A short reading list from 2008

I had a plan to read a book a week in 2008 - but like many things, I didn't quite reach my intended goal. However, I did get through a fair bit of literature, some books good, some books bad. Twenty four books (that I remembered to note down) had a start & finish absorbed, however entrancing or forgettable and so, I present to you, with star ratings, my reading list of 2008:

Pebble in a Pool by William Taylor ***
Comfort & Joy by Jim Grimsley ***
The Man of the House by Stephen McCauley ***
Getting It by Alex Sanchez *
When You Don’t See Me by Timothy James Beck ***
Chart Throb by Ben Elton **
JPod by Douglas Coupland ***
Straightening Ali by Amjeed Kabil *
The God Box by Alex Sanchez*
My Best Man by Andy Schell**
The Trouble Boy by Tom Dalby**
The Tin Star by J L Langley**
Dance on My Grave by Aiden Chambers***
A Short History of Tractors in Ukrainian by Marina Lewycka***
Chemistry by Lewis DeSimone***
Chicken Dance by Jacques Couvillon***
Back Where He Started by Jay Quinn***
My Side of the Story by Will Davis **
The Gum Thief – Douglas Coupland***
Daytime Drama – Dave Benbow**
An Imperfect Arrangement by Chris Amisano**
Microserfs – Douglas Coupland***
The Salt Point by Paul Russell**
The Boys on the Rock by John Fox**

I was particularly impressed by the brilliance of Douglas Coupland yet let down by the drainingly familiar tone Alex Sanchez. Marina Lewycka was an unexpected pleasure with her Short History of Tractors in Ukrainian (I'm currently reading her Two Caravans) and Jay Quinn remains one for me to seek out more!

I'll see what delights (or otherwise) 2009 have in store for my reading taste! Jxx