the humble local freak

Rather belated but here it is...

Books of 2017

In 2017 I read 53 books which is a huge improvement from the feeble 26 of 2016 so that's good.

The best books I read for the first time were:

Invisible Man by Raplh Ellison
I orginially read a fanfic (Avengers) in which at some point Steve reads this book and although it wasn't the biggest part of the plot it made me realise that I had no idea what it was actually about! It totally blew me away. It's not the easiest book to read but bloody hell it's worth the effort.

Fairyland: A memoir of my father by Alyssia Abbott
I've had this waiting for me a while to read, written by a woman who was brought up by her bisexual father in San Fransisco and covers the thriving development of gay culture there and also the horrendous pain and suffering wrought by the AIDs crisis. Astounding book.

I also read the three Kitty Peck mystery books which are bouncy, gripping and delightful..

But the best new book has to go to: I'll give you the sun by Jandy Nelson as I actually read it twice. It tells the story of twins whith a very artistic mother and how tragedy can fracture a family and about families coming back together and healing. Really lovely.

Worst book I read

Because I have been trying to branch out and try new books there were quite a few I read and then went 'meh' over including Today Will Be Different by Maria Semple which read like a migraine but the worst was definitely My Legendary Girlfriend by Mike Gayle. I have blocked out much of why but basically I found the characters unlikeable, dull and irritating.

Best re-reads:
I reread a lot of old favourites such as Steven King's On Writing and I also read the first four Harry Potter books (I am currently listening to book five on audiobook but I appear to have stalled over this somewhat). It was lovely going back there and I actually found I enjoyed Goblet of Fire a lot more than I did first time around.

Films of 2017and uni work. I watched Sing for the first time and quite liked it..in fact that list is definitely wrong as I'm sure I watched Moana as well...which I also liked.

As to worst films, well I watched half of the Hobbit while on holiday ...but actually I was kind of drunk and tired then so it just drifted by me without any engagement on my part. I also really hated Deadpool which definitely kicks me out of the cool kids club as most people I know loved it. I was just SO BORED.

Shit I've just seen the time and need to dash as I was meant to go round to my Nan's at 12 to pick up mum's dinner. TTFN

In 2014 I read 37 books and watched 16 films, according to my records although I am suspicious that my record-keeping has been rather shoddy this year and there are some I have forgotten to put on. This is a further sad decrease in books and films from previous years.

Books

Best book I read for the first time in 2015 was: Friends of the Dusk by Phil Rickman- the latest Merrily Watkins. Although I really enjoyed Eleanor and Park by Rainbow Rowell.


The worst book I read in 2014 was:
Exchange by Paul Magrs. It isn't a wholly objectionable book, but I just felt like it was flimsy and, for a story about book lovers, surprisingly dull. The plot seemed weak and ill-formed.


The funniest book I read:
No! I don't need reading glasses by Virginia Ironside. I always find her writing light and fun.


I also want special mention of Brummie Road by Ian Richards, which would definitely be among the best of new writing I have read this year. Any book framed around football that can make me enjoy it and see worth in, at least, the social connectivity of the game, is exceedingly impressive.



In Films, many of the ones I watched this year were new to me: Avengers: Age of Ultron, Pride, Antman, Wreck-It Ralph and the rest were re-watches. The best of the ones I watched for the first time this year were probably Pride and Age of Ultron.

Pride wins, on the basis that not only is it wonderful, I get to watch it going "THIS IS MENTIONED IN JEFFREY WEEKS' BOOK!" and "DYER TOLD ME ABOUT THIS" "IAN MCKELLEN MENTIONED THIS IN AN ARTICLE WHEN I WAS SIXTEEN" in gleeful queer glee.

I didn't post this yesterday because I had a wonderful time visiting my friend for a New Year's Eve gathering. Mum and I have never done anything on New Year's Eve before and it was so very lovely we had a wonderful time and today we were straight out again to take Nanny to Mass and then spend the afternoon with her, walk the dogs and get drenched to our underthings in the showers. Lol. Auspicious start to the year, anyway!


In 2013 I read 61 books and watched 21 films

This is, for the first time since I started recording, an increase in books (last year I read only 40) but an absolutely enormous drop in films (last year I saw 44). There are many reasons for this- buying the house and family commitments that have kept me away from the television, and equally a need for the comfort and escapism that books provide much more thoroughly for me than films- you can't 'drift off' in the same way from a book because the story waits for you to return your eyes to it.

Books

Best Book I Read for the First Time in 2013 was:

I've read several marvellous books for the first time this year including The Opaque Garden by Anna C. Jones, Kalmari 1 by H. Stilwell and The Black Land by M. J. Wesolowski, but I think overall I shall have to say 84 Charing Cross Road by Helene Hanff. I have wanted to read this book after hearing an article on BBC Radio 4 about the story about five years ago. Only trouble was? I couldn't remember the title or author, only that 'it was a street in london and about a bookshop' so I was in PAROXYMS OF GLEE when I found it in the library and realised that THIS WAS IT. I have re-read it again since then because it's just wonderful.

The Worst Book I Read in 2012 was:

I cant decide between The Terrible Privacy of Maxwell Sim by Jonathan Coe which was just MISERY MISERY ALL IS MISERY FOREVER OH HOW CAN IT GET ANY WORSE? OH LOOK IT JUST GOT WORSE. Or Black Cat by Martyn Bedford which had a good premise but was quite hard going and then just turned terrible by ( CUT FOR BIG SPOILER )


The Funniest Book was:

You Made Me Late Again! by Pam Ayers. It's Pam Ayers, she's awesome.

The most poignant/moving book:

Tell the Wolves I'm Home by Carol Rifka Brunt I SOBBED INTO MY BATHWATER but it was very very beautiful.

Favourite Re-read/Old Favourite:
I did a lot of re-reading this year but probably The Children of Green Knowe by Lucy M. Boston and A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens but I did also re-read for the millionth time On Writing by Steven King I owe such a lot to it.

Full List of my Books for 2013: http://listography.com/localfreak/books/books_of_2013

Films



The Best Film I Watched in 2012:

Not much to choose from this year but probably Iron Man 3. Sorry, Wolverine, I liked you in parts but the plugged 'bullet train' was really a bit dull.

The Worst Film I watched in 2012:

Hercules I never saw it when it came out, although our Prawn loved it. I see my childhod instincts were correct, it is SO BORING.

The Funniest Film Was: either Iron Man 3 or Paranorman. It's a bit weird to look back though because we watched the latter on the campsite for Nanny's 80th birthday party which, of course, is now the last time I saw the kid alive. :-( so it's hard to remember really,but I think we found it hilarious and I was going to lend it to him.

The Most Uplifting Film Was: The Muppet Christmas Carol

Favourite Re-Watch:

Same as above. I love Muppet Christmas Carol.

Full list of my films for 2013: http://listography.com/localfreak/movies/films_of_2013

In 2011 I read 45 Books and Watched 37 Films

This is a decline in books from 2010, when I read 47 Books but an increase in films- in 2010 I only watched 28 Films. So a bit of a mixed bag. Of course, with the reading, I am reading a lot of academic extracts and stuff, which don't count but I'm at a loss to explain about the films, except I note that SIX of them were new releases, so maybe I just got better at going to the pictures?

( babble under the cut )