Read in 2023

These are the books I managed to finish this year. I got a bit more ruthless, and bailed on a few when I found them impenetrable, boring or just not what I expected.

The randomness of the charity shop has set me on a path of music related biographies and memoirs. I enjoyed the different approaches of the books I found, as they covered what it’s like to form a band, survive in one, what it’s like to be into music but not a musician, and detailed some of the less obvious human costs of that way of life.

Beyond the music biographies, I also read some thought-provoking non-fiction. The Status Game was one that I felt deserved its own notes, and Black Box Thinking was particularly interesting when it compared how aviation and healthcare approach mistakes. Plus, I managed to read a good variety of fiction throughout the year.

Nutshell Ian McEwen
I imagine that the premise, whilst great, could've been handled badly and gone wrong. But it's really good. Lovely balance between ruminations and moving the plot along. Enjoyed.
Psmith, Journalist Pelham G. Wodehouse
Either you think the prose is charmingly and cleverly witty and amusing or you don't I do. Does show it's a age a little with the occasional phrase or word that pulls one up short, but japes ensue with much mirth.
Why We Sleep Matthew Walker
Interesting things in it, but spoiled somewhat by him overreaching on some things and cherry picking others.
King of the Ants Charlie Higson
Pretty brutal.
Bedsit Disco Queen Tracey Thorn
Starting a trend for me of reading musicians biogs - enjoy how they discover music and are often incredibly surprised by their own success.
A Visit from the Goon Squad Jennifer Egan
Wasn't sure how I'd get on with the shifting timelines and characters, sometimes hard to follow what's happening to who, but then it all seems to coalesce and the threads draw together. Especially liked the slide pages, which could have been gimmicky , but they worked and felt like an authentic voice.
A Nervous Breakdown Anton Chekhov
Lost at Sea Jon Ronson
Enjoyable variety.
Touching from a distance Deborah Curtis
Honest perspective of a figure often mythologised due to his early death.
Happy Now Charlie Higson
Mental - took some turns and then some more.
The Status Game Will Storr
Was keen to read this, as it's a fascinating subject. It's a useful lense to apply to how people behave. Great on the different types of status games, and how they happen in different proportions in a variety of situations.
Ring for Jeeves Pelham G. Wodehouse
Enjoyable as always but no Wooster does leave a little whole. This all came together in the end satisfactorily, but not with the usual panache.
Going to Sea in a Sieve Danny Baker
Fun - nicely written on how he ended up in and around music - especially froma working class background.
Black Box Thinking Matthew Syed
Just Enough Research Erika Hall
Not really what I was after.
Spoon Fed Tim Spector
One of those that could probably be a bit condensed - but interesting opinions about diet and nutrition, that we have to wait for the science to see how prescient they are.
Pain Patrick Wall
Started interesting and then got more wooly and unfocused. Became quite dull.
Dead Famous Greg Jenner
Caught myself and got bored of the topic.
Marabou Stork Nightmares Irvine Welsh
Funny and strange start. As it went on you wondered where it was all going, kind of knowing that it wouldn't end well, but I wasn't quite prepared with the sharp turn to nasty and brutal. Felt like an authentic ending.
Put me back on my bike William Fotheringham
Good on the context of the time ands eemed like e well rounding picture of the man.
The Female Man Joanna Russ
Could only make sense of it by cribbing the wikipedia entry and wasn't worth the bother
Hellstrom's Hive Frank Herbert
Petered out slightly but enjoyed a bit of old school, sort of near future hard traditional SciFi
Grunt Mary Roach
Great fun. Really liked how she wrote it, Breezy and Informative, funny and curious.
The Underground Railroad Colston Whitehead
Rattled through it - characters grabbed me to pay attention to the horrors of slavery, beyond the 'yeah slavery is bad' to the specifics and then laid bare via the different situations and chapters. All very good.
Out Kirino
Very much liked the characters and kept me interested all the way through.
Madly,Deeply Alan Rickman
Took a while to understand that despite a seemingly endless succession of meals and names his obsession for the work came through, and he obviously really loved the work, and most of the things around it. Very much a shorthand style compared to the brief selection of angsty early diaries. Became more affecting has his mortality became more apparent, even though it wasn't mentioned. An insight to a type of self reflective diary - not necessarily one meant for publication.
25 Years of VIZ William Cook
Writer was a bit too much of a fan, but interesting to see just how long they'd been at it before it got really big. Good variety of artwork and behind the scenes of the creation.
Angry White Pyjamas Robert Twigger
Interesting journey and examination of his reasons for doing the training as well and interrogating others reasons. Nice pen portraits of all the people. Also interesting ideas of the Japanese culture.'torture disguised as celebration'
The Forensic Records Society Magnus Mills
Lovely little allegory - clear enough even for me to get it, and nice details.Slightly ran out of steam.
Periodic Tales Hugh Aldersey-Williams
Enjoyed it, but felt that it wasn't the best format - feltlike it could've been a series of distinct articles - found it hard to retain much by the end. Probably my fault for rushing.
The Big Midweek Steve Hanley, Olivia Piekarski
Easy read, and revealing perspective that gives a bigger picture of The Fall. Nice to get a sense of how there were more talented people that came together and made it happen, and that MES needed them as much as they him. Reticent as he is to talk about himself you get some glimpses of self refelction, but mainly told deadpan and all the better for it.