BookMarc's Stab at 75 Books

Hello, everyone. I'm new to the 75ers this year. My name is Marcus and my sister clued me in to the group and it's challenges. I'm still a bit nebulous when it comes to deciding what sort of books I want to read this year, but I figure I'll figure it out. Wish me luck!

Books Read in 2015:

January:
1. 84, Charing Cross Road by Helene Hanff

February:
1. Naked by David Sedaris
2. The Glance: Songs of Soul-Meeting by Rumi/Translated by Coleman Barks

March:
1. How to Survive a Sharknado by Andrew Shaffer

Luck!

Seriously, no need to be nervous. No matter what you read, I guarantee you'll find a friend here.

>1 BookMarc: Welcome to the fun, brosef!

Welcome to the group, Marcus!

Hello Marcus, welcome to the 75 Group I hope that have an enjoyable time choosing books to read for 2015.

Read your introduction on another thread. Love your job title! Can't wait to see what you read.

Welcome to the challenge Marcus! This is a really talkative, friendly and fun group so don't worry too much and dive right in! :)

>7 craftyfox: I second that statement! Marcus, Celebration Specialist is an awesome job title... I would totally go out of my way just to tell people that I'm a Celebration Specialist... yep it's what I do :) POW! BAM! what? ... don't mind me

Welcome, Marcus. This is a gregarious group and there's nothing we all like better than seeing what others are reading, adding our 2 cents in a discussion. At times our discussions go off tangent and we end up talking about luncheon meat. :-)

Pastrami all the way.

So I've been thinking about challenges I could add to the 75 books and I think I might add that I need to read at least 12 books that I would not want to be seen in public with. Preferably one for each month. Any thoughts or any challenges you nice people might be doing for inspiration?

BookMarc:How about 50 Shades of Grey, unless of course your into that kind of thing, I know its definitely not my cup of tea.

12 books that I would not want to be seen in public with. Now there's prompt guaranteed to stimulate conversation, and tell a lot about people in a very short time! I'd choose Going Rogue by Sarah Palin. Although that means you'd have to read it, and I don't really mean that.

Welcome to the group...the fun is just beginning!

Welcome to the group!

Hi Marie's brother!

Marie sent me. Hi! *excessive waving*

Happy New Years! Let's see... knowing you... anything Harlequin Romance-y would probably make your list, but I can't imagine you reading 12 romance books in a year. It's going to be tough picking books that you don't want to be seen in public with that you actually would enjoy reading. :P

Hi, Marcus! Welcome to the group!

Hi Marcus, welcome to our merry group of readers. If you're looking for challenges you might want to look into the Take it or Leave it monthly challenge. So much fun.

(I'm on my iPad so can't easily get the URL right now.)

Hi everyone and Happy New Years! So I have a question. When I want to reply to a specific message, how do I go about doing that. If it's just a matter of 'this page will show you how to format that' I'd really appreciate it.

I dub my self appointed challenge the Brown Bag Book challenge. For the sort of book you would cover the title with a brown paper bag. That and because I'm a Celebration Specialist and I deal with a lot of booze in brown paper bags. I think for the first book of the challenge I'm going to have to hit the library since I don't really have anything that I wouldn't want to be caught reading.

I'll see if I can find that Take it or Leave it challenge thing. Thanks for the imput, Auntieclio!

>20 BookMarc: Marcus, to reply to a specific message do this: >message number

The January TIOLI challenge is here: http://www.librarything.com/topic/185086

I love your idea of the Brown Book Challenge :-)

Marc try this thread for How to do cool stuff in your threads

>20 BookMarc: Yay for trips to the library! Another great way to read Brown Bag books is ereading. It's how I often pick up romance titles whose covers would get me judgy looks on the bus. :)

>22 lovelyluck: Thank you for the link! Let's see how badly I butcher my first attempts at formatting. Yay edit button.

>23 MickyFine: That's also a good idea. My tablet has got pretty lousy battery life but that's definitely something I can look into. Though it lacks that sleazy speakeasy vibe of hiding it in a brown paper bag.

Marc, what kind of books do you typically enjoy reading? Genres or time periods?

Marie's brother, huh?

Welcome to the group Marcus. Pleased to see you here - not nearly enough of us guys around the 75ers.

>24 BookMarc: Look at you figuring out LT. I'm so proud!

>25 ronincats: I claim him, even if he doesn't claim me. :)

What book are you reading right now? Is it perhaps one of the books I gave you for Christmas? Eh, eh?

>25 ronincats: Yup. She's my sister. There are many sisters (I have several in fact) out there but this one is mine.

>26 PaulCranswick: Thank you for the welcome! I appreciate it.

>27 rosylibrarian: I'm cracking open 84, Charing Cross Road by Helene Hanff. Today is my first day off of the New Year!

>28 BookMarc: Hooray for days off! I hope you enjoy the Hanff book. I found it quite lovely. I'm going to get crackin' on a poetry book when I pull myself off of LT.

Hello, Marie's brother! *waves*

I don't know of any book lover who has read 84, Charing Cross who hasn't loved it.

Welcome to the group Marcus!

Hello Marcus welcome to the group and happy reading!

Finished my first book of the year. Work has been short staffed so I've been putting in overtime to help cover it. A slightly better paycheck certainly didn't hurt. It just cuts into my reading time.

84, Charing Cross Road - 3.5-4 stars.

I suppose I'll start here and say that I'm a stickler when it comes to ratings. I've only read a few books that earned a 5 star and if I were to go back I might disagree with that as I become more myself.

I adored this book. I laughed at Hanff's wit; I ached for the books she admired with such lofty terms, eye for detail, and vivid descriptions; and I fell for the people she wrote to at the store. I wondered where did those individuals she had correspondence slip off to and it made me smile when she asked after them. I liked learning about Mr. Doel's family and it was fun to see him gradually unwind in their writing back and forth.

I've had the opportunity to travel in my lifetime. I'm keen on the notion of going to other places someday. I've made friends through the internet that I've become very close with and that have influenced me and my decisions over the years. In 2014, I finally got to meet some of my dearest friends in person for the first time. I managed two trips up to see them. I admit that I was concerned it would be weird (especially considering that I didn't actually have a picture of them prior to meeting them in person for the first time. It continues to baffle me that I managed to pick them out of the crowd). This book brings into sharp focus those long-distance relationships and how they've matured over the years. I wonder if Ms. Hanff cherished those relationships with her long distance, book selling friends as much as I cherish my long distance friendships.

>33 BookMarc: Lovely review and I'm so glad you loved the book - though I'm not surprised!

>33 BookMarc: I think part of the reason that book appeals to so many here on LT is that we understand exactly what Hanff was doing...long-distance friendships founded on bookishness, with people we rarely, if ever, will meet in person...uh huh...we get that!

>33 BookMarc: >35 laytonwoman3rd: Great review, and yes, Linda, I think you said it perfectly. :)

What's up next, Marcus?

Welcome, Marc! Love the username :)
For me, I'd rather not be seen reading a book with a cover image of a political or public figure who vocally advocates for something I find abhorrent. I would feel a need to explain the tacit approval to strangers, but more especially to friends who saw me!

*knock, knock*

I know it's not aimed at me but I so desperately want to say, "Who's there?"

Isabelle.

Isabelle who?

Isabelle working or should I keep knocking?

>40 Morphidae: Ha, I love it, especially because that is my middle name!

*snork!*

>42 Morphidae: I admit. I laughed.

So...Hi! I've been really bad about poking back in here. I haven't had a chance to read much lately. And without having consumed another book I feel it impertinent to return to this vestibule of literary excellence. I cracked open Naked by David Sedaris which so far has been a trip. That might also be partially the fault of my lack of sleep. I had to go into work today at the cheerful hour of 4am. Early morning Celebration Specialing. What do you mean Specialing isn't a word? Would it be a gerand? Hm.

So what happens if the 75 book challenge isn't completed. Does it involve tar and feathers? I'm fairly certain Rosylibrarian might disown me.

>45 BookMarc: If we all only posted when we had finished a book, this group would be a much quieter place...

>45 BookMarc: So what happens if the 75 book challenge isn't completed Noo....we just make you keep reading. It's awful.

Dude, half the traffic on my thread is people talking about good looking men and TV (sometimes both at the same time). :P Pop in whenever you feel like it and talk about whatever you like. Books are just one of the topics for conversation.

>45 BookMarc: I won't disown you... I do reserve the right to make fun of you though. So yeah, nothing would change. :P

>48 MickyFine: I hadn't starred your thread yet, but I have now! ;)

>50 kgriffith: Glad to have you any time, Kirsten. :)

*blows the dust off of his thread, gets some cleaning supplies handy and sets to tidying up*

So I have something of a confession. I'm a sucker for fan fiction. I like reading fan fiction because it takes things I'm already somewhat familiar with and plays with them. There's less time spent on learning the basis of the characters and the original story and more time on tinkering with the pieces and contrasting them. I read all of the time but very little of it is actually books that I can point to for the purposes of my challenge. Which is sad. I'd read stories over over 100k words that I really enjoyed but that time investment doesn't count here. Do any of you read fanfiction? Have any of you tried your hand at writing it?

Anyway I finally finished Naked by David Sedaris. Here's my thoughts.

"Naked" -David Sedaris -- Two stars.

I struggled with this book. At times it was because the topics that came up with his life were well and truly gut punches. He was fully capable of portraying the full gamut of human behavior from the most pleasant of people, to the people you smile and nod and think of ways to escape from, and the downright awful individuals. At times I struggled with this book because I'd get irritated with the way the author presents himself. For lack of better phrasing, I felt like whatever self examination that went into the memoir was entirely too smug and proud of his wit.

I will say that I am genuinely envious of just how...honest Sedaris wrote people. They are flawed creatures and border on characters. His own understanding of them is limited and at times the sudden reveal of who they actually were was fascinating to watch if only because it brought some clarity to Sedaris as it was revealed to us. I will say my absolute favorite character throughout the book was his mother.

>52 BookMarc: Welcome back!

I do not generally read fan-fiction. I used to in elementary/middle school when I was really into writing. The two sort of went hand in hand for me. I am not ashamed to say it was all about Sailor Moon!

Well, you gave it a good shot with Sedaris. I'm sorry you didn't like him. I have to say, he's best "read" in audio format because it is his tone of voice that really makes his writing so....Sedaris.

Whatcha readin next?

>53 rosylibrarian: My next book, which is totally meant to be a palate cleanser and something I'm going to finish today. The Glance: Songs of Soul-Meeting written by Rumi, translated by Coleman Barks. It's something I've read before, but it's a nice little collection that I'm fond of.

After that? I'm not entirely sure. I've got a stack of books I picked up at the bookstore last time I visited and one last Christmas present to read.

>52 BookMarc: I read those free sample books from barnes and noble that have like 5 chapters of 6 different books in them one October.... and counted it as three books.... why can't you count fan-fiction you are reading... even if not professionally published it's someones work and if you enjoyed it all the better.... I would totally count it.... and if you liked it enough you could always provide a link for others who enjoy fanfiction

BTW you missed the cobweb over there in the corner

>52 BookMarc: Though I don't really read fanfiction myself, I don't see why you couldn't/shouldn't count it towards your overall reading. After all, books like Fifty Shades and An Assembly Such as This (a retelling of Pride and Prejudice from Darcy's pov) started out as fanfic, they just happen to be published.

I, too, have tried David Sedaris and don't particularly care for him. Humor is tough to hit right, I think.

I'm told he is great in audio book format. I've yet to try that route. I've never really attempted to go the audio book route.

So I glossed through The Glance: Songs of Soul-Meeting and revisited the poems I knew I liked. It's kind of nice to go back to things like that from time to time and see how you handle poetry at different points in your life. Sometimes they make a bit more or less sense as you move through different trials.

As for my next book, I'm going to start How to Survive a Sharknado by Andrew Shaffer.

Oh, that next one sounds good! :)

I tried Sedaris on audio book a couple of times. His voice grates on me. Perhaps he's not for all tastes.

Finished up How to Survive a Sharknado by Andrew Shaffer. Thoughts!

How to Survive a Sharknado and Other Unnatural Disasters: Fight Back When Monsters and Mother Nature Attack - 2.5 stars.

I think if I had read this in chunks instead of blitzing it one night I might have enjoyed this particular book more. It basically categorizes numerous disasters, how you can survive them, and a bit of background on that disaster. This includes When the Earth is Pissed at You and Monsters of the Land and Sea. The disasters and monsters themselves are pretty funny and I chuckled a fair bit, but the threats started to blend together near the end.

Edit: Worth mentioning. The illustrations of the various calamities were really really well done.

I will say that this particular book makes me wish I had a chainsaw and a good set of boots.

Onto the next. Though I'm not sure what book that'll be yet.

>60 BookMarc: So........how would one survive a "sharknado"?

Finished The Guernsey Literary And Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Schaffer this morning. I have to go to work in a scant few hours which tends to mean I pull an all nighter before working the truck. It's a rough schedule. But that's not all that interesting. The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society however is.

The Guernsey Literary And Potato Peel Pie Society - 4 stars.

This book makes me wish people still wrote letters. And used other non-instantaneous forms of communication. And it makes me absolutely curious as to how much more slowly the world must have moved if correspondence could take weeks at a time to get sent. How did businesses work? You need something but it'd be a bare minimum of several weeks before it could possibly show up? Curious minds wish to know.

I also want to know how to pronounce Guernsey.

This book was charming. I worry about epistolary works being easy to lose track of who is who and I admit it took me a good ten pages before I'd managed to get the characters straight. But what characters they were. I grew fond of them, their quirks, their heartbreaks, their triumphs. I love that you can pick up pieces about the characters by looking over their letters and maybe, just maybe it says something that they are willing to write letters.

This was just a good book and it made me feel happy and not emotionally crushed in the way finishing a book can.

>61 rosylibrarian: For those who are not prepared the best course of action is to keep aware of Sharknado warnings and to evacuate (you should have a plan, my plan is to come visit you if Florida has a Sharknado warning) before you have flying sharks being thrown through the air at you. However, in the event you are caught in the path of a Sharknado, you use your trusty chainsaw (you have a chainsaw right?) to properly (you shouldn't try this if you haven't read the standard operating procedure of wielding a chainsaw during a sharknado) split the flying sharks down the center while looking (and I quote the book here) "Like a Boss" (Schaffer 53).

I find it odd that my last two books were both written by a Schaffer.

Very nice reviews! And excellent advice on Sharknado avoidance. Aren't you glad your sister isn't moving to Alaska? Then where would you go in a Sharknado emergency?

>62 BookMarc: Guernsey is pronounced "GURN-zee"
I think the post ran much faster and more often when everyone was dependent upon it. So for most of mainland England it would only take a couple days to get mail, but it definitely would take awhile for all those little islands! We're so spoiled now, with our email and our Amazon Prime two-day delivery.

>62 BookMarc: Excellent review, I'm glad you enjoyed the book. I wish people still wrote letters too, but alas, I say that knowing how bad I am at mailing things out.

As for Sharknados... it sounds like I need to get my act together and acquire a chainsaw. Must also practice to be more "bosslike". I guess if they are hitting Charleston and not Florida then I would come down your way. If the whole south is in trouble... well, I guess we'll go visit Nora. :)

Now get some sleep!

>63 norabelle414: Sometimes even less. When I was working on government papers, it was not uncommon to see that someone had mailed and had a response in a day - some offices (this was in the 1920s) had 5 deliveries in a day. Plus telegrams of course.

>65 charl08: Amazing! I work for the government now and I'm really lucky if I can get a courier to pick up items 3x a week.

I pen pal with one of my friends back home (we live 500 km/ 311ish miles apart) and letters generally take a about a week to get to her.

>63 norabelle414: Thank you for providing a pronunciation of Guernsey. I was saying it in my head correctly! That in itself is pretty darn amazing. And yes. I'm glad she's not going to Alaska. They have Whalestroms there.

>64 rosylibrarian: My secondary plan (you should have a secondary plan in the event of Mother Nature Being Angry (I use a lot of parenthesis (I just want to be able to close a triple bracket))) is head up to New Jersey. Or head west. West would probably be safer. There's not as many terrible things happening in that direction. Florida is actually totally a dangerous place according How to Survive a Sharknado.

>65 charl08: I did sorta get that there was a way for people to have semi-rapid correspondence if they were within the same city. At least once the persons in the book arranged dinner for that day/evening. Still the book did bring up that during the Occupation communication was one of the first things that went down. The people on Guernsey were without news for like 5 years. That in itself blows my mind just a little bit.

>68 BookMarc: Going without communication for 5 years is mind blowing. I can barely make it through a day without checking some type of news source.

*poke*

Sorry to butt in, but I saw the "mention" when I was reviewing my own copy of ...Sharknado....
Given the shortness of the chapters, I found it was absolutely perfect as a bathroom book. I think you are correct in your statement that it should not really be read in one sitting. I really enjoyed it though. It was great how little SyFy channel took themselves seriously with this - they know their movies are crap and own up to it.

*more forceful poke*