fmgee's 2014 reading

I like having a place to list the books I have read and see what others are reading so that I can add even more books to the pile I hope to read. I have not tried Club Read before. In the past I have planned my reading. However, that never works as everything piles up at the end of the year and I don't get to it because I just found something new that I happened to open in the bookstore and have not finished with it.

This year there will be no planning. Just reading.

Book 1: The Duchess of Bloomsbury Street by Helene Hanff.

I have never heard of 84 Charring Cross Road when I picked it up in a used bookstore for $2 late last year. By the end of the day I had read it and fallen in love with it. I recommend it to everyone. I don't like to give too much away but lets just say that it is a book of letters over a long period of time between a New York writer and a bookseller in London. Helene Hanff (the writer) is funny, thoughtful and real. If you ever need to rekindle your love of books, reading or indeed people that is a good place to start.

The Duchess of Bloomsbury Street is the sequel to 84 Charring Cross Road. This time it is a diary format. It was wonderful to spend time inside the head of Ms Hanff again but the book did not quite have the as much charm as the first one. Still it gets an easy 4 stars from me and I plan on tracking down Q's Legacy at some time in the future.

Book 2: The Return of the King by JRR Tolkien

I have not read the Lord of the Rings in more then a decade. I started to read an old copy I had during a camping trip last year. On getting home I decided to upgrade to a used hardcover set illustrated by Alan Lee. Since then I have slowly been reading a page here and there mostly in front of the fire at night when the house is finally quite. I have always loved the story but I got so much more out of it this time. Just slowing down and enjoying the experience. I even read most (okay not all) of the appendices which have snippets of what happens in the future.

I was sorry to put the last book down and almost want to start from the beginning again. However, I have a few other Tolkien books the might take its place. That and I need to be sure to not wait as long before I pick up the series and read it again (an easy 5 stars)

I've enjoyed your thread in other groups before (you've done the category challenge in the past, right?) and I'm glad to see you in Club Read!

I have 84 Charing Cross Road in my soon-to-be-read pile so I'm glad to know you loved it as so many other LTers have. And I also love the Lord of the Rings series even though they are very different books than I normally read. I'm not sure I could read it slowly though - it's such a page turner!

Yes I have done the category challenge before but never managed to stick with what I plan. Club Read should be just the place for me.

Enjoying 84 Charing Cross road.

Book 3: Anne of Green Gables by L. M. Montgomery

I grew up with my elder sister watching this movie repeatedly. I liked the movie (although not as much as she did) but somehow I never thought I would read the book. Just after Christmas I came across the Puffin hardcover set of 8 classic children's books when all hardcovers were on sale by 30%. The boxed set was already a good deal but the discount pushed me over the edge. I liked the look and feel of the books so much I had to have them. Oddly the first book I picked up was this one and what a treat it was. Not at all the same as the movie I enjoyed getting to know the characters as they appear in the book and I certainly have developed a soft spot for Marilla. Also some of the language was fun. It is not often you get to read lines like '... gird up their loins for the fray' (4 stars)

Anne of Green Gables is my one of my sentimental favourite books. I reread the series often. If you feel like pursuing more of Montgomery's writing, there are seven or eight more "Anne" novels, plus the Emily of New Moon trilogy and several other stand-alone novels. They are all fantastic, but Anne is the best. Glad you enjoyed it!

This is good inspiration. I should read Anna too sometime, just because I'm curious.

By the way - I like your idea of reading slower, that you posted in the introduce yourself thread.

7: Cait86: I am not sure that I will read more Anne books but there is a chance that I would read more Montgomery. My wife found an early edition of Kilmeny of the Orchard which was a favourite of hers when she was you. I would like to give that a try.

dchaikin: I find that reading slower only works sometimes. Certain books and I am back to my old self!

Book 4: Voices by Arnaldur Indridason

So I did not manage to slow down my reading for this one... I actually had trouble putting it down.

This is the third book in the Icelandic mystery series centred around a detective (Erlandur) and his team. I thought the first two books in the series were fine but not great. This one seemed to flow a little better and was not as predictable. Basically a murder, mysterious past, and lots of slightly dodgy characters this books is like many in the genre with "fancy hotel in Reykjaik right before Christmas" setting the scene.

Book 5: The Draining Lake by Arnaldur Indradason

I could not help but pick up the next book in the series after finishing Voices as I was starting to enjoy the slow back story that comes with all of these series. The story itself this time was a but of a disappointment but still a fast enjoyable read.

I was not that impressed with the cover of the book as I had to hide is from my daughter who gets scared of pretty much anything. I am currently reading about fart powder which is far more kid friendly!

Doctor Proctor? We loved those books!

Oh, and I was reading Queenpin with this cover



on a busy weekend in which my son had a basketball game and my daughter a music evaluation. I got several looks at the YMCA and ending up bringing another book to the fundamentalist college where the music evaluation was being held.

Ridgeway Girl: Yes I just finished the first of the Doctor Proctor books. The cover of Queenpin is wonderful and sure to turn some heads. I can see why you had to be careful where you carried it.

hmm behind already... too busy reading I guess.



Book 6: Doctor Proctor's Fart Powder by Jo Nesbo

Well now the title really says it all. A very silly kids book that was a ton of fun to read. It is so over the top you cannot help but like it and it lead to some lively discussions with my kids about anatomy and what the body and and cannot do (3 stars)



Book 7: CloudStreet by Tim Winton

This is a book I have been meaning to read for a while. I found it both good and disappointing. Winton has an amazing way with words and can describe Australians really well using their own language. The book is characteristic of a few other Australian classics. The great "aussie battlers" having a tough time making a living with strong women and useless men who at least lighten the spirit of the down trodden from time to time. Cloudstreet adds an odd mystic side to this theme which I did not like at all and really took away from the great parts of the book (3.5 stars)



Book 8: The Man Who Smiled by Hennig Mankell

A wonderful hard to put down swedish mystery. They really are all the same and they totally break my attempts at reading slower. This is the fourth in the Kurt Wallander series and I found it one of the better ones (3.5 stars)



Book 9: Still Life by Louise Penny

It seems everyone I bump into tells me I have to read the Louise Penny mysteries so I finally managed to track down a copy of the first one. I have been reading a lot of mystery books in the last few years and while very few of them are really good books the best ones do a good job and getting your attention and holding it. There was something about Gamache that seemed to be a mix of Agatha Christie' Poirot and P.D. James's Adam Dalgliesh. I could not completely immerse myself in the book as something was missing. (3 stars).

Just catching up on your thread. I loved the Kurt Wallender series. I keep seeing Kenneth Branagh as Wallender. Have you seen any of the series on Masterpiece Mystery?

I keep seeing mentions of Dr. Proctor's Fart Powder and that's a book I definitely need to remember for my sons when they get a little older!

>15 fmgee: I've tried a couple of Louise Penny's books and just don't see what the rave is all about. There is just something unpleasant about them that doesn't go down well.

16: I only just found out recently that the books had been turned into a TV series. It has been years since I have seen Kenneth Branagh in anything... I am not sure what I think of him as Wallander. I might have to see if my library has any DVD's and find out.

17: Dr Proctor was a big hit in this household. It is very very silly but that was part of the fun.

18: VivienneR, I am glad I am not the only one. There seemed to be something missing. I imagine I will try another one but I do not think I will put it really high on my list.

>19 fmgee: I've only seen a couple of the Wallander series with Kenneth Branagh and I really liked them. They inspired me to pick up a couple of the books anyway. I thought Branagh was a good choice for the part.

Regarding Louise Penny, we are not the only two who find her less than satisfying. It seems readers are polarized.

Book 10: In Our Time by Ernest Hemingway

This is Hemingway's first book, a collection of short stories that I have read slowly over a number of months. It was published just before The Sun Also Rises a books I really enjoyed. This on the other hand just did not work for me. Hemingway's typical short sentence structure seemed repetitive here and did not have enough time in any one story to build into anything. It seemed stilted (2.5 stars). I do look forward to reading more of his novels in the future.

From Doctor Proctor's Fart Powder to Hemmingway, quite a range.

I'm going to see if my library has Doctor Proctor. I'm curious how old your kids are and wondering what age might like the book. My kids are 6 & 9.

Daniel, they would be about the right age -- mine were a bit older, but the books are not difficult. There are bullies and farting (a lot of that) and the adults are quite a bit stupider than the two children. But the books are humorous and I learned a bit about Norway.

Thanks! Worth a try. My library has three from the series, all requested.

Daniel, my kids are the same age as yours. Everything is quite light in the book even with talk of prisons. Silliness is the key.

Book 11: The Power and the Glory by Graham Greene

This is my second Greene novel. I am not sure he smiled much. His books are a little heavy!

Centered around an unnamed priest during the time of persecution against the catholic church in Mexico there really are no happy characters in this book. Bleak lives and a bleak landscape are everywhere here. When I think of it that way I wonder why it is that I liked it? Greene has a wonderful use of language. In very few words he can set up a very emotional or thought provoking moment. I don't think I could ever pick up two of his books back to back but I will continue to explore his other work (3.5 stars).

Nice little review of The Power and the Glory Too much Greene can make you a catholic. Good not to read them back to back, but like you I admire his wonderful use of language and he can be funny when he wants to be.

Too much Greene can make you a catholic. Too true, too funny.

I think The Power and the Glory is one of his absolute best. Keep it up fm!

27 & 28: It is not Greene's happy go lucky view of things that keeps me coming back but I think it is worth it.

Book 12: The Dead in their vaulted arches by Alan Bradley

I was starting to get a little sick of the little Flavia and her pesky perfection and did not even know if I would read this books once my name finally came up for a library copy. Oddly I found a used copy at my local used store that only sells books people have given away and hence are usually a number of years old. Am I ever glad I bought it. This book is set only a week after the last books ends and it really takes the whole story to another level. It really was a pleasure (4.5 stars)

Book 13: Bel Canto by Ann Patchett

I cannot say too much about this as there is a group read going on. I went into it knowing nothing and was a little tentative at the beginning as I learned the theme. However, it had been recommended to me from a rather sensitive person so I knew it should be okay. What a remarkable book. I would cut out the epilogue but other wise... wow (4.5 stars)

I loved Bel Canto too, although I didn't expect to and had to be convinced to read it by a friend of mine.

Book 14: The Dinner by Herman Koch.

When I picked this up I did not know much about it apart from the fact that everyone seems to be reading it. I have never read a book like this that just gets more and more intense. At no point in the book did I predict what was coming next. It was a pleasure to read. (4 stars)

Glad to hear you enjoyed The Dinner. It's on my list already so your post is a good reminder for me to pick it up. Strangely, it's the cover that puts me off.

Book 15: Dead Cold also called A Fatal Grace by Louise Penny

Never tell people you don't like a book when it is part of a series... they just tell you they get better. For The Armand Gamache mystery series I have been told it all gets better at book 3 or 4 (depending on the person) but that there are enough references to earlier books it is best to read them. So since I had a copy of the second book I decided to give it a try. I have to admit it was better than the first. I did find it odd that it was set in the same small village but at least I knew most of the characters already. I think I'll wait for book three to stumble into my hands but when it does I will be willing to read it (3.5 stars)

34: Vivienne: It is odd but I never really thought about the cover. It is a little strange but it is worth overcoming it.

>36 fmgee: Good, I'll try to ignore the cover :)

>35 fmgee: My policy is to give up on a series when I find one of to be a dud. I learned that from experience.

hmm wondering if this will work..

Interesting stats on how much (on average) people from parts of the world read each week. I imagine people on library thing are pulling the average well up. I also question the data (but I am a scientist so I question all data)


Here is the source
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Bhk5M_GIAAEYK_f.jpg:large

Amazing that UK and USA are so low down the list.

>38 fmgee: Surprising. Scientist or not, that data asks to be questioned.

I wonder how they got the data for that map . . .

I wonder what kind of reading counts - is it just reading for pleasure? School texts? Internet browsing?

"The data comes from the World Culture Score Index from a survey of 30,000 people worldwide. Americans were 23rd in reading books, sixth in watching TV, and 19th in using the Internet for non-work purposes.

Since the survey was taken in late 2004 and early 2005, it would be interesting to see if, and how, any of those measures changed."

http://articles.latimes.com/2013/jul/02/entertainment/la-et-jc-hours-reading-boo...

The data seems indeed very questionable. 30,000 people worldwide is not too many people. And did they just figure "Well, I think I'm reading 5 hours a week" or was there some kind of long-time survey?
I was intrigued by the question but then again I distrust the results...

Only 30000 people across 30 countries is not much of a survey. Still interesting to ponder.

Book 16: The Orenda by Joseph Boyden

Wow. This is not an easy book to read. Violence and torture is spread throughout the book and it does not hold anything back. It reminded me somewhat of The Secret River but with that book most of the difficult reading was in one section only. Told for the perspective of three people, a Jesuit Missionary, a Huron warrior and his adopted Iroquois daughter it is a very powerful read. I think it could have been better if the knowledge and caring of the Huron people came through as much as the brutality. Perhaps an early convert could have given some more perspective.

I thoroughly recommend this book but not to the faint of heart (4.5 stars)

Short Story= The Balkan Escape by Steve Berry

I have to admit that I have been anti ereader for a long time. But like a lot of other technology I usually come around. I used some birthday cash to get my first ereader a month ago and I am enjoying the much shorter hold queues at the library. I thought another added bonus would be to read the ebook only released short stories such as the one above. While that is probably true it was not the case with this one. I like Steve Berry's books, I would call them "fun fluff". This short story was a disappointment with a very dull ending (2.5 stars)

Book 17: A Game of Thrones by George Martin

I have not seen anything of this show on the television or anywhere else. I had also not been that exposed to talk about the book but it was available at the library for my new ereader so I thought hey lets give it a go.

I have read a lot of similar books in my youth. I liked how I was not able to predict what was going to happen and generally enjoyed the experience. I don't like the comparison to Tolkien as I think the Lord of the Rings has a lot more depth. Still I had a good time and will likely read the next book in the series (especially because there was not really an ending to the first one and I kind of want to know what happens) (4 stars).

Congratulations on getting an e-reader. I've had an iPad for a while but it seems my first choice for reading is always print. I'll look forward to reports on how your e-reading goes.

49: Vivienne I am getting a little hooked to the ereader. The size is nice and I can balance it on my knee while eating without having to bend the pages in a way I feel bad about. There is no way I am giving up on paper but this is a nice addition.

Book 18: When is a Man by Aaron Shepard

I bumped into this book on my local library ebook home page as it was the latest one added to the site. I probably had a closer look as most of the other books just added looks like really bad mass market romance novels.

Paul is in his 30's and a long time post graduate student in Vancouver. Recovering from a very early case of prostate cancer and a loss of enthusiasm for his research Paul heads into the interior of BC for some isolation and to work at tagging fish as they head up a creek to spawn. Paul's past experiences, physical and emotional recovery and research interest in ethnography slowly come together in this fictional setting. Gritty and upfront I really enjoyed the way this novel evolved and the issues it was willing to face. (4 stars)

a little behind again...



Book 19: The Lightening Thief by Rick Riordan

A kids book mixing Greek myth with modern times. I hope my daughter reads it soon so we can chat about it. I found it really enjoyable (4 stars)



Book 20: Murder at the Vicarage by Agatha Christie

The first Miss Marple... it was okay but Poirot is more my style (3 stars)



Book 21: The Litigators by John Grisham.

Typical Grisham. "light and fluffy" and good for reading all day long (3 stars)



Book 22: The Devils Elixir by Raymond Khoury

This series dragged on a little too far I think. Some interesting themes in the book but none of them were realyl explored very well (not that I thought they would be) (2.5 stars)

Catching up from an embarrassing long time ago. I wanted to tell you that you have made The Orenda (>46 fmgee:) sound very appealing. (And that scene in The Secret River is rough. )

53: It is odd when you have a book like the Orenda. It was a fabulous book that I recommend to very few people. That is where Librarything is wonderful as you can recommend it with a caution and it may make someone pick it up.

"It was a fabulous book that I recommend to very few people. That is where Librarything is wonderful..."

How true. And I'm thinking most of the good books I read fall in that category...and then I'm thinking I'm necessarily unique in that here...

Ahh behind again but I am totally fine with that.

Book 23: Sea of Monsters by Rick Riordan

Books 24: A Clash of Kings by G.R.R. Martin

Book 25: Ru by Kim Thuy

A very interesting style to this book. I really liked the snippets. It was like a door opening so you could see a scene and then closing again. It would open and the scene would have changed but was connected to the last one.

I am wondering if I have missed something... that is the bad part about not staying on top of my reading. If I remember I'll add it. The Songs of Fire and Ice series is a nice get away and I keep borrowing the first 4 books as a set from the library on my ereader. I am somewhere in the third.

Behind? ... who me? Of course. I have done some good reading though with a nice bit of diversity. Some good, some bad and one great book.

A Storm of Swords by GRR Martin
Adventures in Solitude by David Grayson
The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion (loved it)
Dead Souls by Gogol (both good and bad here but I don't think it will stick with me like some other classics I have read recently
The Silkworm by Robert Galbraith
North Of Normal by Cea Sunrise Pearson
The Luminaries by Eleanor Catton (After a few pages I thought this was going to be a tough slog but I fell in love with this book. It was really wonderful.
The 100 year old man by Jonas Jonasson (what is all the fuss about? I really did not like it)
The Year of the Flood by Margaret Atwood (dragged on way to much for me. It got better in the end. I am part way into Maddaddam now and really enjoying that one)
The Stranger: A novel and The Stonecutter by Camilla Lackberg
Woman from the Country by D'Arcy Niland (great to read another book by this author. Some great Australian content).
The Twits by Roald Dahl (just finished reading this to my kids which they thoroughly enjoyed)

Up to date? Maybe

Quite a mixture