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Book a Week 2017 - BW1: Welcome to an adventurous prime reading new year!


Robin M
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Nothing's in alphabetical order (neither author nor title). There's just large multi-shelf categories. I feel bad for those who must re-shelve the books, because it's a nightmare finding anything.

One of the libraries we went to when the dc's were small didn't alphabetize the children's fiction. It took us forever to find things. To make it more frustrating their collection was the best in the area so we had to go through all of the books every time. I feel for you. I also pity the librarians. As someone who volunteers book pulling for holds is hard because while we do alphabetize we divide the books up a bit more. Hardcover, paperback, sago, large print.....the computer doesn't always reflect much in fiction beyond we have the book. At least I know alpha order so I can rule shelves out quickly.....but then there are displays.....

 

Also thanks for the recommendation for Radiance. At this moment it's a front runner. I don't plan to tackle actually reading this category right away!

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None of my requests had arrived at the library so I browsed the fiction books. I couldn't find anything in the non-fiction section; again, nothing is in numerical or alphabetical order. I asked the librarian about the change, and she promised me I would love it once they put up the additional signs. I don't know about that...

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Can I suggest an interesting, but out-there outer space book? Catherynne Valente's Radiance is an alt-reality, sci-fi, mystery that bounces between Mars, the Moon, Neptune, Pluto, and Venus with silent pictures, time shifts, religious cults, and space whales. I read it early last year and loved the bizarre setting and Valente's voice.

 

That sounds amazing and......even more amazing.....the library one town over has a copy (this almost NEVER happens with BaW recommendations) :hurray:-------> on my Bingo card. Thank you.

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My local library just got rid of the Dewey decimal system. I don't know where anything is located... Subjects are still grouped together, but now it's harder to find books because the categories are so big.

 

 

Nothing's in alphabetical order (neither author nor title). There's just large multi-shelf categories. I feel bad for those who must re-shelve the books, because it's a nightmare finding anything.

 

No, just no. 

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My local library just got rid of the Dewey decimal system. I don't know where anything is located... Subjects are still grouped together, but now it's harder to find books because the categories are so big.

 

I'm so sorry for you (and your librarians). My local library did that a couple of years ago, it has been :banghead: .

 

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Nothing's in alphabetical order (neither author nor title).

 

We have a similar 'system', I've vented about it here before. After trying to locate some biographies and finding Stephen Hawking at 'H', Albert Einstein at 'A' and Madam Curie at 'Scientists', I no longer try to locate books myself, I just put books on hold.

 

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It's not my preferred genre either but I read Lessing's entire Canopus in Argos: Archives series and surprised myself by absolutely loving it. Looking over the GR reviews is an eye-opener. I'm amazed by how many people disliked this, found it plodding, dull, too dense...wow, I was enthralled by its brilliance, its vision, its creative muscle.

 

After your enthousiastic reviews a couple of years back, I read the first book (that was the only one I could get) and I liked it very much! :thumbup1: The others are on my TBR list, too bad I'll have to buy them.

 

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We have a similar 'system', I've vented about it here before. After trying to locate some biographies and finding Stephen Hawking at 'H', Albert Einstein at 'A' and Madam Curie at 'Scientists', I no longer try to locate books myself, I just put books on hold.

 

 

I'm sorry but are we losing intelligence? This is reminded me of that movie, can't recall the name, set in the future in which as a society became dumber. The president was a wrestling champion.....

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Some of the outer space book suggestions are on my TR list (Rise of the Rocket Girls, Hidden Figures) but our fearless leader chimed in and said the setting must be in space, not just about space or space travel. 

 

It seems to me one of the In Death books was set in space - at a space resort or something. Robin or anyone else who reads this series, am I imagining things? I remember starting such a book but it had to go back to the library before I got very far, and I never borrowed it again.

 

 

I read the first one for a book club years ago. It seemed an odd choice for book club, but the person who chose it wanted to introduce the rest of us to one of her favorite series. I ended up enjoying it and read several more in the series. My library didn't have the rest so I didn't finish. I keep meaning to go back to it. I can imagine the audio book would be fun.

 

Interlude in Death is on a space station.

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I read about 50% of books with female authors though I think it is a little higher because I haven't written down the books I read on my kindle during my vacation yet.  But of the books I had written down in 2016 already, it is exactly 50%.  I think normally I tend to read a bit more on the feminine side because it seems like more of the writers of mysteries are females and that is what I primarily read.  But I did read a lot of Tony Hillerman mysteries last year and thrillers, classics, and the non fiction I do tend to read are usually male authors.  

 

On another note, I am currently reading Death In Cyprus by M. M. Kaye (female) a mystery written in 1956,  One murder has already happened and the person was poisoned with a variation of a drug I was almost put on- pilocarpine.  It was pilocarpine nitrate which is used as eye drops for glaucoma and I was given a choice between pilocarpine hydrochloride and cevemeline for my then very dry mouth.  Since I recognized the drug, I decided to look it up as a means for murdering- like had anyone actually done it.  Apparently they had but all were in the early 20th century and I had to go deep into my google search to find them.  

 

Wow.  That's pretty cool that you actually knew the murder poison. 

 

I'm sorry but are we losing intelligence? This is reminded me of that movie, can't recall the name, set in the future in which as a society became dumber. The president was a wrestling champion.....

 

Idiocracy ... a little too relevant to real life to make you comfortable. 

 

Frito: Yeah, I know this place pretty good. I went to law school here.

Joe: You went to law school at Costco?

Frito: I know! I couldn't believe it either but luckily my dad was an alumnus so he pulled some strings.

 

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0387808/

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who is the author of underground railroad?  The thought of going back through this thread to find it makes my head spin.  However, I am having SO much fun reading.  I've got my kindle stocked with some brain candy......and a few others.  My kindle is in my guys car so I'll have to update with titles later.

 

Edited by welovetoread
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who is the author of underground railroad?  The thought of going back through this thread to find it makes my head spin.  However, I am having SO much fun reading.  I've got my kindle stocked with some brain candy......and a few others.  My kindle is in my guys car so I'll have to update with titles later.

 

Colson Whitehead.  This novel won the National Book Award for fiction in '16 and appeared on a number of "Best of '16" lists. 

 

As an experiment, some of you might want to see how many holds are on the book at your library. 

 

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Same here. I don't pay attention to the gender of the author. I do not make any effort to read more female authors. I read what I'm interested in reading without considering authors' gender. 

 

 

I recall the BaWers having this discussion a couple of years ago. With similar points being brought up. As I consider your comments above I'm trying to decide whether I consciously seek out female authors or whether I just naturally gravitate towards them. Or perhaps it's a bit of both, I resonate with that lens so my choices veer in that direction. 

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:willy_nilly:  Not sure why I do this to myself... :svengo:

 

IMG_1613.jpg

 

Those are just my current library books. At my annual reading speed, that is about a quarter of a year's worth for me. Yeah, like I'll be able to get through all those in the next few weeks. Not.

 

Ironically, the title to the far right is "Simplify Your Life". :lol:

 

Clean like a Man?  LOL.  Am I reading that right?

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I am going to do the Bingo challenge this year too...but this year I admittedly want to read (way) less fiction, so I will approach things like Outer Space with Brian Green's The Fabric of the Cosmos and Ancient with SPQR and one-word title Tribe (hi, praririegirl!) and western with some Joan Didion (Where I Was From, a re-read, but excellent, about CA) or maybe Timothy Egan, on whom I have a huge crush....  I will have you all know though that Georgette Heyer is pegged for Flufferton!  whee!

I applaud your attempt to read more non fiction.  Having lead a class on Joan Didion and read Slouching towards Bethlehem, I really can't say she fits the western genre.  We're talking about the old west, 1900's cowboys, gunslingers, lawmen and indians.  Didion is a 60's type of gal and her perspective of things is different.  Where I was from is an interesting choice.    

 

There are plenty of nonfiction books covering the old west. 

 

10 of the Best non fiction Old West books

 

Outlaws and Lawmen of the Old West

 

Non Fiction Directory of Western Authors 

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Yes. Yes you are.

 

:lol:

 

Actually, that's a leftover from Christmas when my sister was visiting. She likes reading all kinds of stuff (from cults, mass murderers, & conspiracy theories to etiquette books -- go figure) so when I was working & checked this back in, I immediately checked it out to bring home for my sister. She reads stuff like this for fun (but she could also use the cleaning advice because, in that respect, she is like a guy -- her friends have always been guys, she works with almost all guys, & she should probably learn to clean like a guy). She must have flipped through & read some sections because she was talking about it at one point. I figured I would look through it too. It's one of those types of books that is easy to read while eating a snack. A page or two here or there....

 

Bonus is that when sis, dd, & I were out late one day over the holidays, the kitchen sink/counters were cleaned up when we came back & dh mentioned that he figured I must have left the book out as a hint. The library checkout slip just happened to be marking the section about cleaning the kitchen.  :smilielol5:  It wasn't intended for him, but I'll take the consequences it spurred.

 

I should probably make my teens read it. (And, yes, my dd is way messier & more clueless about cleaning than my ds is.)

 

That is so funny!  Good thing your DH is good natured. 

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I applaud your attempt to read more non fiction. Having lead a class on Joan Didion and read Slouching towards Bethlehem, I really can't say she fits the western genre. We're talking about the old west, 1900's cowboys, gunslingers, lawmen and indians. Didion is a 60's type of gal and her perspective of things is different. Where I was from is an interesting choice.

 

There are plenty of nonfiction books covering the old west.

 

10 of the Best non fiction Old West books

 

Outlaws and Lawmen of the Old West

 

Non Fiction Directory of Western Authors

So one of the books on one of the lists Robin linked was captioned as a 'Latin American Western' (takes place on the Argentinian pampas)... any chance that would count as a Western?

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:willy_nilly:  Not sure why I do this to myself... :svengo:

 

IMG_1613.jpg

 

Those are just my current library books. At my annual reading speed, that is about a quarter of a year's worth for me. Yeah, like I'll be able to get through all those in the next few weeks. Not.

 

Ironically, the title to the far right is "Simplify Your Life". :lol:

 

Love the three legged zebra. Is he your mascot? :)

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Yes, he's my bookshelf mascot. I actually have his other leg laying (lying?) loose (maybe I'll glue it on someday), but I moved it out of the way for the photo. Maybe I should use it as a pointer to show which book I'm currently reading.  :lol:  I kind of like him three-legged.

 

He looks very regal- he's surveying his domain. :) 

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So one of the books on one of the lists Robin linked was captioned as a 'Latin American Western' (takes place on the Argentinian pampas)... any chance that would count as a Western?

 

Westerns aren't exclusive to America and if the book is on the list linked, then yes it is a Western.

 

Myth of the cowboy

 

Wild West conquers Europe 

 

Look up spaghetti westerns and follow a few rabbit trails. 

 

:001_smile:

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I have zero chance of keeping up with this thread, but I'm trying! Just checking in to say that since I said I was going to read what I already have, I decided to check out a book from Overdrive. :p It's Love Warrior by Glennon Doyle Melton. I needed something easy to read, and I think it will fit the bill.

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I am fully expecting to be iced in for at least tomorrow, if not Sunday, too. I can hear ice dropping outside.

 

Last evening, DS10 read his colonial times choose your own adventure book. He is my history and government obsessed child in a family full of STEM people. Can I count that as a book? I wonder if I can find him a WW2 choose your own adventure book. He would probably love it. (Edited to add: There's a whole series of them!)

Edited by Caroline
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I'm a little late on getting my wrap-up done!!  Dh was home a lot over the holidays so we spent many hours watching tv.  

 

Here's my final list of books for 2016...

 

*01.  Frankenstein by Mary Shelley (classic - the Arctic, Switzerland, Germany, England, Scotland - 18th century)

*02.  Snow Treasure by Marie McSwigan (children's book - historical fiction - Norway - 20th century)

*03.  Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe (BaW rec - Nigeria - 19th century)

*04.  The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson (classic - reread - England -  18th century)

*05.  Harry Potter  and the Half-Blood Prince by J.K. Rowling (fantasy - reread - England)

*06.  Lost Empire by Clive Cussler (Zanzibar, Tanzania, USA, Madagascar, Indonesia - 21st century)

*07.  The Original Miss Honeyford by M.C. Beaton (BaW rec - England - 19th century)

*08.  Bab: A Sub-Deb by Mary Roberts Rineheart (BaW rec - dusty - USA - 20th century)

*09.  A Room with a View by E.M. Forster (classic - BaW Feb. author - Italy and England - 20th century)

*10.  Beauty by Robin McKinley (fairy tale)

*11.  The Storied Life of A. J. Fikry Gabrielle Zevin (USA - 21st century)

*12.  The Goose Girl by Shannon Hale (fairy tale)

*13.  The Bobbsey Twins Toy Shop by Laura Lee Hope (children's book - USA - 20th century)

*14.  Death by Darjeeling by Laura Childs (BaW rec - USA  - 21st century)

*15.  Be Joyful by Warren Wiersbe (non-fiction)

*16.  Queen of Sorcery by David Eddings (fantasy - reread - audio)

*17.  The Hawk and the Jewel by Lori Wick (reread - England - 19th century)

*18.  The Night Villa by Carol Goodman (dusty book - England & Italy - 1st & 21st century)

*19.  Magician's Gambit by David Eddings (fantasy  - reread - audio)

*20.  Castle of Wizardry by David Eddings (fantasy - reread - audio)

*21.  Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis (non-fiction)

*22.  The Darling Dahlias and the Cucumber Tree by Susan Wittig Albert (USA - 20th century)

*23.  The Willow Valley Kids: The Treasure Hunt by Jean Pennington (children's book - USA - 20th century)

*24.  Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling (fantasy - reread - England)

*25.  Over Sea, Under Stone by Susan Cooper (fantasy - England - 20th century)

*26.  Enchanter's End Game by David Eddings (fantasy - reread - audio)

*27.  Jaws by Peter Benchley (reread - USA - 20th century)

*28.  Jackaby by William Ritter (BaW rec - USA - 19th century)

*29.  The Lost World by Michael Crichton (reread - USA, Costa Rica - 20th century)

*30.  Pride & Prejudice by Jane Austen (classic - reread - audio - England - 19th century)

*31.  Meg by Steve Alten (reread - Pacific Ocean & USA  - 20th century)

*32.  The Cursed Child by J.K. Rowling (fantasy - England)

*33.  Lady Almina and the Real Downton Abbey by The Countess of Carnarvon (non-fiction - England & Egypt - 19th & 20th centuries)

*34.  Sense & Sensibility by Jane Austen (classic - reread - audio - England - 19th century)

*35.  The Mystery of History Volume 4 by Linda Lacour Hobar (non-fiction - 18th, 19th, 20th,  21st century)

*36.  The 6th Extinction by James Rollins (USA, Brazil, Antarctica - 21st century)

*37.  Women's Ministry in the Local Church by J. Ligon Duncan and Susan Hunt (non-fiction)

*38.  A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle (reread - USA - 20th century)

*39.  Nasreen's Secret School & The Librarian of Basra by Jeanette Winter and Walter the Farting Dog by William Kotzwinkle (children's picture book - Iraq & Afghanistan - 20th & 21st century )

*40.  The Judas Strain by James Rollins (USA, Italy, Christmas Island, Turkey, Iran, Cambodia - 21st century)

*41.  Mansfield Park by Jane Austen (classic - reread - audio - England - 19th century)

*42.  Thrice the Brinded Cat Hath Mew'd by Alan Bradley (England - 20th century)

*43.  World War Z by Max Brooks (China, USA, Japan, Canada, Russia - 21st century)

*44.  Squashed by Joan Bauer (YA - USA - 20th century)

*45.  New Spring by Robert Jordan (fantasy - reread - audio)

*46.  For Darkness Shows the Stars by Diana Peterfreund (YA - England(?))

*47.  Persuasion by Jane Austen (classic - reread - audio - England - 19th century)

*48.  Illuminae by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff (sci-fi - YA)

*49.  Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery (classic - reread - Canada - 19th century)

*50.  The Unexpected Mrs. Pollifax by Dorothy Gilman (Mexico, USA, Albania - 20th century)

*51.  Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen (classic - reread - audio - England - 19th cent.)

*52.  Venetia by Georgette Heyer (reread - England - 19th century)

*53.  The Best Christmas Pageant Ever by Barbara Robinson (reread - USA - 20th cent.)

*54.  King Lear by Shakespeare (classic - England - 8th cent (?))

*55.  The Strange Library by Haruki Murakami (reread - Japan)

*56.  Emma by Jane Austen (classic - reread - audio - England - 19th century)

*57.  The Pearl by John Steinbeck (classic - Mexico)

*58.  Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them by J.K. Rowling (fantasy - New York - 20th century)

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You guys, I tried to read Underground Railroad, but I just can't. It's so brutal and horrible. And real, and true, and shaming. But I just can't. It makes me want to vomit and to just completely give up on the human race, that we could treat one another this way. I feel kind of ashamed at not being able to face it, but I just can't. I'm not running away from the reality, but I just can't take the images in my mind. 

 

:grouphug: I'm sorry about your experience. Don't be ashamed. I am really bad at forming images in my mind, which I think allows me to read things others cannot. If I actually saw them, it would be tremendously disturbing.

 

In other news, my copy of The Underground Railroad is missing. Amazon says it was delivered yesterday, along with another book about slavery, but the package is nowhere to be found. If someone stole it, which has never happened before, I wonder what will happen if they read the books. Perhaps they will think twice next time?

 

I'm sorry but are we losing intelligence? This is reminded me of that movie, can't recall the name, set in the future in which as a society became dumber. The president was a wrestling champion.....

 

 

Idiocracy, which I at first thought was satire but seems to have actually been some sort of prescient documentary.

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I've been peeking in on these thread for a couple of years now, so it's past time for me to start posting. :seeya:

 

I'm not really enjoying my first book of the year, so I'm taking forever to finish it. I'll post about it as my initial entry once I've turned the last page.

 

I've never met anyone in real life who reads as much as I do (even though I worked in bookstores and libraries), but compared to many of you, I'm a real slow poke :laugh: .  I don't read as much as I used to (because I spend so much time on the internet reading threads like this one), but I may be able to pick up the pace a little now that I'm no longer homeschooling.

 

I've gone through several phases in my reading life. As a child and through my twenties, I read the classics (yes, I was that eight year old reading David Copperfield -- and Wuthering Heights ;)  -- in the corner while other children played outside). My next phase was children's and young adult literature (my career field when I was working). And over the last decade I've been reading mysteries.

 

I'm always on the hunt for new books to add to my stack, so I'm excited to participate.

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I'm joining in this year!  I haven't finished reading this whole thread, but I did finish my first book of the year: Felicia Day's memoir You're Never Weird on the Internet (Almost)

I'm a huge fan and the book was great.  She was homeschooled so the first few chapters really spoke to ds and I.  She's always funny, but it covers some darker times in her life, too.  Ds hasn't finished it yet.  I did listen on audiobook (hope that counts here!), because she narrates it herself.

 

I've started Trevor Noah's memoir and have a book on India in the queue.  If I ever finish reading this thread, I'll probably have an entire list for the year!

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Where did your reading take you this year?  

the Arctic, Switzerland, Germany, England, Scotland, Norway, Nigeria, Zanzibar, Tanzania, USA, Madagascar, Indonesia, Italy, Costa Rica, Pacific Ocean,  Egypt, Brazil, Antarctica, Iraq & Afghanistan (children's books w/Stacia), Christmas Island, Turkey, Iran, Cambodia, China, Japan, Canada, Russia,  Mexico, and Albania

 

How many books did you read and did you meet or beat your own personal goal?  Or did you get caught up in reading and forget to keep track like me?  *grin* 

I read 58 books!  That exceeded my goal of 52!  

 

What countries and time periods did you visit?

Well, countries see above.  Time periods 1st, 8th, and 18th-21st century, a lot of time spent in the 18th and 19th centuries, but I was surprised to realize I read quite a few modern time period books as well.

 

What were your most favorite stories?   Any stories that stayed with you a long time,  left you wanting more or needed to digest for a while before starting another?   Which books became comfort reads.

Beauty, The Belgariad (reread), Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (reread), The 6th Extinction, Squashed, Venetia (reread), Anne of Green Gables (reread), The Best Christmas Pageant Ever (reread), and Pride and Prejudice (reread) were probably my favorite stories of the year!  I really enjoyed discovering James Rollins.

 

What is the one book or the one author you thought you'd never read and found yourself pleasantly surprised that you liked it?  I don't know that I had any of these this year.

 

Did you read any books that touched you and made you laugh, cry, sing or dance.

Anne of Green Gables and The Best Christmas Pageant Ever made me laugh and cry.  Squashed really touched me, too.  I can't put my finger on why, but it was such a lovely young adult story.

 

Any that made you want to toss it across the room in disgust?

The Pearl definitely made me want to throw it across the room in disgust.  Non-fiction would probably be Women's Ministry in the Local Church which I read because my Pastor's wife asked me to.  Frankenstein and Mansfield Park both had characters that I wanted to toss across the room in disgust  :laugh:

 

Please share a favorite cover or quote.

"The things we respond to at twenty are not necessarily the same things we will respond to at forty and vice versa.  This is true in books and also in life."  from The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry.  I didn't love this book but it had some great quotes.

 

Also, "As you contemplate the days schedule, be sure that nothing you have planned robs you of the joy God wants you to have."  from  Be Joyful.

 

Each year I enjoy this thread more and more.  I am happy to have participated a bit more this year and glad to call you all friends.

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Angel, I enjoyed reading your wrap-up. One of my favorite things about BaW is our banned books reading (even if we did manage only children's books this year!). I am happy to call you friend too. :)

 

Well, believe it or not, I finished By Gaslight tonight. Considering the dismal, dark, dank, dingy London much of this novel inhabits, it might seem strange to describe the writing as luscious... but luscious it is. Price is poet & what lovely prose he crafts. A sweeping, brooding mix of historical mystery & thriller, it fully fleshes out histories of its two main characters & their strangely-intersecting, criss-crossing lives. There is so much packed into the many pages that I was fully immersed in the story, the world, & the characters the entire time. To that extent, it reminded me very much of reading Donna Tartt's The Goldfinch -- a long, layered story, beautifully written. By Gaslight carries the same features, even though the tales are distinctly different. By story's end (not epilogue), Price has given you a lovely and unexpected conclusion. Well worth the read & highly recommended.  

 

28116803.jpg

 

ETA: A quote I enjoyed...

 

I just added it to my list for next month! Sounds awesome. 

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Nice graphs on the reviewing/reviewer gender gap (from 2010).

 

http://www.vidaweb.org/the-count-2010/

 

So I like that we can 'review' female authors to our heart's content here!

 

I have an automatic habit of checking the male to female ratio of any kind of literary list, ie. top 10s, prizes and shortlists, awards etc. They pretty much always come out with a heavier male to female result. 

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I personally think it's because men don't get into the habit of reading women early. I've even caught myself not choosing a book for ds because its not a 'boy's book'. 

 

Well, that is quite a revolutionary insight. I'm trying to think of what books I chose for ds when he was younger. Mainly he was into the myths, Greek, Roman, Norse, Indian. His fairy tales were the stories in the Mahabharata and the Ramayana. And a lot of the books I read to him came from a Steiner perspective. But I didn't think twice about buying him some of Kinuko Craft's beautifully illustrated books based on retellings of classic fairytales. But now he reads more men to women. I think this has to do with the genres he likes. Sci-fi and fantasy are his favorites. 

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Well, that is quite a revolutionary insight. I'm trying to think of what books I chose for ds when he was younger. Mainly he was into the myths, Greek, Roman, Norse, Indian. His fairy tales were the stories in the Mahabharata and the Ramayana. And a lot of the books I read to him came from a Steiner perspective. But I didn't think twice about buying him some of Kinuko Craft's beautifully illustrated books based on retellings of classic fairytales. But now he reads more men to women. I think this has to do with the genres he likes. Sci-fi and fantasy are his favorites.

I don't consider the author gender when I offer books to DS14, but I think men tend to write more books he finds interesting (action/adventure fantasy and horror). He really liked Uprooted by Naomi Novik (some explicit content) and her Temeraire books will be my series purchase next Christmas. I buy him one hardback and several paperbacks each year (which he usually finish by the end of January).

Edited by ErinE
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I don't consider gender or specifically look for women authors when choosing books for myself. I look for a good story if it's fiction, and an interesting topic for non-fiction.

 

When I used to help ds find books to either read on his own or for dh to read aloud to him, I did the same. I knew what he liked in both fiction and non-fiction. He loved the My Side of the Mountain series when he was younger, and later devoured both the Harry Potter and The Hunger Games books. All of the above were written by women. Just like his mama, it was the story or topic that mattered, not the gender of the author.

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I'm late to week one, though I did manage to exceed my reading goal last year. It's been a couple of years since I followed along here. :)

 

I do consider gender when picking books for the kids to read and for read alouds/audiobooks. I'm always on the hunt for books with strong female leads. I do try to make sure we read a larger number of female authors than male authors, but I think we probably accomplish that more in our read alouds/audiobooks than we do with our assigned reading. I also try to keep that in mind when I buy books for nieces and nephews.

 

I also do try to read more female authors myself, but since I've been reading more scifi lately that has reversed.

 

I was unable to get i to Haruki Mirakami the last time I followed along with the BAW threads, butI thought I'd try to find common ground with him and see if that helped. So, I'm going to read his running memoir "What I Talk About When I Talk About Running."

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I finished my first bingo book, and the Danish YA novel that I have been reading for MONTHS. 

 

For Steampunk, I read Soulless by Gail Carriger. Relevant to the gender discussion, I picked it by looking at lists of "Best Steampunk Novels," and its femininity appealed to me. It was a fun read, and I loved the wit. I occasionally thought it crossed from witty to just silly, but overall I really enjoyed it. 

 

I hope that Odinsbarn gets an English translation soon. I thought it was a fantastic fantasy novel.

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I saw that you'd read and liked that and thought it looked interesting, so went hunting for a German translation, but no luck there either. :(

Huh. It looks like the only non-Scandinavian languages so far are Polish and Czech. i don't know enough about the publishing industry to comment on why-or-why-not. 

 

But I just realized that I had the wrong edition in my Goodreads. I had Norwegian instead of Danish. Oops  :blushing:  I wondered why the total page count was off, lol. Still trying to figure out the nuances of Goodreads.

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For Christmas, Santa brought Adrian The Worst Case Scenario Handbook: Extreme Junior Edition.  He and Fritz have been reading it together, mostly Fritz reading it to Adrian, but sometimes Adrian reads a page or two.  I didn't realize how much they'd been reading it until Fritz came downstairs this morning and said Adrian was crying because they finished the book!  He was so sad it was done.  I quickly went on our library's website and put the three junior edition worst case scenario books they have on hold.  Adrian was a little happier, but he was still in deep mourning over finishing his book for quite some time after.

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Agatha Christie is a female author with universal appeal. My son says Karen Travis is one of the best StarWars series authors. He's read all her books. We read quite a few children's classics equally authored by males and females. Though as my boys got older, they did start reading more authored by males, because of the subjects not necessarily the authors. My 17yo loves historical fiction but is not terribly interested in the romances of the characters. Rosemary Sutcliffe's stories worked for him. However, many female authors do spend more time with love interests. I tend to read equal amounts of male and female authors without trying. I too like a good story and don't care much who is telling it.

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Not having read the reviews, I had anticipated The Underground Railroad being historical fiction. Rather, Whitehead's novel is of the same speculative style used by Chabon in The Yiddish Policemen's Union, an alternate history with kernels of truth that resonate in the history we were taught and the history that we have since learned.  Fanciful makes the book sound light and happy--which it is not. But there are fanciful elements to it that have given me pause.

 

I'm about two thirds into the book, moving quickly as it is a page turner and the stinking weather is keeping me indoors. 

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