[Stewart]

Interesting year for the Booker, anyway, given that much of the titles are relatively so so in peoples' views. I'm on my fourth title, The Clothes On Their Backs, which is okay so far. I had to abandon Michelle de Kretser's The Lost Dog as I had wasted two days on it and was getting nowhere and didn't want to lose my momentum, especially after just getting back in my stride a month back. (Will return to it, though.)

Netherland by Joseph O'Neill has been the best read, so far, although I think it just misses out on being truly great because, for all it's wonderful metaphors and turns of phrase, you really have to push yourself through it. Very rewarding book, though.