Book a Week in 2014 - BW3

[Luckymama]

I will return tomorrow to update my reading over the past days :)

 

Regarding the 12th century, I'm pretty sure we have some Hildegard von Bingen in the attic. Years ago dh found a cd of her writings someone had set to wonderful ethereal music. We listen to that music often, yet I've only read the companion book once.

[Pam in CT]

OK, in an effort to improve my odds of success, I will try mere simple-quoting, here...

 

Have you read Murakami before? If not, you might really enjoy it, esp. if this is one of your first forays into his &/or surrealist writing. I do think the cover is beautiful.

 

FYI, for you & others still contemplating reading this, many Murakami fans absolutely hail Wind-Up as his best (or one of his best). Perhaps I'm in the minority opinion here.

 

 

<snip>

 

I've enjoyed Murakami up to this point (Kafka on the Shore; 1Q84; A Wild Sheep Chase; I may have read Hard Boiled eons ago -- trying to remember for sure...); maybe the timing was just too close for me. Maybe on a different day or month or year, it would appeal to me. I wish it had. I really wanted it to be great. I wanted to love it. I just... didn't.

 

<snip>

 

 

 

 

 

Love that image!  No, I've never read any Murakami before.  Not one of my usual genres, but it's good to get out once and a while... I'm getting pretty nervous, though!  Anyone who's liked it, please chime in!

[Pam in CT]

 

 

From the library, I have a one weeker that appeared on one of Robin's many lists.  The Radiance of Tomorrow is written by Sierra Leone native Ishmael Beah who was indoctrinated during that country's civil war as a child soldier and now serves as a UNICEF Ambassador and Advocate for Children Affected by War.  This is his first novel, one that had me crying on page 34.  The story focuses on a small village as people return from war.  Everyone has lost someone as well as most things--not just possessions but possibly a limb or hand.  How do you heal a child who has lost family, a mother who has lost her children, a village that has lost its heartbeat?  But the title suggests there is hope...

 

I've been meaning to read this -- I'm looking forward to hearing your response to it!

[Kareni]

Regarding the 12th century, I'm pretty sure we have some Hildegard von Bingen in the attic. Years ago dh found a cd of her writings someone had set to wonderful ethereal music. We listen to that music often, yet I've only read the companion book once.

 

When my daughter was in 8th grade studying the medieval time period, I tried to find music (and also videos) to accompany her reading.  I brought home Sequentia's Hildegard von Bingen: Canticles of Ecstasy, and we all loved it.  I'm wondering if that is the CD you're referring to above.

 

Regards,

Kareni

[Rosie_0801]

An interfaith book club must be fun if you have the right people involved.

[Pam in CT]

 

I may join you in the 12th century via the 19th century.  I've got Sir Walter Scott's Ivanhoe on audible, and this is good incentive to listen to something other than another Master and Commander title!

 

Going back to Ivanhoe is an excellent idea!  

 

You all are inspiring me - I think maybe I'll aim to do 12 centuries, but not consecutively. If I manage to get all the way through Chuang Tzu, I don't think I'll have it in me to slog through another dusty this month!

[welovetoread]

Hello Ladies. Today was such a sunny and warm day, we spent it all outside sledding and ice skating on our pond.  The littles went to bed early and the olders are getting ready to retire as well.

 

Last week I finished number 9 of the James Patterson murder series.  I also went to the library for the WUBC and the hold was late coming in and wasn't there yet when I got there. Of course, I got an email 30 minutes after being home that it was available.  I did start 2 Japanese books.  Kitchen and Confessions of a Mask. I stopped reading Kitchen. Banana is just one author I cannot read. I tried a couple of her other books thinking that perhaps I might be able to get into it.  NO WAY!!   Confessions I haven't been able to really sit down and read yet, so that is on the list for this week.  I have been on the hold list for Handmaids Tale for a long time. That is in and I have started that too. So far I love it.

 

  For the 12th century challenge, I will probably read a book that was free last week on kindle.  I don't always love historical fiction, but this sounded good.  We will see how it goes.

 

Toodles,

Chandi

[Pam in CT]

An interfaith book club must be fun if you have the right people involved.

 

It is indeed.  Here's this year's reading list -- everything thus far has been well worth reading, though I've never read anything from the Tao tradition before, and am having difficulty finding a way to access Chuang Tzu.  I'm thinking I might have done better starting with Merton's interpretation, before working my way up to the full whole.

[Kareni]

Today I finished the paranormal romance Chaos Burning (A Bound By Magick Novel) by Lauren Dane. It was the second book in the series and I enjoyed it.  Now on to number three.

 

"The life of Lark Jaansen, hunter in Clan Gennessee, has been shaped by violence and unrest—and it defines her future. Well-trained and resilient, she’s met her militaristic match in Simon Leviathan, a warrior not of this world. Locked in mutual admiration, and a desire so hot it burns, Lark and Simon have something else in common: they love the dark, and as a shadow is cast over their world, they’re each coming into their own.

 

A mysterious war has been waged among the Others. As witches and humans turn against each other, as faes retreat in fear, and as vampires rise, Lark and Simon discover that an unseen force is behind it. A single, hungry entity older than recorded history has returned to gorge on the magick of his victims. He is the Magister, nothing less than the end of time. Finding him is Lark and Simon’s first hope. Surviving him is their last."

 

Regards,

Kareni

[Stacia]

OK, in an effort to improve my odds of success, I will try mere simple-quoting, here...

 

Love that image!  No, I've never read any Murakami before.  Not one of my usual genres, but it's good to get out once and a while... I'm getting pretty nervous, though!  Anyone who's liked it, please chime in!

 

Murakami is one of my favorites. I just didn't care for this particular book. I think he's a brilliant writer, though, & guess that if I had read WUBC prior to reading 1Q84, I might have really enjoyed it. That said, to me, WUBC seems darker/more sad than 1Q84 did to me. (I'm not usually into 'downer' stuff so that was another mark against it in my book.) I heartily encourage you to try Murakami, whether it's WUBC or something like Kafka on the Shore (which I loved). At worst, you'll find you don't enjoy his stuff & can stop reading anytime. At best, you may discover a new genre & author you love!

 

I did start 2 Japanese books.  Kitchen and Confessions of a Mask. I stopped reading Kitchen. Banana is just one author I cannot read. I tried a couple of her other books thinking that perhaps I might be able to get into it.  NO WAY!! 

 

LOL. I read Kitchen a year or two ago solely because the author was named Banana. (Even if that was her pen name, I still had to read a book by Banana.) I thought it was fine, but was not as charmed by it as I hoped I would be. I did like parts of the stories very much, but not the entire thing.

[Narrow Gate Academy]

When I went to my library crate to pick a book, I found The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie by Bradley that someone here recommended on hold and had forgotten about it.  I stayed up Friday night to finish it and just posted a review on my blog. 

 

I did first the first Brother Caedful book on hold, but I won't have it until next weekend to start. 

 

On deck for this week:

1.  I want to try to read more non-fiction this year so one of the three organizing book I have One Year to an Organized Life by Leeds, Secrets of an Organized Mom by Reich, or Getting Things Done by Allen

2.  Phantastes by Macdonald - This one is too discuss with DD 1 who will be finishing it this week.  Nothing like a deadline to get something done.

 

In progress:

1.  The Bible - I've read through Genesis 37 and am on track so far for the year

2.  The History of the Ancient World by Bauer - I managed two chapters earlier today and am hoping to get through 10 chapters this week.

 

Completed

 

2.  The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie be Bradley

1.  The Odyssey by Homer

[PollyOR]

These threads are hard to keep up with.   :)

 

This week I finished The Fourth Bear by Jasper Fforde.  I read about a quarter of it last year but fizzled.  I started from the beginning again and, as much as I've enjoyed his other books, I had a hard time getting into this one.  There were lots of details but I couldn't seem to put them together.  The book seemed uneven to me.  That said, I enjoy Fforde's crazy ideas!  I hope to try more of his books in the future.  

[shukriyya]

Okay, tacking onto the inviting winds of caprice that seem to be swirling around me I've shifted gears wrt my 12th century read. WCATSS looks very good but it's almost 800 pages. In the words of Dana Carvey channeling the elder Bush, "Nope, not gonna do it, wouldn't be prudent."  :lol:  So I've settled on two books, the Sufi mystic poet Fariddudin Attar's 'Conference of the Birds' and 'The Love Letters of Heloise and Abelard.' I couldn't decide between the two so I went with both. When I shared the latter with my dh he cheerfully informed me, 'did you know that ends in castration?'  :eek:  Oh boy, hopefully that part is left out. So here's an intriguing description...

Some have it that romantic love was an invention of the Middle Ages. If so, then the true story of Pierre Abelard and Heloise is one of the templates of this narrative. Both Abelard and Heloise were prominent intellectuals of twelfth century France. Abelard, of noble birth and eighteen years the senior of Heloise, was a prominent lecturer in philosophy. Abelard was an adventurous thinker, and was constantly at odds with the Church. On several occasions he was forced to recant and burn his writings.

Heloise was a strong-willed and gifted woman who was fluent in Latin, Greek and Hebrew, and came from a lower social standing than Abelard. At age 19, and living under her uncle Fulbert's roof, Heloise fell in love with Abelard, who she was studying under. Not only did they have a clandestine affair of a sexual nature, they had a child, Astrolabe, out of wedlock. Discovered by the Fulbert (who was a Church official), Abelard was assaulted by a hired thug and castrated, and Heloise entered a convent. Abelard was exiled to Brittany, where he lived as monk. Eventually Heloise became abbess of the Oratory of the Paraclete, an abbey which Abelard had founded.

It was at this time that they exchanged their famous letters, presented in this book. The letters, originally written in Latin, are passionate both in the remembrance of lost love, and the attempt to reconcile that love with their respective monastic duty to remain chaste. The tension between these two poles generates a huge amount of emotional electricity.

Of course as lovely and esoteric as that all sounds I've gotten tripped up over the idea of someone naming their child, Astrolabe (!) and the french speaker in me pronounces it with a particularly gutteral r and a flourish. But it was the 12th century and perhaps it was a popular name back then ;). At any rate I'll begin this tonight and see where it takes me. And the philosophy component is in keeping with my fun read of the Dalhousie mystery.

As for 'The Conference of the Birds' it's been on my to-read list for years. Dh has taught it and loves it so we'll likely have some interesting discussions about it.
 

[mamaraby]

I also went to the library for the WUBC and the hold was late coming in and wasn't there yet when I got there. Of course, I got an email 30 minutes after being home that it was available.

This happens to me all the time. I think I'm all clever by checking what's on hold and in transit before heading to the library, but it never fails that something comes in after I get home. I think it's some sort of conspiracy. ;)

[Guest]

 

In progress:

1.  The Bible - I've read through Genesis 37 and am on track so far for the year

2.  The History of the Ancient World by Bauer - I managed two chapters earlier today and am hoping to get through 10 chapters this week.

 

 

Just an FYI, I think a couple of us are going to do a read-a-long of Bauer's book(s) in April...if you get bogged down by it.

 

These threads are hard to keep up with.   :)

 

 

Yes, they are!!!! I'm trying to be more involved in the threads this year.

[ariasmommy]

I wasn't going to do the centuries challenge, but I enjoyed the first Brother Cadfael book last year, and the second one looks intriguing (and I have an Audible credit waiting...). I was thinking of joining in on the Inferno read-long - could that count for the 14th century, too? Do we have to cover the centuries in order?

 

Ack, I'm trying to read too many books at once again (and just requested another from the library). I need to actually finish something!

[Susan in TN]

I started Wind Up Bird Chronicles last night and enjoying it so far. It's one of those books that keep you wondering where they are taking you. Murakami loves cats and even had a bar called Jazz Cats for a while. There are many essays online trying to figure out his love for cats and what is all means. Have fun googling it. Check out Cat Symbolism over at the Wisdom Portal

Thank you for this - I am excited that a copy was available through my library's digital kindle library thing. I've finished 2 books this year - The Beginner's Goodbye and Reconstructing Amelia, both of which I thought were pretty good. I've started and abandoned a couple others.

 

The mention of cats reminds me of The Last Coin by James Blaylock. I think I'd like to read that one again soon if I can find a copy. I think dd has one.

[Kareni]

 

This week I finished The Fourth Bear by Jasper Fforde.  I read about a quarter of it last year but fizzled.

 

I guess in your case, you could say you read One Fourth Bear!

 

Regards,

Kareni

[MelAR05]

I, too, abandoned Wind-Up Bird Chronicle, only much earlier. I read 1Q84 and enjoyed it, but not this one. Also, I've been afraid to ask this and it may just be these two particular books, but does he seem to have a thing for 16 year old girls? It just made me so uncomfortable.

 

Anyway, I have completed two books for the new year and have enjoyed both - Driving the Saudis: A Chauffeur's Tale of the World's Riches Princesses (plus their servants, nannies and one royal hairdresser)  by Jayne Amelia Larson and Eat  & Run by Scott Jurek. I am currently reading Born to Run by Christopher McDougall. Does anyone have recommendations for other books about running? I'm in the mood for more of the same.

[Rosie_0801]

I just finished reading 'Good Wives' to dd.

[Robin M]

It is indeed.  Here's this year's reading list -- everything thus far has been well worth reading, though I've never read anything from the Tao tradition before, and am having difficulty finding a way to access Chuang Tzu.  I'm thinking I might have done better starting with Merton's interpretation, before working my way up to the full whole.

What an interesting list - I already have Merton's The Way of Chuang Tzu in my stacks and Thich Nhat Hanh's Living Buddha, Living Christ on my wishlist.  I love Thomas Merton and read one or two of his books every year.  Once I get through The Way, I may consider adding some of the other titles.

 

Okay, tacking onto the inviting winds of caprice that seem to be swirling around me I've shifted gears wrt my 12th century read. WCATSS looks very good but it's almost 800 pages. In the words of Dana Carvey channeling the elder Bush, "Nope, not gonna do it, wouldn't be prudent."  :lol:  So I've settled on two books, the Sufi mystic poet Fariddudin Attar's 'Conference of the Birds' and 'The Love Letters of Eloise and Abelard.' I couldn't decide between the two so I went with both. When I shared the latter with my dh he cheerfully informed me, 'did you know that ends in castration?'  :eek:  Oh boy, hopefully that part is left out. So here's an intriguing description...

 

Some have it that romantic love was an invention of the Middle Ages. If so, then the true story of Pierre Abelard and Heloise is one of the templates of this narrative. Both Abelard and Heloise were prominent intellectuals of twelfth century France. Abelard, of noble birth and eighteen years the senior of Heloise, was a prominent lecturer in philosophy. Abelard was an adventurous thinker, and was constantly at odds with the Church. On several occasions he was forced to recant and burn his writings.

 

Heloise was a strong-willed and gifted woman who was fluent in Latin, Greek and Hebrew, and came from a lower social standing than Abelard. At age 19, and living under her uncle Fulbert's roof, Heloise fell in love with Abelard, who she was studying under. Not only did they have a clandestine affair of a sexual nature, they had a child, Astrolabe, out of wedlock. Discovered by the Fulbert (who was a Church official), Abelard was assaulted by a hired thug and castrated, and Heloise entered a convent. Abelard was exiled to Brittany, where he lived as monk. Eventually Heloise became abbess of the Oratory of the Paraclete, an abbey which Abelard had founded.

 

It was at this time that they exchanged their famous letters, presented in this book. The letters, originally written in Latin, are passionate both in the remembrance of lost love, and the attempt to reconcile that love with their respective monastic duty to remain chaste. The tension between these two poles generates a huge amount of emotional electricity.

 

Of course as lovely and esoteric as that all sounds I've gotten tripped up over the idea of someone naming their child, Astrolabe (!) and the french speaker in me pronounces it with a particularly gutteral r and a flourish. But it was the 12th century and perhaps it was a popular name back then ;). At any rate I'll begin this tonight and see where it takes me. And the philosophy component is in keeping with my fun read of the Dalhousie mystery.

 

As for 'The Conference of the Birds' it's been on my to-read list for years. Dh has taught it and loves it so we'll likely have some interesting discussions about it.

 

 

I almost downloaded The Love Letters of Eloise and Abelard. Think I'll wait to hear what you think about it.  I'll live vicariously through you. :)

 

I wasn't going to do the centuries challenge, but I enjoyed the first Brother Cadfael book last year, and the second one looks intriguing (and I have an Audible credit waiting...). I was thinking of joining in on the Inferno read-long - could that count for the 14th century, too? Do we have to cover the centuries in order?

 

Ack, I'm trying to read too many books at once again (and just requested another from the library). I need to actually finish something!

No, you don't have to read the centuries in order.  I plan to highlight the centuries in order each month throughout the year but seriously don't expect everyone  to stick to that schedule.  Especially since I bounce all over the place myself.    --  Yes, sometimes I get the eyes are bigger than the stomach syndrome and try to read everything at once.  Take a deep breath, relax, pick one book and go curl up on the couch and read.  A glass of wine or cup of tea wouldn't be bad either.

 

Yippee and thank you. You just reminded me I had some audible credits.  Downloaded A Morbid Taste for Bones.

 

Oh and yes, Inferno readalong can count for 14th Century.

 

[ElaineJ]

This week I finished reading Surprised by Oxford by Carolyn Weber. It is basically a spiritual memoir which chronicles her conversion to Christianity while studying Romantic literature at Oxford during the 90's. It was a fun read and also made me wish that I was studying literature at Oxford! Now I am a bit nostalgic for my time as a college student. I am in the midst of reading three other as yet unfinished books: Crossing to Safety by Wallace Stegner, From the Holy Mountain by William Dalrymple, and Gulliver's Travels , which I am doing as a read-aloud with ds13. I am particularly impressed with Stegner's writing and will probably pick up something else by him later in the year.

Elaine

[PollyOR]

Question about Goodreads.  The advertisements have suddenly stopped.  I'm trying to figure out if it is a problem with the website or my computer.  Anyone else notice a change in the advertisements?

 

Also, the quote on Goodreads for today(?) is from Haruki Murakami.  Since he's been discussed quite a bit I thought you might enjoy the quote: "Whatever it is you're seeking won't come in the form you're expecting."

 

 

[mlbuchina]

I finished Haruki Murakami's Wind Up Bird Chronicle last night and have to say I wasn't too thrilled with it.  Upon finishing, my response was an inarticulate groan and my hubby got to hear me rant.  Which didn't bother him, because he loves buying me books that make me rant.  There were too many rabbit trails that didn't lead anywhere and too many unanswered questions. At the end I found myself going online searching out answers and seeing what other folks were saying and about half felt pretty much the way I did.  The other half - well loved it because it was Murakami.  I loved 1Q84.  Wind Up, while intriguing and interesting, and kept me reading,  was a disappointment at the end. 

 

All the dropped story lines was the biggest thing that I didn't like about the book.  I think reading it has made me decide I really enjoyed 1Q84 after all.   :lol:

 

Finished two books last week:

 

The Thirteen-Gun Salute  by Patrick O'Brian. I am still in love with this whole series.

 

Pretty Good Number One: An American Family Eats Tokyo  by Matthew Amster-Burton. The food descriptions were fabulous as well as how he described living in such a different society. Really made me want to visit Tokyo!

 

I was looking for a travel type book for Japan earlier today.  Thanks for listing this!

 

I read The Taming of the Shrew, which I liked more than Much Ado About Nothing, but didn't love it. And I'm about half way through The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle, which I like about as much as 1Q84: I am impressed by the structure, and I like many of the ideas, but I also get bored. I'm not ready to give up on it.

 

For the 12th century I got Yvain: The Knight of the Lion on the Kindle - haven't started it yet.

 

Better than Much Ado????  Sacrilege!!  LOL  Much Ado is my favorite, but I haven't read The Taming of the Shrew, so who knows.  It could end up being my favorite.  (No, not really.   :D )  My only experience with Taming of the Shrew is a Moonlighting episode.  Now that was funny.

 

http://youtu.be/fL4UCQS4-Gs

 

Ack, I'm trying to read too many books at once again (and just requested another from the library). I need to actually finish something!

 

I am finding this to be a problem, too.  I think I have about five going at once right now.  I think it has a lot to do with it being a new year, and I'm all excited about the new challenge.  As the year goes on, I'll settle down and stick to my one or two at a time pace.

[mlbuchina]

I finished one book this week, The Wind-Up Bird Chronicles.  I agree with everyone else.  It wasn't the greatest.  Here is my Goodreads review:

 

[edited to remove picture]

I liked it. I don't get it, but I liked it. Having read 1Q84 first, as in my first ever Murakami book, I knew going in this wasn't going to be a hugely plot driven book, but would definitely take its time meandering around one. I was right. For me, there are still way too many unanswered questions that I just wish I knew the answers to. I guess if I had a dry well I could climb down into to ponder them, I might come up with an answer or two on my own. Since I don't, I'm just stuck with them. Such is life.

 

I have started a couple of books this week:  360 Degrees Longitude: One Family's Journey Around the World, by John Higham, In a Sunburned Country, by Bill Bryson, and Ring, by Koju Suzuki.

 

I am loving 360 Degrees.  It is a dream of mine to take the family on a trip around the world, and as that will probably never happen, I am enjoying living vicariously through this family.  It is inspiring me to try to plan some smaller excursions for our family, though.

 

In a Sunburned Country is an audio I downloaded to listen to as I clean the house.  I find I get a lot more accomplished when listening to a book.   :D   I really enjoy Bill Bryson, and this is no exception.  His storytelling style is so fun and engaging.

 

Ring is my next book for Japan for the Around the World challenge.  I have never seen the movie adaptation, The Ring, that came out quite a few years back, but from what I understand, the book is more of a murder mystery and less a horror.  Although, I don't know if I have much confidence in that description, as the author has been described as the "Stephen King of Japan."  We'll see how it goes.

 

I've got quite a few travelogue type books (mostly about living in the Caribbean, so sick of the cold!), and other Japanese authors in my TBR stack this week, so we'll see what the week brings.

[Heather in Neverland]

I think this year I should add some sort of rating system to my list. I am terrible at writing book reviews but maybe if I gave a rating it would help? Nothing fancy. I think I will use "Excellent, Good, Average, Blech" as my scale. :) But I won't rate them until they are finished. OK, here goes...

 

Started reading:
Unwind by Neal Shusterman

Still reading: 
The Rage Against God: How Atheism Led Me to Faith by Peter Hitchens

Finished reading: 
1. The Curiosity by Stephen Kiernan (AVERAGE)

2. The Last Time I Saw Paris by Lynn Sheene (GOOD)

 

 

[Negin]

I read Joseph Anton: A Memoir and really liked it - 4 Stars. A brilliantly-written memoir. I've never read any of Salman Rushdie's books and now I'd very much like to. This memoir was unique in that it was written in third-person. I could barely put it down. This is the type of book that gets you thinking for a while afterwards. It was an interesting coincidence that Salman Rushdie's mother and I have the same name. I seldom see my name in print. :)

 

A funny thing happened to him when he was traveling in Australia. After reading this, I will always think of this story when hearing the word "fatwa"  :lol:  :smilielol5:

The police arrived and went to question the driver of the truck, who was still sitting in his cab, scratching his head. The truck looked as if nothing had happened to it. … The police were giving the driver a hard time, though. They too had worked out that the man sitting dazed and wounded on the grass was Salman Rushdie, and so they wanted to know, what was the driver’s religion? The driver was bewildered. “What’s my religion got to do with anything?†Well, was he a Muzlim? An Islammic? Was he Eye-ray-nian? Is that why he had tried to kill Mr. Rushdie? Maybe one of the Ayatoller’s fellers? Was he carrying out the whatever it was called, the fatso? The poor driver shook his confused head. He didn’t know who the guy was he had hit. He had just been driving this truck and didn’t know about any fatso. In the end the police believed him and sent him on his way.

 

 

[mumto2]

Question about Goodreads.  The advertisements have suddenly stopped.  I'm trying to figure out if it is a problem with the website or my computer.  Anyone else notice a change in the advertisements?

 

Also, the quote on Goodreads for today(?) is from Haruki Murakami.  Since he's been discussed quite a bit I thought you might enjoy the quote: "Whatever it is you're seeking won't come in the form you're expecting."

I still have ads but would not be sad if they disappear!

 

The Murakami quote sums up my feelings about Wind Up Bird, it simply did not meet my expectations. I enjoyed much of it but wanted more. I hope everyone who was put off by our conversation here goes ahead and tries a Murikami just srat with a different one! ;)

[Onceuponatime]

Heloise and Abelarde are on my 12th century list also, as well as The Song of Roland, plus Eleanor and the Four Kings.  It is amazing that these are actually available in the library. Right now, I decided to begin Geoffrey of Monmouth's History of the Kings of Britain because it is one of my "dusty" books. It's been sitting on my shelf for years. I bought it at an estate sale. Anyway, I figure I can just assign myself 1 section a day along with my other reading.

[Pam in CT]

This week I finished reading Surprised by Oxford by Carolyn Weber. It is basically a spiritual memoir which chronicles her conversion to Christianity while studying Romantic literature at Oxford during the 90's. It was a fun read and also made me wish that I was studying literature at Oxford! Now I am a bit nostalgic for my time as a college student. I am in the midst of reading three other as yet unfinished books: Crossing to Safety by Wallace Stegner, From the Holy Mountain by William Dalrymple, and Gulliver's Travels , which I am doing as a read-aloud with ds13. I am particularly impressed with Stegner's writing and will probably pick up something else by him later in the year.

Elaine

 

Crossing to Safety is one of my longtime favorites... maybe it's time for me to go back to it!  Enjoy!

[Pam in CT]

I finished one book this week, The Wind-Up Bird Chronicles.  I agree with everyone else.  It wasn't the greatest.  Here is my Goodreads review:

 

 

I liked it. I don't get it, but I liked it. Having read 1Q84 first, as in my first ever Murakami book, I knew going in this wasn't going to be a hugely plot driven book, but would definitely take its time meandering around one. I was right. For me, there are still way too many unanswered questions that I just wish I knew the answers to. I guess if I had a dry well I could climb down into to ponder them, I might come up with an answer or two on my own. Since I don't, I'm just stuck with them. Such is life.

 

I have started a couple of books this week:  360 Degrees Longitude: One Family's Journey Around the World, by John Higham, In a Sunburned Country, by Bill Bryson, and Ring, by Koju Suzuki.

 

I am loving 360 Degrees.  It is a dream of mine to take the family on a trip around the world, and as that will probably never happen, I am enjoying living vicariously through this family.  It is inspiring me to try to plan some smaller excursions for our family, though.

 

In a Sunburned Country is an audio I downloaded to listen to as I clean the house.  I find I get a lot more accomplished when listening to a book.   :D   I really enjoy Bill Bryson, and this is no exception.  His storytelling style is so fun and engaging.

 

 

 

Sigh... you all are really scaring me off WUB...

 

A few years ago I too inhaled every book I could find about families wandering the world for a year -- 360 degrees was a riot -- then we read Sunburned Country while doing a road trip all the way from Sydney to Cannes.  We considered Bryson to be a passenger in the minivan!  The man is a genius.  He could give commentary on the names in the phone book and it'd be hilarious.

[Pam in CT]

What an interesting list - I already have Merton's The Way of Chuang Tzu in my stacks and Thich Nhat Hanh's Living Buddha, Living Christ on my wishlist.  I love Thomas Merton and read one or two of his books every year.  Once I get through The Way, I may consider adding some of the other titles.

 

 

 

Thich Nhat Hanh is very accessible.  LB LC is a good one to start with.  I have Merton's Seven Storey Mountain on my stack; I've done several of his shorter books and am eager to dig into this.  

 

Once I've worked off some of these chunksters... 

[Jane in NC]

 

I think this year I should add some sort of rating system to my list. I am terrible at writing book reviews but maybe if I gave a rating it would help? Nothing fancy. I think I will use "Excellent, Good, Average, Blech" as my scale. :) But I won't rate them until they are finished. OK, here goes...

 

After implementing a rating system last year, I decided to abandon it this year.  In the final analysis, I just could not reconcile in my own head books that were given the same number of stars but being of such different quality or having such a different impact.  I hope I don't regret this though.  My memory is not what it used to be so I may be doing more shoulder shrugging when someone asks down the road what I thought of a particular book.

 

 

 

Negin, I love this poster art!  I make small hand sewn notebooks and will have to use this for a cover.  Thank you!

[nd293]

I finished Justine by Lawrence Durrell, the first of his Alexandria Quartet. I have the whole Quartet on the Kindle, so I'll be reading them all this year, but I think I'll take a break before reading the next one. I really did enjoy this book - the language and descriptions are beautiful, and it succeeds incredibly well in evoking a tangible image of the city and the wealthy class and expats that populate the novel. Looked at objectively, the characters and their lives are certainly not to be admired, but they seem sad and lost rather than simply self-absorbed. While I was reading the book I read up a little on Durrell's life - I wish I'd left it at reading his brother's descriptions in My Family and Other Animals! The character of Justine is apparently based on Lawrence Durrell's wife Eve (ouch!) and in the book the narrator is raising his lover's child. Given accusations (or perhaps just insinuations)  by Durrell's daughter in a manuscript released after his death (she had predeceased him, committing suicide) it was hard for me not to wonder where art and life separate and join, and how much I should care about an author's life and values when I read his books. I'm looking forward to reading the other three books, which tell of the same events from different perspectives.

 

This week I'm focusing on The Ramayana (Menon) and Siddhartha (Hesse), the latter in audiobook. Dd13 and I are also reading and listening to Twelfth Night, in anticipation of seeing the play later this month.

[Heather in Neverland]

After implementing a rating system last year, I decided to abandon it this year. In the final analysis, I just could not reconcile in my own head books that were given the same number of stars but being of such different quality or having such a different impact. I hope I don't regret this though. My memory is not what it used to be so I may be doing more shoulder shrugging when someone asks down the road what I thought of a particular book.

!

I know what you mean. My first thought is that I may end up with more categories than just those four! :)

[Heather in Neverland]

I just finished "Unwind" by Neal Shusterman.

 

O

M

G

 

It was so very good. Wow.

[Pam in CT]

I know what you mean. My first thought is that I may end up with more categories than just those four! :)

 

Another rating system drop out here.  I couldn't work out how to use the same scale for very different genres of books -- a 4 for YA means such a different thing for me than a 4 for literary fiction, or theology.  Let alone self help books!  But it's awfully nice to have a record of some sort when I go back and see what I've read in prior years.  

 

For books that I own, I have an indecipherable-to-anyone-else system of stars and table-of-contents markups and different forms of marginalia that jolts my memory fairly well if I pick them back up years later.  Doesn't work at all for library books though; and far less well for Kindle reads!

[mumto2]

I have been following the talk of rating systems with interest because I keep trying to figure out how to implement one. For a while I tried to work with strict personal guidelines in goodreads which essentially made it pretty hard to give fluff more than a three star.

 

Different books serve different purposes and I eventially came to the conclusion that even poorly written fluff deserved a five star rating if I couldn't put it down. I don't give all fluff books fives, just ones that are exceptionally good and enjoyable. I do feel guilty rating a great paranormal romance the same as something like 1Q84 but both brought joy and deserve a rating on goodreads that shows they are good/exceptional.

[Uff Da!]

I'm suspending my reading of Winters Tale. The handsome, superbly athletic thief with the amazing steed and the feverish beautiful woman are annoying me. I think I would be ok with it if I wasn't reading DQ at the same time. I'm also on a quilting high (LOL). I've avoided stitching this graduation quilt for years and it's starting to come together. I think I need to be respectful of my current drive (or the quilt may never happen!) and cut reading that isn't working for me at the moment.

 

Still going on DQ. :)

[Shawneinfl]

I'm suspending my reading of Winters Tale. The handsome, superbly athletic thief with the amazing steed and the feverish beautiful woman are annoying me. I think I would be ok with it if I wasn't reading DQ at the same time. I'm also on a quilting high (LOL). I've avoided stitching this graduation quilt for years and it's starting to come together. I think I need to be respectful of my current drive (or the quilt may never happen!) and cut reading that isn't working for me at the moment.

 

Still going on DQ. :)

 

When I'm doing a cross-stitch project, audio books are my best friend. ;)

 

[Kim in Appalachia]

Sigh... you all are really scaring me off WUB...

 

A few years ago I too inhaled every book I could find about families wandering the world for a year -- 360 degrees was a riot -- then we read Sunburned Country while doing a road trip all the way from Sydney to Cannes.  We considered Bryson to be a passenger in the minivan!  The man is a genius.  He could give commentary on the names in the phone book and it'd be hilarious.

 

 

I loved Wind up Bird.  I think I may have liked it more than 1Q84.  The me 1Q84 had lots of rabbit trails, and I felt like Murakami was hitting you over the head explaining things, where in WUB he just told the story.  It is a bit dark, maybe that's why l liked it so much.   And the dropped story lines can drive me nuts, but I'm getting used to it as I read more post modern literature. Maybe he'll come back to those characters in a short story. I loved the themes in WUB.  I also read Kafka on the Shore last year, and that book is a bit more straight forward (for Murakami. :lol: ) And as I think back on the books, Kafka  is more powerful.  The images stick with you.  Just remember with Murakami everything is a metaphor  (He says that a few times the book, and really it's the key to understanding all of his work).

 

Anyway, this is all to say, don't be afraid of WUB.  It is a bit dark and brooding, maybe you have to be in the mood for that. 

[Stacia]

Different books serve different purposes and I eventially came to the conclusion that even poorly written fluff deserved a five star rating if I couldn't put it down. I don't give all fluff books fives, just ones that are exceptionally good and enjoyable. I do feel guilty rating a great paranormal romance the same as something like 1Q84 but both brought joy and deserve a rating on goodreads that shows they are good/exceptional.

I think this is similar to me. When I rate a book, I'm (in a way) rating it for the genre it's in. So, for the first Harry Potter book, I gave it 5 stars. Do I consider it to be on par with the books I normally rate 5 stars? No. But for a YA book, I consider it head & shoulders above the rest. I do somewhat take into consideration a rating regardless of genre. A 4- or 5-star book, to me, is one that I totally enjoyed/loved/learned from & would definitely recommend. 3-stars are fine -- decent reads but nothing earth-shattering/eye-opening/memorable (to me); it still might be something I recommend, esp. if I know the other person likes that style of book. 2-stars & below are books that are 'meh' or worse; not entirely satisfied that I spent my time reading it (vs. something better) & probably not one I'd recommend.

 

All you Don Quixote people, you are making me feel like I've got to go on a Dairy Queen run (& I don't even ever eat at Dairy Queen). I must be indoctrinated by Dairy Queen (the power of corporations in our society, eh? :tongue_smilie: ) because that's what I always think of first when I see your DQ posts, then I remember you're talking about Señor Quixote.

[Stacia]

 

I loved Wind up Bird. I think I may have liked it more than 1Q84. The me 1Q84 had lots of rabbit trails, and I felt like Murakami was hitting you over the head explaining things, where in WUB he just told the story. It is a bit dark, maybe that's why l liked it so much. And the dropped story lines can drive me nuts, but I'm getting used to it as I read more post modern literature. Maybe he'll come back to those characters in a short story. I loved the themes in WUB. I also read Kafka on the Shore last year, and that book is a bit more straight forward (for Murakami. :lol: ) And as I think back on the books, Kafka is more powerful. The images stick with you. Just remember with Murakami everything is a metaphor (He says that a few times the book, and really it's the key to understanding all of his work).

 

Anyway, this is all to say, don't be afraid of WUB. It is a bit dark and brooding, maybe you have to be in the mood for that.

So glad to read your comments, Kim! Maybe I'm just not in the mood for dark right now (& maybe I'll revisit it sometime later down the road). I really do love Murakami's writing.

[Kim in Appalachia]

I finished one book this week, The Wind-Up Bird Chronicles.  I agree with everyone else.  It wasn't the greatest.  Here is my Goodreads review:

 

 

I liked it. I don't get it, but I liked it. Having read 1Q84 first, as in my first ever Murakami book, I knew going in this wasn't going to be a hugely plot driven book, but would definitely take its time meandering around one. I was right. For me, there are still way too many unanswered questions that I just wish I knew the answers to. I guess if I had a dry well I could climb down into to ponder them, I might come up with an answer or two on my own. Since I don't, I'm just stuck with them. Such is life.

 

 

 

I just have to say, I love you GIF of Dean. :)  

[mlbuchina]

I think this is similar to me. When I rate a book, I'm (in a way) rating it for the genre it's in. So, for the first Harry Potter book, I gave it 5 stars. Do I consider it to be on par with the books I normally rate 5 stars? No. But for a YA book, I consider it head & shoulders above the rest. I do somewhat take into consideration a rating regardless of genre. A 4- or 5-star book, to me, is one that I totally enjoyed/loved/learned from & would definitely recommend. 3-stars are fine -- decent reads but nothing earth-shattering/eye-opening/memorable (to me); it still might be something I recommend, esp. if I know the other person likes that style of book. 2-stars & below are books that are 'meh' or worse; not entirely satisfied that I spent my time reading it (vs. something better) & probably not one I'd recommend.

 

All you Don Quixote people, you are making me feel like I've got to go on a Dairy Queen run (& I don't even ever eat at Dairy Queen). I must be indoctrinated by Dairy Queen (the power of corporations in our society, eh?  :tongue_smilie: ) because that's what I always think of first when I see your DQ posts, then I remember you're talking about Señor Quixote.

 

[edited to remove picture]

 

I rate books on whether I like them or not.  I don't compare it to others, just a basic didn't like, liked it, really liked, couldn't put it down system.

 

Dairy Queen ice-cream is my favorite.  If I'm going to have ice-cream, I want soft-serve.  I don't care to much for the kind you buy at the store.  The girls love it so much, they got DQ gift cards in their stockings this year.  LOL

 

 

I just have to say, I love you GIF of Dean. :)

 

*sigh* Dean.   :001_wub:

 

[edited to remove picture]

[Jane Elliot]

Started:

Washington Square by Henry James (halfway through and liking it a lot)

 

Still reading:

Gold Cord: The Story of a Fellowship by Amy Carmichael (love this)

The Living Page: Keeping Notebooks with Charlotte Mason by Laurie Bestvater (beautifully written)

 

Finished

2. The Year of Impossible Goodbyes by Sook Nyul Choi

1. The Second Coming by Walker Percy

 

Still dealing with:

the flu (myself and 6 kids)

 

I'm following with interest the discussion about rating books because I too struggle with how to do this. I like Heather's idea of using words instead of stars. I've thought about giving different ratings to one book: one for literary quality (but then I don't feel very qualified for this), one for how well I enjoyed it (this is easy), and one for how much of an impact it had on me (although this often isn't immediately apparent).

[Pam in CT]

I loved Wind up Bird.  I think I may have liked it more than 1Q84.  The me 1Q84 had lots of rabbit trails, and I felt like Murakami was hitting you over the head explaining things, where in WUB he just told the story.  It is a bit dark, maybe that's why l liked it so much.   And the dropped story lines can drive me nuts, but I'm getting used to it as I read more post modern literature. Maybe he'll come back to those characters in a short story. I loved the themes in WUB.  I also read Kafka on the Shore last year, and that book is a bit more straight forward (for Murakami. :lol: ) And as I think back on the books, Kafka  is more powerful.  The images stick with you.  Just remember with Murakami everything is a metaphor  (He says that a few times the book, and really it's the key to understanding all of his work).

 

Anyway, this is all to say, don't be afraid of WUB.  It is a bit dark and brooding, maybe you have to be in the mood for that. 

 

THANK YOU -- I really needed a vote of confidence!  I've never read any Murakami, and it sounds as if I should... and WUB is lying right here on my table.  Soon!

[shukriyya]

All you Don Quixote people, you are making me feel like I've got to go on a Dairy Queen run (& I don't even ever eat at Dairy Queen). I must be indoctrinated by Dairy Queen (the power of corporations in our society, eh?  :tongue_smilie: ) because that's what I always think of first when I see your DQ posts, then I remember you're talking about Señor Quixote.

 

 

 

Well, I'm in good company then. Every time I see that DQ reference my mind immediately veers away from the erudition on this thread and enjoys a leisurely little trip back several decades to a place where chocolate dipped DQ cones loomed large :lol:

 

[shukriyya]

Still dealing with:

the flu (myself and 6 kids)

 

 

:grouphug:

[Stacia]

Still dealing with:

the flu (myself and 6 kids)

:blink: