This month’s rewind includes my favourite book for 2014 (and possibly for this year as well) –
2012: Eucalyptus by Murray Bail – a fairy tale (with trees)
2013: The Easter Parade by Richard Yates – classic (grim) Yates
2014: We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves by Karen Joy Fowler – WOW!
2015: Days of Awe by Lauren Fox – an honest story about friendship and grief
2016: All the Birds, Singing by Evie Wyld – thrillingly sinister
2017: The Glorious Heresies by Lisa McInerney – will be in my top five for the year
I’ve read and enjoyed 2012 and 2014, the latter as an audio book a couple of times – you can infer what you like about my brain, but I quite often pick up books with interesting looking covers only to find I’ve listened to them only months earlier. In one of the years you commented you now only listen to fluff. I’m more or less the opposite. Yes, I enjoy listening to ‘fluff’ (romances and detective fiction) but I love listening to classics – Mayor of Casterbridge last week – though I generally borrow the paper version before I write a review.
I have stuck to lighter choices for audio although recently have been listening to a few memoirs, especially ones where the author is reading their own words. I don’t rule out listening to classics (or doing re-reads via audio) but invariably I have a ‘voice’ in my head for books I’m familiar with so if the narrator doesn’t match that, I stop listening (happened recently with an audio of Sonya Hartnett’s Of a Boy – narrator was all wrong to my ear).
I’ve been meaning to read more Yates – you have now helped narrow down which one I should try next – thanks 😊
Have you read Revolutionary Road? It’s very good (but Easter Parade is equally as good).
I have actually read 3 of these – I’m amazed! 2014, 2016, 2017 & really rated them all. I must read more Yates though…
I ration my Yates – love his work but I find it really quite depressing.
Absolutely loved Eucalyptus, a glorious celebration of storytelling. Thanks for reminding me of it, Kate.
NOt the kind of book I’d generally go for but the ending – so satisfying (and I NEVER saw it coming!).
July has been good to you! Also, I really do enjoy this idea. I may have to steal this someday – easy and interesting!
I stole the idea (acknowledged it in my first Rewind post, obvs) so go right ahead!