Saturday, 5 May 2012

April 2012 Wrap-Up

My wrap-up is a bit late this time around, but there is a good reason for that.  It's been another very busy month, with more wonders from the IFFP longlist, a couple of excellent review copies of new translated fiction, and even a couple of English-language books too :)  Time to add them to the list...

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Total Books Read: 9
Year-to-Date: 43

New: 9
Rereads: 0

From the Shelves: 1
Review Copies: 1 
From the Library: 5
On the Kindle: 2 (2 Review Copies)

Novels: 9
Novellas: 0
Short Stories: 0

Non-English Language: 7 (French, German, Hungarian, Spanish, Russian, Swedish, Basque)
In Original Language:1 (German)


Murakami Challenge: 0 (0/3)
Aussie Author Challenge: 0 (4/12)
Australian Women Writers Challenge: 0 (4/10)
IFFP 2012 Longlist: 5 (14/15)

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Tony's Turkey for April is: nothing

I was tempted, believe me.  At the 300-page mark of The Emperor of Lies, I was preheating the oven and thinking about getting the stuffing ready.  However, a good second half saved it from preparation for Christmas dinner - just...

Tony's Recommendation for April is: Alan Hollinghurst's The Stranger's Child

I wanted to give the prize to the excellent Traveller of the Century, I really did!  Then I just about managed to squeeze The Stranger's Child onto my April schedule, and I had no choice but to change my mind.  I'd never read anything by Hollinghurst before, but after devouring this wonderful treatment of memory and truth, I'll definitely be trying more of his work in future.

Sorry Andrés...

*****
That's all for April.  May will probably be a quiet month on the reading front, mainly because it's going to be hectic both at home and at work.  Don't expect a lot of new entries in a month's time then...

Mind you, I've said that before ;)
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6 comments:

  1. Sounds like April was a good month, with no bad books. Mine was the same.

    I enjoyed The Stranger's Child but not as much as you!

    Hope May is a good month, too.

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  2. Well done for 43 books so far, which means you constantly clock 8-9 books a month which is really really brilliant! Glad there is no bad book this month and reading the shortlist IFFP. May is never quiet, so let's see you hit 20 books this May! :)

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  3. Blimey if Hollinghurst is better than Neuman & I know how much you liked & how much I liked Andres book, I guess I'm gonna have to read The Stranger's child.

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  4. Judith - Well, as I pointed out, i wouldn't say there were no weak books as such, just no truly awful ones ;)

    Jo - Actually, I'm on a pace of about 11 a month ;) Twenty in one month is never going to happen though!

    Gary - Definitely worth a read - review out in a couple of weeks :)

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  5. a good April tony ,all the best stu

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  6. Thanks Stu - I think May will be a lot quieter (I need a break after all this IFFP-ing!).

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