Because it is all about me. And what I want. And I kind of would like to keep a record of what I read in 365 days. I have no idea how many books I go through in a year. I think I read pretty voraciously. And across all sorts of fiction genres (for some reason I don't do a lot of non-fic). Now that I back at work (and am now officially back to all work all the time) I am taking the train every day and reading lots again. I've read some great things this year too. But I can no longer be sure what I did finish in January so I think I am going to start this record at the first of March. What has passed through my hands?

First, Half of a Yellow Sun. Which I loved. When I read The Kite Runner a few years back, I could be often found weeping on the train with the book in my hands. I didn't weep over Yellow Sun though I think I found it sadder and more effective. The despair and hardship were so much more believable in not being so brutal and awful. And it almost inspires me to read some non-fic. I was fascinated by the novel and wanted to know more about Nigeria and Biafra which I can only remember as little blips on my consciousness as a child. I think I am currently having a fascination with Africa. Whether it is rooted in my biological mother living in Kenya for more years than I can count, I don't know. But I do wish I knew more about the continent and I do wish to visit and perhaps even live there for a year or two to break myself out of my decadent western lifestyle. But perhaps Africa doesn't really offer the salvation I want. Perhaps it is just a place.

A friend gave me Life of Pi back in August when we went off to the Farnham Estate to escape our children and spend lots of time with oils and water and warmth. It took me this long to get around to reading it. I finished it last Thursday and I was blown away by it. Now, I admit I wasn't blow away until the very end. I thought it was just okay in the first part. I found the second part interesting enough though a bit, may I say, Moby Dick in talking about how to catch fish and turtles, how to butcher them and the whole surviving at sea. i did love the conversation with the tiger when he thinks he is about to die. But the ending! The conversation with the Japanese claims adjusters. Suddenly it reveals an entire different side to the novel and a different way of looking at what has just taken place! I am still mulling it over in my head, days later and am still admiring the skill that accomplished that. Sunday, in The Observer, there is a piece on who should win the next booker of booker and this novel is mentioned strongly as a possibility. I am telling everyone to read it.

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So I am sure you have missed me. I did have the child. End of May. On a Tuesday. Because surgeons don't like to schedule c-sections on a bank holiday Monday. He is fabulous. Happy, social and only now starting to toy with the forces of destruction. Of course we nearly killed him, his second night home. His big sister, the blessing tried to drown him in the bath. Alright, she only dropped him, but still there was frantic calls to the out of hours doctors, a rush up to Belfast and I now know the Royal Hospital for Sick Children far better than I ever wanted to. Its a great facility. The Blessing Mk II has been three times now. I know where to park, when the lift stops working and how to keep the original blessing entertained in the waiting room.

In 48 hours I take the whole family on a great adventure, vacation! We are road tripping through half of the US. Flying to Las Vegas. Going to the Grand Canyon, visiting my favorite relative in Salt Lake City (where High School Musical was filmed) before seeing the 'rents in Rapid City. I may keep you informed of all the fun and adventures. I may not survive. I suspect this trip will have far fewer strippers than previous trips.

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