Paisley Hedgehog Posted December 17, 2013 Share Posted December 17, 2013 . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ladydusk Posted December 17, 2013 Share Posted December 17, 2013 And, these ladies are gracious to a reader like me who sometimes takes weeks and weeks to get through a book like Wolf Hall or, as I did in the summer, Pilgrim at Tinker Creek. At least I still like Wolf Hall. If I work at it, I should finish today. I usually read half an hour or so before bed, a chapter or two a day gets through a lot of books. I won't reach 52 this year either, but they let me play along anyway. Just talk about books <3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacia Posted December 17, 2013 Share Posted December 17, 2013 As for reading time, I watch almost no tv. Didn't think to mention that initially because I have never been a big tv watcher, so it doesn't usually occur to me to mention it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luckymama Posted December 17, 2013 Share Posted December 17, 2013 I'm sure this has been asked numerous times, but I'll add my name to the list of the curious. ;) Would those of you who read several books a week care to share how you find the time? How many hours a day do you read? Do you actively homeschool or are your children using independent programs? Maybe I'm just a slow reader! ;) Thanks! (1) I only have one child at home now. I actively work with her on maths, sciences, and history. I have outsourced English this year. (2) I usually have one meatier book (nonfiction---science or history usually) going while I read through multiple lighter fiction books (I like suspense, military/police/law, some mysteries, and contemporary romance). (3) I don't watch tv. Ever. I do play/read online in spurts during the day. (4) I read with my coffee, during our lunch break, and before bed. (5) I carry my Kindle wherever I go. I read while I wait to pick up dd from events. I read waiting for appointments. I read during intermissions lol. (6) I have an awesome library system. I can get almost every book I might want to read, either as a physical copy or an ebook. I keep the library website open while I read this thread so that I can easily request books! (7) I read a lot (a lot) during the summer, including everything dd might read for the school year. I get through a ton of nonfiction then. I'm not sure how many hours a day I read. It ranges from 1 hour to 8 hours (snow days!). I do read very quickly. Goodreads tells me I've read 167 books this year, but I have 14+ pages of uncategorized books on my Kindle, which means I've read at least 140 more books :eek: After I enter an ebook into Goodreads, I move it to the appropriate Kindle folder. I'm much better at keeping on top of physical books because those have to be driven back to the library :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
melmichigan Posted December 17, 2013 Share Posted December 17, 2013 I AM FINISHED. WOO HOO!!!! I read 52 books. I read a book from each section of the dewey decimal system. I read a book by an author from each continent. I still have a few more books to finish up but I completed all my challenges so I am excited. :) Congrats. I wimped out this year on the dewey decimal system challenge so I give you lots of kudos for finishing that one! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Violet Crown Posted December 17, 2013 Share Posted December 17, 2013 Would those of you who read several books a week care to share how you find the time? How many hours a day do you read? Do you actively homeschool or are your children using independent programs? Many of us don't read several books a week, of course; I've always understood the heart of the 52 Books Challenge to be setting our own reading goals, holding ourselves accountable (sometimes I'll be watching my Columbo reruns and thinking guiltily, "What would Jane and Stacia think?"), and sharing our book journeys with other moms who like to read. My personal goal is 26 books a year, because that's what I can do and still deal with life. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mumto2 Posted December 17, 2013 Share Posted December 17, 2013 After reading other's comments I want to add a couple more thoughts on completing multiple books in a week. My Goodread's account really has helped me in so many ways. First it helps me keep track of where I am in multiple books. Lack of progress in one tends to stick out and I believe I am getting far better at abandoning the blah ones. Which ultimately means I read the others quicker. The count there has also kept me motivated. A side benefit is I keep track of dd easily now with Goodreads. She posts her "want to reads" and I can source them when I have time. Really easy. This thread has also really inspired me to read different things. I think I have added "the different" on top of my old usual which has been great and has probably upped the count. :lol: I have also found some great new paranormal and mystery writers which is my norm so things have been a bit more fun. I have no idea how many books I read in 2012 but I do know I have really enjoyed what I read this past year. A large part is due to this thread. So thank you to everyone here, especially to Robin for keeping us organized. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heather in Neverland Posted December 17, 2013 Share Posted December 17, 2013 Congrats. I wimped out this year on the dewey decimal system challenge so I give you lots of kudos for finishing that one! It was definitely challenging and I read many books that I normally wouldn't choose. Some were good and some were NOT. Honestly, I think my only challenge for next year is to borrow as many or more books as I buy. I spend way too much money on books. But I can get many of them through the library if I am willing to wait which I generally am not. :) So this year my goal is to be more patient or look for free books on amazon , etc. Any way to get books free or cheap. My dh will be happy! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jane in NC Posted December 17, 2013 Share Posted December 17, 2013 Shoot, I started with a bedside pile and now a whole new full bookshelf has appeared beside the bed. :o I have the bedside bookcase and a nightstand holding books. The piles are overflow. My books need better birth control. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jane in NC Posted December 17, 2013 Share Posted December 17, 2013 Many of us don't read several books a week, of course; I've always understood the heart of the 52 Books Challenge to be setting our own reading goals, holding ourselves accountable (sometimes I'll be watching my Columbo reruns and thinking guiltily, "What would Jane and Stacia think?"), and sharing our book journeys with other moms who like to read. My personal goal is 26 books a year, because that's what I can do and still deal with life. Um....Have I ever told you about my Project Runway addiction? I don't watch it for the drama, but rather for the pattern making. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LostSurprise Posted December 17, 2013 Share Posted December 17, 2013 I think the 'How can you read so many???' questions come up a lot at this time of year because some of us are proud of meeting our goals (and at this time of year the list looks really long). The important thing is not how many you read. It's being part of a community that encourages, supports, and celebrates reading. Often we don't have anyone to do that IRL. Any goals are personal goals. Not having goals can be a part of your goals. ;) Years are going to be different. I've had years where I was lucky to read 10 (and reading has always been an important part of my life) and other years where I'm over 100. I'm actually looking at my list right now wondering how I managed that many this year! I must have had a few good spurts in Spring or Summer. Like any thing we do, the more we read, the more we want to read, the more we find a way to read. We're just here to support each other. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
-M- Posted December 17, 2013 Share Posted December 17, 2013 Thought this crowd would appreciate the following: The Misses and I were quick to back the Veronica Mars Movie Project on Kickstarter. We’ve already re-watched all three seasons in anticipation of the March 14 movie opening. (The complete series on DVD was one of our backer premiums.) Although we don’t think it will open near us, we are looking forward to the digital copy and the DVD (more premiums). And the Misses wear their t-shirts (another premium) proudly. What fun to know that we had participated in this record-breaking campaign! It was with no small twinge of annoyance, then, that we read the assertion that the campaign was “a flukeâ€: For over 70 percent of the fans that donated, this was their first Kickstarter project they funded. Over 50 percent of the fans had joined Kickstarter specifically to donate to this project. More than half of them were women, and they’re unlikely to ever contribute to a campaign again, as Kickstarter has an incredible gender disparity—77 percent of users are men. While the Veronica Mars Movie Project was certainly the reason that we joined Kickstarter, we are not averse to throwing our money at other worthwhile projects. So when (speaking of flukes!) Moby Dick or, the card game came along, that’s just what we did. Late last week, we received the postcards, bag, and game that were our backer premiums. Excellent concept. Beautiful design. We plan to play over our long winter break, so a review will follow. Have you contributed to a crowdsourced project? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
melmichigan Posted December 17, 2013 Share Posted December 17, 2013 Dream of You (A Laurel Heights Novel), book five in the series, is free on Kindle right now. I just downloaded my copy. I have enjoyed the series to date, based on the others I'm expecting a nice fluffy read for those looking for something simple without spending any more pennies. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jane in NC Posted December 17, 2013 Share Posted December 17, 2013 Have you contributed to a crowdsourced project? Kickstarter is one of the family addictions from which we have received a number of very cool premiums over the years. One of the first projects that I backed several years ago was a book on Punk Mathematics which never got off the ground. That is the risk of crowd sourcing. But I look forward to putting Elves and Orcs playing cards in stockings this year: As well as Steampunk Cthulhu playing cards: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
-M- Posted December 17, 2013 Share Posted December 17, 2013 #99 Death at Sea World (David Kirby; 2012. 480 pages. Non-fiction.)#98 The Importance of Being Earnest (Oscar Wilde; 1895 / 1990. 64 pages. Drama.) I will likely finish Ruta's memoir, With or Without You, before this year's BaW ends, and maybe even Cain's Quiet (finally!). Read in 2013: ■Death at Sea World (David Kirby; 2012. 480 pages. Non-fiction.)■The Importance of Being Earnest (Oscar Wilde; 1895 / 1990. 64 pages. Drama.) ■Early Decision: Based on a True Frenzy (Lacy Crawford; 2013. 304 pages. Fiction.)■You’re Next (Gregg Hurwitz; 2011. 560 pages. Fiction.)■The Glass Menagerie (Tennessee Williams; 1944 / 1990. 104 pages. Drama.)■Death of a Salesman (Arthur Miller; 1949 / 1996. 448 pages. Drama.) *■Troy (Adele Geras; 2001. 352 pages. Fiction.)■The Financial Lives of the Poets (Jess Walters; 2009. 320 pages. Fiction.)■Debt-Free U (Zac Bissonnette; 2010. 290 pages. Non-fiction.)■Colleges That Change Lives (Loren Pope; 2006. 382 pages. Non-fiction.)■UnSouled (Neal Shusterman; 2013. 404 pages. Fiction.)■Drama High (Michael Sokolove; 2013. 338 pages. Non-fiction.)■An Iliad (Lisa Peterson and Denis O’Hare; 2013. 55 pages. Drama.)■The Iliad (Homer (translated by Stephen Mitchell); 2011. 466 pages. Poetry.)■The Human Story (James C. Davis; 2004. 466 pages. Non-fiction.)■Fair Weather (Richard Peck; 2003. 146 pages. Fiction.) *■Divergent (Veronica Roth; 2011. 496 pages. Fiction.)■Why Read Moby Dick? (Nathaniel Philbrick; 2011. 144 pages. Non-fiction.)■The Little Prince (Antoine de Saint-Exupéry; 1971 ed. 112 pages. Fiction.)■A Year Down Yonder (Richard Peck; 2000. 130 pages. Fiction.) *■Come Closer (Sara Gran; 2003. 168 pages. Fiction.)■Moby Dick; or, The Whale (Herman Melville (1851); Alma Books ed. 2013. 712 pages. Fiction.)■Richard II (William Shakespeare (1595); Folger ed. 2005. 352 pages. Drama.)■Alex (Pierre Lemaitre; 2013. 384 pages. Fiction.)■Cyrano de Bergerac (Edmond Rostand (1898); Bantam ed. 1950. 240 pages. Drama.)■King Lear (William Shakespeare (1605); Folger ed. 2005. 384 pages. Drama.)■The Returned (Jason Mott; 2013. 352. pages. Fiction.)■Lowboy (John Wray; 2009. 272. pages. Fiction.)■The Merry Wives of Windsor (William Shakespeare (1597?); Folger ed. 2004. 320 pages. Drama.)■The Gift of an Ordinary Day: A Mother’s Memoir (Katrina Kenison; 2009. 320. pages. Non-fiction.)■The Amateurs (Marcus Sakey; 2009. 400. pages. Fiction.)■Physics for Future Presidents: The Science Behind the Headlines (Richard A. Muller; 2009. 384. pages. Non-fiction.)■Letters to a Young Scientist (Edward O. Wilson; 2013. 256 pages. Non-fiction.)■Evil Eye: Four Novellas of Love Gone Wrong (Joyce Carol Oates; 2013. 224 pages. Fiction.)■Gone with the Wind (Margaret Mitchell (1936); Anniversary ed. 2011. 960 pages. Fiction.) *■A Short History of the United States: From the Arrival of Native American Tribes to the Obama Presidency (Robert V. Remini; 2009. 416 pages. Non-fiction.)■Othello (William Shakespeare (1603); Folger ed. 2003. 368 pages. Drama.) *■Hamlet (William Shakespeare (1603); Folger ed. 2003. 342 pages. Drama.) *■A Long Way from Chicago (Richard Peck; 1998. 192 pages. Fiction.) *■The Husband’s Secret (Liane Moriarty; 2013. 416 pages. Fiction.)■Kiss Me First (Lottie Moggach; 2013. 320 pages. Fiction.)■The Silent Wife (A.S.A. Harrison; 2013. 336 pages. Fiction.)■The Comedy of Errors (William Shakespeare (1594); Folger ed. 2004. 272. pages. Drama.) *■The Metamorphosis (Franz Kafka (1915); Bantam ed. 1972. 201 pages. Fiction.) *■The Storyteller (Jodi Picoult; 2013. 480 pages. Fiction.)■Kill Shakespeare: Volume 2 (Conor McCreery; 2011. 148 pages. Graphic fiction.)■The Dinner (Herman Koch; 2013. 304 pages. Fiction.)■We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves (Karen Joy Fowler; 2013. 320 pages. Fiction.)■Macbeth (William Shakespeare (1606); Folger ed. 2003. 272 pages. Drama.) *■Run, Brother, Run: A Memoir of a Murder in My Family (David Berg; 2013. 272 pages. Non-fiction.)■NOS4A2 (Joe Hill; 2013. 704 pages. Fiction.)■Shakespeare Saved My Life: Ten Years in Solitary with the Bard (Linda Bates; 2013. 304 pages. Non-fiction.)■Cast of Shadows (Kevin Guilfoile; 2006. 319 pages. Fiction.)■Letters to a Young Poet (Rainer Maria Rilke; ed. 1986. 128 pages. Non-fiction.) *■Much Ado about Nothing (William Shakespeare (1599); Folger ed. 2003. 246 pages. Drama.) *■Animal Man, Vol. 2 (Jeff Lemire; 2012. 176 pages. Graphic fiction.)■So Much for That (Lionel Shriver; 2011. 480 pages. Fiction.)■Life Itself (Roger Ebert; 2011. 448 pages. Memoir.)■Saga, Vol. 2 (Brian Vaughn; 2013. 144 pages. Graphic fiction.)■Animal Man, Vol. 1 (Jeff Lemire; 2012. 144 pages. Graphic fiction.)■Very Good, Jeeves (P.G. Wodehouse; ed. 2006. 304 pages. Fiction.)■The 5th Wave (Rick Yancey; 2013. 480 pages. Fiction.)■Richard III (William Shakespeare (1592); Folger ed. 2005. 352 pages. Drama.) *■Give Me Everything You Have: On Being Stalked (James Lansdun; 2013. 224 pages. Non-fiction.)■Harvest (A.J. Lieberman; 2013. 128 pages. Graphic fiction.)■The Guilty One (Lisa Ballantyne; 2013. 480 pages. Fiction.)■Two or Three Things I Forgot to Tell You (Joyce Carol Oates; 2013. 288 pages. Fiction.)■Dare Me (Megan Abott; 2012. 304 pages. Fiction.)■The Gaslight Effect: How to Spot and Survive the Hidden Manipulation Others Use to Control Your Life (Robin Stern; 2007. 288 pages. Non-fiction.)■Henry VIII (William Shakespeare (1613); Folger ed. 2007. 352 pages. Drama.)■The Great Gatsby (F. Scott Fitzgerald; 1925/1980. 182 pages. Fiction.) *■Attachments (Rainbow Rowell; 2011. 336 pages. Fiction.)■Reconstructing Amelia (Kimberly McCreight; 2013. 400 pages. Fiction.)■The Autobiography of Henry VIII: With Notes by His Fool, Will Somers (Margaret George; 1998. 960 pages. Fiction.)■Picasso and Chicago: 100 Years, 100 Works (Stephanie D’Alessandro; 2013. 112 pages. Non-fiction.)■Measure for Measure (William Shakespeare (1603); Folger ed. 2005. 288 pages. Drama.)■Wave (Sonali Deraniyagala; 2013. 240 pages. Memoir.)■The Diving Bell and the Butterfly: A Memoir of Life in Death (Jean-Dominique Bauby; 1998. 131 pages. Autobiography.)■The Undead: Organ Harvesting, the Ice-Water Test, Beating-Heart Cadavers (Dick Teresi; 2012. 368 pages. Non-fiction.)■Human .4 (Mike A. Lancaster; 2011. 240 pages. YA fiction.)■Warm Bodies (Isaac Marion; 2011. 256 pages. Fiction.)■The Underwater Welder (Jeff Lemire; 2012. 224 pages. Graphic fiction.)■After Visiting Friends: A Son’s Story (Michael Hainey; 2013. 320 pages. Non-fiction.)■Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep (Philip K. Dick; 1968. 256 pages. Fiction.) *■Accelerated (Bronwen Hruska; 2012. 288 pages. Fiction.)■The Catcher in the Rye (J.D. Salinger; 1951. 288 pages. Fiction.) *■Flowers for Algernon (Daniel Keyes; 1966. 324 pages. Fiction.) *■Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet (Jamie Ford; 2009. 301 pages. Fiction.)■Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress (Dai Sijie; 2002. 104 pages. Fiction.)■Revival, Vol. 1 (Tim Seeley; 2012. 128 pages. Graphic fiction.)■Saga, Vol. 1 (Brian K. Vaughan; 2012. 160 pages. Graphic fiction.)■La Bohème: Black Dog Opera Library (2005. 144 pages. Libretto, history, and commentary.)■The 13 Clocks (James Thurber (1950); 2008. 136 pages. Fiction.)■Brain on Fire: My Month of Madness (Susannah Cahalan; 2012. 288 pages. Non-fiction.)■Julius Caesar (William Shakespeare (1599); Folger ed. 2003. 288 pages. Drama.) *■Don’t Turn Around (Michelle Gagnon; 2012. 320 pages. Fiction.)■Fatal Friends, Deadly Neighbors (Ann Rule; 2012. 544 pages. Non-fiction.)■Daddy Love (Joyce Carol Oates; 2013. 240 pages. Fiction.)■Life after Death (Damien Echols; 2012. 416 pages. Non-fiction.) * Denotes a reread Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kareni Posted December 17, 2013 Share Posted December 17, 2013 Can someone 'splain to me one of Life's Mysteries? Among my challenges this year was that of the "Dusty Book". Looking at my list, I see that I read eight of the dusties that had been in a bedside pile. (Note: single bedside pile.) So how is it that I now have two bedside piles? Just what kind of shenanigans are going on here? I think books mate when the lights are out. Just like dust bunnies do. Regards, Kareni Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tullia Posted December 17, 2013 Share Posted December 17, 2013 I had to fit reading time into the corners of my days last week and changed my plans. Books completed for Week Fifty: The Secret Holocaust Diaries (Nonna Bannister) which was far less depressing than I'd feared. 19 Lessons on Tea (I am, of course, referring to a book about the brewed beverage...not the specialized idiom sometimes used on the forum. ;) ) I also re-read an old Sci-Fi favorite collection of short stories, Fragile and Distant Suns by Poul Anderson. This week, I'm trying to be more realistic and limiting myself to one book: The Judgment of Paris (The Revolutionary Decade that Gave the World Impressionism) by Ross King. I'm not far enough into the book to be sure, but am thinking this might be a good book to put on a high school reading list. It could also be used as a source for illustrating many of the techniques used in the progymnasmata. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kareni Posted December 17, 2013 Share Posted December 17, 2013 Last night I finished Love Overdue by Pamela Morsi. It's a contemporary romance featuring a librarian in a small town. It was a fun read. From Booklist*Starred Review* Dorothy Jarrow, aka D.J., leaves her job working for the director from hell to accept a position as director of a small Kansas library. The building, a beautiful Carnegie library, is dark, dated, and disorganized. It comes with a motley crew: Amos, the depressed bookmobile driver; James, a silent young man with Asperger’s syndrome who has an unsettling ability to disappear into the stacks; Suzy, a perky clerk; and seriously disgruntled Amelia Grundler. Fortunately, D.J. doesn’t have to worry about housing right away because the library board chair, Viv Sanderson, has offered her a room in her home. But Viv has plans for D.J. that have nothing to do with the library: Viv wants a wife for her pharmacist son, Scott. The now buttoned-up D.J., however, recognizes him as the man with whom she shared a hot, one-night stand years ago. Morsi provides lots of humor, including library-specific jokes, such as Dewey Decimal–based chapter headings (“129.9 Origin and Destiny of Individual Soulsâ€). In this nearly perfect snapshot of a close-knit, gossipy, rural town at wheat-harvest time, former librarian Morsi once again proves that she is one of romance’s top authors. --Shelley Mosley Regards, Kareni Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jane in NC Posted December 17, 2013 Share Posted December 17, 2013 I think books mate when the lights are out. Just like dust bunnies do. Regards, Kareni So that explains my house. Too many books and too many dust bunnies. Is this the price we pay for conservation? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mumto2 Posted December 17, 2013 Share Posted December 17, 2013 Sounds like a fun one! Even better the e library has it. :) Last night I finished Love Overdue by Pamela Morsi. It's a contemporary romance featuring a librarian in a small town. It was a fun read. From Booklist *Starred Review* Dorothy Jarrow, aka D.J., leaves her job working for the director from hell to accept a position as director of a small Kansas library. The building, a beautiful Carnegie library, is dark, dated, and disorganized. It comes with a motley crew: Amos, the depressed bookmobile driver; James, a silent young man with Asperger’s syndrome who has an unsettling ability to disappear into the stacks; Suzy, a perky clerk; and seriously disgruntled Amelia Grundler. Fortunately, D.J. doesn’t have to worry about housing right away because the library board chair, Viv Sanderson, has offered her a room in her home. But Viv has plans for D.J. that have nothing to do with the library: Viv wants a wife for her pharmacist son, Scott. The now buttoned-up D.J., however, recognizes him as the man with whom she shared a hot, one-night stand years ago. Morsi provides lots of humor, including library-specific jokes, such as Dewey Decimal–based chapter headings (“129.9 Origin and Destiny of Individual Soulsâ€). In this nearly perfect snapshot of a close-knit, gossipy, rural town at wheat-harvest time, former librarian Morsi once again proves that she is one of romance’s top authors. --Shelley Mosley Regards, Kareni Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacia Posted December 17, 2013 Share Posted December 17, 2013 Jane & Mental multivitamin, so very cool about your Kickstarter stuff. Are there any particular terms you search for on there to find things of interest (i.e., literary stuff), or how did you go about discovering these campaigns in the first place? I would love to know a little more.... Have you contributed to a crowdsourced project? Yes, but on Indiegogo (& nothing related to literary stuff).... I helped fun the Kite Patch campaign. I really hope they're on to something & have developed a way to help stop the spread of malaria & a way to prevent mosquito bites in the first place. (I have severe reactions to mosquito bites, so this is something near & dear to my own heart.) Looking foward to getting our patches sometime down the road (after the field testing & EPA approval). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacia Posted December 17, 2013 Share Posted December 17, 2013 Many of us don't read several books a week, of course; I've always understood the heart of the 52 Books Challenge to be setting our own reading goals, holding ourselves accountable (sometimes I'll be watching my Columbo reruns and thinking guiltily, "What would Jane and Stacia think?"), and sharing our book journeys with other moms who like to read. My personal goal is 26 books a year, because that's what I can do and still deal with life. :lol: Ah, but see, I love Peter Falk! I have not seen Columbo in years & years. (Btw, did you see Peter Falk channeling Sam Spade in the movie Murder by Death? :thumbup1: ) Besides, when you're doing that, I'm probably busy reading The Daily Mail or People. :huh: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
welovetoread Posted December 17, 2013 Share Posted December 17, 2013 Okay, Winter's Tale is in my book bin. Its a big book, will probably take me until June to finish it :P Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jane in NC Posted December 17, 2013 Share Posted December 17, 2013 Jane & Mental multivitamin, so very cool about your Kickstarter stuff. Are there any particular terms you search for on there to find things of interest (i.e., literary stuff), or how did you go about discovering these campaigns in the first place? I would love to know a little more.... The things that I have funded I have often found by just looking around the Kickstarter site. You can search by category--there is publishing for example. My husband has favorite comic artists that he regularly helps. Perks often include autographed books. Cheap Ass games makes some nice products that they fund through Kickstarter. I am giving a copy of Deadwood Studios (the game of acting badly) as a gift this year. Because we have sponsored several of their games, they usually contact us when they are about to do a launch through Kickstarter. I mentioned one of our negative experiences, the Punk Mathematics book. That was a shoulder shrug for me--I was happy to help fund a mathematics grad student for a bit. The worse case though was The Doom that Came to Atlantic City, a Lovecraftian sort of Monopoly game. There were all sorts of legal issues initially and then it boils down to controversy--like others I think there was fraud involved. The bottom line is that one should read through the materials carefully and recognize that products are not always delivered in a timely fashion. There are some film makers that I have helped when they were editing a project. Their films had a good track record previously so it was easy to know that they would come through. Folks who are untested are gambles. But it is the untested who often need a break. By the way, I often search for projects near me. Sometimes Kickstarter's premiums involve theater tickets or something that locals can do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacia Posted December 17, 2013 Share Posted December 17, 2013 Hey, completely off topic but touching on some of our recent conversations, here's a Kickstarter campaign I just read about on the Daily Mail website: The T-shirt that's IMPOSSIBLE to stain: Student invents top that resists Coke, ketchup and even red wine: Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2525274/Student-invents-Silic-T-shirt-thats-impossible-stain.html#ixzz2nm71ySoc (Hey, it could be useful to bibliophiles like us who may slouch in chairs while drinking & reading & are paying more attention to the book than to the drink... right...??? Ask me how I know. :o :001_rolleyes: :lol: ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ladydusk Posted December 17, 2013 Share Posted December 17, 2013 Wolf Hall! I finished, I finished, I finished! Yay! I feel accomplished :) Book Reviews1. The White Horse King: The Life of Alfred the Great by Benjamin Merkle2. Publish and Perish by Sally S Wright (reread)3. Pride and Predator by Sally S Wright (reread)4. Pursuit and Persuasion by Sally S Wright5. Out of the Ruins by Sally S Wright6. The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry7. Watches of the Night by Sally S Wright8. Code of Silence by Sally S Wright9. Pinocchio by Carlo Collodi10. The Secret Thoughts of an Unlikely Convert by Rosaria Butterfield (excellent)11. Unnatural Death by Dorothy Sayers12. Emil and the Detectives by Erich Kästner13.The Unpleasantness at the Bellona Club by Dorothy Sayers14. The Devil on Lammas Night by Susan Howatch (reread)15. The Pemberley Chronicles by Rebecca Ann Collins16. The Little Way of Ruthie Leming by Rod Dreher (very very good)17. The Exact Place: a memoir by Margie L Haack18. Lord Peter Views The Body by Dorothy L Sayers19. Strong Poison by Dorothy L. Sayers20. Jane and Prudence by Barbara Pym21. Men of Iron by Howard Pyle (audio book)22. Runaway Ralph by Beverly Cleary (audio book)23. No Fond Return of Love by Barbara Pym24. How to Teach Your Children Shakespeare by Ken Ludwig25. Brat Farrar by Josephine Tey26. Tending the Heart of Virtue by Vigen Guroian27. Covenant Child by Terri Blackstock28. Shadow in Serenity by Terri Blackstock29. The Five Red Herrings by Dorothy L Sayers30. Alexander and the Wonderful, Marvelous, Excellent, Terrific Ninety Days by Judith Viorst31. Pilgrim at Tinker Creek by Annie Dillard32. Have His Carcase by Dorothy L Sayers33. Leonardo and the Last Supper by Ross King34. Hangman's Holiday by Dorothy L Sayers35. The Swiss Family Robinson by Johann R Wyss (audio book)36. Holy is the Day by Carolyn Weber (Book of the year. Fantastic)37. The Tanglewoods' Secret by Patricia St. John (Audio Book)38. Murder Must Advertise by Dorothy L Sayers39. Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card40. Man of the Family by Ralph Moody (Family Read Aloud)41. Treasures of the Snow by Patricia St. John42. The Black Moth by Georgette Heyer43. False Colours by Georgette Heyer44. The Hobbit by J.R.R Tolkien (audio book, reread)45.Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LostSurprise Posted December 18, 2013 Share Posted December 18, 2013 The worse case though was The Doom that Came to Atlantic City, a Lovecraftian sort of Monopoly game. There were all sorts of legal issues initially and then it boils down to controversy--like others I think there was fraud involved. The bottom line is that one should read through the materials carefully and recognize that products are not always delivered in a timely fashion. There are some film makers that I have helped when they were editing a project. Their films had a good track record previously so it was easy to know that they would come through. Folks who are untested are gambles. But it is the untested who often need a break. Is that the one where the woman running it had a really bizarre mental breakdown? There are incredibly long threads about that on boardgamegeek, and dh and I were just talking about it the other day. (It's the morality tale of how bad Kickstarter can get.) Dh got a few Kickstarted games this year; Compounded (chemistry/lab game) and Wok Star (running a Chinese restaurant). At least those are the ones I know about. ;) Winter's Tale should be a great January book for those considering it. I read it a few years ago, in the winter. Fairy tales and magical realism are great in January. Must be all the snow. I think I'll stay up and finish The Night Journal tonight. Only 100 pages to go and everyone's sleeping early. So far it makes me want to know more about the Harvey Girls, Bandelier, the Pecos Pueblos, and Cabeza de Vaca. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mumto2 Posted December 18, 2013 Share Posted December 18, 2013 After much discussion about which one to read I finished Georgette Heyer's Talisman Ring. I quite enjoyed it. :) I had to laugh because I have waited at least three weeks for my hold on Cotillion to arrive. Last night when I went to download it I got a already in your kindle library message, it must have been free at some point. Anyway I could have easily started with Cotillion apparently. Oh, well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jane in NC Posted December 18, 2013 Share Posted December 18, 2013 Is that the one where the woman running it had a really bizarre mental breakdown? There are incredibly long threads about that on boardgamegeek, and dh and I were just talking about it the other day. (It's the morality tale of how bad Kickstarter can get.) Dh got a few Kickstarted games this year; Compounded (chemistry/lab game) and Wok Star (running a Chinese restaurant). At least those are the ones I know about. ;) The sad thing about The Doom that Came to Atlantic City is that its creators appear to be innocent parties. Another guy was functioning as its producer. He is the flim flam man who ran the Kickstarter campaign and then ran. Cryptozoic Entertainment has come to the rescue and is producing the game going as far as to send Kickstarter supporters a copy. This as a good will gesture even though Crypotozoic will never see the Kickstarter funds! Which just goes to show that some people in the universe try hard to do the right thing and make up for the misdeeds of others. (Of course, a little good will in the gaming community can go far.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted December 18, 2013 Share Posted December 18, 2013 I read #41. Gaiman's Ocean at the End of the Lane. I felt like it was too short and would have liked to see everything developed a lot more. And then the ending kind of confused me, but I won't post spoilers. I am reading #42. Cinnamon and Gunpowder and enjoying it. I am also reading #43. Flawless: Inside the Largest Diamond Heist in History. That one needs to pick up the pace a bit. I read Game of Thrones a few weeks ago and said I wouldn't continue the series, but I found myself thinking about the characters last night as I was drifting off to sleep, and might pick up the second one, lol. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JennW in SoCal Posted December 18, 2013 Share Posted December 18, 2013 I think I'll stay up and finish The Night Journal tonight. Only 100 pages to go and everyone's sleeping early. So far it makes me want to know more about the Harvey Girls, Bandelier, the Pecos Pueblos, and Cabeza de Vaca. Those names alone are powerfully evocative for me as I grew up in New Mexico. It really is a magical place. Adding Night Journal to my reading wishlist! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Onceuponatime Posted December 18, 2013 Share Posted December 18, 2013 I'm currently reading The Narrative of Arthur Gordon Pym so I can get my Antarctica read in before the 31st. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hoot Posted December 18, 2013 Share Posted December 18, 2013 I just finished Hannah's Dream by Diane Hammond. It was so beautiful. I really don't cry easily or often, but I cried at the end. A lot. I want to read the sequel, Friday's Harbor, but I think I need a bit of a buffer between the two. Can't have people thinking I'm a complete drippy sobbing mess. :unsure: Next up, The Ghosts of Evolution: Nonsensical Fruit, Missing Partners, and Other Ecological Anachronisms by Connie Barlow. Completed So Far1. Best Friends by Samantha Glen2. Wesley the Owl by Stacey O'Brien3. The Gift of Pets: Stories Only a Vet Could Tell by Bruce Coston4. Nim Chimpsky: The Chimp Who Would Be Human by Elizabeth Hess5. Last Chance to See by Douglas Adams & Mark Carwardine6. Confessions of a Prairie Bitch by Alison Arngrim7. Beowulf by Seamus Heaney8. The Odyssey by Homer (Fagles translation)9. The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield10. The Year of Learning Dangerously: Adventures in Homeschooling by Quinn Cummings11. Neither Here Nor There by Bill Bryson12. Anne of Green Gables by L. M. Montgomery13. Tales of an African Vet by Dr. Roy Aronson14. Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children15. The Romanovs: The Final Chapter by Robert K. Massie16. Kisses From Katie by Katie Katie Davis17. Iguanas for Dummies by Melissa Kaplan18. The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald19. Zoo by James Patterson20. St. Lucy's School for Girls Raised by Wolves by Karen Russell21. Russian Tortoises in Captivity by Jerry D. Fife22. Leopard Geckos for Dummies by Liz Palika23. The 8th Confession by James Patterson24. Leopard Geckos: Caring for Your New Pet by Casey Watkins25. The Ultimate Guide to Leopard Geckos by Phoenix Hayes Simmons26. 9th Judgement by James Patterson27. 10th Anniversary by James Patterson28. 11th Hour by James Patterson29. 12th of Never by James Patterson 30. The Geography of Bliss: One Grump's Search for the Happiest Places in the World by Eric Weiner31. Chasing Science at Sea: Racing Hurricanes, Stalking Sharks, and Living Undersea With Ocean Experts by Ellen J. Prager32. Dolphin Mysteries: Unlocking the Secrets of Communication by Kathleen M. Dudzinski & Toni Frohoff33. The Greeening by S. Brubaker34. No Touch Monkey! by Ayun Halliday35. Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl 36. Beating Dyspraxia with a Hop, Skip, and a Jump by Geoff Platt 37. Long Walk to Freedom by Nelson Mandela 38. Traveling With Pomegranates by Sue Monk Kidd and Ann Kidd Taylor 39. The Stranger by Albert Camus 40. Two Gentlemen of Verona by William Shakespeare 41. Shakespeare: The World a Stage by Bill Bryson 42. Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston 43. Gulliver's Travels by Jonathan Swift 44. How to Read Literature Like a Professor by Thomas C. Foster 45. Brain Power: Improve Your Mind as You Age by Michael J. Gelb and Kelly Howell 46. Fight Club by Chuck Palahniuk 47. Animal Farm by George Orwell 48. Carrie by Stephen King 49. Deconstructing Penguins by Lawrence and Nancy Goldstone 50. The Way Life Works by Mahlon Hoagland 51. The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros 52. Darkly Dreaming Dexter by Jeff Lindsay 53. Dearly Devoted Dexter by Jeff Lindsay 54. A Walk in the Snark by Rachel Thompson 55. Dexter in the Dark by Jeff Lindsay 56. The Two Dead Girls (The Green Mile Book 1) by Stephen King 57. The Mouse on the Mile (The Green Mile Book 2) by Stephen King 58. Coffey's Hands (The Green Mile Book 3) by Stephen King 59. The Bad Death of Eduard Delacroix (The Green Mile Book 4) by Stephen King 60. Night Journey (The Green Mile Book 5) by Stephen King 61. Coffey on the Mile (The Green Mile Book 6) by Stephen King 62. The Lady of the Rivers by Phillipa Gregory 63. Dexter by Design by Jeff Lindsay 64. Dexter is Delicious by Jeff Lindsay 65. Double Dexter by Jeff Lindsay 66. Hannah's Dream by Diane Hammond Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ladydusk Posted December 18, 2013 Share Posted December 18, 2013 I read an easy read yesterday, A Redbird Christmas by Fannie Flagg. It was weird. Sweet (a little sickeningly so), but weird. It was a quick easy read. My mom gave it to me a few years ago for Christmas, but I don't think it's one I'll keep. 46. ETA: Fixed the link. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kareni Posted December 18, 2013 Share Posted December 18, 2013 Some nifty gifts for book lovers: Read sign The BookseatTetris like book case Regards, Kareni Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LostSurprise Posted December 18, 2013 Share Posted December 18, 2013 I finished The Night Journal last night. I enjoyed it quite a bit. The author obviously knows a lot about Southwestern history (and late 19th/early 20th century history in general) and I found that really interesting. I was fascinated by the many side elements (Harvey Girls, pueblos/kiva, development of the railroads, local politics of a Native/Mestizo/Anglo community). The author is very detailed. She's obviously a very visual writer who remembers where someone left her purse. I'm sure that annoyed some readers, but I never found it badly done. It always felt realistic to me, but I'm not bothered by that kind of detail as long as it works with the whole. I was always that kid who wondered where the lady left her purse. :tongue_smilie: So, great for history lovers or folks who have an interest in the Southwest. There were similarities between this, Byatt's Possession (modern folks investigating a historical mystery) and Stegner's The Angle of Repose. In this novel the present day mystery gets all the attention and history is a shadow cast over the lives of the characters. I started The Man of Numbers: Fibonacci's Arithmetic Revolution by Keith Devlin this morning. It's a short 400s book about the movement of Hindu-Arabic arithmetic (which is the form we use~9 numbers used to symbolize everything, the concept of 0, place values, ordering numbers above each other to take advantage of place positions) from northern Africa to Italy in the 13th century. There was actually no person named Fibonacci. He was named Leonardo of Pisa (Leonardo Pisano) from the family Bonacci. Anyway, interesting concepts, short book, and the last thing I need to read to complete my Dewey Decimal Challenge. I'm close on the Fiction Genre Challenge too. I just can't make myself pick a random Christian fiction title. :nopity: If anyone has any suggestions of non-prairie romance Christian fiction that isn't too mawkish...I'm open. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kareni Posted December 18, 2013 Share Posted December 18, 2013 I just can't make myself pick a random Christian fiction title. :nopity: If anyone has any suggestions of non-prairie romance Christian fiction that isn't too mawkish...I'm open. Well, CS Lewis wrote a goodly amount of fiction. From Wikipedia: "Lewis's last novel was Till We Have Faces, which he thought of as his most mature and masterly work of fiction but which was never a popular success. It is a retelling of the myth of Cupid and Psyche from the unusual perspective of Psyche's sister. It is deeply concerned with religious ideas, but the setting is entirely pagan, and the connections with specific Christian beliefs are left implicit." Also "Another short work, The Screwtape Letters, consists of suave letters of advice from a senior demon, Screwtape, to his nephew Wormwood, on the best ways to tempt a particular human and secure his damnation." Clearly, this one is not a romance! Regards, Kareni Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mumto2 Posted December 18, 2013 Share Posted December 18, 2013 I have been reading Sweetheart by Chelsea Cain for awhile and finally fnished it. The first in this series, Heartsick, became quite good at the end so I kept going, slowly. Well, I do not plan to put myself through another one, the ick factor is pretty high for me. Mainly psychological but not my type of suspense novel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
welovetoread Posted December 18, 2013 Share Posted December 18, 2013 Influenza A has hit our house hard. I thought being sick would lend it self to lots of reading. Not relaly, can't focus.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin M Posted December 19, 2013 Author Share Posted December 19, 2013 Influenza A has hit our house hard. I thought being sick would lend it self to lots of reading. Not relaly, can't focus.... :grouphug: :grouphug: :grouphug: Only have Z left for my A to Z challenge and haven't read all my dusty books, so dusted off Dr. Zhivago once again and dove in. Guess 3rd time is the charm because finally getting into it. Plus meets my A to Z, dusty books and winter reading challenge all in one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin M Posted December 19, 2013 Author Share Posted December 19, 2013 I'm sure this has been asked numerous times, but I'll add my name to the list of the curious. ;) Would those of you who read several books a week care to share how you find the time? How many hours a day do you read? Do you actively homeschool or are your children using independent programs? Maybe I'm just a slow reader! ;) Thanks I hardly watch any tv and usually read in the evenings. I also read during breakfast and lunch and random times during the day when it's a really good book and my son is otherwise occupied. Maybe having only one to teach makes a difference. I am a fast reader, except when it's a classical book in which one must really slow down to enjoy and understand the nuances of the day. To me reading is an necessary as breathing. Plus I get really cranky if I don't have my daily fix. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woodland Mist Academy Posted December 19, 2013 Share Posted December 19, 2013 Thanks everyone! I think I just need to realize that during this point in my life I'm not going to be finishing multiple books a week. We don't own a TV, nor do I watch TV shows or movies online on a regular basis. (Perhaps a few a year.) I subscribe to several educational magazines, so I'm reading those for hours a day, but they're not books. I currently have roughly 10 books going, but some of those I'm reading with Lily. We usually read a few pages a day from each and discuss. They are not light, breezy reads, so that makes for slow going. I'm spending hours a day reading, but I'm not flying through books. I think I just need to make peace with it. ;) Thanks so much to everyone who responded! It helped me better understand. Of course, I'm still open to the possibility I'm a slow reader and/or I fritter my hours away elsewhere. :tongue_smilie: I am also admittedly a terrible multitasking reader. I want to highlight, make notes etc. I comfort myself with this: “In the case of good books, the point is not to see how many of them you can get through, but rather how many can get through to you.â€â€•Mortimer J. Adler Thanks again! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LostSurprise Posted December 19, 2013 Share Posted December 19, 2013 Well, CS Lewis wrote a goodly amount of fiction. From Wikipedia: "Lewis's last novel was Till We Have Faces, which he thought of as his most mature and masterly work of fiction but which was never a popular success. It is a retelling of the myth of Cupid and Psyche from the unusual perspective of Psyche's sister. It is deeply concerned with religious ideas, but the setting is entirely pagan, and the connections with specific Christian beliefs are left implicit." Also "Another short work, The Screwtape Letters, consists of suave letters of advice from a senior demon, Screwtape, to his nephew Wormwood, on the best ways to tempt a particular human and secure his damnation." Clearly, this one is not a romance! Regards, Kareni Read them. Thank you. Love Til We Have Faces. One of my problems is that I've got most of the classic stuff read already. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ladydusk Posted December 19, 2013 Share Posted December 19, 2013 Read them. Thank you. Love Til We Have Faces. One of my problems is that I've got most of the classic stuff read already. If you like mysteries, Sally Wright is a Christian and her Ben Reese Mysteries (begin with Publish or Perish) are excellent. I think of Ben Reese as an American Lord Peter Wimsey. They don't wear their Christianity on their sleeve like a lot of "Christian novels." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tullia Posted December 19, 2013 Share Posted December 19, 2013 Read them. Thank you. Love Til We Have Faces. One of my problems is that I've got most of the classic stuff read already. I enjoyed This Fine Life: A Novel by Eva Marie Everson. It's about a girl from an affluent family in the south who falls in love with and marries an aspiring young minister of an unspecified evangelical denomination. She doesn't really understand her own faith and is not ready for her role as Wife of The Minister. It helped me better understand the women in my life who came of age in the late 1950's and early 1960's. I'd classify it as a fairly gentle "coming of age" novel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kareni Posted December 19, 2013 Share Posted December 19, 2013 I just can't make myself pick a random Christian fiction title. :nopity: If anyone has any suggestions of non-prairie romance Christian fiction that isn't too mawkish...I'm open. Okay, I have another thought, but the books are not romances. The Don Camillo books by Giovanni Guareschi are a light enjoyable read. It is a series of six or so books about an Italian priest and his nemesis the Communist mayor set in 1950s Italy. The priest sometimes talks to Christ on the cross who talks back. Start with The Little World of Don Camillo. (Wow, I see this is a brand new translation for Kindle that came out on December 13 of this year!) The paper versions appear to be out of print, but perhaps your library will have one. The wikipedia entry will give you a good idea of the content of the series. Regards, Kareni Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted December 19, 2013 Share Posted December 19, 2013 Stacia! I finished Cinnamon and Gunpowder this morning - what a fun read! Thanks for sharing it. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mom-ninja. Posted December 19, 2013 Share Posted December 19, 2013 I'm back from vacation! Anyone miss me? :seeya: I managed to get one book read while gone. Just one. This means I won't make it to 52 books this year which is fine. So did I miss any really good must read books posted here? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Onceuponatime Posted December 19, 2013 Share Posted December 19, 2013 the last thing I need to read to complete my Dewey Decimal Challenge. I'm close on the Fiction Genre Challenge too. I just can't make myself pick a random Christian fiction title. :nopity: If anyone has any suggestions of non-prairie romance Christian fiction that isn't too mawkish...I'm open. Marcus Borg (progressive Christian) has one fiction book out. I think it is called Putting Away Childish Things. I don't remember much about the story but it definitely was not prarie romance. Ooh, and Chesterton's Father Brown Mysteries. I thoroughly enjoyed them. In fact, I think Chesterton has a few fictional books that might work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Violet Crown Posted December 19, 2013 Share Posted December 19, 2013 44. Leonardo Sciascia, The Wine-Dark Sea 45. André Gide, The Immoralist ------------------------ Every day we went for a drive, first in a carriage, and later on, when the snow had fallen, in a sledge, wrapped up to our eyes in fur. I came in with glowing cheeks, hungry and then sleepy. I had not, however, given up all idea of work, and every day I found an hour or so in which to meditate on the things I thought it my duty to say. There was no question of history now; I had long since ceased to take any interest in historical studies except as a means of psychological investigation. I have told you how I had been attracted afresh to the past when I thought I could see in it a disquieting resemblance to the present; I had actually dared to think that by questioning the dead I should be able to extort from them some secret information about life ... But now if the youthful Athalaric himslef had risen from the grave to speak to me, I should not have listened to him. How could the ancient past have answered my present question? ... What can man do more? That is what seemed to me important to know. Is what man has hitherto said all that he could say? Is there nothing in himself he has overlooked? Can he do nothing but repeat himself? ... And every day there grew stronger in me a confused consciousness of untouched treasures somewhere lying covered up, hidden, smothered by culture and decency and morality. -The Immoralist ----------------- The Wine-Dark Sea is a collection of Sciascia's short stories, which are excellent. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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