George Orwell, Homage to Catalonia, Magnus Mills, The Restraint of Beasts

Two books I haven’t read for a long time but which I admire greatly. I remember being naively surprised at the political infighting on the republican side, which stayed with me more than the descriptions of the war. It's apposite at the moment as the Labour Party is particularly riven at the moment as the various factions battle for control. I'm now worried that after what the right sees a massive mistake in 'allowing' Corbyn to get onto the ballot sheet, they will seek to stitch up all future elections and also purge the left (including me) from the party. The latest is the list of demands from the Board of Deputies to restore confidence in the Labour Party in the Jewish community, which, if followed to the letter, could be used to expel tens of thousands. The 'zero-tolerance' approach means that people who defend, support or share a platform with people who are accused of anti-semitism can be expelled and never allowed back in. Given that there are many on the left who feel that some of the people accused, suspended or expelled like Jackie Walker and Chris Williamson have been unfairly treated and are not at all anti-semitic, this coud very easily be weaponised. All the leadership candidates have signed up to the pledge. The 'Restraint of Beasts' was not quite the novel I thought it was, I think I must have got it a little mixed up with other Magnus Mills novels. It was marvellous though, and stands in stark contrast to all the classics I have been trudging through, as it is about working people and their day-to-day existence. No worries about neuroses or ennui or angst, but about where the money for the next meal or catalogue payment is coming from. How odd to read a book I think of as contemporary, but set in a world with no internet or mobile phones.

William Golding, The Lord Of The Flies

Really should have read this before reaching the age of 45, although I think it would have scared the bejesus out of me at school, and I wouldn’t want Freddie, who is the same age as the older boys on the island, to read it just yet. A fantastic book and very thought provoking about how quickly mankind can descend into anarchy and savagery. a true horror story, being trapped and subjugated in a society from which there is no escape, and an increasingly irrational and cruel authority based on fear. I was very glad the ending was relatively happy.

Patrick deWitt, The Sisters Brothers

That was my cup of tea, a western, a clear narrative, strong characters with believable interplay. It's been made into a film starring John C Reilly and Joaquin Phoenix that I am now very keen to see, and have added deWitt's other books to my wishlist.  This week i have bee trying to arrange a lift rota for Freddie's swimming club, as there are now potentially 7 sessions a week. I think I'm there now with the various parents, who is doing which session and so on. Feeling a bit like Milo Minderbinder keeping the plates spinning and the planes flying

Neil MacGregor, Living With The Gods

A very enjoyable romp through the entire history of mankind and our belief in the supernatural/religious belief. MacGregor uses his experience at the British Museum to draw parallels between artefacts from different times and cultures to illustrate human beliefs - the need for security, for inspiration, to control society, etc. On the home from, have managed to put back on all the weight I lost last year and am back above 95Kg again, only this time with a Captain Haddock beard. Have resolved to run 500 miles over the year, and am really enjoying running at the moment although my left ankle may disagree. My normal running routs is diverted due to the new bridge over the canal, so i'm combining picking up geocaches and running. Manged 7 miles yesterday while Fred was swimming - Park-Send-Pyrford-Park along the Wey without getting lost or overly muddy

Vladimir Nabokov, Lolita

I've put off reading this for a while given the subject matter, but the book was very enjoyable and even funny in places. Humbert Humbert's confessional explains his actions and rationale and the lives ruined as a result.

Mikhail Bulgakov, The Master and Margarita

This has erroneously been on the 'read' shelves for some time, and I'm sure I tried to read it once and got nowhere. A friend of a friend remarked on Facebook how wonderful it is, and as the critics rave about it, I gave it a go. I struggled with it though, not really understanding why it was a satire of life under communism, and with such a huge cast I couldn't follow it. Mostly read on the train down from Derby. It probably didn't help that my mind kept wandering to the Labour leadership debate.

Phillip Pullman, The Book of Dust vol II: The Secret Commonwealth, VS Naipaul, A House For Mister Biswas, Diarmaid MacCulloch Thomas Cromwell: A Life, John Le Carre, Agent Running In The Field, Jean Rhys, The Wide Sargasso Sea, Billy Bragg, The Three Dimensions of Freedom, Antony Beevor, Arnhem: The Battle for the Bridges, 1944, Frank Herbert, Dune. James Agee, A Death In The Family, John Hooper, The Italians, Eric Vuillard, The Order Of The Day, Robert Stone, Dog Soldiers, Raynor Winn, The Salt Path, Sarah Perry, Melmoth, Norman Dixon, On The Psychology Of Military Importance

Ouch, have left it far too long and haven't commented on the last 16 books until now. It's the day after Boxing Day and I'm back at work.  Fred is in a permanent grumpy pre-teen phase, Libby is as lovely and loud as ever and William is very funny - dinosaur and biscuit obsessed. Dad has just had a triple heart bypass but seems to be making a very rapid recovery, the Tories won a majority at the election and everyone is blaming Corbyn. He was certainly part of the reason, but its not as simple as that, and even now, if her were to stand for reelection the majority of members would vote for him. I don't see any standout candidates. I would have voted for Angela Rayner, but she appears to be not standing. Ian Lavery is my next choice, in part because I have a fiver on him at 100/1.  On the books, it's worth noting that 'The Wide Sargasso Sea' is one of those rare things, an 'essential novel' that I enjoyed and that deserves it place. Not the novel I was expecting at all, as I have a deep dislike for the passive heroine and awful selfish hero of Jane Eyre. This book however showed Rochester as the sadistic snobby worthless shit he really was, and charted what had driven Bertha mad.