I have blogged previously about a feature that we have added in to CompletelyNovel – the ability to compile lists of books based on any kind of topic, whether it be your favourite books you read when you were younger, books that have inspired you, or books you would like to re-read. The idea behind this is that it is a nice way to share your thoughts about books and help others find books that they might like.

So, on the subject of lists, as we approach the end of the year, you can bet your life there are going to be about 5 million ‘best of’ or ‘top10’ lists. However, you might find it a bit refreshing to read this list of 10 Books Not To Read Before You Die from Richard Wilson in the Times. I think there are some slightly controversial ones there but some might find it reassuring that there are a few things they could actually cross off their New Year Resolutions list rather than figuring out how it is possible to go regularly to a gym, learn the guitar, write a novel AND read Ulysses … all in January!

Yes, I think the way forward could be to make lists of things you are not going to do, or have already done rather than ‘to do’ lists. I say this as someone working in an internet start-up, wehere the ‘to do’ list grows miles longer by the day! My sister and I had a lovely moment of nostalgia in the car last night (on a 2 hour drive home from the Midlands to London) going through all of our favourite books when we were younger.
I’d forgotten about some great books like Black Hearts in Battersea by Joan Aitkin, The Silver Sword by Ian Serraillier, the Redwall Series by Brian Jaques, I am David by Ann Holme…and loads more. We both read lots of the books multiple times and I’d love to know whether anyone else read them and if they still remember them too!