I couldn't work out why no one was posting, then realised the previous thread was full. Hats off to all the limerick writers - inspired on all fronts!
108 Nuclear War by Annie Jacobsen
I’m going to need to try and finish Polo before the end of the year as I don’t think I can go into 2025 with this as the last book read. Obviously, I know that the nuclear powers hold more weapons than could be needed to destroy all humanity several times over and that nuclear war would be devastating but I didn’t realise quite how precarious the situation is. This is a “what if” account of how nuclear war could break out and escalate and how the split second decision making and protocols could lead to absolute annihilation for most if not all of the world’s population. Absolutely chilling and the fact it’s impeccably researched and referenced makes the very lightly fictional nature of it not at all reassuring.
In the event of nuclear war
The outcomes, it's true, are quite poor
We'll be blown to the skies
By decisions unwise
Only roaches survive 'til the thaw
107 The Maiden by Kate Foster
Based on a true story of a rich Edinburgh woman accused and tried for the murder of her husband in the 1700s. I don’t read much historical fiction but this was definitely one of the better ones I have read recently, even though I suspect I’ll have forgotten much of it in a few months.
105 City of Falling Angels by John Berendt
106 Venice by Peter Ackroyd
Definitely a highlight of the year, read back to back for no particular reason than I’ve owned them both for ages and thought a compare and contrast would be fun. City of Falling Angels does for Venice what Midnight In the Garden of Good and Evil did for the Deep South, telling the story of a place through the people who live there. It’s set in the aftermath of the fire at the Fenice opera house and explores the way in which Venice and the Venetians responded to the disaster and what that tells us about Venice. By contrast, Venice is more of a history though not a chronological one but rather told through a variety of lenses such as the Venetian attitude to death, trade, music and empire. Both really well written and researched, and thoroughly absorbing – it’s hard to write a bad book about Venice given how much material there is available as it’s such a fascinating place but these are both standouts for me.
104 The Satsuma Complex by Bob Mortimer
Lesson learned. Never read celebrity fiction. I’m prepared to be told I’m wrong if you have any counter examples but I should have realised that the blurbs on the back cover are less an indication of quality writing and more a reflection of who’s in your address book. This wasn’t terrible, but it certainly wasn’t very interesting even if the central character had a lot of charm.
103 Wellness by Nathan Hix
Entertaining in a middle-class tale of New York marriage angst kind of way. Two young people meet and fall in love and then navigate parenthood, career challenges, ageing parents and the disappointment of long term relationships. There was a lot here that was clever and thoughtful, even if it didn’t all quite work.
There once was a couple quite clever,
Who sought a connection forever.
Through wellness and strife,
They examined their life,
But found perfect balance? Well, never!
102 A Voyage Around The Queen by Craig Brown
I thoroughly enjoyed this. If you’ve read Ma’am Darling you’ll know what to expect – less of a traditional Royal biography and more a collection of personal reflections, titbits and gossip, facts we all know and facts we don’t. Brown is highly inventive and entertaining and I reckon anyone would enjoy this, regardless of their views on the Royal family. I expect he'd write a cracking limerick so won't even try.