has, in her unmistakeable way, pulled together some good year-end questions which I much prefer to that long 30-question one that floats around.

1. My top five books that I have read this year that I hadn’t read before already

In no particular order:

The Uncommon Reader, by Alan BennettVanity Fair, by William Makepeace ThackerayFinding Time Again, by Marcel ProustThe History of Sir Richard Calmady, by "Lucas Malet" (Mary St Leger Kingsley)The Periodic Table, by Primo Levi

2. These are my least favourite books of the year

Doctor Who – The Twin Dilemma, by Eric Saward
The Duke And I, by Julia Quinn (couldn’t finish it, it lost me after the second chapter.)
Doctor Who – Time Flight, by Peter Grimwade
Interview with the Vampire, by Anne Rice (my most-commented book review p[ost of the year)
The Sword of Shannara, by Terry Brooks (gave up after page 100)

Surprised to see four out of five sf books among these! But I love the genre really!

3. These are the top five things I have watched this year that I have loved this year

Doctor Who (well, obviously)
University Challenge
The West Wing
Torchwood
A Very Peculiar Practice

4. The top five films I loved this year

…except that, like , I can’t remember much about films that I saw this year. I seem to have noted 7; removing one that was frankly terrible and one that wasn’t particularly special, that leaves:

Odd Man Out
Der Untergang
Time Flies
Richard III
Much Ado About Nothing

5. These are my five posts that have had most comments this year but aren’t filtered

The Friday question: money (Was I an unwitting participant in money-laundering?)
A question (How do you pronounce ‘Chivas Regal’?)
Becoming Belgian (Putting in our citizenship application.)
General strike (The Belgians were revolting.)
Today’s question: tea (How do you take it?)

6. The beginning of the months meme

Which I have already answered here.