si: Reads in 2020

Happy reading in 2020 everybody. Good luck with your challenges.

some top of the year stats to work on next year -

ssfc #sightseeing stops 65
a-z challenge 123 (85/208 completed)
counting on titles 90 (10/100 completed)

LT non-fiction challenge 46 (4/50 completed)

Own books unread... 700 approx.

January - June

1. Oleander, Jacaranda by Penelope Lively
2. They Shoot Horses, Don't They by Horace McCoy
3. The Strange Library by Haruki Murakami
4. 100 Years of Motoring edited by Daniel Neilson
5. Hopscotch, Blow-Up and Other Stories and We Love Glenda So Much and Other Tales by Julio Cortazar
6. Train Dreams by Denis Johnson
7. Icebreaker by John Gardner
8. Kindred Passions by Joyce Carol Oates
9. Jakob Von Gunten by Robert Walser
10 All the Sounds Of Fear by Harlan Ellison
11. Monty Python's Big Red Book
12 Chocolate Chip Cookie Murder by Joanne Fluke
13. One Long Hot Summer ed: Antonia Adams
14. The Enormous Crocodile by Roald Dahl
15. The Twelve Days of Christmas by John Julius Norwich
16. Yeti and the Bird by Nadia Shireen
17. Role of Honour by John Gardner

July - December

18. Bullitt by Robert L Pike
19. Jar City by Arnaldur Indridason
20. Dog Day Afternoon by Patrick Mann
21. Ten Little Monkeys by Jessica Potter Broderick
22. A First Book of Aesop's Fables by Marie Stuart
23. Baby's Own Colour Annual 1967
24. Woodland Animals and Their Young
25. Alien: Movie Novel
26. A Second Book of Aesop's Fables by Marie Stuart
27. The Crossing Places by Elly Griffith
28. Hell House by Richard Matheson
29. Mr. Skinny by Roger Hargreaves
30. You're A Big Boy Now by David Benedictus
31. Murder in the Mews by Agatha Christie
32. Bat Out Of Hell by Francis Durbridge
33. Napoleon by Nelly Kaplan
34. You Only Live Twice by Ian Fleming
35. I Am A Sparrow by Geoffrey T Bull
36. The Tale of Jemima Puddle-Duck by Beatrix Potter
37. Death of a Gossip by M. C. Beaton
38. The Young In One Another's Arms by Jane Rule
39. Magnum Force by Mel Valley
40. Rock Addiction by Nalini Singh

1. Oleander, Jacaranda by Penelope Lively

Memoir. ©1994. 206 pages
English novelist looks back of her Egyptian childhood in the 1930-40's following a return visit in the 1980's, comparing childhood memories with her adult knowledge and altered view-point.

2. They Shoot Horses, Don't They by Horace McCoy

Fiction. ©1935. 131 pages.
After fighting in WWI as a pilot McCoy had various jobs as he worked towards becoming a writer, including time as a bouncer for a dance marathon. The experience of which he used first for a screenplay (unmade) and then this novella.

3. The Strange Library by Haruki Murakmi

Fiction. ©2008. 77 pages.
Short story expanded with illustrations taken mostly from old books found at the London Library.
This nightmare-tale has a boy making an innocent request at a library finding himself locked in a cell.
Disquieting story with good use of 'found' illustrations; an idea which I don't particularly like, mostly works here.

4. 100 Years of Motoring Twentieth Century in Pictures editor Daniel Neilson

Collection of mainly black and white photographs from Press Association photographers, culled from their archives. Most of the stills were destined for tabloid newspapers and the dustbin; so we get lots of 'picture opportunities'.

5. Hopscotch, Blow-Up and Other Stories, We Love Glenda So Much and Other Tales by Julio Cortazar

Omnibus edition of Cortazar's short stories and his best known novel, published to tie-in with the 100th anniversary of his birth in 2014.

Introduction ©2014 Ilan Stavans

Hopscotch, ©1966. Translated by Gregory Rabassa

Blow-Up and Other Stories ©1963,1967. Translated by Paul Blackburn

includes - Axolod, House Taken Over, The Distances, The Idol of the Cyclades, Letter to a Young Lady in Paris, A Yellow Flower, Continuity of Parks, The Night Face Up, Bestiary, The Gates of Heaven, Blow-Up, End of the Game, At Your Service, The Pursuer, Secret Weapons.

We Love Glenda So Much and Other Tales ©1983. Translated by Gregory Rabassa.

includes - Orientation of Cats, We Love Glenda So Much, Story with Spiders, Graffiti, Clone, Return Trip Tango, Press Clippings, Text in a Notebook, Stories I Tell Myself, Moebius Strip.

6. Train Dreams by Denis Johnson

Fiction. ©2002. 116 pages.
It's still a thrill to discover a new writer, new to me at least, and somehow Denis Johnson who is highly regarded by his fans, has completely passed me by, before now. Perhaps he's less well known outside American? I don't know.

7. Icebreaker by John Gardner

Fiction. ©1983. 250 pages.
Third James Bond novel by Gardner. This one has all the familiar Bond elements plus a few for any number of WWII stories, particularly MacLean's Where Eagles Dare.

8. Kindred Passions by Rosamond Smith

Fiction. UK edition of 'Lives of the Twins' 1st published with an altered ending in 1988. 205 pages.

This is a psychological thriller, or perhaps psychodrama is a better fit - as the Oxford Times called it - about Molly Marks a troubled 28 year old who falls in love with her psychotherapist. Swapping therapy for romance they move in together; which is when he tells her he has a twin brother he doesn't talk to anymore.

Unable to just accept the family rift Molly hunts brother James down. James is also a psychotherapist, so Molly, as 'Holly Hawkes', starts therapy with him. Partly to see if James will also fall in love with her.

Decidedly odd tale, told in an appropriately idiosyncratic style by Joyce Carol Oates - using the name Rosamond Smith for the first time.

9. Jakob Von Gunten by Robert Walser

Fiction. first published in 1909. ©1969 translation from German & intro by Christopher Middleton. 198 pages.

Written in the form of a journal this is a 1st person account by Jakob of his time at the Benjamenta Institute where he is training for a life in service.

Jakob writes in a scattershot and unreliable way; often contradicting himself. While the story is humourous you need perhaps to question every sentence as to what is actually happening. Which is tiring. Is Jakob a holy-fool or a rich boy playing games? He certainly misreads everyone he meets.

A book to reread. I have the feeling second time around this might reveal more.

10. All The Sounds of Fear by Harlan Ellison

Fiction. ©1971. 158 pages.
Short story collection covering 1956 to 1967 incl. -

I Have no Mouth, And I Must Scream
The Discarded
Deeper Than The Darkness
Blind Lightning
All The Sounds Of Fear
The Silver Corridor
'Repent, Harlequin!' Said The Ticktockman
Bright Eyes

11. Monty Python's Big Red Book

TV tie-in ©1971. 64 pages.
The television comedy Monty Python's Flying Circus, rendered into print. Terry Gilliam's illustrations are the stand-out feature.

12. Chocolate Chip Cookie Murder by Joanne Fluke

Fiction. ©2000. 432 pages.
I read the eBook version of this novel, the first of the Hannah Swensen mysteries, which contains a bonus novella - Candy for Christmas.
I like mysteries, but perhaps slightly less 'cozy' than this reads. That said I enjoyed the main characters and will probably return to Lake Eden.

13. One Long Hot Summer edited by Antonia Adams

Fiction. Three novellas. ©2012. 233 pages.
Erotic romances including -
One Long Hot Summer by Elizabeth Coldwell
Just Another Lady by Penelope Friday
Safe Haven by Shanna Germain

Title story is okay; the other two are pretty terrible.

14. the Enormous Crocodile by Roald Dahl

Fiction. 32 pages.

This and the last book I recently finished I found online via my local library. As one of the people who never imagined taking to eBooks I didn't hate the format as much as I expected. If the libraries remain closed I'll probably read more.

15. The Twelve Days of Christmas by John Julius Norwich

Fiction. Text ©1998. 32 pages.
A fun response in the form of a series of letters from Emily to Edward as the Christmas gifts she receives from him become increasingly unwelcome.
This is a later edition of the book from 2013 and includes Quentin Blake's great illustrations and a foreword from Joanna Lumley - it probably made sense at the time!

16. Yeti and the Bird by Nadia Shireen

Fiction. Children's picture book. ©2013. 32 pages.
Nadia Shireen, who is primarily an illustrator, adds the words as well as the images to this colourful and simply animal tale of a mismatched friendship proving positive for everybody living in the woods.

17. Role of Honour by John Gardner

Fiction. ©1984. 222 pages.
After his initial three book deal to continue the James Bond stories, Gardner had a little more licence to stray from the well worn formula. Unfortunately this 4th book has a fairly disappointing central plot and while Gardner's prose is a easy on the eye as ever the story is less than gripping, with a denouement that is as short as it is unsatisfying.

18. Bullitt by Robert L Pike

Fiction. ©1963. 175 pages.
Well the film version of this murder mystery changed a lot of details not least the title which was originally 'Mute Witness'; Bullitt is the renamed main character of Lieutenant Clancy who's literary life continued for two further books.

The film is a bit patchy, while the book is on the whole an enjoyable read with a decent mystery and likable characters.

Hello! I have read a lot of books from Joyce Carol Oates, this, Kindred Passions I don´t know it but this women is an amassing writer. I love her.
It´s a fantastic list

>21 Sisif: Hi Roser, Kindred Passions is the only JCO book I've read. Hope to read more. Next year perhaps?

19. Jar City by Arnaldur Indridason

Fiction. ©2000, 2004. English translation by Bernard Scudder. 338 pages.
The more detective Erlendur looks into the murder of an old man in a run-down basement flat the less he believes its just another drug-related crime.
Well paced and plotted crime story with a strong theme of parents and children. Well worth reading.

The first book I read to her was The Gravedigger’s Daughter. I couldn’t stop reading. It has really nice parts and she writes very, very well.

20. Dog Day Afternoon by Patrick Mann

Fiction. ©1974. 222 pages.

This is a fictionalised account of a real bank robbery which took place in Brooklyn in 1972. All the names have certainly been changed, as for the rest I've no idea how close to the truth it gets.
High profile crimes often engender a feeding frenzy not just in the media but in the arts as well. This book appeared in 1974; following many, many newspaper stories and articles - and then the film appeared in 1975.
The book doesn't credit the film and the film doesn't credit the book - in fact it won screenwriter Frank Pierson the Oscar for Best Original Screenplay. But Mann's novelisation of the story is not a version of the finished film. Perhaps he saw a first draft of the screenplay and the two projects diverged so much both could claim autonomy.

21. Ten Little Monkeys by Jessica Potter Broderick

Fiction. Illustrated children's counting book. ©1980. 1st pub 1953. 24 pages.

22. A First Book of Aesop's Fables by Marie Stuart

Fiction. Illustrated children's book. ©1974. 52 pages.

23. Baby's Own Colour Annual 1967

24. Woodland Animals and Their Young by Jane Carruth

25. Alien: Movie Novel

26. A Second Book of Aesop's Fables retold by Marie Stuart

A few quick re-reads to try and jump-start my reading!

27. The Crossing Places by Elly Griffiths

Fiction. © 2009. 317 pages.
1st in a series of crime novels featuring forensic archaeologist Dr Ruth Galloway. A series new to me, which is already up to book twelve.
Overall this is an enjoyable story with interesting characters. A fairy straightforward mystery enriched by the setting and the personal dramas of the main characters.

28. Hell House by Richard Matheson

Fiction. © 1971. 247 pages.
Richard Matheson's stories often have a very strong, central concept and approach; which he will then exploits to it's full extent.
The idea here is similar to the set-up of The Haunting of Hill House, but is very different in execution - more explicit language and violent imagery.

29. Mr. Skinny by Roger Hargreaves

Illustrated children's story. ©1978. 36 pages.

-reread.

30. You're A Big Boy Now by David Benedictus

Fiction. ©1963. 187 pages.
Comedy about a hapless young man who falls for a young actress whose life has been traumatised by childhood abuse and rape. An uneasy mix for a comedy, which simply doesn't work despite the author's verbal dexterity and eye for the absurd.

31. Murder in the Mews by Agatha Christie

Fiction. © 1936. 1937. 190 pages.

Includes title story plus 'The Incredible Theft', 'Dead Man's Mirror' & 'Triangle At Rhodes'.

32. Bat out of Hell by Francis Durbridge

Fiction. ©1972. 222 pages.
Mystery novel adapted from his own scripts of a 1966 television series by Paul Temple creator Francis Durbridge.
Diana Steward's & lover Mark Paxton's plans to kill her husband go well, until his body disappears and Diana get a phone call from the dead man.
Lots of twists and turns in an enjoyable mystery.

33. Napoleon by Nelly Kaplan

Non-fiction. © 1994. translated by Bernard McGuirk.70 pages.

This is part of the British Film Institute's series of books on film classics. Lots of great photos and interesting details.

I didn't know when I picked up this book that Nelly Kaplan had died recently from Covid-19. Sad news.

34. You Only Live Twice by Ian Fleming

Fiction. © 1964. 190 pages.
12th Bond novel by Fleming, 1st published in the year he died - 1964. Only 'The Man With the Golden Gun' and a short story collection followed.

Re-reading this after twenty years you realise what a mess the films made of Bond's personal story. 'You Only Live Twice' follows on from 'On Her Majesty's Secret Service' - but was filmed first!

35. I Am A Sparrow by Geoffrey T Bull
Fiction. ©1972. 20 Pages.

36. The Tale of Jemima Puddle-Duck by Beatrix Potter
Fiction. © 1908, 1987, 1993. 59 pages.

37. Death of a Gossip by M C Beaton

Fiction. ©1985, 2008. 186 pages.
This is the first of Beaton's Hamish Macbeth mysteries. Its a fun read, but there's no real way of spotting the killer; Macbeth could have named anyone and it would have been no more or less reasonable. I read this online - a library ebook.

38. The Young in One Another's Arms by Jane Rule

Fiction. © 1977. 214 pages.
Set in Canada this is the story of Ruth Wheeler and the people who live in her boarding house.
A new road means the house will be knocked down and the lodgers going their separate ways.

39. Magnum Force by Mel Valley

Fiction. © 1974. 175 pages.
Not good by any standard. This is the novelization of the film. Who is Mel Valley? The only one of the five people credited on the cover with the sense to use a pseudonym!

40. Rock Addiction by Nalini Singh

Fiction. © 2014. 312 pages.
This is an overlong romance between a rock star and a New Zealand librarian! Too many sex scenes and lots of half-told subplots which we discover at the end are fleshed out in subsequent spin-off novels.
Read this as a ebook from my local library.

That might be it for 2020; don't know if I feel like fitting in one more book before new-year. A bad reading year - but that seems of little consequence.