Well, I finally made it – one hundred posts! I also checked and discovered that I actually began this blog in early July 2010 so it is already over one year old. Impressive or what!?

You’ll be relieved to know that I’m not going to attempt to review 100 books in this post. Somewhere I have written about how many books out of one hundred greatest books I have actually read. I usually make over half in that sort of list… Last year I read 120+ books, but that did include being snowed in. I fully intend to take two bags of books on holiday, partly because I can never make up my mind about what I’m going to feel like reading. Long suffering husband says he will by me a Kindle (or similar ) when I’ve read all the books in the house – impossible ! While I’m on the subject of statistics, I have read 70 books so far this year, which isn’t bad compared with last year. That does include quite a few easy reads, as well as the big books like Lodge’s A Man of Parts – educational on all sorts of levels… I’m also a member of two book groups, which obviously determines some of my reading choices. At the moment they are Gods behaving badly by Marie Phillips

which comes highly recommended by Daughter. She said that it was not a book she would have anticipated liking, but actually thought it was very good. I have started it, enjoyed it so far, again finding it very educational in all sorts of ways…

The other book club is reading Lacuna by Barbara Kingsolver

This comes highly recommended by friend CB who called it a ‘big’ book. I have started it but am not grabbed so far. I have got until September – or until someone demands to borrow a copy before the next meeting.

A book I have finished, though it is only the first of six, is the highly unusual and idiosyncratic Mapp and Lucia by E. F.  Benson. This is the sort of book, like the Provincial Lady series, that I have been meaning to read. I am glad I did, and thought that its portrayal of the rivalry between the two ladies of the title in a small town   was very funny. It has the same surreal humour as Wodehouse, with a very feminine twist. The two ladies battle to rule the social life of the small town of Tilling, by competitive bridge games, dinner parties and art exhibitions. These books are not for everyone; they deal with small incidents  writ large, and depend totally on characterisation. The wonderful Cogito Books of Hexham  sold me the collected volumes of all six books, and I felt all virtuous for supporting an excellent independent bookshop. Another trip planned for tomorrow! This is to accompany the MHH, or Southernreader, who is going to write the next post. So watch this space… my first guest reviewer!

So thank you to all who have read this blog faithfully, even when I’ve wandered, rambled and generally wallowed in books. And if you have only ever read the odd post – well, welcome! and see you again sometime…