Thank you to Cleo for reminding me about this, one of my favourite annual memes – the Reading Bingo. It’s always a mad scramble to see if I can fit any of my haphazard reading into the categories at the end of the year, but I was very ambitious last year and did two of each. I’d struggle to do that this year: in fact, I may not be able to fill in the whole sheet!
More than 500 Pages
Retribution Road by Antonin Varenne
Forgotten Classic
Late Fame by Arthur Schnitzler – this was quite literally forgotten, or set aside by the author and never published until a couple of years ago
Turned into a Movie
The Life and Loves of a She-Devil by Fay Weldon – although I haven’t actually watched the two adaptations
Published This Year
Six Stories by Matt Wesolowski – what a brilliant, creepy, atmospheric story, capturing our passion for podcasts and the teenage grumpiness very well
Number in Title
Three Days and a Life by Pierre Lemaitre – a much gentler pace than this master of the chilling read has accustomed us to
Written by Someone Under 30
The End of Eddy by Edouard Louis – at least I think the author is still very young, and he published this in French quite a few years ago. Correct me if I’m wrong. Besides, I may want to turn this into ‘a book by someone over 70’ instead!
Non-Human Characters
The Humans by Matt Haig – well, it’s an alien and a dog who pull most at the heartstrings
Funny
Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day by Winifred Watson – delightful comedy of manners
Female Author
Folle by Nelly Arcan – so many I could have chosen from, but I decided to choose one that could only have been written by a fierce and bitter woman
Mystery
The Beautiful Mystery by Louise Penny – I couldn’t resist picking the title which has the most resonance – and it is, indeed, a mystery in a crime fiction series
One-Word Title
Men by Marie Darrieussecq – not my favourite book, it had a bit of a colonial feel to it
Short Stories
The Stories by Jane Gardam – klipp und klar, as the Germans would say – outstanding stories by a real master/mistress of the genre
Free Square
Most obscure: Vlad by Carlos Fuentes – and perhaps should stay so…
Different Continent
Boundary by Andree A. Michaud – Maine and Canada, border country, and an area I know very little about
Non-Fiction
The Unwomanly Face of War by Svetlana Alexievich – probably one of my top reads of the year
First Book by Favourite Author
Elizabeth and Her German Garden by Elizabeth von Arnim – it was a reread, but just delightful, even for a non-gardener like myself
Heard About Online
To Clear the Air by Mechtild Borrmann – I usually think Mrs. P’s recommendations are unbeatable, but this book did not quite do it for me. However, she has written others and they are better.
Bestseller
The Power by Naomi Alderman – I realised this was quite a difficult category for me, as the books I like don’t usually sell in the hundreds of thousand which shout bestseller to me, but I think this one did quite well after winning a few prizes. I’ve certainly seen it everywhere in bookshops and libraries.
True Story
This House of Grief by Helen Garner – just heart-breaking, another contender for book of the year – and I’m not even a huge non-fiction fan
Bottom of TBR Pile
On the Road to Babadag: Travels in the Other Europe by Andrzej Stasiuk – I think this one has been on my bookshelves for quite a while, I can’t even remember when I bought it
Loved by a Friend
Tall Oaks by Chris Whitaker – Liz Barnsley, book blogger and crime fiction aficionado/editor had been buzzing about this one for ages – and it really lived up to every recommendation!
Scary
We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson – subtle horror – in fact, just put all of Shirley Jackson’s work in this category
More than 10 Years Old
The Last Summer by Ricarda Huch – a nice old-fashioned feel to this, and yet still terribly timely
2nd in a Series
Persons Unknown by Susie Steiner – she’s fast becoming a favourite author, and I can’t wait for the next one!
Blue Cover
And it will forever remind me of that wonderful, educational and inspirational weekend of poetry!
And, just because there weren’t a lot of pictures involved in the above, here is a gratuitous picture of my favourite non-human, bemused and bedecked for Christmas.
findingtimetowrite 
What a sweetie! You and Cleo are quick of the mark with your bing posts this year.
Lots to like here (and I don’t just mean the cat!). I find your coverage of so many translations absolutely invaluable, so you’re due thanks for that alone.
A very interesting meme – though I’d probably struggle to find a book that fits into the ‘made into a film’ category…. =:o
Ooh, well done! That author under 30 category is usually a killer – I always have this vision of myself desperately tweeting authors demanding to know their date of birth. The cat is gorgeous, but then you know that already… 😀
Zoe says thank you, she will accept the homage due to her… Besides, I think youth in an author is overrated.
Brilliant work Marina and I love the cat. The House of Grief is one of my favourite non- fiction books of all time.
Thanks for reminding me about this lovely meme. It’s a devastating book, isn’t it?
I love how much variety there is in your selections, Marina Sofia. And such interesting choices, too. I’ll admit, I haven’t done Bingo, but this does look like fun!
Well done with the bingo – I’m impressed! Zoe is such a beauty 🙂
I love this reading bingo. I’ve saved the image and will check my own books, though doubt I will fill many!
Well done for covering as many of the squares as this. I would struggle to get halfway I suspect. Plenty of options for the female author, books set in another continent but would draw a complete blank on books over 500 pages….
I also quickly became a fan of Susie Stein’s protagonist, Manon Bradshaw. Can’t wait for book three.
Don’t think I can make the Bingo this year. Did last year. Can make about 2/3.
That’s a very good ratio. I’m surprised I managed to make all the squares this year, as I was sure I wouldn’t be able to…
Oh, and I meant to add that Zoe seems to enjoy being the cutest holiday cat around.
Zoe says: ‘Merci’. Tough cat from the Alps that she is, she has not set a single paw outside today in the 2 cm of snow that we have.
And yet more books to add to my burgeoning`Marina recommended it so it must be good, and invariably is` list.
Loving the bingo, and will see if my reads this year can cause me to shout housey housey, in a bingo stylee! x
I have no mercy for you, Raven, since you yourself have been my downfall in book buying matters many a time! I’d love to see you do the bingo. I was very sceptical it would work this year, but somehow I squeaked through…
Well, I have nearly completed the Book Bingo, missing only a classic, short stories and perhaps an author under 30. Don’t know the age of one author who is young.
Still have a few weeks to try to catch up.
The most annoying category is that author under 30 clearly. I vote we change it!
Since I keep coming back to enjoy this (and see if I can think if I have books that fit), I thought I should share my thoughts. You must have endless energy to do this and all the other things you do (reading, posting, working, parenting….). I love your Christmassy kitty too.
No, you flatter me! I very often run out of ideas and inspiration – and this week I doubt I’ll have time to post anything…
You managed two books per square last year? Wow. Do you know who originates the grid – would be good to see what they come up with for next year