Stacia Posted January 3, 2015 Share Posted January 3, 2015 From one of Mrs Mungo's posts on another thread... a BBC adaptation of Terry Pratchett's & Neil Gaiman's Good Omens! http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b04knt4h and http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b04knt4h/episodes/guide You have a little over two weeks to listen to the first episodes... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cleopatra Posted January 3, 2015 Share Posted January 3, 2015 Ooh! How fun! I'll try to take a look at some of those when I get a chance... challenges can be so much fun! I want to do another world lit challenge. I think aiming again for books written by authors from 52 countries/regions would be good. ...though I want to spend more time in Africa this year. I'm trying to pull together a list for a Shakespeare's Contemporaries challenge - I did his apocrypha last year and his plays the year before... I think I'll do A to Z again... well, I preferred doing it Z to A. ....I need to sit down and make a list of the intentions that have been burbling about these past few weeks. I should look at your translation and pre-printing press challenges (does it mean pre-printing press in Europe or in the country the book comes from?) Cleo, btw, I am so glad you are joining in here! Every now an again I've stopped by Robyn's blog, but I usually forget and just stop here... and I always love having you as part of a discussion. :grouphug: Aw, thanks, Eliana! :001_wub: I'm glad to be here too! You all are a lively bunch, and full of good book recommendations! I'm glad to meet another Shakespeare Fan. I'm slowly reading through his works and the Bard has completely surprised me. The plays I expected to like most, I like least and vice versa. So far, I think Richard II is my favourite. Go figure! Mind you, Rupert Graves' performance on the Archangel audiobook I'm sure increased my good opinion of it. :) The Pre-Printing Press Challenge is any book pre-1440. It's a nice, non-pressure challenge ..... I tend to gravitate more to those types. My most unusual challenge this year is the Deal Me In Challenge, where you are supposed to choose 52 short stories to read, list them to correspond to playing cards and then each week pick a card and read the story that corresponds. I changed the challenge a little by adding essays, poems and children's lit to the short stories. It's a great challenge because it gets me reading in areas where I always want to read, but tend never to get to, AND it doesn't take up too much time. I admire your world lit aspirations. I tried to do an Around-the-World challenge and didn't do well. Even with my European challenge, I only managed to read in 4 countries! I think I need to get through a few more mainstream classics before I start to branch out further. I did read Nadine Gordimer's July's People (South Africa), but wasn't that impressed. In any case, it's so interesting so see what everyone else is reading. I'm hope I can keep up with you all! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacia Posted January 3, 2015 Share Posted January 3, 2015 Thanks for the link! I do vaguely remember that. :) I'm always interested to follow Canada Reads each year. Here's the link to this year's list of books: http://www.cbc.ca/books/canadareads2015/ I have All My Puny Sorrows on my shelf. It came in my Powell's Books subscription last month. :thumbup1: I read Ru last year (I think that was Kathy's recommendation to the thread early last year) & thought it was quite a touching book. A couple of books by Canadian authors that I've really enjoyed & loved: Galore by Michael Crummey The Sisters Brothers by Patrick deWitt The Cat's Table by Michael Ondaatje I'm not a fan of Margaret Atwood, though. And I've never read Alice Munro. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nan in Mass Posted January 3, 2015 Share Posted January 3, 2015 Cotillion (sp?) is one of my favourites, too! Nan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lady Florida. Posted January 3, 2015 Share Posted January 3, 2015 I'm reading several books right now. I hate when I load myself up with books then as a result don't make real progress in any of them. The Luminaries - I'm really enjoying this current book club book. Our meeting is Tuesday night and I'm at 62%. I need to drop everything and just read for the next few days. :) The Origin of the Species - I think I mentioned that I'm reading this with a Goodreads group. I'm behind schedule but will continue until I finish it. Paragon Walk - One of Anne Perry's Thomas and Charlotte Pitt mysteries, and my current fluff book. It's a library loan that expired today, so I need to leave my Kindle wifi turned off until I finish. My progress bar says I only have about an hour left in the book. The Novel: A Biography - This is the monster project I mentioned in an earlier post. Don Quixote - I count this on my "currently reading" list but I haven't opened it in over a month. Soon. Very soon. I just need to finish something else first. Vanity Fair - My current audio book. I abandoned it a while ago because I really wasn't liking it. I've seen it on several people's Best of 2014 lists so I'm giving it another chance. Audio books don't really interfere with my reading because I listen to them while I work around the house. ETA: Also, I forgot The Brothers Karamazov. I really do have too much on my reading plate at the moment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shukriyya Posted January 3, 2015 Share Posted January 3, 2015 Canadian authors to read and love apart from those mentioned above... Robertson Davies --The Deptford Trilogy Margaret Laurence -- The Stone Angel, The Diviners Gabrielle Roy -- The Tin Flute Susanna Moodie-- Roughing it in the Bush Timothy Findley --The Wars Carol Shields -- The Stone Diaries Nino Ricci -- Lives of the Saints (I've not read this one but it's been on my tbr list) And so many more here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dicentra Posted January 3, 2015 Share Posted January 3, 2015 I have All My Puny Sorrows on my shelf. It came in my Powell's Books subscription last month. :thumbup1: I read Ru last year (I think that was Kathy's recommendation to the thread early last year) & thought it was quite a touching book. A couple of books by Canadian authors that I've really enjoyed & loved: Galore by Michael Crummey The Sisters Brothers by Patrick deWitt The Cat's Table by Michael Ondaatje I'm not a fan of Margaret Atwood, though. And I've never read Alice Munro. I haven't read All My Puny Sorrows yet but I have read a few others by Toews (pronounced 'Taves') - A Complicated Kindness and Summer of My Amazing Luck. She's from Steinbach, MB which is only about 180 miles from here. I have lots of family from Southern Manitoba. I like Atwood's non-sci-fi better than her sci-fi. My DH is the other way around. :) I think my favourite of hers is Alias Grace. I haven't read any Alice Munro in years but I think I liked it when I was reading it. Timothy Findley is another great Canadian author. I've decided I'm not smart enough to read Pilgrim - here's a quick description: "The novel's protagonist is Pilgrim, an immortal who is brought to Jung's clinic in Zürich after his latest failed suicide attempt. Pilgrim has lived through the ages, moving from one life to another, and claims to be tired of living. Jung takes it upon himself to cure what he sees as a delusion and to restore Pilgrim's will to live." I tried reading it but the staggering amount of classic literary references made me feel scared and slightly nauseated. :scared: Hubby read Not Wanted on the Voyage, also by Findley. I haven't yet but it's on my list. Oh yeah. A list. I'm supposed to make a reading plan for 2015. Had best get on that... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
melmichigan Posted January 3, 2015 Share Posted January 3, 2015 Hello Ladies. I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday. I missed keeping track of what everyone was reading these last few weeks! I started the Week 52 Wrap Up thread but I can see that will take quite some time to review and add titles to my TBR list. I read 296 books in 2013 to meet my 100,000 page goal, but that was a big challenge. I decided I needed to focus on other things so my only goal for 2014 was to get through the books included in the Greek and Roman Mythology class I took with Coursera to prep for this years ancient history rotation. I wanted to take a break and just enjoy myself so I didn't complete any of the challenges, but I enjoyed reading about everyone's adventures. According to my list I completed 220 books in 2014. My least favorite book of the year was Tangled by Emma Chase. It was my only attempt at reading from the 2013 GoodReads Award Winners list. I stepped out of my usual genre and read The Martian by Andy Weir, which I enjoyed. I discovered quite a few new authors/series including the following: The Kara Gillian Series by Diana Rowland Dannika Dark's books The Charley Davidson Series by Darynda Jones The Cassie Palmer Series by Karen Chance The Dewey Andreas Series by Ben Coes The Fever Series by Karen Marie Moning Kristen Ashley's books One of my many favorite quotes: “Truth, honesty, perseverance, strength, love of all kinds, and forgiveness are all beautiful, Tack. The most beautiful stories ever told are the most difficult to take.†― Kristen Ashley, Motorcycle Man Now I'm ready to do it all over again! I have the HoMW ready to go which works great in prep for rhetoric level medieval history next year. I gave up and only read the parts of HoAW that we are using this year, but I need more background in medieval history so I'm hoping to stick with this challenge. I haven't made any other goals yet, but that may change as I get caught up on all the posts and get pulled in. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacia Posted January 3, 2015 Share Posted January 3, 2015 Oh yeah. A list. I'm supposed to make a reading plan for 2015. Had best get on that... You don't have to make a list. I read by the seat of my pants. :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dicentra Posted January 3, 2015 Share Posted January 3, 2015 Canadian authors to read and love apart from those mentioned above... Robertson Davies --The Deptford Trilogy Margaret Laurence -- The Stone Angel, The Diviners Gabrielle Roy -- The Tin Flute Susanna Moodie-- Roughing it in the Bush Timothy Findley --The Wars Carol Shields -- The Stone Diaries Nino Ricci -- Lives of the Saints (I've not read this one but it's been on my tbr list) And so many more here. :iagree: I read The Deptford Trilogy a looooooooooong time ago - probably time for another read. :) Margaret Laurence is from Neepawa, MB which is quite near where my DH is from. I've read The Stone Angel but not The Diviners. Love Carol Shields. :) I met her once at a convocation ceremony at the University of Manitoba. I liked The Stone Diaries but I LOVED Larry's Party. She writes from the view point of a man quite convincingly - or so says my DH. :) I then read She's Come Undone by Wally Lamb. I figured I needed to read a novel by a man writing convincingly as a woman in order to counterbalance. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rosie_0801 Posted January 3, 2015 Share Posted January 3, 2015 You don't have to make a list. I read by the seat of my pants. :lol: Lists are too pedestrian for me. Towering stacks of books higher than I am, that threaten to topple when anyone sneezes, are my style. :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shukriyya Posted January 3, 2015 Share Posted January 3, 2015 :iagree: I read The Deptford Trilogy a looooooooooong time ago - probably time for another read. :) Margaret Laurence is from Neepawa, MB which is quite near where my DH is from. I've read The Stone Angel but not The Diviners. Love Carol Shields. :) I met her once at a convocation ceremony at the University of Manitoba. I liked The Stone Diaries but I LOVED Larry's Party. She writes from the view point of a man quite convincingly - or so says my DH. :) I then read She's Come Undone by Wally Lamb. I figured I needed to read a novel by a man writing convincingly as a woman in order to counterbalance. :) Long time ago for me, too. And I also read Larry's Party and loved it. If you want to read another man who writes convincingly as a woman try The Isabel Dalhousie mystery series by Alexander McCall Smith. I seem to be in the minority here in terms of loving them but I read all ten in the series and was still engaged with the characters at book ten. Eagerly awaiting the next installment. I grew up in Ontario btw. I don't miss the winters but I do often think of skating on the canal with fondness. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin M Posted January 3, 2015 Author Share Posted January 3, 2015 Hello Ladies. I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday. I missed keeping track of what everyone was reading these last few weeks! I started the Week 52 Wrap Up thread but I can see that will take quite some time to review and add titles to my TBR list. I read 296 books in 2013 to meet my 100,000 page goal, but that was a big challenge. I decided I needed to focus on other things so my only goal for 2014 was to get through the books included in the Greek and Roman Mythology class I took with Coursera to prep for this years ancient history rotation. I wanted to take a break and just enjoy myself so I didn't complete any of the challenges, but I enjoyed reading about everyone's adventures. According to my list I completed 220 books in 2014. My least favorite book of the year was Tangled by Emma Chase. It was my only attempt at reading from the 2013 GoodReads Award Winners list. I stepped out of my usual genre and read The Martian by Andy Weir, which I enjoyed. I discovered quite a few new authors/series including the following: The Kara Gillian Series by Diana Rowland Dannika Dark's books The Charley Davidson Series by Darynda Jones The Cassie Palmer Series by Karen Chance The Dewey Andreas Series by Ben Coes The Fever Series by Karen Marie Moning Kristen Ashley's books One of my many favorite quotes: “Truth, honesty, perseverance, strength, love of all kinds, and forgiveness are all beautiful, Tack. The most beautiful stories ever told are the most difficult to take.†― Kristen Ashley, Motorcycle Man Now I'm ready to do it all over again! I have the HoMW ready to go which works great in prep for rhetoric level medieval history next year. I gave up and only read the parts of HoAW that we are using this year, but I need more background in medieval history so I'm hoping to stick with this challenge. I haven't made any other goals yet, but that may change as I get caught up on all the posts and get pulled in. :) Hey doll! great to see you back. l hope you had a restful break. I loved Rowland's series. We will be hanging in the medieval age for a while so plenty of time to explore. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cleopatra Posted January 3, 2015 Share Posted January 3, 2015 As for the books I have on-the-go for January: Persuasion - for a read-along The Plague - for a read-along Gulliver's Travels - just finishing up Orlando - with a Goodreads group Framley Parsonage - I'm hoping to continue the Barsetshire series this month Ulysses - tentatively following with a Goodreads group Descartes' Meditations - finishing up The History of the Medieval World - caving in to peer pressure :eek: but looking forward to it! Since some of the books are being spaced over a couple of months, the pace doesn't seem to be too bad. I'm loving Gulliver's Travels but poor Descartes thinks too much. :willy_nilly: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cleopatra Posted January 3, 2015 Share Posted January 3, 2015 I'm reading several books right now. I hate when I load myself up with books then as a result don't make real progress in any of them. The Luminaries - I'm really enjoying this current book club book. Our meeting is Tuesday night and I'm at 62%. I need to drop everything and just read for the next few days. :) The Origin of the Species - I think I mentioned that I'm reading this with a Goodreads group. I'm behind schedule but will continue until I finish it. Paragon Walk - One of Anne Perry's Thomas and Charlotte Pitt mysteries, and my current fluff book. It's a library loan that expired today, so I need to leave my Kindle wifi turned off until I finish. My progress bar says I only have about an hour left in the book. The Novel: A Biography - This is the monster project I mentioned in an earlier post. Don Quixote - I count this on my "currently reading" list but I haven't opened it in over a month. Soon. Very soon. I just need to finish something else first. Vanity Fair - My current audio book. I abandoned it a while ago because I really wasn't liking it. I've seen it on several people's Best of 2014 lists so I'm giving it another chance. Audio books don't really interfere with my reading because I listen to them while I work around the house. I've heard wonderful things about The Luminaries. I just haven't be able to get to it yet, along with Unbroken. I think everyone will have read these books before I do! I really enjoyed both Don Quixote (although the first part more than the second) and Vanity Fair. I'm still learning to like audiobooks. I find that my attention wanders and I end up having to go back in the story, so I guess it's a skill that I'm learning to develop. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Violet Crown Posted January 3, 2015 Share Posted January 3, 2015 Finished another started-in-2014 book, on Middle Girl's recommendation, the second Brigadier Gerard collection: 2. Conan Doyle, The Adventures of Gerard. It is that rare animal, a genuinely funny for adults collection of stories that is completely appropriate for children. MG's edition includes a later story, "The Marriage of the Brigadier," which may be the most amusing thing I've read all year and had me snickering audibly. If you need more, there's an endorsement on the back cover by Winston Churchill. So. I just can't find the next book I'd started, The Foundation Pit, so I've gotten underway with Of Human Bondage and the collected stories of J. F. Powers. How is it I'd never heard of Powers? He's great. (Now everyone is going to say, What, you didn't know about J. F. Powers?) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
prairiegirl Posted January 3, 2015 Share Posted January 3, 2015 Thanks for the link! I do vaguely remember that. :) I'm always interested to follow Canada Reads each year. Here's the link to this year's list of books: http://www.cbc.ca/books/canadareads2015/ I am Canadian who, due to required high school reading of Margaret Laurence, Gabrielle Roy and Alice Munro ( I like her now but didn't when I was a teenager,) is trying to overcome her dislike of Canadian literature. The book about Yann Martel's book campaign for Stephen Harper introduced me to Martel's books. Thanks for the links to the Canada Reads site. I was there last when they were whittling down the choices. I am eager to see the final list. Canada Reads has always been a highlight to my year but I feel like this year it is 'tainted' (not sure if that is an accurate word) and I am not as excited about it as I have been other years. I think the choice they made for the new facilitator was a wise one (I was extremely impressed with Wab Kinew's ability to defend his book last year) but the reason why he is the new host places a dark cloud over the debates themselves. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
prairiegirl Posted January 3, 2015 Share Posted January 3, 2015 Lists are too pedestrian for me. Towering stacks of books higher than I am, that threaten to topple when anyone sneezes, are my style. :lol: Amen! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jane in NC Posted January 3, 2015 Share Posted January 3, 2015 Finished another started-in-2014 book, on Middle Girl's recommendation, the second Brigadier Gerard collection: 2. Conan Doyle, The Adventures of Gerard. It is that rare animal, a genuinely funny for adults collection of stories that is completely appropriate for children. MG's edition includes a later story, "The Marriage of the Brigadier," which may be the most amusing thing I've read all year and had me snickering audibly. If you need more, there's an endorsement on the back cover by Winston Churchill. So. I just can't find the next book I'd started, The Foundation Pit, so I've gotten underway with Of Human Bondage and the collected stories of J. F. Powers. How is it I'd never heard of Powers? He's great. (Now everyone is going to say, What, you didn't know about J. F. Powers?) You have sold me. My library has the Canonsgate edition of The Exploits of Gerard. And they have a new "suggested purchase" button! On second thought though, I think my husband would love these stories. He has a long work slog in the first quarter of the year so this could be the perfect Valentine gift. Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mumto2 Posted January 3, 2015 Share Posted January 3, 2015 Finished another started-in-2014 book, on Middle Girl's recommendation, the second Brigadier Gerard collection: 2. Conan Doyle, The Adventures of Gerard. It is that rare animal, a genuinely funny for adults collection of stories that is completely appropriate for children. MG's edition includes a later story, "The Marriage of the Brigadier," which may be the most amusing thing I've read all year and had me snickering audibly. If you need more, there's an endorsement on the back cover by Winston Churchill. So. I just can't find the next book I'd started, The Foundation Pit, so I've gotten underway with Of Human Bondage and the collected stories of J. F. Powers. How is it I'd never heard of Powers? He's great. (Now everyone is going to say, What, you didn't know about J. F. Powers?) VC even managed to sell me! I found it in overdrive,fortunately, so plan to check it so all of us can enjoy it on our kindles the next time we travel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Runningmom80 Posted January 3, 2015 Share Posted January 3, 2015 Finished Gone Girl in about 12 hours. That's with 8 hours of sleeping in between. It was a nice page turner to get me started. Not world changing literature, but good enough. :) Now I'm starting All the Light We Cannot See. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seeker of Schole Posted January 3, 2015 Share Posted January 3, 2015 Clearly, I'm going to need to up my book budget. You all list way too many books that interest me! I finished Introduction to Classical Education by Perrin. It is fairly easy to read. I've already read several books on classical ed, but found this to be a refreshing, concise summary. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nan in Mass Posted January 3, 2015 Share Posted January 3, 2015 Lists are too pedestrian for me. Towering stacks of books higher than I am, that threaten to topple when anyone sneezes, are my style. :lol: I have a box and several smaller, strategically place piles. Chaos with edges is more my style. : ) And no list. The box is just unread stuff I might want to read soon, gathered together to try to help me avoid the sad feeling that sets in between books. It is a new strategy for me. Before, I just hunted around for the next book, among the clan or library or my own shelves and piles. The box is working fairly well to reduce in-between time. It isn't a must-read box. It lives under the laundry basket in our bedroom, which isn't the best spot for it but floor space is at a premium in our small house, especially at Christmas. I don't think it is good for me to do a cummulative list, either. I tried that and it interfered with my goals for reading. I want to go back to reading the way I read from 2nd grade to when I started homeschooling. Lists are no part of that. They are satisfying in another way and I might go back to them some day, but not now. Nan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nan in Mass Posted January 3, 2015 Share Posted January 3, 2015 Those who enjoyed Into the Woods might like to see The Storyteller (jim Hendrix). Nan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
felicity Posted January 3, 2015 Share Posted January 3, 2015 Finished Gone Girl in about 12 hours. That's with 8 hours of sleeping in between. It was a nice page turner to get me started. Not world changing literature, but good enough. :) Now I'm starting All the Light We Cannot See. I read "All the Light We Cannot See" a couple of weeks ago and really enjoyed it. It was one of my 2014 favorites. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lady Florida. Posted January 3, 2015 Share Posted January 3, 2015 Still having problems with multi-quote and html, so even when I copy and paste, I can't get the name of the person inside the quote. I have to type it in. melmichigan: I read 296 books in 2013 to meet my 100,000 page goal, but that was a big challenge. I decided I needed to focus on other things so my only goal for 2014 was to get through the books included in the Greek and Roman Mythology class I took with Coursera to prep for this years ancient history rotation. I like Goodreads for a lot of reasons, but I wish their challenge offered more than just plugging in the number of books you want to read. I wish there was also a way to list specific books. Some years I read more chunksters and/or serious books. The numbers don't reflect that - they only go up or down each year. Dicentra: Oh yeah. A list. I'm supposed to make a reading plan for 2015. Had best get on that... One of the things I love about this group is that the only requirement is to read. Read as much or as little as you want/can. Make a list. Just choose your books on the go. Do one or some or all or none of the challenges. Give in-depth reviews or just say that you loved/hated a particular book. Everyone here is welcoming, and there's no right or wrong way to participate. Cleopatra: I've heard wonderful things about The Luminaries. I just haven't be able to get to it yet, along with Unbroken. I think everyone will have read these books before I do! The Luminaries has been on my TBR list for a while, but if it wasn't our book club book for December I know it would still be on the list. Dh keeps talking about Unbroken so I probably should move that closer to the top of my On Deck list. Seeker of Schole: Clearly, I'm going to need to up my book budget. You all list way too many books that interest me! The one really big drawback to these threads is your TBR list keeps growing, as does your book budget (thank goodness I have a decent library system). :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigMamaBird Posted January 3, 2015 Share Posted January 3, 2015 I didn't participate in 2014 because I burned myself out in 2013. 2013 I committed to reading The Classics and discovered that I really don't like a lot of the classics! There were some books that were just a chore to slog through and it made reading into a chore rather than a delight. So I took 2014 off and just read whatever my little heart desired and had a great time! But none of the books were heady, intellectual works of art and I felt a little self conscious recording my "fluff" reading alongside all of your great books so I kept to myself. I decided that I would participate this year because I always enjoyed hearing the things all of you had to say about what you were reading and I came across some terrific gems thanks to suggestions from this board! So, as a disclaimer. I am largely and uncomfortably pregnant and only feel like curling up with my favorites and junk food science fiction/fantasy. So that's what I'm going to log. And I am not going to feel self conscious about it, I'm going to have fun! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin M Posted January 3, 2015 Author Share Posted January 3, 2015 I didn't participate in 2014 because I burned myself out in 2013. 2013 I committed to reading The Classics and discovered that I really don't like a lot of the classics! There were some books that were just a chore to slog through and it made reading into a chore rather than a delight. So I took 2014 off and just read whatever my little heart desired and had a great time! But none of the books were heady, intellectual works of art and I felt a little self conscious recording my "fluff" reading alongside all of your great books so I kept to myself. I decided that I would participate this year because I always enjoyed hearing the things all of you had to say about what you were reading and I came across some terrific gems thanks to suggestions from this board! So, as a disclaimer. I am largely and uncomfortably pregnant and only feel like curling up with my favorites and junk food science fiction/fantasy. So that's what I'm going to log. And I am not going to feel self conscious about it, I'm going to have fun! Great, no need to worry as there is a thorough mixture of fluff mixed in. My year started out with Nalini Singh's Archangel series. Last year was my year of fluff, so this year I'm aiming a bit higher but believe me, there will be an ample amount of light reads as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shukriyya Posted January 3, 2015 Share Posted January 3, 2015 I began HotMW last night...oh oh....hmm, well, if this is going to work for me it will need to fleshed out with the other half of the perspective so partnering with SWB's book I'm imagining something along the lines of Women in the Middle Ages which then led me to this and then Who Cooked the Last Supper not medieval focused but it looks fascinating nonetheless so onto the tbr list it went. And from there a whole world to explore...so now that I'm feeling rather :willy_nilly: about the breadth of it all I'll need to sit and decide whether I'll be able to carve out the appropriate amount of time necessary for such a study. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caroline Posted January 3, 2015 Share Posted January 3, 2015 I just finished The Art of Possibility by Rosamund and Benjamin Zander. I need to find HotMW on the shelves downstairs. I know I have it somewhere. My goal this year is to read books that will inspire my engineering students to change the world. We are looking at the Academy of Engineers grand challenge of getting clean drinking water to the whole world. It is really easy to just decide that challenge is too big for high school students. I don't want them to ever decide that something is too big a challenge. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Runningmom80 Posted January 3, 2015 Share Posted January 3, 2015 I read "All the Light We Cannot See" a couple of weeks ago and really enjoyed it. It was one of my 2014 favorites. Good to hear, it's a big book! It's for a book club, hopefully I'll finish in time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin M Posted January 3, 2015 Author Share Posted January 3, 2015 I began HotMW last night...oh oh....hmm, well, if this is going to work for me it will need to fleshed out with the other half of the perspective so partnering with SWB's book I'm imagining something along the lines of Women in the Middle Ages which then led me to this and then Who Cooked the Last Supper not medieval focused but it looks fascinating nonetheless so onto the tbr list it went. And from there a whole world to explore...so now that I'm feeling rather :willy_nilly: about the breadth of it all I'll need to sit and decide whether I'll be able to carve out the appropriate amount of time necessary for such a study. Oh mercy! Guess I know what I'll be doing for the next hour or two. From Adam's Rib list just made my brain explode. My suggestion - pick no more than 5 books from the female perspective, otherwise you'll drive yourself lulu. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
La Condessa Posted January 3, 2015 Share Posted January 3, 2015 I want to join this year! I'm going to start with "A Voyage Round the World-A Tale for Boys" by W.H.G. Kingston. I found an old leather-bound copy a few years ago in the children's section of a used bookstore. I read the first 3rd and was really enjoying it, but left it behind when I went on a trip for fear the damaged binding would give out, and I never got back to it. The book has an inscription in the front cover from 1885, a gift from "Aunt Belle". I love old books! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TeacherZee Posted January 3, 2015 Share Posted January 3, 2015 I'm joining in. I'll be doing a couple of challenges but I'll link them when I'm on the computer and not the iPad. I want to do challenges because 2014 ended up being the year of the re-reads for me, which was necessary but now I need to get my teeth into some new books. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jane in NC Posted January 3, 2015 Share Posted January 3, 2015 I just finished The Art of Possibility by Rosamund and Benjamin Zander. I need to find HotMW on the shelves downstairs. I know I have it somewhere. My goal this year is to read books that will inspire my engineering students to change the world. We are looking at the Academy of Engineers grand challenge of getting clean drinking water to the whole world. It is really easy to just decide that challenge is too big for high school students. I don't want them to ever decide that something is too big a challenge. Another of my favorite WTM peeps shows up in this thread! Welcome Caroline! I am so glad that you are inspiring high school students to think big and not impose limitations on their ideas and possibilities. Thank you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cleopatra Posted January 3, 2015 Share Posted January 3, 2015 I am Canadian who, due to required high school reading of Margaret Laurence, Gabrielle Roy and Alice Munro ( I like her now but didn't when I was a teenager,) is trying to overcome her dislike of Canadian literature. I'm a Canadian who dislikes Canadian literature too. I have plans to read Margaret Atwood's Handmaid's Tale as I've heard good reviews and perhaps Guy Gavriel Kaye. I do like Robertson Davies, but for some reason most of the Canadian lit I've read has been very dark and/or depressing with very little redemptive qualities or life lessons, and I often come away with nothing but negative feelings. However, I'm hoping that my opinion of it will change and am always open to good recommendations! :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shukriyya Posted January 3, 2015 Share Posted January 3, 2015 All you Canadians who are Canadian-lit averse, the key is to move to another country and don't pick up a book by a Canadian author for five full years. Then go back and revisit some of what you thought you disliked. You'll be surprised. Even inaccessible stuff like Agaguk which we were made to read in French is now back on my list of to be rereads. I call this the topography of preference OR how geography shapes the body and breath of interest and disinterest. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kathleen. Posted January 3, 2015 Share Posted January 3, 2015 This year I'm joining you ladies and challenging myself to read 52 books. My 8yo is joining in with her own books :001_smile: I've already started reading "The Rescue Artist" by Edward Dolnick. It's about how two men stole Munch's "The Scream" in Norway the morning of the Opening Ceremonies of the Olympics in 1994. My 8yo is starting off with something light "Little Man in the Map." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shukriyya Posted January 3, 2015 Share Posted January 3, 2015 Okay, I'm sussing out how to make HotMW accessible. I think I'm going to use an audible credit for this and listen to it through the year on Robin's suggested schedule and combine it with those books I linked earlier upthread on the women's POV in written form. Ds wants to listen along so that will make for some good, extemporaneous history discussion and I can enlarge the male-centric view with my own supplementary readings. I think this could work well for both of us. The only issue I foresee is him zooming ahead listening-wise ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jane in NC Posted January 3, 2015 Share Posted January 3, 2015 My immediate goal is to finish the three books I was reading at the end of 2014. Huzzah! Check one off the list! Women's Work: The First 20000 Years is a study of textile history. Much of it was interesting but there were a few speculative passages that raised my eyebrows. I have passed the book on to my archaeologist son for his opinion. This afternoon, "the boys" (archaeologist with his father the software engineer) made a quantity of butternut squash/asiago ravioli. This will be served with kale pesto from the freezer that I made earlier in the fall. I am feeling like a pampered princess! Those who have recently joined the group may wonder what cooking has do with reading a book a week. I see this thread as much more than a thread on books. It is more of a tapestry of our lives which includes reading, travel, cooking, dreaming, playing games, knitting, etc., all of the components of our own magical realities. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shukriyya Posted January 3, 2015 Share Posted January 3, 2015 My immediate goal is to finish the three books I was reading at the end of 2014. Huzzah! Check one off the list! Women's Work: The First 20000 Years is a study of textile history. Much of it was interesting but there were a few speculative passages that raised my eyebrows. I have passed the book on to my archaeologist son for his opinion. This afternoon, "the boys" (archaeologist with his father the software engineer) made a quantity of butternut squash/asiago ravioli. This will be served with kale pesto from the freezer that I made earlier in the fall. I am feeling like a pampered princess! Those who have recently joined the group may wonder what cooking has do with reading a book a week. I see this thread as much more than a thread on books. It is more of a tapestry of our lives which includes reading, travel, cooking, dreaming, playing games, knitting, etc., all of the components of our own magical realities. Dear Pampered Princess, I should like the honor of joining you, as much for the food as the company I must admit. I can bring some good wine and some nice sorbet for dessert, blood orange perhaps, or tangerine, something citrusy anyway, followed by squares of dark, rich, smokey chocolate. love, a groundling Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chrysalis Academy Posted January 3, 2015 Share Posted January 3, 2015 Okay, finished #1, War of the Worlds. I feel like this was cheating, since I listened to it and it's something I've read before and I'm pre-reading it to study with my kid but . . . it counts, right? :D I really like this book. It's my favorite Wells for sure - I like it much better than Invisible Man, Time Machine, and The Island of Dr. Moreau. I tend to like dystopias & disaster fiction - is that a genre? and this feels like a granddaddy of them all. I like the dry, somewhat detached scientific voice of the narrator, yet the humanity he displays, both the brutality and the depth of emotion, ring pretty true to me. It's always interesting to see what old sci-fi books get "right" - or at least plausible - in the scientific aspects. I like the fact that the Martians are laid low by simple bacteria, but the idea that there is no such thing as decay or putrefaction on their planet is a little far-fetched! The epilogue, where he talks about how the discovery of other life in the solar system changes humanity's view of itself sounds like conversations people have today. And, though I don't know if it was received this way at the time, I like how this book turns the tables on the mighty British empire, showing them how it feels to be colonized. He does mention this explicitly in discussing the extermination of the Tasmanians, but I'd be curious to know if this aspect was much discussed in his own time. I'll have to do a little digging. I think Shannon and I will read this together this spring. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dicentra Posted January 3, 2015 Share Posted January 3, 2015 Anyone else have trouble remembering the content of audio books? It's not a matter of not paying attention (at least, I don't think it is :) ). I pay close attention when I'm listening but have no long term memory of the content of the book once I'm done. I have a very, very good visual memory so I remember the printed word but virtually no auditory memory. I suppose I could have a printed copy of the audio book in front of me to follow along as I listen but if I have to do that, I'd rather just read the book myself. :) We live rurally and I spend a lot of time in a vehicle - would love to be able to use my drive time to listen to audio books - I just can't remember a dang thing afterwards! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin M Posted January 3, 2015 Author Share Posted January 3, 2015 Anyone else have trouble remembering the content of audio books? It's not a matter of not paying attention (at least, I don't think it is :) ). I pay close attention when I'm listening but have no long term memory of the content of the book once I'm done. I have a very, very good visual memory so I remember the printed word but virtually no auditory memory. I suppose I could have a printed copy of the audio book in front of me to follow along as I listen but if I have to do that, I'd rather just read the book myself. :) We live rurally and I spend a lot of time in a vehicle - would love to be able to use my drive time to listen to audio books - I just can't remember a dang thing afterwards! I'm also a very visual person so I have a tendency to tune out an audiobook if I'm doing anything at all except for driving or drawing. But I discovered I much prefer listening to stories I've already read. That way I'm familiar with the story, anticipate moments but also pick up on things I've missed. I've never been able to get into listening to one I haven't already read. My son has us listening to Heroes of Olympus series in the car and since I haven't read all of them, get lost in the sequence of events. It doesn't help that he'll listen ahead sometimes so I totally don't know what's going on. Which is probably why he wants me to read the books. So I'll stop pausing the story and asking him to fill in the blanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rosie_0801 Posted January 3, 2015 Share Posted January 3, 2015 And, though I don't know if it was received this way at the time, I like how this book turns the tables on the mighty British empire, showing them how it feels to be colonized. He does mention this explicitly in discussing the extermination of the Tasmanians, but I'd be curious to know if this aspect was much discussed in his own time. I'll have to do a little digging. I think Shannon and I will read this together this spring. Don't be thinking there are no Tasmanian Aborigines left. (Somehow that's the impression we non-Tasmanians all came away with from our history lessons at school.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jane in NC Posted January 3, 2015 Share Posted January 3, 2015 Anyone else have trouble remembering the content of audio books? It's not a matter of not paying attention (at least, I don't think it is :) ). I pay close attention when I'm listening but have no long term memory of the content of the book once I'm done. I have a very, very good visual memory so I remember the printed word but virtually no auditory memory. I suppose I could have a printed copy of the audio book in front of me to follow along as I listen but if I have to do that, I'd rather just read the book myself. :) We live rurally and I spend a lot of time in a vehicle - would love to be able to use my drive time to listen to audio books - I just can't remember a dang thing afterwards! I choose my audio books carefully. I started writing out a post saying that while I prefer character driven novels over plot driven ones, I prefer to listening to plot driven books on audio. But the latest Le Carre to which I am listening (Absolute Friends) is completely character driven. In fact, I had decided that I was glad I was listening to it, that I don't know if I would be able to read this one. Which leads me to ask Why? Audio books present problems. If one wants to reread the paragraph, cherish the language, giggle over the pithy conversation, something following will be missed. I have another theory on audio books though. I think the reader matters. If the reader's voice and nuance engages me, then I think there is a better chance that I will be enveloped by the story--almost as if I were reading it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NoseInABook Posted January 3, 2015 Share Posted January 3, 2015 That's why I can't do audiobooks either! I just cannot focus on them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chrysalis Academy Posted January 3, 2015 Share Posted January 3, 2015 Don't be thinking there are no Tasmanian Aborigines left. (Somehow that's the impression we non-Tasmanians all came away with from our history lessons at school.) I'm glad to hear that! I thought it was interesting that of all the colonial atrocities Wells could have mentioned, that was the one he mentioned by name. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shukriyya Posted January 3, 2015 Share Posted January 3, 2015 Anyone else have trouble remembering the content of audio books? It's not a matter of not paying attention (at least, I don't think it is :) ). I pay close attention when I'm listening but have no long term memory of the content of the book once I'm done. I have a very, very good visual memory so I remember the printed word but virtually no auditory memory. I suppose I could have a printed copy of the audio book in front of me to follow along as I listen but if I have to do that, I'd rather just read the book myself. :) We live rurally and I spend a lot of time in a vehicle - would love to be able to use my drive time to listen to audio books - I just can't remember a dang thing afterwards! My mind roams and wanders profligately if I'm listening to fiction but non-fiction has worked very well for me in audio format. A lot depends on the narrator and in the case of HotMW it appears, from the sample, that this narrator is going to be enjoyable to listen to. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rosie_0801 Posted January 3, 2015 Share Posted January 3, 2015 I'm glad to hear that! I thought it was interesting that of all the colonial atrocities Wells could have mentioned, that was the one he mentioned by name. There's no reason he shouldn't. It was absolute butchery. There are no full-blooded Tasmanian Aborigines left, but one's looks aren't the best predictor of identity. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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