Book Review - 2021

Hi, reader

I haven't travelled much since I last posted. This morning I drove to various parts of Bordeaux trying to find a library, but to no avail. Each library I found was in a very busy part of the city and parking proved impossible. Eventually, I gave up and set my GPS for north, in the direction of Angers. Now I've found this lovely library in Angouleme. I think I'll relax here for a few hours and press on north later. I can see from my map that it'll take me at least two days to be in Calais.

As it's the last day of 2021, I've decided to review the books I've read this year. A few years back I realized that I'd pretty much stopped reading. I noticed that I was spending my free time more on computer games, social media and other distractions. It was especially annoying that I was using up so many hours on pointless games like Candy Crush, Pokémon Go and Angry Birds. When I was younger, I used to read all the time. Once, a kid on the school bus called me a book worm, and I took that as a compliment.

So back in 2018 or 2019, I decided to start reading again. Daily. Mostly I read on the journey to and from work and in bed before I sleep. A problem I have is that I'm a very slow reader. I have a need to hear every word inside my head and can't just skim over texts. Added to that, reading usually makes me drowsy, so I often only read about ten pages at a time.

Here, then, are my thoughts on the thirteen books I read in 2021 (in the order I read them).

Junkyard Planet by Alan Minter

This book was full of interesting information, but I also found it a never-ending trudge to get through. The writer has spent his life working in scrap management and recycling in various parts of the world and he gives a great insight into what happens to our unwanted stuff after we throw it away. I enjoyed the read but felt it could have been boiled down into a magazine article rather than a whole book.

Happy Slapped by a Jellyfish by Karl Pilkington

This one was a gift from my Mum. It was a very quick read and it's kind of a stream of consciousness collection of random thoughts from Karl. I feel that Karl Pilkington doesn't really belong in the world of celebrity and doesn't feel comfortable there either; he was thrust into the public eye by Ricky Gervais, mostly for Gervais' own amusement. If you like the kind of things Karl comes out with on the podcasts with Ricky and Steve, then I reckon you'll enjoy this too.

Scott Pilgrim's Precious Little Life by Bryan Lee O' Malley

The only comic on the list. I love the Scott Pilgrim comics, and I especially like when they reference places I went to when I visited Toronto back in 2004. If you're a fan of Edgar Wright's movie adaptation of this series, then you'll certainly enjoy the comics. The series is about Scott Pilgrim, a slacker and part-time musician who lives in Toronto, Ontario, and plays bass ‍in a band. Although Bryan Lee O' Malley is Canadian, his art style is very Japanese and the comics have a Manga look to them.

The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August by Claire North

My friend Lisa leant me this one. Usually I love a story with a time travel element to it, but this one didn't grab me. The premise of the story is that Harry August's life begins again every time he dies and he retains the memories from his previous lives. As the story unfolds, we learn that there are other people experiencing the same phenomenon. I was grabbed by the interesting premise, but felt the writer didn't really do it justice. At times the story got confusing and at other times it dragged. Overall, it was an enjoyable enough read.

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson

Finally got round to reading this one! My friend Mark at British Council had been bugging me to read it for ages, and I got to see what all the fuss is about. This is a good story, but not as good as I was expecting. I know the author has more books in this series, but I don't feel compelled to read them just yet. This is one of those situations where I was reading a book that has been adapted into a film (twice). So as I was reading, I had a picture of Daniel Craig in my head for the main character. Overall, an engaging read, well-written, but didn't live up to the hype for me.

The Secret History by Donna Tartt

Another recommendation, this one from my student, Minerva. This book draws the reader in quickly by alluding to events that happen later in the story. The characters are well-defined and enjoyable to learn about. I don't want to spoil the story here, but I felt that the students were able to overcome their obstacles too easily for the most part - lack of conflict! It was a great book, and I'd read more by Donna Tartt in the future.

Silver Linings Playbook by Matthew Quick

I've seen the film maybe half a dozen times and I finally got round to reading the book. It's very good and I sped through it. One thing I noticed is that the author seems to be mimicking JD Salinger and the main character, Pat, talks to the reader just like Holden Caulfield. I noticed this early on in the book and then was surprised later to find Catcher in the Rye directly referenced! I think this is an impressive debut novel and recommend it.

The Alchemist by Paul Coelho

This was my second time reading this book. I deliberately saved it to read during my last days in Thailand. It's an inspiring story of an Andalusian shepherd boy who leaves his life behind and follows his dream. I think I was hoping to get in that 'follow your dreams' spirit as I left behind my Bangkok comfort zone and headed for a COVID-ridden, Brexited Britain. This book is a quick and easy read and I'm sure I'll return to it in the future. 

A Song of Stone by Iain Banks

Dreadful! I've read six or seven books by Iain Banks in the past, starting with his debut effort, The Wasp Factory. I usually enjoy his fiction, although one or two have been all build up and a disappointing ending. This one lost me early on, and I found it vague, rambling, boring and I only soldiered on in the hope that there was going to be some amazing ending where everything suddenly made sense. Didn't happen. Iain Banks has written some great books, but I recommend you skip this one.

The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold

I remember being intrigued with this one when it first came out around 2002 and shot to the top of the best sellers lists. This year I finally got round to reading it and found it excellent. It's a dark story but told in an interesting, compelling way. I also liked the film adaptation, which stuck quite closely to the plot, with changes made being improvements in my opinion. 

One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest by Ken Kesey

Another example of reading the book after seeing the film. I've seen Cuckoo's Nest many times, and it was great to finally read the novel. The story is narrated by 'Chief' Bromden, the gigantic yet docile half-Native American patient. We see everything unfold from his viewpoint, rather than McMurphy's. On the whole, the movie is better, especially the ending, but the book is fantastic too. The interesting thing I found is that the film has a great twist in the second half, yet that 'surprise' information is revealed to us right at the start of the book. The book cover reminds me of my travels in Scotland. I read it entirely in the back of my van!

Complicity by Iain Banks

I decided to give Iain Banks a second chance. I picked this book up in Plockton, Scotland from one of those little free libraries. I enjoyed this one more than Song of Stone, although found it a bit dated; the main character makes lots of references to music and bands and also computers and technology. The whole thing is very early nineteen nineties. The story is an engaging crime mystery. I see it's been made into a film starring Johnny Lee Miller, but I'm in no rush to watch it; the trailer looks awful.

My Booky Wook by Russell Brand

This was probably my most enjoyable read of 2021 and I finished it two days ago. I've long been a fan of Russell Brand and his eloquent use of the English language. This autobiography takes us through his early life, teenage years and his first tastes of fame through films, presenting and stand up comedy. Russell writes in the same way he speaks, sometimes using a flourish of obscure vocabulary, and sometimes talking like a bloke down the pub. I see there's a Booky Wook 2 and I'm looking forward to reading that.

And that's them all. Now I'm in France with nothing to read, and I really want to find a new book soon. Hope you've read some excellent books in 2021.

Thanks for reading my blog,

Brian