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1Shutzie27
Well, this is my second year in the 75 group and though last year I didn't read as much as I would have liked, only around 30 or so books (though I didn't count graphic novels for some reason; I won't make that mistake this year!), I'm feeling pretty confident about this year.
That's mostly because this year I won't have to work two jobs, deal with a car accident or move, all of which has already found me reading more. :-)
So away I go!
That's mostly because this year I won't have to work two jobs, deal with a car accident or move, all of which has already found me reading more. :-)
So away I go!
4Shutzie27
>2 drneutron: and >3 cbl_tn: Thank you both! I can't imagine that this won't be a better year *knock on wood*, I've already read more in the last few weeks than I've been able to in quite some time.
Good luck to you as well!
Good luck to you as well!
5SuziQoregon
I'm also a second year person around here. Hope this year is a great one for you.
8Shutzie27
>5 SuziQoregon: I know I'm hooked. Love your name, btw!
9Shutzie27
Well, I just finished The Bluest Eye, my first book of the year. It was wonderful, terribly beautiful, but obviously heavy and lingers a bit. I'm having a hard time figuring out what to transition to. Something lighter, for certain.
Maybe one of my mystery character series which I tend to gravitate towards in the winter.
Speaking of which, the winter this year in Phoenix has been shockingly wintry and I love a good British mystery when it's cold outside. We've had a good number of cold (for us, that means mid-fifties Fahrenheit) and overcast days. I've been enjoying that. The first year we were here, 2010, it was perfect, open-window weather every day until summer.
I don't mean to look a gift horse in the mouth, but it felt a bit weird and I missed having weather appropriate for a hot cuppa, blanket and book. Las Vegas, where I was born and raised, doesn't get nor'easters or anything, true, but it at least has blustery wind storms, cold rains and the occasional freeze warning. So that first winter here was a bit unsettling.
OK, off to update tickers and figure things out.
Maybe one of my mystery character series which I tend to gravitate towards in the winter.
Speaking of which, the winter this year in Phoenix has been shockingly wintry and I love a good British mystery when it's cold outside. We've had a good number of cold (for us, that means mid-fifties Fahrenheit) and overcast days. I've been enjoying that. The first year we were here, 2010, it was perfect, open-window weather every day until summer.
I don't mean to look a gift horse in the mouth, but it felt a bit weird and I missed having weather appropriate for a hot cuppa, blanket and book. Las Vegas, where I was born and raised, doesn't get nor'easters or anything, true, but it at least has blustery wind storms, cold rains and the occasional freeze warning. So that first winter here was a bit unsettling.
OK, off to update tickers and figure things out.
10cbl_tn
I've only read one of Morrison's books. I keep intending to read more, but I really need to be in the right mood for it.
11Shutzie27
>10 cbl_tn: I think that'll apply to me as well. I do want to read her again, though.
I think she's so courageous as a writer to tackle subjects like pedophilia and child molestation with such intimacy (for lack of a better term, I guess, bluntness doesn't quite seem to be what I'm looking for). I kept wondering as I read it if it were difficult for her to write it.
I have this kind of casual goal to read the books I would've had to read in my high school English II honors class if I didn't drop out. I don't remember all of them, but this is one of them. Next will be Grapes of Wrath, but probably not until the next long weekend. I love Steinbeck too much to read it during an interruption-laden work week when I'm bound to lose the thread or have gaps.
For now, I've ultimately decided to transition to the next Maisie Dobbs I'm on, Elegy for Eddie. I think that's just the ticket after Morrison. And it'll be good week reading, too. We have things scheduled for every night this week until Thursday, but I'm determined to get reading in regardless.
I think she's so courageous as a writer to tackle subjects like pedophilia and child molestation with such intimacy (for lack of a better term, I guess, bluntness doesn't quite seem to be what I'm looking for). I kept wondering as I read it if it were difficult for her to write it.
I have this kind of casual goal to read the books I would've had to read in my high school English II honors class if I didn't drop out. I don't remember all of them, but this is one of them. Next will be Grapes of Wrath, but probably not until the next long weekend. I love Steinbeck too much to read it during an interruption-laden work week when I'm bound to lose the thread or have gaps.
For now, I've ultimately decided to transition to the next Maisie Dobbs I'm on, Elegy for Eddie. I think that's just the ticket after Morrison. And it'll be good week reading, too. We have things scheduled for every night this week until Thursday, but I'm determined to get reading in regardless.
12SuziQoregon
Oh I loved Elegy for Eddie
13Shutzie27
>12 SuziQoregon: I'm really enjoying it so far. For a while there, I was getting annoyed because Maisie seemed too much of a Mary Sue and conveniently good at everything, but I love so many of the supporting characters so much I didn't want to give up the series just yet. I love the costermongers in this one, too.
14Shutzie27
>12 SuziQoregon: I have to say, I enjoyed Elegy for Eddie quite a bit. That being said, I think I'm going to have to start thinking of the Maisie Dobbs books more as novels than mysteries as such. And I don't know about you, but I'm looking forward to seeing what happens as WWII approaches. I'm terrified of Priscilla's kids having to go to war.
15Shutzie27
Woohoo! Another book down. Next up is Hacker, Hoaxer, Whistleblower, Spy: The Many Faces of Anonymous.
I don't expect to make too much progress on that this week though because I'm going to be getting ready for our Pirate Housewarming Paaarrr--ty on Saturday.
Next week I start class (I had so much fun in Intro to Creative Writing I'm taking Intro to Fiction), so I'm sure that will impact my reading for pleasure time as well. But still, I'm hoping to keep up a steady pace. :-)
I'll post pics of the Pirate party; several people are planning on coming in costume.
I don't expect to make too much progress on that this week though because I'm going to be getting ready for our Pirate Housewarming Paaarrr--ty on Saturday.
Next week I start class (I had so much fun in Intro to Creative Writing I'm taking Intro to Fiction), so I'm sure that will impact my reading for pleasure time as well. But still, I'm hoping to keep up a steady pace. :-)
I'll post pics of the Pirate party; several people are planning on coming in costume.
16SuziQoregon
>14 Shutzie27: agreed - I don't think of them as mysteries but more of period pieces. I enjoy the exploration of the time between the wars. Also yes - very scared about Priscilla's boys.
17Shutzie27
Well, still working my way through Hacker, Hoaxer, Whistleblower, Spy: The Many Faces of Anonymous. I was painting the property wall all last weekend and now I'm so sore I can barely move. :-(
You'd think this would be conducive to reading more but the pain is really distracting.
So far, the book is full of good explanation but a bit disorganized (of course, the author could be following some academic anthropological style). Often, she uses acronyms without explaining what they are first and sometimes doesn't use a screen alias only to use it in the next sentence.
Despite that, it's an engaging read if you're interested in the subject, which I am.
You'd think this would be conducive to reading more but the pain is really distracting.
So far, the book is full of good explanation but a bit disorganized (of course, the author could be following some academic anthropological style). Often, she uses acronyms without explaining what they are first and sometimes doesn't use a screen alias only to use it in the next sentence.
Despite that, it's an engaging read if you're interested in the subject, which I am.
18Shutzie27
Woohoo! Finally done with Hacker, Hoaxer, Whistleblower, Spy: The Many Faces of Anonymous. I'm excited to have finished another book, but a bit bummed it's not a ROOT. Still, the next one is bound to be. :-)
Here's my review:
Gabriella Coleman took on the incredibly daunting task of studying and chronicling the mercurial, constantly shifting and elusive hacktivist collective Anonymous and then sharing that research with the general public.
And, astoundingly, Coleman mostly succeeds. She writes very clearly and speaks with authority and thoughtfulness on the many manifestations and iterations of the collective (which is more like the ever-changing blob in an lava lamp in terms of "structure").
Coleman also examines the political and social ramifications of hacktivism as well as the ethical paradoxes and conundrums that inevitably accompany Anonymous as a whole, an indulgence that would bog a less well-written book down. Coleman, however, added depth to the topic by doing so.
But for all that, the books suffers from a lack of editing, in my opinion.
The last half of the book, which focuses on a dominant Anon's flip (yes, Sabu) into an informant by the FBI is compelling, beautifully written and riveting. However, it feels more like it should have been the beginning of the book, particularly since the first half of the book mentions said informant's presence at a quasi-underground hacker convention as panel guest. That would have been more compelling had the details of his becoming an informant come first. Without the deeper context, however, it seemed like an impenetrable allusion to a half-told story.
Technical explication, I suspect at times deliberately vague, could have been done a bit better, but then that wasn't the point of this book. Still, a simple glossary with Tor, TAILS, server, ISP, etc. better defined would've been useful for those who are less cyber-literate.
Coleman's conclusion, one of the best parts of the book both in terms of content and writing, would have served far better as an introduction than the current one.
There are other little things -- acronyms that aren't explained until their third or fourth mention, pseudonyms revealed after Coleman refers to the person by last name earlier, etc. -- but the information about Anonymous, government surveillance (based on deeply unsettling court documents and credible investigative reporting) and Coleman's own forays into private IRC channels successfully turn these into minor annoyances.
Coleman uses the academic anthropological idea of the jester throughout the book, but I think those could have either been incorporated a bit better or done away with entirely (again, however, I think that has to do with her being an academic writer in her field).
And to be fair, Coleman is an academic who challenged herself to break out of a very formal style of writing to convey information about a fascinating social phenomenon unlike any before it. And she had to do so after three years of following labyrinthine chats, intrigues and who knows what else. She ultimately succeeds in ingratiating herself with several of the "real" Anons (there is not really an Anonymous, real or false, as anyone can don the mask) lives to tell the tale and, indeed, does so well.
I am glad to have read this book and it has served to begin a fascination with cyber-life/crime/activism etc. As previously stated, the last four chapters and conclusion are particularly good reading. ( 4 stars )
************************
I skipped out on a Super Bowl party to finish reading it because I'm pretty short on alone time lately and needed a bit of space to relax. It was a nice evening; I watched Call the Midwife, hung out with my cats, napped and finished the book.
Now I don't know what I'm in the mood to read. Maybe something light, like a Charles Lenox book? Or something immersive, like All the Light We Cannot See? But that seems a bit heavy, and I do have class reading to do this week. Hmmm..... Or maybe a graphic novel just to get out of one space to a clean reading slate?....Hmmm...well, I've certainly had worse problems. :-)
Here's my review:
Gabriella Coleman took on the incredibly daunting task of studying and chronicling the mercurial, constantly shifting and elusive hacktivist collective Anonymous and then sharing that research with the general public.
And, astoundingly, Coleman mostly succeeds. She writes very clearly and speaks with authority and thoughtfulness on the many manifestations and iterations of the collective (which is more like the ever-changing blob in an lava lamp in terms of "structure").
Coleman also examines the political and social ramifications of hacktivism as well as the ethical paradoxes and conundrums that inevitably accompany Anonymous as a whole, an indulgence that would bog a less well-written book down. Coleman, however, added depth to the topic by doing so.
But for all that, the books suffers from a lack of editing, in my opinion.
The last half of the book, which focuses on a dominant Anon's flip (yes, Sabu) into an informant by the FBI is compelling, beautifully written and riveting. However, it feels more like it should have been the beginning of the book, particularly since the first half of the book mentions said informant's presence at a quasi-underground hacker convention as panel guest. That would have been more compelling had the details of his becoming an informant come first. Without the deeper context, however, it seemed like an impenetrable allusion to a half-told story.
Technical explication, I suspect at times deliberately vague, could have been done a bit better, but then that wasn't the point of this book. Still, a simple glossary with Tor, TAILS, server, ISP, etc. better defined would've been useful for those who are less cyber-literate.
Coleman's conclusion, one of the best parts of the book both in terms of content and writing, would have served far better as an introduction than the current one.
There are other little things -- acronyms that aren't explained until their third or fourth mention, pseudonyms revealed after Coleman refers to the person by last name earlier, etc. -- but the information about Anonymous, government surveillance (based on deeply unsettling court documents and credible investigative reporting) and Coleman's own forays into private IRC channels successfully turn these into minor annoyances.
Coleman uses the academic anthropological idea of the jester throughout the book, but I think those could have either been incorporated a bit better or done away with entirely (again, however, I think that has to do with her being an academic writer in her field).
And to be fair, Coleman is an academic who challenged herself to break out of a very formal style of writing to convey information about a fascinating social phenomenon unlike any before it. And she had to do so after three years of following labyrinthine chats, intrigues and who knows what else. She ultimately succeeds in ingratiating herself with several of the "real" Anons (there is not really an Anonymous, real or false, as anyone can don the mask) lives to tell the tale and, indeed, does so well.
I am glad to have read this book and it has served to begin a fascination with cyber-life/crime/activism etc. As previously stated, the last four chapters and conclusion are particularly good reading. ( 4 stars )
************************
I skipped out on a Super Bowl party to finish reading it because I'm pretty short on alone time lately and needed a bit of space to relax. It was a nice evening; I watched Call the Midwife, hung out with my cats, napped and finished the book.
Now I don't know what I'm in the mood to read. Maybe something light, like a Charles Lenox book? Or something immersive, like All the Light We Cannot See? But that seems a bit heavy, and I do have class reading to do this week. Hmmm..... Or maybe a graphic novel just to get out of one space to a clean reading slate?....Hmmm...well, I've certainly had worse problems. :-)
19Shutzie27
Well, I settled on a graphic novel, the Fantastic Four: Civil War installment in the Road to Civil War Marvel event; I'm trying to read all of them before the movie comes out.
I know I'll finish it tonight and that'll put me right back where I started, not sure what I'm in the mood to read. Well, hopefully I'll figure it out. The problem is I'm torn between a mystery and a novel. Hmmm....
*******
In other news, I'm super excited because I ordered fake shutters and garage door decorating accessories for the house today. This weekend we're renting a sprayer from Home Depot (because I'm only now recovering from using a roller to get a small part of the wall done two weekends ago, oomph, that hurt) and finishing the property wall. Next week we'll put up our house numbers, the fake garage window things and the first set of shutters for the big window in front.
I'm so excited! It's been a lot of work, but this will mean we're done with the big DIY-projects; from here on out it's a lot of saving up money so other people can do some work. :-)
Does anyone know of any good (free or uber-cheap) video editing software? My grandparents can't travel anymore and I'm planning on giving them a video tour of the house with lots of "before" pictures and video "after" tours. But I just got a new computer with Windows 8.1 and can't find any generic make-a-video tools. Any suggestions welcome. Thanks!
I know I'll finish it tonight and that'll put me right back where I started, not sure what I'm in the mood to read. Well, hopefully I'll figure it out. The problem is I'm torn between a mystery and a novel. Hmmm....
*******
In other news, I'm super excited because I ordered fake shutters and garage door decorating accessories for the house today. This weekend we're renting a sprayer from Home Depot (because I'm only now recovering from using a roller to get a small part of the wall done two weekends ago, oomph, that hurt) and finishing the property wall. Next week we'll put up our house numbers, the fake garage window things and the first set of shutters for the big window in front.
I'm so excited! It's been a lot of work, but this will mean we're done with the big DIY-projects; from here on out it's a lot of saving up money so other people can do some work. :-)
Does anyone know of any good (free or uber-cheap) video editing software? My grandparents can't travel anymore and I'm planning on giving them a video tour of the house with lots of "before" pictures and video "after" tours. But I just got a new computer with Windows 8.1 and can't find any generic make-a-video tools. Any suggestions welcome. Thanks!
20connie53
I like to see some pictures of the shutters and the garage thing! I have no idea what that would look like.
21Shutzie27
>20 connie53: It's basically fake windows and fake carriage door hinges to make the garage look like a carriage sweep type door. It's an affordable way to up curb appeal and I just like the classic look of it.
I'll post pics when we're done (everything's supposed to get delivered tomorrow), but for now here's the photo on the Home Depot product page:
Yesterday we (finally) put up our house numbers and repainted the front door, so by the end of the week our front-of-house makeover should be almost done (except landscaping and some other shutters). I'll post before and after pics, but this time try to resize them so they're smaller.
We've apparently inspired the neighborhood with all the work we've been doing, too! Both neighbors across the street and our only next door neighbor all started projects and came over while we were painting the property wall this weekend to tell us about their project and said they only started them because we inspired them! Ha!
I'll post pics when we're done (everything's supposed to get delivered tomorrow), but for now here's the photo on the Home Depot product page:
Yesterday we (finally) put up our house numbers and repainted the front door, so by the end of the week our front-of-house makeover should be almost done (except landscaping and some other shutters). I'll post before and after pics, but this time try to resize them so they're smaller.
We've apparently inspired the neighborhood with all the work we've been doing, too! Both neighbors across the street and our only next door neighbor all started projects and came over while we were painting the property wall this weekend to tell us about their project and said they only started them because we inspired them! Ha!
23connie53
>21 Shutzie27: That looks very, very, very nice.
24Shutzie27
>22 scaifea: To be honest, you can pretty easily. We just painted our garage white and installed the hardware, which with a power drill only took about 20 minutes. The fake windows are pretty spendy at about $100, but the carriage door handles and hinges are $20.
Unfortunately, the bottom "hinges" were missing from our kit. So frustrating, but we've decided to get another set and use the top hinges for the back kitchen door, kind of tie the whole look together.
So, without further ado, here's the before (when the house was icky brown on one half and white on the other) and after so far!
And after: It's kind of hard to see, but there are green shutters around the window now.
Next up is the side of the driveway, the carob tree crown reduction and fixing the irrigation in front to get grass instead of weeds.
And of course, we'll add more shutters as we can. Still, I have to admit I'm pretty proud of our little home and all the work we've done, both inside and out.
Unfortunately, the bottom "hinges" were missing from our kit. So frustrating, but we've decided to get another set and use the top hinges for the back kitchen door, kind of tie the whole look together.
So, without further ado, here's the before (when the house was icky brown on one half and white on the other) and after so far!
And after: It's kind of hard to see, but there are green shutters around the window now.
Next up is the side of the driveway, the carob tree crown reduction and fixing the irrigation in front to get grass instead of weeds.
And of course, we'll add more shutters as we can. Still, I have to admit I'm pretty proud of our little home and all the work we've done, both inside and out.
26Shutzie27
>25 connie53: Thanks Connie!
27Shutzie27
Well, another book down. The Likeness is another great installment in Tana French's Dublin Murder Squad quasi-series, if anyone else enjoys character mystery series.
Next up is The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-time Indian by Sherman Alexie.
Next up is The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-time Indian by Sherman Alexie.
28charl08
>27 Shutzie27: big Alexie fan, but hadn't heard of this new one. The LT reviews look good, and there's even a copy in the library :-) Thank you!
29Shutzie27
>28 charl08: I hope you enjoy it, I'm already almost done with it. The drawings are wonderful and it's full of gut-wrenching humor.
30Shutzie27
Whoo hoo, another one done! Didn't know what I was in the mood read, so I decided to turn on my computer and catch up on writing my mystery review blog. Instead, I ended up ranting about how crushing iti is that deGrasse Tyson not only dismissed philosophy as valuable, but actually encouraged people not to pursue it on Facebook. Same diff, lol!
Anyway, hopefully I'll know what I want to read tomorrow.
*****
The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian
Four stars
My introduction to Sherman Alexie was through the short stories read on the podcast Selected Shorts, all of which I loved. I was excited to see how he treated being an Indian (his term, not mine, for the PC-police) in a YA format and was not disappointed.
Still, I'm finding it hard to articulate my feelings about the book. It was a good read that it was written from the perspective of a 14-year-old boy with unapologetic realism. I could hear the narrator's voice clearly in my head. There are things I and I'm sure almost anyone can relate to such as going to school with people richer than oneself (which particularly resonated with me, though we were by no means as poor as Junior's family in the book is), being an awkward outcast, navigating the ambiguity of relationships in a high school environment, etc.
And the book is funny, but for me, not funny ha-ha. The jokes are clever and sharp and incisive and clearly a coping mechanism for Junior. So perhaps because they're so...survivalist, I guess, I found them clever but didn't often laugh. They often felt gut-wrenching. I don't know if that makes any sense, but that's the best I can describe it.
So, I suppose in short it's a well written, powerful book. Alexie successfully captures the voice of a 14-year-old boy and his unapologetic, realistic look at life on the Rez with be surprising to some. I'm from Nevada and Arizona, so it wasn't a surprise to me, but it was the most unvarnished description of many reservations I've ever read.
The artwork is wonderful and the edition I have even includes a really great interview with the artists that I found fascinating. I have Tonto and the Lone Ranger Fistfight in Heaven on my Kindle and I'm sure I'll be reading that well in the future.
I realize this may not be the most helpful review, but it's the best I can do for now. I'll probably be chewing on this one for a couple of days. But this is my initial reaction.
Anyway, hopefully I'll know what I want to read tomorrow.
*****
The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian
Four stars
My introduction to Sherman Alexie was through the short stories read on the podcast Selected Shorts, all of which I loved. I was excited to see how he treated being an Indian (his term, not mine, for the PC-police) in a YA format and was not disappointed.
Still, I'm finding it hard to articulate my feelings about the book. It was a good read that it was written from the perspective of a 14-year-old boy with unapologetic realism. I could hear the narrator's voice clearly in my head. There are things I and I'm sure almost anyone can relate to such as going to school with people richer than oneself (which particularly resonated with me, though we were by no means as poor as Junior's family in the book is), being an awkward outcast, navigating the ambiguity of relationships in a high school environment, etc.
And the book is funny, but for me, not funny ha-ha. The jokes are clever and sharp and incisive and clearly a coping mechanism for Junior. So perhaps because they're so...survivalist, I guess, I found them clever but didn't often laugh. They often felt gut-wrenching. I don't know if that makes any sense, but that's the best I can describe it.
So, I suppose in short it's a well written, powerful book. Alexie successfully captures the voice of a 14-year-old boy and his unapologetic, realistic look at life on the Rez with be surprising to some. I'm from Nevada and Arizona, so it wasn't a surprise to me, but it was the most unvarnished description of many reservations I've ever read.
The artwork is wonderful and the edition I have even includes a really great interview with the artists that I found fascinating. I have Tonto and the Lone Ranger Fistfight in Heaven on my Kindle and I'm sure I'll be reading that well in the future.
I realize this may not be the most helpful review, but it's the best I can do for now. I'll probably be chewing on this one for a couple of days. But this is my initial reaction.
31charl08
>30 Shutzie27: Thank you for sharing such an honest commentary on the book, i'm really looking forward to getting my hands on a copy. One of the things I like about Alexie's work is how he doesn't hide from difficult issues like poverty and alcoholism but as you say, shows that humour can run alongside that.
32Shutzie27
>31 charl08: You're welcome! Let me know what you pick up. As a conincidence, we ended up getting assigned Alexie stories to read in my Intro to Fiction class, so that was serendipitous.
33Shutzie27
Well, I haven't got a whole lot of time but I wanted to at least another book to my ticker, Five Quarters of the Orange, incidentally my first ever purchase and read as a direct result of an LT member. Not, however, a ROOT. Only March and I've already read two book bulltets, whoops!
*****
Five Quarters of the Orange
3.5 Stars
I enjoyed this book and found it to be engrossing, though a bit melancholy.
I thought the author captured the world as seen through the eyes of a young girl was captured remarkably well, as well as the kind of mob mentality that can sometimes take over a small village. I also enjoyed the snippets in the mother's journal although I wish we were given a bit more a glimpse into her life. I think I would definitely read this author again.
*****
I have a lot of reading to do for my Intro to Ficiton class, so I'm keeping the recreational to a things I can read quickly or that I won't mind being interrupted. So that means time to catch up on my graphic novel collection. For now, I'm reading The Unwritten: Vol. 3
*****
Five Quarters of the Orange
3.5 Stars
I enjoyed this book and found it to be engrossing, though a bit melancholy.
I thought the author captured the world as seen through the eyes of a young girl was captured remarkably well, as well as the kind of mob mentality that can sometimes take over a small village. I also enjoyed the snippets in the mother's journal although I wish we were given a bit more a glimpse into her life. I think I would definitely read this author again.
*****
I have a lot of reading to do for my Intro to Ficiton class, so I'm keeping the recreational to a things I can read quickly or that I won't mind being interrupted. So that means time to catch up on my graphic novel collection. For now, I'm reading The Unwritten: Vol. 3
34cbl_tn
>33 Shutzie27: I'm glad you liked it! I just read a Daphne du Maurier set in France that was filled with bitterness that took root during the same WWII era - The Scapegoat. I didn't like it quite as much as Five Quarters of the Orange. Maybe I would have liked it better if I hadn't read them in such close succession.
35Shutzie27
>34 cbl_tn: Thanks for your review (far better than mine) which encouraged me to get the book. I find I often have to take "breaks" even from my mystery series, as some of them are quite dark, so reading them in succession probably was part of what influenced how you felt about the Maurier.
36Shutzie27
Well, I finished The Unwritten: Vol. 3. I do enjoy this series but I wish the story-within-a-story wasn't quite so obviously meant to be Harry Potter, even though there are occasional nudge-nudge comments about that.
The premise is so fantastic -- a guy who grows up under the shadow of a boy wizard his father created because he has the same name and a large segment of the population think he's the character. After a few failed attempts at independent careers (acting, musician), he finally succumbs to making money by going to conventions and the like.
But then strange things start happening indicating the lines between stories and reality are blurring. It has all the right ingredients -- a shadowy, secret cabal, cool powers (one evil character turns anything he touches into a work of fiction), very smart literary allusions and fun literally trivia, etc. etc. but again, because the story-within-the-story is so obviously a Harry Potter knock off, it loses some of its lustre. Not enough to make me stop reading this series, but still. I wish the author could've been more creative in that regard.
In other news, quite on accident and to my own complete surprise, I'm reading Moby Dick now. My aunt got me a very cool 1938 edition she found at an estate sale for my birthday or Christmas and I picked it up quite casually. I knew I wanted to read it before that really, really good-looking movie comes out (I think it's called Leviathon?), but wasn't really expecting to start it tonight. Well, as sometimes happens, I looked up and an hour and a half had gone by. I'm in it now, so off I go.
At least it's Spring Break so maybe I'll some time to actually read it, and it's a ROOT to boot. (March and I'm up to three book bullets, gah!.
The premise is so fantastic -- a guy who grows up under the shadow of a boy wizard his father created because he has the same name and a large segment of the population think he's the character. After a few failed attempts at independent careers (acting, musician), he finally succumbs to making money by going to conventions and the like.
But then strange things start happening indicating the lines between stories and reality are blurring. It has all the right ingredients -- a shadowy, secret cabal, cool powers (one evil character turns anything he touches into a work of fiction), very smart literary allusions and fun literally trivia, etc. etc. but again, because the story-within-the-story is so obviously a Harry Potter knock off, it loses some of its lustre. Not enough to make me stop reading this series, but still. I wish the author could've been more creative in that regard.
In other news, quite on accident and to my own complete surprise, I'm reading Moby Dick now. My aunt got me a very cool 1938 edition she found at an estate sale for my birthday or Christmas and I picked it up quite casually. I knew I wanted to read it before that really, really good-looking movie comes out (I think it's called Leviathon?), but wasn't really expecting to start it tonight. Well, as sometimes happens, I looked up and an hour and a half had gone by. I'm in it now, so off I go.
At least it's Spring Break so maybe I'll some time to actually read it, and it's a ROOT to boot. (March and I'm up to three book bullets, gah!.
37SuziQoregon
I have loved The Unwritten series. I'm awaiting the final volume with equal amounts of excitement and sadness. This is a series I'd like to revisit from the beginning once it's done.
38Shutzie27
>37 SuziQoregon: I didn't even know the series was ending! Well, I'll have to be a bit more aggressive about getting the next volumes then. I hate when I think a book will always be around or available and then by the time I get around to buying it, it's nowhere to be found or uber-spendy on Abe Books or something.
39Shutzie27
WHOOHOO!!! I finally finished Moby Dick, though I confess to skimming the last 70 pages...quite frankly, I simply could not force my way through another exceedingly long-winded explanation of outdated cetacean biology, history or philosophical inquiry, and I say this as a person who normally likes that kind of thing. But four -- FOUR -- chapters on the comparison between a right whale's skull and a sperm whale's? Several more expounding on the accuracy, or lack thereof, of how whales have historically been depicted in art? I just couldn't anymore.
That being said, I'm glad I read the book, really. But I will recommend, without guilt or the slightest insult to my inherent snobbishness, an abridged version. When Melville does get around to storytelling, such as the first 60 pages, the last 20 pages, and random spurts in-between, he's on par with Kipling, Doyle and Stevenson in terms of gripping adventure. And there are flashes of very wise, profound, utterly quotable wisdom as well. But it's just too far and few between. Further, I must confess the utter barbarity and bloodiness of whaling was difficult for me to stomach, historical context be damned.
That being said, I'm glad I read the book, really. But I will recommend, without guilt or the slightest insult to my inherent snobbishness, an abridged version. When Melville does get around to storytelling, such as the first 60 pages, the last 20 pages, and random spurts in-between, he's on par with Kipling, Doyle and Stevenson in terms of gripping adventure. And there are flashes of very wise, profound, utterly quotable wisdom as well. But it's just too far and few between. Further, I must confess the utter barbarity and bloodiness of whaling was difficult for me to stomach, historical context be damned.
41cbl_tn
>39 Shutzie27: Now that's dedication! If I ever find a whaler in my family tree I might consider reading Moby Dick. Otherwise, I think I can safely pass!
42Shutzie27
OK, well after Moby Dick I needed a break so I decided to (finally) finish Garth Ennis' graphic novel series, Preacher. I ended up reading Preacher: Vol. 8 and Preacher: Vol. 9 back-to-back and have to say they were may favorite two installments in the entire series.
I was truly surprised at the entire series. Though incredibly bloody and violent and with moments of the teenage-boy fantasy fulfillment the entire graphic novel genre is, unfairly and unfortunately, tainted with, the complex story offered probing philosophical and theological food for thought. The violence was always a lot, but also always served a purpose in moving the story forward.
I felt the same way about Ennis' Punisher stint, but according to some reviews of his new stuff he's gotten gratuitous with his violence and has badly re-hashed story themes from Preacher. So, I may stay away from those for a bit.
I then began 100 Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez which I am almost finished with. It has taken me a while to read it due to school and an increased workload (I'm not in charge of the Brain Injury Alliance of Arizona's newsletter, The Noggin! The inaugural issue went out last week and was well-received -- whew!).
But I have enjoyed every single word. When I read it, I feel as though I've wandered around in a dream and my thoughts wander to the Buendias throughout the day.
Unfortunately, not a single one of these books is a ROOT! I'm not doing a good job ROOT-ing at all this year! Ah well, maybe next book!
I was truly surprised at the entire series. Though incredibly bloody and violent and with moments of the teenage-boy fantasy fulfillment the entire graphic novel genre is, unfairly and unfortunately, tainted with, the complex story offered probing philosophical and theological food for thought. The violence was always a lot, but also always served a purpose in moving the story forward.
I felt the same way about Ennis' Punisher stint, but according to some reviews of his new stuff he's gotten gratuitous with his violence and has badly re-hashed story themes from Preacher. So, I may stay away from those for a bit.
I then began 100 Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez which I am almost finished with. It has taken me a while to read it due to school and an increased workload (I'm not in charge of the Brain Injury Alliance of Arizona's newsletter, The Noggin! The inaugural issue went out last week and was well-received -- whew!).
But I have enjoyed every single word. When I read it, I feel as though I've wandered around in a dream and my thoughts wander to the Buendias throughout the day.
Unfortunately, not a single one of these books is a ROOT! I'm not doing a good job ROOT-ing at all this year! Ah well, maybe next book!
43Shutzie27
I just realized there's another book I read, an older graphic novel lent to me by a friend. So, another (non-ROOT, and not even owned) book gets added, collected Hutch Owen by Tom Hart.
44Shutzie27
Well, I finished 100 Years of Solitude last night. What a transformative, wonderfully disorienting read. I read it at the urging of a friend of mine who finished it while riding the bus home and was so impacted by the ending he began crying.
Now, granted, this friend is more deeply impacted by what he reads than anyone I've ever met, I mean he really feels what he reads, but even for him it was quite the reaction. Though I did not react quite as emphatically, I do understand the reaction.
I'm going to let this book linger a bit, then cleanse my reading palate with a graphic novel (I find those are good for that), Lucifer: Vol. 1 and then I MUST get back to ROOTS! Only six so far this year!
I have to admit that while of course I'm happy we're really starting to be financially recovered from The Accident, with Judd working again it's far harder to read ROOTS. Maybe that's why I've been so non-ROOT this year; for the first time in literally years, I've bought more than three new books in a year, guilt free! And I finally have something other than ROOTs to read, too! So maybe I can forgive myself a little for the extravagance.
Still, summer for me means Baseball nonfiction and usually political history. I don't have any new Constitutional Convention books to read, so maybe I'll read one of my other American political history ROOTs. We'll see.
Now, granted, this friend is more deeply impacted by what he reads than anyone I've ever met, I mean he really feels what he reads, but even for him it was quite the reaction. Though I did not react quite as emphatically, I do understand the reaction.
I'm going to let this book linger a bit, then cleanse my reading palate with a graphic novel (I find those are good for that), Lucifer: Vol. 1 and then I MUST get back to ROOTS! Only six so far this year!
I have to admit that while of course I'm happy we're really starting to be financially recovered from The Accident, with Judd working again it's far harder to read ROOTS. Maybe that's why I've been so non-ROOT this year; for the first time in literally years, I've bought more than three new books in a year, guilt free! And I finally have something other than ROOTs to read, too! So maybe I can forgive myself a little for the extravagance.
Still, summer for me means Baseball nonfiction and usually political history. I don't have any new Constitutional Convention books to read, so maybe I'll read one of my other American political history ROOTs. We'll see.
45Shutzie27
Well, I finished Lucifer Vol. 1 and I think I like it better than the Unwritten series, even though it's also derivative. I have to admit I was actually surprised by several plot arcs and the ending. Definitely looking forward to the next one.
It occurs to me the last three books I've read were all over 400 pages! So, it's time for something lighter and smaller before I delve into my nonfiction summer, but I have no idea what. I do, however, know it will be a ROOT. So, off to library to figure out what to read next (best. problem. ever.)!
It occurs to me the last three books I've read were all over 400 pages! So, it's time for something lighter and smaller before I delve into my nonfiction summer, but I have no idea what. I do, however, know it will be a ROOT. So, off to library to figure out what to read next (best. problem. ever.)!
46Shutzie27
Welp, decided on another Joe Sandilands mystery, Folly du Jour, a series I'm pretty behind on. About halfway through. I thought a slimmer volume would let me catch up on ROOT-ing since I read three chunksters back-to-back, but my work schedule has basically made it six of one, half dozen of the other.
Still, I'm enjoying it. As Cleverly said in a brief introduction to the book, it's essentially a wish fulfillment on her part, and it shows. This does seem somehow fluffier than previous installments, even though one of the more nefarious femme fatales is brought back. But she's a good enough writer to pull it off and it's fun escapist evening reading, so I'm happy. And it's a ROOT!
Still, I'm enjoying it. As Cleverly said in a brief introduction to the book, it's essentially a wish fulfillment on her part, and it shows. This does seem somehow fluffier than previous installments, even though one of the more nefarious femme fatales is brought back. But she's a good enough writer to pull it off and it's fun escapist evening reading, so I'm happy. And it's a ROOT!
47charl08
>44 Shutzie27: I read your comment about the book buying guilt with a nod of recognition - have been trying not to buy books (using the library instead) with mixed results (and guilt) but decided to celebrate reaching a target last night by ordering a book online I'd wanted for ages (and that the library doesn't have). Can't wait to read it.
48Shutzie27
Huzzah! Finished Folly du Jour, another ROOT! I blogged my review (and finally reviewed The Likeness as well) here: www.bodyonthefloor.blogspot.com .
It was a lighter installment in the series and not Cleverly's best, but absolutely perfectly for what I wanted. An engrossing, fun, light read. Now I'm going to read a graphic novel ROOT Swamp Thing, Vol. 3 and then I'm tempted to read another non-ROOT...but we'll see. This heat (it's already been in the triple digits and staying there, ugh) is making get itchy for nonfiction.
I do think I'll read The Remains of Day soon, however. I've read so many chunksters in a row now that a few slimmer volumes may help me catch up on my ROOTs.
It was a lighter installment in the series and not Cleverly's best, but absolutely perfectly for what I wanted. An engrossing, fun, light read. Now I'm going to read a graphic novel ROOT Swamp Thing, Vol. 3 and then I'm tempted to read another non-ROOT...but we'll see. This heat (it's already been in the triple digits and staying there, ugh) is making get itchy for nonfiction.
I do think I'll read The Remains of Day soon, however. I've read so many chunksters in a row now that a few slimmer volumes may help me catch up on my ROOTs.
49Shutzie27
Another ROOT done (Swamp Thing: Vol. 3 and I've begun another, The Baseball Codes: Beanballs, Sign Stealing, and Bench-Clearing Brawls: The Unwritten Rules of America's Pastime. It's just OK so far, but it feels good to get back to nonfiction.
50Shutzie27
FINALLY done with The Baseball Codes: Beanballs, Sign Stealing, and Bench-Clearing Brawls: The Unwritten Rules of America's Pastime. It was a tad disappointing (see my ROOTs thread). It took forever to read because this month was absolutely crazy in terms of work, activities and social gatherings. Fun, but I'm ready for a few do-nothing weekends!
Next up, another ROOT, The Remains of the Day.
Next up, another ROOT, The Remains of the Day.
51Shutzie27
Well, I finally finished The Remains of the Day. What a heartbreakingly beautiful novel.
And it's another ROOT to boot!
I feel like a bit of nonfiction and haven't indulged in true crime in quite some time, so I'm hoping to start The Art of Making Money: The Story of a Master Counterfeiter tonight.
And it's another ROOT to boot!
I feel like a bit of nonfiction and haven't indulged in true crime in quite some time, so I'm hoping to start The Art of Making Money: The Story of a Master Counterfeiter tonight.
52cbl_tn
>51 Shutzie27: I liked the movie. Sounds like I should read the book!
53Shutzie27
>52 cbl_tn: Wait, there's a movie?
54Shutzie27
I'm reading The Art of Making Money: The story of a master counterfeiter and am thoroughly enjoying it! And, it's a ROOT, too, so that's good. Hopefully I have some time to read it.
55cbl_tn
>53 Shutzie27: The film version of The Remains of the Day starred Anthony Hopkins & Emma Thompson. It received 8 Oscar nominations in 1994.
56Shutzie27
Well, I finished All The Light We Cannot See and loved it, but have to give it a couple of days to settle before I move on to something else. (Re-print of my review below; same as in my ROOTs thread).
This is an immersive read of which the characters are bound to linger for quite some time, haunting one's thoughts as if they are real people, in the way that only the best books can. It is more than a novel, it is a work of art portraying the best and worst about humanity in its best and worst times.
On a technical level, Doerr's skilled used of third person omniscient to narrate through everything but the eyes of a blind girl is handled with remarkable deftness. He has conducted meticulous research, or possibly applied his own expertise, in a way that seamlessly integrates with the story and feels so natural within its context it wasn't until I read the acknowledgements that I took a moment to really grasp how painstakingly so many sentences that read casually must have been stitched together. This is novel that should be taught in every class in school, in history, in English, in Biology, philosophy and more. It would have something to offer every facet of education.
This is an immersive read of which the characters are bound to linger for quite some time, haunting one's thoughts as if they are real people, in the way that only the best books can. It is more than a novel, it is a work of art portraying the best and worst about humanity in its best and worst times.
On a technical level, Doerr's skilled used of third person omniscient to narrate through everything but the eyes of a blind girl is handled with remarkable deftness. He has conducted meticulous research, or possibly applied his own expertise, in a way that seamlessly integrates with the story and feels so natural within its context it wasn't until I read the acknowledgements that I took a moment to really grasp how painstakingly so many sentences that read casually must have been stitched together. This is novel that should be taught in every class in school, in history, in English, in Biology, philosophy and more. It would have something to offer every facet of education.
57Shutzie27
>55 cbl_tn: In my Netflix queue, thanks!
58Shutzie27
Welp, two more down: Fatal Enquiry and Field of Blood.
59Shutzie27
Well, I'm now beginning An Unnecessary Woman, definitely a just-barely ROOT, but still a ROOT as it was on my shelf before Jan. 1, 2015 (I got it the day before as a late Christmas gift from my brother and sister-in-law.
60cbl_tn
>59 Shutzie27: That one sounds interesting! I'll be curious to see what you think of it.
61Shutzie27
>60 cbl_tn: So far I love it! It's so quotable I added several to a book-quote journal I keep, and I'm only about 70 pages or so in. Here are some of the snippets that have struck me thus far:
"I'm not sure that the discovery of love is necessarily more exquisite than the discovery of poetry, or more sensuous for that matter."
"There's another relic on the desk, though not as ancient, a souvenir from the war years of Beirut: A copy of Calvino's 'Invisible Cities', scorched in the lower right corner, but just the back cover and the preceding twenty-two pages. The front isn't damaged. I was reading the book by candlelight while people killed each other outside my window. While my city burned, I had an incendiary mishap, something that seems to have happened regularly to Joseph Conrad--the incendiary mishaps, not the burning cities."
"Political parties may argue, yell and insult, punch and kick each other, launch grenades and missiles; it is naught but Narcissus's silly gesturing at the pool's image."
"There is none more conformist than one who flaunts his individuality."
"I'm not sure that the discovery of love is necessarily more exquisite than the discovery of poetry, or more sensuous for that matter."
"There's another relic on the desk, though not as ancient, a souvenir from the war years of Beirut: A copy of Calvino's 'Invisible Cities', scorched in the lower right corner, but just the back cover and the preceding twenty-two pages. The front isn't damaged. I was reading the book by candlelight while people killed each other outside my window. While my city burned, I had an incendiary mishap, something that seems to have happened regularly to Joseph Conrad--the incendiary mishaps, not the burning cities."
"Political parties may argue, yell and insult, punch and kick each other, launch grenades and missiles; it is naught but Narcissus's silly gesturing at the pool's image."
"There is none more conformist than one who flaunts his individuality."
62Shutzie27
Huzzah! Finished An Unnecessary Woman. Boy, if I get to 1/4 of 75 I'll be happy. I don't think I'm going to do the 75'er group next year; clearly, I just don't have the time or read as much as I thought I did, lol! I'll still keep a ticker, though. Or is there a lower-number group...? Hmm....
Anyway, I have tomorrow off, a rarity for me, so I'm hoping to take advantage of some good, quality reading time. I just don't know what.
Anyway, I have tomorrow off, a rarity for me, so I'm hoping to take advantage of some good, quality reading time. I just don't know what.
63cbl_tn
>62 Shutzie27: The 75'ers is much more about the conversations (about books and other things) than about the quantity. The 75'ers takes over my group view of Talk, making it easy to miss posts in the less active groups I've joined. I know there are some who deal with this by not officially joining the group but still maintaining a thread in the group. I hope that's something you might consider doing next year! I enjoy reading your thread however often you're able to post and I will miss you if you're not here next year.
64Shutzie27
>63 cbl_tn: Thanks, Connie. I may just do that. I just finished The Black Country, so one more and I may just make it to at least 25, lol! My hubby pointed that I also read a *lot* of news articles, particularly Longreads selections, so there's that to consider as well. And, in the end, it's quality, not quantity.
