So having done the official results post wrapping up 6000 Pages 2011 which has all the stats and numbers etc, my good friend Melissa posted a comment with her scores but also with some notable books under certain categories. Following her excellent example I’m going to post my own list of ‘winners’ using her categories and maybe a couple of my own:
Longest Book: Under the Dome, Stephen King (881 pages)
Shortest Book: Anya’s Ghost, Vera Brosgol (55 pages) Of course this is a graphic novel and I’ve used the 4 comic pages = 1 regular page metric. The non-comic shortest would be Cast, in Order of Disappearance, Simon Brett at 177 pages.
Favourite Book: Before I Go To Sleep, S J Watson, with Killer Move by Michael Marshall a close runner-up.
Worst Book: Zone One, Colson Whitehead – committed the cardinal sin of boring me.
Best Find/Surprise: The Waterproof Bible, Andrew Kaufman – a surprise that I didn’t find it annoying. Special mention to Game of Thrones, George R R Martin because it was a) an epic fantasy and b) very long and on the face of it unlikely to be enjoyed by me, but was.
Biggest Disappointment: Falling Sideways, Tom Holt – almost straight off the back of Expecting Someone Taller which I did enjoy it was a shock that this wasn’t as good as I’d hoped.
Books to Donate to Charity: Since only 8 of the 30 books I read were paper and therefore capable of being sent to the charity shop only Anya’s Ghost comes close to winning this category. However that’s only because it’s not really aimed at me and in any case I think I’ll keep it. Possibly The Necropolis Railway, Andrew Martin – which I bought from a charity shop – because I’m unlikely to re-read it (it’s not terrible just not something I’m likely to want to re-read)
Book Which I’m Supposed to be Embarassed by but Actually Quite Enjoyed: I Think I Love You, Alison Pearson – apparently a forty-something man shouldn’t want to read a novel about teenage girl David Cassidy fans in the 70s. Nevertheless I found it fun.
I read 3 Terry Pratchetts, 2 Michael Marshalls and 2 Stephen Kings this year.
Book it Took Me Longest to Finish: Under the Dome took 49 days to read. Solar took longer in a way – I was reading it on Jan 1st and finished Dec 26th – but in fact I re-started that one (on Dec 22).
Quickest Read: Anya’s Ghost being a graphic novel took under a day. I Think I Love You, Jingo, Expecting Someone Taller and The Necropolis Railway all took 2 or less.
Most Satisfying Read: Punchbag, Robert Llewellyn – felt like a minor triumph to finish a book I started over a decade ago.
And finally… Book with the Most Anal Sex: Under the Dome, I think. Punchbag has a section where a character meets up with an old girlfriend and they go at it pretty much no holds barred but I don’t remember anal being specifically mentioned.
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