All right, let’s do something frivolous for the Silly Season…
I think it was Annabel at Annabookbel who led the way in 2020 with this annual Christmas meme… but this year it’s thanks to Karen at Booker Talk for reminding me!
The rules are: Using only books you have read this year (2021), answer these questions. Try not to repeat a book title. Links in the titles will take you to my reviews where they exist.
In high school I was The One That Got Away, by Ken Haley
People might be surprised by (my) Deception, by Philip Roth
I will never be (your) Foe, by J M. Coetzee
My life in lockdown was like An Insider’s Plague Year, by Peter Doherty
My fantasy job is Cooking with Fernet Branca, by James Hamilton-Paterson
At the end of a long day I need The Sweetest Fruits, by Monique Truong
I hate being Where the Fruit Falls, by Karen Wyld
Wish I had A Million Aunties, by Alecia McKenzie
My family reunions are Time to Remember, by Janna Ruth
At a party you’d find me with The Fish Girl, by Mirandi Riwoe
I’ve never been to (the) Land of Big Numbers, by Te-Ping Chen
A happy day includes Dancing on Coral, by Glenda Adams
Motto I live by: Things We Didn’t See Coming, by Steven Amsterdam
On my bucket list is (a journey on the) Stamboul Train, by Graham Greene
In my next life, I want to have Breakfast with the Nikolides, by Rumer Godden
Now, over to you.
Come up with an open-ended sentence in the comments, and I’ll see if I can find a title that fits!
From Bill at the Australian Legend: I deal with non-sequitur comments with a Pivot to India by Michael Wesley in the Australian Foreign Affairs Journal.
From Sue at Whispering Gums: In 2022 I will (engage in) Small Acts of Defiance by Michelle Wright
ANZ LitLovers LitBlog 
I’m not sure about a million aunties, not that mine weren’t all lovely. The most interesting relationship seems to be with ‘maiden’ aunts (and uncles) who often take an almost parental interest in their nephews and nieces (without the nephews and nieces always noticing!).
Perhaps my open ended sentence should be “I deal with non-sequitur comments by”
LikeLike
By: wadholloway on December 24, 2021
at 12:23 pm
Ha! You must have had the luxury of having aunts. I never had any aunts, or uncles, or cousins…
***
Ouch, your contribution is hard…
LikeLike
By: Lisa Hill on December 24, 2021
at 1:05 pm
[…] am inspired to do this by Lisa at ANZ LitLovers […]
LikeLike
By: My Year in Books – Tasmanian Bibliophile @Large on December 24, 2021
at 12:47 pm
You’ve inspired me, Lisa. I’ve just posted my contribution :-)
LikeLiked by 1 person
By: Jennifer on December 24, 2021
at 12:48 pm
And I’ve come up with a contribution on yours!
LikeLiked by 1 person
By: Lisa Hill on December 24, 2021
at 1:06 pm
Hi Lisa, I hope my memory serves me well. In High School I was God Girl Bad Girl by Michael Robothom; People might be surprised by my Death in Her Hands by Ottessa Moshfegh; I will never be the Other Boleyn Girl by Philippa Gregory; My Life in Lockdown was like Beautiful World Where Are You by Sally Rooney; My fantasy Job is In Moonland by Miles Allinson; At the end of a long day I need Devotion by Hannah Kent; I hate being Born Into This by Adam Thompson; Wish I had A Swim in a Pond in the Rain by George Saunders; My family reunions are Let Me Tell You What I Mean by Joan Didion; At a party you’d find me with Hamnet by Maggie O’Farrel; I’ve never been to Wild Abandon by Emily Bitto; A happy day includes Klara and the Sun by Kazuo Ishiguro; Motto I live by Think Again by Adam Grant; On my bucket list is Leaping Into Waterfalls by Bernadette Brennan; and In my next life I want to have The Midnight Library by Matt Haig.
LikeLike
By: Meg on December 24, 2021
at 1:46 pm
Ha ha Meg, I’m laughing out loud!
LikeLike
By: Lisa Hill on December 24, 2021
at 2:54 pm
Here goes Lisa – (you might have to bold them for me, with apologies)
In high school I was – The Warden’s Niece by Gillian Avery
People might be surprised by – My Hard Heart by Helen Garner
I will never be – Forever Young by Steven Carroll
My life in lockdown was like – One Hundred Years of Solitude by Marquez
My fantasy job is – Out Stealing Horses by Per Petterson
I hate being – Down and Out in Paris and London by George Orwell
At the end of a long day I need – Hot Milk by Barbara Levy
Wish I had (been) – Brother of the Famous Jack by Barbara Trepido
My family reunions are – Remembering Laughter by Wallace Stegner
At a party you’d find me with – Johnno by David Malouf
I’ve never been to – Corfu by Robert Dessaix
A happy day includes – Dinner at the Homesick Restaurent by Anne Tyler
Motto I live by – You’ll be sorry when I’m dead by Marieke Hardy
On my bucket list is (a journey to) A Kingdom by the Sea by Nancy Phelan
In my next life I want to have – The Pleasures of Leisure by Robert Dessaix
LikeLiked by 1 person
By: Sue on December 24, 2021
at 5:19 pm
*chuckle* You’ll Be Sorry When I’m Dead, that’s a good one!
LikeLike
By: Lisa Hill on December 24, 2021
at 5:54 pm
Wonderful Lisa! And an impressive reply For Bill’s sentence :-) My brain has quite deserted me so I’ll just wish you a great reading year ahead in 2022.
LikeLike
By: madamebibilophile on December 24, 2021
at 7:16 pm
Thank you:)
I wish you all the best too!
LikeLiked by 1 person
By: Lisa Hill on December 24, 2021
at 7:21 pm
Thanks for the answer to the question of who created this meme. I see you came up with a new one this year – My life in lockdown was like –. My answer would be The Vanishing by Guido Morselli.
LikeLiked by 1 person
By: BookerTalk on December 24, 2021
at 8:43 pm
Yes, these are silly but fun. Mine will be up on my blog shortly.
LikeLike
By: Davida Chazan on December 24, 2021
at 10:58 pm
It’s nice to have a bit of fun!
LikeLiked by 1 person
By: Lisa Hill on December 24, 2021
at 11:06 pm
LOL, I love this meme! Happy Christmas to you and yours, Lisa!
LikeLike
By: kaggsysbookishramblings on December 25, 2021
at 2:26 am
OK, I’ll give you a not very inspiring one: In 2022 I will …
LikeLike
By: whisperinggums on December 25, 2021
at 9:06 am
Ha ha, I like my answer for this one!
LikeLike
By: Lisa Hill on December 25, 2021
at 10:33 am
[…] Christmas meme… Karen at Booker Talk reminded her and would have reminded me too, except I saw Lisa’s first, and I like that she seems to have added in a “lockdown” […]
LikeLike
By: My year in books 2021 | Whispering Gums on December 25, 2021
at 10:37 am
Great fun, Lisa! You have inspired me:-)
LikeLiked by 1 person
By: elisabethm on December 26, 2021
at 9:49 pm