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#26 Outlander-Where Jamie and Claire meet for the very first time Re-read
#27 Dragonfly in Amber-Continued adventures of Jamie and Claire re-read
#28 Voyager- Jamie and Claire - Jamie and Claire are reunited 30 years later when Claire goes back through the circle of stones to find Jamie, when she discovers he survived Culloden. Re-read
#29 Drums of Autumn-Jamie and Claire's daughter, Brianna travels through the stones to be reunited with her mother and be introduced to her birth father. She is followed by her husband, Roger MacKenzie. re-read
#30 The Fiery Cross- Jaime, Claire, Brianna, Roger and their son Jemmy traveled from Scotland to America to settle a new colony. Re-read
I am currently in the middle of the sixth book of the series "A Breath of Snow and Ashes".
Book #22 was "Hard-Boiled Wonderland and The End of the World" by Haruki Murakami. I had actually intended to read one of his more recent novels but ran across this one at the library and was intrigued by the premise. It has two parallel narratives, one set in the "hard-boiled wonderland," which is a near-future Japan where "Calcutecs" and "Semiotics" wage wars over information and humans "shuffle" data in their heads to incript it. The main character is a Calcutec, one of the supposed "good guys" in the information wars. The second narrative takes place in The End of the World, the Calcutec's innermost core of though and self. The book explores themes of conciousness and self. It didn't go where I thought it was, and it's a thoroughly strange book. It has elements similar to those of Gibson and other cyberpunk writers and some hard-boiled detective tropes, but put together, it's something entirely different. I don't know if I loved it, but I'm intrigued enough to seek out more by Murakami.
( The other books I've read so far this year: )
First, a little story - by the books I recently read, it may be obvious that I'm all over medieval England and War of the Roses especially. Funnily enough, I was hardly aware of the subject until March the 3rd, 2012, when I've read a childhood favorite "The Black Arrow" by R.L.Stevenson. It takes place during the war and mentions the completely awesome, if a bit of a prick, Duke of Gloucester and the House of York. Obviously, I wanted to know more and this place was very helpful and everywhere I looked on the net, I came across one book:
I looked for it in bookstores and they had none. In fact, they didn't have a single Penman between them. After being robbed blind by some hackers I've forsworn Internet shopping and knowing no one who didn't, I've quite dispaired. Until one day I remembered a conversation I overheard in a Steimazky book store years ago, about the possibility of ordering a book from overseas through the store itself and so I did. It took over a month for the book to arrive and when it did, I've began reading the very same day.
It says on the cover that it is the story of Richard III but it is so much more than that. The cast is enormous and not one of them is a support character - each has a story of their own, each has a voice, a past, friends and rivals. I was surprised that even the little people, like Rob Apsall and Ankarette Twynyho, who would have been but a footnote in any other novel, hardly even given a name, have an environment around them, their own little worlds.
The events span years and have ups and downs (and since it's war with two side to it, what is up for Yorks is down for Lancasters and vice versa) and though Richard, especially in the later years, is usually present, it's not all about him. Another one who is constantly present, if only in spirit as being dead for some years, is Edmund, the second York brother, ignobly murdered while being a prisoner of war.
I liked Richard, not only by virtue of being the main character, but because of him being a real person, with loves and hates, never perfect, always trying to do his best. His relationship with his wife Anne I've found to be lovely, like a real normal couple, though with far to many problems and responsibilities for someone so young. Anne herself is a great character, a true woman who knows her duty. Though being sceptical at first, I really liked "The Adventures of Two Noblwomen in the Slums" episode.
Another couple I like, separately and together, are Edward and Elizabeth. Edward is awesome. One can feel his radiance and energy through the page and he says the funniest things sometimes. Elizabeth is not some low-born wannabe slutty witch (though those are convenient insults to use against her) but a grown woman, of less-than-noble birth (on one side at least), with, yes, a large family, people she wants to take care of, now that she's reached prominence.
I've read the first 700 pages in a few days and the last 200 in over a week, such is the burden of forward knowledge. I did not, emphatically, want to get to the end. In fact, I wanted to do this:
But I soldiered on, and though the final battle broke my heart a bit, it was, at the same time, the awesomest thing ever.
The book is over 900 page long and every one of them is well used. The best thing is we meet those people as children and get to know them growing up and when they do something in later life, we don't ask "eh? what'd he do that for?", we know, because we know them.
Two things, two tiny little things, in 944 pages, bothered me - if it is acknowledged that this is Richard III, the painting of the portrait episode was unfortunately lacking. As well, Humphrey of Gloucester is presented as the son of Thomas of Woodstock, while being the son of Henry IV, which is such a weird mistake to make.
To conclude, I love this book immensely and look forward to reading it again in the coming years.
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Author: Carol Ann Duffy, 2011.
Genre: Poetry. Nature. War. Myth and Legend.
Other Details: Hardback. 96 pages.
Here are my bees
brazen, blurs on paper
besotted, buzzwords, dancing
their flawless, airy maps. - from Bees by Carol Ann Duffy, The Bees.
A lovely, lyrical collection of poems by the current Poet Laureate. Bees provide a linking theme in the form of bee poems or bee cameo appearances in a number of the poems in the collection. The poems touch on issues linked to nature and ecology, the landscape and history, spirituality, love, loss, war and death. A few poems also had mythic themes that I loved so much in her earlier collection The World's Wife.
I am not someone who reads much poetry yet I find Duffy's poetry very accessible in terms of both meaning and style. A book of poetry isn't really something to read at the same pace as a novel or work of non-fiction and so I read one or two poems aloud each day, savouring the beauty of her words.
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Author: Sarah Addison Allen, 2010.
Genre: Contemporary. Chick-Lit. Magical Realism.
Other Details: Paperback. 261 pages.
Following the death of her mother, 17-year old Emily Benedict moves to her mother's home town, Mullaby, North Carolina to live with her grandfather. She hopes to solve some of the riddles surrounding her mother's early life. There is a subtle magic about the town which reveals itself to Emily as well as the reader. The other major character is their neighbour Julia Winterson, who had returned to Mullaby two years previously to sort out her late father's estate. She is currently running the restaurant he founded with a view to sell it once all the debts are paid and then return to her former life in Baltimore. However, her past and a long lost love resurface bringing this all into question.
I was totally charmed by this gentle tale of love and redemption. It reminded me a little of The Gilmore Girls in conveying a sense of a small eccentric community that is clearly contemporary yet with a certain timelessness about it. Despite being a generation apart both Emily and Julia are metaphorically 'chasing the Moon' and it was easy to care about them. Elements of magical realism were woven skilfully into the story in an understated way. It proved an excellent introduction to Sarah Addison Allen's writing.
The Girl Who Chased the Moon - author's page on book includes excerpt and background.
I really enjoyed reading this book. Couldn't put it down. It's about a lady in the Depression era named Honora, who marries a traveling salesman she doesn't know all that well and finds herself living in a rundown house on the beach with little money and a lot of time alone. His narcissism and eventual insanity become apparent as he loses his job and finds a factory job in a mill. Some of the millworkers are planning a strike to demand fair wages and hours, and decent living conditions for the men who board on site. The couple quickly become deeply involved, and it turns out that those days planning and beginning to strike are ones that will change both of their lives signficantly and permanently. Awesome read.
This was fun. I knew hitting 50 books read this year wouldn't be hard for me, but I wanted to see how long it would take to get there. (I finished at the end of April.) I've found I like keeping track of what I read and will probably continue to do so. I also got a lot of great ideas from other readers. Thank you!
This was fascinating. I was searching for another book in our library's database (Sea Glass, Anita Shreve, my #50), and came across this nonfiction exploration of sea glass by a local author from our Chesapeake Bay area. It also gives an overview of the history of glassmaking, which I found intriguing. This book is packed with lovely, glossy, detailed pictures, and descriptions of common and rare sea glass. It makes we wish I hadn't thrown or given away so much of my collection over the years (yes, shameful). I had some purple and pink pieces and those are no longer easy to find.
So what happens when a bunch of people board an overcrowded lifeboat ... but no one shows up to rescue them because no one knows their ship sank? Well, they bob around on the ocean for a damn long time. And they fight. But that's just the beginning!
This was okay. The main chacacter had a lot of similarities to Rose's character from the Titanic movie - too many, in my opinion, for this to be a truly original story. The ending was kind of a flop, too. But the writing was good, kept me turning the pages.
I enjoyed this more than the past few Hannah novels I've read. The nicknames her characters give each other still annoy me, but it was a good story. Sibling rivalry, kind of Nora-Roberts-ey, but I liked it.
This was a book of short stories, but I liked how some of the stories had a common thread, and the stories were actually good. I enjoyed this much more than most of the short story collections I've read - with the exception of some of the ones from wildly popular authors.
Did not like the author's tone and feel of her commentary, but I feel she has an impressive bibliography on her story of the Americanization of Hawaii. And I was drawn in. For some reason, it never occured to me that native Hawaiians had their land whitey-fied just like Native Americans did. Yes, an obvious observation, but one I've managed to miss until now. This book left quite an impression on me.
- Mood:
cranky - Music:Criminal Minds
Jax Pavan is still being hunted by Darth Vader, this time, Lord Vader brought in the bounty hunter, Aurra Sing. While he's being hunted Jax is trying to solve a murder mystery. If I was being hunted by one of the most powerful beings in the galaxy I would probably go into hiding, but to each their own. To add more mystery and intrique to the plot, Typho, Padme's former head of security, shows up trying to solve her murder.
I spent some of the book yelling at Typho to just give it up, I know what happened if he really wanted to know. But then, I'm a weird person.
All in all, I enjoyed the book.
- Music:Adam Lambert
This is the first collection of cartoon sketches featuring Simon and his cat. It’s simple but brilliant, because he captures truly the nature of the cat. The cat reminds me of my own cat, and some of his mannerisms are so similar, that’s what I find funny.
This is a nice easy book to pass a few minutes with. Good fun!
Probably appreciated by more by cat lovers/owners but worth a look for anyone.
Simon’s Cat: Beyond The Fence by Simon Tofield
Second instalment in the adventures of Simon’s cat, who, when faced with the prospect of a bath makes his escape and vanishes off into the big wide world. Lovely way to pass a few idle minutes, having a look at the illustrations in this book. Cat ends up at a farm before deciding he’s seen enough of the world and making his way home. Very enjoyable.
MY RATINGS: 4/5 for both
- Mood:
cheerful
In 1934 Idina Sackville arrived at Claridges to meet her eldest son David whom she had last seen fifteen years earlier – when her first marriage over she had run off to Africa with another man.
“In front of her, hats bobbed past with the hiss of a whisper –she remained, it was clear, instantly recognisable. Idina tapped a cigarette on the nearest little table, slid it into her holder and looked straight ahead through the curling smoke. She was waiting for the red carnation that would tell her which man was her son”
Idina Sackville (the author’s great-grandmother) shocked society of the 20’s 30’s and 40’s by marrying and divorcing five times, taking numerous lovers, and effectively abandoning 3 children. Most of her friends, lovers and husbands lead similarly chaotic, hedonistic lives and between them they kept the newspapers and gossips going for more than 3 decades. When her first marriage ended in 1919 Idina left her two very young sons and ran away to Africa, a place she fell in love with, and would leave and return to again and again. Her third husband Josslyn Hay 22nd Earl of Errol – would some years later be the victim of the murder made famous in White Mischief by James Fox – which was also made into a film. It was with him that Idina had her third child Diana – who she later would leave in England – and not see for a dozen years. Many other well-known figures rubbed shoulders with Idina – people I feel I know from other biographical works – including Beryl Markham, Karen Blixen, Tom and Cimmie Moseley and of course Denys Finch Hatton. The Happy Valley set of which Idina was a leading light are brilliantly portrayed in all the dazzling selfishness of their bed hopping and high drama.
It is not surprising that when the author discovered the truth about her great-grandmother she was instantly captivated by her story. Therefore I do wonder how objective she was in her writing, it is obvious that the author is very close to her subject and sympathises with her enormously. Osborne tells us time and again how shocking Idina’s behaviour was, but she doesn’t ever demonise her – instead she tries to find some explanations for what she did. Idina did leave her children; she did behave rather appallingly even by today’s standards. Yet of course after all the years that have gone by since Idina died – it is hard to know exactly what made her tick. At the end of the hugely readable biography she does remain something of an enigmatic figure. Idina may well not have been as bad as much of society of the time saw her. In fact in a poignant afterword, written a few months after the initial publication of The Bolter, Frances Osborne gives yet another view of Idina – which the world had not previously seen. This does make for a great read, and I sat up very late last night to finish it – and as always with books like this I adored pouring over the photos.
First was Osprey Campaign #220: Operation Crusader 1941: Rommel in Retreat which was a pretty fair rendering of the WWII event.
Second was Osprey Raid #9: Rescuing Mussolini: Gran Sasso 1943, another WWII event, though this one was more political than military; it deals with the German raid to pull out Mussolini from the "treasonous" captivity when Italy surrendered to the Allies. The later fighting up the peninsula was primarily against German forces. This raid set a tone for special forces use that one could argue leads to the killing of Osama bin Laden...
Dark Wraith of Shannara by Terry BrooksMy rating: 3 of 5 stars
( Shannara )
Books 22 graphic novels/manga -20
- Mood: rushed
The year is 1399 and Henry Bolingbroke, unjustly robbed of his paternal inheritance, returns to England at the head of an army, deposes his cousin, King Richard II and becomes King Henry IV. His eldest son young Henry (Hal) is only twelve years old. He was very attached to Richard, living in his court and hardly knows his father, by whom he is now made Prince of Wales. At the coronation young Henry is impressed be the stature and the proud bearing of one of his father's oldest friends and chief aides in conquering the crown, Henry Percy (Hotspur), son and heir of the Earl of Northumberland and it becomes his greatest wish to assume his Welsh responsibilities under Percy's protectorship.
The year is 1400 and Richard, imprisoned in the north, is pronounced dead by voluntary starvation. This death sows seeds of doubt of the King's involvment in both Hotspur and Hal, which, when resolved, will mark the end of innocense for both.
The year is 1402 when a young Welsh petitioner called Julian presents herself before the prince and his mentor in the border town of Shrewsbury on a family grievance. Like Hal before her, she sees in Hotspur her salvation and a chance for greater deeds. Hotspur himself is charged of trying to reach a peaceful resolution to the Welsh conflict with the 'true' Prince of Wales, Owen Glendower and becomes involved with Julian, her father and a family friend and rebel, Iago Vaughn. He also makes a new Scottish friend and is trying to release his brother-in-law, Edmund Mortimer, from the Welsh captivity.
The year is 1403. King Henry gets married, trying to recover the peace of mind he has quite lost since acquiring the crown, Prince Hal is still battling with his feelings about his father, while Hotspur, upon discovering some ugly thruths about his once friend the King, decides to join the cause of his new Welsh friends and support his young nephew's claim to the throne of England.
The year is 1403. The place is the border town of Shrewsbury. Present are - King Henry IV, Prince Henry, Hotspur, Julian Hussey and former King Richard (if only in spirit). One of them faces the consequences of his actions and mistakes, while making some new ones; one makes a choice (that was never a choice in the first place); one gets a chance at a new life and dies; one learns what it means to have power.
"A Bloody Field by Shrewsbury" is a wonderful book, slow (yes, it may be said too slow at times, but it sure kicks off at the first signs of conspiracy) and descriptive, written in a language, though English, that's quite gone from this world.
The author treats these characters like people, with deep motives and emotions and ghosts (unlike Shakespeare who made them into caricatures).
The novel was written in 1972 but is might as well been written in 1872 - it feels timeless, unlike so many modern historical fiction.
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Author: Cynthia Ozick, 2010.
Genre: Period Fiction. 1950s Europe/USA. Family Drama.
Other Details: Paperback. 255 pages.
Bea Nightingale is a middle-aged teacher of English in an improvised New York borough. Since the collapse of her short-lived marriage she had settled into a rather staid life. While on her first vacation to Europe during the summer of 1952, she accepts a plea from her estranged brother to seek out her nephew, who is living in Paris, and try and convince him to return home to California. Before long Bea finds herself tangled up in the lives of her brother's family.
This was the second of my Orange 2012 short-listed books. I certainly found it elegantly written and an engaging read even if not quite the page turner that The Song of Achilles had been for me. Despite its short length it manages to encompass personal themes such as a sense of displacement within a family and society as well as wider social and political issues.
I only discovered after finishing that Ozick had written Foreign Bodies with Henry James' The Ambassadors in mind. For most of her life she has been drawn to James' work and cited The Ambassadors as her favourite of his novels. While I was not familiar with this novel, a quick look at its synopsis and I could quickly see how she had used a similar plot-line as a starting point for her own explorations of similar themes.
Overall I felt its wider social themes such as the American Dream, post-War II recovery and continuing anti-Semitism in Europe and the US as well as the stirrings of the Cold War were well realised without over-powering the family drama at the heart of the story. Given that Ozick was an adult during the 1950s, it is perhaps not surprising that the sense of detail in the setting was so well realised.
I felt that Foreign Bodies has all the hallmarks of the kind of novel that receives literary awards and so I wasn't surprised to read it was the early favourite to win this year's Orange Prize. Even if not my favourite, it is probably the one I'd also back to win.
Harry Potter: Order of the Phoenix
Harry Potter: Half Blood Prince
Harry Potter: Deathly Hallows
The Tales of Beedle The Bard
( Don't Pity The dead Harry... *Reviews Under the Cut* )
Happy Accidents – Jane Lynch
On the plus side, it’s clear this was not a ghostwritten memoir by the woman most folks know as the evil caricature Sue Sylvester on “Glee.”
And, Lynch is fairly open and candid about her life and some of her more unpleasant personality traits (starting with closeted homosexuality that eases into a general discomfort about gay folks, an alcohol addiction that may have been true alcoholism or just generalized anxiety and sadly, the musings of psychobabble that therapy talk that apparently led to the book’s title).
For the most part, though, the humor is a bit too wry and a bit too absent for the book to be funny. And learning about how Jane Lynch had to learn to love Jane Lynch does not mean you end up loving Jane Lynch.
I do love Jane Lynch, the actress. Lynch remains a hilarious performer, with comedic timing to die for, in just about everything she does.
But Jane Lynch, regular person, just doesn’t come across as someone I’d particularly want to meet for coffee the way I do Tina Fey.
That’s fine. Really. I don’t want to damage what I know unfortunately know is her sensitive self-esteem. I’d just rather watch her perform that know about her string of pals who became lifelong friends or hear her thoughts about learning to be open and trusting about her own abilities and character.
Book 14
Sex and the Kitty: A Celebrity Meowmoir – Nancy the Cat
This was a freebie given by the owners of a local bookstore on its last day. You can tell by the title it’s not exactly for deep thinkers.
And really, before I owned a cat, I doubt I would have read this. I kinda hated all the mysteries written by cats or with cats, for instance.
But you do need to have a bit of insight into some of the insane things that cats do – perfectly sane cats, otherwise – to appreciate the silliness and tongue-in-cheek humor here. Nancy is a black kitten, just a normal mutt of a cat, who aches for adventure and exploring her peoples’ British town. Then she falls hard for Mr. Kit-E-Licious, the face on the packets of cat food her people feed her, and decides she must be famous to meet him.
That’s your plot, thin and as hackneyed as every other Mr. Big ripoff. But Carrie never had the insights Nancy does. My favorite: What birds are actually saying when we hear them chirp (turns out, cats hate them because they have the following conversation every morning for hours: “Where are you?” “I’m over here” “Where?” “Over here. Are you over there?”)
So it’s silly but it has its charm. And it’s a quick read when you just need something goofy to brighten your day.
Book 15
Steak – Mark Schatzker
From Texas to Japan, Scotland to Argentina, this food writer is looking for the perfect steak and the science that makes it so.
Alas, it turns out that the road to the best flavor is something even scientists don’t understand. After predictably trying, then rejecting corn-fed bovine right out of the gate, Schatzker slowly appreciates the offerings of grass-fed cattle. Too bad, though, that the grass itself can be the problem if a hunk of meat ends up tasting, as he says, like an old “abscessed organ left in the trunk of a car sitting in a Miami parking lot for two weeks in July.
Vegan yet?
No, me neither. My childhood dinners consisted of red meat at least four times a week, sometimes more. Steak was something out of reach for my mother growing up, so she was adamant that beef in general and steak in particular would be on the menu for her kids.
But even she knew what Schatzker spends way too much time dwelling on. Sometimes, if you didn’t like the steak, you’ll have to talk to the cow.
Nursing school prepared Edie Spence for a lot of things. Burn victims? No problem. Severed limbs? Piece of cake. Vampires? No way in hell. But as the newest nurse on Y4, the secret ward hidden in the bowels of County Hospital, Edie has her hands full with every paranormal patient you can imagine—from vamps and were-things to zombies and beyond…
Edie’s just trying to learn the ropes so she can get through her latest shift unscathed. But when a vampire servant turns to dust under her watch, all hell breaks loose. Now she’s haunted by the man’s dying words—Save Anna—and before she knows it, she’s on a mission to rescue some poor girl from the undead. Which involves crashing a vampire den, falling for a zombie, and fighting for her soul. Grey’s Anatomy was never like this…
This debut urban fantasy, out next week, brings a fresh outlook to many of the stale tropes of the genre. A lot of books deal with the supernatural by making them regenerate quickly, which makes them easy to work into action, but takes away many consequences of damage, too. Alexander's world-building shines in this regard. Edie Spence works in a ward hidden beneath County Hospital where vampires can speed-up their rituals by using a ready supply of blood, or a zombie integrated with society can take a leave of absence from his day job as his flesh slowly regenerates.
Alexander also makes things real. She's a nurse. Therefore, she nails the hospital atmosphere and the peculiarities of the job. It makes that blend of the real and extraordinary all the more interesting--and educational. I may be a layman, but I love reading about the medical field, so I loved that aspect.
Edie Spence is a likeable heroine. She has a touch of snark, but the voice isn't overwhelming. Like most urban fantasy heroes, she has some darkness in her past: her older brother is a junkie, and Edie has continually scraped and sacrificed in her attempts to keep him clean. This creates some sad and frustrating moments for Edie, such as when she returns home to find her dear old brother has pawned her dining room set.
There were some elements I struggled with, or wanted to know more about; in particular, what's up with the character/entity of Grandfather, and more about the nature of the Shadows. Since there are already two more books set for release, I hope those answers will emerge in those volumes.
If you're looking for something new in urban fantasy and appreciate some medical realism, this is definitely a book you should read.
Disclaimer: I received a gratis copy of the book for reviewing purposes.
- Mood:busy
1.) A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness (205 pages) (1/5 stars - I know a lot of people liked this, but I didn't)
2.) You Against Me by Jenny Downham (413 pages) (4/5 stars - Really liked this one! I don't read too many realistic fiction unless the synopsis catches my interest.)
3.) The Future of Us by Jay Asher & Carolyn Mackler (356 pages) (5/5 stars - Amazing book, enough said!)
4.) Legend by Marie Lu (305 pages) (4/5 stars - Really liked this one.)
5.) Awake At Dawn by C.C. Hunter (390 pages) (5/5 stars - Amazing book!)
6.) Crossed by Ally Condie (367 pages) (3/5 stars - This was an okay read)
7.) Halflings by Heather Burch (288 pages) (5/5 stars - Amazing book! Can't wait for the sequel!)
8.) So Silver Bright by Lisa Mantchev (356 pages) (5/5 stars - Amazing book! Loved how this series ended!)
9.) Concealed by Sang Kromah (374 pages) (5/5 stars - This was an amazing book! I hope there is a sequel!)
Total books read: 9 books
Total pages read: 3,050 pages
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Author: Madeline Miller, 2011.
Genre: Historical Fiction. GLBT.
Other Details: Paperback. 368 pages.
Greece in the age of Heroes. Patroclus, an awkward young prince, has been exiled to Phthia to live in the shadow of King Peleus and his strong, beautiful son, Achilles. By all rights their paths should never cross, but Achilles takes the shamed prince as his friend, and as they grow into young men skilled in the arts of war and medicine, their bond blossoms into something far deeper — despite the displeasure of Achilles’s mother Thetis, a cruel sea goddess. But then word comes that Helen of Sparta has been kidnapped. Torn between love and fear for his friend, Patroclus journeys with Achilles to Troy, little knowing that the years that follow will test everything they hold dear. - synopsis from Orange Prize website.
This was the first book in the 2012 Orange Prize short-list that I chose to read for our Orange Prize reading group. Given its subject matter it is a title I probably would have read eventually so it was a natural choice to open with.
I found it a beautifully written novel and very quickly was drawn into Miller's vision of the ancient world. Her focus is consciously narrow; she is not attempting a re-telling of the Iliad but concentrating upon Achilles' life and involvement in the Trojan War through the eyes of his companion, Patroclus.
I especially appreciated the way in which Miller dealt with the presentation of gods and other mythical beings in the novel. I had no sense of Miller trying to impose 21st Century sensibilities upon this aspect and as a result the various gods, goddesses, demi-gods, nymphs and centaurs took their place in the narrative in a very natural way. They just were without any disclaimers.
A stunning début novel and I sincerely hope that with Miller's background in and love for ancient history and literature that she will write more in this vein. So far this has been my favourite of the short-list, though I don't necessarily feel it will end up in the winner's circle on the 30th.
Madeline Miller's website - contains a wealth of information about the novel.
It took me a while to get used to the very discursive style of this cop novel; I kept wanting to cut sentences. But once I adjusted, I fell in love. Dickensian: wry, compassionate.
(93)
Best American Comics 2011, edited by Alison Bechdel, Jessica Abel, and Matt Madden
A mixed bag and a delightful experience, as it is every year.
(94)
The King's Name, by Jo Walton
Had trouble putting this one down, ended up finishing it in one day (and a work day at that). Also, I love the bits and pieces of history and poetry in these tales.
(95)
Some of the Best of Tor.com 2011, edited by Patrick Nielsen Hayden and Liz Gorinsky (nook, free)
I'd read some of these stories before, and was mostly curious about how well the ebook would be designed. It was lovely - proper format, no dumb weirdnesses, and some elegant touches I haven't often seen. The stories I hadn't read ranged from decent to "husband pestering me to get out of the car already and me insisting that I needed to finish this story first."
(96)
The Demon Under the Microscope, by Thomas Hager
In-depth story of the various sulfa drug discoveries and their discoverers, in the 20s and 30s. I liked it, and the material is fascinating, but some chapters were a lot more interesting than others. Not necessarily the ones you'd expect, either - I was totally caught up by the stuff about IG Farben's formation and early business model, and much less interested by the stuff about the beginning of WW2.
(97)
A Dangerous Woman, by Sharon Rudahl with Paul Buhle and Alice Wexler
A graphic biography of Emma Goldman, drawing heavily from her own writings and letters, and those of her contemporaries. Really well done, if the teensiest bit hagiographical. It whetted my appetite more for reading Goldman's autobiography than it did for reading the author's other comics - but I'm okay with that.
(98)
- Mood:sleepy
- Music:none
Also, my story mentions this very community! After I gave birth in 2005, my brain function went kaput. I decided to take on the 50 Book Challenge in 2006, and it made an amazing difference in my life. So... thanks, 50bookchallenge! I'll be staying around for more years to come.
- Mood:
thoughtful
by Gregory McGuire
Well, I finished this book. Unfortunately that is about the best thing I can say about this book right now. I was very excited to read this book I am still excited to see the musical but I will not be finishing the series. I had such high hopes and continued to have hopes throughout the book which only goes to show how foolish I am. There was no character development and while I don't mind when authors kill their characters it seems dumb to kill someone you don't really care about and that seemed to happen over and over and over again. Oh someone died, I don't care move on lets just get through this. If I hadn't been reading this with a friend I never would have finished at all. I can not recommend this book and maybe I just really missed the point if you want to defend it I am willing to hear it and give the book a second chance but right now was just a disappointment and a waste of my time. The plot plodded along a few interesting ideas were suggested but were never realized.
Title: Dead to the World
Author: Charlaine Harris
Topics/Themes: Vampires, Supernatural, Mystery
Yet another addictive exciting book by Harris. I thought some of the plot points were a little out of left field, but ant wait to read the next one! A fun series, especially for summer.
Posted via LiveJournal app for iPad.
Title: A Red Herring without Mustard (Flavia de Luce #3)
Author: Alan Bradley
Topics/Themes:
To borrow from the book jacket, Flavia de Luce is a "Nancy Drew" filled with vim and vinegar. If you like mysteries and strong feisty young heroines, pick up this series TODAY! This is the third in the series and each is as good as, if not better than, the one before.
Posted via LiveJournal app for iPad.
Title: The Handmade Markletplace: How to Sell Your Crafts, Locally, Globally, and Online
Author: Kari Chapin
Themes/Topics: Crafting, Small Business, Marketing
As I recently started helping my friend as the manager of her candle company, I am looking for tips to make the business the best it can be. I borrowed this book from another crafter and found it to be incredibly helpful. Some of the information didn't apply, as I'm not doing the crafting and some portions of the business myself, but I found a lot of great tips for publicity and marketing that I wouldn't have thought of myself, being new to the field.
Posted via LiveJournal app for iPad.
Author/Illustrator: William Morris
Genre: Political Philosophy
Publisher: Penguin (Great Ideas imprint)
Visionary English Socialist and pioneer of the Arts and Crafts movement, William Morris argued that all work should be a source of pride and satisfaction, and that everyone should be entitled to beautiful surroundings – no matter what their class.
This was a collection of three essays – the titular Useful Work vs. Useless Toil, Gothic Architecture, and How I Became A Socialist.
The first work is the longest and outlined the changes he felt had to be made in the attitude towards work/labour. The goal of those changes would be to help create an ideal society, one in which people enjoyed doing what they did and produced goods/services that were useful.
The second is a slightly shorter essay. It’s a piece about architectural history as well as a critique of certain styles. It’s about notions of beauty and how the past can influence the present in art forms, particularly architecture. I think it’s also at least a little (it’s been a while since I read it) about beauty vs. utility.
The third essay is a concise and to-the-point piece about the author’s political views and how and why he modified them when he felt he had to.
I took this from the library because I was intrigued by both the title and the little blurb, such as it was (the same one in italics above). Glancing at his Wikipedia entry, among other sites, it looks like Morris was an interesting figure and someone I may read more of.
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wendymypooh : 50 Book Challenge Books 26-30 [+0] - sarahmichigan : Books #21 & 22 [+0]
- ereini0n : Book #18: "The Sunne in Splendour" by Sharon Kay Penman [+0]
muse_books : Book 54-55: The Bees and The Girl Who Chased the Moon [+2]
- zoemajik : Book #50!: 50 Book Challenge 2012 [+0]
- zoemajik : Book #49: 50 Book Challenge 2012 [+0]
- zoemajik : Book #48: 50 Book Challenge 2012 [+0]
- zoemajik : Book #47: 50 Book Challenge 2012 [+0]
- zoemajik : Book #46: 50 Book Challenge 2012 [+0]
- zoemajik : Book #45: 50 Book Challenge 2012 [+0]
- cornerofmadness : Book 43 [+0]
- steph_moyer : 50 Book Challenge: Book Thirty [+0]
- momentsofbeing4 : Books 6 & 7 - Simon's Cat and Simon's Cat: Beyond The Fence by Simon Tofield [+1]
- heaven_ali : #52 The Bolter - Frances Osborne (2008) [+1]
- mycroftca : (no subject) [+0]
- cornerofmadness : book 42 [+0]
- ereini0n : Book #17: "A Bloody Field by Shrewsbury" by Edith Pargeter [+0]
- agent0355 : Books 7-10 [+0]
- scoopgirl : Books 13-15 [+0]
- slimequeen : #33: Nightshifted (book 1) by Cassie Alexander [+0]
- crimsonstar86 : Books 1-9 : January [+2]
- maribou : Some Red King's Comics Under Woman [+0]
- slimequeen : #32: Chicken Soup for the Soul: Boost Your Brain Power! by Dr. Marie Pasinski, et al [+0]
- kat_merle : Wicked [+8]
- ardaigle : Book 15 [+0]
- ardaigle : Book 14 [+0]
- ardaigle : (no subject) [+0]
- parisiennepen : Book #8: Useful Work vs. Useless Toil by William Morris [+0]
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