Just started ‘One Hundred Years of Solitude’ by Gabriel Garcia Marquez.

Despite being an avid reader, I have managed to reach middle age without ever having read any of his work. I purloined the book from my father-in-law at New Year. I’m only thirty or forty pages in but it is stunning and I can see why he is hailed as one of the great writers of his time.

I like a number of Russian writers and it always amazes me how well they translate. Marquez is like that. His sentiments and metaphors convey themselves easily.

One of my Christmas presents was the full set of Alastair Campbell diaries. I am relishing getting stuck into those.