Archive - January 1, 2021

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The 21 Books I Read In 2020

The 21 Books I Read In 2020

Happy New Year everyone. As is my custom at this time of the year, I am devoting this blog post to the books that I read last year – the good, the bad and the ugly. Click on the titles to read my reviews. My hope is that you’ll find something here to add to your TBR. I am confident that you will.

Bottomless Cups by Joel Bresler This tepid, purportedly humorous offering is comprised for the most part of musings, quips and banter. 

Suttree by Cormac McCarthy This episodic tome boasts poetic prose and poignant and profane content. It is a must for all dark fiction aficionados.

The Rapture by Claire McGlasson It is loosely based on the ‘Panacea Society’, which followed the beliefs of a self-proclaimed 19th Century prophetess. A worthwhile read.

God Hates You Hate Him Back: Making Sense of The Bible by C.J. Werleman – An irreverent dismantling of The Bible. The humour is puerile and distracting but there is also plenty of thought-provoking content to ponder.

Glue by Irvine Welsh This Transgressive novel is about four friends from Edinburgh. Glue is a meandering but also highly entertaining read.

Rest In Pieces: The Curious Fates of Famous Corpses by Bess Lovejoy This morbid read is brimming with interesting trivia. However, the matter-of-fact narration is relentless and monotonous. A book best dipped into.

Walden and Civil Disobedience by Henry David Thoreau – Walden, which comprises the vast majority of this book, is an account of the author’s two years living in the New England wilderness. This is a rewarding but onerous read.

Spools of Red Twine by Rachel Pacelli Pretentious and laborious, this debut transgressive work is at least mercifully short.

My Sister, The Serial Killer by Oyinkan Braithwaite The intriguing premise, darkly humorous elements and dialogue-heavy content are an enduring combination. Excellent.

Six Days: How the 1967 War Shaped the Middle East by Jeremy Bowen – The book outlines in intricate detail Israel’s defeat of the Arab coalition. It is accessible and quite interesting but excessively long.

Disaster Inc by Caimh McDonnell This is the first instalment in a series by a former Irish stand-up comedian and successful television writer. It is humorous yet convoluted.

Blood Meridian by Cormac McCarthy This episodic book is set in the 1800’s. It is almost unparalleled in its misanthropy and repugnant content. A superb novel.

Logging Off by Nick Spalding This ‘humorous’ novel has a pertinent theme; namely that we, or at least many of us, are spending way too much time online. But the message is banally communicated.

Black Hole Town by Henry Hinder This Transgressive novelette centres around two degenerate drinkers. An immensely impressive literary debut.

Out of the London Mist by Lyssa Medana The book boasts an unusual premise and an atmospheric, Gothic setting. I had some reservations. Overall all though this is a decent read.

Breakfast of Champions by Kurt Vonnegut What the book lacks in plot, it makes up for in farcical, cartoonish content. I appreciated its shrewd social commentary.

A Decent Ride by Irvine Welsh This is a work of Transgressive Fiction with a hint of crime caper. It is one of transgressive maestro Welsh’s best offerings.

The Rules of Attraction by Bret Easton Ellis A nihilistic, Transgressive novel about lost kids with no direction. It is chilling and authentic.

The Devil All The Time by Donald Ray Pollock This gothicesque, loosely assembled novel is replete with reprehensible rednecks, depraved content and frequent shifts in points of view. Utterly engrossing.

A Bolshevik Christmas by Yoel Bereket This satirical novella, set during The Cold War, merges reality with fantasy. It is repetitive and there is a great deal of unnecessary detail.

Written in Dead Wax by Andrew Cartmel Written in Dead Wax is the first instalment in The Vinyl Detective series. I found it to be convoluted and turgid.

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