Sibyx sings Fa-la-la in December
This is a continuation of the topic Sibyx Knows November's Not for Ninnies.
Talk 75 Books Challenge for 2012
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1sibylline
Setting Snow Moon, 6:30 a.m. Nov. 30. 8 degrees F. Guide to symbols
♬ audio
✔ plus # - off my sagging shelves/monthly goal of 10
VM Virago-of-the-month
GR= group read
--------------------------------
***December Current Reads***
✔Swallowing the Sea: On Writing Lee Upton craft/nf
✔ Arctic Dreams Barry Lopez nf
VMC December/Taylor Centenary
✔The Devastating Boys Elizabeth Taylor ss
Audio:
to be announced
Ongoing
SEPTEMBER, OCTOBER, NOVEMBER, DECEMBER New Yorkers.
---------------------------------
On Hold
The Barrakee Mystery Arthur Upfield (SEL library) mys
♬Dandelion Wine Ray Bradbury (postponed for a better listening venue than car)
PUT DOWN FOR GOOD
Finished in December
121.✔#1 Iceworld Hal Clement sf
122. ✔#2 The Dreaming Place Charles de Lint YA fantasy
123. Through the Eye of a Needle Hal Clement sequel to Needlesf ****
124. ✔#3 Diamond Dogs, Turquoise Days Alastair Reynolds sf ****
125. ♬ Team of Rivals Doris Kearns Goodwin History (from library)
126. Merchanter's Luck C.J. Cherryh sf ****1/2
127. ✔#4Cycle of Fire Hal Clement sf ****
128. Letters From the Attic Betty Eddy Lidgerwood letters *****
129. ✔#5 The Sea, The Sea Iris Murdoch f ****1/2
130. ✔#6 The Blush Elizabeth Taylor ss ****
131. Heavy Time C.J. Cherryh sf ****
132. The Radleys Matt Haig f **** xmas book, 1 down....
133. Hellburner C.J. Cherryh sf ****
Best of 2012....
January
✔The Name of the Wind Patrick Rothfuss fantasy *****
✔She Drove Without Stopping Jaimy Gordon contemp fiction ****1/2
February:
The Chanur series: C.J.Cherryh ****1/2 scifi
March:
✔Packing For Mars Mary Roach science *****
♬Life Keith Richards memoir *****
April
✔Infinite Jest David Foster Wallace contemp fiction *****
May
James Tiptree, Jr: The Double Life of Alice B. Sheldon Julie Phillipsbio *****
✔The Call Yannick Murphy ***** (See May Commentary)
June
✔The Rings of Saturn W.G. Sebald ***** somewhere between F and NF
✔Among Others Jo Walton*****fantasy
July
✔✔✔The Castings Trilogy Pamela Freeman****1/2 Fantasy
The Great Age of British Watercolour: 1750-1880 Andrew Wilton***** NF - art.
August
The Sound of a Wild Snail Eating Elisabeth Tova Bailey nf ****1/2 NF
Keeping it Real Justina Robson sf/fantasy blend
September
Round Mountain Castle Freeman ss *****
Yoga For People Who Can't Be Bothered To Do It Geoff Dyer travel/memoir *****
October
✔Island of Vice Richard Zacks ****1/2
✔The Wedding Group Elizabeth Taylor ****
November
♬ ✔The Broom of the System David Foster Wallace f ****1/2
✔ Downbelow Station C.J. Cherryh sf ****
December Resolution
I will welcome with open arms all the books that come my way!
2sibylline
November
109. ✔#1 Serious Men Manu Joseph f ****
110. ✔#2 The Demolished Man Alfred Bester sf ****
111.✔#3 Nobody's Angel Thomas McGuane f ****
112. The Disappearance Phillip Wylie sf/dystopic GR ****1/2
113. ♬ ✔#4The Broom of the System David Foster Wallace f ****1/2
114. Mrs. Palfrey at the Claremont Elizabeth Taylor Virago GR ****1/2 (reread)
115. ✔#5 Sacred Band David Anthony Durham Bk 3 The Acacia Trilogy fantasy **** (for the series)
116. ✔#6Catherine Asaro Primary Inversion sf ***1/2
117. AUGUST New Yorkers
118. ✔#7 Downbelow Station C.J. Cherryh sf ****
119. ✔#8The Lies of Locke Lamora Scott Lynch fantasy ***
120. ✔#9 Needle Hal Clement sf ****
November Statistics
Total: 12
Men: 8
Women: 3
Virago: 1
Classic fiction: 0
SF: 5
Mys: 0
Humor: 0
Fantasy: 2
YA: 1
New (to me) Authors: 4
Group Read: 1
From PBS: 0
Bought & read right away: 0
Library: 0
Audio: 1
Off my shelf: 9
Months of NYers: 1
Ditched: 1
November Reflections
Once again a preponderance of men, in part because I read three 'classics' of sf from the '50's, and Alfred Bester, a Phillip Wylie and a Hal Clement as part of the classic sf kick I am on, rereading and filling the gaps. The Wylie tackled a 'social issue' mainly what the world would be like if men and women disappeared from each other's worlds, all the other books and stories are pretty much adventure sf. The two by women Asaro and Cherryh feature a 'balanced' cast of characters in leading roles. I enjoyed finishing up David Anthony Durham's Acacia Trilogy although I did that stupid thing of taking too long to get to it and forgetting too much in the meantime. It did pretty much all come back to me, but it took a real effort to get re-involved. Of all of them Cherrhy's Downbelow Station was a stand-out for complexity and for being a riveting, edge-of-your-seat story. I've ordered the rest of the Merchant Wars series..... I finished The Broom of the System which I listened to most of October as well, the more Wallace I read the more in awe of him I am. The Wallace trumped the Taylor, but really, it was a toss-up and Taylor won in October for best fiction.... the only book I put down was The Vanishing Act of Esme Lennox Maggie O'Farrell, not quite sure why, it simply didn't engager me deeply enough and felt clunky to me. Not so much the writing but structurally or something. What can I say? Frankly reading all that sf was a blast!
November Acquisitions
1. Paul Theroux The Old Patagonian Express PBS audio
2. The Eleventh Commandment Lester del Rey used
Total: 2 Bought new: 0, Bought used: 1, Gifts: 0, PBS/free: 1
108 acquired in 2012 so far.
120 READ in 2012.
I am up by 12.
Bliss! I feel I am now nicely positioned to cope with December which is going to be ridiculous. I've already ordered MYSELF about six books while picking out things for other people....... It's about half of one of my ten very full to bursting TBR shelves... best not to think about that, or the shopping bag that I've discreetly put next to the last full set of shelves, which is itself quite full and....
109. ✔#1 Serious Men Manu Joseph f ****
110. ✔#2 The Demolished Man Alfred Bester sf ****
111.✔#3 Nobody's Angel Thomas McGuane f ****
112. The Disappearance Phillip Wylie sf/dystopic GR ****1/2
113. ♬ ✔#4The Broom of the System David Foster Wallace f ****1/2
114. Mrs. Palfrey at the Claremont Elizabeth Taylor Virago GR ****1/2 (reread)
115. ✔#5 Sacred Band David Anthony Durham Bk 3 The Acacia Trilogy fantasy **** (for the series)
116. ✔#6Catherine Asaro Primary Inversion sf ***1/2
117. AUGUST New Yorkers
118. ✔#7 Downbelow Station C.J. Cherryh sf ****
119. ✔#8The Lies of Locke Lamora Scott Lynch fantasy ***
120. ✔#9 Needle Hal Clement sf ****
November Statistics
Total: 12
Men: 8
Women: 3
Virago: 1
Classic fiction: 0
SF: 5
Mys: 0
Humor: 0
Fantasy: 2
YA: 1
New (to me) Authors: 4
Group Read: 1
From PBS: 0
Bought & read right away: 0
Library: 0
Audio: 1
Off my shelf: 9
Months of NYers: 1
Ditched: 1
November Reflections
Once again a preponderance of men, in part because I read three 'classics' of sf from the '50's, and Alfred Bester, a Phillip Wylie and a Hal Clement as part of the classic sf kick I am on, rereading and filling the gaps. The Wylie tackled a 'social issue' mainly what the world would be like if men and women disappeared from each other's worlds, all the other books and stories are pretty much adventure sf. The two by women Asaro and Cherryh feature a 'balanced' cast of characters in leading roles. I enjoyed finishing up David Anthony Durham's Acacia Trilogy although I did that stupid thing of taking too long to get to it and forgetting too much in the meantime. It did pretty much all come back to me, but it took a real effort to get re-involved. Of all of them Cherrhy's Downbelow Station was a stand-out for complexity and for being a riveting, edge-of-your-seat story. I've ordered the rest of the Merchant Wars series..... I finished The Broom of the System which I listened to most of October as well, the more Wallace I read the more in awe of him I am. The Wallace trumped the Taylor, but really, it was a toss-up and Taylor won in October for best fiction.... the only book I put down was The Vanishing Act of Esme Lennox Maggie O'Farrell, not quite sure why, it simply didn't engager me deeply enough and felt clunky to me. Not so much the writing but structurally or something. What can I say? Frankly reading all that sf was a blast!
November Acquisitions
1. Paul Theroux The Old Patagonian Express PBS audio
2. The Eleventh Commandment Lester del Rey used
Total: 2 Bought new: 0, Bought used: 1, Gifts: 0, PBS/free: 1
108 acquired in 2012 so far.
120 READ in 2012.
I am up by 12.
Bliss! I feel I am now nicely positioned to cope with December which is going to be ridiculous. I've already ordered MYSELF about six books while picking out things for other people....... It's about half of one of my ten very full to bursting TBR shelves... best not to think about that, or the shopping bag that I've discreetly put next to the last full set of shelves, which is itself quite full and....
3sibylline
2012 So Far
January
1. The New Yorker: December 2011, 3 issues (one double)
2. ✔ Coventry Helen Humphreys F *****
3. The Reavers of Skaith Leigh Brackett Book 3 SF ****1/2 for the trilogy
4. Ender's Game Orson Scott Card SF ****1/2
5. Ender's Shadow Orson Scott Card SF ****
6. ✔Bad Magic Stephan Zielinski Urban fantasy***
7. The Moon Pool A. Merritt Adventure/fantasy/SF classic 1919 ****
8. ♬ Wuthering Heights Emily Bronte /Reread F
9. ✔The Name of the Wind Patrick Rothfuss ***** Fantasy
10. ♬The Man Who Loved China Simon Winchester history ****
11.✔She Drove Without Stopping Jaimy Gordon F **** 1/2
12. ✔One Way of Love Gamel Woolsey ****1/4 Virago fiction
13. The New Yorker: January, 5 issues
14. The Life and Letters of Tofu Roshi Susan Ichi Su Moon***** humor
February
15. ♬ The Mistress's Daughter A.M. Homes memoir ****
16. The Pride of Chanur C.J. Cherryh Bk 1 SF ****1/2
17. ✔Mrs Ames E. F. Benson F ****
18. ♬ Nation Terry Pratchett F (alternate uni)
19. Chanur's Legacy C.J. Cherryh Bk 4 SF ****1/2
20. The Thief of Time: Philosophical Essays on Procrastination Chrisoula Andreou, ed NF ****
21. Chanur's Venture C.J. Cherryh Bk 2 SF ****
22. ♬ The Greater Journey: Americans in Paris David McCullough NF ****
23.God's Philosophers James Hannam NF ****
24.The Kif Strike Back C.J. Cherrryh Bk 3 SF ****1/2
25.Chanur's Homecoming C.J. Cherryh bk 4 sf ****1/2
26. ✔The Magician King Lev Grossman fantasy ****
27. Dave Barry's Complete Guide to Guys Dave Barry ****
March Reading:
28. ✔Iris John Bayley Memoir ****1/2
29. February New Yorkers: 3 issues
30. The Highly Sensitive Person Elaine Aron Pysch/Self Help ***3/4
31. The Hidden Life of Deer Elizabeth Marshall Thomas ****1/2 Natural History
32. ✔Something Rotten Jasper Fforde mys ****
33. Packing For Mars Mary Roach space travel *****
34. Bossypants Tina Fey memoir ***1/2
35. ♬ Life Keith Richards autobio *****
36. March New Yorkers.
April
37. ✔Palladian Elizabeth Taylor f, virago ***1/2 (Virago per month)
38. Arjun and the Good Snake Rick Harschmemoir **** (LT author)
39. Her Smoke Rose Up Forever James Tiptree, Jr ss-sf **** (Tiptree gala)
40. ✔Infinite Jest David Foster Wallace contemp F *****(TBR shelves)
41. ✔The Wise Man's Fear Patrick Rothfuss ****1/2 (TBR shelves)
May
42. Nothing Can Make Me Do This David Huddle novel ****1/2
43.♬The Path Between the Seas David McCullough audio ****1/2
44. James Tiptree, Jr: The Double Life of Alice B. Sheldon Julie Phillips bio ****1/2
45. ♬ ✔ Nightwoods Charles Frazier fiction ***1/2
46. April New Yorkers (4)
47. The Girl Who Played With Fire Stieg Larsson (library)****
48.The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest Stieg Larsson library
****1/2 for the whole trilogy.
49. ✔ Nobody's Business Penelope Gilliatt May Virago pick SS ****1/2
50. Up the Walls of the World James Tiptree, Jr sf ****
51. ✔ A Rule Against Murder Louise Penny mys#1 of TBR TEN***1/2
52. ✔The Call Yannick Murphy #2 of TBR *****
53. ♬The Cloud Forest Peter Matthiesen travel ****
June
54. MAY New Yorkers (4)
55. #3.✔Kalila and Dimna: Selected Fables of Bidpai retold by Ramsay Wood****
56. #4.✔House of Suns Alastair Reynolds sf ****1/2
57. #5 ✔ The Rings of Saturn W.G. Sebald ***** (A Janet Memorial selection too)
58. #6 ✔The Persimmon Tree and Other Stories Marjorie Barnard VM ****
59. #7 ✔ Innocent Mage Karen Miller***1/4
60. ♬ The Inheritance of Loss Kiran Desai ***1/2, should be a four, but for the dog.
61. Among Others Jo Walton****1/2 or is it *****?
62. #9✔ Awakened Mage Karen Miller Vol 2 Kingmaker, Kingbreaker ***1/4
63. #10 ✔ The Swan Thieves Elizabeth Kostova ****
64. #11 ✔ Blood Ties Pamela Freeman Bk 1 The Castings Trilogyreread****
July
65.#1 The Great Age of British Watercolour 1750-1880 Andrew Wilton art history *****
66. #2✔ Deep Water Pamela Freeman fantasy ****
67.♬ The Wee Free Men Terry Pratchett Discworld, fantasy. ***1/2
68.#3 ✔ Full Circle Pamela Freeman The Castings Trilogy Bk 3 ****
69.#4 ✔The Sword of Lankor Howard L. Cory fantasy *
70. A Discovery of Witches Deborah Harknessvampire/ Library ***1/2
71.#5 ✔Angel Elizabeth Taylor Virago ****1/2
72. #6✔ A Geography of Time Robert V. Levine nf, sociology ****
73. #7✔ The Monkey's Raincoat Robert Crais mys **** (Janet memorial read)
74.✔8 The Adventures of Alyx Joanna Russ SF ****1/2
August
75! Frost, You Say? A Yankee Monologue Marshall Dodge ***** down east humor
76. Our Mutual Friend Charles Dickens ****1/2 f/classic/group
77. #1✔ The Shutter of Snow Emily Holmes Coleman Virago-of-the-month ****1/2
78. Consider Phlebas Iain Banks sf ****1/2
79. The Sound of a Wild Snail Eating Elisabeth Tova Bailey nf ****1/2
80.#2 ✔Cooking With Fernet Branca James Hamilton-Paterson ****
81. Keeping it Real Justina Robson sf/fantasy ****1/2 sf/antasy
82.#3 ✔ The Prefect Alastair Reynolds #1 in Revelation Space series ****1/2
83.#4 ✔The Time of Our Singing Richard Powers ****
84. #5✔Galactic North Alastair Reynolds sf ****
85. #6✔Started Early Took My Dog Kate Atkinson mys ****
September
86. ♬ The Tenant of Wildfell Hall Anne Bronte **** classic
87. The Art of Time in Fiction Joan Silber writing/craft ***1/2 or maybe ****
88. ✔#1 River of Gods Ian McDonald sf/cyber ****
89. ✔#2 Cream of Kohlrabi Floyd Skloot ss ****
90. ✔#3 The Soul of Kindness Elizabeth Taylor ****1/2
91. ✔#4 Round Mountain Castle Freeman ss *****
92. Yoga for People Who Can't Be Bothered To Do It Geoff Dyer travel/memoir *****
93. Finished June New Yorkers
94. ✔#5 The Turkish Gambit Boris Akunin mys ***1/2
96. Chasm City Alastair Reynolds sf (part of Revelation Space series) ****
97. Smallbone Deceased Michael Gilbert mys (SEL library) ****1/2
98. Finished July New Yorkers
October
99. ♬ Island of Vice Richard Zacks ****1/2
100.#1 ✔The Wedding Group Elizabeth Taylor VMC/GR ****
101.#2 ✔ Intimate: An American Family Portrait Paisley Rekdal memoir ****1/2
102. #3 ✔ How to Live Safely in a Science Fictional Universe Charles Yu sf ***1/2
103. #4 ✔ Crystal Soldier Sharon Lee Steve Miller (Book One in The Crystal Variation).
104. #5✔ Crystal Dragon (book 2 in The Crystal Variation) Sharon Lee Steve Miller
105.#6 ✔Why I Hate Flying: Tales for the Tormented Traveler Henry Mintzberg ***
106. #7 ✔ Balance of Trade Book 3 in The Crystal Variation Sharon LeeSteve Miller****
107. #8 ✔ Jar City Arnaldur Indridason mys ***1/2
108. #9 ✔ The Riddle of the Wren Charles de Lint fantasy/YA ***1/2
November
109. ✔#1 Serious Men Manu Joseph f ****
110. ✔#2 The Demolished Man Alfred Bester sf ****
111.✔#3 Nobody's Angel Thomas McGuane f ****
112. The Disappearance Phillip Wylie sf/dystopic GR ****1/2
113. ♬ ✔#4The Broom of the System David Foster Wallace f ****1/2
114. Mrs. Palfrey at the Claremont Elizabeth Taylor Virago GR ****1/2 (reread)
115. ✔#5 Sacred Band David Anthony Durham Bk 3 The Acacia Trilogy fantasy **** (for the series)
116. ✔#6Catherine Asaro Primary Inversion sf ***1/2
117. AUGUST New Yorkers
118. ✔#7 Downbelow Station C.J. Cherryh sf ****
119. ✔#8The Lies of Locke Lamora Scott Lynch fantasy ***
120. ✔#9 Needle Hal Clement sf ****
Finished in December
121.✔#1 Iceworld Hal Clement sf
122. ✔#2 The Dreaming Place Charles de Lint YA fantasy
123. Through the Eye of a Needle Hal Clement sequel to Needlesf ****
124. ✔#3 Diamond Dogs, Turquoise Days Alastair Reynolds sf ****
125. ♬ Team of Rivals Doris Kearns Goodwin History (from library)
126. Merchanter's Luck C.J. Cherryh sf ****1/2
127. ✔#4Cycle of Fire Hal Clement sf ****
128. Letters From the Attic Betty Eddy Lidgerwood letters *****
129. ✔#5 The Sea, The Sea Iris Murdoch f ****1/2
130. ✔#6 The Blush Elizabeth Taylor ss ****
131. Heavy Time C.J. Cherryh sf ****
132. The Radleys Matt Haig f **** xmas book, 1 down....
133. Hellburner C.J. Cherryh sf ****
Working on this:
Describe yourself: Bossypants
Describe how you feel: Keeping it Real
Describe where you currently live: Galactic North
If you could go anywhere, where would you go?: The Rings of Saturn
Your favorite form of transportation: She Drove Without Stopping
Your best friend is: The Tenant of Wildfell Hall
You and your friends are: Nobody's Angel
What's the weather like?: Iceworld or Frost, you say?
You fear: The Turkish Gambit
What is the best advice you have to give?: How to Live Safely in a Science Fictional Universe
Thought for the day: Started Early Took My Dog
How I would like to die: The Dreaming Place
My soul's present condition: Cream of Kohlrabi
January
1. The New Yorker: December 2011, 3 issues (one double)
2. ✔ Coventry Helen Humphreys F *****
3. The Reavers of Skaith Leigh Brackett Book 3 SF ****1/2 for the trilogy
4. Ender's Game Orson Scott Card SF ****1/2
5. Ender's Shadow Orson Scott Card SF ****
6. ✔Bad Magic Stephan Zielinski Urban fantasy***
7. The Moon Pool A. Merritt Adventure/fantasy/SF classic 1919 ****
8. ♬ Wuthering Heights Emily Bronte /Reread F
9. ✔The Name of the Wind Patrick Rothfuss ***** Fantasy
10. ♬The Man Who Loved China Simon Winchester history ****
11.✔She Drove Without Stopping Jaimy Gordon F **** 1/2
12. ✔One Way of Love Gamel Woolsey ****1/4 Virago fiction
13. The New Yorker: January, 5 issues
14. The Life and Letters of Tofu Roshi Susan Ichi Su Moon***** humor
February
15. ♬ The Mistress's Daughter A.M. Homes memoir ****
16. The Pride of Chanur C.J. Cherryh Bk 1 SF ****1/2
17. ✔Mrs Ames E. F. Benson F ****
18. ♬ Nation Terry Pratchett F (alternate uni)
19. Chanur's Legacy C.J. Cherryh Bk 4 SF ****1/2
20. The Thief of Time: Philosophical Essays on Procrastination Chrisoula Andreou, ed NF ****
21. Chanur's Venture C.J. Cherryh Bk 2 SF ****
22. ♬ The Greater Journey: Americans in Paris David McCullough NF ****
23.God's Philosophers James Hannam NF ****
24.The Kif Strike Back C.J. Cherrryh Bk 3 SF ****1/2
25.Chanur's Homecoming C.J. Cherryh bk 4 sf ****1/2
26. ✔The Magician King Lev Grossman fantasy ****
27. Dave Barry's Complete Guide to Guys Dave Barry ****
March Reading:
28. ✔Iris John Bayley Memoir ****1/2
29. February New Yorkers: 3 issues
30. The Highly Sensitive Person Elaine Aron Pysch/Self Help ***3/4
31. The Hidden Life of Deer Elizabeth Marshall Thomas ****1/2 Natural History
32. ✔Something Rotten Jasper Fforde mys ****
33. Packing For Mars Mary Roach space travel *****
34. Bossypants Tina Fey memoir ***1/2
35. ♬ Life Keith Richards autobio *****
36. March New Yorkers.
April
37. ✔Palladian Elizabeth Taylor f, virago ***1/2 (Virago per month)
38. Arjun and the Good Snake Rick Harschmemoir **** (LT author)
39. Her Smoke Rose Up Forever James Tiptree, Jr ss-sf **** (Tiptree gala)
40. ✔Infinite Jest David Foster Wallace contemp F *****(TBR shelves)
41. ✔The Wise Man's Fear Patrick Rothfuss ****1/2 (TBR shelves)
May
42. Nothing Can Make Me Do This David Huddle novel ****1/2
43.♬The Path Between the Seas David McCullough audio ****1/2
44. James Tiptree, Jr: The Double Life of Alice B. Sheldon Julie Phillips bio ****1/2
45. ♬ ✔ Nightwoods Charles Frazier fiction ***1/2
46. April New Yorkers (4)
47. The Girl Who Played With Fire Stieg Larsson (library)****
48.The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest Stieg Larsson library
****1/2 for the whole trilogy.
49. ✔ Nobody's Business Penelope Gilliatt May Virago pick SS ****1/2
50. Up the Walls of the World James Tiptree, Jr sf ****
51. ✔ A Rule Against Murder Louise Penny mys#1 of TBR TEN***1/2
52. ✔The Call Yannick Murphy #2 of TBR *****
53. ♬The Cloud Forest Peter Matthiesen travel ****
June
54. MAY New Yorkers (4)
55. #3.✔Kalila and Dimna: Selected Fables of Bidpai retold by Ramsay Wood****
56. #4.✔House of Suns Alastair Reynolds sf ****1/2
57. #5 ✔ The Rings of Saturn W.G. Sebald ***** (A Janet Memorial selection too)
58. #6 ✔The Persimmon Tree and Other Stories Marjorie Barnard VM ****
59. #7 ✔ Innocent Mage Karen Miller***1/4
60. ♬ The Inheritance of Loss Kiran Desai ***1/2, should be a four, but for the dog.
61. Among Others Jo Walton****1/2 or is it *****?
62. #9✔ Awakened Mage Karen Miller Vol 2 Kingmaker, Kingbreaker ***1/4
63. #10 ✔ The Swan Thieves Elizabeth Kostova ****
64. #11 ✔ Blood Ties Pamela Freeman Bk 1 The Castings Trilogyreread****
July
65.#1 The Great Age of British Watercolour 1750-1880 Andrew Wilton art history *****
66. #2✔ Deep Water Pamela Freeman fantasy ****
67.♬ The Wee Free Men Terry Pratchett Discworld, fantasy. ***1/2
68.#3 ✔ Full Circle Pamela Freeman The Castings Trilogy Bk 3 ****
69.#4 ✔The Sword of Lankor Howard L. Cory fantasy *
70. A Discovery of Witches Deborah Harknessvampire/ Library ***1/2
71.#5 ✔Angel Elizabeth Taylor Virago ****1/2
72. #6✔ A Geography of Time Robert V. Levine nf, sociology ****
73. #7✔ The Monkey's Raincoat Robert Crais mys **** (Janet memorial read)
74.✔8 The Adventures of Alyx Joanna Russ SF ****1/2
August
75! Frost, You Say? A Yankee Monologue Marshall Dodge ***** down east humor
76. Our Mutual Friend Charles Dickens ****1/2 f/classic/group
77. #1✔ The Shutter of Snow Emily Holmes Coleman Virago-of-the-month ****1/2
78. Consider Phlebas Iain Banks sf ****1/2
79. The Sound of a Wild Snail Eating Elisabeth Tova Bailey nf ****1/2
80.#2 ✔Cooking With Fernet Branca James Hamilton-Paterson ****
81. Keeping it Real Justina Robson sf/fantasy ****1/2 sf/antasy
82.#3 ✔ The Prefect Alastair Reynolds #1 in Revelation Space series ****1/2
83.#4 ✔The Time of Our Singing Richard Powers ****
84. #5✔Galactic North Alastair Reynolds sf ****
85. #6✔Started Early Took My Dog Kate Atkinson mys ****
September
86. ♬ The Tenant of Wildfell Hall Anne Bronte **** classic
87. The Art of Time in Fiction Joan Silber writing/craft ***1/2 or maybe ****
88. ✔#1 River of Gods Ian McDonald sf/cyber ****
89. ✔#2 Cream of Kohlrabi Floyd Skloot ss ****
90. ✔#3 The Soul of Kindness Elizabeth Taylor ****1/2
91. ✔#4 Round Mountain Castle Freeman ss *****
92. Yoga for People Who Can't Be Bothered To Do It Geoff Dyer travel/memoir *****
93. Finished June New Yorkers
94. ✔#5 The Turkish Gambit Boris Akunin mys ***1/2
96. Chasm City Alastair Reynolds sf (part of Revelation Space series) ****
97. Smallbone Deceased Michael Gilbert mys (SEL library) ****1/2
98. Finished July New Yorkers
October
99. ♬ Island of Vice Richard Zacks ****1/2
100.#1 ✔The Wedding Group Elizabeth Taylor VMC/GR ****
101.#2 ✔ Intimate: An American Family Portrait Paisley Rekdal memoir ****1/2
102. #3 ✔ How to Live Safely in a Science Fictional Universe Charles Yu sf ***1/2
103. #4 ✔ Crystal Soldier Sharon Lee Steve Miller (Book One in The Crystal Variation).
104. #5✔ Crystal Dragon (book 2 in The Crystal Variation) Sharon Lee Steve Miller
105.#6 ✔Why I Hate Flying: Tales for the Tormented Traveler Henry Mintzberg ***
106. #7 ✔ Balance of Trade Book 3 in The Crystal Variation Sharon LeeSteve Miller****
107. #8 ✔ Jar City Arnaldur Indridason mys ***1/2
108. #9 ✔ The Riddle of the Wren Charles de Lint fantasy/YA ***1/2
November
109. ✔#1 Serious Men Manu Joseph f ****
110. ✔#2 The Demolished Man Alfred Bester sf ****
111.✔#3 Nobody's Angel Thomas McGuane f ****
112. The Disappearance Phillip Wylie sf/dystopic GR ****1/2
113. ♬ ✔#4The Broom of the System David Foster Wallace f ****1/2
114. Mrs. Palfrey at the Claremont Elizabeth Taylor Virago GR ****1/2 (reread)
115. ✔#5 Sacred Band David Anthony Durham Bk 3 The Acacia Trilogy fantasy **** (for the series)
116. ✔#6Catherine Asaro Primary Inversion sf ***1/2
117. AUGUST New Yorkers
118. ✔#7 Downbelow Station C.J. Cherryh sf ****
119. ✔#8The Lies of Locke Lamora Scott Lynch fantasy ***
120. ✔#9 Needle Hal Clement sf ****
Finished in December
121.✔#1 Iceworld Hal Clement sf
122. ✔#2 The Dreaming Place Charles de Lint YA fantasy
123. Through the Eye of a Needle Hal Clement sequel to Needlesf ****
124. ✔#3 Diamond Dogs, Turquoise Days Alastair Reynolds sf ****
125. ♬ Team of Rivals Doris Kearns Goodwin History (from library)
126. Merchanter's Luck C.J. Cherryh sf ****1/2
127. ✔#4Cycle of Fire Hal Clement sf ****
128. Letters From the Attic Betty Eddy Lidgerwood letters *****
129. ✔#5 The Sea, The Sea Iris Murdoch f ****1/2
130. ✔#6 The Blush Elizabeth Taylor ss ****
131. Heavy Time C.J. Cherryh sf ****
132. The Radleys Matt Haig f **** xmas book, 1 down....
133. Hellburner C.J. Cherryh sf ****
Working on this:
Describe yourself: Bossypants
Describe how you feel: Keeping it Real
Describe where you currently live: Galactic North
If you could go anywhere, where would you go?: The Rings of Saturn
Your favorite form of transportation: She Drove Without Stopping
Your best friend is: The Tenant of Wildfell Hall
You and your friends are: Nobody's Angel
What's the weather like?: Iceworld or Frost, you say?
You fear: The Turkish Gambit
What is the best advice you have to give?: How to Live Safely in a Science Fictional Universe
Thought for the day: Started Early Took My Dog
How I would like to die: The Dreaming Place
My soul's present condition: Cream of Kohlrabi
4sibylline
Series
2012 Record of Series I'm Reading or Own, Am Hoarding, Waiting for the Next One or have actually FINISHED this year!
Fantasy and SF
1.DONE The Castings Trilogy Pamela Freemanvol 1Blood Ties, vol2Deep Water (current), vol3 Full Circle
2. NEW IN 2012The Kingkiller Chronicle Patrick Rothfuss vol 1 The Name of the Wind, vol2. Wise Man's Fear vol3. Awaiting next one!
3. Rain Wild Chronicles Robin Hobb vol1. Dragon Keeper, vol2.Dragon Haven, vol3.City of Dragons, vol4. (not out yet) Blood of Dragons(hoarding)
4.A Song of Ice and Fire George R. R. Martin vol1. A Game of Thrones vol2.A Clash of Kings,vol3. A Storm of Swords, vol4.A Feast For Crows vol 5. A Dance With Dragons (hoarding) vol6. Winds of Winter (not out yet), vol7. A Dream of Spring (not out yet)
5. Revelation Space Alastair Reynolds The Prefect, Diamond Dogs, Turquoise Days, Monkey Suit, Chasm City, Revelation Space, Redemption Ark, Absolution Gap,,Galactic North
6. NEW IN 2012Eric John Stark Leigh Brackett The Secret of Sinharat, People of the Talisman, Outlaw of Mars (have),The Ginger Star, The Hounds of Skaith, The Reavers of Skaith
7. Miles Vorkosigan - Lois McMaster Bujold - won't list but #15 is out, FINAL book in series. Don't have yet.
8.NEW IN 2012Consider Phlebas Iain Banks First chronologically in the The Culture Next up: Player of Games - this is a reread.
9. DONE! The Acacia Trilogy1.Acacia, 2.The Other Lands, 3.Sacred Band
10.NEW IN 2012 Quantum Gravity series 6 books Justina Robson -Keeping it Real, Next up:
11.NEW IN 2012 Catherine Asaro The Skolian Empire series 5 books.Primary Inversion Next up:
12. NEW IN 2012 Merchant Wars C.J. Cherryh #1 Downbelow Station next up: #2 Merchanter's Luck
Mysteries
1.Inspector Armand Gamache Louise Penny Read: A Fatal Grace, Cruellest Month,Still Life Rule Against Murder Not read: A Beautiful Mystery, A Trick of the Light, The Brutal Telling, Bury Your Dead (in no particular order.....)
2. Jackson Brodie Kate AtkinsonCase Histories, One Good Turn, When Will There Be Good News?, Started Early Took My Dog (hoarding)
3. NEW IN 2012! 3. Inspector Hazlerigg Michael Gilbert so far #4 Smallbone Deceased
4. NEW IN 2012Kriminalpolis Erlendur Sveinsson Analdur Indridason Jar City 2 more in series.
2012 Record of Series I'm Reading or Own, Am Hoarding, Waiting for the Next One or have actually FINISHED this year!
Fantasy and SF
1.DONE
2. NEW IN 2012The Kingkiller Chronicle Patrick Rothfuss vol 1
3. Rain Wild Chronicles Robin Hobb vol1. Dragon Keeper, vol2.Dragon Haven, vol3.City of Dragons, vol4. (not out yet) Blood of Dragons(hoarding)
4.A Song of Ice and Fire George R. R. Martin
5. Revelation Space Alastair Reynolds
6. NEW IN 2012Eric John Stark Leigh Brackett The Secret of Sinharat, People of the Talisman, Outlaw of Mars (have),
7. Miles Vorkosigan - Lois McMaster Bujold - won't list but #15 is out, FINAL book in series. Don't have yet.
8.NEW IN 2012
9. DONE! The Acacia Trilogy
10.NEW IN 2012 Quantum Gravity series 6 books Justina Robson -
11.NEW IN 2012 Catherine Asaro The Skolian Empire series 5 books.
12. NEW IN 2012 Merchant Wars C.J. Cherryh
Mysteries
1.Inspector Armand Gamache Louise Penny Read:
2. Jackson Brodie Kate Atkinson
3. NEW IN 2012! 3. Inspector Hazlerigg Michael Gilbert so far #4 Smallbone Deceased
4. NEW IN 2012Kriminalpolis Erlendur Sveinsson Analdur Indridason
5drachenbraut23
Hehe Hi Lucy,
looks I am first on your thread. Looking forward to whatever comes out after you finished your construction sites *smile*
looks I am first on your thread. Looking forward to whatever comes out after you finished your construction sites *smile*
6sibylline
**** sfRead this aeons ago. There is a wide-eyed scrubbed Hardy Boys quality to this into which I sank happily - I'm trying to reread/read a bunch of sf classic writers, the best thing being that they wrote rather short books compared to the blocks people feel obliged to write nowadays. Anyhow, virusy-amoebaish alien detective chasing quarry crash lands near Tahiti, where quarry also presumably has crash-landed. Must find. Detective (Hunter) finds a smart teenaged boy to be his host. Frankly if you are looking for character development, snappy dialogue, balmy descriptions..... forget it...... it's a puzzle book but built craftily and sturdily right to the end. The improbabilities are artfully camouflaged by the sensible and methodical approach, so it's important just to read.....never stop to question...... I'm interested in how the genre has developed, from all standpoints really, from craft to subject matter to art..... I never read the sequel and am eagerly awaiting its arrival.
7LizzieD
Happy New Thread, Lucy! That's an amazingly cold picture for your beginning: beautiful, but cold!
What a great reading year you've had! And it's not done yet!!
I guess I should try some classic scifi, but I just can't bring myself to do it. I did enjoy Asimov and Heinlein back when, but I don't think that they'd stand up now, and I'm only theoretically interested in learning how the genre developed. I think that reading your thread will be just about the right level of discovery for me. Thanks!
What a great reading year you've had! And it's not done yet!!
I guess I should try some classic scifi, but I just can't bring myself to do it. I did enjoy Asimov and Heinlein back when, but I don't think that they'd stand up now, and I'm only theoretically interested in learning how the genre developed. I think that reading your thread will be just about the right level of discovery for me. Thanks!
8sibylline
No - Heinlein definitely not - Asimov I think stands up in some ways and not in others. Plus he just wrote and wrote and wrote. Exhausting. One would have to pick and choose.
9Crazymamie
Nice new thread, Lucy! I love that you marked which of the series in your list that you just started this year.
10RebaRelishesReading
What a beautiful picture!! Makes me want to take a walk and then cozy up to the fire with a cup of tea and a good book!!
11SandDune
#6 I'm interested in how the genre has developed, from all standpoints really I can see what you mean by that - as I've been reading a fair bit of classic scifi recently. I do feel that I've missed out on a lot of scifi as for most of my life I wasn't reading any.
12TomKitten
But I rather liked Heinlein back in the day! At least that one book - Stranger In A Strange Land. Come to think of it, I never read another. But I can grok where it might be a bit dated.
13lauralkeet
Nice new thread but where is our dear Posey? Does she have a Christmas sweater?
14sibylline
It's a really irritating book now, TK. Trust me on that.
Corgis have 'double' coats - like Shepherds, Collies etc. - a fluff coat under the stiffer fur - so she doesn't need a sweater. I have thought about it though when it is really snowy AND cold, for their bellies, but really, none of them have ever seemed to care a bit. She wears a nice red or green wool 'ribbon' on the big day, that's as far as we go. The cats too, of course, so they can spend all day chewing them off.
Corgis have 'double' coats - like Shepherds, Collies etc. - a fluff coat under the stiffer fur - so she doesn't need a sweater. I have thought about it though when it is really snowy AND cold, for their bellies, but really, none of them have ever seemed to care a bit. She wears a nice red or green wool 'ribbon' on the big day, that's as far as we go. The cats too, of course, so they can spend all day chewing them off.
15lauralkeet
The ribbon sounds cute!
17The_Hibernator
New Thread! I'm saving this spot for me.
18EBT1002
I love the setting snow moon.
But I was hoping for a picture of Posey in the snow. Does she like snow?
But I was hoping for a picture of Posey in the snow. Does she like snow?
19sibylline
Ah Ellen: Does Miss Po like snow? In the inimitable words of the fine Arkansas novelist Donald Harington - "Does a fat baby poot?"
21ronincats
Let me know when the sequel arrives and I'll dive in.
Have I ever mentioned Phyllis Gotlieb as a classic author?
Have I ever mentioned Phyllis Gotlieb as a classic author?
22PaulCranswick
*Wistful looks at the snowscenes from tropically humid Malaysia* Congrats on your latest thread and wishing you a lovely week ahead.
23sibylline
I appear to own Flesh and Gold Roni - but I know I haven't read it...... could be WL that is pretending to be in my library, of course, they do that sometimes, get up to playing pranks.
24TadAD
>8 sibylline:: I'm not sure I'd agree about Heinlein. His stuff for adult readers, no question it doesn't cut it anymore (imo). However, his YA stuff continues to appeal, I think. Have Spacesuit, Will Travel and The Door into Summer are still fun. But, that's just me.
25tiffin
>14 sibylline:: I used to have a cat who ate the tinsel off the bottom of the tree. Made the litter box rather festive. Gosh, read "Needle" yonks ago. You are finding some oldie goldies.
27Crazymamie
Just delurking to let you know I'm here. Hope you had a lovely weekend!
28lauralkeet
>25 tiffin:: Made the litter box rather festive.
HA! That gave me a good laugh this afternoon.
HA! That gave me a good laugh this afternoon.
29ronincats
I agree with Tad that the Heinlein juveniles continue to be just plain fun. In addition to the two he mentioned, Between Planets and The Star Beast are favorites of mine.
I've never read Flesh and Gold, or any of her Lyhhrt Trilogy, Lucy, (although books 2 and 3 of that trilogy are available on PBS and I've just ordered them), but her Ungrukh trilogy would, I think, make a good counterpoint to Cherryh's Chanur series. There are surface similarities--intelligent cat-like aliens and questions of relationships between the genders, but also a lot more. Read justchris' review of A Judgment of Dragons for a teaser. Her books have been hard to find--I got most of mine back in the day (early 80s) when they were published, but they are pretty easy to pick up used now.
Amazon's review of Flesh and Gold states: "Gotlieb's handling of a wide cast of alien, human, and post-human characters will appeal to fans of James Tiptree, Jr."
I've never read Flesh and Gold, or any of her Lyhhrt Trilogy, Lucy, (although books 2 and 3 of that trilogy are available on PBS and I've just ordered them), but her Ungrukh trilogy would, I think, make a good counterpoint to Cherryh's Chanur series. There are surface similarities--intelligent cat-like aliens and questions of relationships between the genders, but also a lot more. Read justchris' review of A Judgment of Dragons for a teaser. Her books have been hard to find--I got most of mine back in the day (early 80s) when they were published, but they are pretty easy to pick up used now.
Amazon's review of Flesh and Gold states: "Gotlieb's handling of a wide cast of alien, human, and post-human characters will appeal to fans of James Tiptree, Jr."
31LovingLit
Aaaah, the December thread. I remember last December here on the 75 threads.....oh man, does time fly!
>14 sibylline: we have a climber on our hands with Little Lenny, so have flagged the real tree this year and got the little 3 foot fake one out and placed it on top of the log burner (summer so its out of use) and safely behind the fire guard! Feeling pretty happy about it actually, as otherwise I cant imagine the decoration carnage we would have here!
>14 sibylline: we have a climber on our hands with Little Lenny, so have flagged the real tree this year and got the little 3 foot fake one out and placed it on top of the log burner (summer so its out of use) and safely behind the fire guard! Feeling pretty happy about it actually, as otherwise I cant imagine the decoration carnage we would have here!
33sibylline
31 - We've had cats halfway up - but they are too grown-up now, tho' we long ago stopped putting anything on that might make shards - now we hang our tree from above, problem solved!
34lauralkeet
I adore Henri, I've been following him for a while now. He has a Facebook page and everything!
39TomKitten
Bah! Existentialist cats! What that guy needs is a nice powder blue suit and a romp in the garden. That'll be good for what ails him. All those lovely rich foods in France and he has the nerve to complain?
Get a job, pal! Spend a day mousing like any other cat and then tell me how bad you've got it. Jeeeesh!
On the other hand, if he really needs a good laugh, I know this great book of poems ...
Get a job, pal! Spend a day mousing like any other cat and then tell me how bad you've got it. Jeeeesh!
On the other hand, if he really needs a good laugh, I know this great book of poems ...
42HanGerg
Just dropping in to say "Hi!" and bookmark the new thread. Love "Murdoch and Mayhem" as a thread name btw.
45sibylline
The light is the reward for staggering out there with the dawg at that time......
121.
✔#1 ***1/2
Ah, the good old days of yore when a 13 yr. old could spend the night out of doors during which he makes contact with an alien and parental units take awhile to notice that the kid is going off at night and when they do, they are more interested and pleased at their child's 'scientific' attitude..... The Wings have been summering in some back of beyond Montana mountainside for years, 'mining' small bits of platinum..... but really they're getting the platinum from aliens in exchange for a substance their visitors have become addicted to...... and and along comes a detective scientist hired from back home to find out what's going on and and ..... amazingly little happens, given the plot, lots of time spent Clement fashion on describing with loving exactitude some chemical process or sample box or vivarium, or whatever. It's a little unbelievable that these beings haven't encountered water and ice and snow before, but what the heck. It's Hal, it is what it is. At the time it was 'state of the art' science even if it seems very quaint to us now.
Back to add that I think my reading goal for this year was around 125 books (I'll have to go look at January to see) so I think I'm right on target! Wish it could be more, but that wouldn't be realistic.
Hmmm don't know what I'm going to pick up next. I think I need a little break from ole Hal though..... First, I think I'll make some headway on the Murdoch which is quite a long book. I'm about halfway.
121.
✔#1 ***1/2Ah, the good old days of yore when a 13 yr. old could spend the night out of doors during which he makes contact with an alien and parental units take awhile to notice that the kid is going off at night and when they do, they are more interested and pleased at their child's 'scientific' attitude..... The Wings have been summering in some back of beyond Montana mountainside for years, 'mining' small bits of platinum..... but really they're getting the platinum from aliens in exchange for a substance their visitors have become addicted to...... and and along comes a detective scientist hired from back home to find out what's going on and and ..... amazingly little happens, given the plot, lots of time spent Clement fashion on describing with loving exactitude some chemical process or sample box or vivarium, or whatever. It's a little unbelievable that these beings haven't encountered water and ice and snow before, but what the heck. It's Hal, it is what it is. At the time it was 'state of the art' science even if it seems very quaint to us now.
Back to add that I think my reading goal for this year was around 125 books (I'll have to go look at January to see) so I think I'm right on target! Wish it could be more, but that wouldn't be realistic.
Hmmm don't know what I'm going to pick up next. I think I need a little break from ole Hal though..... First, I think I'll make some headway on the Murdoch which is quite a long book. I'm about halfway.
47sibylline
I just want back to January and I don't say anything about reading goals, but interestingly, I read 121 books. And that is where I am at right this minute.
48sibylline
Here's a great poem that Mr. Prairie Home read on the Writer's Almanac this morning:
Rain
Woke up this morning with
a terrific urge to lie in bed all day
and read. Fought against it for a minute.
Then looked out the window at the rain.
And gave over. Put myself entirely
in the keep of this rainy morning.
Would I live my life over again?
Make the same unforgiveable mistakes?
Yes, given half a chance. Yes.
Raymond Carver, from All of Us: The Collected Poems
Rain
Woke up this morning with
a terrific urge to lie in bed all day
and read. Fought against it for a minute.
Then looked out the window at the rain.
And gave over. Put myself entirely
in the keep of this rainy morning.
Would I live my life over again?
Make the same unforgiveable mistakes?
Yes, given half a chance. Yes.
Raymond Carver, from All of Us: The Collected Poems
50lauralkeet
>48 sibylline:: that's great, some days are just like that.
51Chatterbox
How is Ms. Posey enjoying the snow??
52PaulCranswick
Lucy - I'll try to remember Raymond Carver when I am being pestered to drive through torrential rain to the mall. Have a wonderful weekend.
53sibylline
122. 
✔#2 ***1/2
A slight pleasant YA read, rounding out the few DeLint novels I haven't gotten to. If you like DeLint or YA fantasy, you'll enjoy it.
✔#2 ***1/2A slight pleasant YA read, rounding out the few DeLint novels I haven't gotten to. If you like DeLint or YA fantasy, you'll enjoy it.
54swynn
>45 sibylline:: I have that one unread on the shelf, and also Mission of Gravity and Space Lash. But I just got Needle from the library, and it's like meeting an old friend. You may have started something here, Lucy.
55ronincats
I guess that means you are starting on Through the Eye of a Needle next, so I'll pull it off the shelf and start it today, Lucy.
56souloftherose
#32 Thank you for introducing me to Henri Lucy! I think that if cats could speak, they would speak French...
#48 Love it!
#48 Love it!
57sibylline
I am so glad you like Henri! Nous aimons Henri!
Yep, Roni, I plan to start Needle 2 tonight!
Yep, Roni, I plan to start Needle 2 tonight!
59richardderus
Hi Cuz! Sunday *smooch*
61sibylline
Finished!
123.
****
Written 27 years after Needle and published in 1978, Through the Eye of the Needle continues, 7 years later, the story of Hunter, the alien symbiont detective, and Robert his host. Robert is ill, and Hunter is sure it is his doing. He is desperate to find more of his own kind, many of whom, he knows, will be qualified to help heal Robert. For me, this second novel demonstrates that a determined and dedicated writer can get better at his or her craft. Unlike the first two Clements, I've just read/reread this one has a more diverse and interesting cast of characters, psychological twists and turns that create real suspense which engaged me more; the story felt less like a vehicle to explore chemical possibles and to untangle thorny science puzzles and more like a real story with several levels to it. There's some dry humor: "He wore the usual shorts which were equally stylish in or out of the water." Also a thoughtfulness, say, as to how someone might feel after not getting into college or to teenagers finding their parents embarrassing - small things in themselves, but enough of them to give this novel a buoyancy the others lacked for me. I also have to mention I love the cover art for this one, whoever did the drawing READ THE BOOK. Yay. ****
123.
****Written 27 years after Needle and published in 1978, Through the Eye of the Needle continues, 7 years later, the story of Hunter, the alien symbiont detective, and Robert his host. Robert is ill, and Hunter is sure it is his doing. He is desperate to find more of his own kind, many of whom, he knows, will be qualified to help heal Robert. For me, this second novel demonstrates that a determined and dedicated writer can get better at his or her craft. Unlike the first two Clements, I've just read/reread this one has a more diverse and interesting cast of characters, psychological twists and turns that create real suspense which engaged me more; the story felt less like a vehicle to explore chemical possibles and to untangle thorny science puzzles and more like a real story with several levels to it. There's some dry humor: "He wore the usual shorts which were equally stylish in or out of the water." Also a thoughtfulness, say, as to how someone might feel after not getting into college or to teenagers finding their parents embarrassing - small things in themselves, but enough of them to give this novel a buoyancy the others lacked for me. I also have to mention I love the cover art for this one, whoever did the drawing READ THE BOOK. Yay. ****
62phebj
What a great poem. Thanks for posting it. I actually subscribe to a daily email from The Writer's Almanac but often don't have time to read them. Looks like that's a mistake. I will have to check out the Henri link too.
63ronincats
Well, except that the ship did not have fins, and the pipe with Hunter in it was attached to the metal detector box and they never did end up diving with scuba gear or wet suits--but those are small quibbles and the cover IS very attractive! ;-) (Sorry, could NOT resist as those leapt out at me as I studied the cover, before I read your comment.)
64sibylline
Yeah, the metal detector box was kind of a rube goldberg affair, maybe too complicated to bother with. But there is the eye hole and the blob and various corals and gunk - and of course, no one ever did get around to wearing a scuba diving outfit, now that I think about it.... oh well....... I still liked it.
65swynn
>61 sibylline:: Glad to hear the sequel is even better.
69sibylline
124. 
✔#3 ***1/2
Diamond Dogs, Turquoise Days. Two novellas set in the Revelation Space 'verse. #1 involves a mysterious Spire that you can only move through by correctly answering tests. If you fail a violent dismemberment awaits you. A fellow from Chasm City - right around the plague time, has become obsessed with answering the hypermathy questions to win the top and unlock.....? and that's kind of it.... he assembles this group and off they go. The protagonist does undergo a metamorphosis that is kind of interesting though. I liked #2 better as it built more slowly and was moderately suspenseful and involved the Pattern Jugglers, an interesting setting, and a resolution of a sort. Neither fully engaged me.... but that could be me.
✔#3 ***1/2Diamond Dogs, Turquoise Days. Two novellas set in the Revelation Space 'verse. #1 involves a mysterious Spire that you can only move through by correctly answering tests. If you fail a violent dismemberment awaits you. A fellow from Chasm City - right around the plague time, has become obsessed with answering the hypermathy questions to win the top and unlock.....? and that's kind of it.... he assembles this group and off they go. The protagonist does undergo a metamorphosis that is kind of interesting though. I liked #2 better as it built more slowly and was moderately suspenseful and involved the Pattern Jugglers, an interesting setting, and a resolution of a sort. Neither fully engaged me.... but that could be me.
70PaulCranswick
Lucy (and Heather):
"I think that if cats could speak, they would speak French..."
Well then at least the French would have shown themselves to be useful. Is it the same as all the Frenchmen speaking cat? (just kidding I love the French)
Have a lovely weekend.
"I think that if cats could speak, they would speak French..."
Well then at least the French would have shown themselves to be useful. Is it the same as all the Frenchmen speaking cat? (just kidding I love the French)
Have a lovely weekend.
71Crazymamie
Stopping in to catch up here and to wish you a wonderful weekend, Lucy. Hope it is full of fabulous.
72sibylline
125. 
♬ ****
Team of Rivals was the library audio book I chose to take on a 14 hour (round trip) drive I took this last week, as I have found I like history and travel type books reliably on audio. Not having read a great deal of what's on offer about Lincoln, I can't comment in a larger sense on the relative merits of it. I'd like to comment, however, on the approach - which I do think does reflect a changed attitude toward how events are shaped - not by the will of one person acting alone - but through the interactions at many levels from familial to collegial. Did I know how handily Lincoln took care of his political rivals? Or just how ambitious Salmon Chase was? That Seward was attacked on the night Lincoln was assassinated? I don't know what if any of those things I ever did know, but I won't forget them now, thanks to Goodwin's vivid writing. It's hard not to adore this man - who seems to have been put on earth precisely to shepherd the country through this crisis - and not necessarily in the 'best' way. Lincoln made a lot of mistakes, the worst of which was not recognizing sooner what cold feet General McClellan had. I found myself deeply envying those friends of his that got to listen to him tell one of his stories, but that wasn't new either. And longing to hear what his voice sounded like. I liked the narrator, whoever he was, and was more or less riveted the entire drive and it doesn't get better than that. ****1/2
♬ ****Team of Rivals was the library audio book I chose to take on a 14 hour (round trip) drive I took this last week, as I have found I like history and travel type books reliably on audio. Not having read a great deal of what's on offer about Lincoln, I can't comment in a larger sense on the relative merits of it. I'd like to comment, however, on the approach - which I do think does reflect a changed attitude toward how events are shaped - not by the will of one person acting alone - but through the interactions at many levels from familial to collegial. Did I know how handily Lincoln took care of his political rivals? Or just how ambitious Salmon Chase was? That Seward was attacked on the night Lincoln was assassinated? I don't know what if any of those things I ever did know, but I won't forget them now, thanks to Goodwin's vivid writing. It's hard not to adore this man - who seems to have been put on earth precisely to shepherd the country through this crisis - and not necessarily in the 'best' way. Lincoln made a lot of mistakes, the worst of which was not recognizing sooner what cold feet General McClellan had. I found myself deeply envying those friends of his that got to listen to him tell one of his stories, but that wasn't new either. And longing to hear what his voice sounded like. I liked the narrator, whoever he was, and was more or less riveted the entire drive and it doesn't get better than that. ****1/2
73EBT1002
You finished ToR! Congratulations!
I'm just getting set to read a couple more chapters before I break into my next fiction work.
I'm just getting set to read a couple more chapters before I break into my next fiction work.
74tymfos
You finished it! I'm on pace to finish by the end of the week if I can read a chapter a day.
75The_Hibernator
Ahhh, I feel so behind on Team of Rivals!
77sibylline
It's possible some of you may have noticed I've disappeared more or less lately and the reason is that a month ago my youngest sister was tentatively diagnosed with multiple myeloma, a diagnosis that has been confirmed as of two weeks ago, and what with just getting my head wrapped around that, traveling to see her, etc. and trying to keep Christmas alive here at home, it hasn't been much of an LT time..... She's young and the therapies are remarkable now, so what would have been completely and utterly grim is more of a big question mark - no cure, but how long? Could be awhile. Some folks do remarkably, especially those who are diagnosed 'young'. So it will be a matter of treasuring the present. She's a sturdy pragmatic person by nature, so I think she will do as well as a person can. I can feel my family drawing in the wagons, and that's not all bad either since we like each other but get absorbed in our own affairs. A sad month to be sure.
78souloftherose
#77 Lucy, I'm really sorry to hear that and will be thinking of you, your sister and your family. I totally understand that you've had less time and energy for LT lately.
80tiffin
Ah Lucy, so very sorry that your sister and family are facing this form of The Beast. How often these days I find myself wishing for that magic wand.
81The_Hibernator
I'm so sorry about your sister! I'll be sending good thoughts your way!
82lauralkeet
Sorry to hear the news about your sister. I'm hoping for the best for her of course. It does sound like time is on her side.
83RebaRelishesReading
Lucy, so sorry about your sister...I know that's hard news. I did want to tell you that we have a friend who was diagnosed in his 60's and is still having a good life 10 years later. He has to have regular tests and meds from time to time but really is doing quite well. So, your sister is younger and may have a lot of good years left...surely hope so.
85Crazymamie
Lucy, I am so very sorry to hear the news about your sister. I will keep you and your family in my thoughts and in my heart.
86-Cee-
Oh, Lucy. I have a good sense of what you are going through... worrying about a loved one, dealing with the sadness, and struggling with Christmas. Wishing you comfort within your world of family and friends.
I so hope your sister gets wonderful, successful treatment for the very best outcome possible.
(((((Lucy)))))
I so hope your sister gets wonderful, successful treatment for the very best outcome possible.
(((((Lucy)))))
87sibylline
Thank you, everyone, for your thoughts and kindness. And understanding too, if I'm a bit lame with keeping up.
88phebj
Some folks do remarkably, especially those who are diagnosed 'young'. So it will be a matter of treasuring the present. She's a sturdy pragmatic person by nature, so I think she will do as well as a person can.
Lucy, I was so sorry to hear this news (and just sent you a lengthy PM). My experience has been that many people do very well after a cancer diagnosis and I meet more and more them as time goes on through the Y's LiveStrong Program.
Your sister is very lucky to have the love and support of you and your family. You seem incredibly wise to me and you'll be a great support for her. It also sounds like your sister will be able to adjust well and figure out how to go forward in the best possible way.
I'll be thinking of you and your family!
Lucy, I was so sorry to hear this news (and just sent you a lengthy PM). My experience has been that many people do very well after a cancer diagnosis and I meet more and more them as time goes on through the Y's LiveStrong Program.
Your sister is very lucky to have the love and support of you and your family. You seem incredibly wise to me and you'll be a great support for her. It also sounds like your sister will be able to adjust well and figure out how to go forward in the best possible way.
I'll be thinking of you and your family!
90markon
Lucy, I'm so sorry to hear about your sister's illness. Hope that some time with extended family is helpful this season. You and yours are in my thoughts and prayers.
91LovingLit
Looks like Team of Rivals is the pick of the crop from your latest lot! Might be one I have to check out some time ......during the course of my life ;)
>77 sibylline: and more importantly- your sister health must be absolutely the first and only thing on your mind at present. It is such life changing thing to have someone close to you go through things like that. I hope you are right and that her youth and the medical technology available to her will be in her favour. I bet you will become even closer thoughout this ordeal. I hope you hear good news soon. (((hugs)))
>77 sibylline: and more importantly- your sister health must be absolutely the first and only thing on your mind at present. It is such life changing thing to have someone close to you go through things like that. I hope you are right and that her youth and the medical technology available to her will be in her favour. I bet you will become even closer thoughout this ordeal. I hope you hear good news soon. (((hugs)))
92HanGerg
Oh Lucy, so sorry to hear this news, but your sister and you sound like you are remarkably well equipped to deal with such testing times. I have two members of my family on different sides currently living with the big "C". My mil is one, and she is really the model of a strong and pragmatic person when it comes to dealing with it. She was first diagnosed almost 20 years ago, and has endured a lot since, but has also lived long enough to see two of her sons married and the birth of two grandchildren. Who knows what joys life still holds in store for your sister too? Hugs from me as well.
93sibylline
It's so encouraging to come here and find these kind messages, thank you.
I took two audio books from the library, choosing in haste, but it's raining and I'm not dashing out to the car to see what they are! Meanwhile, I just hit the halfway mark today in Arctic Dreams - this last chapter was about migration and Lopez muses too about how animals and humans cope when the environment changes. A respite from some of the gloomier chapters previous. I haven't read my 25 pages of Iris Murdoch today because I'm totally immersed in my fun sf book Merchanter's Luck. Escape is really the ticket for me at the mo'. I'm also slowly reading one of two books of short stories I have in my Virago collection, trying to read at least one story a night. They're good and while not upbeat by any means, they are not as emotionally demanding as the Murdoch novel. Tomorrow I am hoping to finish up Christmas shopping. Naughty mother that I am - my daughter is going to be with me (rather than attending school) to help with her Dad's stocking and when we are done we will go to this marvelous new creperie restaurant.
I took two audio books from the library, choosing in haste, but it's raining and I'm not dashing out to the car to see what they are! Meanwhile, I just hit the halfway mark today in Arctic Dreams - this last chapter was about migration and Lopez muses too about how animals and humans cope when the environment changes. A respite from some of the gloomier chapters previous. I haven't read my 25 pages of Iris Murdoch today because I'm totally immersed in my fun sf book Merchanter's Luck. Escape is really the ticket for me at the mo'. I'm also slowly reading one of two books of short stories I have in my Virago collection, trying to read at least one story a night. They're good and while not upbeat by any means, they are not as emotionally demanding as the Murdoch novel. Tomorrow I am hoping to finish up Christmas shopping. Naughty mother that I am - my daughter is going to be with me (rather than attending school) to help with her Dad's stocking and when we are done we will go to this marvelous new creperie restaurant.
94sibylline
126. 
****1/2 sf
Oh I just loved it, that's all, and I don't feel like saying more than that. Cheering all the way for that scrappy Sandor Kreja.
****1/2 sfOh I just loved it, that's all, and I don't feel like saying more than that. Cheering all the way for that scrappy Sandor Kreja.
95sibylline
NOAA made my day today with this forecast vocab.:
Three significant weather systems will track across the United States through the end of the week, bringing a plethora of impacts to 1) northern New England, 2) the eastern Great Basin and central Rockies, shifting into the central/southern Great Plains towards the Upper Great Lakes, and 3) the Pacific Northwest into northern California.
(my bolding)
Three significant weather systems will track across the United States through the end of the week, bringing a plethora of impacts to 1) northern New England, 2) the eastern Great Basin and central Rockies, shifting into the central/southern Great Plains towards the Upper Great Lakes, and 3) the Pacific Northwest into northern California.
(my bolding)
96bell7
>95 sibylline: Plethora is a great word (and how nice it is to have a place where other people just enjoy language the way I do...)
So sorry to hear about your sister. I'll be thinking of her & you & your family often.
So sorry to hear about your sister. I'll be thinking of her & you & your family often.
97lauralkeet
I love the word "plethora"!
99RebaRelishesReading
I use it sometimes just because I LOVE saying it -- it feels good in the mouth.
100sibylline
Our storm tore through here today, Winter Storm Draco, named and all, and it was a doozy - lots of trees down, power lines and etc. School was called off, thank goodness. Xmas starting one day early, not too many kids or teachers minded. That makes two 'wind' days off so far instead of snow days.......
101sibylline
128. 
✔ **** sf
Cycle of Fire might be my favorite so far - lots of mystery and suspense, an unexpected friendship. In classic Clement fashion everyone is so reasonable they don't seem quite like the human beings I know, but then, these are space-going humans a good deal in the future and I can hope we might evolve to be better thinkers. This one struggles, at the end, with a moral dilemma too, which is a development, over whether this complex alien 'race' might not constitute a threat to human hegemony in the universe. Lots of interesting stuff.
I kept thinking of the Brian Aldiss Helliconia series where two very very different humanoids share a planet with similarly shifting hot/cold conditions. ****
✔ **** sfCycle of Fire might be my favorite so far - lots of mystery and suspense, an unexpected friendship. In classic Clement fashion everyone is so reasonable they don't seem quite like the human beings I know, but then, these are space-going humans a good deal in the future and I can hope we might evolve to be better thinkers. This one struggles, at the end, with a moral dilemma too, which is a development, over whether this complex alien 'race' might not constitute a threat to human hegemony in the universe. Lots of interesting stuff.
I kept thinking of the Brian Aldiss Helliconia series where two very very different humanoids share a planet with similarly shifting hot/cold conditions. ****
103sibylline
No, Tui, Just rain - it was above freezing all day - we get the big dose of cold w/a dash of snow tomorrow sometime.... We also had a rainbow most of the day lurking to the north, I've never had an all-day rainbow before.
104lauralkeet
Draco: now that explains things. I was blissfully unaware of any sort of storm, but Thursday night into Friday we had a ton of rain, about 2", with lots of wind. Must have been the southerly end of things.
105weejane
Lucy - Just trying to catch up with everybody on LT. I'm so sorry to hear about your sister. I will be holding your and your family in the Light.
106sibylline
Thank you Brit.
128.
*****
Letters from the Attic: Beloved bedlam of raising a family in the 1950's by Betty Eddy Lidgerwood I don't think you have to know the Eddys to love Betty's vivid letters of family life to her cousin during a ten year period when her four children were growing and her husband was starting his own business and things were not easy, but this was her life and she was going to enjoy herself if it killed her, so to say. I want to put an excerpt here, except every letter is so funny I might not be able to stop. Here are some bits of the first one: (Winter 1951) "I am writing to you in a fit of depression. Our budget has taken another turn for the worse. We are being forced to get a different car, not new, just different. The roof of my dear old wooden station wagon fell in on the baby this morning as I was cruising along jerkily to the A&P. Luckily the hood was up on her car-bed. The older two, Bill and Onnie were biting each other through their snowsuits in the front seat..... Termites, my dear, have you ever heard of such a thing? The garage man got so excited he even called his brother... Anyhow things aren't too cheery here, and I wonder whether I'll be reduced to a three-seat Papoose Carrier and a pair of roller skates...... Did I tell you what my traveling salesman husband brought me from Buffalo this week? A crow...(and let me add it's a big improvement over that stiff racoon he found last trip... I remember saying distinctly I wanted a PET not a pelt)..... ". And they are ALL like that! Was it as fun as the way she describes it? No, but this was the Please Don't Eat the Daisies era, when what you did was make a good tale out of your travails to tell after you strapped your kids in bed and made a good stiff gin and tonic. I know the family and love them very much and am thrilled that Betty has published the letters, albeit on a very humble scale through a printer on the Vineyard. Seriously, the letters are charming and they ought to be made available to any of us who grew up during this era - the one with snowsuits that could easily be bitten through. *****
128.
***** Letters from the Attic: Beloved bedlam of raising a family in the 1950's by Betty Eddy Lidgerwood I don't think you have to know the Eddys to love Betty's vivid letters of family life to her cousin during a ten year period when her four children were growing and her husband was starting his own business and things were not easy, but this was her life and she was going to enjoy herself if it killed her, so to say. I want to put an excerpt here, except every letter is so funny I might not be able to stop. Here are some bits of the first one: (Winter 1951) "I am writing to you in a fit of depression. Our budget has taken another turn for the worse. We are being forced to get a different car, not new, just different. The roof of my dear old wooden station wagon fell in on the baby this morning as I was cruising along jerkily to the A&P. Luckily the hood was up on her car-bed. The older two, Bill and Onnie were biting each other through their snowsuits in the front seat..... Termites, my dear, have you ever heard of such a thing? The garage man got so excited he even called his brother... Anyhow things aren't too cheery here, and I wonder whether I'll be reduced to a three-seat Papoose Carrier and a pair of roller skates...... Did I tell you what my traveling salesman husband brought me from Buffalo this week? A crow...(and let me add it's a big improvement over that stiff racoon he found last trip... I remember saying distinctly I wanted a PET not a pelt)..... ". And they are ALL like that! Was it as fun as the way she describes it? No, but this was the Please Don't Eat the Daisies era, when what you did was make a good tale out of your travails to tell after you strapped your kids in bed and made a good stiff gin and tonic. I know the family and love them very much and am thrilled that Betty has published the letters, albeit on a very humble scale through a printer on the Vineyard. Seriously, the letters are charming and they ought to be made available to any of us who grew up during this era - the one with snowsuits that could easily be bitten through. *****
107sibylline
I'm looking ahead to the New Year - wishing I could make a clean sweep of all the books I'm reading and start afresh, but given that every day seems to bring with it such interesting challenges as finally sorting and joining together four collections of christmas ornaments (my mother's, mil's, the Philadelphia years, and the ones that we left here during the Philadelphia years.....). This might seem silly, but I thought it would be nice to get it done before Christmas so I could put the ones we don't want in the re-use shop at the town transfer station in time for someone else to use them..... we had four book-size packing boxes, as well as two large tubs of lights, many of which haven't been up in decades (and turned out to be defunct). We like birds and animals and very very silly and/or glittery, so it was time for anything tasteful to go.
Anyhow, I do hope desperately to finish the Murdoch, finish the Elizabeth Taylors at the very least..... The Lopez is best read slowly as is the Upton.
Anyhow, I do hope desperately to finish the Murdoch, finish the Elizabeth Taylors at the very least..... The Lopez is best read slowly as is the Upton.
108LizzieD
Oh dear. I know the wistfulness of wanting to finish out an old year cleanly and jump into the new with both eyes on new stuff. Not happening here.
The BEL book sounds charming.
The BEL book sounds charming.
109richardderus
Letters from the Attic sounds like catnip! I love the homey sentimental stuff from the era, so long as it's not preachy-treacly.
Holly Holly Hippodays, as the Boynton cartoon would have it. Sending hugs!
Holly Holly Hippodays, as the Boynton cartoon would have it. Sending hugs!
110EBT1002
Oh Lucy, I'm just now getting here to read about your sister. Such hard news and you are focusing your attention exactly where it needs to be, with your sister and the whole family. I know you've already gotten lots of love from your LT buddies, but please add mine to the pile.
And I'm adding Letters from the Attic to my wishlist.
And I'm adding Letters from the Attic to my wishlist.
111sibylline
Letters to the Attic might be a little bit hard to come by - it's published by a tiny press on the Vineyard, but I'm going to suggest that they put it on one of the 'publish on demand' sites, it is so much fun.
112PaulCranswick
I'm struggling as are you to keep up with my reading and, in the last month or so, with all my friends in the group. It is great fun trying though - have a wonderful Christmas.
113sibylline
No furries - I've been having trouble keeping up too, but we just cross-posted in Real Time, which is neat.
114sibylline
129. 
✔ #5 ****1/2 f
Quite pleased with myself to have, at last, finished my first Iris Murdoch. It may take me awhile to sort out my thoughts, so this review is likely to be a work-in-progress. My first response, upon shutting the book, is that Murdoch was writing about what we charmlessly call a mid-life crisis. Charles Arrowby is having his is a bit late as he has been busy and successful, first as an actor, later as a director. Now, feeling bored and unchallenged ,he has withdrawn from the theatre, and has moved to an ugly little house that has a marvelous intimacy with the sea where he plans to 'retire". But really, he has too much energy and life in him for a 'real' retirement and all hell breaks loose, literally, when he spies his very first love, living in retirement with her husband also in the same village. Ripe for trouble Arrowby conjures up a fantasy of first and always love - and things get very very messy before the madness passes. Nowadays the equivalent, I suppose would be hunting around on the internet for old flames, contacting them with whatever consequences. The deeper theme of the book is illusion, and how we create our own realities through imagining the past and present and future to suit ourselves, appropriate enough for an actor and director. Iris was a philosophy major and these are, no doubt, the sorts of questions that fascinated and obsessed her. There are also hints of ... mystery... Charles 'sees' a sea serpent, a demon, in effect 'sensing' his own future as soon as he arrives at the house; he has a cousin, James, of whom he has always been envious. James has made a close study of Tibetan Buddhism, and there is a suggestion that he has achieved a high level in some of the tantalizing practices as described in books such as Magic and Mystery in Tibet. Murdoch leaves the door open that it is possible to believe something so strongly that it becomes real, but that, our belief in 'rationality' as the most important tool for assessing reality means that view is generally rejected when trying to explain the inexplicable occurrences. A secondary theme is an exploration of what love is, and the two themes are slightly overlapping, I think. Thirdly there is an examination of how one cannot do anything without consequences. Arrowby, while being a pompous ass, is also an intensely engaged person; he has a restless mind and even when he comes up with self-serving or paranoid ideas he isn't satisfied (as some would be) and keeps searching, doubting. I came away somewhat awed by Murdoch's intellect - from time to time I think this aspect does make the book drag, but in the end, it is her strength. There is also a great deal of subtle humor - most often in descriptions and small details. ****1/2
✔ #5 ****1/2 fQuite pleased with myself to have, at last, finished my first Iris Murdoch. It may take me awhile to sort out my thoughts, so this review is likely to be a work-in-progress. My first response, upon shutting the book, is that Murdoch was writing about what we charmlessly call a mid-life crisis. Charles Arrowby is having his is a bit late as he has been busy and successful, first as an actor, later as a director. Now, feeling bored and unchallenged ,he has withdrawn from the theatre, and has moved to an ugly little house that has a marvelous intimacy with the sea where he plans to 'retire". But really, he has too much energy and life in him for a 'real' retirement and all hell breaks loose, literally, when he spies his very first love, living in retirement with her husband also in the same village. Ripe for trouble Arrowby conjures up a fantasy of first and always love - and things get very very messy before the madness passes. Nowadays the equivalent, I suppose would be hunting around on the internet for old flames, contacting them with whatever consequences. The deeper theme of the book is illusion, and how we create our own realities through imagining the past and present and future to suit ourselves, appropriate enough for an actor and director. Iris was a philosophy major and these are, no doubt, the sorts of questions that fascinated and obsessed her. There are also hints of ... mystery... Charles 'sees' a sea serpent, a demon, in effect 'sensing' his own future as soon as he arrives at the house; he has a cousin, James, of whom he has always been envious. James has made a close study of Tibetan Buddhism, and there is a suggestion that he has achieved a high level in some of the tantalizing practices as described in books such as Magic and Mystery in Tibet. Murdoch leaves the door open that it is possible to believe something so strongly that it becomes real, but that, our belief in 'rationality' as the most important tool for assessing reality means that view is generally rejected when trying to explain the inexplicable occurrences. A secondary theme is an exploration of what love is, and the two themes are slightly overlapping, I think. Thirdly there is an examination of how one cannot do anything without consequences. Arrowby, while being a pompous ass, is also an intensely engaged person; he has a restless mind and even when he comes up with self-serving or paranoid ideas he isn't satisfied (as some would be) and keeps searching, doubting. I came away somewhat awed by Murdoch's intellect - from time to time I think this aspect does make the book drag, but in the end, it is her strength. There is also a great deal of subtle humor - most often in descriptions and small details. ****1/2
117Donna828
Lucy, I'm just catching up with you and so sorry to hear about the terrible, horrible, no good, very bad month you and your family have suffered. I hope your sister rebounds quickly after her bad news. Sending hugs and prayers.
I enjoyed your review of your first Murdoch book, another author on my radar. Wishing you a rejuvenating Christmas.
I enjoyed your review of your first Murdoch book, another author on my radar. Wishing you a rejuvenating Christmas.
118sibylline
I've rewritten the Murdoch review which was a mess..... where was my mind this morning????
119swynn
Good to hear about Cycle of Fire. And I'm intrigued by Iris Murdoch: Thomas Foster mentions her a few times in How to Read Literature Like a Professor as a novelist who explores "the thin line between the ordinary and the monstrous." I may have to give her a try next year. The Sea, The Sea sounds like a promising place to start.
122LovingLit
>93 sibylline: Arctic Dreams is one of my dads fave books. He even bought a signed first edition of it to keep close to his heart ;)
I think I have read it but cant remember....oops...actually, i think it was Crossing Open Ground. I adore his writing though and cannot think how i have not read all his books.
*2013 goal right there*
Happy holidays to you Lucy!
I think I have read it but cant remember....oops...actually, i think it was Crossing Open Ground. I adore his writing though and cannot think how i have not read all his books.
*2013 goal right there*
Happy holidays to you Lucy!
123ronincats
Glitterfy.com - Christmas Glitter Graphics
I want to wish you a glorious celebration of that time of year when we all try to unite around a desire for Peace on Earth and Good Will Toward All. Merry Christmas, Lucy!
124EBT1002
Lucy, yes, it turns out that it is a bit difficult to come by a copy of Letters from the Attic. I'll keep an eye out for it. And congrats on completing the Iris Murdoch. I'm determined to read one of hers in 2013.
Meanwhile, take care of yourself, and I hope the holiday season is bright for you (I know it will be hard, too).
Meanwhile, take care of yourself, and I hope the holiday season is bright for you (I know it will be hard, too).
126tymfos
Lucy, so sorry to read of your sister's diagnosis. Wishing you peace this Christmas.
glitter-graphics.com
glitter-graphics.com
127Deern
Hi Lucy, I'm sorry I can't catch up on posts, but I'd like to wish you and the family a very Merry Christmas and all the best for the New Year!!
128drachenbraut23
Lucy! To you and your family a wonderful Christmas and a very Happy New Year!
129phebj
Just dropping by with some Christmas cheer from me and the Moomins. Hope you're doing well with focusing on the present moment. I do think that's the key to a good life.
130Crazymamie
Merry Christmas, Lucy! Hope it was filled with fabulous moments!
132sibylline
Here is a photo of all the books the three of us got (mostly giving to each other, but a goodly # are from Peggy who was my Secret Virago Santa!!!!
133EBT1002
I love that photo!! Books as presents -- the best.
My sister gave me a generous gift certificate for my favorite Seattle bookshop. I'm going to savor it.
My sister gave me a generous gift certificate for my favorite Seattle bookshop. I'm going to savor it.
134ronincats
Ahem! List needed! I can make out Conflict of Honors, The Speed of Dark. On Basilisk Station, Team of Rivals, an Ian M. Banks, Charles Stross, and Peter Hamilton but I can't tell which ones, and many more that look very interesting!
136avatiakh
I agree it looks like a great lot of gift giving, like Roni I need a list. I can only add Revolution by Jennifer Donnelly.
137sibylline
The book list will have to wait for an indefinite time as I have a houseload of D&D'ers spending a night or two here (we seem to be having a true snowstorm - not quite enough wind for a blizzard.....) and they have occupied the downstairs so I don't, at the mo', have access to my cart! Yesterday I bought about five pizzas, a loaf of bread, a load of chips and cookies, milk, root beer and I think we'll make it through whatever nature sends us. (Who needs fruit? Who needs veg.?) They all spurned the veg. pizza last night until they were desperate! They are the most charming polite kids ever. Boys on the first floor, girls on the third. Boys are awake, looking at my Tolkien stuff and books, and playing on their computers - Girls are still getting their beauty rest. I've told the boys since this is a siege and we are all introverts that they are to go off in corners and read when they need to. They looked at me as if I was Galadriel. Five inches so far on top of four inches, so things are looking wintry.
I'm dying to get my books on here too!
I'm dying to get my books on here too!
138dk_phoenix
Oooer, lookit all those books!!! You had a much better Christmas haul than I.
they are to go off in corners and read when they need to. They looked at me as if I was Galadriel
How I wish some of my friends' parents said the same back when I was younger and had "sleep-overs"! Though admittedly, I would love if more adults understood the need to wander off and read for a bit during visits too...
they are to go off in corners and read when they need to. They looked at me as if I was Galadriel
How I wish some of my friends' parents said the same back when I was younger and had "sleep-overs"! Though admittedly, I would love if more adults understood the need to wander off and read for a bit during visits too...
139ffortsa
Finally, catching up with your thread. Terribly sorry to hear about your sister's trouble. It's good to have a strong family at times like this. I hope she responds well to treatment.
Great review of the Murdoch. I may start reading her this coming year, and I'll keep your review in mind.
A healthy and happy new year wish for you, your sister, and your whole family.
Great review of the Murdoch. I may start reading her this coming year, and I'll keep your review in mind.
A healthy and happy new year wish for you, your sister, and your whole family.
140sibylline
The books are what all three of us gave or got for each other, so they aren't all mine, although they might as well be!!!!!!!
141sibylline
130. 
✔ #6 ****
Finishing up my year of reading Elizabeth Taylor with two books of short stories, of which this, The Blush, is the first. It's an uneven collection, but several of the stories are stand-outs with echoes from Katherine Mansfield to Jane Bowles. As with many of Taylor's longer works, the theme is loneliness and powerlessness especially as experienced by a 'genteel' woman, struggling to maintain appearances, or a woman uncertain of her standing, socially in the group in which she finds herself. A young woman who has lost her fiancee is invited by the mother to his house, 'one more time', a young woman comes home to a situation in which her best friend has married her father, two unmarried sisters living together, on the edge of late middle age, have to decide on their summer holidays, (that is one of my favorites), a pair who have been exchanging letters for years, finally meet (my absolute favorite) which has a comical aspect, not as harsh as many of the other stories are. One story, "Poor Girl" echoes the James novella The Turn of the Screw but with its own twist, of course. It also seems to refer back to Palladian another early novel. They're quite excellent stories and I'm looking forward to The Devastating Boys the second book, published much later. It will be interesting to see how the stories have evolved.
A couple of choice quotes:
From "A True Primitive" "Lily had not considered culture - as a word or anything else - until she fell in love."
From "Summer Schools" "Melanie closed her eyes and thought how insufferable people became about what has cost them too much to possess - education, money, or even good health."
✔ #6 ****Finishing up my year of reading Elizabeth Taylor with two books of short stories, of which this, The Blush, is the first. It's an uneven collection, but several of the stories are stand-outs with echoes from Katherine Mansfield to Jane Bowles. As with many of Taylor's longer works, the theme is loneliness and powerlessness especially as experienced by a 'genteel' woman, struggling to maintain appearances, or a woman uncertain of her standing, socially in the group in which she finds herself. A young woman who has lost her fiancee is invited by the mother to his house, 'one more time', a young woman comes home to a situation in which her best friend has married her father, two unmarried sisters living together, on the edge of late middle age, have to decide on their summer holidays, (that is one of my favorites), a pair who have been exchanging letters for years, finally meet (my absolute favorite) which has a comical aspect, not as harsh as many of the other stories are. One story, "Poor Girl" echoes the James novella The Turn of the Screw but with its own twist, of course. It also seems to refer back to Palladian another early novel. They're quite excellent stories and I'm looking forward to The Devastating Boys the second book, published much later. It will be interesting to see how the stories have evolved.
A couple of choice quotes:
From "A True Primitive" "Lily had not considered culture - as a word or anything else - until she fell in love."
From "Summer Schools" "Melanie closed her eyes and thought how insufferable people became about what has cost them too much to possess - education, money, or even good health."
142EBT1002
Lucy, I just had a good time showing my sister your various pictures of Posey. My sis loves Corgis, so it was fun. And she found the gray cat even before spotting the tan cat or the shark. Go figure.
143souloftherose
#132 What a wonderful book bonanza Lucy (although I can't see the titles - no fair!)
#137 "they are to go off in corners and read when they need to. They looked at me as if I was Galadriel
Bliss! We spent Christmas at my in-laws for the first time and I was relieved to find that they were relaxed enough for me to wander off and crack open a book when I needed too which really helped.
#141 As with many of Taylor's longer works, the theme is loneliness
I haven't read many of Taylor's short stories Lucy but I think you're spot on here. I think the loneliness theme is one I've particularly enjoyed in her writing.
Sending you and yours slightly belated Christmas joys and anticipatory wishes for the New Year.
#137 "they are to go off in corners and read when they need to. They looked at me as if I was Galadriel
Bliss! We spent Christmas at my in-laws for the first time and I was relieved to find that they were relaxed enough for me to wander off and crack open a book when I needed too which really helped.
#141 As with many of Taylor's longer works, the theme is loneliness
I haven't read many of Taylor's short stories Lucy but I think you're spot on here. I think the loneliness theme is one I've particularly enjoyed in her writing.
Sending you and yours slightly belated Christmas joys and anticipatory wishes for the New Year.
144sibylline
131. 
**** sf
An almost dead miner is found out in the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter - he says foul play over tagging a good 'find' - a really big rock - but he is also out of his head with grief and exhaustion and fear about the loss of his partner. The big mining company ASTEX is so powerful it's hard for a little independent to fight anything. The two who find him end up taking him on, even after they have claimed his ship as salvage, one willingly and one not. The reader is sure of the foul play, from the start, and the story is in watching how the situation unravels. It's an interesting period too, in the Cherryh universe - when the Earth Company is just building the huge military state-of-the-art starships that play so largely in Downbelow and later novels about the Alliance Union. Here we are seeing from the inside the corruption and political chaos from Earth and its environs. It's a gritty read, less 'fun' than other Cherryh's, but an interesting angle. ****
**** sfAn almost dead miner is found out in the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter - he says foul play over tagging a good 'find' - a really big rock - but he is also out of his head with grief and exhaustion and fear about the loss of his partner. The big mining company ASTEX is so powerful it's hard for a little independent to fight anything. The two who find him end up taking him on, even after they have claimed his ship as salvage, one willingly and one not. The reader is sure of the foul play, from the start, and the story is in watching how the situation unravels. It's an interesting period too, in the Cherryh universe - when the Earth Company is just building the huge military state-of-the-art starships that play so largely in Downbelow and later novels about the Alliance Union. Here we are seeing from the inside the corruption and political chaos from Earth and its environs. It's a gritty read, less 'fun' than other Cherryh's, but an interesting angle. ****
145PaulCranswick
Lucy I am back from a short holiday and catching up. That looks like 50 books the three of you collected if my counting of your tantalising photo is not in error.
146sibylline
OK, the D&D'er overnighters have all gone home, so the house is tranquil again...... And I can list the books. You're right Paul - except for the few that were already scarpered off with and being read -
Back to add - we've gotten around 14 inches of snow on top of four or five that were already there...... more coming. Oh boy.
My books:
The Beautiful Miscellaneous Dominic Smith
Conflict of Honors Sharon Lee Steve Millersf
The Speed of Dark Elizabeth Moonsf
On Basilisk Station David Webersf
Gossamer Axe Gael Baudino fantasy
The Road Home Rose Tremain f
Maiden Castle John Cowper Powys f
The Beautiful Mystery Louise Penny mys
When Women Were Birds Terry Tempest Williams essays
The Opposite of Fate Amy Tan
Refinements of Love Sarah Booth Conroy bio (of Clover Adams)
The Radleys Matt Haig f
The Life and Extraordinary Adventures of Ivan Chonkin Vladimir Voinovich
My Cleaner Maggie Gee
Morwyn: The Vengeance of God John Cowper Powys f
Every Love Story is a Ghost Story: A Life of David Foster Wallace D.T. Max bio
Travels in West Africa Mary H. Kingsley travel
Biblioholism: The Literary Addiction Tom Raabe
Team of Rivals Doris Kearns Goodwin bio
Mrs Woolf and the Servants Alison Light bio
Cro Magnon: How the Ice Age Gave birth to the First Modern Humans Brian Fagan
How to Live or A Life of Montaigne Sarah Bakewell
From Where We Stand: Recovering a Sense of Place Deborah Tall
Voltaire's Coconuts or Anglomania in Europe Ian Buruma
Heart and Blood: Living with Deer in America Richard Nelson
Status Anxiety Alain de Botton
Transition Ian M. Banks sf
Spousal Unit's Books
The Map of Time Felix J. Palma
Are You My Mother? Alison Bechdel
The Reality Dysfunction: Emergence and Expansion Peter F. Hamilton
Marbles: Mania, Depression, Michelangelo, and Me Ellen Forney
The Wave Susan Casey
A Thousand Words For Stranger Julie Czerneda
Saltation Sharon Lee Steve Miller
A Madness of Angels Kate Griffin
Midnight Riot Ben Aaronovitch
The Atrocity Archives Charles Stross
Saturn's Children Charles Stross
Galore Michael Crummey
Beyond Sleep Willem Frederik Hermans
The Little Darling
Revolution Jennifer Donnelly
Birthmarked Caragh O'Brien
The Maze Runner James Dashner
The Glacial Period Nicholas De Crecy
Werewolves of Montpellier Jason
For the Household
Assholes: A theory Aaron James
America Again Stephen Colbert
The Onion Book of Known Knowledge
Back to add - we've gotten around 14 inches of snow on top of four or five that were already there...... more coming. Oh boy.
My books:
The Beautiful Miscellaneous Dominic Smith
Conflict of Honors Sharon Lee Steve Millersf
The Speed of Dark Elizabeth Moonsf
On Basilisk Station David Webersf
Gossamer Axe Gael Baudino fantasy
The Road Home Rose Tremain f
Maiden Castle John Cowper Powys f
The Beautiful Mystery Louise Penny mys
When Women Were Birds Terry Tempest Williams essays
The Opposite of Fate Amy Tan
Refinements of Love Sarah Booth Conroy bio (of Clover Adams)
The Radleys Matt Haig f
The Life and Extraordinary Adventures of Ivan Chonkin Vladimir Voinovich
My Cleaner Maggie Gee
Morwyn: The Vengeance of God John Cowper Powys f
Every Love Story is a Ghost Story: A Life of David Foster Wallace D.T. Max bio
Travels in West Africa Mary H. Kingsley travel
Biblioholism: The Literary Addiction Tom Raabe
Team of Rivals Doris Kearns Goodwin bio
Mrs Woolf and the Servants Alison Light bio
Cro Magnon: How the Ice Age Gave birth to the First Modern Humans Brian Fagan
How to Live or A Life of Montaigne Sarah Bakewell
From Where We Stand: Recovering a Sense of Place Deborah Tall
Voltaire's Coconuts or Anglomania in Europe Ian Buruma
Heart and Blood: Living with Deer in America Richard Nelson
Status Anxiety Alain de Botton
Transition Ian M. Banks sf
Spousal Unit's Books
The Map of Time Felix J. Palma
Are You My Mother? Alison Bechdel
The Reality Dysfunction: Emergence and Expansion Peter F. Hamilton
Marbles: Mania, Depression, Michelangelo, and Me Ellen Forney
The Wave Susan Casey
A Thousand Words For Stranger Julie Czerneda
Saltation Sharon Lee Steve Miller
A Madness of Angels Kate Griffin
Midnight Riot Ben Aaronovitch
The Atrocity Archives Charles Stross
Saturn's Children Charles Stross
Galore Michael Crummey
Beyond Sleep Willem Frederik Hermans
The Little Darling
Revolution Jennifer Donnelly
Birthmarked Caragh O'Brien
The Maze Runner James Dashner
The Glacial Period Nicholas De Crecy
Werewolves of Montpellier Jason
For the Household
Assholes: A theory Aaron James
America Again Stephen Colbert
The Onion Book of Known Knowledge
147sibylline
Ellen, I'm so glad your sister enjoyed the Posey Photo Collection.
Stephen That rolling thing came from my mil's kitchen, she just kept oddball stuff on it. My husband was very surprised that I wanted it...... but I sensed potential.
Stephen That rolling thing came from my mil's kitchen, she just kept oddball stuff on it. My husband was very surprised that I wanted it...... but I sensed potential.
148ronincats
Your husband is a sf reader, I think you've said, so he probably knows that Saltation is the sequel to Fledgling, which is the YA entry into the Liaden Universe. I enjoyed the Czernada book as well as the Aaronovitch, so think he has some good reading ahead of him. Charlie Stross and I have never really clicked--he's okay but his stories don't really engage me, but I haven't read Saturn's Children. And I have to get to Peter Hamilton one of these days.
You got some good ones, entering into the Liaden Universe and the Honor Harrington books and a very interesting Moon. I can't believe someone found you a copy of Gossamer Axe! I'll be interested in your reaction.
You got some good ones, entering into the Liaden Universe and the Honor Harrington books and a very interesting Moon. I can't believe someone found you a copy of Gossamer Axe! I'll be interested in your reaction.
149RebaRelishesReading
Wow -- that's an amazing list. Congratulations!
151LizzieD
What a great list!!!!! I can't wait to see how you like the ones I've read. I can't wait to see how you like the ones I haven't read so that I can know to get them too!!!
Peter Hamilton - well..... I loved him for quite a long time, but I wasn't so taken with some of his later stuff. Again, I'll be interested to see what you and your SU think.
Peter Hamilton - well..... I loved him for quite a long time, but I wasn't so taken with some of his later stuff. Again, I'll be interested to see what you and your SU think.
152HanGerg
Hi Lucy! Just stopping by to admire the Christmas bookhaul, wish you a belated Happy Christmas and an early Happy New Year! I'm just in transit from one set of relatives to another and may not be around for a few days, but I wanted to say how much I've enjoyed our interactions in 2012, and look forward to many more in 2013.
153souloftherose
#146 That is a great list of books! Looks like you all have some good reading ahead of you in 2013 :-)
154drachenbraut23
Wow, I have to agree with everyone else. What a wonderful list of books. I hope your daughter will enjoy Birthmarked this was a book I quite enjoyed this year :). Some of your books went already on my wishlist for next year.
155sibylline
I know some more books are heading my way when my bro. gets here for the weekend...... and here's something ridiculous - we both expected to give each other the Bujold, so no one did!!!!!! Is that stupid or what? I know bro is giving the S.U. the new Banks, so that's good!
I think I got Birthmarked because of readers like yourself who loved it.
I'm reading The Radleys at present and it is, so far, a good read. The cover has a bit about vampire fatigue, and how this book is a refreshing antidote, angle etc. It's true.
I think I got Birthmarked because of readers like yourself who loved it.
I'm reading The Radleys at present and it is, so far, a good read. The cover has a bit about vampire fatigue, and how this book is a refreshing antidote, angle etc. It's true.
156sibylline
132. 
****
Just a vampire romp. I generally don't care for vampire stories but I trusted the other LTers who enjoyed this and the trust was warranted. A quick read too. Perfect for this time of year. It is basically a 3 1/2 star book, but done so well I am giving it ****.
****Just a vampire romp. I generally don't care for vampire stories but I trusted the other LTers who enjoyed this and the trust was warranted. A quick read too. Perfect for this time of year. It is basically a 3 1/2 star book, but done so well I am giving it ****.
157gennyt
Lucy, I'm finally caught up enough to be able to add a post to a current thread! What a great Christmas book haul! I thought I was doing well with five books (and a few more on the way if I ever get to see the rest of my family during this Christmas season) but that's nothing to your pile.
And I am very sorry to hear what you have been going though this past month with your sister's diagnosis. Living with the question mark is not going to be easy for any of you. How far away from you does she live? I guess you will be making that journey quite a bit to support her.
Oh, but thank you for introducing me to Henri. He is charmingly existential. But his accent is a little odd. Could it be that he is not really as French as he claims to be, but rather a bit of a poseur, or should that be 'pusseur'.
And I am very sorry to hear what you have been going though this past month with your sister's diagnosis. Living with the question mark is not going to be easy for any of you. How far away from you does she live? I guess you will be making that journey quite a bit to support her.
Oh, but thank you for introducing me to Henri. He is charmingly existential. But his accent is a little odd. Could it be that he is not really as French as he claims to be, but rather a bit of a poseur, or should that be 'pusseur'.
158lauralkeet
>157 gennyt:: I've seen so many comments about Henri's accent! I love the term 'pusseur', Genny.
159sibylline
Well, I think that Henri's narrator is anglo - I've assumed that, don't know for sure, that it is the franglo Quebec french you are hearing there. My Montreal sister is the one who alerted me to Henri. Anyhow, I find that is a huge part of Henri's considerable charm.
Genny I am so pleased you are caught up - even though I am not so pleased that it is because you are stricken with the flu. "Pusseur" is very funny!
At this very moment I'm loading up photos of our current snow totals.......I'm kind of staggered, a week ago we were barely covering up the grass, and now..... you will see.
And..... MORE books to list, now that my brother is here and brought me presents:
For me
Bilbo's Last Song J.R.R. Tolkien (illustrations, Pauline Baynes, are what matters here)
Clover Adams: A Gilded and Heartbreaking Life Natlie Dykstra
When She Woke Hilary Jordan
A Dance to the Music of Time: 2nd Movement Anthony Powell At long last, now I have all four!!!!
Spousal Unit (I will read them)
The Hydrogen Sonata Iain M. Banks
The Garden in the Clouds Antony Woodward
The Night's Dawn: Book One Peter F. Hamilton
The Cloud Roads Martha Wells
The Underwater Welder Jeff Lemire
A few of the S.U.'s were late arrivals from me.
Okay so now for the photo:
This is as of right now and it is still snowing - though I think it will taper off.
Genny I am so pleased you are caught up - even though I am not so pleased that it is because you are stricken with the flu. "Pusseur" is very funny!
At this very moment I'm loading up photos of our current snow totals.......I'm kind of staggered, a week ago we were barely covering up the grass, and now..... you will see.
And..... MORE books to list, now that my brother is here and brought me presents:
For me
Bilbo's Last Song J.R.R. Tolkien (illustrations, Pauline Baynes, are what matters here)
Clover Adams: A Gilded and Heartbreaking Life Natlie Dykstra
When She Woke Hilary Jordan
A Dance to the Music of Time: 2nd Movement Anthony Powell At long last, now I have all four!!!!
Spousal Unit (I will read them)
The Hydrogen Sonata Iain M. Banks
The Garden in the Clouds Antony Woodward
The Night's Dawn: Book One Peter F. Hamilton
The Cloud Roads Martha Wells
The Underwater Welder Jeff Lemire
A few of the S.U.'s were late arrivals from me.
Okay so now for the photo:
This is as of right now and it is still snowing - though I think it will taper off.160streamsong
Wow! That looks like a couple feet of snow? Hope you can stay inside today with no plans that you need to go anywhere.
I loved your Christmas photo. I always choose a wild tree, too. The plantation ones just don't look right to me--they are just too perfect.
And thanks from me, too, for Henri.
I loved your Christmas photo. I always choose a wild tree, too. The plantation ones just don't look right to me--they are just too perfect.
And thanks from me, too, for Henri.
161gennyt
It's good to be caught up. I will try not to get so behind on my favourite threads next year!
I wondered if it was Quebec French, but don't know how the accent differs from European French so wasn't sure.
I have that little Pauline Baynes illustrated volume, in my as yet uncatalogued Tolkien collection. A real gem (I love her illustrations - I'm thinking of the ones for Farmer Giles of Ham in particular: the dragon, and the slinking dog).
That's a lot of snow. We have still more rain. My side garden is a swamp.
I wondered if it was Quebec French, but don't know how the accent differs from European French so wasn't sure.
I have that little Pauline Baynes illustrated volume, in my as yet uncatalogued Tolkien collection. A real gem (I love her illustrations - I'm thinking of the ones for Farmer Giles of Ham in particular: the dragon, and the slinking dog).
That's a lot of snow. We have still more rain. My side garden is a swamp.
162RebaRelishesReading
I LOVE the photo of snow on the table --- totally made me lol
163phebj
Wow, you weren't kidding about alot of snow! Lucky you that you have so many new books to read since it doesn't look like you're going anywhere.
164lauralkeet
Wow, that is a serious amount of snow! Stay warm, Lucy!
165qebo
Henri advocate:
http://whyevolutionistrue.wordpress.com/2012/12/27/somebody-right-this-wrong/
159: So slightly imperfectly formed.
http://whyevolutionistrue.wordpress.com/2012/12/27/somebody-right-this-wrong/
159: So slightly imperfectly formed.
166lauralkeet
>165 qebo:: great!
Oh, and Maru is another adorable internet cat.
Oh, and Maru is another adorable internet cat.
167PaulCranswick
A very productive year Lucy, especially in getting to know you a tad better - us Celts should stick together. happy new year. x
168The_Hibernator
HAPPY NEW YEAR!
170Crazymamie
Lucy, stopping in to wish you a very Happy New Year! Thanks for making my very first year in LT so special! I am loving your book lists- wonderful Christmas haul! Also loved your Christmas photo and the photo of all the snow you have received. Have to enjoy that snow vicariously this year as Georgia is not likely to get any!!
172RebaRelishesReading
Happy new year Lucy!! I hope 2013 is very good to you.
175sibylline
Thanks so much folks, I'm up to my eyeballs in family at the mo' so not much LT time until sometime late tomorrow!
176EBT1002
That's okay, Lucy. Enjoy your family, the snow (all of it!), and ringing in the New Year.
Wishing you ALL THE BEST in 2013!!
Wishing you ALL THE BEST in 2013!!
177arubabookwoman
Loved following your reading ventures this year, not to mention the photos of Posey. I hope your sister's health improves.
Best Wishes for the New Year!
Best Wishes for the New Year!
179LizzieD
I thought that I did this earlier today; I guess not. Enjoy the family while they're there and the rest of 2013 too!
180souloftherose
Happy New Year Lucy!
181Deern
A very Happy New Year to you, Lucy!
What an impressive list of new books! And a *Dance* book among them!
I didn't get a single book for Christmas, my family refuses to support my unhealthy addiction... but I don't mind, I got some money and guess where I'll spend most of it? :-)
Still looking for that gray cat...
What an impressive list of new books! And a *Dance* book among them!
I didn't get a single book for Christmas, my family refuses to support my unhealthy addiction... but I don't mind, I got some money and guess where I'll spend most of it? :-)
Still looking for that gray cat...
182sibylline
I'd like to start my new thread, but no time for it yet - hello everyone! Happy Happy to anyone who drops by this old tattered thread.
184sibylline
It's January but I did finish this yesterday...... so I'm going to put it in my 2012 count.
133.
****
Hellburner carries on the story begun in Heavy Time of Dek and Ben, talented pilot and 'numbers' guy, respectively. Ben has trained extensively and is about to land a cushy job on Earth when he is suddenly called to Dek's bedside on Sol 2. Ben is both enraged and horrified to find Dek back in a similar condition as before, and once again, he suspects foul play, and even though he's unwilling, he can't help becoming involved. Dek slowly recovers, but is placed under huge pressure to perform as the 'best' pilot to prove that the new class of fighter star ship is flightworthy and best operated by human, not computer reflex and strategy. A Lieutenant Graff in charge of Fleet Operations is a third strong POV - he has to keep the peace between the "UDC" - earth-based military and the Fleet - which is comprised more of 'Spacers' and 'Belters' with different allegiances -- Layers and layers of political and social complexities unfold as the story progresses - Cherryh never rushes through building up the details that, if you are patient, begin to draw you deeply into the story. ****
I'm appalled, really, Tiffin, by how quickly the time goes by. Good health to you, too.
133.
****Hellburner carries on the story begun in Heavy Time of Dek and Ben, talented pilot and 'numbers' guy, respectively. Ben has trained extensively and is about to land a cushy job on Earth when he is suddenly called to Dek's bedside on Sol 2. Ben is both enraged and horrified to find Dek back in a similar condition as before, and once again, he suspects foul play, and even though he's unwilling, he can't help becoming involved. Dek slowly recovers, but is placed under huge pressure to perform as the 'best' pilot to prove that the new class of fighter star ship is flightworthy and best operated by human, not computer reflex and strategy. A Lieutenant Graff in charge of Fleet Operations is a third strong POV - he has to keep the peace between the "UDC" - earth-based military and the Fleet - which is comprised more of 'Spacers' and 'Belters' with different allegiances -- Layers and layers of political and social complexities unfold as the story progresses - Cherryh never rushes through building up the details that, if you are patient, begin to draw you deeply into the story. ****
I'm appalled, really, Tiffin, by how quickly the time goes by. Good health to you, too.
185sibylline
What I am also going to do I think is write up my December stats and summary here, and put an abbreviated annual sort of summary at the beginning of 2013. This will take me a little while.......
186sibylline
December
121.✔#1 Iceworld Hal Clement sf
122. ✔#2 The Dreaming Place Charles de Lint YA fantasy
123. Through the Eye of a Needle Hal Clement sequel to Needlesf ****
124. ✔#3 Diamond Dogs, Turquoise Days Alastair Reynolds sf ****
125. ♬ Team of Rivals Doris Kearns Goodwin History (from library)
126. Merchanter's Luck C.J. Cherryh sf ****1/2
127. ✔#4Cycle of Fire Hal Clement sf ****
128. Letters From the Attic Betty Eddy Lidgerwood letters *****
129. ✔#5 The Sea, The Sea Iris Murdoch f ****1/2
130. ✔#6 The Blush Elizabeth Taylor ss ****
131. Heavy Time C.J. Cherryh sf ****
132. The Radleys Matt Haig f **** xmas book, 1 down....
133. Hellburner C.J. Cherryh sf ****
December Statistics
Total: 13
Men: 6
Women: 7
Virago: 1
Classic fiction: 1
SS: 1
SF: 7
Mys: 0
Humor:
Fantasy: 1
Vampire: 1
YA: 1
Non-Fiction: 1
History: 1
Letters: 1
New (to me) Authors: 4
Group Read: 1
From PBS: 3
Read right away: 7
Library: 1
Audio: 1
Off my shelf: 6
Months of NYers: 0
Ditched: 0
December Reflections
This month is characterized by a heavy concentration in hard science fiction - Hal Clement and C.J. Cherryh in particular. I also, I think, finished the last offering in Reynold's Revelation Space series. I can't really say why I'm so into this type of story at the moment, total escape maybe? Six TBR's, which seems to be about my usual amount. A delightful set of privately printed letters by the mother of a friend of ours - truly publishable in my view. I didn't quite reach my 'finishing up with Elizabeth Taylor' goal - I'm only half-way through the last book of short stories that I had around, but I'll get there this week. I finished my first Iris Murdoch - she's in the 'new to me' for that reason, even though, certainly I'd heard of her for most of my life. The vampire book was an excellent light read, not your usual vampire fare. No New Yorkers at all - what a disaster that is shaping up to be!!
December Acquisitions
1.The Beautiful Miscellaneous Dominic Smith
2.Conflict of Honors Sharon Lee Steve Millersf
3.The Speed of Dark Elizabeth Moonsf
4.On Basilisk Station David Webersf
5.Gossamer Axe Gael Baudino fantasy
6.The Road Home Rose Tremain f
7.Maiden Castle John Cowper Powys f
8.The Beautiful Mystery Louise Penny mys
9.When Women Were Birds Terry Tempest Williams essays
10.The Opposite of Fate Amy Tan
11.Refinements of Love Sarah Booth Conroy bio (of Clover Adams)
12.The Radleys Matt Haig f
13.The Life and Extraordinary Adventures of Ivan Chonkin Vladimir Voinovich
14.My Cleaner Maggie Gee
15.Morwyn: The Vengeance of God John Cowper Powys f
16.Every Love Story is a Ghost Story: A Life of David Foster Wallace D.T. Max bio
17.Travels in West Africa Mary H. Kingsley travel
18.Biblioholism: The Literary Addiction Tom Raabe
19.Team of Rivals Doris Kearns Goodwin bio
20.Mrs Woolf and the Servants Alison Light bio
21.Cro Magnon: How the Ice Age Gave birth to the First Modern Humans Brian Fagan
22.How to Live or A Life of Montaigne Sarah Bakewell
23.From Where We Stand: Recovering a Sense of Place Deborah Tall
24.Voltaire's Coconuts or Anglomania in Europe Ian Buruma
25.Heart and Blood: Living with Deer in America Richard Nelson
26.Status Anxiety Alain de Botton
27.Transition Ian M. Banks sf
28.The Map of Time Felix J. Palma
29.Are You My Mother? Alison Bechdel
30.The Reality Dysfunction: Emergence and Expansion Peter F. Hamilton
31.Marbles: Mania, Depression, Michelangelo, and Me Ellen Forney
32.The Wave Susan Casey
33.A Thousand Words For Stranger Julie Czerneda
34.Saltation Sharon Lee Steve Miller
35.A Madness of Angels Kate Griffin
36.Midnight Riot Ben Aaronovitch
37.The Atrocity Archives Charles Stross
38.Saturn's Children Charles Stross
39.Galore Michael Crummey
40.Beyond Sleep Willem Frederik Hermans
41.Revolution Jennifer Donnelly
42.Birthmarked Caragh O'Brien
43.The Maze Runner James Dashner
44.The Glacial Period Nicholas De Crecy
45.Werewolves of Montpellier Jason
46.Assholes: A theory Aaron James
47.America Again Stephen Colbert
48.The Onion Book of Known Knowledge
49.Bilbo's Last Song J.R.R. Tolkien (illustrations, Pauline Baynes, are what matters here)
50.Clover Adams: A Gilded and Heartbreaking Life Natlie Dykstra
51.When She Woke Hilary Jordan
52.A Dance to the Music of Time: 2nd Movement Anthony Powell At long last, now I have all four!!!!
53.The Hydrogen Sonata Iain M. Banks
54.The Garden in the Clouds Antony Woodward
55.The Night's Dawn: Book One Peter F. Hamilton
56.The Cloud Roads Martha Wells
57.The Underwater Welder Jeff Lemire
58. C.J. Cherryh Hammerfall
59. C.J. Cherryh Fortress of Eagles
60. C.J. Cherryh Foreigner
61. The Eleventh Commandment Lester Del Rey
62. Kingdom of the Cats Phyllis Gottlieb
63. Emperor, Swords, and Pentacles Phyllis Gottlieb
About half of these are books that I either gave my spouse or were given to him by others (my family is big on giving books.......) and a few are my daughter's that I hope to read, perhaps foolishly. About ten are books I bought used or got from PBS.... esp. the ones at the end of the list.
In December:
63 acquired
13 read
6 tbr
Totals for 2012:
171 acquired.
133 READ.
Down by 38
I should add that I don't catalogue every book that comes into the house -- things that my daughter or spousal unit buy that I know I'll never read I rarely put in here.
121.✔#1 Iceworld Hal Clement sf
122. ✔#2 The Dreaming Place Charles de Lint YA fantasy
123. Through the Eye of a Needle Hal Clement sequel to Needlesf ****
124. ✔#3 Diamond Dogs, Turquoise Days Alastair Reynolds sf ****
125. ♬ Team of Rivals Doris Kearns Goodwin History (from library)
126. Merchanter's Luck C.J. Cherryh sf ****1/2
127. ✔#4Cycle of Fire Hal Clement sf ****
128. Letters From the Attic Betty Eddy Lidgerwood letters *****
129. ✔#5 The Sea, The Sea Iris Murdoch f ****1/2
130. ✔#6 The Blush Elizabeth Taylor ss ****
131. Heavy Time C.J. Cherryh sf ****
132. The Radleys Matt Haig f **** xmas book, 1 down....
133. Hellburner C.J. Cherryh sf ****
December Statistics
Total: 13
Men: 6
Women: 7
Virago: 1
Classic fiction: 1
SS: 1
SF: 7
Mys: 0
Humor:
Fantasy: 1
Vampire: 1
YA: 1
Non-Fiction: 1
History: 1
Letters: 1
New (to me) Authors: 4
Group Read: 1
From PBS: 3
Read right away: 7
Library: 1
Audio: 1
Off my shelf: 6
Months of NYers: 0
Ditched: 0
December Reflections
This month is characterized by a heavy concentration in hard science fiction - Hal Clement and C.J. Cherryh in particular. I also, I think, finished the last offering in Reynold's Revelation Space series. I can't really say why I'm so into this type of story at the moment, total escape maybe? Six TBR's, which seems to be about my usual amount. A delightful set of privately printed letters by the mother of a friend of ours - truly publishable in my view. I didn't quite reach my 'finishing up with Elizabeth Taylor' goal - I'm only half-way through the last book of short stories that I had around, but I'll get there this week. I finished my first Iris Murdoch - she's in the 'new to me' for that reason, even though, certainly I'd heard of her for most of my life. The vampire book was an excellent light read, not your usual vampire fare. No New Yorkers at all - what a disaster that is shaping up to be!!
December Acquisitions
1.The Beautiful Miscellaneous Dominic Smith
2.Conflict of Honors Sharon Lee Steve Millersf
3.The Speed of Dark Elizabeth Moonsf
4.On Basilisk Station David Webersf
5.Gossamer Axe Gael Baudino fantasy
6.The Road Home Rose Tremain f
7.Maiden Castle John Cowper Powys f
8.The Beautiful Mystery Louise Penny mys
9.When Women Were Birds Terry Tempest Williams essays
10.The Opposite of Fate Amy Tan
11.Refinements of Love Sarah Booth Conroy bio (of Clover Adams)
12.The Radleys Matt Haig f
13.The Life and Extraordinary Adventures of Ivan Chonkin Vladimir Voinovich
14.My Cleaner Maggie Gee
15.Morwyn: The Vengeance of God John Cowper Powys f
16.Every Love Story is a Ghost Story: A Life of David Foster Wallace D.T. Max bio
17.Travels in West Africa Mary H. Kingsley travel
18.Biblioholism: The Literary Addiction Tom Raabe
19.Team of Rivals Doris Kearns Goodwin bio
20.Mrs Woolf and the Servants Alison Light bio
21.Cro Magnon: How the Ice Age Gave birth to the First Modern Humans Brian Fagan
22.How to Live or A Life of Montaigne Sarah Bakewell
23.From Where We Stand: Recovering a Sense of Place Deborah Tall
24.Voltaire's Coconuts or Anglomania in Europe Ian Buruma
25.Heart and Blood: Living with Deer in America Richard Nelson
26.Status Anxiety Alain de Botton
27.Transition Ian M. Banks sf
28.The Map of Time Felix J. Palma
29.Are You My Mother? Alison Bechdel
30.The Reality Dysfunction: Emergence and Expansion Peter F. Hamilton
31.Marbles: Mania, Depression, Michelangelo, and Me Ellen Forney
32.The Wave Susan Casey
33.A Thousand Words For Stranger Julie Czerneda
34.Saltation Sharon Lee Steve Miller
35.A Madness of Angels Kate Griffin
36.Midnight Riot Ben Aaronovitch
37.The Atrocity Archives Charles Stross
38.Saturn's Children Charles Stross
39.Galore Michael Crummey
40.Beyond Sleep Willem Frederik Hermans
41.Revolution Jennifer Donnelly
42.Birthmarked Caragh O'Brien
43.The Maze Runner James Dashner
44.The Glacial Period Nicholas De Crecy
45.Werewolves of Montpellier Jason
46.Assholes: A theory Aaron James
47.America Again Stephen Colbert
48.The Onion Book of Known Knowledge
49.Bilbo's Last Song J.R.R. Tolkien (illustrations, Pauline Baynes, are what matters here)
50.Clover Adams: A Gilded and Heartbreaking Life Natlie Dykstra
51.When She Woke Hilary Jordan
52.A Dance to the Music of Time: 2nd Movement Anthony Powell At long last, now I have all four!!!!
53.The Hydrogen Sonata Iain M. Banks
54.The Garden in the Clouds Antony Woodward
55.The Night's Dawn: Book One Peter F. Hamilton
56.The Cloud Roads Martha Wells
57.The Underwater Welder Jeff Lemire
58. C.J. Cherryh Hammerfall
59. C.J. Cherryh Fortress of Eagles
60. C.J. Cherryh Foreigner
61. The Eleventh Commandment Lester Del Rey
62. Kingdom of the Cats Phyllis Gottlieb
63. Emperor, Swords, and Pentacles Phyllis Gottlieb
About half of these are books that I either gave my spouse or were given to him by others (my family is big on giving books.......) and a few are my daughter's that I hope to read, perhaps foolishly. About ten are books I bought used or got from PBS.... esp. the ones at the end of the list.
In December:
63 acquired
13 read
6 tbr
Totals for 2012:
171 acquired.
133 READ.
Down by 38
I should add that I don't catalogue every book that comes into the house -- things that my daughter or spousal unit buy that I know I'll never read I rarely put in here.
187sibylline
Best of 2012....
January
✔The Name of the Wind Patrick Rothfuss fantasy *****
✔She Drove Without Stopping Jaimy Gordon contemp fiction ****1/2
February:
The Chanur series: C.J.Cherryh ****1/2 scifi
March:
✔Packing For Mars Mary Roach science *****
♬Life Keith Richards memoir *****
April
✔Infinite Jest David Foster Wallace contemp fiction *****
May
James Tiptree, Jr: The Double Life of Alice B. Sheldon Julie Phillipsbio *****
✔The Call Yannick Murphy ***** (See May Commentary)
June
✔The Rings of Saturn W.G. Sebald ***** somewhere between F and NF
✔Among Others Jo Walton*****fantasy
July
✔✔✔The Castings Trilogy Pamela Freeman****1/2 Fantasy
The Great Age of British Watercolour: 1750-1880 Andrew Wilton***** NF - art.
August
The Sound of a Wild Snail Eating Elisabeth Tova Bailey nf ****1/2 NF
Keeping it Real Justina Robson sf/fantasy blend
September
Round Mountain Castle Freeman ss *****
Yoga For People Who Can't Be Bothered To Do It Geoff Dyer travel/memoir *****
October
✔Island of Vice Richard Zacks ****1/2
✔The Wedding Group Elizabeth Taylor ****
November
♬ ✔The Broom of the System David Foster Wallace f ****1/2
✔ Downbelow Station C.J. Cherryh sf ****
December
♬ Team of Rivals Doris Kearns Goodwin History ****1/2
✔ The Sea, The Sea Iris Murdoch f ****1/2
For pure fun:
The Radleys Matt Haig
What is still left to do is looking over and totting up some reading concentrations and maybe some kind of overall reflection for 2012, but that will probably go in my 2013 somewhere.....
January
✔The Name of the Wind Patrick Rothfuss fantasy *****
✔She Drove Without Stopping Jaimy Gordon contemp fiction ****1/2
February:
The Chanur series: C.J.Cherryh ****1/2 scifi
March:
✔Packing For Mars Mary Roach science *****
♬Life Keith Richards memoir *****
April
✔Infinite Jest David Foster Wallace contemp fiction *****
May
James Tiptree, Jr: The Double Life of Alice B. Sheldon Julie Phillipsbio *****
✔The Call Yannick Murphy ***** (See May Commentary)
June
✔The Rings of Saturn W.G. Sebald ***** somewhere between F and NF
✔Among Others Jo Walton*****fantasy
July
✔✔✔The Castings Trilogy Pamela Freeman****1/2 Fantasy
The Great Age of British Watercolour: 1750-1880 Andrew Wilton***** NF - art.
August
The Sound of a Wild Snail Eating Elisabeth Tova Bailey nf ****1/2 NF
Keeping it Real Justina Robson sf/fantasy blend
September
Round Mountain Castle Freeman ss *****
Yoga For People Who Can't Be Bothered To Do It Geoff Dyer travel/memoir *****
October
✔Island of Vice Richard Zacks ****1/2
✔The Wedding Group Elizabeth Taylor ****
November
♬ ✔The Broom of the System David Foster Wallace f ****1/2
✔ Downbelow Station C.J. Cherryh sf ****
December
♬ Team of Rivals Doris Kearns Goodwin History ****1/2
✔ The Sea, The Sea Iris Murdoch f ****1/2
For pure fun:
The Radleys Matt Haig
What is still left to do is looking over and totting up some reading concentrations and maybe some kind of overall reflection for 2012, but that will probably go in my 2013 somewhere.....
188ronincats
Won't it, though! I spent quite a while last night on it (NOT having family to entertain and enjoy), and have posted my stats and summary but only put up a shell of a new thread so far. Have fun, and another Happy New Year to you and yours!
189gennyt
Well done for getting so much of your year-end stuff done already! I've still barely begun mine, and I don't have a houseful of guests (though I do have a chestful of phlegm, I guess!).
Looking forward to the final reflections, and I'll keep an eye on this thread until you get a chance to start your 2013 one. I've set one up, but it's an empty shell bar the opening photo so far...
Looking forward to the final reflections, and I'll keep an eye on this thread until you get a chance to start your 2013 one. I've set one up, but it's an empty shell bar the opening photo so far...
190sibylline
I'm still struggling over the year-end stuff - I'm 'counting' on the fact that it will be worth it when I finish - to see what I really was reading and not reading and so on. Even what I have done so far has been interesting - such as months when I read no sf at all, or almost no fiction or whatever, or, as in the case of one month, only 5 books at all.
But I think I will go and make a proper 2013 thread anyway...... although it will be rather bare for the time being.
But I think I will go and make a proper 2013 thread anyway...... although it will be rather bare for the time being.
