Favourite books in 2009

A number of bloggers have been chatting about their favourite books read in 2009. I felt it was time I did the same, but then I had a look at my notebook and due to the schermozzle that 2009 turned out to be, I only read about 40 books, which I suppose isn't too bad, but I'd aimed for 50.

So this year, I am aiming for fifty again, and am off to a good start having finished reading Engleby, by Sebastian Faulks today - but I shall blog a review about that tomorrow.

As for this year's books? I read quite an eclectic mix, so I have put my favourites into loose categories, and in some I haven't been brave enough to make a call and have listed two books. Yes, I'm indecisive, but put it down to the quality of the books, not my lack of fortitude...

Best Crime fiction:

The Chalk Circle Man by Fred Vargas
The Girl Who Played With Fire by Stieg Larsson

Best General Fiction:

First Touch of Light by Ruth Pettis

Best Historic Fiction:

Sepulchre by Kate Mosse
Banquo's Son by Tania Roxborogh

Best Biography:

Ngaio Marsh: Her Life in Crime By Joanne Drayton

Best Memoir:

Chance is a Fine Thing by Philip Temple
The Madonna in the Suit Case by Huberta Hellendoorn


To help me along in my quest to read fifty books this year I have signed up to Dorte's 2010 Global Reading Challenge. I've opted for the easy challenge, which is to read a book from an author you haven't read before from Africa, Asia, Australia, Europe, North America and South America. I thought it would be a good way to broaden my reading horizons.

My reading horizons are always gladly expanded by reading the books written by people I interview on the Write On Radio Show. I already have four books on that pile itching to be read.

Then there is the pile of books I have succumbed to upon entering the University Book Shop, which include a few "chunkers" which will slow my rate down a bit. But never mind, I am keen and eager, I just have to find the time...

Seeing Red

Went into town for the first time in ten days.

There are sales on.

I succumbed.

But then, every crime writer needs a pair of knee length red boots, don't they?

Emerging from the post Christmas fuzz...

I love the post-Christmas, chill on through to the New Year summertime fuzz. You eat to much, drink too much if you're lucky, eat some more, swan around, play board games, read books, plan what you're going to eat next, watch the monarch caterpillars do their thing, watch the kids do their thing, watch the Hubby and visiting men-folk do fantastic things with the BBQ, bake more things to eat, and punch the air in jubilation when you get dressed in the morning and find you can still fit your clothes. Ah, summer.

Christmas was a lovely booky affair in our household. In fact all of my requirements for living were met in the pressie department - books, bling and a new tea pot.

We have also acquired a new family member. We affectionately refer to it as 'Buggy.' It being Christmas holidays and reasonably warm I thought it would be a fun holiday project to start a sour dough bread bug - and lo and behold, it worked. We now have this festering, vaguely creepy looking seething mass inhabiting our hot water cupboard and have been enjoying yummy sour dough bread each day. I am pleased to report they are getting better and better each time, and we are not sick of it yet. Mr Seven-Year-Old has proven himself to be a patient and good bread-kneader, so the two of us have been lined up side by side kneading each morning - he has taken charge of the focaccia and I do the sour dough. There's something very satisfying about it - especially eating it!

Well, must dash, time to go and plan what to eat for lunch...

Christmas themed books for the kids

I was having a peruse through the kids' book shelves for some Christmas themed books for the bedtime story and discovered we have quite an eclectic collection, so I thought I'd share some of the titles with you.

First on the list has to be a story of baby Jesus, because, lets face it, that's the whole point. We have a lovely nativity book called The Very First Christmas by Elena Templeton.

Marta and the Manger Straw is a heartwarming story of a Polish tradition by Virginia Kroll and illustrated by Dunedin local Robyn Belton.
Another poignant and war-time Christmas story is The Year of the Perfect Christmas Tree, by Gloria Houston and illustrated by Barbara Cooney.

A lovely gift for the boys from a friend a few years ago was The Upstairs Downstairs Bears at Christmas, by Carol Lawson.

Of course most kids, young and old, have come across How the Grinch Stole Christmas by Dr Seuss. Some have even subjected themselves to the movie.


No New Zealand Christmas would be complete without a Lynley Dodd story, and we have Slinky Malinki's Christmas Crackers. you can just imagine what trouble that cat gets up to with a Christmas tree to maraud.

Geronimo Stilton, mystery mouse journalist extroadinaire has a couple of Christmas time adventures, and we are in possession of A Christmas Tale, and A Very Merry Christmas.


And lastly, this one should come with a warning, as it comes with a CD, and I'm telling you now, there is only so much of it a girl can take when it's being played over, and over. Great fun in small doses is A Kiwi Jingle Bells, by Yvonne Morrison and Deborah Hinde. It's the kind of song that you can't get out of your head!

So there you go, a few Christmas books for kids, big and small.

Tied up in Tinsel

by Ngaio Marsh

What would Christmas time be without reading an appropriately themed Whodunnit? I was also spurred on by Kerrie over at Mysteries in Paradise who challenged readers to report on their favourite Yuletide titles. This title was first published in 1972. My second-hand book shop find version is a 1980 Fontana edition.

Tied up in Tinsel starts with Roderick Alleyn's wife, Troy, as a guest at Halberd's Manor commissioned to paint a portrait of the Lord of the manor, Hilary Bill-Tasman. The manor's domestic arrangements are a tad unusual in that Hilary has staffed the house with former prison inmates, all of whom had been incarcerated for murder. Throw into the mix a pile of snobbish Christmas guests, an elaborate and beautifully pagan Christmas ritual and the disappearance of one of the guest's equally snobbish manservant, and you have a veritable feast of possible guilty parties. Alleyn is called in to help sort out the mess, and we all know he is not to be trifled with.

I greatly enjoyed this novel, and not just because of the fun and gripping story. I also enjoyed immensely Ngaio Marsh's writing. Her eye for description is delightful.

Take for example this passage in which she describes the first introduction of Cressida Tottenham.

"Cressida Tottenham was blonde and extremely elegant. She was so elegant that her beauty seemed to be a second consideration: a kind of bonus, a gloss. She wore a sable hat. Sable framed her face, hung from her sleeves and topped her boots. When her outer garments were removed she appeared to be gloved rather than clad in the very ultimate of expensive simplicity."

And this passage describing the storm swept, night-time manor:

"The voice of the storm was transmitted only through vague soughing noises, distant rattling of shutters and an ambiguous mumbling that broke out intermittently in the chimneys. There were characteristic creaks and percussion-like cracks from the old woodwork and, a long way off, a sudden banging that Alleyn took to be a bout of indigestion in Hilary's central heating system."

So I will highly recommend Ngaio Marsh's Tied up in Tinsel as a spot of festive murder mystery reading. It's a great story, beautifully written.

A favourite hits the top ten...

I was delighted to read the front page of my Otago Daily Times this morning and see that little old Octagon Books in Dunedin was judged one of the top ten second-hand book stores in the world by the Irish Independent News.

I love wandering in for a peruse among its well stocked shelves and have come home with many a treasure that just couldn't be passed by. From books on rocks and fossils, to Otago Maritime History, to Ngaio Marsh novels, to children's books, so many delights have come from that store.

To read the article and see what charmed the judge follow the link here.

Frilly tea and festive things

If I've been a little quiet on the blog front, you can blame the silly season. Being someone who tends to be rather into the whole Christmas thing, I've been having a wonderful time doing all things festive, including baking up a storm.

Today was the last day of school for the little folk, and to celebrate the occassion I invited a number of the school mums here for a frilly afternoon tea, with the bone china teacups and pretty plates and serviettes. I made mini almond and pecan nut pies, Christmas mince pies and a chocolate Florentine slice, and the mums brought some delectable treats with them and we had a wonderful afternoon playing ladies before we all trooped down to the school and picked up the kids for the holidays.

Today was also my last book review time on Dunedin Channel 9 television's Dunedin Diary show. I got to choose my Christmas picks for the year.

As I said on the show, 2009 and has been a great year for Otago writers, with plenty of fabulous books being produced by the locals. I chose four local books which had come out recently that I thought anyone would be delighted to find under the tree on Christmas morning.


Children's book:

The Word Witch, by Margaret Mahy and illustrated by local boy David Elliot.





Non-fiction Book:

Glory Days by Dr Glam aka Ian Chapman - A great look at the glorious 1970's



Pictorial book:

Big Weather South by Dave Cull and photography by the Otago Daily Times. A graphic description of some of the, er, interesting weather we get down here in the south.


Fiction:

Banquo's Son by Tania Roxborogh. A gripping sequel to Shakespeare's Macbeth