So we have the shortlist and I am secretly very relieved, I knew we could trust Hermione, and I had become increasingly extreme about things I might do if certain books were on it. I'd gone beyond Yorkie bars; a lunge off Beachy Head was starting to feature strongly.I'm quite grateful there was no sign of the top 5 bookie's favourites (do bookies read?)
For me there were several books that said everything the Booker prize may have been in the past (and for which it has been ridiculed) but needn't be now.Without wanting to sound patronizing, it's a golden chance to push a book out there and get people reading something genuinely enjoyable and memorable.
In recovery from Booker fatigue, I'm going to stride on and catch up with the ones I've missed out and re-visit the ones I've already covered especially Mother's Milk by Edward St Aubyn.Perhaps missed a trick there?
I was loving In the Country of Men by Hisham Matar but so were the library and they wanted it back before I'd finished it so I'll get back to that somehow.
Just to refresh my mind here's what dovegreyreader is on the lookout for
- Will want to read beyond the first 50 pages
- Will constantly look forward to picking up and reading more
- Will be able to read without feeling I am stupid or inadequate for not understanding some elite literary connivance or should that be contrivance? Make it both.I want an inclusive book with the ring of an enjoyable challenge about it.
- Will engage me emotionally whether that be a laugh, a weep, hysterics, memories, reminders, a nice warm feeling, a bit of an uncomfortable feeling and the rest
- Will remember the moment I finished it and felt that little pang of regret that it had to end.
- Can recommend to friends and will then give us plenty to talk about.
- Might start me off on a new and exciting reading trail
- Will look at the cover in a year's time and remember what a good book it was
- Having been reminded will pick it up and read it again
- Might find out something about a world I knew nothing about
- Might recognise anew a world I thought I knew everything about
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