Heather's Hundred
Talk 100 Books in 2011
This group has been archived. Find out more.
Join LibraryThing to post.
1heatherm
It's unlikely that I'll get through 100 books this year given that much of my reading time is now taken up with reading for classes. All the same, I thought I'd give it a try again this year if only as a way of keeping track of what I've actually read for pleasure.
2heatherm
1. Roland Huntford - Race for the South Pole: The Expedition Diaries of Scott and Amundsen
I thoroughly enjoyed this. The title is misleading—there are four separate voices here: Scott's, Amundsen's, Bjaalund's, and Huntford's. The juxtaposition of the matter of fact Amundsen and Bjaalund, the muddling Scott, and the cantankerous Huntford is particularly enjoyable.
2. Ivan E. Coyote - Missed Her
A collection of short pieces from Coyote—a mix of newspaper columns, performance pieces, and memoir. The stongest of these are the easiest to imagine in Coyote's voice. If you ever get a chance to hear her perform, jump at it.
3. Shirley Jackson - Life Among the Savages
A memoir of Jackson's family life — domestic comedy written in an almost Dorothy Parker like tone. Most of the content appeared originally in 1950s women's magazines—the unheralded predecessors of "mommy bloggers"—and I bought the book for 50 cents solely for the vintage dust jacket. I've read very little Jackson and I suspect this isn't her usual vein: funny though. I need to hunt up some of her other work.
I thoroughly enjoyed this. The title is misleading—there are four separate voices here: Scott's, Amundsen's, Bjaalund's, and Huntford's. The juxtaposition of the matter of fact Amundsen and Bjaalund, the muddling Scott, and the cantankerous Huntford is particularly enjoyable.
2. Ivan E. Coyote - Missed Her
A collection of short pieces from Coyote—a mix of newspaper columns, performance pieces, and memoir. The stongest of these are the easiest to imagine in Coyote's voice. If you ever get a chance to hear her perform, jump at it.
3. Shirley Jackson - Life Among the Savages
A memoir of Jackson's family life — domestic comedy written in an almost Dorothy Parker like tone. Most of the content appeared originally in 1950s women's magazines—the unheralded predecessors of "mommy bloggers"—and I bought the book for 50 cents solely for the vintage dust jacket. I've read very little Jackson and I suspect this isn't her usual vein: funny though. I need to hunt up some of her other work.
3wookiebender
Welcome back, Heather! That Shirley Jackson does sound interesting - I've only read/own her genre works.
