Lately I have been trying to read ALL THE BOOKS.  This is impossible, but I am making a better fist of it that I did when I was doing the writing of the 12 books in 12 months.  Here are some brief highlights of what I’ve read since the start of October.  You should read all of these and tell me what you think.

  • The Pirates in an Adventure with Whaling – Gideon Defoe
    Made me laugh out loud several times, even better than the first in the series; ham.
  • Sparks – David Quantick
    Tonally a lot like Douglas Adams.  Parallel universes.  Jolly good fun.
  • Let’s Pretend This Never Happened – Jenny Lawson
    Likely to make you snort-laugh in a most unladylike fashion. A memoir of a perplexing childhood and an account of an interesting adulthood by one of the internet’s best bloggers.  Worth a look if you enjoy Caitlin Moran, or if you want to laugh a lot.
  • Maus – Art Spiegelman
    I’m late to the party with Maus, obviously – it’s been on my to-read list for years, but I finally got around to it last month.  I can’t add much to what you probably already know – it’s fascinating and horrible and heartbreaking.  Read it please.  The end.
  • Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children – Ransom Riggs
    A magical tale built around old sepia photos of freak shows.  I worried this might be a little bit cheesy, especially when the American kid went to visit Wales… but it’s actually not.  I’m very curious to know what happens next.
  • The Sisters Brothers – Patrick De Witt
    If you’re a horse lover you may wish to look away.  An absorbing tale of the Wild West, but not the Will Smith kind.  It is a little slow to get started, but once it gets going it is very good.