I love reading. Getting a kindle a year or so ago has increased the quantity of books I read – not necessarily the quality though!
I love hearing what people have enjoyed reading as it broadens my horizons and introduces me to new authors,ideas and perspectives. I’ve been asking on Facebook, and inspired by Jaybercrow I’m going to try to get back to blogging this year.
Kicking off with my best fiction reads of 2013.
1. The Art of Fielding – Chad Harbach
Quite simply a stunning, beautiful and emotive read.
2. HHhH – Laurent Binet
Brilliant story of the plot to kill Heydrich in WW2 complete with author’s ruminations and wrestling with how to tell the story.
3. Harry Hole series – Jo Nesbo
My big weakness is crime fiction and there are few better at gritty crime thrillers than Jo Nesbo. I devoured 8(!) of the Harry Hole books this year…
Honourable mentions:
Transtlantic – Colum McCann
I love McCann’s ability to weave storylines together.
And The Mountains Echoed – Khaled Hosseini
One I imagine most of you read this year.
What were your top reads of 2013 that i should get on my 2014 bookshelf?
Next up – non-fiction. Which may sprawl into several sub-categories – leadership, biography, theology, ‘other’.
the soapbox 
Yes! It’s like a new Renaissance – “back to the blogs.”
I’ll have to try and figure out why The Art of Fielding left me cold. So many people whose good taste I respect have loved it. I really, really liked the whole description of his downward spiral and loss of confidence with the baseball. It was psychologically so convincing and powerful. But I think apart from that the characters and relationships just didn’t quite connect for me. Not sure why.
Will have to check out HHhH – sounds fascinating. And maybe I need some crime fiction in my life too. I loved both of your honourable mentions too.
Happy New Year! Hope we get to hang out soon.