Brian.

Quite an old thread resurrection but what is your number this year? I have read 71 books and I don't think I'll manage to finish another before we reach 2025. I think I am likely to read less books next year as I want to tackle more of the bigger works of literature which intimidate me.

It's always quite tough to choose a top 3 but I've only rated 3 books 5/5 so it makes it a bit easier for me. In the Cannon's Mouth by PJ Campbell Mortimer & Whitehouse Gone Fishing by Bob Mortimer & Paul Whitehouse Mayflies by Andrew O'Hagan

It could be a copy of On the Road by Jack Kerouac but I'm struggling to find an edition with that cover.

Mayflies by Andrew O'Hagan (5/5) This book is an example why brick and motar bookshops are so important. I bought this after reading the little 'readers thoughts' cards that Waterstones often put next to the books on display. I don't think I would ever have picked up this book otherwise and I would have missed a fantastic story. The book is split into two halves, the first occuring in 1986 and the second in 2017. In the first half we meet James and Tully in Scotland in the summer of 1986. They share a love of music and left wing politics and take a trip to Manchester with some friends to music festival featuring their favourite bands. As often happens in life they remain in contact but their lives drift away to different parts of the country. Then in 2017 James gets a call from Tully with some news that will change their lives forever. I absolutely loved this book and got into that strange state of mind where I had to keep reading but almost didn't want to because it meant finishing it too soon. The writing is great, I loved the characters, and the story flows really well. The second half of the book deals with a moral dilemma that has been rattling around in my head since I finished it. When I finished the book I read some reviews and some people have said they didn't really click with the characters, especially early on in the book. I can understand this because the friendship and activities are very much of the time they are set in and I can see how some people will not be able to relate to them. The friendships are also very 'lads being lads' in their younger days and if you haven't experienced that I can see it being alien. A great book and one I'm very glad to have come across.

Carrying on with my backlog of mini-reviews. The Partisan by Patrick Worrall (4/5) Another thriller set during the Cold War. Two young chess players from either side of the Iron Curtain meet in a tournament and end up falling in love. Intertwined is the story of Greta, a resistance fighter from Lithuania who is now hunting down Nazi's and dishing out her own form of justice upon them. I thought this book might follow the typical Cold War spy thriller but in fact there is more to it than that. The spying aspect of the story is there but it is not the main focus which I found to be a welcome change. The plot moves along at a good pace and I found myself picking this up to read at every opportunity. Driving to Survive by Guenther Steiner (2/5) Anyone who has watched the recent series of the Netflix series Drive to Survive can't help but like Guenther Steiner, team boss of the Haas team. The book is written in diary form covering the 2022 F1 season. Whether this was from genuine diary entries or created after the fact is hard to say but there is plenty of drama to draw from. Despite all the juicy things that happened that season, in particular the whole Mazepin/Urakali fallout, the book falls short. It feels like an attempt to cash in on the popularity of Drive to Survive and while I can't fault someone for striking while the iron is hot I feel like there should be more to it. Going Infinite by Michael Lewis (3/5) Lewis has managed to carve a niche for himself covering financial and political stories in an informative and entertaining way. I initially found my way into his writing through the few books he wrote about sports but found his finiancial books to be better. In this book Lewis looks at Sam Bankman-Fried, the founder of Crypto exchange FTX who is now in prison. I think its inevitable that Lewis would have covered this story anyway but he was lucky enough to be in the company of Bankman-Fried during the 6 months leading up to the eventual collapse of FTX. This proximity to Bankman-Fried was both a blessing and a curse. It gave Lewis unprecedented access to the story but has clouded his judgement of Bankman-Fried as a person in my opinion. The whole book paints Bankman-Fried as an eccentric genius who didn't really know what was happening in his company. He gets way far too lightly with nobody really been portrayed as resonsible for what happened. Bankman-Fried ignored cries for help from employees who felt totally out of depth as the company grew and made out they were responisible for the fraud which occurred. I really like Lewis as a writer but feel that he lost his impartiality with this book.

I watched Grave of the Fireflies on Sunday night as it is one of the Studio Ghibli films I hadn't seen. I knew nothing about it before sitting down to watch it so expected something relatively happy with a but of Japanese whimsy thrown in for good measure. I couldn't have been more wrong and the movie has been in my head since I watched it. Last night we went to our local cinema to see Gladiator II. I thought it was ok but not a patch on the first movie. It all felt a little bit of a mess and relies heavily on the action scenes. Movies typically need the viewer to suspend belief but there are a few scenes which are outright ridiculous when you take a second to think about them. I really like Paul Mescal as an actor, he is fantastic in Aftersun, but I'm not sure he quite pulls it off here. Denzel Washington steals the movie. He plays his character perfectly and looks like he really had fun with the role.

I finished Mayflies by Andrew O'Hagan yesterday and I started on A Plot to Kill by David Wilson last night before bed.

I've been doing a bit of birthday book shopping, split 50/50 fiction and non-fiction. Fiction The Crow Trap - Ann Cleeves Yellowface - Rebecca F. Kuang The Seventh Son - Sebastain Faulks Wolf Hall - Hilary Mantel Audition - Ryu Murakami Non-Fiction A Plot to Kill - David Wilson Forgotten Voices of the Falklands - Hugh McManners Four Thousand Weeks - Oliver Burkeman Children of the Night - Paul Kenyon Windswept & Interesting - Bill Connolly Red Sauce Brown Sauce - Felicity Cloake

I've got a little bit of time off work so I've been spending a decent amount of time avoiding the cold weather with a book, these are my most recent reads. The Rastafarians by Leonard E. Barrett Sr. (3/5) This book is well respected as a classic work on the history and beliefs of Rastafarianism. I picked it up hoping that it would provide me with a bit of an idiots guide to the religion and in that respect it fell a little bit short. The first sections of the book are a history of Jamaica which although important could have been covered in less depth. It also covers the politics of Jamaica and only then does it cover Rastafarianism as a religion. I would say that 30% of the book is about the history of Jamaica, 30% about the politics, and only the final 40% about Rasafarianism. The book is well written and the author has clearly been heavily involved in research for a very long time but the book didn't hit the parts I wanted deeply enough. Standout quote - "Bonaventure said History has given preponderant evidence that humans will die more frequently for religious beliefs than will the scientisyt for so-called truth". The Cold War by Odd Arne Westad (4/5) I've read a lot of books about the Cold War but I hadn't read this one yet despite it always getting very good reviews. Typically for me, I don't read any reviews before starting a book so I was surprised to discover that this book covers how the Cold War affected the whole world. Most of the books that I have read about the Cold War concentrate on Europe and more specifically Germany. Westad covers the whole world and I learned a lot of stuff that I had no idea about. He also covered the period from the end of WWII right up to the fall of the Soviet Union. Again, few books go that far back so this was a welcome surprise. Mortimer & Whitehouse: Gone Fishing by Bob Mortimer & Paul Whitehouse (5/5) I listened to this on audiobook, narrated by both the authors. Had I read the book I think I still would have enjoyed it but possibly not as much as I did the audiobook. Much like the TV series of the same name the book is not really about fishing but about friendship. Fishing is the conduit through which they can share their stories and there are sections purely about the activity but if you want a book all about fishing you are better looking elsewhere (as they admit themselves). I love the TV series because the heartfelt warmth of their friendship really comes across. They talk about difficult times and struggles with an openness which is rarely seen and this carries across to the audiobook. I could listen to these two talk about anything.

I'll have to check Astrid out. Thanks for the tip 👍

Shetland is back with Series 9 coming on 6th November. I was very late in watching Shetland on the iPlayer but now I can't get enough of it and I wish there were more episodes. It's not quite the same without Perez but I think Calder played by Ashley Jensen is a decent replacement. Tosh is still my favourite character by far though and I'm glas she is being given more airtime as the series have progressed.

Would it be possible for you to post the process and info in our Writers Corner subforum? Like Hux I am also fascinated by the process and would be interested to read about it if you are willing to share.

When I was at school the the literature we were forced to study in English classes put me off 'classic literature' for over a decade. I assumed that it wasn't for me as I didn't like authors like Shakespeare and Thomas Hardy. At that age I also didn't really understand a lot of the nuance so thought I was too dumb to appreciate literature. Fortunately I have always read a lot of non-fiction and eventually I decided to dip my toes back into modern classics like George Orwell. As a result I eventually tried other writers like Jane Austen, George Eliot, and Fyodor Dostoyevsky and that made me realise that literature is a broad church and there is stuff out there I will love, I just need to find it. There is still some classic literature I don't like and I'm not sure I will ever give Hardy another shot. Had I not been a life-long reader I doubt that I would have ever made this jump so I can see why some people never read again after school. When I think of the 80 or so people I work with (almost all men) there are perhaps half a dozen people who still read for leisure.

Your reviews are fine so don't worry. We like any book discussion so any reviews, mini-reviews, a few sentences on what you have read are more than welcome.

The Retreat by Sarah Pearse (2/5) This is the 2nd book in the Detective Elin Warner series and I read the 1st book back in April 2023. The 1st book, The Sanatorium, was an ok read by I distinctly remember not liking any of the characters, especially Elin Warner. I felt that in the 1st book she was overly naive for a detective and her weaknesses were far to prominent. Despite these reservations I bought the 2nd book as I can be quite shallow and I liked the cover. The Retreat follows a lot of similar lines to The Sanatorium. A building and local environment are prominent features of the story, so much so that they almost become characters themselves. They are also semi-trapped in the location while an unknown killer is on the loose. The tension builds well during the book and the bones of a good book is there. However, I do have a few big reservations about it. Firstly, there are too many characters of similar types which makes following who is who tricky at times. The character of Elin Warner is move developed this time which is welcome but on the whole the rest of the main players are cardboard cut outs of people. The only character I found myself warming to is Elin's partner DC Steed. My second reservation is that the background plot is far too complex given the number of character and the length of the book. I think this could have been done better using flashback rather than conversation to backfill the history of the island. To me it feels like Pearse can write a good story but this book is too similar to the first and her characters are not strong enough.

Update time. The Kamogawa Food Detectives by Hisashi Kashiwai (3/5) A cosy story about a father and daughter who run a mysterious restaurant with no signage in Japan. People are directed to the restaurant via a vague advert and the owners help them to recreate a dish from their lives that they don't know how to make. Although it is nothing special, I did enjoy this book and in particular the two main characters. Left of Bang by Patrick Van Horne & Jason A. Riley (2/5) Primarily this book is about situational awareness and that feeling you get when you feel something isn't quite right. Although it is written by two Marines the blurb makes it sound like it applies to everyday life which is why I picked it up. Sadly this isn't the case and I found that unless you are military or law enforcement then most of it isn't very helpful. It also reeks of paranoia. Buddhism for Beginners by Thubten Chodron (3/5) A short 150 page book covering some of the basic concepts of Buddhism followed by a bit of a Q&A. A nice primer into the subject even if it does cover some of the more esoteric aspects of things like reincarnation. People Who Eat Darkness by Richard Lloyd Parry (4/5) I started to read this during a recent trip to Japan which in hindsight was a good move. It is an account of the disappearance in 2000 of Lucie Blackman, a 21 year old British Woman living a working in Tokyo. I remember the case being in the news a lot but I couldn't remember the details. Having experienced Japan first hand recently it really helped me appreciate some of the cultural issues which dogged the case both before and after the court case that followed. Lloyd Parry was working as a journalist in Japan at the time and covering the story which really helps add extra sources to his book that otherwise may not have been available.

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Congratulations on all accounts. 🤩

Time for another overdue update. What You Are Looking for Is in the Library by Michiko Aoyama (4/5) Maybe it's just me, but there seems to have been a trend in the last few years for Japanese books about single women trying to find their way in the world and the solution coming from somewhere slightly mystical. This is another of those books, this time with the solutions being being by an enigmatic librarian. Nonetheless, this was entertaining and engaging, and I enjoyed my time with the book. Cave in the Snow by Vicki Mackenzie (4/5) A non-fiction book all about Tenzin Palmo, a British Woman who left everything behind to move to a monestry in India to become a Buddhist nun. At some point she decided to go into retreat and spent 12 years living in a remote cave on her own. What makes this book stand out are the accounts of her struggles along the way due to the fact that she is a woman. She was refused access to a lot of higher level teachings despite being more than qualified to have them. She didn't accept this and constantly pushed for nuns to be granted the same teaching as monks. In the Cannon's Mouth by P.J. Campbell (5/5) A memoir of a soldier's experience running an artillery battery during World War 1. It covers the what was experienced by many young men who left ordinary lives to fight in a horrific war of attrition. I borrowed this from someone at work who recommended it and saying that it should be well known as it is so well written. I can wholeheartedly agree with this statement, it is a great book. Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand (2/5) On the whole I try to judge books by how well they are written and leave any philosophical views to one side. That is very hard with Ayn Rand as that is her whole shtick. I knew very little about this book before reading it and was pleasantly surprised with the introduction of a railroad company and how it was run. At it's heart there is a good story here but the constant monologues kill all momentum. The last monologue which runs for something like 300 pages nearly killed me and I only stuck it out as I had invested so much time in the book up to that point. The Trading Game by Gary Stevenson (4/5) I've seen this guy on YouTube a fair bit. A city trader from a poor background shines a light on how horrible it all is and how we all lose in the end when the economy is wrecked. My only reservation is that it is easy to cast aspersions on something when you are financially set for life. I believe his heart is in the right place but he doesn't seem to regret his part in the whole circus. The Colour of Magic by Terry Pratchett (3/5) My first Terry Pratchett book and one I found quite entertaining. I'm not the biggest fan of fantasy novels but Terry is such a big part of the genre I had to see what his work was like. I read that his novels get better as he hones his craft in later work but I still enjoyed his characters. Kairos by Jenny Erpenbeck (1/5) A book set in Berlin in the mid 80's, my favourite time and place to read about. A young student and an older man meet on a bus and that leads to attraction and a relationship of sorts. I hated this and abandoned it after about 100 pages. I hated the characters and it just felt really plodding. Slow books where nothing major happens can be amazing (Amor Towles I'm looking at you) but the writing needs to stand out and Erpenbeck's didn't. Shame, I had high hopes. The Mixer by Michael Cox (3/5) A history of football tactics in the Premier League since its inception. A good, well thought out book that covers some really interesting ground. Hitler: A Biography by Ian Kershaw (4/5) After reading the mammoth Churchill by Andrew Roberts 2 years ago I thought it was time to read the equally huge biography of Hilter by Ian Kershaw. While this didn't quite reach the heights of Churchill it was a great read and well worth the effort. Kershaw is great at indicating when things are known facts, accounts of others, dubious, or all together incorrect. For someone so infamous there isn't as much source material as I thought there would be. As a result, what is known about him, especially towards the end of the war, is based on accounts of those with a vested interested. Lancaster & York: The Wars of the Roses by Alison Weir (2/5) I struggled with this one as there were just far too many hsitoric figures who were new to me. Perhaps I should have got something a bit more casual to start off with. I love history but this period of time is a weakness of mine and this didn't really help to flesh it out for me. The Regiment by Rusty Firmin (3/5) A leisurely read about Firmin's time in the SAS. It's not going to win any prizes but it kept me entertained and sometimes that is all you need in a book. The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame (3/5) I had never read this before but I knew all the characters, I guess I must have seen an cartoon on TV as a child. The story and characters have endured all these years and it's easy to see why. Trespasses by Louise Kennedy (3/5) Another book about a romance between a younger woman and older man, this time set Ireland at the height of the troubles. Some of this book was no doubt lost on me because although I know the history, I didn't experience it directly. It feels like it comes from someone who has authentic memories of what life was like at the time. The characters are all well written and stand on their own. I didn't see the climax coming and when it did I was taken by surprise. The Light Fantastic by Terry Pratchett (4/5) My second Pratchett book set in Discworld and featuring Rincewind and Twoflower. This book is much better than the first in my opinion. It feels tighter, the plot is much better constructed, and it helps that we get some more distinct characters. In particular, I really liked Cohen the Barbarian and Bethan, such a good duo.

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I felt Abroad in Japan was fine but nothing more than that for me. I'm glad I read it as I find Broad quite engaging and the early part of the book is pretty interesting. I know Chris Broad more through his podcast rather than his YouTube channel so his rise to Japan YouTube royalty didn't really interest me. I've been meaning to start with Terry Pratchett for ages so I pulled up the famous flowchart to see where I should start and luckily they had The Colour of Magic on the shelf.

Another really overdue update from me. The Stand by Stephen King (4/5) The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*** by Mark Manson (3/5) Mosquito by Rowland White (4/5) The Spy in Moscow Station by (4/5) SPQR: A History of Ancient Rome by Mary Beard (2/5) Abroard in Japan by Chris Broad (3/5) How to Watch Football by Tifo - The Atheltic (2/5) True Crime Story by Joseph Knox (3/5) Blackwater by Jeremy Scahill (3/5) D-Day Through German Eyes by Jonathan Trigg (3/5) Riotous Assembly by Tom Sharpe (3/5) Greenlights by Matthew McConaughey (2/5) I managed to spend an hour this morning browsing the shelves of my local Waterstones picking out whatever look my fancy. I may have got slightly carried away but this lot should keep me going for a little while.

I've been terrible at keeping this updated this year. I still log into the forum pretty much everyday so I thought it would be a good idea to post what I've read so far this year. Expected Goal by Rory Smith (3/5) A Life on Our Planet by David Attenborough (4/5) Drive Your Plow over the Bones of the Dead by Olga Tokarczuk (3/5) Courage Is Calling by Ryan Holiday (2/5) The True Believer by Eric Hoffer (3/5) Raven Black by Ann Cleeves (3/5) Dunkirk by Hugh Sebag-Montefiore (4/5) The Talented Mr Ripley by Patricia Highsmith (4/5) Thanks a lot Mr Kibblewhite by Roger Daltrey (3/5) Cold War: East Anglia by Jim Wilson (3/5) Post Office by Charles Bukowski (3/5) I Don't Take Requests by Tony Marnach (2/5) Ultra-Processed People by Chris van Tulleken (3/5) From Russia With Love by Llewella Chapman (4/5) Crash Detectives by Christine Negroni (4/5) The Battle for Spain by Antony Beevor (2/5) Break Point by Ollie Ollerton 2/5) Ardennes by Antony Beevor (3/5) Past Lying by Val McDermid (3/5) No Spin by Shane Warne (3/5) Hue 1968 by Mark Bowden (4/5) Zodiac Station by Tom Harper (3/5) How To Be An F1 Driver by Jenson Button (2/5) No Longer Human by Osamu Dazai (3/5) The Art of Happiness by Dalai Lama (or not) (2/5) Butcher's Crossing by John Williams (4/5) The Russian Affair by David Walsh (2/5) The Courage to Be Disliked by Ichiro Kishmi (1/5) I'm also finished with The Stand by Stephen King

I've just had a look at the Folio new year sale and I can't say I'm impressed with what books they have discounted.

Good to see you back, I hope you have a very productive 2024.