BlogReading | January 1, 2020

Big reading year this year. Read a lot about AI, some hardcore-sci-fi and some more physics as half-research half-mood-influencer while writing my new album.

Fiction highlights came from Ben Smith’s Doggerland, Melisssa Harrison’s All Among The Barley, Max Porter’s Lanny, Richard Powers’ Overstory, and Benjamin Myers’ The Offing which is an instant-classic and all time fave that I hope will be studied in schools from now until forever. The two David Keenan books were also outstanding and I can see why everyone I know is talking about, recommending and buying This Is Memorial Device for each other (thanks Sophie from Haiku Salut for my copy!).

Robert Macfarlane’s Underland has stayed with me since reading it, and will probably remain that way for many years.

Also, (and I’m echoing Jon McGregor here) will someone please release all of Jesse Ball’s books in the UK?

Full list:

1. The Long Take

   Robin Robertson
2. This Is Memorial Device

   David Keenan
3. Stories Of Your Life & Others

   Ted Chiang
4. The Overstory

   Richard Powers
5. Everything Under

   Daisy Johnson
6. Conversations With Friends

   Sally Rooney
7. The Creativity Code

   Marcus Du Sautoy
8. Fire On All Sides

   James Rhodes
9. For The Good Times

   David Keenan
10. Doggerland

    Ben Smith
11. Instrumental

    James Rhodes
12. Normal People

    Sally Rooney
13. The Beastie Boys Book

    Ad Rock + Mike D
14. Underland

    Robert Macfarlane
15. Spring

    Ali Smith
16. Exhalation

    Ted Chiang
17. My Thoughts Exactly

    Lily Allen
18. Our Stop

    Laura Jane Williams
19. The End We Start From

    Megan Hunter
20. History Of Wolves

    Emily Fridland
21. The Offing

    Benjamin Myers
22. Novacene

    James Lovelock
23. The Mating Habits of Stags

    Ray Robinson
24. The Heavens

    Sandra Newman
25. Where Reasons End

    Yiyun Li
26. Aoyade On Aoyade

    Richard Aoyade
27. Grief Is The Thing With Feathers

    Max Porter
28. The AI Does Not Hate You

    Tom Chivers
29. Starling Days

    Rowan Hisayo Buchanan
30. Lanny

    Max Porter
31. Ikigai

    Hector Garcia & Frances Miralles
32. The Order Of Time

    Carlo Rovelli
33. Light

    M. John Harrison
34. Machines Like Me

    Ian McEwan
35. How To Be Famous

    Caitlin Moran
36. The Diver's Game

    Jesse Ball
37. Pig Iron

    Benjamin Myers
38. Here

    Richard McGuire
39. Idaho

    Emily Ruskovich
40. All Among The Barley

    Melissa Harrison
41. Utopia For Realists

    Rutger Bregman