Book diet

Inspired by "Howard's End is on the Landing," I decided to go on a "book diet" this year. I won't buy any books unless I plan to use them for school. I can check books out of the library if I have to read something new. This group seems like a great way to get me going.

So far I have read: "The Night Villa" by Carol Goodman, which has been on my shelf for a while. I also read "A Novel Bookstore" by Laurence Cosse.

Thirty-five to go.

I loved "Howard´s End is on the Landing. I tried to have a Not buying book year, but didn´t succeed very well...

Yes, I have fallen off the wagon -- but I am going to try to do more "reading from home" this year.

I just finished "You Know When the Men Are Gone" by Siobhan Fallon. It's a collection of short stories about families at Fort Hood. Great characterization and a strong debut. It's not real old, but it is from my bookshelf, so I am going to count it.

34 to go...

I am going to have to stop checking out library books....

Every now and then I go for a few months without buying books (library books don't count). But I don't think I can do a whole year!! Good luck with it!

Oh well. On Friday I picked up a couple of books. But still, I am doing better than usual. So, like all diets, I lapsed and will carry on. It is exciting to look through my shelves and get excited about reading things that have been on my "to read" list for a while.

I just finished "Brooklyn" by Colm Toibin. It's a gem, and I wonder why I waited so long to read it. His writing is magical.

33 to go...

I finally came to the end of "Howard's End is on the Landing." I'm going to miss it; it's been my companion for a couple of months now. I've read a chapter here and there and noted books to read or reread -- especially old books that have been hanging around for a while. I'm going to find "The Blue Flower" by Penelope Fitzgerald and read that. Other authors I want to read are Dickens and Greene. I know I have several "old" books by them somewhere.

32 "old" books to go...

Finished "The Last Cato" by Matilde Asensi. It is a thriller very much in the mold of "The daVinci Code." I had a hard time getting through "The daVinci Code." I liked the protagonist in "The Last Cato," but wouldn't really recommend this.

Still, I have had it on my bookshelf for a while, so I have only 31 books to go in my challenge. I will probably give this book away, so more room on my shelves.

I am reading The Habit of Being, Flannery O'Connor's letters and loving them. She is very funny. Since there are 600 pages of letters, it will take me a while to get through them.

I finally finished The Children's Book by A.S. Byatt. It wasn't my favorite of hers, but as always she awes me with her research. The sense of place is amazing in this book.

I also finished The Trouble with Poetry by Billy Collins. I love Collins. He takes an everyday observation and makes it universal.

I have 29 books to go on this challenge; I'm going to have to speed up a bit to make it. Next on my list is Human Croquet by Kate Atkinson. I'm looking forward to it.

I just finished Human Croquet by Kate Atkinson. I found a ticket in it from a Seattle museum dated 2001, so it has been on my shelf for a while. I love Atkinson; she is so original. I have Emotionally Weird and Behind the Scenes at the Museum on my "to read" list. I'll probably move them up.

28 books to go.

I see you like the same books I do. The Childrens Book and Howard´s end is on the landing, (It was like chatting with a good friend).

Brooklyn is on my shelf - maybe I should get on with it!

Yes, you should read Brooklyn! I thought it was excellent too. So much said (or unsaid) in such a small book.

@15; I will!

I am proud to say I have come to grips with my habit of buying books for $.10 here in Calfornia, no less. At times $.49 and paperbacks .50 or .25...of course I intend on reselling, someday (working on it)...hope my closets will miraculous expand, and then there is that bookcase on the patio that needs refurbishing...and the bookcase in the laundry room, not being used adequately.....hum....

#17 Yes, the discounted books get me, too. But I have so many that I haven't read, that I am really trying to stop buying for a while. My library habit is getting in the way though. There are too many new books that sound good.

I did finish Sherman Alexie's The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, a fictionalized account of his childhood. As always, it was great. Junior's voice was authentic, and Alexie's humor helps readers to absorb some pretty awful events.

27 books to go.

I finished a long one Outlander for our book group. Maybe it should count for two :) It was OK; I didn't like it as much as I expected to; in general I like those long historical sagas. The violent sex bothered me, and I would have liked to see more history.

I also finished I Feel Bad About My Neck, a collection of essays, mostly about aging, by Nora Ephron. I love Ephron's sense of humor.

Now I have a huge stack of library books to get to... My book group's July book is Roads to Quoz, which I have had on my shelf for a while. But if I want to get through my 37 books, I am going to have to stay away from the library. Too many books, too little time!

25 to go

Ephron talked about two books that she loved that are on my "to read" pile, The Woman in White and The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay. I may have to move these up -- they are both hefty books and might be good choices to take on vacation.

I'm always torn between taking several books, so I can always find one that I am in the mood for, or should I take a couple of really long ones so that I don't have as many to carry.

I did get a Nook, so I can load that up, but I know I am going to want to turn some actual pages, too.

I have gotten through some long books on my dusty pile:
1. The Winter Sea by Susanna Kearsley is an enjoyable historical novel -- about the proposed restoration of the Scottish throne of James. Lots of historical detail.
2. Christine Falls by Benjamin Black -- great period mystery. I liked Quirke, so I have another series to follow.
3.The Historian -- very disappointing. I picked it up because so many people loved it. Vampires don't interest me and this book will go on my donate pile.
4. The Year of the Flood by Margaret Atwood. I am kicking myself for not reading this sooner. I loved it. I feel like I have to reread Oryx and Crake though.
5. Burn Marks by Sara Paretsky -- one in a series. I like these books -- I just get behind.

Well, I've made some progress on my challenge.

Only 20 books to go.

I finished The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan. It's a young adult fantasy based on Greek mythology. My son really liked this series. I thought it was OK, certainly the audience is young adult.

19 books to go.

About Face by Donna Leon has been on my shelf for a while. I think there are already two after this one in the series. As usual, I loved.

Shakespeare's Wife by Germaine Greer. I liked it, but I think this will appeal only to people who like history and are Shakespeare fans.

17 to go.

I agree on The Year of he Flood - wonderful!

Walking the Rez Road -- Stories and poems. This has been on my shelf for a while. Enjoyed it very much.

16 to go.

Cloud Atlas -- a remarkable book. It will be on my top ten list this year. And I will definitely reread some day.

The Book Thief -- another wonderful book. And I will reread this, too.

I'm sorry it has taken me so long to get to these books.

14 to go

Pattern Recognition different from my usual reads but I will reread this, too.

Rigged for Murder is a nice, light mystery by a Minnesota author.

The Nesting Dolls an enjoyable mystery by Gail Bowen.

11 to go. I'm amazed that I got this close. I am reading another one off my shelf right now, City of Thieves.