobook of this novel that was read by Frederick Davidson. It was unabridged and lasted for 36 hours 13 minutes. The narrator handled all of the characters very well even if some of the female characters sounded a bit weak. I haven't read any Dickens for a long time. I have problems committing to long works. So I thought I would try an audiobook. Perhaps unsurprisingly, it worked really well. The medium could have been made for Dickens. This is a fantastic story which I thoroughly enjoyed. It tells the story of David Copperfield (in the first person) from childhood to adulthood. The characters (minor and major) and so well imagined that you can't help but believe that they could be real. The villains of the piece are particularly well drawn and believable. But what stood out for me was how Dickens used the comedic features of many of the characters. This book is so funny.

Set in 1979 this novel tells the story of the opposition to Gaddafi's regime through the eyes of nine-year-old Suileiman. While book is well written and has an easy style, I found it difficult to engage with the narrator, perhaps because of his age and perhaps because he wasn't written as a likeable boy. However, the description of what a family goes through when one of its members has perhaps been arrested by the authorities is brilliantly realised.

I had only read one other novel by HE Bates before this (Fair Stood The Winds For France) and as I enjoyed that so much I thought I would give this a try. This isn't a long novel and the events take place over a few days. After, what I thought, was a slow start the story picked up pace and moved along to a good conclusion. A very simple story, well-told. If you have been put off trying HE Bates because of The Darling Buds Of May, this might be a good introduction to the other side of this underrated author.

Wilbur Smith is my favourite author. This is the fourth novel in his Egypt series.I am afraid that I was disappointed with this. It is the first of Mr Smith's novels that I have felt that way about and I have read them all. I think my problem was with the witchcraft and magic and this wasn't a feature of the earlier novels in the series. I had liked their reliance on religion and the science of the time and this was just fantasy. I can't wait for his next.

Very enjoyable, right from the start. The book is "narrated" by a number of different characters who are involved in the story. Some of these narratives are very amusing and the change of styles works well. However I liked certain parts less than others and it had the usual weaknesses of most 19th Century detective novels. Otherwise a good story with a good plot and a good solution. But I had guessed very early who it was; I just didn't know how... Then I was a tad disappointed with the explanation . My first suspect, who I didn't decide on him until quite late in the book, turned out to be guilty. I wasn't thrown by those tricks that authors like to use to mislead the reader. However, I didn't know why or how he had committed the crime.

I started reading The Three Musketeers in 2004 after downloading a digital edition from Project Gutenberg. I enjoyed the book so much that I decided to read the other two novels Twenty Years After and The Man In The Iron Mask. The latter I read in the four volume edition (consisting The Vicomte de Bragelonne, Ten Years Later, Louise de Valliere & The Man In The Iron Mask). And I've finally finished. I thought Twenty Years After was another good story although it did drag at times. As for the various novels in The Man In The Iron Mask, I have to say I was disappointed. Apart from the sheer length, this wasn't so much a story of heroes as political and romantic intrigues. If anyone is contemplating reading these, I would recommend the first two novels but advise you to avoid the third.

Books read in 2007. 30. Himalaya by Michael Palin (unabridged audiobook read by Michael Palin) *** 29. The Master Butchers Singing Club by Loyise Erdrich (bookring) *** 28. David Copperfield by Charles Dickens (unabridged audiobook read by Frederick Davidson) ***** 27. Balzac And the Little Chinese Seamstress by Dai Sijie (Tr. Ina Rilke) (BGO read) **** 26. Winter by Len Deighton **** 25. The War Of the Worlds by HG Wells (e-book) ** 24. Cabal by Michael Dibden *** 23. London Match by Len Deighton **** 22. The League Of Extraordinary Gentlemen Vol. II by Alan Moore & Kevin O'Neill (graphic novel) ** 21. The League Of Extraordinary Gentlemen by Alan Moore & Kevin O'Neill (graphic novel) *** 20. Fluke by Christopher Moore (bookring) ** 19. The Jacaranda Tree by HE Bates (bookring) *** 18. The Man In The Iron Mask by Alexandre Dumas * 17. Protector by Larry Niven (bookring) *** 16. The Moonstone by Wilkie Collins (BGO read) **** 15. The Quest by Wilbur Smith ** 14. In The Country Of Men by Hisham Matar (bookring) ** 13. Daisy's Wars by Meg Henderson (unabridged audiobook read by Phoebe James) **** 12. Vendetta by Michael Dibden *** 11. Take Me With You by Brad Newsham (BGO read) ** 10. Mexico Set by Len Deighton ** 9. Sahara by Michael Palin (abridged audibook read by Michael Palin) ** 8. A Suitable Boy by Vikram Seth *** 7. A Wild Sheep Chase by Haruki Murakami (unabridged audiobook read by Rupert Degas) *** 6. Death At La Fenice by Donna Leon *** 5. Hemingway Adventure by Michael Palin (unabridged audiobook read by Michael Palin) ** 4. Louise de Valliere by Alexandre Dumas * 3. SS-GB by Len Deighton (unabridged audiobook read by James Faulkner) *** 2. Ratking by Michael Dibden *** 1. Berlin Game by Len Deighton ***

Books to be read can be found here. I've just spent a couple of days sorting out my loft. As a result, I have sorted out my TBRs from those I have read. I would have posted it here but as it is now up to 422 books, it would have been too long. The list includes books MOH has read that I plan to read but does not include e-books that I have downloaded or books that I have read before but am planning to read again either because I am working my way through a series for which I have unread books (e.g. Michael Dibden, Sue Grafton) or just want to read again (e.g. JK Rowling). Also I get audiobooks from the library to listen to in the car. I think that based on my current reading speed I should have cleared Mount TBR by 2016.

My Wish List. Can be found here.

Books read in 2006 1. South Of The Border, West Of The Sun by Haruki Murakami (bookray) 2. The Dead Heart by Douglas Kennedy (bookring) 3. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen 4. Neverhwere by Neil Gaiman 5. The Kalahari Typing School For Men by Alexander McCall Smith 6. The Full Cupboard Of Life by Alexander McCall Smith 7. Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro (audiobook read by Emelia Fox) 8. In The Company Of Cheerful Ladies by Alexander McCall Smith 9. Torpedo Run by Douglas Reeman (audiobook read by David Rintoul) 10. The Constant Gardener by John le Carre 11. The Ipcress File by Len Deighton (audiobook read by Paul Daneman) 12. The Colour by Rose Tremain 13. Atonement by Ian McEwan (bookring) 14. An Equal Music by Vikram Seth (audiobook read by Robert Powell) 15. The Seville Communion by Arturo Perez-Reverte (bookring) 16. The Touch by Colleen McCullough 17. Billion Dollar Brain by Len Deighton (audiobook read by Paul Daneman) 18. The Dumas Club by Arturo Pérez-Reverte (bookray) 19. This Is The Grass by Alan Marshall 20. The Guests Of War by Kit Pearson (bookring) 21. The Clerkenwell Tales by Peter Ackroyd (booking) 22. The Night Watch by Sarah Waters (audiobook read by Juanita McMahon) 23. Empire I: Midshipman by Richard Stotts (e-book) 24. Empire II: Heir To The Throne by Richard Stotts (e-book) 25. Empire III: Majesty by Richard Stotts (e-book) 26. Libby Tubberman At Large by Justin jones (e-book) 27. Empire IV: A'chon by Richard Stotts (e-book) 28. Stripped: Depeche Mode by Jonathan Miller 29. Empire V: Citizens Of The Empire by Richard Stotts (e-book) 30. One Night @ The Call Center by Chetan Bhagat (bookring) 31. Around The World In 80 Days by Michael Palin (audiobook read by Michael Palin) 32. Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone by JK Rowling 33. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by JK Rowling 34. In Mine Own Heart by Alan Marshall 35. Ten Years Later by Alexandre Dumas (e-book) 36. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by JK Rowling 37. Funeral In Berlin by Len Deighton (audiobook read by Paul Daneman) 38. Harry Potter and the Goblet Of Fire by JK Rowling 39. The Ten Thousand by Michael Curtis Ford (bookring) 40. Harry Potter and the Order Of The Phoenix by JK Rowling 41. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince by JK Rowling 42. An Artist Of The Floating World by Kazuo Ishiguro (bookring) 43. Holes by Louis Sacher (bookring) 44. The White Russian by Tom Bradby (audiobook read by Robert Powell) 45. The Accidental by Ali Smith 46. Pole To Pole by Michael Palin (audiobook read by Michael Palin) 47. Twinkle, Twinkle Little Spy by Len Deighton (audiobook read by Paul Daneman) 48. The Golden Mountain by Irene Kai (audiobook read by Anna Fields) 49. A Friend Of The Earth by TC Boyle (bookring) 50. Death In A Strange Country by Donna Leon (audiobook read by Anna Fields) 51. Tokyo by Mo Hayder (bookring) 52. Full Circle by Michael Palin (audiobook read by Michael Palin) 53. Alfot by Chang-Rae Lee (bookring)

Books read in 2005 Cloud of Sparrows by Takashi Matsuoka Autumn Bridge by Takashi Matsuoka The Boy-Bishop's Glovemaker by Michael Jecks When We Were Orphans by Kazuo Ishiguro (Bookray) The Bird Artist by Howard Norman (Bookray) The Way the Crow Flies by Anne-Marie McDonald (Bookring) Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell (Bookray) My Brilliant Career by Miles Franklin (Bookring) Little Women by Louisa May Alcott (e-book) Birds of Prey by Wilbur Smith Monsoon by Wilbur Smith Blue Horizon by Wilbur Smith The Triumph Of The Sun by Wilbur Smith Sharpe's Battle by Bernard Cornwell Sharpe's Company by Bernard Cornwell L is for Lawless by Sue Grafton Sharpe's Sword by Bernard Cornwell The God Boy by Ian Cross (Bookring) A History of The Soviet Union 1917-1991 by Geoffrey Hosking Swamp Thing Volume 1 (graphic novel) Swamp Thing Volume 2 (graphic novel) Swamp Thing Volume 3 (graphic novel) Swamp Thing Volume 4 (graphic novel) Swamp Thing Volume 5 (graphic novel) Swamp Thing Volume 6 (graphic novel) Altered Carbon by Richard Morgan Broken Angels by Richard Morgan Across the Nightingale Floor by Lian Hearn The Vicomte de Bragelonne by Alexandre Dumas (e-book) Grass For His Pillow by Lian Hearn Brilliance Of The Moon by Lian Hearn The Fencing Master by Arturo Perez-Reverte (bookring) Woken Furies by Richard Morgan Sharpe's Enemy by Bernard Cornwell Sharpe's Honour by Bernard Cornwell Sharpe's Regiment by Bernard Cornwell Sharpe's Siege by Bernard Cornwell Sharpe's Revenge by Bernard Cornwell Sharpe's Waterloo by Bernard Cornwell Wolves Eat Dogs by Martin Cruz Smith Sharpe's Devil by Bernard Cornwell

Books read in 2004. Twelve by Nick McDonell One Man's Justice by Akira Yoshimura The Mystery of the Blue Train by Agatha Christie The Lord Of The Rings by JRR Tolkein Thanksgiving by Michael Dibdin The Doll's House by Neil Gaiman (graphic novel) Preludes and Nocturnes by Neil Gaiman (graphic novel) Dream Country by Neil Gaiman (graphic novel) Season of Mists by Neil Gaiman (graphic novel) A Game Of You by Neil Gaiman (graphic novel) Fables and Reflections by Neil Gaiman (graphic novel) Brief Lives by Neil Gaiman (graphic novel) Worlds' End by Neil Gaiman (graphic novel) The Kindly Ones by Neil Gaiman (graphic novel) The Wake by Neil Gaiman (graphic novel) A Study In Scarlet by Arthur Conan Doyle (e-book) A is for Alibi by Sue Grafton Sharpe's Tiger by Bernard Cornwell B is for Burglar by Sue Grafton Sharpe's Triumph by Bernard Cornwell C is for Corpse by Sue Grafton Sharpe's Fortress by Bernard Cornwell The Sign Of The Four by Arthur Conan Doyle (e-book) D is for Deadbeat by Sue Grafton Sharpe's Trafalgar by Bernard Cornwell E is for Evidence by Sue Grafton The Adventures Of Sherlock Homes by Arthur Conan Doyle (e-book) Sharpe's Prey by Bernard Cornwell F is for Fugitive by Sue Grafton Sharpe's Rifles by Bernard Cornwell The Memoirs Of Sherlock Homes by Arthur Conan Doyle (e-book) G is for Gumshoe by Sue Grafton Sharpe's Eagle by Bernard Cornwell The Hound Of the Baskervilles by Arthur Conan Doyle (e-book) H is for Homicide by Sue Grafton Sharpe's Gold by Bernard Cornwell I is for Innocent by Sue Grafton Sharpe's Havoc by Bernard Cornwell J is for Judgement by Sue Grafton Sharpe's Escape by Bernard Cornwell K is for Killer by Sue Grafton The Return Of Sherlock Homes by Arthur Conan Doyle (e-book) Pompeii by Robert Harris The Three Musketeers by Alexandre Dumas (e-book) The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency by Alexander McCall Smith Tears Of The Giraffe by Alexander McCall Smith Morality For Beautiful Girls by Alexander McCall Smith Absolute Friends by John le Carré Morgan's Run by Colleen McCullough Twenty Years After by Alexandre Dumas (e-book) For The Term Of His Natural Life by Marcus Clarke