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Second up was In the United States of Africa by Abdouhrahman Waberi, from Djibouti. This was a slim volume (123 pages) with an interesting premise - Africa being the first world continent, and Europe and North America being the third world. The main protagonist, Maya, is a European born white girl adopted by a black couple, who travels to France to look for her birth mother. It's a challenging read, requiring considerable concentration, but is written with a strongly poetic rhythm and style; there are some real bubbles of humour in amongst otherwise fairly stark material.. The last quarter, in France, is the easiest section of the book to read, resulting in a sense of acceleration towards the finish. I do think, though, that the author could have perhaps made more of what was a fascinating idea. Even so, it proved a solid 4-star read, and one that positively demands I return to it in the near future.

Finished In The United States of Africa by Abdourahman Waberi, a short (123 pp) but challenging read, set in a world where Africa is the 'first' world, and Europe and America are the 'third' world. The book for Djibouti on my Read Around the World. 4 out of 6 stars. Moved on to Chocolate House Treason by David Fairer, a chunky 600+ page read set in early 18th century London.

Finished His Excellency Eugene Rougon this morning. A slower read than I usually find, not least because I needed to force myself to slow down and read each and every paragraph carefully to get the full benefit of his highly descriptive writing. Once I did - and I should have remembered from reading previous books of his - I found myself really immersed and reluctant to put it down, whereas I'd previously struggled to stay engaged. An increasingly absorbing insight into French Second Empire political and social life. 4 stars (out of 6).

A wonderful book IMO. Have read a couple of others since, and they're not far behind! Currently reading His Excellency Eugene Rougon, the second book (chronologically, not publication order) in Emile Zola's Rougon-Macquart sequence. Pretty good so far (one-third in).

March was off to a fast start with a book for one of my book groups: The Department of Sensitive Crimes by Alexander McCall Smith. It's a while since I read quite such a load of dross. I thought that The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry could well be out on its own as my Duffer of the Year, but it's actually got a really strong contender. At least there was a point to the latter. The one saving grace about this book is that it took barely a couple of hours to read. 1 star.

#26 Pennsylvania: The Killer Angels by Michael Shaara ****** A small moment of celebration, as filling in this state means that for the first time, I have a complete line of states filled in all the way from "Sea to Shining Sea", Pacific to Atlantic! After the disappointment of The Stepford Wives (Connecticut), this was a return to the high ratingsthat the vast majority of the books on this tour have so far achieved. The title is a slightly odd one, more reminiscent of a zombie novel, or at least something out of Doctor Who (I think those are actually Weeping Angels!), but there's nothing odd about the book itself, a fictionalised narrative of the Battle of Gettysburg, told mainly from the perspective of General Robert E. Lee and his second-in-command, James Longstreet, but including other 'lesser' players too, including Joshua Chamberlain, a college professor turned regimental commander on the Union side who went on to great things. By fictionalising the narrative, Shaara was able to take the historically factual aspects (and I gather he was pretty rigourous on this front, with mainly just some compression of time and removal of minor characters in places), and bolt on his own interpretations, particularly enabling the inclusion of internal feelings, perceptions and conversations of the characters. They and the place are brought vividly to life, and the result is a superb evocation of battle and the men fighting it. I was gripped, and can well see why it won the Pulitzer. This not a book that features on many 'US Tours', but it should be. I've also spent quite a bit of time on Google Earth whilst reading, exploring relevant parts of the Gettysburg area as much as that will allow, but it's actually somewhere I'd now love to visit. I read James MacPherson's Battle Cry of Freedom a few years ago, but think I need to go and have a reread - or maybe tackle Shelby Foote's trilogy at long last (it's been sat waiting for me long enough!).I've got his novel of Shiloh on my list for one of the other states, and it'll be interesting to compare.

I've found it interesting that, whilst there are hordes of high rating reviews, there is only a very small proportion of low rater ones. Yet, when I start talking to people, literally or virtually, there seems to be a lot of people who aren't exactly fans! Sort of relieved I'm not alone on this (although that's never stopped me before!).

The Killer Angels by Michael Shaara ***** The 27th book on my Tour of the USA - this was my choice for Pennsylvania and provides a small moment of celebration, as filling in this tates means that for the first time, I have a complete line of states filled in all the way from "Sea to Shining Sea", Pacific to Atlantic! After the disappointment of The Stepford Wives (Connecticut), this was a return to the high ratingsthat the vast majority of the books on this tour have so far achieved. The title is a slightly odd one, more reminiscent of a zombie novel, or at least something out of Doctor Who (I think those are actually Weeping Angels!), but there's nothing odd about the book itself, a fictionalised narrative of the Battle of Gettysburg, told mainly from the perspective of General Robert E. Lee and his second-in-command, James Longstreet, but including other 'lesser' players too, including Joshua Chamberlain, a college professor turned regimental commander on the Union side who went on to great things. By fictionalising the narrative, Shaara was able to take the historically factual aspects (and I gather he was pretty rigourous on this front, with mainly just some compression of time and removal of minor characters in places), and bolt on his own interpretations, particularly enabling the inclusion of internal feelings, perceptions and conversations of the characters. They and the place are brought vividly to life, and the result is a superb evocation of battle and the men fighting it. I was gripped, and can well see why it won the Pulitzer. This not a book that features on many 'US Tours', but it should be. I've also spent quite a bit of time on Google Earth whilst reading, exploring relevant parts of the Gettysburg area as much as that will allow, but it's actually somewhere I'd now love to visit. I read James MacPherson's Battle Cry of Freedom a few years ago, but think I need to go and have a reread - or maybe tackle Shelby Foote's trilogy at long last (it's been sat waiting for me long enough!).I've got his novel of Shiloh on my list for one of the other states, and it'll be interesting to compare.

That's interesting: it's long been a tenet of childhood reading in my family that people were almost always a Famous Five reader or a Secret Seven reader, but never both. You and Madeleine have just blown that theory out of the water! My OH and I are both of the same generation as you (the other side of that dreaded six-oh though - the new forty!), and we were both avid Secret Seveners. Enid Blyton was a staple of my childhood. The one that I have retained into adulthood is her Nature Diary, my first inspiration for a love of the outdoors and wildlife that has become a way of life rather than just an interest. I like the sound of your reading challenge. I'm up to my eyeballs in at least two others at present (both running elsewhere in this section of the forum),so won't take it up, but will definitely put it on the shelf for later consideration. I'm currently half-way through a tour of the United States, reading a book set in each of the states and Washington DC, and have just started my Read Around The World, essentially a book written by someone from or resident in each of the 200-ish nations/continents of the world, ideally set there too. One down, 199 to go! Welcome to the forum. I've been around a while, and that's because it's been such a welcoming, relaxed, forum, with members reading a very interesting range of books. Looking forward to reading more of your posts.

Hope you enjoy it. I'm currently reading The Killer Angels by Michael Shaara. With a title like that, it sounds like a zombie novel or something out of Doctor Who, but it is in fact a Pulitzer winning fictionalised narrative of the Battle of Gettysburg. Both fascinating and gripping, it is currently definitely living up to its prize-winning status! I'm really tempted to reread Battle Cry for Freedom after this, or finally tackle Shelby Foote. A part of history that, even though I did some American history at school, is still rather a blank to this British educated student!

I've only tried Chris Cleave once myself, reading Gold as a book group read. I didn't finish it either: an equal 'load of tosh'. I put those experiences down as 'at least I know not to bother with that author'! Interested to see you gave The Doomsday Book a good rating. I really enjoy those historian time travel novels of hers, even though some of her research can be a bit wobbly. I don't think that manifested so much here, but elsewhere there are 1 or 2 entertaining howlers!

February books A steady month's reading, nothing spectacular, with some very enjoyable reads. I know the month's not over yet, and there's a chance I'll finish my current book before it is, but now's as good a time as any to catch up! I also spent a fair bit of reading time researching books for my Read Around the World challenge this month - as well as reading on the subject too (see below)! Assembly by Natasha Brown **** A very slim,novel (almost novella): a 'life in the day of' a young black woman working in financial services (as the author herself did), and then heading off to her wealthy white boyfriend's parents for a weekend houseparty. Sounds unpromising, but I found it very t hought provoking and illuminating given its commentary on what the author obviously sees is still a strongly colonial, patriarchal society. Being whilte, male, middle-class I don't see it that way, but I wouldn't would I (and there's a certain, probably false, comfort that the worlds of narrator and boyfriend are very different to the one I live in)? Which is almost certainly exactly the point. it certainly gave me more pause for thought than any number of essays or commentaries - demonstrating one of the strengths of fiction. This has been described as somewhat of a modern Mrs Dalloway. Maybe - it's not quite in the same league as a piece of writing in my view, but the way it tackles important important themes, and it's very contemporaneity, make up for much of that deficiency. Broken Heartland by Sebastian Payne **** With almost a surfeit of forensic detail, the author visits half a dozen of the so-called 'red wall' constituencies (Labour 'safe' seats of a certain type in the north that fell to Conservatives in 2019) and investigaes the whys and wherefores. Alongside this, he has obviously interviewed pretty much all of the key political players in recent years. It could have all been somewhat of an overload, and it does get a teensy bit repetitous on places, but it's also an illuminating (that word again!) insight into a political and social viewpoint that has certainly made me rethink my understanding of what happened. Although they were wrapped up together in many people's thinking, there were actually two separate issues involved: one was Brexit, the other was the rejection of the Labour party. It certainly helped me understand why both happened. It didn't change my feelings on Brexit (FWIW I think it was largely a case of turkeys voting for Christmas); it did make me rethink some of my views on Labour. A fascinating book, with plenty to learn from. I think I'll be following Sebastian Payne a bit more. Golden Hill by Francis Spufford ***** Read for one of my book groups, this is the story of a young Englishman who arrives in New York in the autumn of 1746 with a large bill of exchange and a mysterious objective. It's not immediately cashable, so most of the rest of the book is taken up with the story of what happens: is it (and he) a fraud? Who is he? What is his objective? How does he cope with frontier New York? Inspired by the likes of Smollet and Fielding (brother and sister!), it's a brilliant read which the whole group thoroughly enjoyed (one member, someone who knows what they are talking aboutboth literally and historically, described it as a 'tour de force'). This won three major prizes (Costa First Novel, the Desmond Elliot prize, and the RLS Ondaatje prize), and for me the last is the most significant, being for a fiction or non-fiction book that evokes its setting: this is a wonderful portrait of early colonial New York. How accurate it is, I'm obviously no judge (although those that are say it's, as far as they themselves can tell, bang on), but I certainly felt I was very much there - it really came alive. A cracking read, that is a serious contender for that sixth star. The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry by Rachel Joyce * Another book group read, from the sublime to the ridiculous! I know that's a cliche, but that doesn't seem inappropriate, given that this whole book felt like one big cliche. Harold Fry, an ordinary ex-office worker lives in retirement with his ordinary wife Maureen on the south coast. Theirs is obviously not a happy relationship, but they are still living together. One day Harold receives a letter with upsetting news about an ex-colleague, Queenie, who he has not been in touch with for years, lives at the other end of the country and is now in a hospice with termina cancer. He struggles to write a reply, goes to post it, and carries on walking. It turns into a pilgrimage as he determines he is going to walk all the way to Berwick in the hope of effecting something to reverse Queenie's path to death. This seems to have polarised opinion quite strongly. The vast majority of reviews pretty much rave about its 'heart warming' narrative, its charm, how 'uplifting' it is. A small minority, with whom I concur, found this obvious, predictable, simplistic, twee, trite and even manipulative (choose any or all adjectives!). I also disagreed with the majority of my book group in that I thoroughly disliked the writing itself, which for me lacked imagination or variety. For me, it was unfinishable, although I did manage to skim enough to both follow the gist of the story (the section with the pilgrims was perhaps the lowest point), and confirm that the main plot 'twist' and the ending were both exactly as predicted. A strong early contender for my 'duffer of the year'. Reading the World by Ann Morgan ***** In 2012, to celebrate the Olympics in London, the author took on the challenge of reading a book by a writer from each of the 196 UN recognised nations. She has a fascinating website (at https://ayearofreadingtheworld.com/ ). which includes all her blog entries, and where she continues with occasional items on literature around the world. This is slightly different, being effectively a series of essays (chapters) focusing on a number of themes that came out of that year's reading, for instance the issues of translation, differences in cultural views etc etc. In its own way it was just as interesting, although I did find that, having read a chapter and been quite enthralled, I have subsequently struggled actually remember much of what was discussed. This was partly, I suspect, through trying to read through a slight fog of Covid, but I think it aslo can be attributed to the fact that the discussion was in places quite dense and, dare I say it, sometimes a little bit liable to wandering? I'm not sure about this though, so have promised myself to go back and read individual chapters to allow more time and space to absorb the material. Whatever, as someone who is starting out on a similar challenge, if over rather a longer timespan (one year? Wow!), I've found it invaluable as a source of ideas (athough there's even more available on that front on the website), as a helping hand in creating my own framework and developing my thoughts, and as an inspiration. One little note - I would 'd have appreciated an index, as it'll certainly be used for reference in the future. 4/6 stars. - which may go up if I can better get my head around some of the chapters! Later edit: I did bump it up a star! Reading books acquired this month: Light Perpetual by Francis Spufford The Way of A Ship by Derek Lundy Ulysses by James Joyce Antarctic Navigation by Elizabeth Archer Reading the World by Ann Morgan (read) The Far Cry by Emma Smith

Finished Reading The World by Ann Morgan tonight. The author took on the challenge of reading a book by a writer from each of the 196 UN recognised nations during 2012, the year the Olympics came to London. Her website is fascinating (especially when trying to do the same challenge, if over a longer timespan!), but this is slightly different, focusing on a number of themes that came out of that year's reading, for instance the issues of translation, differences in cultural views etc etc. In its own way it was just as interesting, althoug I did find that, having read a chapter and been quite enthralled, I couldn't actually remember much of what had been discussed - partly, I suspect, through trying to read through a slight fog of Covid, but also because the discussion was in places quite dense and, dare I say it, a little bit liable to wandering? I'm not sure, and have promised myself to go back and read individual chapters to enable more time and space to absorb. Whatever, it has certainly inspired me all the more. One little note - I'd have appreciated an index, as it'll certainly be used for reference in the future. 4/6 stars.

Thank you both. Don't want to clog this thread up, but just to say, that for me it's currently pretty much like a dose of flu (proper flu I mean!) - all the aches, shivers, snuffling, coughing etc. Pretty unpleasant, but, so far, not disastrous. It sucks just about sums it up Raven. Anyway, not so poorly that can't enjoy the reading - in fact, it's pretty much all I feel up to!

Self isolating with Covid, I've found some more time for reading. Finished two books for different book clubs: Golden Hill by Francis Spufford: superb historical novel set in the frontier town of New York of 1746 (population barely 13000). Totally gripped by this start to finish. It won three literary prizes, one of which was The Ondaatje prize for fiction/non-fiction evoking a sense of place, and this was certainly one of its strengths, but its characterisation and the plotting were utterly engaging. At least 5/6. The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry by Rachel Joyce. Oh dear. I had been looking forward to trying Rachel Joyce out, but I won't be repeating the experience. Far too sentimental (cloyingly so for me) - I should have been warned by such phrases as 'heart-warming', with characters and a plot that whilst initially promising, just failed to even remotely engage me. I found here style of writing intensely annoying too.. Right at the opposite end of the spctrum from the previous book: 1/6. Currently reading Reading The World by Ann Morgan, looking at how she tackled her 2012 project of reading a prose narrative book from every country of the world within the year. It's not quite what I expected, but fascinating stuff. About halff way through.

Funny that. I know it's many people's favourite, but it's actually well down my list, 4th at best, probably 5th behind Mansfield Park and in front of Northanger Abbey. It took me 40 years to get around to rereading Emma, longer than any others, but when I did, I couldn't believe it took me that long! But it is rather an acquired taste I know.

Most people I think would agree with you about P&P being the best Austen, or at least their favourite, but personally I prefer Emma and S&S. S&S has been at the top of my pile for years, but I recently reread Emma for the first time since studying it for A-levels, and was blown away. I think I pefer the extra bit that Austen incorporates into it! That's not to say I don't love P&P!

I've got a fair number of the Delphi collections: they're excellent value. That includes the Zola collection. However, I'm reading the new translations trecently published by Oxford World Classics, some of them the first translations since almost the original time they were written. They just seem to read more 'cleanly' and, when comparing with original French, do seem to stay closer to the original. Having said that, a whole lot more expensive, and perhaps not really worth the difference. I'me enjoying them though! Just finished Sebastian Payne's Broken Heartland, his detailed examination of what happened at the last General Election with the Tories breaking through Labour's so-called Red Wall. Some fascinating material, certainly providing me with a different perspective. I do worry for those who increasingly seem to have been deluded by Johnson's charisma, although they themselves don't seem to be bothered, so maybe I shouldn't either. One can totally see why so many voted for Brexit though, and quite how disastrous Jeremy Corbyn was for the Labour party. 4 star rating (out of 6).

I've changed my pattern of reading as was feeling rather sluggish towards the end of last year. I'm deliberately aiming for fewer books this year, but longer reads, some of which I'm dipping in and out of over an extended period (non-fiction). May not suit others by the sound of it, but it's working for me. I've also started working on a new challenge (Read Around the World), which has stimulated my reading books I wouldn't otherwise be looking for. All in all, my reading already looks very different to last year, and my interest in it is reviviing.

January books Already in danger of falling behind! These are the books I read in January after American Wife: I Belong Here by Anita Sethi ** The author walks sections of the Pennine Way in the aftermath of a highly abusive racial attack on a train, and contemplats both impact and feelings - walking as therapy. this started off well enough, and had much potential, but, I rapidly came to realise that the writing was simply not that good, in fact distinctly poor, and becamse a real chore. I read to the end becasue I thought she had some important things to say, but I couldn't understand the rave reviews in the press. I later discovered reviews by 'ordinary' readers have been rather more mixed! Mr Wilder and Me by Jonathan Coe *** A book group read. A combination of Billdungsromans and a sort of critical hymn of praise to Billy Wilder. Readable, but ultimately not really sure of the point - it was there, I read it, it was mildly enjoyable, but so what? The central fifty or so pages in the style of a screenplay, whilst the heart of the book and a consideration of the influences on Wilder, really didn't work for me. Bright Day by J.B. Priestley ***** A book group read. 1950s screenwriter triggered into recollection of his youthful pre-WW1 world by meeting someone from his past, contemplates the destruction of an old world, and his own growing up. Priestley's character development was for me verging on the extraordinary - considered, developmental and multi-layered. I had to read this in relatively short bursts, it was too much to handle in longer sittings. Loved this, and, this being my first reading of this local author, fully intend to explore more soon. The Stepford Wives by Ira Levin ** What a contrast. Whilst Bright Day was obviously of its time, dated it wasn't. This on the other hand was horribly so. Thank goodness it was such a quick read, as it just felt so shallow and dated. The concept was just silly, and the satire for me fell flat on its face. The halfway book in my Tour of the USA (26/51), but sadly the lowest rated so far. The Promise by Damon Galgut ***** Travelling through forty or so years of aparthed and post-apartheid South Africa, a white land-owning family slowly implodes as it fails to honour a promise made to their black servant - not because of that failure, but perhaps caused by the same faults within the family. Episodic in nature, based around four deaths and funerals up to ten years apart, there's still plenty of humour and much character insight. It was certainly a remarkably easy read for such serious topics, and whilst some readers found that didn't work for them, I could but admire it, and was thoroughly engaged by it. I can certainly see why it won the Booker - I haven't read the other books, but it's certainly good enough to be a worthy winner. The first read in my Read Around The World project too - only 199 more books to go! Reading books this month: Adding to the list posted on Jan 12th (I always seem to go overboard in January!): The Sage of Waterloo by Leona Francombe Dear Mrs Bird by AJ Pearce The Swan, A Biography by Stephen Moss The Marches by Rory Stewart The Republic of San Marino by Giuseppe Rossi

Read that last year for the first time - loved it, as I love all Marlow! A unique voice. Am currently reading Sebastian Payne's Broken Heartlands, his examination of what went wrong for Labour (and right for the Tories) in the old red wall constituencies. Very recent given some of the comments, but made even more interesting by the recent political upheavals. Took a short break last night and this morning to read Natasha Brown's very slim but powerful Assembly, As a white, middle-aged male, it gave me an insight into a completely different persepective on British life (or at least a certain niche of it!) in a way no non-fiction exposition every could. It's short, very short, but all that means is that it's every so easy to go back and reread! 5/6 stars.

First of the 200 completed, kicking off with South Africa, and a great start too: Damon Galgut's Booker Prize-winning The Promise, a relatively rare occasion when I agree completely with the judges - this was a brilliant read. It's chatty, unrelentingly driven, not pretty (characters get killed off in a variety of natural and man-made ways), and really gets its claws into you - I couldn't read it in particularly large chunks (most was around 80 pages), but I couldn't wait to get back to it either. 6 out of 7 stars.

Completed Damon Galgut's The Promise this evening - a vastly better book than my last one! Absorbing, punchily written, it almost forcibly pulled you along unrelentingly. A good start to my round the world challenge 5/6 stars.

Enormous! I've decided that my Irish choice for my Read Around the World has to be Ulysses, given the anniversary, a book I've started a couple of times but have not made much progress with - not for any reason of difficulty (didn't get that far!), but still rather daunting! Couple of other biggies for other countries that I've yet to read too - will probably try LesMis for France and Don Quixote for Spain. At least I can't select War and Peace for Russia (read it already), but Life and Fate is on the short list!

Well, I've taken on a new challenge for this year, as if I hadn't already got enough! Over the past few years, I've been reading my way round the USA, one book set in each state, and have almost got to the half-way point. It's been a really enjoyable experience, discovering loads of new writers and books. Thinking more broadly though, I realise that even then, my reading is relatively narrow, and that, in fact, there's a whole world of reading to be explored somewhat more out there. That's been underlined by the fact that one of my book groups has dipped into books from Africa etc - and I've loved them. So....this year I'm starting a tour round the world (a couple of other people here have done the same thing, even finished it!), so my New Year's aims will include not just making good progress on my American tour, but getting the World tour off to a good start. I'd like to finish it inside the next ten years, so say twenty this year???? That's probabl stretching it a bit, but maybe the first dozen?