Jack is five. He lives with his Ma. They live in a single, locked room. They don’t have the key.

Jack and Ma are prisoners.

Room is that rarity, a truly original piece of writing tackling a subject no-one has dared to write about before. It’s moving, frightening and all too real. An absolute must. To use a well-worn cliché, if you don’t read anything else this year, make sure you read Room. I was going to say, you won’t be sorry you did. You may well be very sorry and very sad as you read this book, but you will never regret doing it.

Room was the first book in my attempt this year to read the Man Booker shortlist. The trouble with politics is that it doesn’t leave a lot of time for anything else, though I do try and keep up with the things outside of politics I have always done and would not wish to give up . I’m now on the second Man Booker offering and am enjoying it. I think it must have been a good field in 2010.