I read the usual number of books this year but fewer novels than usual. ‘Nutshell’ was disappointing but highlights included . ‘Suite francais’ Irene Nemerovtsky,
Ishiguru’s ‘When we were orphans’, Penelope Fitzgerald’s ‘The Blue Flower’, ‘The Revenant’ and Chevalier’s ‘Remarkable Creatures’.

Instead I read more poetry and discovered Stephen Dunn, Nicki Giovanni, Claudia Rankin, Suzanna Fitzpatrick and Suzanne Wise.
I read a lot of history – about South Wales and about America. I also read more letters and biographies and some which stand out are ‘My year of saying yes’ by Shona Rimes, ‘Letters from Boy’ by Roald Dahl and ‘I feel bad about my neck’ by Nora Ephron.