Posted by: Kirsty | December 19, 2008

Kirsty’s Books of 2008

You’ve read all the Christmas Books sections of the newspapers. You’ve listened to the radio round-ups. But when it comes down to it, what you really want to know is…

What books did Kirsty love this year?

Perfectly understandable of you all, of course. Without further ado, then, here are my ten favourite books read in 2008 (in no particular order, because I can’t decide):the_victorians

  • Asylum by Patrick McGrath
  • Clear by Nicola Barker
  • I Am Mary Dunne by Brian Moore
  • Red Pottage by Mary Cholmondeley
  • The Victorians by A.N. Wilson
  • Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston
  • Girl Meets Boy by Ali Smith
  • The Spare Room by Helen Garner
  • Rachel Ray by Anthony Trollope
  • The Loudest Sound and Nothing by Clare Wigfall

For all that I can’t decide on the order of the top 10 overall, I can without a shadow of a doubt say that the number 1, best book I read in 2008 was The Victorians by A.N. Wilson. It is an incredible achievement; a magnum opus; a labour of love. Simply the best one-volume history of the Victorian period that I have found thus far.

Posted in 19C history, 19C literature, books, fiction, non-fiction, victorian | Tags: , , ,

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Responses

  1. I’ve afraid I’ve read a grand total of 0 of your picks Kirsty, so don’t know if I agree or not.

    I am glad you enjoyed Trollope and Garner as both are favourites of mine. As a feminist, you may be interested in some of Garner’s non-fiction eg The First Stone and Joe Cinque’s Consolation. They’re both powerfully disquieting books.

    I recently read and enjoyed Ali Smith’s Other stories and other stories, so will read Girl Meets Boy soon. I love reading about the 19th century, so may have to tackle The Victorians as well.

    By: adevotedreader on December 20, 2008
    at 14:16

  2. Same here : I haven’t read one single book from this list so I can’t really comment on it, although I had already planned on reading the Hurston one.
    I’ve heard good and bad things about The Victorians (too short and didn’t cover even half of it, etc, the usual). I’m adding your vote to my mental list :)

    By: Sibylle on December 21, 2008
    at 22:03

  3. [...] Feminist Book Worm and the Asylum  show me a more literary round-up. [...]

    By: NextRead » Links: Playing Catch-Up on December 29, 2008
    at 15:52

  4. I’m right there with you on The Spare Room. Haven’t read any of the others, although I do keep meaning to read something — anything — by Brian Moore, because he is regularly recommended to me.

    By: kimbofo on December 31, 2008
    at 00:14

  5. [...] book read? As previously stated, The Victorians by A.N. [...]

    By: 2008 Books Meme « Other Stories on December 31, 2008
    at 09:24


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