Best of the year, with salt, 2007

Book of the year
Miranda July ' No One Belongs Here More Than You'
I am a little surprised that this is my book of the year but it undoubtedly is. It is a collection that has stayed with me, the characters and voice resonating long after. I believe one of my initial criticisms was that the voice of the characters was always the same voice, but now I think of it as being so strong that I'm not sure it matters.

Film of the year
Miranda July 'Me and You and Everyone We Know'
So, I was inspired by her short stories to look out her film, and it's a good'un! The voice is the same as that of her stories, and yeah, for sure, it's a quirky film, but brilliant too. Where July succeeds so well is in showing what is beneath the surface of people. She highlights the odd, the askew, the searching and yearning of folk. The film is romantic, but peppered with disturbing comedy. And who is the star of the film? Why, it's none other than July herself. She is an artist/writer/director of undoubted talent. And she's beautiful too. Sigh.

Most tediously hyped book of the year
Ian McEwan 'On Chesil Beach'
I am sooooooooo sick of selling this book. It has been in every promotion, every display, every magazine, every window, on every table, in every paper. Yes, Ian McEwan has a book out, some other people do too, not that you'd know, what with all the fucking piles of Chesil Beach everywhere. Enough already!

Sleb of the year
In the heat/perez world of sleb only one has stood out like a shiny beacon of loveliness, and I have fallen a little in love with her, so it gives me great pleasure to name Alesha Dixon my sleb of the year. She was inspirational on Strictly as she played out her Cinderella will go the ball story. She looked gorgeous, danced amazingly, bounced and screamed and wiggled and smiled. She exuded positivity and the ethos of hard work and integrity. Viewers all over the country delighted at the thought of love rat Harvey weeping into his hands as he saw what he had lost.

TV of the year
For froth you couldn't beat Strictly come dancing. And I'm not ashamed to admit shedding a tear or two of joy at the final! But televisual event of the year has to be the Sopranos finale. I'm still wondering what the fade to black was! It was a superb ending to an intelligent show blessed with the most fantastic cast.

Game of the year
Has to be Scrabulous on Facebook. Thanks to the makers for updating Scrabble and bringing the joy back without any of the tedious sitting and waiting for an opponent to make a move.


Once more with feeling...

Happy new year

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