poppyshake Posted December 1, 2013 Share Posted December 1, 2013 Well they're playing Slade in the shops so it must be time for our annual awards You may well have awesome reads still ahead of you in 2013 .. I sincerely hope you do .. but, in the meantime, which book/author gets your vote. These awards are for books read, but not necessarily published, in 2013.Categories are as follows (skip those that don't apply.)Your favourite read of the year?Your favourite author of the year?Your most read author of the year?Your favourite book cover of the year?The book you abandoned (if there was more than one, the one you read least of)?The book that most disappointed you?The funniest book of the year?Your favourite literary character this year?Your favourite children's book this year?Your favourite classic of the year?Your favourite non-fiction book this year?Your favourite biography this year?Your favourite collection of short stories this year?Your favourite poetry collection this year?Your favourite illustrated book of the year?Your favourite publisher of the year?Your favourite audiobook of the year?Your favourite re-read of the year? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sernicki Posted December 2, 2013 Share Posted December 2, 2013 Hi Booklicker, These are my answers for the questions posed: Your favourite read of the year = Habibi by Craig ThompsonYour favourite author of the year= Sir Conan DoyleYour most read author of the year= H.G. WellsYour favourite book cover of the year= HabibiThe book you abandoned (if there was more than one, the one you read least of) N/AThe book that most disappointed you= Dear Fatty by Dawn FrenchThe funniest book of the year= Frankie Boyles "Work, Consume, Die"Your favourite literary character this year= Malachy McCourtYour favourite children's book this year? N/AYour favourite classic of the year= The Time Machine by H.G. WellsYour favourite non-fiction book this year= Modern Nutrition in Health and Disease by Maurice Shills et alYour favourite biography this year= Frank McCourt in Angela's AshesYour favourite collection of short stories this year? N/AYour favourite poetry collection this year= N/AYour favourite illustrated book of the year= HabibiYour favourite publisher of the year= AK PressYour favourite audiobook of the year= Angela's AshesYour favourite re-read of the year= Blankets by Craig Thompson Thanks Andi Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pontalba Posted December 2, 2013 Share Posted December 2, 2013 Only one, huh? /sigh/ I'll try........ Your favourite read of the year? I had a lot of 5/5's this year...but probably the most unusual favorite has to be Death Will Have Your Eyes by James Sallis or maybe World War Z by Max Brooks.....or...or.../sigh/ Your favourite author of the year? Hillary Mantel Your most read author of the year? It's a tie between Paul Auster and Philippa Gregory....gadzooks! Your favourite book cover of the year? Her Majesty's Spymaster by Stephen Budiansky The book you abandoned (if there was more than one, the one you read least of)? Titus Groan 200 pages The book that most disappointed you? Titus Groan, although The Crimson Petal and the White (500 pages) was a close second. Or first.../confused/ The funniest book of the year? I Could Pee on This by Francesco Marciuliano Your favourite literary character this year? If you mean a real "literary" character, Oliver Cromwell came out on top. If a fictional literary character it'd be Vicomte de Valmont of Dangerous Liaisons Your favourite classic of the year? A Streetcar Named Desire by Tennessee Williams Your favourite non-fiction book this year? Destiny of the Republic by Candice Millard Your favourite biography this year? Her Majesty's Spymaster by Stephen Budiansky Your favourite re-read of the year? Eye of the Needle by Ken Follett Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian. Posted December 2, 2013 Share Posted December 2, 2013 I enjoy this every year. Your favourite read of the year? A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini. A fantastic book by a fantastic author. This is the kind of book I would have avoided a few years ago but I am so happy that I found this forum to expand my reading choices.Your favourite author of the year? Probably Jo Nesbo, his books are consistently very enjoyable.Your most read author of the year? Ian Fleming - I have decided to try and read all the James Bond novels in order so I have read 4 this year.Your favourite book cover of the year? Goodbye to Berlin by Christopher Isherwood. This is the kind of thing I would happily hang on my wall.The book you abandoned (if there was more than one, the one you read least of)? The one that springs to mind is The Plague by Albert Camus. I sort of ground to a halt with it and decided to put it to one side until I felt like reading it again. I won't force myself through a book that I am not enjoying anymore.The book that most disappointed you? Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad. I just found this turgid and a pain to read, I don't understand the hype.The funniest book of the year? Ready Player One by Ernest Cline - loads of 80's pop culture references. Your favourite classic of the year? Of Mice and Men by John Steinback - I didn't get that chance to read this at school so I was delighted to find it such an enjoyable book as an adult. Your favourite non-fiction book this year? The Shock Doctrine by Naomi Klein - A really eye opening book about global politics which takes a bit of concentration but is well worth the effort.Your favourite biography this year? Racing Through the Dark by David Millar - A really honest account of the life of a professional cyclist.Your favourite publisher of the year? Vintage - I always end up with loads of vintage books for some reason. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
willoyd Posted December 2, 2013 Share Posted December 2, 2013 (edited) Reserving the right to change my mind if anything crops up in the next few weeks: Your favourite read of the year? Of the new books read, David Copperfield by Charles Dickens, but if rereads are included then it would be A Month in the Country by JL Carr, which remains my all-time favourite book to date. Your favourite author of the year? Sarah Dunant: seen and entranced by her at the Ilkley Literature Festival; love her books. Your most read author of the year? Penelope Fitzgerald (actually read two books of hers – all the rest one!). Your favourite book cover of the year? The Grey Fairy Book by Andrew Lang: the final book in a stunning series published by The Folio Society: [ The book you abandoned (if there was more than one, the one you read least of)? Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn, one of 5 books abandoned the year, and possibly the most disliked, although Alone in Berlin came close (I did finish this one though). The book that most disappointed you? A Time of Gifts by Patrick Leigh Fermor. I was expecting this to be one of the greats, but it was as dull as ditchwater, in spite of being beautifully written. The funniest book of the year? Don't on the whole do funny when it comes to books! However, Asterix and the Pechts (Asterix and the Picts written in Scottish dialect) did have me laughing, unlike Three Men in a Boat which was a big letdown. Your favourite literary character this year? Betsey Trotwood, aunt to David Copperfield. It seems that pretty much all my favourite characters are women. Your favourite children's book this year? The Dark is Rising is often called a children's book, but Susan Cooper says that she didn't write with a specific target age in mind, just for herself. Whatever, it deserves at least a mention somewhere in these lists as one of the outstanding reads of the year, even though I'm not on the whole a fan of fantasy, superbly juxtaposing the world of a 'normal' family at Christmas with some brilliant, nerve-shredding, myth making. Your favourite classic of the year? David Copperfield, surprise, surprise, but there were quite a few other contenders. Your favourite non-fiction book this year? Letters to Alice on first reading Jane Austen by Fay Weldon: a slim gem of an introduction to the delights of one of the best writers ever. Closely followed by another set of essays: Findings by Kathleen Jamie, a superb collection largely focusing on her experiences with Scottish nature. Your favourite biography this year? The Real Jane Austen by Paula Byrne, also a close runner-up for favourite non-fiction. Ms Byrne was also a close runner-up for favourite author, having been in the same league as Ms Dunant at the festival. The book was a refreshingly different approach to the biography of someone as well-known as Jane Austen, with some interesting new twists on her life. Your favourite collection of short stories this year? Don't really do these (but love essays!). Your favourite poetry collection this year? I don't really do these normally either, but I bought Robert Frost's The Collected Poems earlier this year, and they continue to grow on me! Your favourite illustrated book of the year? A History of British Birds by Thomas Bewick. The man's engravings are simply sublime – they have to be seen to be believed. Bought this Folio Society edition in a sale earlier this year, and absolutely adore dipping in. An honourable mention for Paul Cox's illustrations for The Folio Society's edition of Three Men in a Boat, which went a long way to redeem a book that definitely did not amuse! I always love the illustrations for Asterix, as in Asterix and the Picts Your favourite publisher of the year? As last year, this remains Slightly Foxed for their excellent magazine and lovely series of memoirs. Your favourite audiobook of the year? The only audiobook I've listened to at all is Don Quixote, read by Roy Macmillan. It's excellent, but haven't made much progress. Your favourite re-read of the year? And we go full circle back to the first category: A Month in the Country by JL Carr. Edited December 27, 2013 by willoyd Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anna Begins Posted December 3, 2013 Share Posted December 3, 2013 (edited) Your favourite read of the year? The Stand By Stephen KingYour favourite author of the year? Lee ChildYour most read author of the year? Tie: Lee Child and Chuck Palahniuk Your favourite book cover of the year? None, I'm a Kindle reader The book you abandoned (if there was more than one, the one you read least of)? Iron Curtian: The Crushing of Eastern Europe 1944-1945 By Anne ApplebaumThe book that most disappointed you? The Passage By Justin CroninThe funniest book of the year? Damned By Chuck PalahniukYour favourite literary character this year? Jim from Mark Twain's Adventures of Huckleberry FinnYour favourite children's book this year? NoneYour favourite classic of the year? Uncle Tom's Cabin Your favourite non-fiction book this year? Behind the Beautiful Forevers: Life, Death and Hope in a Mumbai undercity By Katherine BooYour favourite biography this year? Peter the Great: His Life and Death By Robert K. MassieYour favourite collection of short stories this year? The Short Novels of John SteinbeckYour favourite poetry collection this year? NoneYour favourite illustrated book of the year? NoneYour favourite publisher of the year? NoneYour favourite audiobook of the year? NoneYour favourite re-read of the year? Hunger Games series Edited December 3, 2013 by Anna Begins Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vimes Posted December 3, 2013 Share Posted December 3, 2013 Your favourite read of the year? I don't know if I can nominate a series but if I can then it has to be The Riyria Revelations. If I can't then The Crown Conspiracy is the best book this year. Your favourite author of the year? Michael J. Sullivan. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poppyshake Posted December 3, 2013 Author Share Posted December 3, 2013 Only one, huh? /sigh/ I'll try........ Very good and decisive of you Kate .. I know I won't be able to stick at one I feel very guilty to have foisted on you your abandoned and most disappointing book I hope it meant that you got extra pleasure out of all the gems you read afterwards Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poppyshake Posted December 3, 2013 Author Share Posted December 3, 2013 Hi Booklicker, Hello Andi You've reminded me that I need to read Angela's Ashes .. I've got it on the shelf so there's no excuse Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anna Begins Posted December 3, 2013 Share Posted December 3, 2013 Hello Andi You've reminded me that I need to read Angela's Ashes .. I've got it on the shelf so there's no excuse Put it on my TBR list also. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pontalba Posted December 3, 2013 Share Posted December 3, 2013 Brian, love the Isherwood cover! Verra cool. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian. Posted December 4, 2013 Share Posted December 4, 2013 Brian, love the Isherwood cover! Verra cool. It is fantastic isn't it, I must see if I can find a poster sized version of it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BSchultz19 Posted December 5, 2013 Share Posted December 5, 2013 Your favourite read of the year? My favorite read of the year was probably The Great Gatsby because it is so wonderfully written, but there have been so many good ones this year!Your favourite author of the year? John Green. I only recently began reading his books, but I've read two of them and absolutely loved both.Your most read author of the year? Probably Nicholas Sparks, but I have read three or four Dickens books.Your favourite book cover of the year? I really like the Catching Fire cover. Its simple, but looks awesome. The book you abandoned (if there was more than one, the one you read least of)? I didn't abandon it, but it took me months to read Oliver Twist I just could not get into it. I guess another one would be Les Miserables because I haven't finished it, but that's because it is on a kindle I dont have Your favourite literary character this year? She comes from my most recent read, but I love Alaska Young. Her character is so relate able in so many ways.Your favourite classic of the year? I really really really enjoyed reading A Tale of Two Cities this summer It was/is/will be a good reading year for me, but I have a feeling that next year will be even better. I have so many books piled up on my TBR that I can't wait to read. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pontalba Posted December 5, 2013 Share Posted December 5, 2013 Very good and decisive of you Kate .. I know I won't be able to stick at one I feel very guilty to have foisted on you your abandoned and most disappointing book I hope it meant that you got extra pleasure out of all the gems you read afterwards Oh, fiddle faddle, it's good for me. Besides, my guilt factor at having the darned book on the shelf for the last, er, cough, 10 years or so was quite high. See? You relieved that! It is fantastic isn't it, I must see if I can find a poster sized version of it. OH! Great idea! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Athena Posted December 5, 2013 Share Posted December 5, 2013 I'm not sure I can answer all of these questions, picking just one book (or author)! I had so many great reads this year.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Talisman Posted December 5, 2013 Share Posted December 5, 2013 (edited) Your favourite read of the year - The Rook by Daniel O'Malley Your favourite author of the year - hard to say really, as to me the book is more important than the person who wrote it Your most read author of the year - Tim Severin Your favourite book cover of the year - since I only read e-books, the cover is of no importance The book you abandoned - none The book that most disappointed you - Pynter Bender - Jacob Ross The funniest book of the year - The Rook by Daniel O'Malley Your favourite literary character this year - Myfanwy from The Rook Your favourite childrens book this year - didn't read any Your favourite classic of the year - again, didn't read any Your favourite non-fiction book this year - Do They Hear You When They Cry by Layli Miller Bashir and Fauziya Kassindja. A close second was Chavs by Owen Jones Your favourite biography this year - haven't read any Your favourite collection of short stories this year - The Granta Book of the African Short Story Your favourite poetry collection of the year - haven't read any Your favourite illustrated book of the year - ditto Your favourite publisher of the year - I couldn't in all honesty say, since again for me the story is more important than who published it Your favourite audio book of the year - didn't read (or should I say) hear any Your favourite re-read of the year - ditto Edited December 5, 2013 by Talisman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poppyshake Posted December 5, 2013 Author Share Posted December 5, 2013 Reserving the right to change my mind if anything crops up in the next few weeks Of course Your favourite book cover of the year? The Grey Fairy Book by Andrew Lang: the final book in a stunning series published by The Folio Society It's exquisite I bet the whole series is amazing. The book you abandoned (if there was more than one, the one you read least of)? Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn, one of 5 books abandoned the year, and possibly the most disliked, although Alone in Berlin came close (I did finish this one though). Oh dear .. both on the shelf awaiting reading I feel I will like Alone in Berlin .. but I'm not sure about Gone Girl Don't on the whole do funny .. oh I don't know It seems that pretty much all my favourite characters are women. In fiction as in life .. we women are the most interesting Your favourite illustrated book of the year? A History of British Birds by Thomas Bewick. The man's engravings are simply sublime – they have to be seen to be believed. Bought this Folio Society edition in a sale earlier this year, and absolutely adore dipping in. I like the sound of this .. will definitely look it up Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chaliepud Posted December 5, 2013 Share Posted December 5, 2013 Your favourite read of the year - The Language of Flowers (Vanessa Diffenbaugh) Your favourite author of the year - Vanessa Diffenbaugh (sadly no sign of her writing anything else though) Your most read author of the year - Cassandra Clare Your favourite book cover of the year - Tell The Wolves I'm Home - Carol Rifka Brunt The book you abandoned - Titus Groan (Mervyn Peake) - sorry Dad!! The book that most disappointed you - Allegiant (Veronica Roth) The funniest book of the year - I rarely read funny books but Mr Rosenblum's List had its moments! Your favourite literary character this year - Katerina (The Thread - Victoria Hislop) Your favourite childrens book this year - It's YA but Dead Silence (Kimberley Derting) Your favourite classic of the year - A modern classic but Rebecca (Daphne Du Maurier) Your favourite non-fiction book this year - The Medicinal Chef - Dale Pinnock Your favourite biography this year - Wolf Within (Shaun Ellis) Your favourite collection of short stories this year - None Your favourite poetry collection of the year - None Your favourite illustrated book of the year - Talking Pictures - Ransom Riggs Your favourite publisher of the year - I don't pay any attention to publishers, sorry! Your favourite audio book of the year - None Your favourite re-read of the year - None Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pontalba Posted December 5, 2013 Share Posted December 5, 2013 poppyshake wrote: Oh dear .. both on the shelf awaiting reading I feel I will like Alone in Berlin .. but I'm not sure about Gone Girl LOL I liked both! Very much, actually. Talisman, happy to here you liked The Rook so well! Chalie....ahhh, sister! (re Titus Groan) I don't notice the publisher either, to tell the truth. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janet Posted December 6, 2013 Share Posted December 6, 2013 Your favourite read of the year? Hmmm - probably Michel Faber's The Crimson Petal and the White...?Your favourite author of the year? I've read two new Austens this year, and enjoyed both, so Jane Austen. Your most read author of the year? Roald Dahl (3)Your favourite book cover of the year? The book you abandoned (if there was more than one, the one you read least of)? Titus Groan by Melvyn Peake (sorry, Kay. )The book that most disappointed you? The Hundred-Year-Old Man who Climbed out of a Window and Disappeared by Jonas Jonasson (sorry, Kay )The funniest book of the year? My Uncle Silas by H E BatesYour favourite literary character this year? Emma Woodhouse (with honourable mentions to Uncle Silas and the Provincial Lady!)Your favourite children's book this year? Newes from the Dead by Mary HooperYour favourite classic of the year? Oliver Twist by Charles DickensYour favourite non-fiction book this year? A Yorkshire Boyhood by Roy HattersleyYour favourite biography this year? A Yorkshire Boyhood by Roy HattersleyYour favourite collection of short stories this year? My Uncle Silas by H E BatesYour favourite poetry collection this year? I haven't read any this yearYour favourite illustrated book of the year? I've only read one - My Uncle Silas (again!) by H E Bates - illustrated by the fabulous Edward ArdizzoneYour favourite publisher of the year? VintageYour favourite audiobook of the year? I haven't listened to any Your favourite re-read of the year? I haven't reread it yet, but it will be A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Talisman Posted December 6, 2013 Share Posted December 6, 2013 Talisman, happy to here you liked The Rook so well! It's a brilliant book, and so incredibly funny - especially that scene with the duck ! I don't know about you, but it felt almost like 2 books to me, as it seemed to change halfway through and suddenly become this really humorous tome. Maybe the author took a break halfway through writing it or something. Either way, I hope he does a follow up, and better still, it becomes a film, as that would be brilliant. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poppyshake Posted December 6, 2013 Author Share Posted December 6, 2013 Your favourite read of the year? I'm going to say The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern but, just to redress the balance a little (though his bottom would still be grazing the floor ) Titus Groan by Mervyn Peake Your favourite author of the year? Erin Morgenstern.Your most read author of the year? Roald Dahl. I set myself the task of reading him this year and, so far, have read 12 of them Your favourite book cover of the year?This one .. of course The book you abandoned (if there was more than one, the one you read least of)? I didn't do either .. though I should have. The candidate most likely was The Sound and the Fury by William Faulkner .. my head chanted 'abandon' every minute .. but I ignored it The book that most disappointed you? Death Comes to Pemberley by P.D. James also The Turn of The Screw by Henry James .. I thought I would love it The funniest book of the year?I definitely do 'do' funny but I haven't read many funny books this year. I enjoyed the humour in Where'd You Go Bernadette by Maria Semple and Caitlin Moran's Moranthology. Your favourite literary character this year? Two animals .. Misha the penguin and Bob the street cat Your favourite children's book this year? Matilda by Roald Dahl (also The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her own Making by Catherynne M.Valente)Your favourite classic of the year? The War of the Worlds by H.G. Wells.Your favourite non-fiction book this year? Probably Van Gogh: The Life by Steven Naifeh and Gregory White Smith.Your favourite biography this year? A Right Royal B*****d by Sarah Miles (also My Animals and Other Family by Clare Balding)Your favourite collection of short stories this year? I haven't read them all yet but as I really enjoyed the title story so I'll say .. Christmas at Cold Comfort Farm by Stella Gibbons but I'm really enjoying the Vintage Classic collection Round the Christmas Fire at the moment Your favourite poetry collection this year? I only read one poem and didn't enjoy it Your favourite illustrated book of the year? It has to be one of Quentin Blake's Dahl books .. probably James and the Giant Peach Your favourite publisher of the year? Probably Vintage again.Your favourite audiobook of the year? Les Misérables by Victor Hugo read by Frederick Davidson.Your favourite re-read of the year? A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens (and I'll probably say it every year ) also enjoyed The Hobbit Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
willoyd Posted December 6, 2013 Share Posted December 6, 2013 (edited) The funniest book of the year? Don't on the whole do funny when it comes to books! I read a number of books that are often deemed as 'funny', but whilst I enjoyed them, it was not for the humour. .. oh I don't know The funniest book of the year? I definitely do 'do' funny but I haven't read many funny books this year. I enjoyed the humour in Where'd You Go Bernadette by Maria Semple and Caitlin Moran's Moranthology. From my blog thread earlier this year: Where'd You Go Bernadette by Maria Semple *** Shortlisted for the Women's Literary Prize, the format (epistolary) and plot (eccentric mother disappears, and the Antarctic features - which is pretty much all I picked up from a radio review) strongly appealed. I almost always enjoy this format, particularly the way in which plotlines tend to be revealed, and this was no exception: the story fairly bounced along, and, although there were one or two minor unlikelihoods, the mixups and misunderstandings felt reasonably credible and I really enjoyed the underlying sense of humour (not laugh out loud - I rarely do that with a book - but definitely bringing a smile to my face)........ All I can say is.... !!!!! It seems that pretty much all my favourite characters are women. In fiction as in life .. we women are the most interesting I can't disagree! (he says, working in a primary school, and being the only male in our 9 strong book group) Edited December 6, 2013 by willoyd Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ben Posted December 7, 2013 Share Posted December 7, 2013 Always very much enjoy these awards at the end of the year, and as I don't feel that it's very likely I'll finish many more books in the final few weeks of the year (deadlines galore), I feel like I'm ready to sit down with a cuppa and get these answered. Thanks poppyshake for making the thread. Your favourite read of the year?Blimey, talk about a difficult job limiting these answers to one book (I'm sure I'm not the only one who feels like that). I'm going to have to go with Salman Rushdie's Midnight's Children with my deepest of apologies to Dostoyevsky for a close-second Crime and Punishment, and also my good friend Oscar Wilde for an impossibly-difficult third-placed The Importance of Being Earnest. Got to confess, I've had some absolutely cracking reads this year, though.. Your favourite author of the year?Without a doubt, this has to be Salman Rushdie. Explored him exhaustingly for my final year dissertation topic and have read Midnight's Children, The Satanic Verses, Shame and The Moor's Last Sigh (with Shalimar the Clown eagerly waiting in the wings) - all of which were fantastic. He's endlessly witty, wonderfully engaging, and an absolute master of his craft. Your most read author of the year? This would have been Rushdie with four, but I've had a splurge of 'easy-reading' the past couple of weeks whilst my assignment deadlines have been on top of me, meaning that Lee Child has already surpassed this with five for the year - and I suspect that'll be added to as the year comes to a close.Your favourite book cover of the year? Got a few contenders for this but as nothing is really jumping out at me (the Vintage Rushdie designs are excellent) and I want to give proper recognition to as many different authors and books as possible on this list, I'm going to give this one to Saturday by Ian McEwan - simple, but beautifully effective.The book you abandoned (if there was more than one, the one you read least of)? Abandoned NW by Zadie Smith earlier in the year. I mean, I may (probably will) try go back to it at some stage, but it was just horribly disappointing (slow starting, wasn't seeming to build anywhere), after I was so impressed with one of her previous books White Teeth. Hopefully it redeems itself, but this seems like an obvious choice - for the time being at least. The book that most disappointed you?Has to be The Front by Patricia Cornwell. I got the impression she was a pretty established writer and this was an incredibly disappointing opening foray into her works. I must have just chosen badly, but this one felt like it was phoned-in, and in a bit of a hurry. Definitely hasn't persuaded me to give anything else of hers a go yet. The funniest book of the year? Oscar finally gets himself on the table with The Importance of Being Ernest, here. I don't normally laugh that much at books, in all fairness, but this would was brilliantly witty (as one would expect from Wilde), and definitely had me chuckling throughout. Kerouac's On the Road deserves an honourable mention, and Rushdie once again gave me my fair share of laughs.Your favourite literary character this year? Tyrion Lannister from the 'A Song of Fire and Ice' books by George R.R. Martin. Now, I haven't finished these yet, but with such an extensive cast there's a lot of characters to chose between. Tyrion stands head and shoulders (excuse the pun) above the rest for me: witty, devious, and endlessly cheeky. He's definitely been my favourite character this year. Also: an outside shout to Jack Reacher from Lee Child's books; he's another that's endeared himself to me a lot, of late.Your favourite children's book this year? Having a quick through my reading list I'm unsure of my contenders for this (and I guess it depends on definition). My most obvious choice would be Carroll's Alice's Adventures In Wonderland - but I suppose that all depends on if you read it as an innocent fantasy tale, or beneath the layers a little. I also have Gaiman's Stardust and Neverwhere on the short-list, but again I'd imagine that depends on people's exploration of the themes (minor sex scenes in the first, lots of darkness/evil/torture in the second). On reflection, I guess this one goes to Carroll. Your favourite classic of the year? I'm forced to give this to Dostoyevsky's Crime and Punishment as one of my favourite books ever, but I'm not short on contenders. Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck was also heartbreakingly wonderful, and Animal Farm by George Orwell was excellent. I also enjoyed The Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka, and On the Road by Kerouac would likely round off a top five in an excellent year of classics. Your favourite non-fiction book this year? I'd give this to Portrait of Keys by Ivan Vladislavić - an excellent portrait of life in Johannesburg which isn't quite a novel or a collection of short stories. It's a mixture of the real and the inventive, and if I had to I think I'd label it as non-fiction. This truly is an amazingly layered book and I'd urge everyone to give it a look. Your favourite biography this year? Haven't read any biographies this year but I am meaning to get around to reading a Charles Dickens one that I have, which looks excellent. I believe it's Peter Ackroyd but couldn't quote myself on that because I don't have it to hand. Your favourite collection of short stories this year? I've read a few very enjoyable short story collections this year, my favourite probably being Daphne du Maurier's The Rendezvous and Other Stories which I was delighted about as I had high expectations after Rebecca. Honourable mentions to Ali Smith's The Whole Story and Other Stories and also Carol Shields' Dressing Up for the Carnival.Your favourite poetry collection this year? T.S. Eliot wins this with his Selected Poems collection. After exploring these thoroughly for class I could truly appreciate his genius. I've also enjoyed a collection of Yeats' poems and another by the excellent Simon Armitage.Your favourite illustrated book of the year? I read a nicely illustrated copy of A Study in Scarlet this year - by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, of course.Your favourite publisher of the year? Vintage. I always feel like their covers are absolutely spot on. Your favourite audiobook of the year? Haven't read any audiobooks this year, but will aim to try a couple in 2014. Your favourite re-read of the year? My only re-read of the year seems to be Shame by Salman Rushdie. I didn't even realise that before I checked my lists, but it seems obvious now, as I've spent much of my reading this year trying to make a conscious effort to make a dent in the TBR and thus not repeat many books I've already read. Interesting year for me I feel. A nice, eclectic mix of books, with some really special reads. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobblybear Posted December 8, 2013 Share Posted December 8, 2013 The book you abandoned (if there was more than one, the one you read least of)? Abandoned NW by Zadie Smith earlier in the year. I mean, I may (probably will) try go back to it at some stage, but it was just horribly disappointing (slow starting, wasn't seeming to build anywhere), after I was so impressed with one of her previous books White Teeth. Hopefully it redeems itself, but this seems like an obvious choice - for the time being at least. I gave up on this one too. I was so disappointed in it; I really loved White Teeth, but this just didn't compare. The book that most disappointed you? Has to be The Front by Patricia Cornwell. I got the impression she was a pretty established writer and this was an incredibly disappointing opening foray into her works. I must have just chosen badly, but this one felt like it was phoned-in, and in a bit of a hurry. Definitely hasn't persuaded me to give anything else of hers a go yet. I've never heard of The Front, so I suspect it's a recent one of hers. You would probably be better off reading her early Scarpetta novels as I think they are much better than her recent books. She seems to have gone downhill rapidly....years ago she was a must-read for me, but now I wouldn't even bother picking up her books to read the blurb. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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