The last month of the year is here, and so it’s time to play a particular game:

“Take the first line of each month’s post over the past year and see what it tells you about your blogging year.”

It’s an idea that started with The Indextrious Reader, I spotted Annabel playing a day or two ago, and that reminded me that it really is an interesting way to look back at a year.

So here goes …

January

“Arthur is gone … Tristram in Careol
Sleeps, with a broken sword – and Yseult sleeps
Beside him, where the Westering waters roll
Over drowned Lyonesse to the outer deeps.”

From A Gift for New Years Day: simply because I think that it is lovely ….

February

“Nearly ten years after I bought the book I have read every single word, every single footnote, and I am very nearly lost for words. I loved it that much.”

From Jonathan Strange and Mr Norell by Susanna Clarke

March

“The cover caught my eye, the title intrigued me, and when I picked up the book I and started reading I realised that I would have to carry on and see the story through to the end.”

From The Lie of You: I Will Have What is Mine by Jane Lythell

April

“It has been quite a week.”

From An A to Z as I may be more absent than present for a while ….

May

“I’m not quite sure where April has gone.”

From An A to Z as a new month begins ….

June

“Do you remember your first step into the world of proper, grown-up work?”

From My Salinger Year by Joanna Rakoff

July

“I’ve always hoped that I would fall in love with Ann Radcliffe’s novels, with  the coming together of the gothic and the romantic, but I was scared to take the first step and so I needed that spin.”

From The Classics Club Spin Spun me a Sicilian Romance

August

“I haven’t done one of these for a while, and it just felt like time ….”

From An A to Z as another month begins

September

“This is lovely: a quite beautifully written book that speaks so profoundly. I find myself wanting to say so much, and at the same time being almost lost for words.”

From A Wreath for the Enemy by Pamela Frankau

October

“I fell in love with Can You Forgive Her, my first Trollope and my first Palliser novel, and when I had to leave that book behind I knew that if wouldn’t be too long before I stepped back into Trollope’s world with the next novel in this particular sequence.”

From Phineas Finn by Anthony Trollope

November

“The Classics Club Spin is beginning again.”

From My Spin on the Classics Club Spin

December

“I’d seen Patricia Wentworth’s books in the library, I’d picked up a couple in charity shops, but it was Lisa’s warm praise that had me seeking out the first book in the series and starting to read. “

From Grey Mask by Patricia Wentworth

And that’s it!

Now I could draw conclusions:

• I like a list
• This year has had ups and downs
• I’ve read some great books

But I knew that!

It’s been lovely looking back to find my firsts.

Do have a go – it’s fun to do, and I’d love to see.