It’s not January 1st quite yet, and yet I feel as if there have already been dozens of best of lists appearing, I love them, and it always makes me feel I need to get on with my own.
I’m trying to keep it simple – just one list, twelve books that I loved – I’m not claiming they are the best, just the books which spoke to me the loudest. Those books I wanted to thrust unceremoniously into the hands of others. As I began doing a few years ago I am sticking to twelve books for twelve months. Here they are in alphabetical order by title.
1. A Far Cry from Kensington by Muriel Spark – This was the second Muriel Spark novel that I read this year. I adored the characters and the odd little boarding house setting, it’s quirky, entertaining and often surprising, it definitely sowed a seed with me regarding reading more Muriel Spark.
2 A Girl in Winter by Philip Larkin – It wasn’t all that long ago that I discovered that Philip Larkin had even written novels – only two sadly. A Girl in Winter is simply exquisite the prose is of course that of a poet. It is a novel of summer and winter, of war and exile, exploring the difficulties we sometimes encounter trying to fully understand the people in our lives.
3 An Avenue of Stone by Pamela Hansford Johnson – represented in the picture above by my kindle, on which I read it. An Avenue of Stone is the second novel in Pamela Hansford Johnson’s Helena trilogy. I read it breathlessly, loving every word and was sorry when it was finished. Sometimes that is all it takes to make an impact.
4 A Note in Music by Rosamond Lehmann – A Novel I had wanted to read for so long, I was afraid it might not meet my expectations, instead it exceeded them. Beautifully written, it is a gloriously nuanced novel, a portrait of marriage and the disappointments of an ordinary middle-class life.
5 A Wreath for the Enemy by Pamela Frankau – From its compelling opening, A Wreath for the Enemy is another superb novel from Pamela Frankau who I have come to admire hugely. It is a novel told in three sections, characters moving in and out of view – with some brilliantly plotted connections which make this a wonderfully clever novel.
6 Chatterton Square by E H Young I have loved E H Young’s novels for a long time, but this is the best of those that I have read. A multi-layered novel, the themes of this novel, those of marriage, provincial life and morality.
7 Earth and High Heaven by Gwethalyn Graham was an enormous surprise to me. Sent to me as a review copy by Persephone books, I admit to having known nothing about it. However, I was blown away, by the beautifully, emotional story. Gwethalyn Graham explores the divisions and deeply entrenched prejudices which existed in Canadian society, through the story of Erica Drake and Marc Reiser who meet and fall in love.
8. Miss Boston and Miss Hargreaves by Rachel Malik – A novel I bought by sheer chance, on something of a whim. It definitely has the feel of those vintage novels that I am always reading. The story is a fictional telling of a story from the author’s own family – two women brought together by war, a partnership spanning more than two decades, a scandal and a trial.
9 Scenes of Childhood and other stories by Sylvia Townsend Warner – I love short stories, and I completely love Sylvia Townsend Warner – so this collection was a joy. I have since read another larger collection of her stories, which I also loved, but this collection is probably perfect, as so many of the stories are autobiographical, the author seems to be present throughout the collection.
10 The Professor’s House by Willa Cather – This might not be Willa Cather’s best novel, but it was the last of her novels I had to read, and I think it’s a little masterpiece. The tender, introspective story of a college professor and the brilliant student Tom Outland who he remembers with affection.
11 The Spoilt City by Olivia Manning – the second book of the Balkan trilogy – I really couldn’t decide which of the first two books would make this list. I opted for The Spoilt City – because it has more drama than the first book, and I found it quite hard to put down. The atmosphere of people living in a precarious situation – as war rages on all sides and invasion becomes daily more likely – is just superbly drawn.
12. Winter by Ali Smith – Proof that waiting till the last minute to finalise a best of list is the best strategy – I finished this book on Christmas Eve, and have had to edit my list to include it. I only reviewed it yesterday, and I had to include it here for the simple reason that it stunned me. The way in which Ali Smith plays with both time and language is just superb.
So, that’s it twelve books for twelve months. I am slightly embarrassed by how typical (of me) this list is, how much like the lists of the last two years it is – and with no non-fiction on it, although there are two books actually published this year! Perhaps I can widen my reading horizons in 2018.
All that’s left for me to say is Happy New Year! to you all.
I re read A NOTE IN MUSIC and loved it just as much the second time around.
Yes it is excellent.
Happy New Year to you too!
Thank you.
Happy New Year! I’m looking forward to reading some more Muriel Spark with you this year.
Oh excellent, so glad you will be joining in.
Oh why be embarrassed that the books which most resonated are typical of ‘you’. We are, of course, always meeting authors new to us, but I think that however different each author might be, the ones who stand out are ones who speak, reveal, resonate most deeply to something uniquely ‘us’ in our own nature. I do believe, strongly, that a book can both show us something new about the world, and be a revelation – but may also be revealing new potentials of ourselves, TO ourselves. Something about finding our authenticity through what happens when another person opens their authenticity to us – as wonderful writing does, when a writer is using their own unique vision, of course, influenced by the unique vision of others, but forged into something of their own individual place in the world.
I love that your list is so clearly yours!
Aww thank you. I’m sure you’re right, we all do find things which resonate for us in different writers. Happy new year.
Would you rate Winter as much better than Autumn or does the author simply maintain the same high standard?
I liked it better than Autumn, I don’t know if other readers generally like one more than the other. Hope you enjoy it.
Chatterton Square is on my list as well. At least, it will be once I finish writing that list.
I left An Avenue of Stone behind in a bookstore in London. I knew I had seen it recommended somewhere but couldn’t remember where and I realized it was the second in a series. So I left it on the shelf and now I am regretting that decision. I believe it was at Any Amount of Books which you also recommended to me.
Oh what a shame, though I understand not wanting to buy the second novel in a series. Any amount of books is a wonderful bookshop isn’t it.
Happy 2018, Ali!
And to you
What a wonderful list, Ali! Lots I haven’t read yet, but I love most of these authors. Rachel Malik’s novel is definitely on my list for 2018, as everybody whose opinion I trust has been giving rave reviews.
And yes, lovely to have one in common in our lists!
I really hope you like Miss Boston and Miss Hargreaves, I think you might.
I love the Olivia Manning novels. I think the Levant trilogy often gets overlooked in favour of the Balkan novels, so I hope you will go on to read those as well.
Yes I have the first book in the Levant trilogy tbr and had hoped to have read it by now. Looking forward to be it though.
Seeing The Professor’s House on your list reminded me that I should read more Cather in 2018. I enjoyed Death Comes for the Archbishop, My Antonia, and O Pioneers!. I’ve heard so many good things about Winter.
Oh yes Cather is a big favourite with me. You have lots to look forward to.
That’s a lovely list of books. Some that I’ve read and loved too, others by authors I love, and one or two more that I’m curious about.
Thank you Jane, it’s lovely to have some new names to explore. Happy New Year to you.
Happy New Year Ali! Some lovely titles on there, and like you I am looking forward to reading more Spark next year. And I think you *should* choose the books you love best and speak to you most – that’s why we follow the blogs we do, because we want to hear the particular blogger’s views on the kind of books they love!
Thank you, I expect I shall continue to read things that properly reflect my tastes, I just wonder if I should try a few other things too. Hopefully the Asymptote book club will help with that.
Wonderful list Ali. over the years you have brought so many wonderful books to my attention. I too loved Larkin’s A Girl in Winter, it was exquisite. I must find A Note in Music and Miss Boston & Miss Hargreaves. They both sound like books I’d love. Wishing you a very happy & healthy New Year. Here’s to many more good reads in 2018. I’m working regularly now in a public library so I have to keep up on what’s new in publishing. I just finished listening to Sometimes I Lie by Alice Feeney I think it was published in the UK this past summer, have you heard anything about it? I know its not typical of what you read, but I found it completely captivating. Maybe because of the excellent narrator but just thought I mention it and see if you or others had thoughts on it.
Thank you Donna, I’m sure you would enjoy those. I’ve not heard of Sometimes I Lie, but I’ll look out for it, thanks for the recommendation.
A very interesting list, especially as I’ve only read one of them (Earth and High Heaven)! I’m hoping to get to Chatterton Square in 2018 since everything I hear is universally positive.
Here’s hoping 2018 brings you just as many wonderful books and lots of happiness besides!
Thank you, will look forward to hearing what you think of Chatterton Square.
Wonderful list as always, Ali.
This year, finally, I should read Cather.
Happy New Year.
Oh yes, do read Cather I love her. Happy new year.
Happy New Year to you. I’ve ordered four books from your list and have moved Chatterton Square up in the To Read pile. I really enjoy your blog and admire your lovely bookshelves.
Thank you. I’d love to know what you’ve ordered. Chatterton Square is so good, really hope you love it too.
I agree with Lady Fancifull and Kaggsy, you should not feel embarrassed that your favourite books of the last year are “typical” of you, at least, not with a list like this one.
Happy New Year to you too.
Thank you David.
I’ve read other Young novels so feel sure I’ll love Chatterton Square, too. I’ve read A Far Cry from Kensington, possibly my favorite Spark, A Wreath for the Enemy (wonderful), and A Professor’s House (a long time ago, want to re-read). I’ve ordered the Larkin, PHJ, Lehmann, and Graham novels, all new authors to me, although I have Invitation to the Waltz tbr. I need to stop ordering and read what I have.
Fabulous, happy reading.
Invitation to the Waltz is wonderful! It’s such a lovely coming of age novel
I agree, Invitation to the waltz is a wonderful Lehmann novel.
Happy New Year! 🙂 I wish you even more great reading in 2018! 🙂
Thank you Jessica, you too.
Thank you 🙂
What a stunning list! I have read eight of them, so can confirm your good taste. Happy New Year~
Thank you, glad you enjoyed so many books that are on my list.
Such a lovely list! I adore Rosamond Lehmann, but haven’t yet read A Note in Music. Glad to hear it surpassed your expectations! Winter is at the top of my 2018 TBR list, and I’d love to read Earth and High Heaven as well as Miss Boston and Miss Hargreaves soon too. Happy 2018 reading, Ali!
Thank you, hope you enjoy those books as much as I did. Happy reading in 2018 😀.
Hooray for A Girl in Winter, Chatterton Square and The Professor’s House. Yes, it’s a very you list, but why wouldn’t it be? You could tell mine a mile off, too, I’m sure! Happy new (reading) year!
Thank you, I suspect next year will be even more like me actually because of ACOB and all those old books from my tbr I can happily indulge in.
A wonderful list and I love that a surprise Persephone that you hadn’t chosen made it as well, what a great job they do in bringing those authors back to life. Intrigued to see Winter on there, I finally read my first Ali Smith (Autumn) and I enjoyed it, though it didn’t make my list, but now I’m intrigued to read Winter and of course given there will be four seasons, I’mm probably have to read them all. Love the sound of an introspective Willa Cather too. Happy Reading for 2018!
Thank you and the same to you Claire, hope you enjoy Winter as much as I did.
Just dropping by briefly to say how delighted I am to see Larkin’s A Girl in Winter on your list. Exquisite is the word, such beautiful prose without ever feeling flowery or excessive.
I just read A Far Cry from Kensington and enjoyed it immensely. Have you read Memento Mori yet or do you still have it to look forward to? I think it’s my favourite of those I’ve read so far (not many I must admit, but there’s always time).
Like Lady F, I too think there is no need for you to feel even slightly embarrassed about the nature of your list. It feels like a true reflection of your tastes in reading. That’s partly why I enjoy your blog so much – I know that when you recommend a particular book, chances are I’ll enjoy it too.
Thank you for popping by. It was your review, of A Girl in Winter that made me read it. I still have Memonto Mori to look forward to, and I’m hoping to read it next month.