Thoughts On Books

Recently a friend asked me to nominate my 20 favourite books of all time and as the attached ( much longer ) list will demonstrate, this has been a very difficult task. I am not sure I can definitively say these are my favourites but I can say that they all represent a read where when I have closed the back cover over the final pages, I have felt sated by the story and my experience of it. I know I have had a good read.

I have a small ritual of holding a good book after I have finished it, thanking the author for their gift. and giving it a small pat of release. In recent years this moment has been enhanced by the particular velum they have been using to make the dust covers of books. It has had a sensual dense quality very hard to find words to capture. I notice that recent books no longer have this feel and I miss it. It may be apparent that I have a full blown love affair with books. Polyamory of the very best kind.

The books I have chosen map to chapters in my life and I can for many of them, remember where I was when I read them, and the details of the life I was leading. Most vividly I remember the bedrooms of houses I have lived in ( and I have lived in many ) because I have always done my best reading in bed, beginning the day and closing the night with the book of the time. The books read on holidays, sun loungers and airport novels have not made this list and whilst I remember many with enjoyment, it is the ritual of the read before and after sleep which has always characterised my habit. It is this reading which has given me time to think, be challenged and comforted, disconcerted, dismayed and delighted by the words on the page, the author`s creation.

Whilst I have included ( except for Drucilla Modjeska ) only one book from an author, my favourite, I do love many if not all of the works of some authors on the list. James Baldwin, Helen Garner, Gillian Mears, Alex Miller, Edward Rutherford, John Scott, Patti Smith , Elizabeth Strout, Kate Grenville and Tim Winton have always challenged or delighted me with their writing and I have read every thing they have written.

I have also read most of the offerings of the other authors however they do not always resonant with me. Orhan Pamuk`s , The Museum Of Innocence, for example, I have never been able to finish, finding it profoundly tedious. I did however visit the unique and actual Museum of Innocence, based on the story, which Pamuk built in Istanbul and found it extraordinary and unforgettable. Still have not been able to finish the book.

Elizabeth Gilbert wrote the well known Eat, Love, Pray which for me was a holiday read but I adored the Signature Of All things which just edges out The Last American Man as my favourite from her.

All the Patti Smith books I have are infinitely precious because whilst I have always found her music unlistenable too, in recent years I have found her writings meeting my soul place. This impact is aided perhaps by her books being printed in small palm sized hard backs with just the right sized print and her own unremarkable but remarkable blurry black and white photos. Sometimes her writing, like her music is obscure but always I am captured by her aesthetic.

I have just let out a big sigh. So many stories of my own life resonate with the pages of these books over time. They are the tales of my time and place and in this reflective period of my life, accentuated by the solitariness of a pandemic afflicted world, I feel blessed to have had their company. Make your own list and reflect on what it says of your life and times. It is an interesting exercise.

The Books which have stayed with me ……..in alphabetic, not most loved order.

Tirra Lirra By The River Anderson, Jessica

Reaching Tin River Astley, Thea

Another Country Baldwin, James

Birds Without Wings Bernieres, Louis de

In Watermelon Sugar Brautigan, Richard

Bliss Carey, Peter

The teachings Of Don Juan Castaneda, Carlos

Journey From Venice Cracknell, Ruth

Springtime De Kretser, Michelle

Questions Of Travel De Kretser, Michelle

Tell Me I am here Deveson, Anne

Memories with Food at Gypsy House Dahl, Roald and Felicity

The Story of a New Name (The Neapolitan Trilogy)

Ferrenente, Elena

The Narrow Road To The Deep North Flanagan, Richard

The Women`s Room French, Marilyn

Monkey Grip Garner, Helen

The Signature Of All Things Gilbert, Elizabeth

Lillian`s Story Grenville, Kate

The Frangipani Gardens Hanrahan, Barbara

The Toucher Hewitt, Dorothy

The Unknown Industrial Prisoner Ireland, David

The Portrait Of A Lady James, Henry

My Father`s Moon Jolley, Elizabeth

Metamorphosis Kafka, Franz

The White Book Kang, Han

The Tyrant`s Novel Keneally, Thomas

The Unbearable Lightness of Being Kundera, Milan

Author, Author Lodge, David

The Water Lillies Llewellyn, Kate

One Hundred Years Of Solitude Marquez, Gabriella Garcia

Insomniac City Mayes, Bill

The Night Guest McFarlane, Fiona

The Mint Lawn Mears, Gillian

Conditions Of Faith Miller, Alex

Stravinsky`s Lunch Modjeska, Drucilla

The Mountain Modjeska, Drucilla

Second Half First Modjeska, Drucilla

Poppy Modjeska, Drucilla

The Time Traveller’s Wife Niffenegger, Audrey

A strangeness In My Mind Pamuk, Orhan

The Dutch House Patchett, Ann

Three Dollars Pearlman, Elliot

The Dice Man Rhinehart, Luke

The Tibetan Book Of The Living and Dying Rinpoche, Sogyal

Shantaram Roberts, Gregory David

Midnight`s Children Rushdie, Salman

London Rutherford, Edward

Gratitude Sacks, Oliver

Before I Wake Scott, John

A suitable Boy Seth, Vikram

We Need To Talk About Kevin Shriver, Lionel

Mr Wigg Simpson, Inga

M Train Smith, Patti

One Day In The Life Of Ivan Denisovitch Solzhenitsyn, Alexander

My Name Is Lucy Barton Strout, Elizabeth

The Master Toibin, Colm

The Slap Tsokolas, Christos

Breath Winton , Tim

A Little Life Yanagihara, Hanya