{"id":11479,"date":"2019-12-24T12:10:55","date_gmt":"2019-12-24T12:10:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/johnjohnston.info\/blog\/?p=11479"},"modified":"2024-01-03T08:06:26","modified_gmt":"2024-01-03T08:06:26","slug":"a-year-of-books-i-love-the-wordpress-display-posts-plugin","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/johnjohnston.info\/blog\/a-year-of-books-i-love-the-wordpress-display-posts-plugin\/","title":{"rendered":"A year of Books (&#038; I love the WordPress display-posts plugin)"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>I love the WordPress display-posts plugin, I can do this:<\/p>\n<p>[display-posts category=\"book\" include_excerpt=\"true\" include_title=\"false\" date_query_after=\"2018-12-31\" date_query_before=\"2019-12-31\" posts_per_page=\"50\" include_date=\"true\" order=\"ASC\"]<\/p>\n<p><code>.post-11479 .display-posts-listing {<br \/>\nlist-style-type: decimal;<br \/>\ndisplay: flex;<br \/>\nflex-direction: column-reverse;<br \/>\n}<\/code><\/p>\n<p>and get:<\/p>\n<ul class=\"display-posts-listing\"><li class=\"listing-item\"> <span class=\"date\">(1\/12\/2019)<\/span> <span class=\"excerpt-dash\">-<\/span> <span class=\"excerpt\">Read So Much Things to Say: The Oral History of Bob Marley &#8211; Roger Steffens &#x1f4da;\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2606\u2606<\/span><\/li><li class=\"listing-item\"> <span class=\"date\">(1\/31\/2019)<\/span> <span class=\"excerpt-dash\">-<\/span> <span class=\"excerpt\">Read All Among The Barley by Melissa Harrison &#x1f4da; \u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2606 Thoroughly enjoyed. Some lovely writing. Perhaps too many themes pulled in at the end.<\/span><\/li><li class=\"listing-item\"> <span class=\"date\">(2\/16\/2019)<\/span> <span class=\"excerpt-dash\">-<\/span> <span class=\"excerpt\">Read: The Priory by Dorothy Whipple \u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2606 I can&#8217;t imagine that this novel would get through a writers workshop or past a publisher today. Several story arcs weave, some slip away. Lovey clear writing, some nice nature and a rather comfortable happy ending.\u00a0&#x1f4da;<\/span><\/li><li class=\"listing-item\"> <span class=\"date\">(2\/16\/2019)<\/span> <span class=\"excerpt-dash\">-<\/span> <span class=\"excerpt\">Read: The Blank Walk By Elisabeth Sanxay Holding &#x1f4da; \u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2606 A surprise. Noir-ish from the POV of a well off mother. Raced through it.<\/span><\/li><li class=\"listing-item\"> <span class=\"date\">(2\/27\/2019)<\/span> <span class=\"excerpt-dash\">-<\/span> <span class=\"excerpt\">read: Love is Blind William Boyd \u2605\u2605\u2605\u2606\u2606<\/span><\/li><li class=\"listing-item\"> <span class=\"date\">(3\/1\/2019)<\/span> <span class=\"excerpt-dash\">-<\/span> <span class=\"excerpt\">Amongst Women by John McGahern\u00a0\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2606<\/span><\/li><li class=\"listing-item\"> <span class=\"date\">(3\/6\/2019)<\/span> <span class=\"excerpt-dash\">-<\/span> <span class=\"excerpt\">Read: Welcome to Lagos by Chibundu Onuzo \u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2606 Quite delightful set of characters giving a wee peek into life in Lagos at the top and bottom of the social ladder. Enjoyed.<\/span><\/li><li class=\"listing-item\"> <span class=\"date\">(3\/28\/2019)<\/span> <span class=\"excerpt-dash\">-<\/span> <span class=\"excerpt\">Read The Far Cry by Emma Smith winner of the James Tait Black Prize for best English novel of 1949. I enjoyed this a lot. Some lovely descriptions &amp; character revelations. I do wonder if it would get published today. &#x1f4da; \u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2606<\/span><\/li><li class=\"listing-item\"> <span class=\"date\">(4\/20\/2019)<\/span> <span class=\"excerpt-dash\">-<\/span> <span class=\"excerpt\">Read The Melody by Jim Crace \u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2606 set in a slightly altered eastern European country, hints of strange wild creatures.<\/span><\/li><li class=\"listing-item\"> <span class=\"date\">(4\/30\/2019)<\/span> <span class=\"excerpt-dash\">-<\/span> <span class=\"excerpt\">Monsieur Ka by Vesna Goldsworthy \u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2606 fascinating idea, the decedents of Anna Karenina in post war London.<\/span><\/li><li class=\"listing-item\"> <span class=\"date\">(5\/7\/2019)<\/span> <span class=\"excerpt-dash\">-<\/span> <span class=\"excerpt\">Read: Greenbanks by Dorothy Whipple \u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2606 another lovely read. I like the way her stories don&#8217;t have an arc in the way a modern novel does. I am taking her books only occasionally as I am worried about running out. &#x1f4da;<\/span><\/li><li class=\"listing-item\"> <span class=\"date\">(5\/22\/2019)<\/span> <span class=\"excerpt-dash\">-<\/span> <span class=\"excerpt\">Read: My Former Heart by Cressida Connolly \u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2606 slow, in a good way, drift through the lives a few generations of women.<\/span><\/li><li class=\"listing-item\"> <span class=\"date\">(5\/22\/2019)<\/span> <span class=\"excerpt-dash\">-<\/span> <span class=\"excerpt\">Read: The Heart&#8217;s Invisible Furies by John Boyne \u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2606 Recent social history of gay men in Ireland through the life of one and his unlikely family. Lots of jokes, set pieces and conicidences beyond belief.<\/span><\/li><li class=\"listing-item\"> <span class=\"date\">(5\/27\/2019)<\/span> <span class=\"excerpt-dash\">-<\/span> <span class=\"excerpt\">Read Signs for Lost Children by Sarah Moss \u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2606 Felt like two separate books, surprisingly moving when the stories came together at the end.<\/span><\/li><li class=\"listing-item\"> <span class=\"date\">(6\/24\/2019)<\/span> <span class=\"excerpt-dash\">-<\/span> <span class=\"excerpt\">Read Tiger by Polly Clark \u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2606 Enjoyed descriptions of the wilds of Siberia. The first couple of pages and the last two or three were weakest parts of the book. \u00a0&#x1f4da;<\/span><\/li><li class=\"listing-item\"> <span class=\"date\">(6\/27\/2019)<\/span> <span class=\"excerpt-dash\">-<\/span> <span class=\"excerpt\">Read: Sal by Mick Kitson \u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2606 Enjoyed the setting and nature writing. The narrative voice of 13 year old Sal was strong and the book wears its heart on its sleeve. Felt somewhat like a YA novel.<\/span><\/li><li class=\"listing-item\"> <span class=\"date\">(7\/5\/2019)<\/span> <span class=\"excerpt-dash\">-<\/span> <span class=\"excerpt\">Read: Transcription by Kate Atkinson \u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2606 WWII home front spies. Heroine Juliet is engaging &amp; funny. Some nice twists &amp; turns. &#x1f4da;<\/span><\/li><li class=\"listing-item\"> <span class=\"date\">(7\/20\/2019)<\/span> <span class=\"excerpt-dash\">-<\/span> <span class=\"excerpt\">Read: Someone at a Distance by Dorothy Whipple \u2605\u2605\u2605\u2606\u2606 My least favourite of a favourite author so far.<\/span><\/li><li class=\"listing-item\"> <span class=\"date\">(7\/20\/2019)<\/span> <span class=\"excerpt-dash\">-<\/span> <span class=\"excerpt\">Read: Such Small Hands by Andr\u00e9s Barba &#x1f4da; \u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2606 Such a disquieting book, almost unpleasant at times. Short &amp; powerful.<\/span><\/li><li class=\"listing-item\"> <span class=\"date\">(8\/1\/2019)<\/span> <span class=\"excerpt-dash\">-<\/span> <span class=\"excerpt\">Read: Bread Making for Beginners by Bonnie Ohara \u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2606 I&#8217;ve usually made bread by following the instructions on a bag of flour. Even the first recipe in this is an improvement.<\/span><\/li><li class=\"listing-item\"> <span class=\"date\">(8\/9\/2019)<\/span> <span class=\"excerpt-dash\">-<\/span> <span class=\"excerpt\">Read: The White Guard by Mikhail Bulgakov \u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2606 second time round after many years, still a great read.<\/span><\/li><li class=\"listing-item\"> <span class=\"date\">(8\/15\/2019)<\/span> <span class=\"excerpt-dash\">-<\/span> <span class=\"excerpt\">Read: So Long, See You Tomorrow by William Maxwell \u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605 Another one to re-read. Lovely voice. &#x1f4da;<\/span><\/li><li class=\"listing-item\"> <span class=\"date\">(9\/7\/2019)<\/span> <span class=\"excerpt-dash\">-<\/span> <span class=\"excerpt\">City of Girls by Elizabeth Gilbert \u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2606 for the first half, some nice fast paced banter. Really laughed out loud.<\/span><\/li><li class=\"listing-item\"> <span class=\"date\">(9\/7\/2019)<\/span> <span class=\"excerpt-dash\">-<\/span> <span class=\"excerpt\">The Fortnight in September by R.C. Sherriff \u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605 a lovely unexpected delight. A 2 week family holiday in 1930s Bogner described in gentle detail. Tender and a little sad.<\/span><\/li><li class=\"listing-item\"> <span class=\"date\">(9\/15\/2019)<\/span> <span class=\"excerpt-dash\">-<\/span> <span class=\"excerpt\">Read: The Book of Night Women \u00a0by Marlon James \u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605 this is a hard book to put down but hard to read the iniquity and violence.<\/span><\/li><li class=\"listing-item\"> <span class=\"date\">(10\/15\/2019)<\/span> <span class=\"excerpt-dash\">-<\/span> <span class=\"excerpt\">Read Ask Again, Yes by by Mary Beth Keane \u2605\u2605\u2605\u2606\u2606<\/span><\/li><li class=\"listing-item\"> <span class=\"date\">(10\/15\/2019)<\/span> <span class=\"excerpt-dash\">-<\/span> <span class=\"excerpt\">Read: Cloudstreet by Tim Winton \u2605\u2605\u2605\u2606\u2606 I probably would not have finished this if I had another novel to hand, but I did enjoy it more as I went on. Family saga, I imagine this would speak to Australians more than me.<\/span><\/li><li class=\"listing-item\"> <span class=\"date\">(10\/15\/2019)<\/span> <span class=\"excerpt-dash\">-<\/span> <span class=\"excerpt\">Read: Bloodchild by Octavia E. Butler \u2605\u2605\u2605\u2606\u2606<\/span><\/li><li class=\"listing-item\"> <span class=\"date\">(10\/30\/2019)<\/span> <span class=\"excerpt-dash\">-<\/span> <span class=\"excerpt\">Read: John Crow&#8217;s Devil by Marlon James \u2605\u2605\u2605\u2606\u2606 my least favourite Marlon James so far. Got a bit too &#8220;magic realist&#8221; for me around the middle. &#x1f4da;<\/span><\/li><li class=\"listing-item\"> <span class=\"date\">(11\/16\/2019)<\/span> <span class=\"excerpt-dash\">-<\/span> <span class=\"excerpt\">Read: Calypso by David Sedaris \u2605\u2605\u2605\u2606\u2606 I think I prefer David Sedaris on the radio in small doses. I did laugh out loud a few times &#x1f4da;<\/span><\/li><li class=\"listing-item\"> <span class=\"date\">(11\/16\/2019)<\/span> <span class=\"excerpt-dash\">-<\/span> <span class=\"excerpt\">Read: The Confessions of Frannie Langton by Sara Collins \u2605\u2605\u2605\u2606\u2606 &#x1f4da; l think I would have liked this better if I'd read it quicker.<\/span><\/li><li class=\"listing-item\"> <span class=\"date\">(12\/1\/2019)<\/span> <span class=\"excerpt-dash\">-<\/span> <span class=\"excerpt\">Read: The Dutch House by Ann Patchett  \u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2606 good fun modern fairy tale, with some unlikely happenings.<\/span><\/li><li class=\"listing-item\"> <span class=\"date\">(12\/9\/2019)<\/span> <span class=\"excerpt-dash\">-<\/span> <span class=\"excerpt\">Read: The Leavers by Lisa Ko \u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605 great read that grew and grew on me. Chinese illegal immigrants in New York and back in China. Great characters and story.&#x1f4da;<\/span><\/li><li class=\"listing-item\"> <span class=\"date\">(12\/16\/2019)<\/span> <span class=\"excerpt-dash\">-<\/span> <span class=\"excerpt\">Read: Shadows on Our Skin by Jennifer Johnston \u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605 heartbreaking. &#x1f4da;<\/span><\/li><li class=\"listing-item\"> <span class=\"date\">(12\/20\/2019)<\/span> <span class=\"excerpt-dash\">-<\/span> <span class=\"excerpt\">Read: Marilyn and Me by Ji-min Lee  \u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2606<\/span><\/li><li class=\"listing-item\"> <span class=\"date\">(12\/27\/2019)<\/span> <span class=\"excerpt-dash\">-<\/span> <span class=\"excerpt\">Read: Rosewater by Tade Thompson \u2605\u2605\u00bd\u2606\u2606 I like the Nigerian setting and the less esoteric parts. Found the time jumping annoying on Kindle.<\/span><\/li><li class=\"listing-item\"> <span class=\"date\">(12\/30\/2019)<\/span> <span class=\"excerpt-dash\">-<\/span> <span class=\"excerpt\">Read: Olive Kitteridge \u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605 As good as I expected. I was completely absorbed by stories. Probably the last book I'll finish this year and possible the best.<\/span><\/li><\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A year of Books (&#038; I love the WordPress display-posts plugin),<br \/>\nWhat I&#8217;ve read this year.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"mf2_syndication":["https:\/\/twitter.com\/johnjohnston\/status\/1209446975038464001","https:\/\/mastodon.social\/@johnjohnston\/103362698098895016"],"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"webmentions_disabled_pings":false,"webmentions_disabled":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[660],"tags":[],"post_format":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-11479","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","6":"category-micro","7":"kind-note","9":"h-entry","10":"hentry"},"better_featured_image":null,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p57zFQ-2Z9","jetpack_likes_enabled":false,"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"kind":false,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/johnjohnston.info\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11479","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/johnjohnston.info\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/johnjohnston.info\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/johnjohnston.info\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/johnjohnston.info\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=11479"}],"version-history":[{"count":8,"href":"https:\/\/johnjohnston.info\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11479\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":18795,"href":"https:\/\/johnjohnston.info\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11479\/revisions\/18795"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/johnjohnston.info\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=11479"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/johnjohnston.info\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=11479"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/johnjohnston.info\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=11479"},{"taxonomy":"post_format","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/johnjohnston.info\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/post_format?post=11479"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}