Merry Christmas

 I can't believe its nearly Christmas, it's all going so fast and why oh why do we let ourselves get so stressed about one day? I get so upset with all the excess and the madness of shopping and waiting for deliveries and I wish everyone would just give each other a nice book instead! I am trying to get into the Christmas spirit and I keep thinking how lucky we are in a world full of such terrible horrors at the moment.

Moving on to happier things, I am really enjoying my A to Z of book reading and I am now up to G. I have read the Harlan Coben and Reese Witherspoon for C, really enjoyed it but as I write, I can't actually remember what it was about but it would be a good holiday or airplane read. 

For D I read Winter in Sokcho by Elisa Shua Dusapin - a Frenchman goes to South Korea and makes friends with a girl working in a guest house. Very quirky and Korean.

For E I read Nora Ephron I feel bad about my neck - if you buy one book for yourself make it this one. I read it years ago in my thirties and didn't think about it again but now re reading it at 62, it is so relevant and funny, lovely writing and wonderful stories and anecdotes, I loved it and I'm so sure you will too.

I have just finished Richard Flanagan - the sound of one hand clapping  - I had resisted this author for so long but goodness he can write. A beautiful sad tale of a young girl and her refugee father. Set in the 50s in Tasmania when her mother ups and leaves one day. So sad but so well written, full of longing and a masterpiece. 

I have just started Graham Greene, the end of the affair - will let you know how I go with it, a classic at this time of year is always good. 

I am working my way through Christmas movies but haven't found any new ones to write about. I watched one on Netflix with Michele Pfeiffer but spent the whole time fixated on the various things she has had done to her face. We have just started watching Nick Cave's the death of Bunny Malloy and otherwise I am channel hopping.

I am going to sign off on my blog now for Christmas but thank you for reading my whitterings over the last year, I hope you have found some recommendations for books and films. I hope you and your families have a wonderful Christmas and New Year. I actually haven't got any Christmas photos so will end with my latest black and white as I am doing a year of black and white. This is how my mind feels at the moment, all a blur but I am hoping that when I switch off social media in the next few days, enjoy all the bad food over christmas etc, 2026 will start very differently.