Rec. #556: Revisiting List #22: A Few of the Best Books I Read in 2012

[Originally posted January 1, 2013.]

The Beginning of Spring, Penelope Fitzgerald: "With the ruthlessness of the timid, Miss Kinsman was coming after him now to suggest that she would be suitable for the post of governess at 22 Lipka Street." (Rec. #342)

Fadeaway Girl, Martha Grimes: "I cleared my throat, which at least showed I could make a sound, balled up my fist in front of my mouth as if I were about to cough, rehearsed the word 'hello' in my head to see if it was a real word, then blurted out: 'My name is Emma Graham.'" (Rec. #317)

The Red House, Mark Haddon: "Behind everything there is a house. Behind everything there is always a house, compared to which every other house is larger or colder or more luxurious." (Rec. #333)

Random Harvest, James Hilton: "This idea of unsameness as the pattern of life meant that (as Blampied put it) they didn't think there was anything very odd in anyone being a little odd." (Rec. #363)

Bel Canto, Ann Patchett: "It makes you wonder. All the brilliant things we might have done with our lives if we only suspected we knew how." (Rec. #337)

The Happy Exiles, Felicity Shaw: "The only things he was afraid of were boredom and blackmail."