The words "too many books" are all a jury has to hear to bring back a verdict of "Not guilty - justifiable homicide." Or as we say down here in the South: "He needed killin."

Considering your user id, I'm guessing you are a fan of the Doctor?

Donna B. in Raleigh, NC

posted by Bookshop_Lady at 1:01 am (EST) on Sep 20, 2008

My favorite is also the spyglass! No, monsters like this are ok. It is the jump out of nowhere, paranormal kind that I really hate. Or the especially sadistic killing ones that I ususally avoid. This was perfect! (I hate to admit that I haven't read Moby Dick since I was a kid so this was almost like looking at a new story!) Thanks again!

posted by xorscape at 5:19 pm (EST) on Dec 27, 2007

Thank you so much for my Moby Dick pop-up book. It is quite something. It is a great addition to my collection and I quite enjoyed going through it last night. (And wasn't it impressive that anyone would tackle a book like that for a pop-up?!) Very cool! Again, thank you so much!

posted by xorscape at 1:54 am (EST) on Dec 22, 2007

so addicted that my rate of consumption has never matched my rate of acquisition

story of my life. haha

have a fabulous day!

posted by aznstarlette at 12:44 pm (EST) on Oct 27, 2007

hi there we have many books in common! you have excellent taste! i'm busy working my through 1001 snacks to eat before you die! some of my friends are working on 1001 beers to drink before you die! cheers!

posted by hepp2 at 12:11 am (EST) on Oct 12, 2007

Hi. I have just recently joined LibraryThing and have not even developed a profile yet, or logged in any books. I own about 1000 and have a book catalog program called Readerware and I am not looking forward to re-cataloging everything. But I keep signing in and browsing what is happening in LibraryThing. There is so much going on....I came across a message you posted...somewhere....and was drawn to your library. I thoroughly admire your list of 1001 books...and your cataloging system. I can only hope I eventually reach your level of competence....and meet up with you in some reading group eventually.
LadyLo

posted by LadyLo at 5:27 pm (EST) on Jul 16, 2007

I left town Wednesday morning and just got back today...I would love to get your recommendations because I don't know where to start! :) I could easily make this an author study but I want to read 12 books by 12 different authors. I've already looked at your blog...any additional choices?

posted by RedRose114 at 12:16 pm (EST) on Jun 25, 2007

I just wanted to recommend "Bliss" since it seems you are a Peter Carey fan; I am also interested in taking up the challenge. :)

posted by RedRose114 at 12:15 am (EST) on Jun 20, 2007

Hey, hon. Just started wasting my precious time here on library thing, and found you as the person who so far has the most books shared with mine. Go figure...
;)

~R

posted by hyacinthgirl63 at 12:54 am (EST) on May 2, 2007

Hi back at you :) LOL about the picture!!
Wendy

posted by writestuff at 4:58 pm (EST) on Feb 24, 2007

Hi there! the Arabic Richard III was a visiting company to the RSC as part of their complete works festival. I've been lucky enough to see about 10 shows in the last 12 months, partly because I only live 40 minutes away. It's been a great year for them and I really hope that they have attracted many more audience members through the productions. have you ever been to Stratford?

posted by dramateach at 6:48 am (EST) on Feb 18, 2007

Thank you!

posted by SamJordison at 11:24 am (EST) on Feb 13, 2007

Hi there! :)

Thank you so much for responding and many apologies for not getting back to you sooner. I must admit it's been many years since i dipped into "Tenant", so i'm hesitant at this point to give a definite opinion on the work. However, I recently reread "Wuthering Heights" and it was very interesting to read in the biographical notice by Charlotte (I have the 1943 edition with beautiful woodcut illustrations by Fritz Eichenberg) regarding "The Tenant of Wildfell Hall" and her sister's disposition and choice of topic:

[viii]
"The choice of subject was an entire mistake. Nothing less congrous with the writer's nature could be conceived. The motives which dictated this choice were pure, but, i think, slightly morbid... hers was naturally a sensitive, reserved, and dejected nature; what she saw sank very deeply into her mind; it did her harm. She brooded over it till she believed it to be a duty to reproduce every detail... as a warning to others. She hated her work, but would pursue it. When reasoned with on the subject, she regarded such reasonings as a temptation to self-indulgence."

This quote reminded me so much of your review that I felt I had to share it with you. Have you read Charlotte Bronte's (Currer Bell) biographical notice? I'm sure you have, but just in case you haven't yet, I think you would find it most interesting. It shed a particular shade of light for me on the subject of the Bronte sisters and their aspirations, publishing adventures, and lives. What wonderful ability in a family! I always envision them a bit like the March sisters in "Little Women" in my mind... all beautiful and talented in their various ways.

Much reading bliss and cheers your way!!
~PandorasRequiem

posted by PandorasRequiem at 3:13 am (EST) on Feb 9, 2007

Hi again,

Came across an interesting website, and thinking of your yearly challenge, thought you might want to check it out. It's called Eurozine, and while that falls outside of your current focus on Commonwealth countries and the like, there are a lot of interesting comments by European writers about themselves, about books and about their relation to a wider European community and the world. For example: "Do I feel any kinship with Europe? Yes, through literature I do. Some years ago, at a reading at the time of the publication of my first collection of essays, I was introduced by the compère as a Norwegian writer who reads much foreign literature, one that has an "international orientation". I was astonished. The thought had simply not occurred to me that for the most part I read books by foreign authors." This from:

http://www.eurozine.com/articles/2006-02...

Another interesting one:
"Migrant or multicultural literature in the Nordic countries"

http://www.eurozine.com/articles/2006-08...

and

"The re-transnationalization of literary criticism"

http://www.eurozine.com/articles/2006-01...

Thought you might be interested in others who are exploring the thoughts and words of people from other places.

Cheers,
Sean

posted by twacorbies at 7:38 pm (EST) on Jan 23, 2007

I simply HAD to leave a comment on your page after reading the following in your review of "A Tenant of Wildefell Hall":

"A mere wisp of a novella hiding inside an elephant suit. The plot creaks under Bronte's attempt to wring every last moment of pathos and didactic purpose out of the theme of alchoholism (of which she had painful first hand experience thanks to her brother Branwell)."

*gasp* Beautiful use of description!! It makes me (almost) want to try and read it for the 2nd time. :]

Cheers & happy LibThing-ing
~PandorasRequiem

posted by PandorasRequiem at 6:34 pm (EST) on Jan 23, 2007

Good luck with your reading. You absolutely must let us know what you end up choosing. If you are particularly interested in drama you could also try: Ray Lawler, Summer of the Seventeenth Doll; Louise Nowra, Away, or any play by David Williamson who is our most prolific playwright.
Amanda

posted by amandameale at 6:43 am (EST) on Jan 19, 2007

Hi. I'd urge you to consider adding any of the following (from the traditional canon) to your Australiana quest:
"Robbery Under Arms" by Rolf Boldrewood - classic bushranger tale
"The Fortunes of Richard Mahoney" by Henry Handel Richardson - epic 3volume account, perhaps try her much shorter "The Getting of Wisdom"
Something from Martin Boyd's novels about the Brayfords, eg Lucinda Brayford or the Cardboard Crown - Boyd was one of the members of a multi-talented creative Australian family of artists...
"For the Term of His Natural Life" by Marcus Clarke, brilliant but somewhat depressing story of a convict
"The Pea Pickers" by Eve Langley - neglected classic about itinerant working women
"Coonardoo" by Katherine Susannah Pritchard, one-hit wonder really about love between a member of the squattocracy and an Aboriginal woman
Perhaps some verse collections by Henry Lawson or Banjo Patterson, the two classic mythologisers of the Bush.

If you're only going to read 12, then absolutely positively ensure you include a Carey, White, Malouf and probably Richardson (seeing as you've already sampled Miles Franklin). Maybe do two Careys... his versatility is astonishing so if you do Oscar and Lucinda, you'll get a completely different style in True History of the Kelly Gang or The Unusual Life of Tristan Smith...

On the other hand, I really disliked Vernon God Little and would suggest you don't waste your time - particularly if you're only doing 12...
Enjoy!
Dom

posted by dommartin at 1:46 am (EST) on Jan 17, 2007

you can guess where my user name comes from.
best
sigmundFraud

posted by SigmundFraud at 11:41 pm (EST) on Jan 15, 2007

Correction:all are novels (one memoir) except for the first one which is a play.
Amanda

posted by amandameale at 7:15 am (EST) on Jan 14, 2007

Dear syco, I have compiled a list of Australian books for your challenge. The criteria I have used is that they must be good literature and that together they form a wide-ranging period of Australia and it's issues from early on to the present day. I will asterisk particular favoursites and I also have a supplementary list up my slleve should you ever be interested. Alan Seymour,The One Day of the Year*(play/drama); A.B.Facey, A Fortunate Life* (early settlement); Elliot Perlman, Seven Types of Ambiguity*(on your list; Nevil Shute, A Town Like Alice* (WWII); Patrick White, Voss*(early explorers); Sally Morgan, My Place* (memoir/aboriginal author); Richard Flanagan, The Sound of One Hand Clapping* (European immigration); Kate Grenville , The Secret River* (aboriginal dispossession); Christopher Koch**, Out of Ireland (convict becomes landowner); Time Winton, Cloudstreet* . ALL ARE FICTION EXCEPT THE FIRST ONE
Good luck,
Amanda

posted by amandameale at 1:55 am (EST) on Jan 14, 2007

I'm ashamed that I didn't pick up on the "Tempest" reference! Fantastic! Have you ever seen "Prospero's Books?" A pretty wild and "bookish" take on the play. My sig is from an old English poem that I've always fancied. You can find a version of it on Bartleby with a quick Google search (not sure about the rules on this site for posting links so I'll refrain).

Throwing out the question of good "localized" lit to the forum is a fine idea. My Scandinavian search ended up amounting to nothing more than picking up a copy of Knut Hamsun's "Hunger" which I rather enjoyed. The cards were stacked against me I suppose: I used to do some acting but never warmed up to the great dramatists like Ibsen or Strindberg. I also tried to dig up some good Canadian authors with the same purpose in mind, as Atwood seems to be the only writer familiar to most of us in the States. Any suggestions? I know what you mean about the difficulty of finding translations from non-English speaking countries. It would be interesting to see what people in non-Western countries are reading at any given time, both best sellers and books considered proper literature.

Oh, if you do decide to follow up with a year of Japanese lit. I think you'll be quite pleased. There are numerous translations of very good authors available, many of them under the Vintage International imprint.

Thanks for writing back- good luck with the quest!

Sean

posted by twacorbies at 4:34 pm (EST) on Jan 11, 2007

Hi sycoraxpine,

I had to leave a comment after seeing your unique user name. Hope I don't sound like too much of a clod if I ask the origin? Additionally, I'm interested in your "challenge." Is this the first year or have you previously conquered another country's lit? How do you go about selecting them? A few years back I decided I needed to read more lit. from Scandinavian countries and aside from the obvious authors had a hell of a time compiling a list. Just curious- good luck with the challenge!

Sean

posted by twacorbies at 10:55 pm (EST) on Jan 10, 2007

Just read your message of August 6th about Saturday. Have you read it yet. To me, it was a perfect book. Ten out of ten.
Amanda

posted by amandameale at 9:00 pm (EST) on Nov 26, 2006

I'm totally going to find everything I want to read in your library :)

posted by colin_l at 9:11 pm (EST) on Nov 21, 2006

Anne Tyler is one of the few authors who produces a very good novel every time. I enjoyed The Amateur Marriage, The Accidental Tourist and her new one, Digging to America. I also have Breathing Lessons in my pile. Did you describe her writing as quietly absorbing? I would agree with that. Tyler has a skill for recognising the minutiae of human behaviour - I really like her characters. Understated but very clever.
Amanda

posted by amandameale at 12:22 am (EST) on Nov 14, 2006

Book of Illusions is one of my favorites...i think Auster is fabulous.

posted by berthirsch at 6:03 pm (EST) on Oct 18, 2006

Hi,

Thanks for the invitation to the Prizes group...I must've missed the group when I was scanning the lists. I wouldn't want to be redundant with something that does exactly the same thing...see you there!

Lois

posted by avaland at 4:23 pm (EST) on Oct 8, 2006

Thank you, thank you for alerting me to "Prizes". I follow all of these. I hang out for longlist and shortlist announcements and such. In fact I glue them into my reading journal and they go on to my "must buy" list. Love it!
Amanda

posted by amandameale at 8:49 am (EST) on Oct 8, 2006

Regarding Auster...I'd say go with [New York Trilogy] next and I also recommend [hand to Mouth] his memoir if you like non-fiction (too).

posted by berthirsch at 6:28 am (EST) on Sep 29, 2006

i loved [book of illusions] i am a big Auster fan.

posted by berthirsch at 11:52 am (EST) on Sep 24, 2006

We share a pretty nice stack of books. Took a look at your blog (thanks for reminding me about Philip Larkin, by the way. I've been meaning to add the "Collected Works" to my wishlist). I liked the "Top 50 Before 1950" list. I've seen maybe half of those, though the ones I have seen are mostly favorites (my own list would lean more toward silent comedy and horror, but to each their own).

Anyway, happy cataloging.

posted by coffeezombie at 11:37 am (EST) on Sep 9, 2006

Ah, I tell everyone: "You can never have too many books or too many CDs"

posted by rdixon98 at 7:30 pm (EST) on Sep 8, 2006

Thanks for the invitation - I've joined.

posted by cookingthebooks at 4:54 am (EST) on Aug 25, 2006

Thank you for the invitation - that's very kind! I shall see what's going on there..!

I see that you, like me, are wading through the 1001 Books and Movies to Read Before You Die. (Nothing like a challenge! On the priviso, of course, that once I finish, I don't actually keel over dead.) I'm more or less reading the books backwards. How are you getting on?

posted by shearrob at 7:33 pm (EST) on Aug 22, 2006

My goodness, it's like looking at a profile of myself! Except you have a zillion more books than I do. I suppose that comes with time.

Ever try to get your boyfriend to read your favorite book? Yea, that doesn't really work.

1001 books AND movies? When do you have time to, I don't know, go to class? Eat? Sleep? Priorities, priorities. :) -MissLizzy

posted by MissLizzy at 2:00 pm (EST) on Aug 7, 2006

Hello - say you like reading feminist fiction in the "what are you reading now" board. I can recommend the book The Eight by Katherine Neville. It is a good adventure book like Raider's of the Lost Ark but it is about an ancient Chess set and women who kick butt.

A good fun read.

posted by devilbuny at 7:41 am (EST) on Jul 31, 2006

From what you say, I think you'd enjoy Iizuka - "36 Views" is a great one to start with, though it's one of her later pieces. She has plays in a number of the Humana Festival anthologies, 99 ("Aloha Say The Pretty Girls"), and 2004 ("At the Vanishing Point") definitely. Recently I've been reading through Arthur Miller pieces I'd either overlooked or not gotten round to - "The Man Who Had All the Luck", "Mr Peter's Connections", and my new favorite Miller play "Resurrection Blues", which is surprisingly recent - it premiered at the Guthrie in 2002! I can't wait to use it in a sound design class either this Fall or Spring. Another play that I've recently fallen in love with after using it for a class is "On The Verge" by Eric Overmeyer.
Dave

posted by dtostilane at 4:09 am (EST) on Jul 18, 2006

Wow! How nice for me to see Lucky Jim in the list of books we share. I rarely laugh out loud when reading - it takes a lot for that - but Lucky Jim is one of those books. I'll be checking out the random books from your collection - they look interesting to me. I enjoyed reading your reviews; I look forward to perusing your collection!

posted by OzzieJello at 1:27 am (EST) on Jul 16, 2006

Hello - I'm kind of an OB alum (Thompson Island course), but I spent a lot of time on Hurricane Island as a kid with my parents, who volunteered there. So I spent a lot of time exploring the island! Did you take a Hurricane Island course? And PS - save the book, I think it's pretty hard to find these days!

posted by aed81 at 1:32 am (EST) on Jul 11, 2006

Hi sycoraxpine,

To answer your question, I'm a tar heel by birth and wolverine by education. What's the origin of your user name?

posted by tarheel at 9:10 pm (EST) on Jul 9, 2006

Hi, thanks for the welcome. RE Shining City, embarrasingly enough it's sitting at the top of the reading script stack next to the bed, but I haven't read it yet! The script stack is a bit deep, as I'm a theater sound designer and lighting designer. I suspect it will be only a short matter of time before I go for the membership - just found Librarything the other day.

I do love contemporary works - some of my favorite playwrights are Naomi Iizuka (currently starting work on a production of Aloha Say The Pretty Girls), Connor of course, Martin McDonagh and folks like Stoppard, Sheppard, Dorfman.
Dave

posted by dtostilane at 8:30 pm (EST) on Jun 18, 2006

There is an excellent book entitled, "The Red Tent," by Anita Diamant. From what I have learned about this work, it is a fascinating look at womanhood. I have not read it yet but several women I know have, and they highly recommend it, although I am told it is more a woman's book!

posted by ElTomaso at 11:57 am (EST) on Jun 18, 2006

I see you're also a fan of Peabody! Gotta love a good egyptian mystery!

posted by sagespot at 11:12 am (EST) on Jun 15, 2006

I've arrived!

posted by fergusthefootpad at 10:28 pm (EST) on Jun 11, 2006