the humble local freak

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 )