 |
 |
|
|
 |
 |
|
|
Peter Steward's Web Pages |
 |
|
My Site
Review Section
|
Over the years I have read hundreds of books, most of which have been largely forgotten. At various times I have listed them in various diaries. The lists are horribly incomplete and most of the books prompt no memory whatsoever. For what it's worth here are the Steward book years.
1977 The Ginger Man by J.P Donleavy Transports of Delight by Jack Burton The Sound of the Weir by Mary Ingate Short Stories by H.G. Wells Brideshead Revisited by Evelyn Waugh The Art of Coarse Golf by Michael Green Topaz by Leon Uris (January book of the month) Enquiry by Dick Francis For Kicks by Dick Francis Old Moke by Alexander Fullerton Forfeit by Dick Francis Odds Against by Dick Francis Titus Groan by Mervyn Peake (February book of the month) Gideon's Sport by J.J. Marric 13 Days by Robert Kennedy Episode by William Taylor (March book of the month) Gideon's Risk by J.J Marric Gideon's Month by J.J. Marric Lord Arthur Saville's Crime by Oscar Wilde Rommel, Gunner Who by Spike Milligan The Mask of the Clown by William Taylor Gideon's Vote by J.J Marric Our Human Constitution by Anthony Ward Olympiad by Brian Glanville Shankly by Bill Shankly Mohammad Ali The Greatest by Mohammad Ali The Hiding Place by Corrie Ten Boon (April book of the month) The Saddest Summer of Samuel S by JP Donleavy The Betsy by Harold Robbins The Innocent Party by Celia Dale (May book of the month) The Man who Gave the Beatles Away by Alun Williams A Game of Murder by Francis Durbridge I Start Counting by Lindup (June book of the month) Baffling Things of the World The West End Horror by Nicholas Meyer Seven Per Cent Solution - Nicholas Meyer Peyton Place by Grace Metalious (July book of the month) And This Is Me by Mike Yarwood It Shouldn't Happen to a Vet by James Herriot Hound of the Baskervilles by Arthur Conan Doyle Brother Cain by Simon Raven The Smallman's Guide by Ronnie Corbett Siege of Trenchers' Farm by Gordon Williams The Servant by Simon Maughan The Commuter by Brendan Mulholland The Roman Marriage by Brian Glanville The Island of Dr Morreau by HG Wells Return to Peyton Place by Grace Metalious (August book of the month) Another Woman's Shoes by Francis Durbridge Genesis 38 by Brian Cooper The Director's Wife and Other Stories by Brian Glanville Dangerous Illusion by Mandy Brow Intimacy by Jean Paul Sartre The Graduate by Stanley Webb Burning Bright by John Steinbeck Gideon's Week by JJ Marric The Death of Reginald Perrin by David Nobbs (September book of the month) Silence by James Kennaway The Eye Stories by Harriet Endstone? Howard Hughes by ? Pastime by Anthony Fowles Carpetbaggers by Harrold Robbins The Presidnet's Mistress by ? (October book of the month) Jonathan Livingstone Seagull by Richard Bach The Beast Must Die by Nicholas Blake Knock Down by Dick Francis The Pink Panther Strikes Again by Frank Wildman (November book of the month) Gideon's Staff by JJ Marric Babi Yar by Kuznetsov (December book of the month) The Crying Game by John Braine.
1978 Evita by ? 21 marks out of 30+ The Listeners by Monica Dickens 21 The 39 Steps by John Buchan 22 Greenmantle by John Buchan 20 Mr Standfast by John Buchan 21 Utopia by Thomas More 20 You Want the Right Frame of Reference by William Cooper 22 The Man with the Golden Gun by Ian Fleming 17 The Keys of Hell by Jack Higgins 16 Heritage of Folly by Catherine Marchant 24 I Can Only Promise You Tomorrow by Geraldine Hersey 29 (book of the year) Oliver's Story by Eric Seagal 18 Roaring Boys by Edward Blishen 17 The Footballer by Derek Dougan 23 The Fog by James Herbert 23 Dead Water by E and M.A Radford 12 Death of a Dreamer by Douglas Warner 26 The Plague by Graham Masterson 23 How to Survive from Nine till Five by Jilly Cooper 16 The Fellowship of the Ring by J R Tolkein 18 Dead and Alive by Hammond Innes 21 Michael and All Angels by Nora Lofty 22 Chariot of the Gods by Eric Von Danegan 16 Bishop in Check by Adam Hall 18 The Spirit of the West by Joseph Hocking 21 The Good Life by John Esmonde and Bob Larbey 23 More of the Good Life by John Esmonde and Bob Larbey 23 Ruin From the Air by Gordon Thomas and Max Morgan Witt A Man Alone by Anthony Grey 22 The Bulgarian Exclusive by Anthony Grey 19 The Russian Novel by CJ Newman 21 Close of Play by Simon Raven 19 The Rats by James Herbert 20 The Chrysalis by William Taylor 16 Spawn by Robert Holles 23 Somewhere in England by Reg Gedney 17 Damien: Omen 2 by Joseph Howard 21 Suffer the Children by John Saul 22 In High Places by Arthur Hailey 28 The Other Side of Midnight by Sidney Sheldon 23 The Stalker by Bill Pronzlni 21 Mila 18 by Leon Uris 18 Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell 27 Never Leave Me by Harold Robbins 17 The Final Diagnosis by Arthur Hailey 28 Everyday Life in ? America by ? 25 The Making of Tania Hurst by ?
1983 Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens Kane and Abel by Jeffrey Archer The Six Eleven 1985 Second Form Last in the Sack Race by David Nobbs Horton's Test by Michael Petri Mr T by Martin Russell The Final Checkpoint by Dennis Quigley Goodbye Mr Chips by James Hilton Passage to India by E. M. Forster 2001 by Arthur C Clarke Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck Thinner by Richard Bachman (Steven King)
1986 The Smooth Face of Evil by Margaret Yorke Unsuitable for a Woman by PD James East of Eden by John Steinbeck
1989 On the Black Hill by Bruce Chatwin Utz by Bruce Chatwin The Mayor of Casterbridge by Thomas Hardy Tess of the D'Urbeviile by Thomas Hardy Far from the Madding Crowd by Thomas Hardy Look Back in Anger by John Osborne The Trumpet Major by Thomas Hardy And a Voice to Sing With by Joan Baez La Symphonic Pastorale. Isabelle by Andre Gide A Murder of Quality by John Le Carre In Country by Bobbie Anne Mason
1990 Nice Work by David Lodge The Bridesmaid by Ruth Rendle Two on a Tower by Thomas Hardy Wessex Tales by Thomas Hardy Oscar and Lucinda by Peter Carey North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell Restoration by Rose Tremayne The Small House at Allington by Anthony Trollope Four After Midnight - Steven King
1991 City of the Mind by Penelope Lively Fat Man in History by Peter Carey Cat's Eye by Margaret Atwood Suspension by Margaret Atwood Of Human Bondage by W Somerset-Maughan Cakes and Ale by W. Somerset Maughan Then and Now by W. Somerset Maughan Gallowglass by Barbara Vine Rabbit Run by John Updike Rabbit Redux by John Updike Rabbit is Rich by John Updike Marya a Life by Joyce Carol Oates Mysteries of Winterthurn by Joyce Carol Oates American Appetites by Joyce Carol Oates
1992 The Volcano Lover by Susan Sontag The Collector by John Fowles Sacred Country by Rose Tremain The Magus by John Fowles The Door to December by Dean Koontz The Vision by Dean Koontz Shattered by Dean Koontz The Voice of the Night by Dean Koontz Lightning by Dean Koontz Because It's Bitter and Because It's My Heart by Joyce Carol Oates
1999 American Psycho by Brett Easton Ellis 29 marks out of 40* Alias Grace by Margaret Atwood 35 Regeneration by Pat Barker 29 The Eye in the Door by Pat Barker 30 The Ghost Road by Pat Barker 30 Strange Highways by Dean Koontz 27 The Town and the City by Jack Kerouac Taxi The Harry Chapin Story by Peter Coan
2002 The Lost Boy by Dave Pelzer A Man Called Dave by Dave Pelzer The Subtle Knife by Phillip Pullman Patchwork Planet by Anne Tyler The Painted House by John Grisham Opening Up by Mike Atherton
2003 When we were Orphans by Kazuo Ishiguro Man and Wife by Tony Parsons Jack and Bobby by Leo McKinstry Unless by Carole Shields A Celibate Season by Blanche Howard and Carole Shields One Hit Wonderland by Tony Hawkes The Tenant of Wildfell Hall by Anne Bronte Jayne Eyre by Charlotte Bronte All Things Must Pass - The Life of George Harrison by Marc Shapiro Playing the Moldovans at Tennis by Tony Hawks
2004 Any Human Heart by William Boyd ***** Nemisis by Agatha Christie Sleeping Murder by Agatha Christie A History of Norwich School The First Four Minutes by Roger Bannister Middle Age by Joyce Carole Oates **** The Last Juror by John Grisham **** Northern Lights by Phillip Pullman ***
2005 Post Mortem by Ben Elton **** The Complete History of Classical Music by Stephen Fry *** Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier (re-read) **** Peyton Place by Grace Metalious (re-read) **** Deception Point by Dan Brown ** Digital Fortress by Dan Brown *** The Two of Us My life with John Thaw - Sheila Hancock **** The Da Vinci Code - Dan Brown **** Angels and Demons by Dan Brown ***
2006 A Caribbean Mystery by Agatha Christie *** A Pocket Full of Rye by Agatha Christie *** The Barclay James Harvest Story by Keith and Monika Domone **** Inside Out - A Personal History of Pink Floyd by Nick Mason *** Saturday by Ian McEwan **** All I Want for Xmas by Iwan Roberts **** Moondust by Andrew Smith *** Adrian Mole and the Weapons of Mass Destruction by Sue Townsend *** Labyrinthe by Kate Mosse *** First Casualty by Ben Elton *** Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe by Fannie Flagg **** Standing in a Rainbow by Fannie Flagg **** Welcome to the World Baby Girl by Fannie Flagg **** A Redbird Christmas by Fannie Flagg ***
2007$ Book of the Year 26 The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas by John Boyne
Book of the Year Runner-Up 26 The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid by Bill Bryson
Others 24 Arthur and George by Julian Barnes 24 Our Hidden Lives by Simon Garfield 24 Can't Wait to Get to Heaven by Fannie Flagg 23 Salmon Fishing in the Yemen by Paul Torday 21 Can You Tell What It Is Yet by Rolf Harris 20 Richard Harris Sex, Death and the Movies by Michael Callan 20 Never Go Back by Robert Goddard 20 Careful What You Wish For by Mikey Carroll with Sean Boru 20 A Short History of Tractors in Ukrainian by Marina Lewycka 20 Never Let Me Go - Kazuo Ishiguro 20 On Chesil Beach by Ian McEwan 19 Austerlitz by W.G Sebald 18 Chart Throb by Ben Elton 18 My Summer of Love by Helen Cross 17 The Sound of Laughter by Peter Kay 16 52 Ways to Magic America by James Flint 15 The Historian by Elizabeth Kostove 15 The Apothecary's House by Adrian Mathews 15 Cell by Stephen King
Most Disappointing Book of the Year
13 The Interpretation of Murder by Jed Rubenfeld
no rating - Wicked by Jilly Cooper no rating - False Impression by Jeffrey Archer no rating - Family Matters by Rohinton Mistry no rating - The World According to Clarkson no rating - Imperium by Robert Harris no rating - Teller of Tales The Life of Arthur Conan Doyle by Daniel Stashower
2008$ Book of the Year 27 A Simple Act of Violence by R J Ellory
Book of the Year Runner-Up 26 Candlemoth by R J Ellory Ratings 27 - A Simple Act of Violence by R. J. Ellory 26 - Candlemoth by R.J. Ellory 25 - A Quiet Belief in Angels by RJ Ellory 25 - A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khalid Hosseini 25 - The Book Thief by Markus Zusak 25 - Ghostheart by R. J. Ellory 24 - A Quiet Vendetta by R J Ellory 24 - The Meaning of Night by Michael Cox 24 - Rock Me Amadeus by Seb Hunter 23 - City of Lies by R. J. Ellory 23 - Sir Bobby Charlton - My Manchester United Years by Sir Bobby Charlton 23 - The Righteous Men by Sam Bourne 23 - The Outcast by Sadie Jones 23 - Getting Rid of Matthew by Jane Fallon 23 - Wish You Were Here by Mike Gayle 22 - On The Edge My Story by Richard Hammond 22 - The Last Testament by Sam Bourne 22 - Blind Faith by Ben Elton 21 - Second Glance by Jodi Picoult 21 - Plain Truth by Jodi Picoult 21 - Sepulchre by Kate Mosse 21 - Next of Kin by John Boyne 20 - Being Eddie Waring by- Tony Hannan 20 - Shakespeare by Bill Bryson 19 - The Conjuror's Bird by Martin Davies 18 - Random Acts of Heroic Love by Danny Scheinmann 18 - The Rotters' Club by Jonathan Coe 18 - The Irresistible Inheritance of Wilberforce by Paul Torday 18 - My French Whore by Gene Wilder 18 - The Olivetti Chronicals by John Peel 17 - Two Caravans by Marina Lewycka 17 - The Resurrectionist by James Bradley
Most Disappointing Book of the Year 17 - The Resurrectionist by James Bradley
|