A 2012 Mid-Year Review

photo by k

I don't usually think about things like quarterly and mid-year stats but for some reason this year I'm obsessing over them! Maybe it's because I'm keeping some new running totals this year. Actually, I'm almost certain that's it. So here are some of my January through June numbers for your perusal --

Books from the TBR: 21

Re-reads: 17

(Number of those that were by Diana Wynne Jones: 12)

Library books: 6

Review copies: 13

Non-fiction: 1

Books in translation: 2

Books over 500 pages long: 6

Total books read: 54

Pages read: 17549

*My books list now includes Z's bedtime stories because I'm the one reading them after all. It also gives me a better count of my actual pages read for the year.
*Obviously I'm a bit disappointed with the non-fiction and books in translation numbers and will try and improve those in the next six months. I know of at least two Carlos Ruiz Zafón books that I'll be reading soon so that will help!
*I'm happy with my TBR number. My goal for the year was 50 so I'm doing well with that and the library and review copy numbers are sufficiently low that I'm accomplishing what I wanted to with that goal anyway.
*And I'm happy that I'm picking up more "chunksters" this year. I have even more big reads planned for the rest of the year!
*My Year of Dickens has stalled a bit but I plan on making progress with it this summer. And that's not strictly a 2012 project anyway as it goes until next February.

 

How are you doing on your reading goals so far this year?

Satisfied with my progress,

K

List of the Day: Books That Shaped America

The Library of Congress, as part of the National Book Festival (Sept. 22-23 on the National Mall), has released a list of Books That Shaped America. This is a much more interesting list than standard "best" lists because it's based on national influence rather than literary quality or enduring popularity. There are books on the list that I've never even heard of and others that I've never seen on lists before.

From their site --

“This list is a starting point,” said Librarian of Congress James H. Billington. “It is not a register of the ‘best’ American books – although many of them fit that description. Rather, the list is intended to spark a national conversation on books written by Americans that have influenced our lives, whether they appear on this initial list or not.”
We hope you will view the list, nominate other titles, and most importantly, choose to read and discuss some of the books on this list, reflecting America’s unique and extraordinary literary heritage, which the Library of Congress makes available to the world.

Click on the link above to take their survey on which of the 88 books on the list you think have shaped America and to suggest additions to the list.

How many of the books have you read? (20 for me)
What would you add to their list? (immediately I would add O, Pioneers or My Antonia by Willa Cather)
Are there any of these books that you feel you NEED to read? (I should start with something from Benjamin Franklin. I've actually never read any of his own writings.)
What do my non-American readers think about the books on this list?

Thinking about books in a new way,
K

Catching Up Through Quick Mentions

Yes, 'tis the time of year when I need to clean my review slate or I'm going to be tempted to just quit blogging. This stack has been sitting here too long, cluttering up my coffee table. A few of these books are from vacation and others have just been sitting here unreviewed for no particular reason. Anyway, here are some brief thoughts on five of our recent reads --

A Brief History of Montmaray by Michelle Cooper

This novel was so much more than I expected it to be. I picked it up used a while back because of the mention of I Capture the Castle in one of the blurbs but then didn't read it for the same reason, the fear of disappointment and all of that. Luckily, some other bloggers have been reading it lately and giving it great reviews so I took it on vacation and it was an entertaining and exciting read! With a near-defunct island kingdom, Nazis and a possible romance, all from the point of view of Sophia FitzOsborne through the pages of her journal, this is a coming-of-age story like no other. There are two other books in the series -- The FitzOsbornes in Exile (released in March) and The FitzOsbornes at War (coming in October). I will be getting both.

The Dante Club by Matthew Pearl

One of my reading plans for the year was to re-read all of Matthew Pearl's novels and so I took his first one on my trip. I probably first read it around 2004 when the paperback came out so it has been a while and I had forgotten most of what happened in this suspenseful tale. It was even darker than I remembered with its descent into Dante's Inferno and a little bit rougher than Pearl's later works but I saw the same love for Boston that Pearl shows in his other novels. I felt like I had a better connection with the main characters--Longfellow, Holmes, Lowell and Fields--than I did the first time too. I'm excited to continue this journey this year!

The Uninvited Guests by Sadie Jones

This darkly comedic manor house story seems to be getting two kinds of reviews -- either readers love it or they thought they would love it but something just wasn't satisfying in the end. I was the second kind of reader. There were things that I really liked about the book and it had a lot of potential but, unfortunately, I saw straight to the big reveal fairly early in the story -- really, as soon as it was possible to suspect something. In fact, I thought it was going to be something even more interesting. When it wasn't, I was a bit let down. Still, I think this story is going to appeal to a lot of readers for its twists and turns and outrageous characters.

Horten's Miraculous Mechanisms by Lissa Evans

This is one that Z and I read together at bedtime and both of us really, really liked it. I would say loved but it got a little strange at the end and I think we weren't able to suspend our disbelief to the level Evans required. This was kind of weird because I'm normally a believer. But I think that the way the big reveal was presented was a bit sudden and we just weren't ready for it. Still, we got to be friends with young Stuart Horten and really enjoyed the treasure hunt aspect of the story. It appears that a sequel, Horten's Incredible Illusions, will be out in September and we can hardly wait for it!

Year of the Griffin by Diana Wynne Jones

Finally, I enjoyed another DWJ re-read while in Hawaii. I love this story. It has so many wonderful creatures and wizards and a really fun plot. Derk and his family are now some of my all-time favorite DWJ characters and, as I've said before and will probably say many more times, I wish Diana had been able to tell us more of the stories of this fun world. The Celebrate Diana Wynne Jones tumblr recently posted a link to a little author interview from when this book was first published.

Whew! All caught up and ready to share my amazing read with you next time.

Riding roughshod over all genre boundaries and review expectations,
K

Wrap-Up Post: Once Upon a Time VI Challenge

It seems like forever ago that I set out on my Once Upon a Time VI quest -- read at least 5 books that are fantasy, folklore, fairy tale or mythology. Let's see how I did ...

Dark Lord of Derkholm by Diana Wynne Jones
The Game by Diana Wynne Jones
Witch Week by Diana Wynne Jones
Castle in the Air by Diana Wynne Jones
The Princess Bride by William Goldman
Earwig and the Witch by Diana Wynne Jones
Mistborn by Brandon Sanderson Read-Along
Tam Lin by Pamela Dean and four other versions of the ballad
Thomas the Rhymer by Ellen Kushner and two other versions of the ballad
Fire and Hemlock by Diana Wynne Jones Read-Along

Conrad's Fate by Diana Wynne Jones

The Pinhoe Egg by Diana Wynne Jones

and these not yet reviewed titles --

Horten's Miraculous Mechanisms by Lissa Evans

Year of the Griffin by Diana Wynne Jones

So, as usual, I seem to have overachieved a bit with twenty titles read. ::grin:: But at the same time, I didn't really make an effort with the challenge this year (except for finally getting The Princess Bride from the library). These are probably the books that I would have ended up reading on my own. Is this cheating? I don't think so. After all, Carl's challenges are less challenge and more a celebration of genres -- just the way I like it!

(And yes, I did look at the calendar to see if I should start getting my RIP reads together yet ... only 2 1/2 months to go!)

Until we again revel in the buds of spring,

K

New Release: The Long Earth

Tomorrow you will all have the chance to embark on a unique adventure with Terry Pratchett and Stephen Baxter through The Long Earth. This science fiction tale is fresh and exciting and frightening and thought-provoking. There's travel to alternate universes, a giant airship, a Tibetan soul that has been reincarnated into a vending machine and much more. With an exploration of humanity's role on Earth, this is a fascinating "what if" of a novel. The only problem with this book was that it ended, and somewhat abruptly at that.

Actually, I was also a bit disappointed that some characters were not fleshed out as much as others. Some we met only briefly and some we could have explored from other perspectives but didn't. I'm not sure if there should have been more focus on less individuals or, as I would have preferred, simply a longer novel. (It appears, after a bit of searching, that it's actually going to be a two-book series.)

As is, I'm definitely in the mood for some additional (and lighter) Pratchett fare and I've decided to get back to my Discworld reading this summer. I already have two titles on hold at the library (Reaper Man and Equal Rites, for those who are curious).

Other thoughts and reviews: Vasilly, Paula (not many posts out there yet!)
Wishing that possibility was actuality,
K

Discussion: Why Did It Take So Long?

I have a tidy pile of books sitting here demanding to be reviewed but I can't get to them right now. You see, I'm reading a good book. It's not just a good book. It's an amazing book. Amazing is even in the title so I know I'm not wrong. ::wink:: It won a Pulitzer Prize. Everyone talks about this book. But I waited ten years to buy the book and then another two years until I finally picked it up off my TBR shelf and started reading it. And now? Well, let's just say that I'm sad it's only 636 pages long because eventually I will be done with it.

So this all sounds great, right? What's the problem? Well, the problem is that I'm a little embarrassed to go around singing its praises because, well, everyone already knows that it is amazing. I don't want to be met with a blank stare or an eye-roll and an "oh, you're JUST getting to that book?" or a "yeah, everyone knows it's awesome ... whatever". I guess it's that fine line between praising a book and acting like you discovered the thing (which I obviously know I didn't). But I'm guilty of sometimes being annoyed when someone new decides that Jane Eyre is "OMG! Amazeballs! Have you HEARD of this book?!?" and I find myself rolling my eyes and sighing and breaking out all sorts of unflattering facial expressions. But then I also know that when someone finally reads Howl's Moving Castle and loves it and wonders why they waited so long to read it, I'm jumping for joy and making suggestions for their next read.

Do you ever feel embarrassed that you are late onto the bandwagon of loving a good book? Do you try and support someone who has just discovered a well-loved classic? And do you ever get annoyed when someone acts like they built the darn bandwagon for an older book? (Bonus question: Is this just a totally mental topic and do I worry too much about what other people might think about the books I read?)

Back to my amazing book,
K

New Release: The Diamond Lens and Other Stories

Hesperus Press, dedicated to reviving forgotten authors and stories, has recently published this collection of three stories by Irish-American author Fitz-James O'Brien -- The Diamond Lens and Other Stories. Written in 1858 and 1859, these science fiction and horror tales have a unique feel of derangement and madness to them. Fans of Poe and of classic horror films will find something to enjoy in them. Even O'Brien's short life reads like an improbable story.

As I was reading The Diamond Lens, I couldn't help but mentally cast Vincent Price as the microscopist who will go to any lengths to further his craft and discover something nobody has yet seen. The story read like the script of an old Roger Corman film and I found myself laughing out loud in disbelief at the insanity of it. The influence of Poe was definitely felt in the unreliable first-person narration. The only drawback was the passing racism in the story as our narrator expounds on the qualities of his Jewish neighbor.

The Wondersmith is a different kettle of fish altogether as it falls squarely in the realm of horror and is also a big ball of racism. With both passing remarks denigrating Jews and Italians and actual racist themes regarding gypsies and the physically handicapped, this story was a bit harder to stomach. With malicious wooden mannikins, brought to life by a fortune teller who has collected evil souls in a black bottle, who are meant to murder Christian children on New Years' Day, this seems more like a story that was meant to enforce the stereotypes of the time. The introduction mentions this story as a possible precursor to the modern robot tale but I'm not sure it should be given so much weight. I can only hope that some of its original readers were put off by the over-the-top gypsy stereotypes.

What Was It? is labeled as "A Mystery" when it is actually one of the first invisibility stories. It is a bit of a rollercoaster ride as our narrator is also an opium smoker and, for a while, one isn't quite sure if his invisible attacker is real. Once the "mystery" is solved, the remainder of the story is strangely straightforward. It left me feeling a bit sad for the fate of the unknown creature.

There's a great discussion going on over at The Project Gutenberg Project about racism in classic novels that seemed especially timely since I had just finished trying to read these tales with an awareness of their place and time. I think this collection has its strengths and weaknesses and, though a bit distasteful, also has its place as early science fiction and horror.

Taking the good with the bad,
K

Discussion: How Long is Too Long?

While on vacation, I read the 19th book in a popular series -- a series that I've loved reading and rereading for years. But something went wrong this time. I was actually kind of bored while reading about these beloved characters doing, well, the same things they have done through eighteen other novels. It wasn't a bad book by any means but it just wasn't a great one.

So, my question(s) are, how long is too long for a series? Is there a number of books that should be a limit or does it really depend on the author? I know that there are trilogies out there that feel like they should have been single books. But are there any really long series that still seem fresh, even into the double digits? What is the longest series where you still enjoy each new release?

Starting something fresh,
K

Aloha oukou! (Hello to all of you!)

So, yes, 10 days on Oahu was apparently just what the doctor ordered. I read almost all of my books (started the fifth--Year of the Griffin--on the plane home), got a little bit of sun, ate some Spam and took a bunch of pictures with the new camera I got for my birthday in April.

Here are some (okay, lots of) highlights --

We stayed at the gorgeous Moana Surfrider hotel on Waikiki Beach. It was the first hotel built on the beach, with the main building dating to 1901. We walked through the front entrance as much as possible because it made us feel like we are much posher than we really are!

If you ever get a chance to stay there, ask for a high-floor, Diamondhead-facing Tower room. This was the view. I'll be dreaming about it for years to come.

Due to jetlag, I caught the sunrise on the first morning I was there. No such luck any other morning. :)

orchid

hibiscus

plumeria

There were so many gorgeous flowers there. These were at the Honolulu Zoo which doubles as a botanical garden.

Z was most excited about the banana trees though. It's the one thing he told me he wanted to see while he was there. As you can guess, we don't have any of these in Washington.

There was a small garden there too with herbs and all sorts of things but also these ceramic/porcelain? figures all over. These two just creeped me out to no end and I thought some of you would appreciate them in some way as well. I mean, foxes dressed for a fox hunt -- that's weird, right?

I could do a whole post of the animals we saw there but, as they aren't really natives and you can find them at most zoos, I'm not including them here except for this guy who let me walk right up to him and snap a few piccies. He seemed as interested about us as we were about him.

Z got a surfing lesson from a friend of a friend at this gorgeous beach -- Kahana Beach Park at Kahana Bay in Ka'a'awa (pronounced caw-ah-ah-va). Our friends actually have property on the bay and can walk right out here any time they want. The water stays shallow for quite a long way out. If you ever take a trip with little kids, this quiet beach on the Windward coast is a great starter beach with soft sand and small waves.

And here's Z doing his thing. I was so proud of him for trying surfing!

We had another great day trip to the Bishop Museum in Honolulu. It was founded in 1889 by Charles Reed Bishop after his wife, Princess Bernice Pauahi Bishop, last descendant of the Kamehameha family, died. It's a cultural, historical and scientific museum of Polynesia and Hawaii.

Hawaiian Hall

Royal feather capes

Cultural artifacts

There was so much to see at the museum. I didn't take half as many pictures as I wanted to. We even got to see rocks remelted into searing hot lava!

Our next excursion was to Kualoa Ranch, a very large location where they film a lot of tv and movies like LOST, Hawaii 5-0 and 50 First Dates. That's the reason we went and took the tours but, at least for me, it turned out to be the scenery and the Hawaiian history that stole the show.

These are the remains of an old sugar mill on the property. They were only able to successfully grow sugar for a couple of years and then they switched to cattle farming. (I think that Al will appreciate this piccie!)

There were these tropical evergreens on the property that looked really strange to us. But we spent a lot of time looking right past them to the gorgeous ocean view. If you follow this road down a few more miles, you get to where I lived when I was little, in a house on the left side, just across the road from the shore.

I took a LOT of pictures of trees on this trip. I love the palms and the banyans.

Of course, the mountains here are just as dramatic and gorgeous. I have lots of pics of them too.

These were some ancient Hawaiian fish ponds. The shore used to be the inner edge of these ponds but they built a rock wall on the outside and blocked off this portion of the ocean. It's an area about the size of a shopping mall -- quite large. They stopped fishing in it a few years ago and now they just film things like the LOST submarine scenes there.

And this is a well-known island called Mokoli'i, or more commonly Chinaman's Hat. Passing this island always meant I was almost home so it's one of my favorite sights in the area.

Well, I think I will stop there. I tried to convince the husband that we should consider moving but he didn't seem to take the bait. So I'll just have to look forward to our next trip back!

Aloha 'oe,
K

Which Books Did I Take on Vacation?

So I know you've been dying with curiosity about which books I finally ended up taking with me on vacation. Well, here they are.

Year of the Griffin by Diana Wynne Jones (reread)

A River in the Sky by Elizabeth Peters

The Dante Club by Matthew Pearl (reread)

A Brief History of Montmaray by Michelle Cooper

The Long Earth by Terry Pratchett and Stephen Baxter (ARC)

I know! I chose three books that weren't even on my original list, two of which are rereads (and one of those has a string of violent murders). What can I say? I'm a strange reader. I just wasn't feeling great about my list and so I started over and looked through my books again and chose ones I was really excited about reading. I'm not the only one who does that, right?

So which of these did I get to during my two six hour plane flights and ten days in Hawaii? You'll have to wait until tomorrow to find out because I'm flying home today! (And yes, I'll post pictures of the trip too.)

Hopefully tanned and full of good stories,
K