Looking forward, and looking back…
But let’s use time’s arrow to cast our minds back, shall we?...
Back to last year, when we invited you to nominate your best books of 2012…and, as Jim Bowen – host of the popular ITV darts-themed quiz show Bullseye – so often said “What a lot we got!”
More than 200 nominations, suggestions and reviews, in fact - a splendid selection, and you can still see our 2012 Top 12 here.
Based on your choices and reviews, a panel of judges came up with a top 3, and – with the Olympics still fresh in their fertile minds – awarded them gold, silver and bronze medals…(All three winners, interestingly, with a historical theme…)
In third place, we’ve The Stranger’s Child by Alan Hollinghurst - a sweeping, lushly sensuous tale of upper class England from 1913 to the present day: “One of those books you can’t put down, but don’t want to finish because it’s so good. A treat from start to finish”…
In second place, try The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller – already an Orange Prize winner, it’s a retelling of the Trojan War story, full of love, war, gods, and heroic deeds…“I loved this book…it’s a tale from the Classical World but made into a fresh and vibrant love story – wonderful!”…
But our winner, and your Book of the Year is My Dear, I wanted to tell you by Louisa Young – a wonderful novel set during the First World War…
A letter, two lovers, a terrible lie… In war, truth is only the first casualty…Moving between Ypres, London, Paris, (and even Sidcup Hospital), My Dear I Wanted to Tell You is a deeply affecting, moving and brilliant novel of love and war, and how they affect those left behind as well as those who fight…
Here’s what you told us: “I loved this book… The story of soldiers at the front and their communications with their loved ones... You almost feel as though you’re at the front yourself as the descriptions are so vivid.”
“An interesting story but all based on truth about World war 1. It’s also of particular interest because of the involvement of our local Queen Mary’s Hospital in Sidcup and the surgeons who worked there and did so much to pioneer plastic surgery as we know it today.
A brilliant book!”
“A wonderful book to discover for me
... Nothing too slushy but a brilliant and sad story beautifully written…
A real treasure”
And we’ve also heard from the author Louisa Young herself, who says “I am so pleased to hear that ‘My Dear’ has been chosen as your Book of the Year. For a writer, being chosen by readers, librarians, and book groups is the best kind of accolade. And, here’s an idea – perhaps I could visit your library sometime in 2013 to give a book reading?...
Thank you again”
Thanks, Louise – we’ll look forward to that…
So, there we have it, dear readers…Some great books from the past which you can look forward to reading in the future…Or, to paraphrase Jim Bowen once again: “Apart from darts My dears, you can’t beat a bit of booky!”
Happy 2013 everyone, and good reading.
TTFN
