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Here's my end of year review of books. This year was, even by general 2020 standards, brutal - baby spending a lot (!) of time in hospital, my own serious health problems, a dash of PTSD on the side...reading has been an escape and safe place. Here's some of my hits... 1/many
Book one: Europe in Autumn by Dave Hutchinson. Great fun romp through a post-nation-state Europe with spy intrigue in the best tradition of John le Carre. https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/21064294-europe-in-autumn
Next up: Gods of Jade and Shadow by Silvia Moreno-Garcia. Goodreads files it as 'magical realism', presumably because Latin American, but it's more straightforward fantasy with some great Aztec mythology. Really strong female lead character. https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/44321121-gods-of-jade-and-shadow
First theological entry: Walter Brueggemann's "Reality, Grief and Hope". As ever, a fresh and lively reading of the prophetic tradition with a keen eye on what the Bible has to say to the world of politics and economics. https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/26312632-reality-grief-hope
Alix E. Harrow's "The Ten Thousand Doors of January" was one of my favourite novels of the year. Bold, imaginative and daring. Was left wanting more at the end. https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/44158423-the-ten-thousand-doors-of-january
The Golem and the Djinni by Helen Wicker is an imaginative fusion of Arabic and Hebrew mythology set in New York. Behind the fun intrigue, some sensitive reflections on humanness and in/exclusion https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18937575-the-golem-and-the-djinni
"Victory in the Kitchen" by @DrAnnieGray marks the beginning of post-operation recovery and, of course, was excellent. Annie Gray could write the history of Little Chef service stations and I would read it... https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/51736590-victory-in-the-kitchen
Finally got around to reading The Silk Roads and it is as good as everyone has been saying. https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/26171731-the-silk-roads
Robert Harris' "The Second Sleep" is everything one expects from a Robert Harris book. And none the worse for it. The final scenes still pack an emotional punch. https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/43561172-the-second-sleep
@aminattaforna is one of my top discoveries of the year. I read both "Happiness", dealing with the themes of trauma and the way we use wildlife to deal with our insecurities, and "The Hired Man", which looks at post-war cultural memory in Croatia https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/38481803-happiness
Another great discovery was Sarah Moss. "Sommerwater" was of course technically marvellous, "Names of the Sea" is great Icelandic travel writing, but the highlight for me was "The Tidal Zone": captures the experience of a parent on the ICU perfectly. https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/34380383-the-tidal-zone
Next up on the list of "it really is as good as everyone says" is @herdyshepherd1's "English Pastoral". What a precious glimpse into a world that so nearly slipped away - and what a message of hope. https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/49309243-english-pastoral
John Swinton's "Finding Jesus in the Storm" was a book I was looking forward to reading for ages, and it did not disappoint. As ever, Swinton balances a pastoral eye with attuned theological acumen and rigour. https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/50376052-finding-jesus-in-the-storm
German language entry: "Das flüssige Land". Dealing with Austrian cultural memory in a fun and ... well, very Austrian way. https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/50095586-das-fl-ssige-land
Some shout outs that don't quite count as re-reads or they slipped in at the end of last year: The Lord of the Rings has been a constant companion. And I sobbed my heart out at @charliemackesy this time last year - and indeed throughout the year.
Lots of other books read this year, but are either too nerdy this context (Pauline studies, looking at you), or were just 'ok' - and we don't do negative book reviews here ;)
