Robin M Posted December 21, 2014 Share Posted December 21, 2014 Happy Sunday, dear hearts! Welcome to the end of our year long quest to read 52 Books Welcome back to all our readers, to all those who are just joining in and to all who are following our progress. Mr. Linky is all set up on the 52 Books blog to link to your reviews. The link is below in my signature. 52 books blog - 2014 Year End Wrap Up: Happy Winter! Huzzah! We made it through another adventurous, intriguing, mystical and mysterious, time altering, life changing year. This year turned into the Year of the Fluff for me while I dealt with the grief of my mother's passing. I had grand plans to read through all the centuries and around the world. I managed to visit a few centuries and several countries, but for the most part I curled up with comfort reads such as urban fantasies, paranormals, romantic suspense and light mysteries with a dash of mysticism and splash of history. Christmas break has officially started and I am looking forward to cuddling up on the couch with a good book or two and enjoying our two weeks off from lessons. In the meantime, I'm looking forward to reading everyone's list of reads for the year and adding a few more books to my ever teetering stacks.So? How did it go? How many books did you read and did you meet your own personal goal? Most thrilling, oh my goodness, I want to read it again, unputdownable book? Top 5 favorite stories? Least favorite book? New author discovery? New genre discovery? What countries or centuries did you explore? Share a favorite character, story, quote or cover One book that touched you - made you laugh, cry, sing or dance. Favorite mini challenges? Are you ready to do it all over again? Do you have any goals to check out different genres or authors, read translated books or stories in another language for 2015? Congratulations and thank you to everyone for joining in. I have loved sharing our reading journeys together. Since today is officially Winter, let's wind up the year with some wintery reads. Brew me a cup for a winter’s night. For the wind howls loud, and the furies fight; Spice it with love and stir it with care, And I’ll toast your bright eyes, my sweetheart fair.~Minna Thomas Antrim, "A Night Cap," A Book of Toasts, 1902 Link to week 51 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin M Posted December 21, 2014 Author Share Posted December 21, 2014 Good morning, my dears. I'm currently sitting in a hotel room after spending last evening celebrating birthday and christmas with john's side of the family. We are at a beautiful garden hotel with fountains and creeks running throughout the grounds. We have a statue of buddha on a little island in front of our room. Very peaceful. I'll catch up with you all later this afternoon. Off to breakfast. :grouphug: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shukriyya Posted December 21, 2014 Share Posted December 21, 2014 * ~ Solstice Blessings to You All ~ * Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loesje22000 Posted December 21, 2014 Share Posted December 21, 2014 I finished The epic History of Congo. I think it is one of the better books I read this year. Maybe I want to read something about South Africa next year. I am reading now a Dutch retelling for Teenagers from the Canterbury Tales. http://www.davidsfonds.be/publisher/edition/detail.phtml?id=3158 I have to admit it is the first time I got it where you all were talking about. Even an old Dutch translation was too hard too read. Somehow I got a problem with reading 'hard books' the last months. I hope that will become better next year... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kareni Posted December 21, 2014 Share Posted December 21, 2014 Last night I finished Mary Balogh's latest historical romance Only Enchanting: A Survivors' Club Novel. It is not my favorite of Balogh's books; however, it was enjoyable nonetheless! "The Survivors' Club: Six men and one woman, all wounded in the Napoleonic Wars, their friendship forged during their recovery at Penderris Hall in Cornwall. Now, in the fourth novel of the Survivors' Club series, Flavian, Viscount Ponsonby, has left this refuge to find his own salvation—in the love of a most unsuspecting woman.… Flavian, Viscount Ponsonby, was devastated by his fiancée’s desertion after his return home. Now the woman who broke his heart is back—and everyone is eager to revive their engagement. Except Flavian, who, in a panic, runs straight into the arms of a most sensible yet enchanting young woman.Agnes Keeping has never been in love—and never wishes to be. But then she meets the charismatic Flavian, and suddenly Agnes falls so foolishly and so deeply that she agrees to his impetuous proposal of marriage.When Agnes discovers that the proposal is only to avenge his former love, she’s determined to flee. But Flavian has no intention of letting his new bride go, especially now that he too has fallen so passionately and so unexpectedly in love." Regards, Kareni Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kareni Posted December 21, 2014 Share Posted December 21, 2014 From last week's thread: I am very fond of Host's books - they are imperfect, but they have heart and originality and integrity. Since your daughter likes Sherwood Smith, I'd try Hunting first, it reminded me a little of some of Sherwood's stories. ... Heir Apparent is our favorite here,... I will put Höst's Hunting on the list to purchase for my daughter. Vande Velde's Heir Apparent is also one of my daughter's favorites. Many thanks for your fantasy recommendations here and in the fantasy thread, Eliana! Regards, Kareni Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Just Robyn Posted December 21, 2014 Share Posted December 21, 2014 I started another book of poetry What Narcissism Means to Me by Tony Hoagland and I'm 2/3 of the way through Anna Karenina. I'll come back to answer the end of the year questions! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mumto2 Posted December 21, 2014 Share Posted December 21, 2014 I have a couple fluffy Cristmas themed books that I hope to read in the next couple days. We are taking the kids on a surprise outing tomorrow that should be great fun but we will be travelling for 6 hours. Lots of reading time. I finished my first Christmas book, Ho Ho Homicide. http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/d/kaitlyn-dunnett/ho-ho-homicide.htmIt is the latest in a cozy series which I have read a few of. Not wonderful but in terms of an easy read it was fine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nan in Mass Posted December 21, 2014 Share Posted December 21, 2014 Lord of the Flies - YUCK YUCK YUCK Catcher in the Rye was something I read that was so disconnected from my own life that, like many things we had to read in high school, it just left me faintly puzzled as to why it was on our reading list. Cry the Beloved Country moved me. To Kill a Mockingbird did not. Beowulf made an impression. The Invisible Man did not. I loved the Shakespeare. I just thought Cannery Row and Grapes of Wrath were depressing and didn't get much of anything out of For Whom the Bell Tolls. Comparing notes with my husband was enlightening (we had some of the same English teachers). He loved Catcher in the Rye. He identified with the main character and had had similar experiences and feelings. He loved For Whom the Bell Tolled. I concluded that some of our reading list must have been aimed at boys, a point which I totally missed at the time. I had one year of literature because I skipped around amongst the levels, depending on whether the teacher cared about spelling or not. We read many works during that one year and I found the choices com[letely baffling. My mother and grandmother handed me books saying they thought I would like them or that I ought to read them. That was much more useful. If they hadn't, I would be able to follow even less of what you people are talking about now. One of the many reasons I picked TWTM/TWEM for my own boys lol... Jane - What a fabulous surprise about the Thirkell! And good point about being a student versus working. I do more with the older two, especially oldest, these days, when he is home. Eliana - I have a bunch of catching up to do with your posts. : ) You said - "Sometimes all I can do, at least that I can see, is hold it in my heart... in the light as Pam says... and pray." I thought of that phrase as well. It seemed so apt... You asked what I had witnessed in the upstate nations. I'm still thinking about how to explain. Maybe struggle to find a place in the modern world which does not have a place for their traditional culture and ways, what of them they still have, since the children in the last generation were taken from their parents and put in boarding schools where they were forbidden to practise any of those ways or speak own their language, and their religion was taken from them and its rituals made illegal. I met young people whose grandparents barely spoke English but who would speak nothing but to them because when they were growing up, it was illegal to speak their own language. Mostly, it was the feeling of deep displacement, distrust, and hopelessness. So strong and so broken. Youngest was with me and saw some pretty upsetting things, like churches with lovely big welcoming front doors on the sides facing the rich part of town and bars on the windows and small doors leading into birch bark filled fake forest rooms on the poor side. I think he immediately put away the experience to deal with later and hasn't done so yet, other than being pretty anti-religion at the moment (which is pretty normal for our family). You asked about the bayou song. Yes, that is the group. The recording we have has a very cheerful beat and bagpipes, not something that usually goes together lol. Nan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Negin Posted December 21, 2014 Share Posted December 21, 2014 I finally finished Watership Down - let's just say that I read about 80% of it and then I skipped to the end. There were too many things going on around me, too many distractions, and I just couldn't focus on this book, nor did I care to. It's not easy to read a book or to focus when under stress/sadness/etc. I could be reading the most incredible book ever, but if I'm not in the right place emotionally/mentally/spiritually, it's all shot . I really wanted to like it, but it ended up being extremely boring for me. Obviously. most would disagree. Dd was disappointed in me, but now she's over it . That's one of her favorite books of all time. I gave it 1 Star. Sorry everyone ... . MY RATING SYSTEM 5 Stars Fantastic, couldn't put it down 4 Stars Really Good 3 Stars Enjoyable 2 Stars Just Okay – nothing to write home about 1 Star Rubbish – waste of my money and time. Few books make it to this level, since I usually give up on them if they’re that bad. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted December 21, 2014 Share Posted December 21, 2014 I had trouble settling in to any of the books I've been reading last week. ...I read a bit of this and a little of that, but didn't finish as many things as usual. ...and what I did finish was (as is often the case) an odd assortment: Tristia by Ovid: I read this spread out over about a month, and am going to miss Ovid's persistent plaints... There's a newer translation I'd wanted to look at, but none of the libraries I can access have it, so I had to use what was on hand... Cannery Row by John Steinbeck: I keep trying Steinbeck, and there is much that appreciate in his writing, but, so far, only his Travels with Charlie (nonfiction) has really grabbed my heart. This was entertaining and poignant in places, but didn't feel fully three dimensional. The Girls at the Kingfisher Club by Genevieve Valentine: The 12 dancing princesses in the US Roaring Twenties. This was very readable - I read it straight through in a single gulp - and it isn't hard to ignore the initial illogical pieces or to accept the grimmer flavor, but then the plot takes an odd, sudden turn, which made no sense at all, but the characters' emotional intensity around it carried me through... until we almost immediately afterwards have another completely unbelievable (to me) plot contrivance that puts everyone in a different set of situations. Very disappointing because the setup had some real potential. The Jewish Sabbath by Rabbi Samson Raphael Hirsch: I enjoy reading Hirsch and this was no exception. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kareni Posted December 21, 2014 Share Posted December 21, 2014 A couple of free Kindle romance novellas that might be of interest. (I have yet to read these but have seen favorable reviews.) Lighting the Flames: A Hanukkah Story by Sarah Wendell "Genevieve and Jeremy have known each other since they were seven, and have been summertime best friends at Camp Meira, a Jewish overnight camp in the mountains. As campers, and then as staff, their friendship was a constant, something neither wanted to change, no matter how tempting those changes might be.Then, last year, with little warning, Jeremy left camp early. After that summer, Gen left the country on a graduate fellowship.Now, a little over a year since they were last at Meira, Gen and Jeremy are back together to help run a special Winter Camp during Hanukkah. Any water under the bridge is frozen this time of year, and with so much left unspoken and unexplained, this week may be their chance to rekindle their friendship, or turn it into something new." Love and Mistletoe (Ballybeg, Book 4) (The Ballybeg Series) by Zara Keane "Kissed by Christmas, True Love by New YearPoliceman Brian Glenn wants a promotion. Studying for a degree in criminology is the first step. When a member of Ballybeg's most notorious family struts into his forensic psychology class, his hopes for a peaceful semester vanish. Sharon MacCarthy is the last woman he should get involved with, however hot and bothered she makes him get under his police uniform. Can he survive the semester without succumbing to her charms?Sharon's had a rough few months. She knows her future job prospects depend on her finally finishing her degree. When she's paired with her secret crush for the semester project, she sees a chance for happiness. Can she persuade Brian that there's more to her than sequins, high heels, and a rap sheet?" Regards, Kareni Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
*Inna* Posted December 21, 2014 Share Posted December 21, 2014 How many books did you read and did you meet your own personal goal? 159, but I'll probably finish a few more before New Year. I didn't really set any goals, just to explore new authors and revisit the old favorites. A big chunk of that number were cookbooks, since I've been converting my cooking habits to veganism. Most thrilling, oh my goodness, I want to read it again, unputdownable book? The Rook by Daniel O'Malley - such a fun book! Top 5 favorite stories? Dead Mountain by Donnie Eichar, The City of Dreaming Books by Walter Moers, Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson, The Language of Baklava by Diana Abu-Jaber, Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe by Fannie Flagg. Least favorite book? I would say, The Elegance of a Hedgehog. I could not connect with any of the characters who came acoss as snooty and self absobed. One book that touched you - made you laugh, cry, sing or dance. Kitchen Table Wisdom by Rachel Naomi Remen. Full of short essays/stories about life and death, pain, kindness, love, healing. These stories had touched somehing deep in my heart. I'm reading her second book, My Grandfather's Blessings and it is as wondeful as the firs one. Favorite mini challenges? I didn't participate in any of the challenges. I'll try next year. Are you ready to do it all over again? Bring it on! :D Do you have any goals to check out different genres or authors, read translated books or stories in another language for 2015? (CC) Lately, I've been feeling that the Lord is gently leading me away from certain genres and authors. He's done it before with Harry Potter books which I adored. Now it happened at the end of the year with Terry Pratchett and Suzanne Collins. I still feel very sad to part with what felt like dear friends, but I know there is a reason, even if I don't understand it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Negin Posted December 21, 2014 Share Posted December 21, 2014 Robin, great questions, and, as always, thank you so much for putting this thread together every single week :grouphug:. How many books did you read and did you meet your own personal goal? By the time the year ends (10 more days still!), I will have probably read 62 books. Yes, I met my goal. Most thrilling, oh my goodness, I want to read it again, unputdownable book?Can't really say thrilling or want to read again (right away, but maybe later); but unputdownable - yes, I would probably say Maus. Top 5 favorite stories?Maus and these four. It' not easy picking five. The Dream A Tale for the Time Being And the Mountains Echoed Station Eleven Least favorite book? Watership Down. :lol: New author discovery? New genre discovery? Dd and I were talking about books at length last night. She's a voracious reader and categorizes her to-read list by genre. I barely think of genre and we both agreed that I should start thinking of that more. New author discovery: I assume that this means an author that I have not read before, not necessarily an author that is "new". Salman Rushdie, Jim Gaffigan, Ruth Ozeki, Stephen King, Charlie Brooker, etc. What countries or centuries did you explore? Britain, the U.S., 19th Century Italy, Japan, Bosnia, North Korea, Chile, Ireland, Kenya, Afghanistan & Canada. Share a favorite character, story, quote or cover I'm having a hard time picking my favorite character - probably Joseph Anton. I really like Salman Rushdie after reading this. Favorite quote: they're all still on my Kindle and I need to organize them. There are so many that I love. This is one of many: "All good things in life are fragile and easily lost." ~ Khaled Hosseini, And the Mountains Echoed. One book that touched you - made you laugh, cry, sing or dance.The Man Who Left - other than most of the ones already mentioned. I did one challenge, the first and only one I've ever done - a Bingo Reading Challenge. That was fun, but I was glad to get it done. I'm not much of a challenge person, I guess. Yes, I am looking forward to doing it all again! No, no real goals or anything. I just want to enjoy my reading time as much as possible. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted December 21, 2014 Share Posted December 21, 2014 I'll do my year-end wrap up in bits and pieces... here are the easy bits: I had five challenges I set for myself: Z-to-A, Shakespearean apocrypha, world travel, 'inspirational' reading, and reading 365 books in the year. Books read (so far) for 2014: 366 Here's my Goodreads 2014 shelf The Shakespearean Apocrypha challenge was fun - I read all the works collected in William Shakespeare and Others plus Two Noble Kinsmen (which I still hate). I think next year I want to choose a selection of Shakespearean contemporaries and read through their plays... Inspirational: I'm at 46 for the year, and had hoped to average about 1/week, so I'm "behind". I do have a few things I'm still working on, two of which should be done before the end of the year. ...I think I'm okay with how this piece went this year. I wanted to do more complete works and less bibs and bobs, and I also wanted to be tracking it so I am keeping my reading in the kind of balance I want. Z-to-A: This was to choose books based on the first letter of the author's last name, going backwards through the alphabet (which gets the harder to find letters done first, which I appreciated) Zweig: Chess Story Yourencar: To Each His Minotaur Xue Tau: Brocade River Poems Wolf: Cassandra Valente: Landscape with Yellow Birds Ungaretti: Selected Poems Trupin: Dakota Diaspora Soyinka: Death and the King's Horseman Rilke: Sonnets to Orpheus Quiller-Couch: Poetry Pramoj: Four Reigns Oliphant: Miss Marjoriebanks Nash: Rainmaker Miller: The Price Lindbergh: Gift from the Sea Kafka: Metamorphoses James: Aspern Papers Ibsen: Master Builder Havel: Garden Party Gille: Shadows of Childhood Flaubert: Madame Bovary Eliot: Murder in the Cathedral Delius: Portrait of the Mother as a Young Woman Coward: Hay Fever Brecht: Antigone Anouilh: Becket Here's my Goodreads page with all of them together. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted December 21, 2014 Share Posted December 21, 2014 A big chunk of that number were cookbooks, since I've been converting my cooking habits to veganism. (CC) Lately, I've been feeling that the Lord is gently leading me away from certain genres and authors. He's done it before with Harry Potter books which I adored. Now it happened at the end of the year with Terry Pratchett and Suzanne Collins. I still feel very sad to part with what felt like dear friends, but I know there is a reason, even if I don't understand it. You've probably already seen these, but my favorite vegan cookbooks are: Complete Vegetarian Kitchen by Lorna Sass - some of these soups are regular favorites and are eagerly requested by visitors...and they are so easy! The Voluptuous Vegan: These recipes look more complicated than they really are, and the first times we made some of them it took a little longer than we'd have preferred, but the second time through was a breeze. ***************************** I know that what I read shapes who I am - more dramatically when I was younger, but it is still unmistakeable now. ...the how and in what ways is often quirky, but I've learned to trust my instincts about which books are good companions for me at whatever stage of life I am in. I wish you well as you navigate that process for yourself. :grouphug: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
-M- Posted December 21, 2014 Share Posted December 21, 2014 How many books did you read? Did you meet your personal goal? To date, I’ve read 101 books this year. My goal was two per week, for a total of 104. With nine or ten days remaining in the year, it’s still possible to reach it, particularly since I’ve got active bookmarks in at least eight books. We’ll see; we’ll see. Like last year, I mostly concerned myself with reading more slowly, trying to avoid popping off and on books, savoring what I read. I am still an unapologetically promiscuous reader; that is, one who enters into assorted relationships while already involved in too many others to name and one who leaves books languishing unread or, perhaps sadder still, partially read on shelves and nightstands, in knapsacks, and beside favorite chairs. I did do much better this year and last, though. No, really. I did. Most thrilling, “Oh, my goodness, I want to read it again,†unputdownable book? (One fiction title, one non-fiction title, one play.) â– Station Eleven (Emily St. John Mandel; 2014. 352 pages. Fiction.) â– The Adversary: A True Story of Monstrous Deception (Emmanuel Carrère; 2002. 191 pages. Non-fiction.) â– Isaac’s Eye (Lucas Hnath; 2014. 113 pages. Drama.) Top five seven books? (Listed in the order read.) â– Cartwheel (Jennifer duBois; 2013. 384 pages. Fiction.) â– Lexicon (Max Barry; Folger ed. 2013. 400 pages. Fiction.) â– Blood Will Out: The True Story of a Murder, a Mystery, and a Masquerade (Walter Kirn; 2014. 272 pages. Non-fiction.) â– Burial Rites (Hannah Kent; 2013. 336 pages. Fiction.) â– Station Eleven (Emily St. John Mandel; 2014. 352 pages. Fiction.) â– The Adversary: A True Story of Monstrous Deception (Emmanuel Carrère; 2002. 191 pages. Non-fiction.) â– The Good Nurse: A True Story of Medicine, Madness, and Murder (Charles Graeber; 2013. 320 pages. Non-fiction.) Honorable mention: â– The Wicked Girls (Alex Marwood; 2013. 384 pages. Fiction.) â– Soft Apocalypse (Will McIntosh; 2011. 239 pages. Fiction.) â– The Fever (Meg Abbott; 2014. 320 pages. Fiction.) â– Brothers Emanuel: A Memoir of an American Family (Ezekiel Emanuel; 2013. 288 pages. Non-fiction.) â– The Lost Daughter (Elena Ferrante; 2008. 125 pages. Fiction.) Least favorite book? â– Landline (Rainbow Rowell; 2013. 320 pages. Fiction.) I actually do not (at. all.) subscribe to the idea that characters must be likeable and their struggles unique, but this crew was pretty insufferable, and their “difficulties†were so banal. The snappy verve of Rowell’s other work is much more appealing. (See Eleanor and Park and/or Fangirl.) New author discovery? Elena Ferrante (Who is she?) and Emmanuel Carrère. Share a favorite character, story, quote, or cover. Perhaps one of the most compelling opening sentences, ever… From The Adversary: A True Story of Monstrous Deception (Emmanuel Carrère; 2002): On the Saturday morning of January 9, 1993, while Jean-Claude Romand was killing his wife and children, I was with mine in a parent-teacher meeting at the school attended by Gabriel, our eldest son. From In the Basement of the Ivory Tower: Confessions of an Accidental Academic (Professor X; 2011): Over the years, I have come to think that the two most crucial ingredients in the mysterious mix that makes a good writer may be (1) having read enough throughout a lifetime to have internalized the rhythms of the written word, and (2) refining the ability to mimic those rhythms. It is very difficult to make up for gaps in a lifetime of reading and practice over the course of a fifteen-week semester. As Mark Richardson, an assistant professor of writing and linguistics at Georgia Southern University, says, “Writing involves abilities we develop over our lifetimes. Some students are more advanced in them when they come to college than are others. Those who are less advanced will not develop to a level comparable to the more-prepared students in one year or even two, although they may reach adequate levels of ability over time.†From The Testament of Mary (Colm TóibÃn; 2012): And I know how deeply this disturbs them and it would make me smile, this earnest need for foolish anecdotes or sharp, simple patterns in the story of what happened to us all, except that I have forgotten how to smile. I have no further need for smiling. Just as I had no further need for tears. There was a time when I thought that I had, in fact, no tears left, that I had used up my store of tears, but I am lucky that foolish thoughts like this never linger, are quickly replaced by what is true. There are always tears if you need them enough. It is the body that makes tears. I no longer need tears and that should be a relief, but I do not seek relief, merely solitude and some grim satisfaction which comes from the certainty that I will not say anything that is not true. Are you ready to do it all over again? Ayup. And I am grateful to Robin for continuing to host this program. I don’t post as much as others, but I do appreciate the community of readers and the civility of their conversation. Goals for 2015? One idea I’ve had is to develop a poem and a short story daily habit. I don’t read nearly enough of either, yet when I do, I adore both forms. What’s the hang-up? I don’t know. Perhaps a “reading plan†would motivate me to read more. I join the chorus of readers who maintain that they must, must, must read from the shelves and stacks (i.e., cut back on the book acquiring; focus on the book reading). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Just Robyn Posted December 21, 2014 Share Posted December 21, 2014 How many books did you read and did you meet your own personal goal? I have read 108 books and hope to finish at least two more. My goal was to read at least 30,000 words, and so far I'm at 34,505 - according to GoodReads. Most thrilling, oh my goodness, I want to read it again, unputdownable book?Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Top 5 favorite stories?The Once and Future King The Great Gatsby Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Mrs. Dalloway Watership Down But once I finish Anna Karenina, that may knock one of these off the list. Which one though? That would be a difficult choice. And for books that aren't stories I would add: The Complete Poems of Stephen Crane If the Tabloids Are True What Are You? by Matthea Harvey How to Teach Your Children Shakespeare by Ken Ludwig On Writing by Stephen King Least favorite book? The Holy Bible New author discovery? New genre discovery?I read many new authors this year. I read two books by Virginia Woolf and look forward to more. Also T. H. White, Jean-Jacques Rosseau, Matthea Harvey, Osamu Tezuka, Hermann Hesse, Henry James - too many to name them all. What countries or centuries did you explore?I seem to remember reading along with the centuries challenge early in the year, but I must have dropped out pretty quick. It looks like I made it to 12th century with Cretien de Troyes 14th century with Dantes 15th century with the Alliterative Morte de Arthur 16th century with Shakespeare 18th century with Rousseau 19th century with Dickens and plenty in the 20th and 21st century. I just missed 13th and 17th. I didn't keep track of countries either and think that would take too long for me to figure out now. One book that touched you - made you laugh, cry, sing or dance.Mrs. Dalloway Are you ready to do it all over again?Yes! Do you have any goals to check out different genres or authors, read translated books or stories in another language for 2015? At this time I have a 5/5/5 goal (and that last five can be the last digit in 2015!) that is as follows: Shakespeare science classic SF short stories WEM novels Also, my library is doing a read-around-the-50-states challenge I might join in on, and I'd like to read many dusty books. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mumto2 Posted December 21, 2014 Share Posted December 21, 2014 As of today I have read 311 books. I didn't have a specific goal and will finish a few more before year end. Favorite Books in 2015 Daughter of Time by Josephine Tey Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett Tigerman by Nick Harkaway One Night in Winter by Simon Sebag Montefiore Colorless Tsukuru by Murakami Since I read several series this year, my Five Favorite Series St. Cyr Series by CS Harris Julian Kestral by Kate Ross Giordiano Bruno by SJ Parris Dublin Murder Squad by Tana French Ruth Galloway by Elly Griffiths I visited at least 35 countries according to my rather poor records. I also completed at least 18 challenges. With book by location being my favorite. My least favorite book was A Reliable Wife By Robert Goolrick. Goals.....another day Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heather in Neverland Posted December 22, 2014 Share Posted December 22, 2014 I did it! I hit 52 books. But my challenge for myself was to make half of them non-fiction since those take me longer to read and I hit that mark, too. So I'm pretty satisfied with my progress (even though technically in years past I read more books). Finished reading: 1. The Curiosity by Stephen Kiernan (AVERAGE) 2. The Last Time I Saw Paris by Lynn Sheene (GOOD) 3. Unwind by Neal Shusterman (EXCELLENT) 4. The Husband's Secret by Liane Moriarty (EXCELLENT) 5. The Rage Against God: How Atheism Led Me to Faith by Peter Hitchens (AMAZING) 6. Champion by Marie Lu (PRETTY GOOD) 7. Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us by Daniel Pink (INCREDIBLE) 8. Cultivating Christian Character by Michael Zigarelli (HO-HUM) 9. Detroit: An American Autopsy by Charlie LeDuff (um...WOW. So amazing and sad) 10. Pressure Points: Twelve Global Issues Shaping the Face of the Church by JD Payne (SO-SO) 11. The Happiness Project: Or Why I spent a Year Trying to Sing in the Morning, Clean My Closets, Fight Right, Read Aristotle, and Generally Have More Fun. by Gretchen Rubin (GOOD) 12. Reading and Writing Across Content Areas by Roberta Sejnost (SO-SO) 13. Winter of the World by Ken Follet (PRETTY GOOD) 14. The School Revolution: A New Answer for our Broken Education System by Ron Paul (GREAT) 15. Lost Lake by Sarah Addison Allen (LOVED IT) 16. Beyond the Hole in the Wall: Discover the Power of Self-Organized Learning by Sugata Mitra (GOOD) 17. Can Computers Keep Secrets? - How a Six-Year-Old's Curiosity Could Change the World by Tom Barrett (GOOD) 18. You Are Not So Smart: Why You Have Too Many Friends on Facebook, Why Your Memory Is Mostly Fiction, and 46 Other Ways You're Deluding Yourself by David McRaney (GOOD) 19. Hollow City by Ransom Riggs (OK) 20. Follow Me by David Platt (GOOD) 21. The Antidote: Happiness for People Who Can't Stand Positive Thinking by Oliver Burkeman (SO-SO) 22. Falls the Shadow by Sharon Kay Penman (OK) 23. A Neglected Grace: Family Worship in the Christian Home by Jason Helopoulos (GOOD) 24. The Valley of Amazement by Amy Tan (DEPRESSING) 25. No Place Like Oz by Danielle Paige (SO-SO) 26. 84 Charing Cross Road by Helen Hanff (DELIGHTFUL) 27. The Light Between Oceans by ML Stedman (WORST ENDING EVER) 28. Dreams of Gods and Monsters by Laini Taylor (SO-SO) 29. Mere Christianity by CS Lewis (BRILLIANT) 30. The Golem and the Jinni by Helene Wecker (WONDERFUL) 31. Eleanor and Park by Rainbow Rowell (CAN'T-PUT-IT-DOWN-READ-IT-ALL-IN-ONE-SITTING BOOK) 32. Dark Places by Gillian Flynn (SUPER CREEPY BUT REALLY GOOD) 33. A House in the Sky by Amanda Lindhout (WONDERFUL) 34. The Hypnotist's Love Story by Liane Moriarty (PRETTY GOOD) 35. The Book of Unknown Americans by Cristina Henriquez (HEART-BREAKING) 36. One Last Thing Before I Go by Jonathan Tropper (REALLY, REALLY GOOD) 37. The Glory of Heaven by John MacArthur (INTERESTING) 38. Big, Little Lies by Liane Moriarty (AWESOME) 39. Crazy Busy: A Mercifully Short Book About a Really Big Problem by Kevin DeYoung (SPOT ON) 40. Cold-Case Christianity: A Homicide Detective Investigates the Claims of the Gospels by J. Warner Wallace (SUPER INTERESTING) 41. Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less by Greg Mckeown (AWESOME) 42. Isla and the Happily Ever After by Stephanie Perkins (ROMANTIC) 43. A Dream So Big: Our Unlikely Journey to End the Tears of Hunger by Steve Peifer (TEAR-JERKER) 44. Cuckoo's Calling by Robert Gilbraith (MEH) 45. The Talent Code by Daniel Coyle (SUPER INTERESTING) 46. Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins (DREAMY) 47. Attachments by Rainbow Rowell (SWEET AND FUNNY) 48. Love into Light by Peter Hubbard (FANTASTIC) 49. My True Love Gave to Me: Twelve Holiday Stories (PRETTY GOOD) 50. Not By Sight: A Fresh Look at Old Stories of Walking by Faith by Jon Bloom (REALLY GOOD) 51. Mindset: The New Psychology of Success by Carol Dweck (OK) 52. Teaching That Changes Lives by Marilee Adams (MEH) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted December 22, 2014 Share Posted December 22, 2014 World Travel 2014: I decided that I wanted to 'count' books by not just country, but unique culture/language/history. So, I have Basque and Catalan as well as official countries. My other personal variation is that to 'count' for a country/region the author has to be from that country/region. I've done 54, which met my goal of 52. I have two books I'm working on (one of which is due back by the 30th, so I had better finish it!) Europe: Austria: Chess Story Bulgaria: Bai Ganyo: Incredible Tales of a Modern Bulgarian Czech Republic:Jacques and His Master: An Homage to Diderot in Three Acts Estonia: The Wandering Border Faroe Islands: The Old Man and His Sons France: To Each his Minotaur Germany: Medea Germany (East): Cassandra: A Novel and Four Essays Greece (ancient):Medea Hungary: Portraits of a Marriage Ireland: The Tain Italy: The Inferno Italy (Ancient Rome): Medea Lithuania: The Vilna Gaon Views Life Norway: The Master Builder Poland: Shah of Shahs Romania: Demon in Brackets Russia: A Country Doctor's Notebook Russia (Chukotka): Dream in Polar Fog Spain: Landscape with Yellow Birds Spain (Basque): Meanwhile Take My Hand Spain (Catalonia): Selected Poems of Salvador Espriu Sweden: The Deleted World: Poems UK (England): Nightmare Abbey UK (Scotland): Medea UK (Wales): ON THE EVENING ROAD Ukraine: Cheshbon Ha Nefesh Asia: Bengal: Majestic Nights: Love Poems of Bengali Women China: The World of a Tiny Insect: A Memoir of the Taiping Rebellion and Its Aftermath India: The Recognition of 'Sakuntala: A Play in Seven Acts Iran: The Story of Layla and Majnun Iraq: I'jaam: An Iraqi Rhapsody Israel: The Bat-Chen Diaries Israel (Palestinian): Second Person Singular Japan:Tales of Ise Korea: Memoirs of a Korean Queen Kyrgystan: Jamilia Saudi Arabia: Wolves of the Crescent Moon Thailand: Four Reigns Turkey: The White Castle US/Canada: Canada(Quebec): Mister Blue Inuit: Songs Are Thoughts: Poems Of The Inuit United States:Eyes, Stones Poems Latin America: Chile: Spain in Our Hearts Chile (Mapuche): Ul: Four Mapuche Poets : An Anthology Cuba: Caliban And Other Essays Mexico: So Many Books: Reading and Publishing in an Age of Abundance Nicaragua: Nicaraguan Sketches Uruguay: Ariel Africa: Egypt: The Tale of Sinuhe: And Other Ancient Egyptian Poems 1940-1640 B.C. Nigeria: Death and the King's Horseman: A Play Rwanda: Our Lady of the Nile South Africa: Statements Oceania: Australia: The Rosie Project Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heather in Neverland Posted December 22, 2014 Share Posted December 22, 2014 Favorite fiction of the year: Eleanor and Park by Rainbow Rowell Favorite non-fiction: Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us by Daniel Pink Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
*Inna* Posted December 22, 2014 Share Posted December 22, 2014 Books read (so far) for 2014: 366 Here's my Goodreads 2014 shelf . :svengo: You've probably already seen these, but my favorite vegan cookbooks are: Complete Vegetarian Kitchen by Lorna Sass - some of these soups are regular favorites and are eagerly requested by visitors...and they are so easy! The Voluptuous Vegan: These recipes look more complicated than they really are, and the first times we made some of them it took a little longer than we'd have preferred, but the second time through was a breeze. ***************************** I know that what I read shapes who I am - more dramatically when I was younger, but it is still unmistakeable now. ...the how and in what ways is often quirky, but I've learned to trust my instincts about which books are good companions for me at whatever stage of life I am in. I wish you well as you navigate that process for yourself. :grouphug: Thank you, Eliana, you are always so kind. :001_smile: As of today I have read 311 books. I didn't have a specific goal and will finish a few more before year end. :svengo: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted December 22, 2014 Share Posted December 22, 2014 I did some rough counts to look at how my reading was distributed this year... Of the 366 books I've read so far this year: 138 were by women (37.7%) 221 were by men (60.3%) 7 were coauthored by a man and woman (2%) 43 were poetry 64 were plays 58 were nonfiction 46 were religious texts/inspirational works of the fiction: 61 were 'light' adult reading 9 were juvenile novels 84 were 'literature' I'd like to have more works by women next year, and more nonfiction... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted December 22, 2014 Share Posted December 22, 2014 My other self-created challenge was a variant on the Dewey Decimal challenge: I wanted to read something from each of the 890's, all the 8_1, 8_2, and 8_3's (poetry, drama, and novels, except for the 890's which are different) I had the 200, 300, 700, 800. 900's well covered, one each for the 000 & 500's and nothing for 100, 400, or 600. I think I'll pay more attention next year and try to get a little more diversity. WWI era: 11 books WWII era: 21 books Medea: 16 versions Japan: 12 works Italy (including Ancient Rome): 12 ...and then I stopped following along with the country challenges (though I am so glad we did them, it got me to revisit some Japanese literature I haven't looked at in over 20 years and to discover the wonderful Hollander editions of Dante!) ..and for the century challenge (I really enjoyed this one, Robin, it made me more mindful of the period my books were coming from...): 9th: Brocade River Poems 10th: Tales of Ise 11th: Tale of Genji 12th: Layla and Majnun 13th:: Roman de Brut 14th: Inferno 15th:Ecstatic Poems of Kabir 16th: Palm Tree of Devorah 17th: Fuenteovejuna 18th: Memoirs of a Korean Queen 19th World of a Tiny Insect 20th: 6 Characters in Search of an Author 21st: Eyes, Stones: Poems Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted December 22, 2014 Share Posted December 22, 2014 Most thrilling, oh my goodness, I want to read it again, unputdownable book? All My Children by Jo Walton I read it in one sitting and sat, blown away, tears rolling down my cheeks and had to actively restrain myself from clicking back to the beginning. Top 5 7 favorite stories? Tale of Genji immersed me so completely in another time and place Maxwell Anderson's Wingless Victory was a heartwrenching Medea & the only one where Medea's choice made sense to me Rilke's Book of Hours: Love Poems to G-d kept me reading breathlessly and shook me the depths of my being The Soul of Jerusalem helped make this the most moving, growthful Tisha B'Av I've ever had The Long Shadow pulled together my thinking and reading on WWI and was a brilliant, insightful read Goblin Emperor was my favorite type of YA, with heart and integrity and striving for a better world Consequences by Penelope Lively: the first section was my favorite, but seeing the way earlier generations' choices and essence echo down the years was deeply moving. World of a Tiny Insect: A Memoir of the Taiping Rebellion and Its Aftermath: Least favorite book? Vlad by Fuentes. There were other strong contenders (Steerswoman, the dreadful alt history Boleyn King, Kavka on the Shore which was the worst mismatch for my reading preferences)... but this blew them all out of the water. New author discovery? New genre discovery? Dream in a Polar Fog (thank you, Stacia!) introduced me to a part of the world I've never experienced Archangel by Andrea Barett (thank you, Jane!) gave me an author whose works I plan to explore more next year House Hold: A Memoir of Place by Ann Peters (thank you dd#2!) was the perfect memoir, blending personal story with literary themes and philosophical reflection. When/if the author comes out with another book, it will be high on my wish list. Women's Work the First 20,000 Years (thank you Lois Bujold!) gave me insight into cloth/fabric work and connected it to history and sociology in ways that entranced me and led me to do a little more textile reading, and wanting to do even more. ...and 4 of these also belong on my 'favorites' list... One book that touched you - made you laugh, cry, sing or dance. All My Children (again!) and The Blessing of a Broken Heart by Sherri Mandel which covers the ~year after her 13 year old son and his best friend were stoned to death in a cave outside Jerusalem Amazon.com ReviewOf all the spiritual memoirs written about the healing power of love, this is one of the best and most relevant for our times. Author Sherri Mandell (Writers of the Holocaust had good reason to become a beacon of rage and despair after enduring the horrific murder of her eldest son Koby. Mandell, an American-born writer raising her family in Israel, sent her 13-year-old son off to school on May 8th, 2001. But Koby never made it to school that day. Instead he skipped school to go hiking with his friend Yosef. The two boys' bodies were found the next day—bludgeoned to death in a cave near Koby's home in Tekoa. Palestinian terrorists were blamed for the attacks, although the murderers were never found. News of the brutal murders swept across the world. The boys were held up as martyrs, symbols for the age-old hatred between two sets of people. Mandell might have used Koby's death to fuel this ancient conflict. But instead she offers a beautiful memoir, written almost like a prose-poem that recounts her transformation from grief into love and compassion. Ultimately she founded the Koby Mandell Foundation, which offers healing retreats for bereaved mothers and widows as well as a camp for children whose parents or siblings have been killed by terrorists. Despite the inspiring journey, this is not a sugar-coated story. Mandell is not afraid to share the specifics of her sorrow—-and some of the passages are wrenching. "Just the night before he died, he lifted me up to show how strong he was," she recounts. "Then we measured and compared ourselves in the mirror, standing back to back. He was a fraction of an inch shorter then me. And now he will never reach me." This is a stellar memoir, speaking to the ever-constant challenge to cultivate love. Favorite mini challenges? The centuries challenge and the country challenge Are you ready to do it all over again? Yes!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jane in NC Posted December 22, 2014 Share Posted December 22, 2014 My tally at the moment is 86 books although I will probably add another two or three to the list by year's end. My favorites for the year were: Major Barbara (Shaw's play--brilliant!); Archangel by Andrea Barrett (short stores); The Gardener's Year by Karel Čapek (humourous observations); Bitter Lemons by Laurence Durrell (memoir) and Jane Eyre (novel). The writer who completely blew me away was Sigizmund Krzhizhanovsky. My 5/5 challenges included Dusty Books (to help maintain the size of the stacks); Food novels and memoirs; Eastern/Middle European authors; Shaw plays and Dorothy Dunnett novels. I did not meet my quotas on Shaw and Dunnett--just three each. Chunksters in purple on the list. Personal challenges for next year? More Eastern/Middle European authors--I have several in the dusty stack. More plays and poetry. I think reading plays and poetry requires using different brain cells for processing. A number of my books were translated and were published by small presses. I hope to maintain that in the new year too. 1) The Lodger, Marie Belloc Lowndes, 1913--Dusty Book #1 2) The Blithedale Romance, Nathaniel Hawthorne, 1852--Dusty Book #2 3) Radiance of Tomorrow, Ishmael Beah, 2014 4) The Mission Song, John le Carre, 2006 5) The Debt to Pleasure, John Lanchester, 1996--Foodie #1 6) The Cunning Little Vixen, Rudolf Tesnohlidek, 1920, 1985 translation--Dusty #3, Eastern/Middle Europe #1 7) Scoop, Evelyn Waugh, 1938--Dusty #4 8) The Upcycle, William McDonough and Michael Braungart, 2013 9) Red Gold, Alan Furst, 1999 10) Destination Unknown, Agatha Christie, 1954 (audio book) 11) Jane Eyre, Charlotte Bronte, 1847 12) Purge, Sofi Oksanen, 2008, Eastern European #2 13) The Red Badge of Courage, Stephen Crane, 1895 (audio book) 14) My Year of Meats, Ruth Ozeki, 1998--Foodie #2 15) The Time Traveler's Guide to Elizabethan England, Ian Mortimer, 2013 16) Cheerfulness Breaks In, Angela Thirkell, 1940 17) The Moon-Spinners, Mary Stewart, 1962 18) Mastering the Art of French Eating, Ann Mah, 2013, Foodie #3 19) Mr. Fox, Helen Oyeyemi ,2011 20) Autobiography of a Corpse, Sigizmund Krzhizhanovsky, stories written 1925-1927; translation by Joanne Turnbull and Nikolai Formozov 2013 Eastern/Middle Europe #3 21) Before Lunch, Angela Thirkell, 1939 22) The Demon in the House, Angela Thirkell, 1934 23) The Franchise Affair, Josephine Tey, 1948 24) The Return of Captain John Emmett, Elizabeth Speller, 2011 25) Miss Buncle's Book, D.E. Stevenson, 1936 26) Postern of Fate, Agatha Christie, 1973 27) This Rough Magic, Mary Stewart, 1964 28) The Language of Baklava, Diana Abu-Jaber, 2005, Foodie #4 29) Scales of Gold, Dorothy Dunnett, 1991, DD#1 30) They Came to Baghdad, Agatha Christie, 1951 31) Wide Sargasso Sea, Jean Rhys, 1966 32) The Truth, Terry Pratchett, 2000.(audio book) 33) Kingdom of Shadows, Alan Furst, 2000, Dusty #5 34) Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore, Robin Sloan, 2012 35) Grayson, Lynne Cox, 2006,(audio book) 36) Death in the Truffle Wood, Pierre Magnan 1978; translation Patricia Clancy 2005) Foodie #5 37) And Only to Deceive, Tasha Alexander, 2005 38) The Narrow Corner, W. Somerset Maugham, 1932 39) Appointment with Death, Agatha Christie, 1938 (Audio book) 40) The Cone-Gatherers, Robin Jenkins, 1955 41) The Greater Journey: Americans in Paris, David McCullough, 2011 42) The Time Regulation Institute, Ahmet Hamdi Tanpinar, 1962; translation Maureen Freely and Alexander Dawe 2013 43) The Property, Ruta Modan, graphic novel, 2013, translated by Jessica Cohen 44) The Girl in the Green Raincoat, Laura Lippman 2008 45) The Siege, Helen Dunmore, 2002 46) The Moon and Sixpence, Somerset Maugham, 1919 47) The Devil in Amber, Mark Gatiss, 2006 48) Blood Royal, Barbara Cleverly, 2012 49) Stuart Little, E.B. White, 1945 50) Major Barbara, G. B. Shaw, performed 1905, published 1907, Shaw #1 51) Archangel, Andrea Barrett, 2013 52) Arms and the Man, G.B. Shaw, performed 1894, published 1898, Shaw #2 53) City of Thieves, David Benioff, 2008 54) The Dud Avocado, Elaine Dundy, 1958; afterward by the author 2007 55) Saint Joan, G.B. Shaw, peformed 1923, published 1924, Shaw #3 56) The Day of the Dead, Maurizo de Giovanni 2010; translation by Anthony Shugaar, 2014 57) The Oxford Murders, Guillermo Martinez, 2003; translation by Sonia Soto 2005 58) The Nautical Chart, Arturo Perez-Reverte, 2000, translation by Margaret Sayers Peden 2004 59) A Novel Bookstore, Laurence Cosse, 2009; translation by Alison Anderson, 2010 60) Howl's Moving Castle, Diane Wynne Jones, 1986; (Audio book) 61) How to Travel Incognito, Ludwig Bemelmans, 1952, Dusty #6 62) Our Lady of the Nile, Scholastique Mukasonga, 2012; translation by Melanie Mauthner 2014 63) Moscow in the Plague Year, Marina Tsvetaeva, poems written 1918-1920; translation by Christopher Whyte 2014, EE #4 64) The Scent of the Night, Andrea Camilleri, 2001; translation by Stephen Sarterelli 2005 (Audio book) 65) Hild, Nicola Griffith, 2013 66) Background to Danger, Eric Ambler, 1937 67) Decline of the English Murder, George Orwell, 2009 (Essays from the '30's and '40's) 68) Auguste Rodin, Rainer Maria Rilke, 1902, 1907; translation by Daniel Slager 2004 69) The Gardener's Year, Karel Čapek, 1929; translation by M.& R. Weatherall, delightfully illustrated by Josef Čapek, EE #5 70) The Coquette, Hannah W. Foster, 1797 Dusty #7 71) Your Fathers, Where Are They? And the Prophets, Do They Live Forever?, Dave Eggers, 2014 72) The Lighthouse, P.S. James, 2005 73) Stamboul Train, Graham Greene, 1932 (Audio Book) 74) Some Girls, Some Hats and Hitler, Trudi Kanter, 1984 75) The Ivy Tree, Mary Stewart, 1961 76) Ready to Burst, Frankétienne, 1968; translation by Kaiama L. Glover, 2014 77) The 39 Steps, John Buchan, 1915 78) BItter Lemons, Lawrence Durrell, 1957 79) The Photogenic Soprano (originally Dolly and the Singing Bird), 1968, DD#2 80) The Sunday Philosophy Club, Alexander McColl Smith, 2004 (Audio Book) 81) The Minaret of Djam, Freya Stark, 1970 82) Past Caring, Robbert Goddard, 1986 83) The Care and Management of Lies, Jacqueline Winspear, 2014 84) The Gabriel Hounds, Mary Stewart, 1967 85) The Terracotta Dog, Andrea Camilleri, 2004, translated by Stephen Satarelli (Audio book) 86) Send a Fax to the Kasbah, Dorothy Dunnett, 1992 DD#3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ali in OR Posted December 22, 2014 Share Posted December 22, 2014 I will post a 2014 summary later when I can put some thought into it, and then I'll probably post separately and even later for a 2015 goals post. But thought I would quickly pop in and just summarize this week's reading. Saw Andrea Host mentioned upthread--I finished her kindle freebie Stray this week and really enjoyed it. Immediately jumped to the next in the series, Lab Rat One. I don't read a lot of SF but I'm really enjoying the characters and the story. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mom-ninja. Posted December 22, 2014 Share Posted December 22, 2014 I finally finished Watership Down - let's just say that I read about 80% of it and then I skipped to the end. There were too many things going on around me, too many distractions, and I just couldn't focus on this book, nor did I care to. It's not easy to read a book or to focus when under stress/sadness/etc. I could be reading the most incredible book ever, but if I'm not in the right place emotionally/mentally/spiritually, it's all shot . I really wanted to like it, but it ended up being extremely boring for me. This was me when I tried to read it. I was bored, and finally left my ds to finish it on his own. I finished Mr. Darcy's Diary which I've had on my shelf for awhile. Book #53. It was okay, but the writing style irked me. It was supposed to be a diary, yet who writes their journal entries with quoted dialogue? Diary are written in paraphrase and summary. Cause no one remembers conversations word for word and then writes it down verbatim in a diary. I couldn't get past that detail, and found myself irritated throughout the whole book. I'm snit picky like that. I'll get back to answering the end of year questions later. It's bed time for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NoseInABook Posted December 22, 2014 Share Posted December 22, 2014 I'm drooling over the thought of being able to read 300+ books a year when my children are older and my brain isn't slowly leaking out of my ears. That would be lovely. I'm kind of embarrassed by my 83 books read this year when I intended to read 125+ which is a typical goal for me. Alas, lots of babies in and out of the house this year equals sleep deprivation which does not make for good reading. ;) I'll have to come back more with goals and such! But I'm about to go to bed and dig into Kim Harrison's Every Which Way But Dead. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrisB Posted December 22, 2014 Share Posted December 22, 2014 How many books did you read and did you meet your own personal goal? I read a little over 30. IIRC, my personal goal was 26, so half of 52, and I made it. Although, compared to some of you awesome ladies, it's a piddly number in comparison. Can I plead busy with many young children? Top 5 favorite stories? Jane Eyre, The Hobbit, Exiles, Something Other than God, and Band of Brothers Are you ready to do it all over again? You better believe it! Count me in! I'll probably make my goal about the same as this year, about half of 52, with the hopes of getting 52 or close. I want to continually explore new authors and good literature. (I get so many good suggestions from these threads.) But, I must admit, I need a little fluff now and again to balance things out. One book that touched you - made you laugh, cry, sing or dance? Well, the Jim Gaffigan books definitely made me laugh, and so did The Hobbit, surprisingly. Exiles made me sob. Completed: 1. The Secret History of the Pink Carnation, Bk 1, Lauren Willig 2. The Masque of the Black Tulip, Bk 2, Lauren Willig 3. The Deception of the Emerald Ring, Bk 3, Lauren Willig 4. The Seduction of the Crimson Rose, Bk 4, Lauren Willig 5. The Temptation of the Night Jasmine, Bk 5, Lauren Willig 6. The Betrayal of the Blood Lily, Bk 6, Lauren Willig 7. The Orchid Affair, Bk 8, Lauren Willig 8. The Garden Intrigue, Bk 9, Lauren Willig 9. The Hobbit, J.R.R Tolkien 10. Jane Eyre, Charlotte Bronte 11. No Good Duke Goes Unpunished, Sarah Maclean 12. Exiles, Ron Hansen 13. Attachments, Rainbow Rowell 14. Dad is Fat, Jim Gaffigan 15. Something Other Than God, Jennifer Fulwiler 16. Fools Rush In, Janice Thompson 17. Band of Brothers, Stephan Ambrose 18. The One and Only, Emily Giffin 19. One Hundred Names, Cecelia Ahern 20. 50 Children, Steven Pressman 21. Hannah Coulter, Wendell Berry 22. The Giver, Lois Lowry 23. Swinging on a Star, Janice Thompson 24. It Had to Be You, Janice Thompson 25. Pride & Prejudice, Jane Austen 26. Lavin: Selected Short Stories, Mary Lavin 27. Food: A Love Story, Jim Gaffigan 28. Picture Perfect, Janice Thompson 29. The Icing on the Cake, Janice Thompson 30. The Dream Dress, Janice Thompson 31. A Bouquet of Love, Janice Thompson Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrisB Posted December 22, 2014 Share Posted December 22, 2014 Last night I finished Mary Balogh's latest historical romance Only Enchanting: A Survivors' Club Novel. It is not my favorite of Balogh's books; however, it was enjoyable nonetheless! "The Survivors' Club: Six men and one woman, all wounded in the Napoleonic Wars, their friendship forged during their recovery at Penderris Hall in Cornwall. Now, in the fourth novel of the Survivors' Club series, Flavian, Viscount Ponsonby, has left this refuge to find his own salvation—in the love of a most unsuspecting woman.… Regards, Kareni I currently have this on hold through Overdrive. Hope to enjoy it soon! ...I'm 2/3 of the way through Anna Karenina. This is on my to-be-read list for this year. ...didn't get much of anything out of For Whom the Bell Tolls. Comparing notes with my husband was enlightening (we had some of the same English teachers)...He loved For Whom the Bell Tolled. I concluded that some of our reading list must have been aimed at boys, a point which I totally missed at the time... Nan I felt the same way as you when I read it many years ago. Not my favorite author. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacia Posted December 22, 2014 Share Posted December 22, 2014 How many books did you read and did you meet your own personal goal? 72. Fewer books & pages than last year. Hoped to get through my list of geographic areas, but didn’t get to Antarctica. Most thrilling, oh my goodness, I want to read it again, unputdownable book?Probably either one of Thomas Pynchon’s books I read this year: Bleeding Edge or Inherent Vice. Top 5 favorite stories?The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt The Fig Eater by Jody Shields Mink River by Brian Doyle The Book of Chameleons by José Eduardo Agualusa Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut Least favorite book? Usually I abandon books I don’t enjoy. Of the books I did complete, I really hated LoterÃa by Mario Alberto Zambrano. New (to me) author discovery?Thomas Pynchon, Brian Doyle, & José Eduardo Agualusa. Actually most authors I read are new to me as I don’t tend to do much re-reading or reading of a single author’s works. New genre discovery? Expanded more into indie/small press books & really enjoyed that. What countries or centuries did you explore?Africa: Angola; Gambia/Mali Asia: Bangladesh; India; Indonesia (Bali); Japan; Pakistan; Vietnam Caribbean: Jamaica Europe: Austria; Czech Republic; England; France; Italy; Portugal; Russia; Spain Latin America: Argentina; Brazil; Uruguay Middle East: Afghanistan; Iran; Israel; Lebanon North America: Canada; Mexico; USA Oceania: Australia Share a favorite character, story, quote or cover Well, I have a lot of quotes I loved this year, but I’ll share two from The Book of Chameleons by José Eduardo Agualusa: “In your novels do you lie deliberately or just out of ignorance?" Laughter. A murmur of approval. The writer hesitated a few seconds. Then counter-attacked: "I'm a liar by vocation," he shouted. "I lie with joy! Literature is the only chance for a true liar to attain any sort of social acceptance." Then more soberly, he added - his voice lowered - that the principal difference between a dictatorship and a democracy is that in the former there exists only one truth, the truth as imposed by power, while in free countries every man has the right to defend his own version of events. "Truth," he said, "is a superstition.†and “He takes a deep breath, and opens the door. In my other life I used to know people like that -- they're frightened by the sound of wind through the leaves, they can't bear cockroaches, not to mention policemen, lawyers, even dentists. And yet when the dragon bursts into the clearing, opens its mouth and spits fire, they stand up to them. Calm, cool as an angel.†One book that touched you - made you laugh, cry, sing or dance.Mink River by Brian Doyle As always, thank you all for being such a fabulous reading group! I appreciate all the support & suggestions & have been flattered & honored by those who have accepted suggestions from me too. Of course I plan to participate next year! Not sure what goals, if any, I will set for myself other than to continue visiting various countries through my reading & continue reading what the small & indie presses are publishing. Thank you! :grouphug: -------------------------- My rating system: 5 = Love; 4 = Pretty awesome; 3 = Good/Fine; 2 = Meh; 1 = Don't bother 2014 Books Read: 01. The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt (5 stars). Around the World – North America (USA). 02. This Is Where I Leave You by Jonathan Tropper (3 stars). 03. Aiding and Abetting by Muriel Spark (3 stars). Around the World – Europe (England). 04. Sunjata by Bamba Suso & Banna Kanute (5 stars). Around the World – Africa (Gambia & Mali). 05. The Lunatic by Anthony C. Winkler (4 stars). Around the World – Caribbean (Jamaica). 06. The Joke by Milan Kundera (4 stars). Around the World – Europe (Czech Republic). 07. One Hundred Years of Vicissitude by Andrez Bergen (3 grudging stars). Around the World – Asia (Japan). 08. The Dead in Their Vaulted Arches by Alan Bradley (5 stars). 09. The French Connection by Robin Moore (4 stars). Around the World – North America (USA). 10. The Way Through Doors by Jesse Ball (4 stars). 11. Eat for Health by Joel Fuhrman, M.D. (4 stars). 12. LoterÃa by Mario Alberto Zambrano (1 star). 13. Fantômas by Pierre Souvestre & Marcel Allain (3 stars). Around the World – Europe (France). 14. The Ways of White Folks by Langston Huges (5 stars). Around the World – North America (USA). 15. Asleep in the Sun by Adolfo Bioy Casares (3 stars). Around the World – Latin America (Argentina). 16. Reaper Man by Terry Pratchett (5 stars). 17. Boy, Snow, Bird by Helen Oyeyemi (5 stars). 18. Boxer, Beetle by Ned Beauman (3 stars). Around the World – Europe (England). 19. Blood Oranges by Kathleen Tierney (2.5 stars). 20. Atmospheric Disturbances by Rivka Galchen (4 stars). Around the World – Latin America (Argentina). 21. The Clockwork Scarab by Colleen Gleason (3 stars). 22. The Fig Eater by Jody Shields (5 stars). Around the World – Europe (Austria). 23. Broken Verses by Kamila Shamsie (4 stars). Around the World – Asia (Pakistan). 24. I Served the King of England by Bohumil Hrabal (5 stars). Around the World – Europe (Czech Republic). 25. My Kind of Girl by Buddhadeva Bose (3 stars). Around the World – Asia (India & Bangladesh). 26. Background to Danger by Eric Ambler (3 stars). Around the World – Europe (Austria). 27. Aurorarama by Jean-Christophe Valtat (3 stars). Best Cover Art. 28. The Magicians by Lev Grossman (2 stars). 29. Bleeding Edge by Thomas Pynchon (4 stars). Around the World – North America (USA). 30. Decline of the English Murder by George Orwell (3 stars). Around the World – Europe (England). 31. The Miracle Cures of Dr. Aira by César Aira (3 stars). Around the World – Latin America (Argentina). 32. The Brief and Frightening Reign of Phil by George Saunders (3 stars). 33. Mink River by Brian Doyle (5 stars). Around the World – North America (USA). 34. Ru by Kim Thúy (3 stars). Around the World – North America (Canada) & Asia (Vietnam). 35. The Wandering Falcon by Jamil Ahmad (4 stars). Around the World – Asia (Pakistan) & Middle East (Afghanistan & Iran). 36. Strange Bodies by Marcel Theroux (3 stars). Around the World – Europe (England). 37. The Lemur by Benjamin Black (2 stars). 38. Gods Behaving Badly by Marie Phillips (3 stars). 39. Lexicon by Max Barry (3.5 stars). Around the World – Oceania (Australia). 40. Silence Once Begun by Jesse Ball (5 stars). Around the World – Asia (Japan). 41. Asunder by Chloe Aridjis (3 stars). Around the World – Europe (England). 42. Hot Lead, Cold Iron by Ari Marmell (3 stars). 43. The Book of Embraces by Eduardo Galeano (5 stars). Around the World – Latin America (Uruguay). 44. Masters of Atlantis by Charles Portis (4 stars). Around the World – North America (USA). 45. The Weirdness by Jeremy Bushnell (3 stars). 46. 101 Unuseless Japanese Inventions by Kenji Kawakami (3 stars). Around the World – Asia (Japan). 47. The Return of Martin Guerre by Natalie Zemon Davis (4 stars). Around the World – Europe (France). 48. Colorless Tsukuru Tazaki and His Years of Pilgrimage by Haruki Murakami (3.5 stars). Around the World – Asia (Japan). 49. White Masks by Elias Khoury (4 stars). Around the World – Middle East (Lebanon). 50. The Book of Chameleons by José Eduardo Augalusa (5 stars). Around the World – Africa (Angola). 51. The Club of Angels by Luis Fernando Verissimo (3 stars). Around the World – Latin America (Brazil). 52. Eléctrico W by Hervé Le Tellier (4 stars). Around the World – Europe (Portugal). 53. The Supernatural Enhancements by Edgar Cantero (4 stars). 54. The Facades by Eric Lundgren (3 stars). 55. Koko Takes a Holiday by Kieran Shea (3 stars). 56. A Dream in Polar Fog by Yuri Rytkheu (5 stars). Around the World – Asia (Russia). 57. Pedro Páramo by Juan Rulfo (4 stars). Around the World – North America/Latin America (Mexico). 58. Translation is a Love Affair by Jacques Poulin (5 stars). Around the World – North America (Canada). 59. The Skating Rink by Roberto Bolaño (3 stars). Around the World – Europe (Spain). 60. Love Burns by Edna Mazya (3 stars). Around the World – Middle East (Israel). 61. Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut (5 stars). 62. The Debba by Avner Mandelman (4 stars). Around the World – Middle East (Israel). 63. Inherent Vice by Thomas Pynchon (4 stars). 64. The Translation of Dr Apelles: A Love Story by David Treuer (3 stars). Around the World – North America (United States). 65. Three Scenarios in Which Hana Sasaki Grows a Tail by Kelly Luce (4 stars). Around the World – Asia (Japan). 66. Lamberto, Lamberto, Lamberto by Gianni Rodari (3 stars). Around the World – Europe (Italy). 67. The Time Machine by H.G. Wells (4 stars). 68. The Castle in Transylvania by Jules Verne (3 stars). 69. Galore by Michael Crummey (4 stars). Around the World – North America (Canada -- Newfoundland). 70. Ubik by Philip K. Dick (4 stars). 71. The Specter of Alexander Wolf by Gaito Gazdanov (3 stars). Around the World – Europe (Russia & France). 72. The Painted Alphabet by Diana Darling (5 stars). Around the World – Asia (Indonesia -- Bali). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LostSurprise Posted December 22, 2014 Share Posted December 22, 2014 Lord of the Flies - YUCK YUCK YUCK Catcher in the Rye Cry the Beloved Country moved me. To Kill a Mockingbird did not. Beowulf The Invisible Man Shakespeare. Cannery Row and Grapes of Wrath For Whom the Bell Tolls. I must be one of the few people who felt interest in Lord of the Flies. It's not a fun book by any means. I read it as a junior in high school...for fun sorta...it was just one of the books available on a rack in study hall. At the time I found it very profound and frightening (the way Brave New World was both profound and frightening) and the structure fascinating. It was probably the first time I could comprehend a book that was so metaphorical. I loved the symbolism. I was sick and angry at the ending but I re-read it, immediately, because I sensed that I was missing things the author wanted to get across. It wasn't as much about children as it was about the human race. Heady stuff. I read Catcher in the Rye at 30 and hated it. It felt sad and boring and pretentious. It read more as a teen who wanted to connect but honestly could not. He seemed broken, not the world. Loved To Kill a Mockingbird, but I read it at 13 and there's a sense of nostalgia at 13 which fits the novel. Childhood is still very clear. Beowulf was ok...Canterbury Tales was better. Grapes of Wrath was long for what it is. It's a better read for a 20 year old, I think. I connected much more to it when I was a young mother than when I read it as a teen. I liked Shakespeare but he seemed so schizophrenic when I was a teenager. He was all baroque and gilt edges. Sometimes I wanted him to stop being so manic. Assigned books that affected me in middle and high school: The Good Earth. Things Fall Apart. The Odyssey. Flowers for Algernon. To Kill a Mockingbird. Merchant of Venice. My Antonia. I finally finished Watership Down - let's just say that I read about 80% of it and then I skipped to the end. There were too many things going on around me, too many distractions, and I just couldn't focus on this book, nor did I care to. I could never finish it. :/ The Girls at the Kingfisher Club by Genevieve Valentine: The 12 dancing princesses in the US Roaring Twenties. This was very readable - I read it straight through in a single gulp - and it isn't hard to ignore the initial illogical pieces or to accept the grimmer flavor, but then the plot takes an odd, sudden turn, which made no sense at all, but the characters' emotional intensity around it carried me through... until we almost immediately afterwards have another completely unbelievable (to me) plot contrivance that puts everyone in a different set of situations. Very disappointing because the setup had some real potential. As a writer, I thought the odd sudden turn was bad structure and far too sudden, as a reader I thought it was one of the more realistic elements of the story. It needed a jolt to get something to happen since the main character couldn't really find a way out. Cue mustache-twirling villain. I think Valentine hoped the internal logic of the story would iron out all the inconsistencies. It was odd to have the story be more realistic in some ways and in others stretch reality (and not in a magical way). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacia Posted December 22, 2014 Share Posted December 22, 2014 I disliked Watership Down enough that I didn't bother to finish it. (Tried it a few years ago.) Just ugh. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrisB Posted December 22, 2014 Share Posted December 22, 2014 I'm drooling over the thought of being able to read 300+ books a year when my children are older and my brain isn't slowly leaking out of my ears. That would be lovely. No kidding! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LostSurprise Posted December 22, 2014 Share Posted December 22, 2014 So? How did it go? :hurray: :glare: :drool5: :lol: :nopity: :w00t: :sleep: :rolleyes: How many books did you read and did you meet your own personal goal? 118, not counting re-reads or cookbooks. I don't have a personal goal. Some years it's feast (anything over 100) and sometimes it's famine (11 or 12 books 3 or 4 years ago). I'd rather go where my life allows me to go. Most thrilling, oh my goodness, I want to read it again, unputdownable book? Nothing really pops out at me while reading my list. Maybe I don't read a lot of thrillers...I'm kind of a plodder usually. :rolleyes: Maybe The Martian by Andy Weir. Top 5 favorite stories? The Summer Book by Tove Jannsen ** Some Prefer Nettles by Junichiro Tanizaki * Sweet Land by Will Weaver Color: a Natural History of the Palette by Victoria Finlay Least favorite book? A Scandalous Life: a Biography of Jane Digby by Mary Lovell was probably the most disappointing. I won't count graphic novels because they are easy to finish even if you dislike them and they don't seem to make an impression on me (maybe why I kept reading them???) I should get to bed...more later. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rosie_0801 Posted December 22, 2014 Share Posted December 22, 2014 I love Watership Down! If I leave out the mythical First Bunny stories. They are too annoying. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Negin Posted December 22, 2014 Share Posted December 22, 2014 How many books did you read and did you meet your own personal goal? I read a little over 30. IIRC, my personal goal was 26, so half of 52, and I made it. Although, compared to some of you awesome ladies, it's a piddly number in comparison. Can I plead busy with many young children? One book that touched you - made you laugh, cry, sing or dance? Well, the Jim Gaffigan books definitely made me laugh Chris, I almost always set a goal of 26 books. I have to be honest here and say that I don't really care for the number of books. I stayed away from this thread for the longest while when I first joined these boards. I thought that there was no way that I would be to read one book a week. I just want to enjoy the ride and I try to not let the numbers/goals get in my way. To me, as long as I'm reading something I love, that's what matters. If I get fixated on a goal, it just ends up stressing me out. Oh, I also love Jim Gaffigan. I want to read his other book about being an eatie not a foodie. :D Sounds like me! I could never finish it. :/ I disliked Watership Down enough that I didn't bother to finish it. (Tried it a few years ago.) Just ugh. This was me when I tried to read it. I was bored, and finally left my ds to finish it on his own. Well, all of you have made me feel better. The one-star reviews on Good Reads were quite comforting also, entertaining as well, may I add :lol:. Mom-Ninja, how was the Joan Rivers book? I can't wait to read that one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Onceuponatime Posted December 22, 2014 Share Posted December 22, 2014 •How many books did you read and did you meet your own personal goal? I read 97 books, more than I've read in many years. I didn't have a goal. •Most thrilling, oh my goodness, I want to read it again, unputdownable book? There isn't one that particularly stands out from among the rest. •Top 5 favorite stories? The Flavia mysteries, The Martian, Chocolat, the Snow Child, the Rosie Project •Least favorite book? That would be Winter Study by Nevada Barr, there were a couple of close seconds. •New author discovery? New genre discovery? Magical romance :blushing: a la Sarah Addison Allen, Alice Hoffman, Joanne Harris. I also was pleased with reading Terry Pratchett for the first time. •What countries or centuries did you explore? I wasn't very particularly aiming for diversity this year but I did get in quite a few centuries and countries anyway. I even read some Russian lit. :p There was also, Korea, Italy, England, Antarctica, Australia, Germany, Spain, France, Burma, The Netherlands, Mexico, and Mars. The centuries were from the 12th to the 20th. •Share a favorite character, story, quote or cover. The lady who lived in the closet in the book The Sugar Queen was alternately amusing and sad. I'll have to think about quotes and covers. •One book that touched you - made you laugh, cry, sing or dance. I found The Remains of The Day very touching. The Rosie Project made me laugh. The first Maisie Dobbs book made me sob. •Favorite mini challenges? Spooky and winter. •Are you ready to do it all over again? Am I ready to take my next breath? Of Course! But this year will probably be less prolific. •Do you have any goals to check out different genres or authors, read translated books or stories in another language for 2015? Yes. :D I'm currently reading A Silhouette in Scarlet by Elizabeth Peters. It is a Vicky Bliss mystery that I'm apparently reading out of order, but it is fun and doesn't take much brain cells right now. (I've read Watership Down at least 5 times.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
prairiegirl Posted December 22, 2014 Share Posted December 22, 2014 How many books? So far the number is 77 but I am hoping to read a few more. This is by far the most books I have ever read during a year. This has also been a most gratifying year of reading for me. This year was a difficult one for me but it was a release to fall into a book and get caught up in someone else's life and problems. Some of the books that I read this year even helped me to gain insight into my own dilemmas. 5 favourites (oh, man that is hard!)-- Housekeeping by Marilynne Robinson Found by Micha Boyett ( a look into the practises of the Benedictine monks. May I go so far as to say that this book was life changing for me?) Everything I Never Told You by Celest Ng. Booked by Karen Swallow Prior. A book about books, that genre never gets old for me. Till We Have Faces by C.S.Lewis While Beauty Slept by Elizabeth Blackwell. A retelling of Sleeping Beauty Least favourite--I have two: The Dante Game by Jane Langton and The Raphael Affair by Iain Pears New author/new genre: My pick fits both: Mr. Fox by Helen Oyeymi. I don't know what genre you would slot Oyeymi's books in but I have never read any like this before. This was the craziest book I have ever read but Oyeymi's writing style kept me reading to the finish and I will be reading more of hers in the next year. Favourite quote: I just finished Housekeeping by Marilynne Robinson and I do believe I could have filled up my entire commonplace book with just quotes from that book. Robinson's words took my breath away on so many occasions. Here is my favourite, though: "We would have never known that her calm was as slight as the skin on water, and that her calm sustained her as a coin can float on still water...But she left us and broke the family and the sorrow was released and we saw its wings and saw it fly a thousand ways into the hills..." (pg. 198) The book that touched me the most? There were a few: The Headmaster's Wife by Thomas Christopher Greene (I think it was because I knew what brought him to write this story,) Everything I Never Told You by Celeste Ng. Housekeeping by Marilynne Robinson, Frog Music by Emma Donoghue. Of course I will do this again next year. I look forward to all of the words that will touch my heart and make me think, cry and laugh. I appreciate this group so much. There were many times in the past year when my heart was hurting, I would come here and just read your thoughts on your reading and other little rabbit trails you would travel on. I wouldn't post, I just read. Your words as well caused me to think, laugh and cry. Thank you for coming here every week to talk about books. This group has been one of the saving graces I have encountered during this year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Violet Crown Posted December 22, 2014 Share Posted December 22, 2014 This week I am still reading The Awkward Age. It's a busy time with family and preparation, so I make no apologies for slowness in reading. Negin, ChrisB, and NoseInaBook, I think we must be pleased with ourselves for whatever reading we get done. When I joined this lovely group, I had to force myself to think of it, for me, as the "Book of the Month Club"; if I could manage a book a month, that was fine. I was excited to find at the end of the first year I had read twenty-six books. I'm thrilled to have gotten up to 52 books this year! 58. Conan Doyle, The Exploits of Brigadier Gerard 57. J. Frank Dobie, Cow People 56. Walter Van Tilburg Clark, The Ox-Bow Incident 55. Colette, The Innocent Libertine 54. Mary Shelley, The Last Man 53. Thorstein Veblen, The Theory of the Leisure Class 52. George Eliot, Silas Marner 51. F. Scott Fitzgerald, Tender is the Night 50. J. Frank Dobie, Tales of Old-Time Texas 49. Jeremy Lewis, Penguin Special 48. Guy de Maupassant, Bel-Ami 47. The Oxford Book of English Ghost Stories 46. Horace, Satires 45. Daniel Defoe, A Journal of the Plague Year 44. Henry James, The Bostonians 43. Alan Garner, Red Shift 42. Neil Postman, Amusing Ourselves to Death 41. James Boswell, The Life of Samuel Johnson 40. Katherine Mansfield, in a German Pension 39. Boethius, The Consolation of Philosophy 38. Stephen Crane, Maggie: A Girl of the Streets 37. Stephen Crane, The Red Badge of Courage 36. Shakespeare, Hamlet 35. Dmitri Merejkowski, The Romance of Leonardo Da Vinci 34. Boccaccio, The Decameron 33. W. E. B. DuBois, The Souls of Black Folk 32. Nancy Brysson Morison, The Gowk Storm 31. Christopher Rush, Last Lesson of the Afternoon 30. François Mauriac, Life of Jesus 29. R. L. Stevenson, The Merry Men and Other Stories 28. John Buchan, The Strange Adventures of Mr Andrew Hawthorn and Other Stories 27. John Buchan, The Thirty-Nine Steps 26. The Poetic Edda 25. Walter Scott, Rob Roy 24. Robin Jenkins, The Cone-Gatherers 23. Henry James, Washington Square 22. James Hogg, The Private Memoirs and Confessions of a Justified Sinner 21. John Stuart Mill, On Liberty 20. Thomas Mann, The Magic Mountain 19. Thomas à Kempis, The Imitation of Christ 18. Colette, Music-Hall Sidelights 17. Colette, Gigi 16. Colette, Claudine at School 15. Balzac, The Black Sheep 14. Mark Holloway, Heavens on Earth 13. Brian Moore, The Lonely Passion of Judith Hearne 12. Byron, Don Juan 11. Aphra Behn, Oroonoko, Or the Royal Slave 10. Richard Brautigan, A Confederate General From Big Sur 9. A. J. Symons, The Quest for Corvo 8. Jane Austen, Mansfield Park 7. Hildegard von Bingen, Scivias 6. Shakespeare, As You Like It 5. Guy de Maupassant, "Le Horla" 4. Washington Irving, The Legend of Sleepy Hollow and Other Stories 3. Nathaniel Hawthorne, The House of the Seven Gables 2. Frederick Rolfe, Hadrian VII 1. Thomas Mann, Death in Venice & Other Stories Robin, many thanks for another year of your gracious hosting. Responses to your questions later, when I'm not on the iPad and can see what I'm doing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LostSurprise Posted December 22, 2014 Share Posted December 22, 2014 5 favourites (oh, man that is hard!)-- Housekeeping by Marilynne Robinson Favourite quote: I just finished Housekeeping by Marilynne Robinson and I do believe I could have filled up my entire commonplace book with just quotes from that book. Robinson's words took my breath away on so many occasions. Here is my favourite, though: "We would have never known that her calm was as slight as the skin on water, and that her calm sustained her as a coin can float on still water...But she left us and broke the family and the sorrow was released and we saw its wings and saw it fly a thousand ways into the hills..." (pg. 198) I appreciate this group so much. There were many times in the past year when my heart was hurting, I would come here and just read your thoughts on your reading and other little rabbit trails you would travel on. I wouldn't post, I just read. Your words as well caused me to think, laugh and cry. Thank you for coming here every week to talk about books. This group has been one of the saving graces I have encountered during this year. I love House-keeping! I couldn't tell you why. The language is so dense and gorgeous. That's just how I feel about this thread. Negin, ChrisB, and NoseInaBook, I think we must be pleased with ourselves for whatever reading we get done. When I joined this lovely group, I had to force myself to think of it, for me, as the "Book of the Month Club"; if I could manage a book a month, that was fine. I was excited to find at the end of the first year I had read twenty-six books. I'm thrilled to have gotten up to 52 books this year! There is no proper rate of reading for this thread. Reading is part of our personalities and our lives, and there shouldn't be a wrong way to do it. I think of this thread as a place of encouragement. There are weeks and even months I don't read much, if anything. Other weeks it seems all I'm doing is reading, reading, reading. Both parts of me love seeing what the rest of you are doing, and how you perceive and think about things. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Violet Crown Posted December 22, 2014 Share Posted December 22, 2014 There is not proper rate of reading for this thread. Reading is part of our personalities and our lives, and there shouldn't be a wrong way to do it. I think of this thread as a place of encouragement. There are weeks and even months I don't read much, if anything. Other weeks it seems all I'm doing is reading, reading, reading. Both parts of me love seeing what the rest of you are doing, and how you think perceive and think about things. Yes. You said it much more elegantly than I did. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shukriyya Posted December 22, 2014 Share Posted December 22, 2014 I am so enjoying reading everyone's wrap-ups and reflections. I will come back and post my own sometime before the end of the year when I have a spacious few moments to allow for that kind of rambling. In the meantime it looks as though 'I am Livia' is winning out for my last 5/5. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Violet Crown Posted December 22, 2014 Share Posted December 22, 2014 Best and worst: There were some, like Boswell's Life of Johnson, that I did love and the reading of which will have a more lasting effect on me than most of the other books I read; some, like The Theory of the Leisure Class, that I think are terribly important but not necessary to read more than judicious selections from. But I will limit this to well-written books that I think my friends would enjoy, but which do not show up on anyone's 500 Best Books Ever list. Books that I wish I had extra copies of, so I could press them into people's hands and say, Try this! 57. J. Frank Dobie, Cow People 32. Nancy Brysson Morison, The Gowk Storm 28. John Buchan, The Strange Adventures of Mr Andrew Hawthorn and Other Stories 21. John Stuart Mill, On Liberty 13. Brian Moore, The Lonely Passion of Judith Hearne (Honorable mention: Maupassant, Bel-Ami) Worst: This is reserved for books that, while not so very bad that I couldn't finish them--not even necessarily bad at all--I would probably tell my January 2014 self not to bother with. 10. Richard Brautigan, A Confederate General From Big Sur 31. Christopher Rush, Last Lesson of the Afternoon (okay, actually bad) 43. Alan Garner, Red Shift 42. Neil Postman, Amusing Ourselves to Death (a good book now too dated to be readable) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jane in NC Posted December 22, 2014 Share Posted December 22, 2014 Best and worst: There were some, like Boswell's Life of Johnson, that I did love and the reading of which will have a more lasting effect on me than most of the other books I read; some, like The Theory of the Leisure Class, that I think are terribly important but not necessary to read more than judicious selections from. But I will limit this to well-written books that I think my friends would enjoy, but which do not show up on anyone's 500 Best Books Ever list. Books that I wish I had extra copies of, so I could press them into people's hands and say, Try this! 57. J. Frank Dobie, Cow People 32. Nancy Brysson Morison, The Gowk Storm 28. John Buchan, The Strange Adventures of Mr Andrew Hawthorn and Other Stories 21. John Stuart Mill, On Liberty 13. Brian Moore, The Lonely Passion of Judith Hearne (Honorable mention: Maupassant, Bel-Ami) Worst: This is reserved for books that, while not so very bad that I couldn't finish them--not even necessarily bad at all--I would probably tell my January 2014 self not to bother with. 10. Richard Brautigan, A Confederate General From Big Sur 31. Christopher Rush, Last Lesson of the Afternoon (okay, actually bad) 43. Alan Garner, Red Shift 42. Neil Postman, Amusing Ourselves to Death (a good book now too dated to be readable) I like Buchan so Strange Adventures is going on my list. Don't we have a date to read Peregrine Pickle or another Smollett in the year ahead? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Violet Crown Posted December 22, 2014 Share Posted December 22, 2014 I like Buchan so Strange Adventures is going on my list. Don't we have a date to read Peregrine Pickle or another Smollett in the year ahead? Yes we do! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jane in NC Posted December 22, 2014 Share Posted December 22, 2014 Angela Thirkell's High Rising is a completely delightful and frivolous escape, the perfect pick-me-up for trying times. Amy and Angel--this one is for you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LostSurprise Posted December 22, 2014 Share Posted December 22, 2014 New author discovery? New genre discovery? Will Weaver. Charles Stross. Roddy Doyle. Duong Thu Huong. Daniel Woodrell. Gene Luen Yan. Ranier Maria Rilke. I was surprised at how many graphic novels I read this year. I wanted to read greats of the genre and see what it had to offer. This didn't turn me into a fan, but it did open me up a bit to what a visual story can do. I was pretty evenly split with male/female authors (61/60). More fiction than non-fiction (77/35), but a good mix. What countries or centuries did you explore? I wanted to do the century challenge, but found myself stuck on Heloise and Abelard because it was on-shelf (why does Abelard have to be such a jerk?). I meandered a bit. 16th-21st century done. 13th. 7th. Then I started to work on clearing shelves. I did enjoy it, especially the historical aspects of the 7th century. I hope to do older things this year. Countries: Canada, US, southern Mexico, northern Latin America, Chile, Australia, Japan, Korea, Vietnam, China, India, Persia/Iran, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, Greece, Italy, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, France, England, Scotland, Ireland, Lithuania, Finland, Russia, Congo, South Africa. A lot of these were settings, but I went through a shelf of world lit. too. •Share a favorite character, story, quote or cover. No particulars this year but I seemed unconsciously drawn to women's relationships and struggles. The Grandmother and Sophia in The Summer Book. The sisters in The Bread Givers. The roommates in Tam Lin. Aunts. Mentors. Friends. I'm not sure I chose the books purposefully, but I felt the most connection there. •One book that touched you - made you laugh, cry, sing or dance. A lot of books touched me. All good books touch you in someway. It was fun to reflect on this question though. It was fun to think of the different emotions books left me with this year: awe, wonder, sadness, anger, frustration, peace. •Are you ready to do it all over again? Of course! •Do you have any goals to check out different genres or authors, read translated books or stories in another language for 2015? I rarely think about these things ahead of time. I do want to read more history and more books set before the Renaissance. I do want to visit areas I rarely read about and centuries I know little about. I want to spend more time clearing shelves and finishing dusty books. Best Book of the Year ** 10 Best Books * 118. Elizabeth Zimmermann’s Knitting Workshop~nonfiction, knitting, education. 117. The Knitting Answer Book by Margaret Radcliffe~non-fiction, knitting, education* 116. The Angel of Losses by Stephanie Feldman~fiction, Jewish fables, sisters. 115. Morlock Night by KW Jeter~~steampunk, Time Machine, King Arthur 114. Teeny-Tiny Mochimochi by Anna Hrachovec~knitting/handcrafting, toys. 113. Bag Style by Pam Allen~knitting/handcrafting, purses and bags, patterns. 112. The Knitter’s Handy Book of Patterns by Ann Budd~knitting/handcrafting, patterns. * 111. The Girls of the Kingfisher Club by Genevieve Valentine~modern fairy tale, Roaring ‘20s, 12 dancing sisters. 110. Restless Spirit: the Life and Work of Dorothea Lange by Elizabeth Partridge~biography, photography, Depression, female artists. 109. The Society of S by Susan Hubbard~coming of age, mysterious family. Clear Shelf Challenge 108. The School of Essential Ingredients by Erica Bauermeister~fiction, cooking/food, multi-person narrative. 107. The Knitter’s Guide to Yarn by Clara Parkes~non-fiction, fiber arts. 106. Saga by Brian K. Vaugn~graphic novel, love against all odds. * 105. Fables by Bill Willingham~graphic novel, modern fairy tale, noir. 104. Wireless by Charles Stross~short stories, science fiction/speculative fiction, future. Clear Shelf Challenge 103. Tam Lin by Pamela Dean~fantasy, modern fairy tale, college life. 102. Loyola Chin and the San Peligran Order by Gene Luen Yang~graphic novel, YA, elitism. 101. Lost Girls: an Unsolved American Mystery by Robert Kolker~non-fiction, victim story, murder. 100. Gordon Yamamoto and the King of the Geeks by Gene Luen Yang~graphic novel, YA, bullying, forgivenness. 99. Before I Go to Sleep by SJ Watson~fiction, thriller, amnesia. Clear Shelf Challenge. 98. 20 Love Poems and a Song of Despair by Pablo Neruda~poetry, Chile, love. 97.Acceptance by Jeff Vandermeer~Southern Reach trilogy, thriller/speculative fiction. 96. Burnt Toast Makes You Sing Good by Kathleen Flinn~memoir, Midwest, food and family. 95. Journal of a Tour to the Hebrides with Samuel L Johnson by Boswell~travelogue, Scotland, memoir. 18th Century. 94. Paddy Clarke Ha Ha Ha by Roddy Doyle~fiction, Ireland, ‘60s, coming of age. * 93. The Winter Sea by Susanna Kearsley~historical romance, Scotland, Jacobite Rebellion, modern/historical mix. 18th Century. 92. Five-Plant Gardens by Nancy Ondra~non-fiction, gardening, flowers. 91. Odd Hours by Dean Koontz~thriller, supernatural, series. 90. The Dudes Abide~memoir, film industry. 89. The Castle of Ortranto by Horace Walpole~horror/gothic fiction, romance. 18th Century. 88. Compact Houses: Architecture for the Environment by Christine de Valle~architecture, international. 87. July’s People by Nadine Gordimer~speculative fiction, South Africa. Dusty book. Clear Shelf Challenge. 86. The Other Side of the Dale by Gervase Phinn~memoir, education, Great Britain. Clear Shelf Challenge. 85. Equoid: a Laundry Novella by Charles Stross~science fiction, HP Lovecraft, unicorns. 84. Roadside Picnic by Arkady and Boris Sturgasky~science fiction, Soviet Union, aliens. 83. Color: a Natural History of the Palette by Victoria Finlay~non-fiction, art and industry, international, memoir. * 82. Ready Player One by Ernest Cline~Science Fiction, adventure, future dystopia. Clear Shelf Challenge. 81. Level Up by Gene Luen Yang~YA, graphic novel, parent-child relationships, fate. 80. American Born Chinese by Gene Luen Yang~YA, graphic novel, identity, 2nd generation immigrant. * 79. We Pointed Them North: Recollections of a Cowpuncher by EC Abbott~memoir, western US, cowboys. 19th century. Clear Shelf Challenge. 78. The Martian by Andy Weir~science fiction, Mars, survival. * 77. Nano Houses by Phyllis Richardson~non-fiction, architecture & design, tiny houses, international. 76. Snow White and Rose Red by Patricia Wrede~fantasy, fairy tale, youth novel. 16th Century. 75. Rilke’s Book of Hours~Rainer Maria Rilke, translators~poetry, God, self. 19th Century. * 74. That Crumpled Paper Was Due Last Week by Ana Homayoun~nonfiction, education, psychology. 73. The Makeup Wakeup by Lois Johnson~non-fiction, beauty, ageing. 72. Boxers & Saints by Gene Luen Yang~graphic novel, YA, Boxer Rebellion/China. Series. 19th Century. 71. The Mislaid Magician or Ten Years Later by Patricia Wrede and Caroline Stevermer~fantasy, Regency, magic. 19th Century. 70. Night Film by Marisha Pessl~fiction, mystery, doomed genius. * 69. The Shining by Stephen King~fiction, horror, supernatural. 68. Let’s Pretend This Never Happened by Jenny Lawson~memoir, humor, Texas. 67. The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane by Katherine Howe~fiction, Salem Witch Trials, historian. 17th Century. Clear Shelf Challenge. 66. A Scandalous Life: the Biography of Jane Digby by Mary Lovell~Biography, Mideast/Syria, 19th Century. Clear Shelf Challenge. 65. Espresso Tales by Alexander McCall Smith~fiction, ensemble of characters, Scotland. Clear Shelf Challenge. 64. Novel Without a Name by Duong Thu Huong~fiction, Vietnam, war. Dusty Book. Clear Shelf Challenge. * 63. Embers by Sandor Marai~fiction, Austrian-Hungarian empire, friendship. 19th century. Dusty Book. Clear Shelf Challenge 62. Night of Many Dreams by Gail Tsukiyama~Hong Kong, WWII, sisters. Clear Shelf Challenge. 61. The Deportees and Other Stories by Roddy Doyle~short stories, Ireland, immigration. Dusty Book. Clear Shelf Challenge. 60. Losing Battles by Eudora Welty~fiction, South, family reunion. Dusty Book. 59. Empress by Shan Sa~historical fiction, China, politics, 7th century. Clear Shelf Challenge. 58. The Hen Who Dreamed She Could Fly by Sun-Mi Hwang~fable, animals, mothers, South Korean. 57. The Lace Reader by Brunonia Barry~fiction, dysfunctional families, Salem, MA. Dusty Book. Clear Shelf Challenge. 56. The Stench of Honolulu by Jack Handey~fiction, absurdist, treasure hunting, humor. 55. Y: the Last Man vol. 1 by Brian Vaughn~graphic novel, speculative fiction, end of the world quest. 54. The Atrocity Files by Charles Stross~Laundry Files series, science fiction, horror. 53. Some Prefer Nettles by Junichiro Tanizaki~classic literature, Japan, dissolution of a marriage. * 52. The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie by Alan Bradley~mystery, child narrator, England. 51. Sous Chef by Michael Gibney~cooking, restaurants, day in the life. 50. Authority by Jeff VanderMeer~Southern Reach trilogy, thriller/speculative fiction, spy organization. 49. Hild by Nicola Griffith~historical fiction, Christianity, politics, Anglo-Saxon. 7th century 48. The Raphael Affair by Iain Banks~mystery, art history crimes, series. 47. The Ghost Map by Steven Johnson~non-fiction, epidemiology, maps, Victorian London. 19th century 46. The Princess and the Goblin by George MacDonald~youth fiction, fairy tale, read aloud. 19th century 45. Henry and Clara by Thomas Mallon~historical fiction, Civil War, true story. 19th century 44. Dead Men Do Tell Tales: The Strange and Fascinating Stories of Forensic Anthropology~non-fiction, memoir, crime. 43. The Grand Tour by Patricia Wrede and Caroline Stevermer~fantasy, Regency, magic, Kate and Cecy letter series. 19th Century. 42. The Elegance of the Hedgehog by Muriel Barbery~lit fic, French, philosophy, art. * 41. Dead Mountain: the Untold Truth of the Dyatlov Incident by Donnie Eichar~memoir, history, unexplained death, Soviet Union. 40. Sorcery and Cecelia, or the Enchanted Chocolate Pot by Patricia Wrede and Caroline Stevermer~fantasy, Regency, magic. 19th Century. 39. Full Service by Will Weaver~fiction, coming of age novel, religion, ‘60s. 38. The Incal: The Epic Conspiracy by Alexandro Jodorowsky~graphic novel, dystopian future, surrealism. 37. Critique of Criminal Reason by Michael Gregorio~mystery, Germany, Immanuel Kant, forensics. 19th century 36. Annihilation by Jeff VanderMeer~speculative fiction, fantasy, thriller. 35. Five Children and It by E Nesbit~youth fiction, adventure, read-aloud. 19th century 34. The Neddiad: How Neddie Took the Train, Went to Hollywood, and Saved Civilization by Daniel Pinkwater~children’s fiction, absurdity, ‘40s, sacred turtles, LA. 33. A Supposedly Fun Thing I Will Never Do Again by David Foster Wallace~essays, criticism, humor. 32. Shark’s Fin and Sichuan Pepper: a Sweet-Sour Memoir of Eating in China by Fuschia Dunlop~memoir, China, food & recipes. 31. Incarnadine by Mary Szybist~poetry, semi-religious. 30. The Liar’s Club by Mary Karr~memoir, east Texas, ‘60s, dysfunctional family. 29. The Summer Book by Tove Jannsen~memoir as fiction, Finland, relationships, grief. ** 28. A Natural History of Dragons by Marie Brennan~fantasy, dragons, women’s issues, biology. 27. Sweet Land by Will Weaver~short stories, Midwest, farming. * 26. A Zoo in My Luggage by Gerald Durrell~memoir, animal capturing and keeping, Africa, zoos. Finally Finished/Dusty Book. 25. Bossypants by Tina Fey~memoir, comedy, television, humor. 24. Boy, Snow, Bird by Helen Oyeyemi~fiction, Snow White re-imagining, female relationships, self-image, '50s. * 23. Shadow Puppets by OSC~speculative fiction, Bean/Ender series, politics. 22. Shadow of the Hegemon by Orson Scott Card~speculative fiction, Bean/Ender series, politics. 21. The Language of Baklava by Diana Abu-Jaber~memoir, 2nd generation American immigrants, Jordan, food. 20. Bread Givers by Anzia Yezierska~semi-autobiographical fiction, Jewish immigrants, women's issues. 19th century/Dusty Book * 19. Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince by JK Rowling~youth fiction, fantasy, wizards. Dusty Book 18. Where the Red Fern Grows by Wilson Rawls~youth fiction, dogs, hunting, read aloud. 17. The Painted Veil by W. Somerset Maugham~fiction, classic, China, male-female roles. 19th century/Dusty Book 16. Replay by Ken Grimwood~speculative fiction, time travel, multiple lives. Finally Finished/Dusty Book 15. Home Cooking: a Writer in the Kitchen by Laurie Colwin~ memoir, cooking, recipes, essays, humorous. 14. Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore by Robin Sloan~fiction, mystery, cults, printing, Google. 13. By Nature's Design by Pat Murphy and William Neill~non-fiction, natural patterns, science, Exploratorium series. 12. The Lives of the Heart by Jane Hirschfield~poetry, relationships, 1990s. * 11. The Titian Committee by Iain Pears~mystery, Venice, Art History, Argyll series. 10. Mort by Terry Pratchett~fantasy, Disc world series, Death. 9. Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein~youth fiction, WWII, female pilots and spies. 8. Still Life by Louise Penny~mystery, Inspector Gamanche series, Quebec. 7. The Maid's Version by Daniel Woodrell~literary fiction, mystery, multiple narrators. 6. The Master Butcher's Singing Club by Louise Erdrich~fiction, northern plains, WWI/WWII, relationships, Finally Finished!/Dusty Book. 5. Curtsies & Conspiracies by Gail Carriger~youth fiction, boarding school, spies, steampunk. 4. Cinnamon and Gunpowder by Eli Brown~fiction, pirates, food, colonialism. 17the century 3. The Man of Numbers: Fibonacci's Arithmetic Revolution by Keith Devlin~non-fiction, Mathematics, 13th century, Indian-Persian numbers. 2. The Door in the Wall by Marguerite De Angeli~youth fiction, 13th century, disability, read-aloud. 1. Tale for the Time Being by Ruth Ozeki~fiction, story within a story, Japan/Canada, Zen. * Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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