Athabasca's 2015 reading journal

End of year statistics 2014

Books acquired 76

Books read 60

Male authors 11
Female authors 46
Ebooks 23

Library books 29
Own books 31

Crime 15
Fantasy 9
Urban fantasy 8
Historical 6
SF 14
Non-fiction 5
YA 3
Short stories 4

Wishlist

Goblin Emperor by Katharine Addison
The Lilies of the Field by William E. Barrett
The last unicorn by Peter S. Beagle
My reading life by Pat Conroy
Black Ships by Jo Graham
Keep this forever by Mark Halliday
Lamy of Santa Fe by Paul Horgan
The sleeping god by Violette Malan
A history of reading by Alberto Manguel
Conduit by Angie Martin
The Sherlockian by Graham Moore
The Cloister Walk by Kathleen Norris
Dedicated to God: An Oral History of Cloistered Nuns by Abbie Reese
A Distant Mirror: The Calamitous 14th Century by Barbara W. Tuchman
Thief, Liar, Gentleman? by Eleanor Updale
Heir apparent by Vivian Vande Velde
The Merro Tree by Katie Waitman
Changing Fate by Elizabeth Waters
Copper promise by Jen Williams

In library catalogue

Tuesdays with Morrie by Mitch Albom
James Joyce by Richard Ellmann
Apollos' angels by Jennifer Homans
The Stuff of Thought: Language as a Window into Human Nature by Steven Pinker
Born on a blue day by David Tammet
At Mrs Lippincote's by Elizabeth Taylor

Acquisitions

The black prism by Brent Weeks
Living history by Hillary Clinton
Serpent's shadow by Mercedes Lackey
Ancient Greece by Paul Cartledge
Dark quartet by Lynne Reid Banks
Queen's man by Sharon Penman
Vision in silver by Anne Bishop
The guns of August by Barbara W.Tuchman
Turn coat by Jim Butcher
Bitch in a bonnet by Robert Rodi
Range of ghosts by Elizabeth Bear
The Martian by Andy Weir
Old soldiers by David Weber
Good man Friday by Barbra Hambly
Garment of shadows by Laurie R King

TIOLI January

Your list looks interesting. I hope you find them all. Happy reading!

Looking forward to following your reading this year. I thought The sleeping god was brilliant, and am planning to read at least one of the sequels this year.

Five of these books are also on my wishlist and I'll be interested to know what you think of The Cloister Walk and A Distant Mirror: The Calamitous 14th Century. These are new to me.
I didn't like A history of reading by Alberto Manguel very much : it seems something doesn't click for me with Manguel's books. It won't stop me to try again, with The library at night (I liked the sample).
Happy reading!

You have some good books on your list. The Last Unicorn is a favorite of mine, and I've been meaning to get around to reading Goblin Emperor.

I really liked Goblin Emperor--I hope you'll enjoy it.

Thanks guys, the wishlist consists entirely of books I've found on other threads (some of you are probably among the guilty parties!). I find keeping the list here particulalrly useful when I'm in secondhand book shops. However, it is definitely not good for the health of the TBR pile and I should keep a note of who recommended what so I can thank them later. I'm afraid keeping a wishlist has become a bit of a comfort blanket :0)

The heart is a lonely hunter by Carson McCullers #1
Fiction, Library book

Interesting. Great on character and place but I'm not sure it held together as a novel - it had a stream of consciousness feel, rather than a beginning, middle and end. However I'm glad I read it and I may read more. Not exactly a cheerful read, but an enlightening one.

The Merro Tree is dead on brilliant -thought provoking, ground breaking, and beautiful prose to boot. Crying shame it lies not only under the radar, but about buried.

For the life of me I cannot fathom why some books as well done as this one fall so far out of sight. I'll be interested to see what you make of it - I loved it.

>12 JannyWurts:, I agree. Some of my favourites never seem to get any exposure. One thing about Librarything, I'm finding lots of books that are longtime favourites of others that I have never heard of! That all contributes to the massive TBR pile and the growing wishlist. I'll keep an eye out for The Merro Tree - several LTers have recommended it.

Crooked letter, crooked letter by Tom Franklin #2
TIOLI Feb #5: Read a book with a number in the first sentence. (Eight)
Library book, crime

I never read books about the American Deep South and here is my second this year. This is a beautifully written book, strong on character and a sense of place. The crimes are a bit incidental, I guess it's really about family and community - the good and bad of both. It took me ages to read but it was well worth it.

TIOLI February

#4: Read a book with a French connection:The most beautiful walk in the world by John Baxter
#5: Read a book with a number in the first sentence. Crooked letter, crooked letter by Tom Franklin

Having found your 2015 thread, I've now got you starred and I'm really looking forward to your comments on some of the titles you've listed in #2 above. (The oral history of cloistered nuns and Norris' The Cloister Walk which I loved.)

I read the The Last Unicorn a couple of years ago, and absolutely loved it. I remember the movie from my childhood, and was extremely happy when I found out it was based off a book.

One of the very few times, I would say, that the book and the movie are both fantastic. Hope that you enjoy reading it.

>16 jillmwo: I think those may very well be your book bullets. They do look good.

>17 heathn: I'll look out for the film, too. I didn't know there was a film - thanks!

The most beautiful walk in the world by John Baxter #3
TIOLI Feb #4: Read a book with a French connection
Library book, non-fiction

A lovely book if you love Paris. A wee miscellany of tips about Paris - particularly early 20th century history. Lots of background on the ex-pat literati like Hemingway and French films and culture. Great fun.

Vision in silver by Anne Bishop #4
March TIOLI #3 read the third book in a series
Own book, urban fantasy

Good fun, if a little unfocused - perhaps a middle book, joining books in a series but not coming to any particular conclusions itself, so a bit unsatisfying. However, all the usual characters and some new ones, plots moving on, just not being tied up in any useful way.

Bad feminist by Roxane Gay #5
TIOLI April #17: Read a book that could have something to do with feminism
Library book, non-fiction

Well-written and interesting. The writer talks about being a black female academic and the things that grate in modern culture, both from a feminist's viewpoint and from a black woman's. Not sure I agree with all of it, but the quality of the writing carried me through. Very accessible.

Fire season by David Weber #6
TIOLI April #11. Read a book with a four-letter word in the title
Library book, YA

A slim little story, part adventure, part SF, part teenage romance. Stephanie Harrington tries to deal with an adopted tree-cat, horrid teenagers, a new love interest and forest fires. Light, but fun.

Obsession in death by J.D. Robb #7
Library book, crime

The next in the Eve Dallas series. A good one, I thought - an obsessed fan starts to kill to avenge insults made to Eve Dallas. A bit more interesting than some recent books in the series.

The man in the queue by Josephine Tey #8
TIOLI May#18: Read a book by an author whose first name starts with a J, or whose surname starts with a D
Library book, crime

This was chuntering along nicely until the deus-ex-machina in the end. I wanted to fling the book against the wall! What was she thinking? Was it deliberate? Was there ever a fair playing field here because there was no way the detective or the reader could have figured that one out. A very disappointing end to an OK book.

The assassination of Margaret Thatcher by Hilary Mantel #9
Library book, short stories

An interesting mix of short stories. Very well written but I'm not sure I was always following where she wanted me to go. I found the title story a bit disjointed, I'm not sure I 'got' it in the end.

Justice by Michael Sandel #10

Very interesting and accessible discussion of ethics and politics. I did lose the thread during the discussion of Kant's philosophy, but I found the rest really easy to understand. I particularly enjoyed the discussions of present day ethical dilemmas - surrogacy etc. Highly recommended.

>24 Athabasca: The Man in the Queue was her first novel. That may explain why it wasn't quite as successful. I agree, of all of her novels, that one is the least satisfactory.

Bitch in a bonnet volume 2 by Robert Rodi #11
E-book, non-fiction, own

An examination of Austen's last books. Some very funny comments on Emma in particular. I also liked his views on Persuasion which is becoming one of my favourites- might have something to do with Rupert Penry Jones!

Royal airs by Sharon Shinn #12
Fantasy, own book

Second in the series and a fun romantic fantasy, if a bit far-fetched. I enjoyed the characters and, like the first book, there is an interesting social and magic system.

Laudato si by Pope Francis #13
Non-fiction, Ebook

Well, well, a readable encyclical! A thorough examination of the state of the environment and a rather firm denunciation of the First World's culpability. Much more direct language than is customary from the Holy See. More a call to arms in that it doesn't really suggest solutions, just tries to deliver a message of joint responsibility for the problems.

Balanced on a blade's edge by Lindsay Buroker#14
Fantasy, Ebook

A somewhat slight but enjoyable wee fantasy with sorcereresses and pilots and mines. OK, but probably eminently missable.

The Shadows by J.R. Ward #15
Fantasy, library book

A fun addition to this series. I think this was better than many of the most recent books. A bit of a weepie, but a good read.(Trez and Iam)