The Hours by Michael Cunningham

This is January's Book Club book. It is tells the story of one day in the lives of 3 women: Virginia Woolf in Richmond in 1920s, Laura Brown in Los Angeles in 1940s and Clarissa Vaughan in New York in 1990s. There is a strong tie between the 3 lives throughout the book. I found it very sad but the style is very beautiful and it helps if you know a bit about Virginia Woolf's life (and death) and also if you've read "Mrs Dalloway", which I read years ago but intend to read again soon. Not sure what they'll make of it at Book Club (will add a comment in February) because it seems very slow at the start.
9/10

Fatal Voyage by Cathy Reichs

A new author for me. A pathologist like Patricia Cornwell, writing murder/mystery books with a strong pathology thread, and where the pathologist and her family/friends are an integral part of the story. A good read if you want entertainment rather than quality literature. I'll read more of her books.

Mark? 7/10.

The Good Soldier by Ford Madox Ford

Like an early version of Jonathan Franzen's The Corrections. The characters grab you but their actions frustrate you. Written in 1910 (the only book that Ford MadoxFord is famous for), a story about two moneyed couples who's lives collided and crashed. Hard to get into the style and rhythm of the writing at first, but well worth the read.

A Mark? 8/10.

The Peppered Moth by Margaret Drabble

This was a Book Club book and received mixed feeling at Book Club. I really enjoyed it although the style is quite slow in parts. The story is based on Margaret Drabble's life and talks about relationship through generations, mainly her relationship with her mother and her daughter. The author's mother escapes from her life in south Yorkshire, but her daughter is drawn back to the village when a scientist begins research into genetic inheritance. Some lovely reminiscences of life in south Yorkshire, probably more interesting to the oldies in our family.

7/10

Second Honeymoon - Joanna Trollope

I may have phased off a bit at the end of last year.. but FINALLY finished this.. was an easy read to get me back into the flow.
Normally a bit more scandalous stories but was just about a family where all the grown up kids move home!! scared M+D??

6/10

Freakonomics - Steven Levitt & Stephen Dubner

Ended 2006 and started 2007 with nonfiction for a change. An interesting read, frustrating in places and representing a particular style of american academia which I don't really like, but funny, and thought provoking.
(Actually this is a bit of a cheat because i've only read the first 4/5 of the book - and not yet the extra material in the 2nd edition)

7/10