Christmas is approaching fast and all the newspapers and magazines we read are publishing their Best Books of 2022. Whether the lists have come from sports people, politicians, other journalists or media personalities, Christmas seems to bring them out of the woodwork, eager to have their say. It’s a pleasant change from the rest of the year when books are largely ignored by the main stream press.
So I thought today that I would jump on that particular band wagon and recommend, as my Book of the year, Still Life by Sarah Winman; published by 4th Estate.
Winman’s characters are eccentric, but thoroughly genuine and believable. Her writing is funny, heart-warming and entertaining. So much so that I found myself going back and re-reading a phrase or even a paragraph, just to savour the sound and the emotion she packs into them.
Treat yourself this Christmas. If no one else does it for you, buy or borrow a copy of Still Life and read it.
And by the way, have a Happy Christmas.