Although it’s cold as witch’s spit here today – I type this wearing woolly hat, gloves, blanket, three pairs of socks and an orange cat – the sun is feebly shining, which is heartening after weeks of grey gloom, and so I have managed to take a photograph of February’s contenders for What Shall Helen Read? This time there were plenty to choose from, so I didn't have to resort to cheating.
I zoomed right in on the books so you can’t see the thick dust or mounds of unattractive papers, articles of clothing (we all dress in the sitting room as our bedrooms are too cold) (that makes us sound a tad destitute but I assure you we aren’t), ugly plants (I feel sorry for them so they linger on, half-dead and misshapen) and Lego bricks.
The books are:
- Olive Kitteridge, Elizabeth Strout
- Only Revolutions, Mark Z. Danielewski
- The Song Before it is Sung, Justin Cartwright
- Half in Love, Justin Cartwright
- Small Island, Andrea Levy
- Fasting, Feasting, Anita Desai
- The Dark Room, Rachel Seiffert
I was surprised that so many of them are hardbacks; some were presents and some the fruits of remaindering. I was also surprised at how unenthusiastic I feel about them, even the Rachel Seiffert and the Andrea Levy. In fact, the only one that drew me in even a little was Only Revolutions. I am tempted to get rid of them all. However, one of them will be read, according to your votes in the comments. And if you can persuade me to keep any of the others, please do!