Book a Week in 2012 - week 9

[Robin M]

Good Morning! Today is the start of week 9 in our quest to read 52 books in 52 weeks. Welcome back to all our readers 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 in my signature.

52 Books Blog - Frank Peretti: Peretti new book Illusions is coming out March 6 (after 6 long years). He is the ultimate in christian supernatural warfare psychological thrillers. If you haven't read any of his books check out his first This Present Darkness.

 

Moby Dick Read: How are you progressing? I'm on chapter 45 and made it through the lesson on all whales, ishmael's thoughts about the meaning of whiteness and Ahab's exhortation to his crew. Truthfully - interesting for the most part yet do have to slog through certain bits. You have my permission to skim when needed. :lol:

 

 

What are you reading this week?

 

 

 

 

 

 

Link to week 8

[NanceXToo]

COMPLETE

 

1. Envy, by J.R. Ward (Fallen Angels series)

 

2. Kiss of the Highlander, by Karen Marie Moning (Highlander series)

 

3. The Ramayana, A Shortened Modern Prose Version of the Indian Epic, by R.K. Narayan (with my daughter for school reading)

 

4. Dark Highlander, by Karen Marie Moning (Highlander series)

 

5. The Immortal Highlander, by Karen Marie Moning (Highlander series)

 

6. Spell of the Highlander, by Karen Marie Moning (Highlander series)

 

7. 11/22/63, by Stephen King (LOVED!)

 

8. The Traveler, by John Twelve Hawks (Fourth Realm Trilogy, Book 1)

 

CURRENT

 

9. Into the Dreaming, by Karen Marie Moning (last in the Highlander series)

[Robin M]

This week I finished:

 

Lynda La Plante's 2nd book in her prime suspect series: A Face in the Crowd and working on her 3rd: Silent Victims. Both are review books for TLC book tours. They are okay.

 

J.D.Robb's (aka Nora Roberts) latest In Death book came out "Celebrity in Death". I love the series...she can do no wrong. Currently listening to # 6 "Vengeance in Death" in the car.

 

Also finished "Be Different: Adventures of a Free Range Aspergian by John Elder Robinson. Doesn't have much in the way of practical advice. He's completely opposite my kid and the situations he involved himself in would drive my kid batty.

 

On Chapter 45 of Moby Dick. Have given myself permission to skim when start to get slogged down. Concentrating on the more important bits. Impossible to take it all in or it will be months reading and analyzing the story.

[rwjx2khsmj]

I am reading Moby Dick. I am still reading Moby Dick.

I'm in the middle of chapter 32 Cetology. It says something when a whale hasn't been sighted and I'm a little tired of whales.

I AM reading Moby Dick.

[Just Robyn]

Finished this week:

 

16.) Leviathan by Scott Westerfield - My ds and I were reading the Ranger's Apprentice series together, but ds started to get tired of it. We decided to take a break and read this. Well, it was okay. I liked the idea, but the writing didn't interest me much. I'll be happy to get back to the RA series.

 

17.) Cryoburn by Lois MccMaster Bujold - Read this for a book group and I have to say I expected to hate it. Luckily that did not occur. Actually, I liked the main character immediately, and as some of the other characters came along I liked many of them as well. The plot was "meh" and I would have liked more description of the setting. I am considering trying out another book from the series.

 

18.) Women Without Men by Shahrnush Parsipur - Whoa! I don't even know if I can talk about it. It was too much (in a good way)! I read the whole book (a quick 100ish pages) yesterday and really needed time to sit alone in a quiet, dark space and process. Unfortunately I had to go straight to a child's bday party at Planet X. :glare: I'll have to post some quotes because nothing I say will do it justice.

 

[Parsipur] makes you believe the unbelievable with such ease, subtlety, and grace that you don't dare doubt her. She unleashes a dead woman and brings her back to life; she plants another woman to grow as a tree; the men in a brothel suddenly become headless; a woman gives birth to a flower and they fly off to the skies.

~Shirin Neshat

 

Drawing on elements of Islamic mysticism and recent Iranian history, this unforgettable novel depicts women escaping the narrow confines of family and society, and imagines their future living in a world without men.

(from the back of the book) Edited February 26, 2012 by crstarlette

[Kareni]

#22 Swimming to Antarctica: Tales of a Long-Distance Swimmer by Lynne Cox - fantastic book, this woman is just amazing. I think she has superhuman powers.

 

That looks like a cool book.

 

Cool is just the word for a book about Antartica! It does sound intriguing.

 

I finished a couple more of Julie Anne Long's historical romances both of which I enjoyed --

What I Did For a Duke

 

I Kissed an Earl

 

Regards,

Kareni

[JennW in SoCal]

Moby Dick Read: How are you progressing? I'm on chapter 45 and made it through the lesson on all whales, ishmael's thoughts about the meaning of whiteness and Ahab's exhortation to his crew. Truthfully - interesting for the most part yet do have to slog through certain bits. You have my permission to skim when needed. :lol:

 

 

What are you reading this week?

 

Robin, you will NEVER think of white again without also thinking of Moby Dick and the epic White chapter! My son and I joke about it often, saying "What IS white?"!!!

 

This week I am reading A Dance with Dragons, the most recent of the Song of Ice and Fire series, or for you HBO fans, the Game of Thrones series. I started this series ages ago, enjoyed the first 2 books, but got bogged down and impatient in the next 2 with all the chapters devoted to secondary characters, so I skimmed mostly. I'm enjoying this latest book, though, as it deals primarily with my favorite characters. George RR Martin is a compelling writer, but the story and world he has created is a bit bloated and unwieldly. I had to bookmark a wiki with all kinds of character summaries and maps so I could turn to it for reference.

 

I'm almost done with Great Expectations, which has been my audio book for driving time. I really love all of Dicken's characters, though Pip is rather bland.

[Negin]

Last week I finished:

 

Cybill Disobedience by Cybill Shepherd - fairly good, some funny and touching parts - not bad for what I think was a free (or maybe almost free) download to my Kindle. I don't seem to do very well with Kindle freebies. ;) Can't say that I was ever a Cybill Shepherd fan or anything. Really never knew much about her before reading this.

 

Absolutely by Joanna Lumley - this one I absolutely loved. :D This is mainly because I really love her. Always have and always will. We're huge Ab Fab fans and I do so miss that show. Dh and I just saw the Christmas special and it was so nice to take a trip down memory lane. If you liked the show and/or think the Kardashians are a bit too much (who doesn't?), you might appreciate this short clip. :lol:

 

I'm now reading Angry Housewives Eating Bon Bons and am liking it a lot so far.

 

[Jen in PA]

This week I finished:

 

25. The Hidden Reality: Parallel Universes and the Deep Laws of the Cosmos by Brian Greene. I really enjoyed it, although it wasn't exactly what I expected.

 

26. The Shallows: What the Internet Is Doing to Our Brains. I LOVED this book! It covered a lot of things I have been thinking about for some time, and I ended up taking lots of notes and making quite a reading list out of the author's suggestions (including my next entry here).

 

27. Phaedrus. Confession: I'm pretty sure this is the first time I read Plato that wasn't assigned reading. And it's also the first time I really enjoyed Plato.

 

28. The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes. This is one of the short story collections, and I really had to pace myself to only read a couple per day!

 

This week I'll finish up Death Comes for the Fat Man (a Dalziel and Pascoe mystery), Aftershock: The Next Economy and America's Future, and work on some more Sherlock Holmes short stories.

[Onceuponatime]

All of my reading time this week was spent on Ahab's Wife. I finished it an hour ago.

 

Would I read it again? No. The author sure had a way with words, but I felt like I was in the twilight zone half the time. Near the end, the author as the main character states she knows what she's done to the story and she did it on purpose. At least she acknowledges the objections that most readers would have. I think she should try her hand at science fiction.

[Negin]

Ahab's Wife

Would I read it again? No. I felt like I was in the twilight zone half the time. I think she should try her hand at science fiction.

I love this. :D You've made me smile till my cheeks hurt and I have yet to read it. :lol:

[Zebra]

This week I finished (13) Dark Tide by Stephen Puleo, and (14) The Girl Who Chased the Moon by Sarah Addison Allen.

 

I really enjoyed Dark Tide, I found myself a little bit on the edge of my seat, wondering WHEN the tank would break :lol:! I was also amazed how everything is still the same in life. History just constantly repeats itself.

 

After Dark Tide I wanted something fluffy, and The Girl Who Chased the Moon was exactly what I needed. Easy to read, and interesting enough to keep my attention.

 

I also read a cute kid's book this week (that I am not counting, but I enjoyed) called How to Scratch a Wombat. For those of you who were wondering how to scratch a wombat, and who enjoyed The Diary of a Wombat ;).

[Excelsior! Academy]

Ready for chapter 36 of Moby Dick. I am almost keeping up with you on this one.:D. I love Librivox!

 

Finished in 2012

1. Animal Farm

2. Nineteen Eighty-four

3. Faherenheight 451

4. Hidden Mickey 3

 

Currently reading

Moby Dick

The Communist Manifesto

[Ali in OR]

I did get a book finished this week--I Am Half-Sick of Shadows by Alan Bradley, the 4th Flavia de Luce mystery. Easy read, enjoyed it. I am slowly working on The Lacuna by Barbara Kingsolver for our next book club book. Beautiful language, long, not going incredibly quickly. Just got myself a Kindle with my birthday money and got it set up yesterday. I downloaded a bunch of free classics that make me look very erudite (or cheap), but I chose to start out reading Agatha Christie's The Mysterious Affair at Styles. I think I've read it before long ago...we'll see if I somehow know who did it before it is revealed! I'm also reading aloud Colin Meloy's Wildwood to the girls--another 500+ pager. It's fine, but I wouldn't put it in the same category as The Narnia books as some reviewers have.

 

Books Read in 2012

15. I Am Half-Sick of Shadows-Alan Bradley

14. Garden Spells-Sarah Addison Allen

13. The Prince and the Pauper-Mark Twain

12. Romeo and Juliet-William Shakespeare

11. The Shallows-Nicholas Carr

10. The Handmaid’s Tale-Margaret Atwood

9. Mudbound-Hillary Jordan

8. The Other Wind-Ursula Le Guin

7. What the Dog Saw-Malcolm Gladwell

6. The Tenant of Wildfell Hall-Anne Bronte

5. Tehanu-Ursula Le Guin

4. The Scarlet Pimpernel-Baroness Orczy

3. The Paleo Diet-Loren Cordain

2. Peter Pan-James Barrie

1. The Farthest Shore-Ursula Le Guin

[Mom-ninja.]

18.) Women Without Men by Shahrnush Parsipur - Whoa! I don't even know if I can talk about it. It was too much (in a good way)! I read the whole book (a quick 100ish pages) yesterday and really needed time to sit alone in a quiet, dark space and process. Unfortunately I had to go straight to a child's bday party at Planet X. :glare: I'll have to post some quotes because nothing I say will do it justice.

 

~Shirin Neshat

 

(from the back of the book)

 

that looks good

[dangermom]

I completely failed to post last week. Here are the books for the last two weeks:

 

The Alloy of Law, Brandon Sanderson's new Mistborn novel

The Romance of the Rose, ridiculously long and misogynist medieval poem

Why Darwin Matters, by Michael Shermer, about the debate between ID and evolutionary science

Henrietta Sees It Through, lovely WWII comedy about the home front in England, in fictional letters

I also read Sophocles' Theban plays, but I've only written up Antigone and Oedipus the King so far.

 

I'm almost finished with a book I've been working on for some time about the history of liberal (classical by our terms) education. It's called The School of Freedom and I would really recommend it to anyone who enjoys reading about classical education--especially the bits from the late 19th and 20th centuries.

[dangermom]

I'm also reading aloud Colin Meloy's Wildwood to the girls--another 500+ pager. It's fine, but I wouldn't put it in the same category as The Narnia books as some reviewers have.

 

I agree with you there! I enjoyed it, but it's IMO second-level--not in the first tier like Narnia. A bit derivative in spots (though to be fair there's not much left to mine in the fantasy genre).

[Stacia]

I finished The Enchanted April today. It's a lovely, uplifting, sweet 'chick lit' book written in 1921. There are also a few flashes of sarcastic wit in there. A fun, charming read when you want a nice book. It makes me want to rent a castle in Italy for the month of April! :001_smile: (FYI, looks like there is a Kindle version that is free.)

 

Have a stack of library books here -- not sure which one(s) I'll start next....

 

My Goodreads Page

 

2012 Books Read:

01. Mozart's Last Aria by Matt Rees (3 stars)

02. Oh No She Didn't by Clinton Kelly (2 stars, if you're in the right mood, lol)

03. The Sisters Brothers by Patrick deWitt (4 stars)

04. In a Strange Room by Damon Galgut (4 stars)

05. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J.K. Rowling (5 stars)

06. The Infernals by John Connolly (3 stars)

07. Kitchen by Banana Yoshimoto (2 stars)

08. The Coral Thief by Rebecca Stott (3 stars)

09. Zeroville by Steve Erickson (4 stars)

10. Broken Glass Park by Alina Bronsky (4 stars)

 

11. Hygiene and the Assassin by Amélie Nothomb (2 stars)

12. The Geography of Bliss by Eric Weiner (3 stars)

13. The Raw Shark Texts by Steven Hall (4 stars)

14. The Nun by Simonetta Agnello Hornby (4 stars)

15. The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern (5 stars)

16. The Enchanted April by Elizabeth von Arnim (3 stars)

[rieshy]

I finished the Ring Cycle opera by Wagner.

I've never read an opera before. It was an interesting experience. I even found free podcasts of the opera to listen to as well.

 

I. am. not. an. opera. person.

 

This was a real stretch for me but very, very enjoyable! I found Brunhilda fascinating, though I had to fight picturing her as played by Bugs Bunny.

[Stacia]

I finished the Ring Cycle opera by Wagner.

I've never read an opera before. It was an interesting experience. I even found free podcasts of the opera to listen to as well.

 

I. am. not. an. opera. person.

 

This was a real stretch for me but very, very enjoyable! I found Brunhilda fascinating, though I had to fight picturing her as played by Bugs Bunny.

That's a great idea of something to read.

 

:lol: over your last comment....

[Stacia]

Moby Dick Read: How are you progressing? I'm on chapter 45 and made it through the lesson on all whales, ishmael's thoughts about the meaning of whiteness and Ahab's exhortation to his crew. Truthfully - interesting for the most part yet do have to slog through certain bits. You have my permission to skim when needed. :lol:

 

I think you're making me glad that I'm not reading Moby Dick. :lol:

 

I'll have to post some quotes because nothing I say will do it justice.

 

Sounds great. I often enjoy magical realism & I'm trying to expand my reading to include authors from more places around the world, so I'll have to read this. (I'm happy to see that my library has it!)

 

Cool is just the word for a book about Antartica! It does sound intriguing.

 

:D

 

Cybill Disobedience

 

I think I remember someone saying that book ruined Elivis for her.... So, did it ruin Elvis for you too, Negin?

[Heather in Neverland]

This week...

 

Started reading:

What is the Mission of the Church?: Making Sense of Social Justice, Shalom, and the Great Commission by Kevin DeYoung

 

 

Still reading:

The Omnivore's Dilemma

 

 

Completed so far:

9.Dead Heat

8. Redeeming Love

7. Family Driven Faith: What it Takes to Raise Sons and Daughters Who Walk with God

6. Organized Simplicity

5. Year of Wonders

4. The Holiness of God

3. The Paris Wife

2. The Peach Keeper

1. Relic

[Negin]

18.) Women Without Men by Shahrnush Parsipur - Whoa! I don't even know if I can talk about it. It was too much (in a good way)! I read the whole book (a quick 100ish pages) yesterday and really needed time to sit alone in a quiet, dark space and process.

Thank you for recommending this. This is about my place of birth, so it's of huge interest. :)

[porque]

Am on about chapter 15 of Moby Dick. I really like running into old friends from Ahab's Wife.

1.Paradise, by Toni Morrison.

2. Here on Earth by Alice Hoffman.

3.Breath, Eyes, Memory by Edwidge Danticat.

4.What Looks Like Crazy on an Ordinary Dayby Pearl Cleage.

5. What Einstein Told His Cook(non-fiction)

6. Where the Heart Is by Billie Letts.

7.Backroads byTawni O'Dell.

8. Boys Adrift by Leonard Sax, non-fiction.

9. Daughter of Fortune by Isabel Allende.

10. Calico Bush (read a aloud)

11. Ahab's Wife Really Enjoyed!!

12. Gap Creekby Robert Morgan,

13. A Map of the World by Jane Hamilton.

14. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone read aloud

15. Struggle for a Continent read aloud

16. Vinegar Hill by A. Manette Ansay.

17. River Cross my Heart by Breena Clarke

18. Tara Road

19. Indian Captive (read-aloud)

20. The Sign of the Beaver (read-aloud)

21. Mother of Pearl

22. The Minds of Boys

23. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (read aloud)

 

Continuing

Your Money or Your Life (non-fiction)

The Magic of Reality (read aloud)

Johnny Tremain (read aloud)

Moby Dick

 

DD9 had finished

1.Ginger Pye

2. Secret of the Golden Pavilion

3. Pinky Pye

4. Mary Queen of Scots: Queen Without a Country

5. Nzingha, Warrior Queen of Matamba

6. Meet Molly

7. Molly Learns a Lesson

8. Molly's Surprise

9. How I Survived Middle School: P.S. I Really Like You

10. How I Survived Middle School: How the Pops Stole Christmas

11. How I Survived Middle School: Into the Woods

12. Among the Impostors

13. Miss Popularity Goes Camping

14. How I Learned to Fly (goosebumps book)

15.Among the Impostors

16. Among the Betrayed

17. Double Identity

18. The Babysitting Wars

19. Bad Girls

[JennW in SoCal]

That's a great idea of something to read.

 

:lol: over your last comment....

I'm simply thrilled to find others who also know this cartoon! :D I can't hear any of the Wagner opera music without thinking "Kill da wabbit, kill da wabbit...." I'm going to have to hit youtube now to watch it!

 

Speaking of opera, I'm sorry to say I had to miss the local production of Moby Dick. Yes, the opera Moby Dick. It is a modern opera, with all kinds of fancy hi tech stage magic, and NO Ishmael. They call the narrator "Greenhorn".

Edited September 11, 2014 by JennW in SoCal

[Guest]

This week I finished Moonwalking with Einstein by Joshua Foer. I really enjoyed it. The idea of using a Memory Palace has helped me remember grocery lists better!

 

Currently reading The Sunne in Splendour by Sharon Kay Penman. I'll probably be there for awhile.

 

My list so far:

 

10. Moonwalking with Einstein by Joshua Foer

9. Much Ado About Nothing by William Shakespeare

8. A Midsummer Night's Dream by William Shakespeare

7. A Charlotte Mason Companion by Karen Andreola

6. When We Were Orphans by Kazuo Ishiguro

5. Entwined by Heather Dixon

4. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

3. Time Bandit by Johnathan and Andy Hillstrand

2. Garden Spells by Sarah Addison Allen

1. Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll

[laughing lioness]

I've discovered Dorothy Sayer's Lord Peter Wimsey. Ohhlala! Sayers is my absolutely new fav author. Of course, I knew her from the Lost Tools of Learning but I never expected the LPW stories to be so excellent. The woman is jus brilliant. I just finished Strong Poison and just started Unnatural Death. The wit, the humor- laugh out loud funny. The language....loving it all.

[ladydusk]

I'm reading The Roots of American Order by Russell Kirk with Cindy at Ordo Amoris' book club.

 

I'm reading A String in the Harp (from recommendation here)

 

I'm reading Peter Pan for my Book Club

 

and avoiding almost everything else I say I'm reading at GoodReads :glare:

[Jane in NC]

I've discovered Dorothy Sayer's Lord Peter Wimsey. Ohhlala! Sayers is my absolutely new fav author. Of course, I knew her from the Lost Tools of Learning but I never expected the LPW stories to be so excellent. The woman is jus brilliant. I just finished Strong Poison and just started Unnatural Death. The wit, the humor- laugh out loud funny. The language....loving it all.

 

I adore Lord Peter and Harriet Vane. Have fun reading these books!

[K in MI]

Finished #11 and #12.

 

2012 Books completed:

 

12. Song of Redemption (Austin)

11. Farewell to Manzanar (Houston)

10. Gods & Kings (Austin)

9. Simple Courage (Delaney)

8. All My Patients Kick and Bite (Wells)

7. Amazing Medical Stories (Burden & Grant)

6. The Death Cure (Dashner)

5. The Scorch Trials (Dashner)

4. The Maze Runner (Dashner)

3. When Crickets Cry (Martin)

2. Every Patient Tells a Story (Sanders)

1. Earthquake at Dawn (Gregory)

[Paisley Hedgehog]

.

[Shawneinfl]

Finished an un-named self-help book this week. Also finishing The Housekeeper and the Professor. I am loving this book. Thanks to whoever recommended it. It is one of those books that I would never have discovered without this forum.

 

PS - I finally figured out how to hyperlink - aren't you proud.

 

Here's my list so far:

 

1. Confessions of A Prairie *****

2. Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand

3. Dark Tide by Stephen Puleo

4. Snow Flower and the Secret Fan by Lisa See

5. Devil in the White City by Erik Larson

6. Nurture Shock by Po Bronson

7. Defending Jacob by William Landay

8. Un-named self-help book

9. The Housekeeper and the Professor by Yoko Ogawa

[prairiegirl]

I finished 'I am Half-Sick of Shadows' by Alan Bradley. It was good but I liked the third one better. I am now reading 'Night Circus' by Erin Morgenstern and the jury is still out on this one. I am on pg. 86 but it is just not doing it for me so I am contemplating how far to go before I bale on it.

[Negin]

Finished an un-named self-help book this week. Also finishing The Housekeeper and the Professor. I am loving this book.

Shawne, I loved this book. :)

Looking through your list, I realize that we have very similar tastes. :D

[Mom-ninja.]

6. Nurture Shock by Po Bronson

 

 

What did you think of this book?

[joannqn]

Just finished The Maze Runner tonight. It was...interesting...with a rotten ending.

[eaglei]

This week I did better. :001_smile:

 

I finished:

 

#7 - Letter to a Stranger, by Elswyth Thane. Just a tad disappointed as I thoroughly enjoy her seven-volume "Williamsburg Series", historical fiction beginning with the Revolution and ending with WWII. This novel was a bit predictable, with a small, odd turn here or there, but overall, not something I would read again.

 

#8 - Then There Grew Up a Generation ..., by Thyra Ferre´ Bjorn. This, too, was just okay. After enjoying Papa's Wife and Papa's Daughter, this was a let-down. Simply a novel - not based on her own life. A bit predictable.

 

Currently reading:

 

#9 - Gideon's People, by Carolyn Meyer. An Amish story with a new twist - a Jewish character. The *plight* of two young boys - one Amish and one Jewish - one struggling with obeying the rules of his church and the other embracing his but with some natural questioning. Not any great deep reading; just enjoyable, quick.

 

Next up:

 

#10 - Bird By Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life, by Anne Lamott. The library phoned this week to tell me they finally had this book for me! Oh joy! Am looking forward to this, based on the comments made here on one of the reading threads last year.

[Alice]

I've discovered Dorothy Sayer's Lord Peter Wimsey. Ohhlala! Sayers is my absolutely new fav author. Of course, I knew her from the Lost Tools of Learning but I never expected the LPW stories to be so excellent. The woman is jus brilliant. I just finished Strong Poison and just started Unnatural Death. The wit, the humor- laugh out loud funny. The language....loving it all.

 

The Lord Peter Wimsey books are one of those series that make me sad because I'll never be able to read them again for the first time. So fantastic!

 

Originally Posted by Sparkle

#22 Swimming to Antarctica: Tales of a Long-Distance Swimmer by Lynne Cox - fantastic book, this woman is just amazing. I think she has superhuman powers.

 

I read this several years ago and loved it. Such an amazing story. I love that she has such a unique passion and talent (but also the desire to work really hard) and that she's been able to really turn that passion/gift into something extraordinary.

 

This week I finished:

The Shallows by Nicholas Carr. I enjoyed it and it certainly gave me a lot to think about. I didn't agree with everything but was glad I read it.

 

Bury Your Dead by Louise Penny. A mystery, part of a series that I am really enjoying.

 

The Sense of an Ending by Julian Barnes. It was the 2011 Man Booker Prize winner. It's a book that I didn't really find enjoyable but that I did find intriguing and quite compelling. I would recommend it.

 

Currently reading:

Choosing Gratitude by Nancy DeMoss

Dead End in Norvelt by Jack Gantos (the 2011 Newbury winner)

The Wilder Life by Wendy McClure

Death of Adam by Marilynne Robinson

 

Read in 2012:

 

1. The Christmas Memory by Truman Capote

2. The Piano Teacher by Janice Y. K. Lee

3. Death Comes to Pemberley by P.D. James

4. I Think I Love You by Allison Pearson

5. The Most Dangerous Thing by Laura Lippman

6. Believing the Lie by Elizabeth George

7. The Rise and Fall of Mt. Majestic by Jennifer Trafton

8. Below Stairs by Margaret Powell

9. Confessions of a Prairie ***** by Alison Arngrim

10.Still by Lauren Winner

11. An Atlas of Impossible Longing by Aduraha Roy

12. City of Tranquil Light by Bo Caldwel

13. The Shallows by Nicholar Carr

14. Bury Your Dead by Louise Penny

15. The Sense of an Ending by Julian Barnes

[aggieamy]

Next up:

 

#10 - Bird By Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life, by Anne Lamott. The library phoned this week to tell me they finally had this book for me! Oh joy! Am looking forward to this, based on the comments made here on one of the reading threads last year.

 

I liked this book. She has an interesting and fun way with words. Sometimes it's very "earthy" but not offensive. If you like it you'll probably also like On Writing by Stephen King. I'm not a fan of his usually because everything's a little too scary or weird but DH is a fan and convinced me to try On Writing. Wow. It might be in my top ten list.

 

Finished this week:

 

Nothing yet! Lots in progress and not much time to read.

 

In progress:

 

All Quiet on the Western Front by Enrich Maria Remarque (for book club)

Ginger Pye by Elanor Estes YA (our current read aloud)

The Stainless Steel Rat by Harry Harrison (my current audiobook)

The Housekeeper and the Professor by Yoko Ogawa (recommended here - going to read for my ladies book club)

Arabella by Georgette Heyer (a recommendation for my romancy request)

The Thirteen Problems by Agatha Christie (I just can't seem to get enough mysteries lately.)

The Corinthian by Georgette Heyer

 

 

2012 finished books:

 

14. Nim's Island by Wendy Orr YA (***)

13. Abandon in Old Tokyo by Yoshihiro Tatsumi (*

12. The Moving Finger: A Miss Marple Mystery by Agatha Christie (***)

11. All-of-a-Kind Family by Sydney Taylor YA (****)

10. The High Window by Raymond Chandler (****)

9. Island of the Aunts by Eva Ibbotson (**)

8. The Body in the Library by Agatha Christie (****)

7. Farewell, My Lovely by Raymond Chandler (****)

6. What I Wore by Jessica Quirk (**)

5. How Not to Look Old by Charla Krupp (*)

4. The Georgraphy of Bliss by Eric Weiner (***)

3. The Inquisitor's Apprentice by Chris Moriarty YA (*)

2. The Anybodies by NE Bode YA (**)

1. The Little World of Don Camillo by Giovanni Guareschi (****)

 

 

Read alouds 2012:

 

The Twenty One Balloons by William Pene du Bois YA (****)

[laughing lioness]

The Lord Peter Wimsey books are one of those series that make me sad because I'll never be able to read them again for the first time. So fantastic!

 

 

 

Alice- you are my kinda woman. Have you seen this pin, "I'm in a complicated relationship with a fictional character"?

[scholarly]

Last week I finished up a few that I've had on the back burner for awhile. I read

 

#15 Just My Type: A Book About Fonts by Simon Garfield- very interesting, but now I am noticing the font of every sign I read and it's driving me a little nuts!

 

#16 The Garden Intrigue by Lauren Willig- love me some Lauren Willig :001_smile:

 

#17 The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Sloot- I did not expect to like this, but so many people here did that I thought I would give it a try. I was captivated by the story! My only complaint was that I was not prepared for the inbreeding and child abuse mentioned and it really disturbed me.

 

#18 Why Read Moby-Dick? by Nathaniel Philbrick- It didn't convince me to read Moby Dick again, but having read MD once already, I feel like I understand the book better now.

 

#19 Changeless by Gail Carriger- I enjoy this series, but what a terrible spot to leave the characters in at the end! I have to get the next book soon, to see how things are resolved.

 

This week I am reading When She Woke by Hillary Jordan, The Technologists by Matthew Pearl, and Nothing to Envy by Barbara Demick.

[Negin]

I think I remember someone saying that book ruined Elivis for her.... So, did it ruin Elvis for you too, Negin?

:lol: Not quite, since I've never been a huge Elvis fan. Sure, I love lots of his songs. This one, in particular is one of my favorites. :D Crazy about this one. The Elvis parts were really funny, IMHO. Then again, I've heard all sorts of crazy stories about him through the years. Who hasn't? ;) Our health & phys ed teacher in college told us that he died from a really bad bout of constipation ... that he was perpetually constipated. The entire class went :001_huh:. Cybill Shepherd is quite funny and very real throughout this book. It's not a book I would have paid much $$ for - just a fun and entertaining read overall. I like her. :)

[Paisley Hedgehog]

. 

 

[Lizzie in Ma]

Finished the Mercy Thompson series and dove into the 1st Alpha and Omega.

I'd forgotten how much I loved these.

[Alice]

Alice- you are my kinda woman. Have you seen this pin, "I'm in a complicated relationship with a fictional character"?

 

:D Love it!

 

#18 Why Read Moby-Dick? by Nathaniel Philbrick- It didn't convince me to read Moby Dick again, but having read MD once already, I feel like I understand the book better now.

 

I'm thinking I might have to add this to my list. I can't imagine reading Moby Dick again but it would be nice to feel like I understood it better. When I read it I felt like I was missing a lot.

 

I love British literature but for some reason I never like the Booker winners. I wonder why?

 

Maybe it's the nature of "award" books. I feel like award committees sometimes are looking for something different than just "this was a great read". Often when I read prize winning books I can see why they are well-written or worthy of reading but they aren't necessarily books I'd put on my list of favorites ever.

[rieshy]

 

Stacia- thanks for the image...:lol:

[-M-]

Books read in 2012

 

■ Defending Jacob (William Landay; fiction)

■ Sweet Tooth Vol. 4: Endangered Species (Jeff Lemire; graphic fiction)

■ Sweet Tooth Vol. 3: Animal Armies (Jeff Lemire; graphic fiction)

■ Sweet Tooth Vol. 2: In Captivity (Jeff Lemire; graphic fiction)

■ Sweet Tooth Vol. 1: Out of the Woods (Jeff Lemire; graphic fiction)

■ The Art of Hearing Heartbeats (Jan-Philipp Sendker; fiction)

■ Thirteen Reasons Why (Jay Asher; YA fiction)

■ Stop Acting Rich... And Start Living Like a Real Millionaire (Thomas J. Stanley; non-fiction)

■ Our Town (Thornton Wilder; play)

■ Wool 5 (Hugh Howey; fiction)

■ The Crucible (Arthur Miller; play)

■ Wool 4 (Hugh Howey; fiction)

■ Wool 3 (Hugh Howey; fiction)

■ Adventure Unleashed (______ __. _________; unpublished fiction)

■ Wool 2 (Hugh Howey; fiction)

■ Wool (Hugh Howey; fiction)

■ The Project (Brian Falkner; YA fiction)

■ Like Shaking Hands with God (Kurt Vonnegut, Lee Stringer; non-fiction)

■ The Autobiography of an Execution (David R. Dow; non-fiction)

■ Feed (MT Anderson; fiction)

■ Coriolanus (William Shakespeare; play, classic)

■ Artist's Journal Workshop (Cathy Johnson; non-fiction, art)

■ The English Teacher (Lily King; fiction)

[eaglei]

I liked this book. She has an interesting and fun way with words. Sometimes it's very "earthy" but not offensive. If you like it you'll probably also like On Writing by Stephen King. I'm not a fan of his usually because everything's a little too scary or weird but DH is a fan and convinced me to try On Writing. Wow. It might be in my top ten list.

 

Hmm . . . I'll have to keep this in mind. I've never read Stephen King; his genre doesn't personally appeal . . . However, since you basically said the same thing AND still liked his book, On Writing, that greatly encourages me to read it! Thanks for the recommendation!

[laughing lioness]

Hmm . . . I'll have to keep this in mind. I've never read Stephen King; his genre doesn't personally appeal . . . However, since you basically said the same thing AND still liked his book, On Writing, that greatly encourages me to read it! Thanks for the recommendation!

 

Eaglei- On writing is terrific! King is a master story teller. I don't do horror but I've added some of his non-horror to my list. Earthy, like Lamott, but not as gratuitous, imho. I LOVED King's book. If I wasn't so into Sayers, it would be my fav book of the year so far.

[TravelingChris]

Okay, I have finally been able to reconstruct my year's reading list-I lost the notebook I had it in.

 

1.The Best American Mystery Short Stories 2007- ed. Carl Hiassen

2. The Boy in the Suit Case-Lene Kaaberbol and Agnette Friis

3.The Saturday Big Tent Wedding Party-Alexander McCall Smith

4.Death of a Chimney Sweep-MC Beaton

5. DC Dead- Stuart Woods

6. V is for Vengeance- Sue Grafton

7. The Vault- Ruth Rendell

8. As the Pig Turns- MC Beaton

9. No Rest for the Dead- 26 authors

10. If Looks Could Kill-Kate White

11. The Barbed Wire Kiss- Wallace Stroby

12. Robert. B. Parker's Killing the Blues- Michael Brandman

13. Twelve Drummers Drumming-C. C. Benison

14. Crunch Time- Diane Mott Davidson

15. Chocolate Cat Caper- Joanna Carl

16. Enchantment -Orson Scott Card

17. Locked On -Tom Clancy with Mark Greany

18, Death Comes to Pemberley- P. D. James

19. The Poisoner's Handbook (Murder and the Birth of Forensic Medicine in Jazz Age New York)- Deborah Blum

 

About the last one- The Poisoner's Handbook= this was a non fiction book about how forensic medicine- specifically dealing with chemicals- came to be. Found it fascinating but then I am a criminologist (different from a criminalist- those are the technicians who figure out things like which poison was used) by education . Criminologists study crime, criminals, victims, etc. She is a very good writer- she got her degree in science journalism which I really think more people who cover science for newspapers, tv, and magazines should have. The science reporting is usually quite dismal.