The very booky adventures of evilmoose II

Welcome to thread two - return of the awesome 2015 book explosion!

I'm Megan, an Australian lurking in the Canadian Rockies. I mostly read audiobooks, as that way I can "read" and clean/cook/run/ride/etc. Although when I get the chance, there's nothing like curling up with a good old fashioned paper book.



In June I'm planning to ride my bike a very long way as fast as I can (by which I mean I'm doing the Tour Divide bike race from Banff, AB to Antelope Wells, NM - 4400km of unsupported dirt road riding). So I'm going to be increasingly distracted with planning for that over the next few months!

TO READ FOR 2015
This was supposed to be a small selection of things I'd try and read in addition to whatever took my fancy... somehow it's blossomed into a 100+ book behemoth... but I'm going to try and use it more as a guide. A list of gentle suggestions that will in no way rule my life or fill me with guilt when I don't follow it's strictures. Honestly.

TO READ - JUST BECAUSE (49+ books)
✓ Al Alvarez - Feeding the Rat
✓ Kate Atkinson - Life after Life
• Margaret Atwood - The robber bride
• Saul Bellow - Herzog
• William Boyd - Armadillo
✓ Alan Bradley - The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie
✓ Alan Bradley - A Red Herring Without Mustard
✓ Alan Bradley - I am Half-Sick of Shadows
✓ Ernest Cline - Ready Player One
✓ Bryce Courtenay - The Potato Factory
• Fyodor Dostoevsky - Demons
• Ford Maddox Ford - Parade's End
• William Gadis - J R
• Neil Gaiman - First of the Sandman novels
• Gabriel Garcia Marquez - Clandestine in Chile
• Nancy Garden - Annie on my mind
• Lewis Grassic Gibbon - A Scots Quair
• Peter F. Hamilton - The Abyss Beyond Dreams
• Henrich Harrer - The White Spider
• Samantha Hayes - Until You're Mine
• Georgina Howell - Gertrude Bell
• Victor Hugo - Les Miserables
• Arthur Koestler - The Ghost in the Machine
✓ Jon Krakauer - Into Thin Air
• Milan Kundera - Immortality
• Barry Lopez - Crossing Open Ground
✓ HP Lovecraft - Something or other...
✓ China Mieville - Perdido Street Station
✓ China Mieville - The Scar
• China Mieville - Iron Council
✓ China Mieville - Un Lun Dun
✓ Haruki Murakami - 1Q84
• Haruki Murakami - Sputnik Sweetheart
✓ Haruki Murakami - Norwegian Wood
• Joyce Carol Oates - The Gravediggers Daughter
• John O'Hara - Appointment in Samarra
• Thomas Pynchon - V
✓ Rainbow Rowell - Eleanor & Park
• Neal Stephenson - Quicksilver (and the rest of the Baroque cycle)
• Neal Stephenson - Anathem (book, not audiobook)
• Neal Stephenson - Zodiac
• Lionel Terray - Conquistadors of the Useless
• William Makepeace Thackeray - Vanity Fair
• Ngugi wa Thiong'o
• Leo Tolstoy - Resurrection
• Ivan Turgenev - Fathers and Sons
• Patrick White - Voss
• Simon Winchester - The Professor and the Madman
✓✓ PG Wodehouse

TO RE-READ (5 books)
• Leo Tolstoy - War and Peace (DEC)
• Leo Tolstoy - Anna Karenina
• Fyodor Dostoevsky - Crime and Punishment
• Albert Camus - The Plague
✓ Harper Lee - To Kill a Mockingbird

BASED ON LT RECOMMENDATIONS (25 books)
• Andre Brink - Rumours of Rain
• Peter Carey - Jack Maggs
• Bryce Courtenay - The Power of One (saw recommended by smiler69 as a good audiobook ready by Humprhrey Bower, and can't believe I haven't read it yet!)
✓ E.L. Doctorow - Ragtime
✓ Tan Twan Eng - The Gift of Rain (read in Feb/March with Megan (ireadtherforeiam) and Ilana (smiler69)?)
✓ Graham Greene - The Quiet American
✓ Thomas Hardy - The Return of the Native
• Hannah Kent - Burial Rites (tried it, yuck)
✓ Ann Leckie - Ancillary Justice
✓ Laurie Lee - Cider with Rosie
• Primo Levi - If Not Now, When?
✓ Naguib Mahfouz - Palace Walk
✓ W. Somerset Maugham - The Moon and Sixpence
✓ Sean Michaels - Us Conductors
✓ Rohinton Mistry - A Fine Balance
• Timothy Mo - The Redundancy of Courage
• V.S. Naipaul - A House for Mr. Biswas
• Jenny Nordberg - The Underground Girls of Kabul
• Sharon Kay Penman - The Sunne in Splendour
✓ Charles Portis - True Grit
• Salman Rushdie - Shame
• Graham Swift - Waterland
• Rose Tremain - The Road Home
• William Trevor - The Children of Dynmouth
✓ Andy Weir - The Martian

BOOKS THAT ACCIDENTALLY SNUCK ON AFTER THE NEW YEAR
• Helen MacDonald - H is for Hawk (based on Vulpes Libris review)
• Penelope Lively - The Photograph (BAC reviews)
✓ David Mitchell - The Bone Clocks (LT mentions)
✓ Helen Fielding - Bridget Jones Diary (because I just remembered I've been meaning to)
✓ Arthur Conan Doyle - Sherlock Holmes series (because Benedict Cumberbatch)
• Ernst Junger - The Storm of Steel (via husband)
✓ Virginia Woolf - A Room of One's Own (because Virginia Woolf)
✓ Anthony Doerr - All The Light We Cannot See (I think because of LT 75ers reviews)
• Dick Francis (because I read his books madly as a teenager, and I'm curious for a revisit)
• Shakespeare (broad and vague, but I'd really like to start re-reading his works)
• Carson Macullers - The heart is a lonely hunter (because AAC 75er reviews)
• Kazuo Ishiguro - The Remains of the Day (BAC inspired re-read)
• William Ritter - Jackaby (because Micky Fine review)
✓ Emily St.John Mandel - Station Eleven
✓ Edmund de Waal - The Hare with the Amber Eyes (mentioned by Ilana, remembered I wanted to read it)
✓ Kazuo Ishiguro - The Buried Giant (75ers inspired audiobook)
✓ Lily King - Euphoria (New York Times review)
✓ Peter Carey - The True History of the Kelly Gang

BRITISH AUTHOR CHALLENGE (23 books - or so)
JANUARY
✓ Kazuo Ishiguro - A Pale View of Hills
✓ Penelope Lively - The Ghost of Thomas Kempe
✓ Penelope Lively - Moon Tiger
FEB
✓ Evelyn Waugh - Decline and Fall
✓ Evelyn Waugh - Put Out More Flags
✓ Sarah Waters - The Little Stranger
MARCH
✓ China Mieville - The Scar
✓ Daphne Du Maurier - The House on the Strand
APRIL
✓ Angela Carter - Nights at the Circus
✓ W. Somerset Maugham - The Painted Veil
MAY
✓ Margaret Drabble - The Millstone
✓ Martin Amis - Money
JUNE
✓ Beryl Bainbridge - The Bottle Factory Outing
✓ Anthony Burgess - A Clockwork Orange (Tried a couple of times previously, but will try again!)
JULY
✓ Virginia Woolf - Mrs Dalloway
AUGUST
• Iris Murdoch - Accidentally read The Bell already, will find another!
✓ Graham Greene - The Power and the Glory (read by Andrew Sachs)
SEPT
✓ Andrea Levy - Small Island
✓ Salman Rushdie - The Satanic Verses
OCT
• Helen Dunmore - The Siege
• David Mitchell - The Thousand Autumns of Jacob de Zoet
NOV
• Muriel Spark - The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie
• William Boyd - Any Human Heart
DEC
• Hilary Mantel - Wolf Hall
• PG Wodehouse - Anything with Jeeves! Honestly, I've been meaning to for ages.

JANE AUSTEN 2015 CHALLENGE (3 books)
✓ Jane Austen - Pride and Prejudice (Jan-Feb - reread)
✓ Jane Austen - Sense and Sensibility READ Dec 29th 2014. May not reread again so soon (May-June reread?)
• Jane Austen - Emma (July-Aug - reread)

ANZAC AUTHOR CHALLENGE (12 books)
✓ JAN: Richard Flanagan - Gould's Book of Fish (read by Humphrey Bower)
• FEB: Cate Kennedy - The World Beneath (nope, wasn't enjoying it so stopped)
✓ MAR: Michelle De Kretser - The Lost Dog
✓ APR: Alan Duff - Once Were Warriors
✓ MAY: Katherine Mansfield - The Garden Party
✓ JUNE: Witi Ihimaera - The Whale Rider
✓ JULY: Peter Carey - Oscar and Lucinda
• AUG: Helen Garner - Monkey Grip
• SEPT: Ruth Park - The Harp in the South (re-read)
• OCT: Robert Hughes - The Fatal Shore
• NOV: Ngaio Marsh - Death in Ecstasy
• DEC: Paul Cleve - Cemetery Lake OR The Cleaner

READING GLOBALLY
First quarter - Indian Subcontinent
✓ Nayomi Munaweera - Island of a Thousand Mirrors
✓ Rohinton Mistry - A Fine Balance

Second quarter - Iberian Peninsula
✓ The Shadow of the Wind - Carlos Ruiz Zafon

2015 books read - First quarter

January (17)
1. Andy Weir - The Martian (audiobook, pp387) ★★★★½
2. E.L. Doctorow - Ragtime (audiobook, pp336) ★★★★
3. Penelope Lively - The Ghost of Thomas Kempe (audiobook)(BAC) ★★★½
4. Kazuo Ishiguo - A Pale View of Hills (audiobook, pp183) (BAC) ★★★★
5. Alexandre Dumas - The Three Musketeers (ebook, pp560) ★★★½
6. Bryce Courtenay - The Potato Factory (audiobook, pp856) ★★★★
7. Jane Austen - Pride and Prejudice (audiobook, pp256) ★★★★★
8. Alan Bradley - The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie (audiobook, pp292) ★★★★
9. Richard Flanagan - Gould's Book of Fish (audiobook)(ANZAC) ★★★
10. Penelope Lively - Moon Tiger (audiobook, pp208)(BAC) ★★★★
11. China Mieville - Perdido Street Station (audiobook, pp500) ★★★½
12. Sean Michaels - Us Conductors (ebook, pp459) ★★★½
13. L.M. Montgomery - Anne of Green Gables (pp336) ★★★★★
14. P.G. Wodehouse - Carry On, Jeeves (audiobook, pp256) ★★★½
15. Nayomi Munaweera - Island of a Thousand Mirrors (ebook) ★★★★
16. Graham Greene - The Quiet American (audiobook, pp180) ★★★★
17. Ernest Cline - Ready Player One (audiobook, pp384) ★★★★½

February (9)
18. Ann Leckie - Ancillary Justice (audiobook, 416pp) ★★★½
19. Evelyn Waugh - Decline and Fall (audiobook, 304pp)(BAC) ★★★★
20. Haruki Murakami - 1Q84 (audiobook, 1184pp) ★★★★½
21. P.G. Wodehouse - Very Good, Jeeves (audiobook, pp258) ★★★½
22. Paul Howard - Eat, Sleep, Ride (272pp) ★★★½
23. Sarah Waters - The Little Stranger (audiobook, 501pp) ★★★
24. Laurie Lee - Cider With Rosie (audiobook, 272pp) ★★★★½
25. Virginia Woolf - A Room of One's Own (audiobook, 114pp) ★★★★
26. Evelyn Waugh - Put Out More Flags (audiobook, 222pp) ★★★½

March (11)
27. Rohinton Mistry - A Fine Balance (audiobook, 603pp) ★★★★★
28. China Mieville - The Scar (audiobook, 608pp) ★★★½
29. Tan Twan Eng - The Gift of Rain (450pp) ★★★★
30. Thomas Hardy - The Return of the Native (audiobook, 414pp) ★★★★
31. Michelle De Kretser - The Lost Dog (290pp) ★★½
32. Thomas King - The Back of the Turtle (518pp) ★★★★
33. Takatsu - Secondhand Memories (ebook) (560pp) ★★
34. Daphne Du Maurier - The House on the Strand (audiobook, 298pp) ★★★★
35. Anthony Doerr - All The Light We Cannot See (audiobook, 531pp) ★★★★
36. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle - A Study in Scarlet (audiobook, 143pp) ★★★½
37. Charles Portis - True Grit (audiobook, 240pp) ★★★★

2015 books read - Second quarter

April (13)
38. Haruki Murakami - Norwegian Wood (audiobook, 298pp) ★★★★½
39. Al Alvarez - Feeding the Rat ★★★★½
40. Angela Carter - Nights at the Circus (audiobook, 295pp) ★★★
41. Emily St.John Mandel - Station Eleven (audiobook) ★★★★
42. W. Somerset Maugham - The Painted Veil (audiobook) ★★★★★
43. Terry Pratchett - Moving Pictures (audiobook) ★★★ re-read
44. Alan Bradley - A Red Herring Without Mustard (audiobook) ★★★½
45. Helen Fielding - Bridget Jones Diary (audiobook) ★★★★
46. Amy Poehler - Yes Please (audiobook) ★★★★
47. Alan Duff - Once Were Warriors (audiobook) ★★★★½
48. Harper Lee - To Kill a Mockingbird (audiobook) ★★★★★ re-read
49. Kazuo Ishiguro - The Buried Giant (audiobook) ★★★½
50. Alan Bradley - I am Half-Sick of Shadows (audiobook) ★★★½

May (6)
51. Edmund de Waal - The Hare with the Amber Eyes (audiobook) ★★★★
52. John Kennedy Toole - A Confederacy of Dunces (audiobook) ★★★★½
53. Lily King - Euphoria (audiobook) ★★★★
54. Jon Krakauer - Into Thin Air (audiobook) ★★★★
55. China Mieville - Un Lun Dun (audiobook) ★★★
56. Martin Amis - Money (audiobook) ★★★½

June (8)
57. Scott Lynch - The Lies of Locke Lamora (audiobook) ★★★★
58. Margaret Drabble - The Millstone ★★★★½
59. David Mitchell - The Bone Clocks ★★★½
60. Beryl Bainbridge - The Bottle Factory Outing ★★★★
61. Witi Ihimaera - The Whale Rider ★★★★½
62. Katherine Mansfield - The Garden Party and other stories ★★★★½
63. Anthony Burgess - A Clockwork Orange ★★★★½
64. Peter Carey - Oscar and Lucinda ★★★★½

2015 books read - Third quarter

July (2!!)
65. HP Lovecraft - The Annotated HP Lovecraft ★★★★½
66. Carlos Ruiz Zafon - The Shadow of the Wind ★★★½

August (7)
67. Rainbow Rowell - Eleanor & Park ★★★★½
68. Graham Greene - The Power and the Glory ★★★★
69. Kate Atkinson - Life after Life ★★★½
70. Ian Rankin - Black and Blue ★★½
71. Virginia Woolf - Mrs Dalloway ★★★★
72. Irvine Welsh - Trainspotting ★★★★½
73. Naguib Mahfouz - Palace Walk ★★★★

September (?)
74. Frankie Boyle - My Shit Life So Far ★★★½
75. W. Somerset Maugham - The Moon and Sixpence ★★★★
76. Peter Carey - The True History of the Kelly Gang ★★★★★
77. Salman Rushdie - The Satanic Verses ★★★★
78. Andrea Levy - Small Island ★★★★½

Well, that's the first time I've had to do that. I think I've done everything right!

And meanwhile... hmm, I can't reference people from my last thread. I guess I'll go make one last comment there.

Happy new thread! Love the thread topper.

hurray for new thread

Woohoo! New thread!

What a cool topper. It totally looks like you are riding on water. :)

I am so pleased that your thread has gotten much more notice this year Megan. Congratulations on your successful renewal!

Happy New Thread, evil twin!

Happy new thread, Megan. Gorgeous topper photo :-)

Happy new thread Megan!

Happy new thread and love the thread topper! So cool!

Thanks for the welcome, new thread folk! Please help yourself to the chocolate, wine, beanbags and bicycles that are strewn about the place.

>9 jolerie: I'm definitely riding on water!

>11 lunacat: *narrows eyes*

Meanwhile, I'm finishing up a couple of books right now, but have been severely distracted by the discovery of podcasts. I spent Thursday - Saturday binge listening to 'Serial', which is a very well told story about a murder involving teenagers back in 1999. It raises all sorts of questions, and is causing a bit of a stir thanks to the events it's bringing back to the surface for all those who were involved. But after finishing Serial, when I thought I would be free again, I accidentally discovered The Thrilling Adventure Hour! Am attempting to discover a new equilibrium to balance my time again.

Ooh, chocolate and wine - think I'll pull up a beanbag.

Wow, your lists are starting to rival some other listers in these parts :)
I like the look of your re-reads, particiularly Crime and Punishment which I have been meaning to read since I bought the book about 3 years ago. Never mind, I will get there at some stage. It has taken me 18 months to get to read The Gift of Rain and I have finally gotten to that now!

Wine and bicycles? I'm afraid I'd get myself into a mess, there. Ha!

Happy New Thread, Megan!

Nice new thread, Megan! Your opening photo is stunning.

Hmm, if you like Thrilling Adventure Hour you may like Welcome to Night Vale...

>16 Familyhistorian: Meg, there is also some cheese if you are interested?

>17 LovingLit: My lists are indeed getting madly out of hand. I shall add 'make shorter reading lists' to my list of things to achieve in 2016. And I really want to re-read Crime and Punishment - it's one of a few books that I haven't revisited since I was somewhere in late teens early 20s, and I've discovered it's really interesting re-reading some of my favourites to see how my perspective has changed.

>18 scaifea: Definitely not obligatory to indulge in all available pleasures at once Amber! Although there are some miniature bikes available too, and they are hilarious to ride after a couple of glasses of wine.

>19 kidzdoc: Thanks :)

>20 MickyFine: Ooh, I do rather enjoy Thrilling Adventure Hour (it reminds me of an ill-spent childhood listening to The Goon Show), I'll have to give Welcome to Night Vale a listen, thanks Micky

Now, welcome all guests, now you are comfortable I shall have the waiters (actually, I say waiters, but they're just monkeys dressed as waiters) bring around some cheese and snacks. And while you're all relaxing *signals staff to erect enormous circus tent around the unsuspecting group*

>21 evilmoose: *snork!*

>21 evilmoose: Oh, I missed the cheese. Crackers too?

25. Virginia Woolf - A Room of One's Own
I feel full of feminist rage now.
★★★★

^ ha! Great review!! I need to read it, obviously.

>24 evilmoose: Uh oh. *flees thread*

Who knew that a 7 word review could make me want to read the book asap...ha!

In June I'm planning to ride my bike a very long way as fast as I can (by which I mean I'm doing the Tour Divide bike race from Banff, AB to Antelope Wells, NM - 4400km of unsupported dirt road riding).

WOW and WOW! That's awesome! I wish you all the best and good luck.

The topper looks awesome too!

26. Evelyn Waugh - Put Out More Flags (audiobook)
A satirical novel that covers the opening of WWII in Britain, following some of the characters familiar from some of his early work. This is one of those times where I'm not sure if it's the book or just the reading of it was the problem. Things just felt confusing and jumbled and I was frequently unsure what was going on. Moments of brilliance followed by minutes of me going "Hang on, wait, what, who are we hearing about now?" I think I may have to return to this in paper form, at which point the star rating might be revised.
★★★½

>25 LovingLit: Heh, you certainly do, Cajun Megan!

>26 kidzdoc: *chases the oppressive patriarchy out of the building with a broom* *wonders where the broom came from* *realises she was sweeping* *hurls the broom away in disgust*

>27 jolerie: Excellent :) I was trying to write more, but realise that really just summed it up perfectly!

>28 connie53: Thanks Connie x 2 :)

>24 evilmoose: Ha! Now, it's time for you to move on and read Three Guineas.... It will simply ensure that the rage becomes an embedded part of your personality!

>24 evilmoose: The only book by Woolf that I like. Really, I love it.

Happy new thread! I love the topper. A love your review of A Room of One's Own. :)

*chases the oppressive patriarchy out of the building with a broom* *wonders where the broom came from* *realises she was sweeping* *hurls the broom away in disgust*

ROTFL
*picks self up to go do dishes*
*sigh*

27. Rohinton Mistry - A Fine Balance (audiobook)
Wow. Beautiful, brutal and heart breaking, this is an amazing book. Interwoven lives, the stories of families, of families created from friends, the horrible way we sometimes treat those we perceive as different, and whether that treatment can be an integral part of our belonging to a group. The battles everyone fights. Delicious food. Suffering, poverty, hardship, injustice and mistreatment. And the fine balance between hope and despair in India in the 1970s.

Also, I listened to this as an audiobook read by John Lee. I'd only ever heard him read China Mieville before, so I wasn't sure if it would work for me - I'm used to him being 'weird'. But he was fantastic, and I think he's up among my favourite narrators now.
★★★★★

>24 evilmoose: Great review! VW is on my list of authors I should really have read more of.

Excellent thoughts on A Fine Balance. It's definitely a book that sticks with you!

>35 evilmoose: I really like your comments on this. Still gives me the shivers.

>35 evilmoose: I'm planning to read that one this year. It's been on my bookshelf for a couple years and it will very nicely cross off the "read a book more than 500 pages" challenge that's on my list for the year.

>35 evilmoose: - Wonderful review!

Thanks to everyone who has been visiting - life has been busy and LT time has been limited.

>31 Chatterbox: Sounds like an excellent idea! I'm only just starting to properly delve into her writings, but so far, she's a bit wonderful.

>32 MickyFine: It is great - although after finally starting to read Woolf last year, I've liked everything I've read.

>33 The_Hibernator: Thanks Rachel :)

>34 LovingLit: *hands the other Megan a banner reading "EQUALITY! (Also, dishes should do themselves)" and invites her the join the march*

>36 souloftherose: Thanks Heather! I finally started reading her works last year, and am kicking myself for not getting there earlier (although perhaps I'm getting more out of them now than I would have done 10-15 years ago)

>37 jolerie: Thanks Valerie :) It really is - I keep thinking about it still, and it's kind of ruining the other books I have on the go, as none of them come close to affecting me so deeply.

>38 charl08: Thank you - that's a good description of it, it really is an amazing book (some in the reviews were lamenting the fact it was too sad - I wanted to shake my fist at them)

>39 MickyFine: Hurrah! I look forward to reading your thoughts on it.

>40 lkernagh: Thanks Lori :)

>30 evilmoose: LOL!

*picks up broom, sweeps thread thoroughly, prepares lunch for Megan, tidies up kitchen*

*still cringes in fear*

>35 evilmoose: Yay! I'm glad that you loved A Fine Balance. I gave it 5 stars as well. Have you read anything else by Rohinton Mistry?

>35 evilmoose: Candidate for best Post-War (WWII) novel IMO. Great, great book.

Megan, I wish you a lovely weekend.

>35 evilmoose: That's one that's long been on my TBR list. Glad to hear that you enjoyed the audiobook so much. Maybe I should give that a shot instead of the print version.

Hope you're having a great start to the weekend, Megan!

Megan, your planned bike ride sounds wonderful! Dirt roads -- so, back roads? I assume you listen to audio books while you ride in training....
I'm about to commit for the Seattle Half Marathon in November. I ran it in 2005 and '06 (before we lived here) and did the full Rock 'n' Roll marathon in 2010. While I never want to run another 26.2, the half-marathon is an appealing and manageable distance.

I'm glad you liked A Fine Balance. I read it years ago and had a similar reaction. It's a fine piece of writing.

And your simple comment in response to A Room of One's Own, well... you captured it in one sentence. Nice.

Glad you liked A Fine Balance, that's been on my to-read list for a while!

>43 kidzdoc: I thought I hadn't, but I have in fact read Family Matters as well, which apparently I didn't love - I might have to re-read it. *eats the delicious lunch, nodding approvingly*

>44 PaulCranswick: Paul, I think I bumped it up my To Read list after seeing it end up on one of your 'best of' lists, so thank you!

>45 Ameise1: Thanks Barbara, my weekend was lovely and warm, if a little muddy. Hope yours was wonderful (or at least pleasant)

>46 LauraBrook: Thanks Laura! It would probably be much quicker in print form, but I did enjoy the audiobook, so if you are that way inclined...

>47 EBT1002: Heya - yes, back roads, forestry roads, and occasional linking piece of highway, overgrown logging trails, some singletrack - all sorts! And yes, that's one of the reasons for my massive audiobook consumption, I can bike and listen. Although I don't always, sometimes it's nice to just ride. Other times it's nice to be distracted by an interesting book - which has the fun side effect that there are sections of trail and road that I pass by, and will forever associate them with moments in a book. It's like creating a literary web over the landscape. Good luck with your half-marathon training! I am a lover of off-road running, but always appreciate the simplicity of just going outside for a run :)

>48 The_Hibernator: Definitely recommended, you should read it this year :) Although maybe have a lighter book lined up to read afterwards!

I like the idea of a literary web over the landscape! :-)

29. Tan Twan Eng - The Gift of Rain
Read along with OtherMegan, and Ilana, this is the story of half-English, half-Chinese Philip Hutton, his British family and his Japanese mentor in war-torn Penang. Coming of age, divided loyalties, war, and difficult decisions.

I enjoyed the writing, and thought the setting was well described, and overall enjoyed the story. But I couldn't sink myself entirely into the book because some of the conversations had such unlikely dialogue, with some odd interactions. And likewise, some of the actions of the characters - it seemed like the author was telling us, rather than showing us, how people felt, and how relationships were. The strong relationship between Philip and Endo-San never made total sense to me - it was logical, in a way, but it bothered me that it didn't seem natural, even with the explanation of fate, and past lives. And then when it came to Philip becoming a collaborator? I know that there are people who would do that in any given war - but I found his decision baffling as it really didn't seem to make sense for his character. And maybe that was because I never really got a strong sense of who exactly he was throughout the book...

Definitely an interesting read though, and I enjoyed it overall.

★★★★

>49 evilmoose: damn, so Darryl's lunch wasnt for after all :(

And your review of the Gift of Rain sounds like it was taken out of my head. I never actually wrote a review...and now I don't have to! Thanks! I will possibly get around to that though. I just could not reconcile him with his actions ...look at me taking the moral high ground. In my defence though, active participation is different from inaction. Inaction, if that were the way in which he were to collaborate, might be a tad more understandable.

>50 Chatterbox: I was going to say that! Sadly the road traffic means I can't do this on my bike, but maybe if I get off-road...

Apparently I forgot to post about book 28 (I was sure I had!) - so here is a two for the price of one book catch-up.


28. China Mieville - The Scar (audiobook, 608pp)
Oh golly, what were my thoughts on this again? I enjoyed it, it was a good sci-fi/fantasy tale, I never felt terribly invested in the characters. I saw a quote recently where Mieville said he was "in it for the monsters" - and he certainly gives good monster!
★★★½


30. Thomas Hardy - The Return of the Native (audiobook, 414pp)
An amazing work of art, this would be great to do as a tutored read I think (or follow along with a tutored read at any rate). I'll need to re-read it as there's so much I've missed. The sort of book that reminds me how little depth there is to many of the books I read. Audiobook read by Alan Rickman was initially distracting, because Alan Rickman was reading a book to me, but then I was so drawn into the tale (relationship drama! wedding mishaps! old loves! passionate new love! bonfires! the heath! death! love triangle?) that I stopped noticing him. A couple of chapters from the end when people started hurling themselves into the water, I started giggling with the thought that maybe all of the main characters were going to hurl themselves in and drown, and the rest of the novel would just be pleasant descriptions of the heath.
★★★★

>50 Chatterbox: Thanks - I was quite pleased with the description!

>52 LovingLit: I'll have him make another, so you can have one too. And I guess collaboration is one of those in for a penny, in for a pound situations. Once you've gotten yourself involved, there's no choice about the level of involvement. The initial decision was still so unexpected for me though.

>53 charl08: Ooh, you should try, it can be absolutely lovely.

Also - are any of you on Trivia Crack? I accidentally started playing it, and now I'm a bit addicted. I'd love to challenge some people I actually know (or 'know') for once.

Ha! Another victim of Trivia Crack. That game is a time suck.

>56 Oberon: That is my number one app in my phone.

Megan, do you have a link for that awesome Discworld chart that you posted on Heather's thread?

Aha, I worked out my username: megandunn.115 if anyone would like to play. I challenge you all to a duel! *brandishes sword at >56 Oberon: and >57 xymon81: *

and >58 jolerie: Discworld Reading Map... here you go!

31. Michelle De Kretser - The Lost Dog
Meh. Wordy wordy literariness, it felt like I was being beaten over the head by the book, proclaiming loudly that it was Literature. As Tom searches for the dog, moments and conversations from the present and past are piled on top of each other, in an enormous heap that's supposed to be gradually revealing, but to me felt like a disorganised mess. There were some moments I enjoyed, but overall, I did not enjoy the experience.

From the dust jacket, a quote that does a good job of summing up the writing within: "He is constantly drawn from the cerebral to the primitive - by his mother's infirmities, as well as by Nelly's attractions. The Lost Dog makes brilliant use of the conventions of suspense and atmosphere while leading us to see anew the conficts between our bodies and our minds, the present and the past, the primal and the civilized." If that sounds appealing - well, then perhaps you will enjoy this, but it was not for me. Oh, and "... keeps us thinking until its rewarding close" - I did not find the close rewarding, except that it meant I was finally finished. Most pretentious book I've read this year.
★★½

(Read for the Australian/NZ Author Challenge)

>61 charl08: I don't think I even finished this one. Complete miss. (Great review though).

>61 charl08: Heh, thanks - I was quite tempted to give it up, but I'd only read a couple of chapters of my February ANZAC book, so was feeling a bit guilty.

32. Thomas King - The Back of the Turtle
This was a spur of the moment read, after a fellow bookworm colleague at work offered it to me. Conveniently, I was home from work today with some sort of evil stomach disorder. Less conveniently, I didn't get to eat for 1.5 days, but hurrah for reading time!

This was a pleasant read though - I don't know if it's one that will stick with me through the ages (although I could be wrong). It tells the tale of a man, and of environmental disasters, community, big corporations, hope and despair - all in a way oddly disconnected from reality, but still enjoyable. It felt dreamlike rather than gritty and real - but I don't know how much of that was due to my enforced fasting. A Canadian author too, with much of the story set in small-town coastal British Columbia.
★★★★

33. Takatsu - Secondhand Memories
An interesting experiment in the 'cell phone novel' style, I received a digital copy as a LT Early Reviewers copy - and if I hadn't felt obliged to finish reading it as a result, I wouldn't have bothered. It's a melodramatic teenage love story, with unnecessary elements like girls being in comas, and mysterious strangers attempting nefarious acts. I feel I definitely wasn't the intended audience for this one. The writing feels amateurish too, although the style is potentially interesting.
★★

Hi Megan, I wish you a lovely weekend.

Wow! You've finished an amazing number of books and created fabulous reviews. I have not read anything by Rohinton Mistry but I'm going to have to change that quickly!

Happy weekend Megan! Glad you enjoyed The Gift of Rain, I loved Garden of the Evening Mists when I read it a couple of years ago.

Hi, Megan. I'm finally making it to your "new" thread.

If you are enjoying feeling your feminist rage, may I suggest Sheri Tepper's Gibbon's Decline and Fall as a fun way to extend it?

>65 Ameise1: Thanks Barbara, I hope your weekend was wonderful too! (Lovely tulips... pretty sure those are tulips... yes definitely tulips)

>66 vancouverdeb: Thanks Deb! Glad you've enjoyed my reviews :) And I definitely recommend checking out some Rohinton Mistry - although in the past I've read another of his and was less blown away, so I don't know if my tastes have changed, or if A Fine Balance is just that amazing.

>67 The_Hibernator: Thanks Rachel - I'm interested in reading Garden of the Evening Mists now - quite a few people have mentioned enjoying it.

>68 ronincats: *sets out welcome mat for Roni* *reminds the cheerleaders not to flag in their routine* ... thanks for the recommendation - I do rather enjoy a good bit of feminist rage every now and again, I've added that to my To Read list!

34. Daphne Du Maurier - The House on the Strand (audiobook)
I'm still very much a Daphne Du Maurier beginner. I read Rebecca last year, and that was my first. And so I'm still not quite sure what to expect from her - except for some reason I can't shake the preconception that she writes tame 'straight' classics. But so far she has a quirky and odd way to her, which I quite enjoy.

I had fun with this novel - the peculiar drug, the gradual development of both stories, and the various interpretations that could be placed on the happenings... it was all fun reading. Although really, if spending time with your wife and her friends is so appalling, maybe you should reconsider your relationship! Perhaps that was just an affect of the experience he was undergoing though.
★★★★

Bit late to your "New" thread, but congrats anyhow! Lots of interesting reading going on here. : )

Hi Megan, I wish you a wonderful weekend.

>71 Berly: Thanks Kim :)

>72 Ameise1: Thanks Barbara, I hope you had a lovely weekend too :)

35. Anthony Doerr - All The Light We Cannot See (audiobook)
Ripping good read, this rattled along at a good pace and I can see why it received so many positive reviews, both on LibraryThing and in the real world. I do agree with those who say that the character and actions of the blind young Marie-Laure were much more well-drawn than those of Werner, her young Nazi counterpart. For me, that was where things fell short a little, and it didn't quite make it past 4 stars (well, that, and a couple of other Germans who were also little more than cut-out characters). It was a great story though, and very easy to roar through in hardly any time, out of rushing to see what happens next.
★★★★

I agree with your comments. What did you think of the ending? It certainly took me by surprise and left me a little sad. Event though I didn't expect it, I also thought it was too neat. You?

>75 Berly: Yes, the ending - I'm not sure what I was expecting, but I did feel a little bit let down. It does make sense that Werner didn't survive, after all he'd gone through... but, the way he died? And I think it may have been a stronger story without the flash forwards to the future, maybe that's what left me feeling so "eh" about the end.

36. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle - A Study in Scarlet (audiobook)
Do I like the idea of Sherlock Holmes better than the books themselves? But this get extra points for being the actual source of Sherlock Holmes, despite its flaws. I was taken aback by the prolonged Mormon interlude. But Sherlock and Watson are still both wonderful creations.
★★★½

>77 evilmoose: I find the short stories are better, generally.

Delurking to say hi Megan. I remember enjoying the Mormon interlude in A Study in Scarlet, though it was certainly unexpected. I only started getting acquainted with Holmes a year or two ago (when I got the complete Holmes collection on audio) and it's slow going, but I enjoy it when I make time for him.

>77 evilmoose: Do I like the idea of Sherlock Holmes better than the books themselves? That about sums up my feelings about Sherlock Holmes.

Me, too! I'd love to be able to say I've read the whole canon, but alas .....

>78 MickyFine: I think the short stories may be what I've read before.

>79 Smiler69: Hi Ilana - the Mormon interlude definitely isn't bad, but as I was listening to the audiobook, I was very confused for a while. Was it the same book? Were my chapters getting mixed up? Had I missed an essential explanation? I think I'll keep slowly pottering along with it though.

>80 Familyhistorian: & >81 streamsong: Heh, yes, I'm going to try some more, but I have re-calibrated my expectations now.

37. Charles Portis - True Grit (audiobook)
My last book of March, this one is different. It snuck onto my reading list as a LT recommendation via Paul Cranswick. I listened to the audiobook, read by Donna Tartt. It's the story of Mattie Ross, a very (very) pragmatic 14 year old who sets out to avenge the death of her father in late 1880s Arkansas. Initially I found myself annoyed by the very simple "I said, he said, I said" style of narration. But the charms of the novel began to grow on me. It's narrated from Mattie's point of view, and she has a gloriously black and white view of the world, stubbornly setting out to do the impossible. It's a book I'd feel inclined to re-visit.
★★★★

Feb & March Stats
Books read: 20
Format: audiobook (15), ebook (1), paper book (4)
Gender: male author (15) , female author (5)
Type: fiction (18), non-fiction (2)
Favourite book: Rohinton Mistry - A Fine Balance (glorious tragedy) ★★★★★
Least favourite: Takatsu - Secondhand Memories (read due to LibraryThing reviewer program - possibly would be of interest to a histronic adolescent) ★★
Pages: 3543 (Feb) + 4655 (Mar)

Because you guys might appreciate this - we bought our house last June. We've been slowly doing bits of renovations here and there, but the most recent project is taking the doors off the old junk cupboard at the top of the stairs, cutting back the moulding and edges around it, then drywalling it so it's a flush even inset space. Then we'll be building in nice hollow shelves, and it will be an awesome enormous book shelf!

This is what it looks like so far - need to finish the mudding/plastering and get it ready to paint and build the shelves:

Ooooh, nascent bookshelves!

What a wonderful place for bookshelves!

Oooh, yay for bookshelves! I can't wait to see the finished project!

Just getting caught up here Megan. I'm glad to see that you liked The House on the Strand. It's my favorite du Maurier of the ones I've read. Probably because of the time travel aspect.

The book shelves project sounds like it will be a great addition to your living space. I wish I had something similar!

Yay for awesome bookshelves!

Can't wait to see the finished project with all your beautiful books finding a nice new home. :)

What a great mission! Can't wait to see the finished project. I admire your industriousness ...or your husband's;)

>85 evilmoose: - What a wonderful idea! Great use of space, too!

Happy Easter weekend, Megan.

Welcome, fellow bookshelf lovers! A happy Easter weekend to you all!

And >92 LovingLit: Megan, it's definitely more my husband's industriousness - although he initially came up with the project, my main contribution has been ripping out the existing shelves when he wasn't home, thereby ensuring we HAD to do something with the space! It's now nearly fully plastered, and should be in shape to paint some time this weekend I think. Which means I need to hurry up and calculate optimal shelf spacing. Which I think will involve digging out all of our boxed books and measuring them.

38. Haruki Murakami - Norwegian Wood (audiobook)
Ah Murakami, with your slightly surreal world, and your allegorical characters, and the random sex. I wasn't sure about this book at first, as Toru Watanabe reminisced, flashing back to his coming of age story. I felt the same disconnect I feel reading The Catcher in the Rye. But the meandering story became more compelling, as Toru deals with his increasingly disorganised life, and confronts difficult choices. Lots of references to western culture, and set against the student unrest of the late 60s. In the end it's a beautiful, thoughtful story.
★★★★½

39. Al Alvarez - Feeding the Rat
I've been meaning to read this book for a very long time. A close friend loved it, and the philosophy behind the need to 'feed your rat'. He died in an avalanche eight years ago - and that event spurred a lot of change in my life, and has always acted as a reminder to me to live life, rather than drift through it. Seek out experiences, do new things, dream audacious dreams.

Alvarez tells the tale of the climbing life of his friend and climbing partner Mo Anthoine (both Brits). 'Feeding the rat' is how Mo refers to his need to get out and push himself to the limits of physical and mental endurance, at the same time getting the most fantastic kick out of life, and create intense and lasting memories with good friends.

Mo has had any number of fantastic adventures in his life, from taking off camping on his own overnight when 11, to hitchhiking from Wales to New Zealand and back, attempts on Everest and many other more wild and technical peaks, and stunt doubling and filming for movie features involving climbing. Throughout, he's pragmatic, uninterested in fame or recognition, but mainly in it for the pleasure of amazing adventures with friends - and notably, he's rather cautious - his friends were worth more to him than summiting, and in over twenty years of expeditions in the mountains, no members of his team were ever killed.

It's an odd little love story of a book, Alvarez is obviously tremendously fond of Mo. But I loved it, and I'm glad I have my own copy finally.

★★★★½

Hi Megan, I wish you Happy Easter.

Happy Easter, Megan!

>96 evilmoose: That makes two of us reading books by Al Alvarez this year so far (I read a collection of his poems in January).

Have a lovely Easter weekend my dear and go a little easier on me on TC!

40. Angela Carter - Nights at the Circus (audiobook)
Some gorgeous language, bawdy and brilliant, but for some reason it just didn't grab me.
★★★

And a merry Easter to you, Barbara, Val and Paul!

>99 PaulCranswick: Aha - once I finished the book I looked into Al Alvarez a little more, and realised how much more he's written, plus his involvement with the Sylvia Plath story (I knew his name was familiar for some reason, but never would have occurred to me from the context of the book I was reading). And never!! Unless I get ridiculous questions about American football or baseball, in which case I shall hand you my head on a silver platter.

Happy Easter Megan! Love your review of Feeding the Rat.

41. Emily St.John Mandel - Station Eleven (audiobook)
A very readable post-apocaplyptic tale , it reminded me of Mira Grant's Feed trilogy - although with less horror and suspense. Separate characters and timelines are gradually drawn together, and it's apparent that lives are far more interconnected than you would imagine. Themes of relationships, memory and inter-connectedness, rather than focusing on the actual post-apocalyptic setting. Some characters were more well drawn than others - there was one in particular who seems to be just there so you can relish in hating him. It has more hope to it than other dystopian books I've read recently (and reminded me that I really need to get around to making sure I have my post-apocalypse survival manual sorted :P)

★★★★

>102 Berly: And a Happy Easter to you too Kim, thanks for stopping by :)

>103 evilmoose: I enjoyed it too. And there are many books to help with that survival list or just Tivo Doomsday preppers and take good notes. Or if you want to learn survival skills, Alaskan Bush People.

42. W. Somerset Maugham - The Painted Veil (audiobook)
Maugham succeeded in creating a world that I felt wholly immersed in - the fates of the characters and their love and relationships mattered so much to me that I couldn't stop listening. Thinking back, I can't even really say why. Perhaps it's because I have been suffering from a nasty cold, and am feeling overly emotional as a result, but I never would have imagined myself feeling so invested in a character called Kitty - let alone one who was so ridiculously shallow and callous as she was when the novel began. Oh and Walter, his "the dog it was that died" was absolutely heartbreaking. I may have spent time crying like a fool throughout the final chapters.

★★★★★

>103 evilmoose: Might I suggest How to Survive a Sharknado as a potential resource? ;)

>107 MickyFine: One of the best movies ever!!

>107 MickyFine: Apparently it also covers "bataclysms, firenados, mongolian death worms, and sharktopus" - that sounds perfect!

>108 xymon81: Have you seen Frozen? The original one, not the Disney remake. Although come to think of it, the original plotline was wildly different to the Disney version - must they add princesses to everything? And remove the wolves? And remove the idiots stuck on chairlifts in a deserted ski resort? They have no sense of a good story.

43. Terry Pratchett - Moving Pictures (audiobook) (re-read)
A re-read, this is perhaps one of the weaker Pratchetts, but an easy way to relax my brain a little.
★★★½

>95 evilmoose: I have nearly read that book, started it while on holiday and didn't finish it in time to give it back to the persons it was. And oddly, I have never come across it since then! It was 7 years ago?

Hi Megan, I wish you a fabulous weekend.

>111 LovingLit: Ooh - that is a sad tale. And also perhaps a damning indictment of how interesting you found it! And actually, he's the kind of author who isn't into clear cut endings anyway, so you may not have missed much in a way.

>112 Ameise1: Merry weekend Barbara!

Ok, here's another 'Golly real life has been distracting recently' catch up. At least I've still been reading listening.


44. Alan Bradley - A Red Herring Without Mustard (audiobook)
I still like Flavia, but I wasn't feeling as enthralled this time around as I have done in the past. Still good fun, enjoyable read and all. Murder, amateur young girl detecting, some random silliness, the usual.
★★★½


45. Helen Fielding - Bridget Jones Diary (audiobook)
Ok, this is a very silly book, but it made me laugh. I've been meaning to read it for absolutely ages, and haven't actually seen the movie. It's not a book I would ever bother re-reading, but it gets 4 stars for the amusement it gave me this time round.
★★★★


46. Amy Poehler - Yes Please (audiobook)
Audiobook was the perfect way to enjoy this - Amy Poehler was a joy to listen to. I've recently started doing improv, so I'm more interested in the mechanics of comedy than I ever have been before. I also just recently binge watched all of Parks and Recreation, and it made me laugh quite a lot. I'm kind of sad this is over now, so I can't wander around with Amy telling me stories and giving me life advice.
★★★★

(And hey, would you look at that! Three books in a row with a female protagonist, and two of them by female authors.)

>114 evilmoose: You've never watched Bridget? The first one is a must. For Colin Firth alone it's a must.

>115 MickyFine: I was thinking I really should, for Colin Firth research related reasons.

>116 evilmoose: I endorse this decision.

Glad you enjoyed The Bridget Jones Diary I loved the movie and hope to read the book some day. :)

Hi Megan, I wish you a relaxed weekend.

When you were talking about the Ride the Divide Race, I did a little internet searching to see where the route came through Montana. I found the video called 'Ride the Divide', threw it on my Netflix DVD list . It showed up a week or so ago and I finally watched it last night.

Wow-- that is hardcore. That's an amazing video and an amazing race.

Walking through, catching up. I am reading Bossypants on audio and I can't imagine reading it any other way. It is so perfect to hear Tina Fey read it! Sorry you ran out of book. : (

>118 The_Hibernator: Heya Rachel, thanks for visiting - definitely worth one read at least. A nice light read inbetween tragedies too.

>119 Ameise1: Thanks Barbara! Those are lovely blossoms, I hope your weekend was wonderful.

>120 streamsong: Woo! Feeling overly excited that you watched that movie - and yes, it's a very crazy amazing race :D

>121 Berly: Running out of book is the worst :( I'm tempted to read Bossypants now, I haven't seen much of Tina Fey, but I feel like her book should be an enjoyable listen too.

47. Alan Duff - Once Were Warriors (audiobook)
Listening to this book was a little bit like being hit in the face with a brick. I knew the story involved Maoris in modern day New Zealand, and domestic violence, and drunkenness. But it was intense, and overwhelming, and Jay Laga'aia did a really good job of reading. Having read a few excerpts online, I think I would have struggled with reading it in book form - audio was definitely the right choice for this one, especially with such a good narrator. Some complain of Duff's incessant moralising and grandstanding - for me, he pulled it all off.
★★★★½

Two super brief reviews, as real life is busy, but at least I'm still reading:


48. Harper Lee - To Kill a Mockingbird (audiobook)
I hadn't read this novel since I studied it in Year 10 at school (and got a really good mark on an essay, woo). It's a wonderful novel though, and I'm sorry it's taken so long to re-visit.
★★★★★ re-read


49. Kazuo Ishiguro - The Buried Giant (audiobook)
I remember now that I tend to have trouble with Ishiguro's restrained and detailed prose being so restrained and detailed that I start falling asleep. There were some interesting themes, of love and memory, and a lot of beautiful writing and imagery. I lost interesting during the knights and dragons, and my overall impression was 'ok - somewhere between beautiful and boring'. I hadn't read anything about the novel beforehand and was initially startled to discover it was set during Arthurian (or post-Arthurian) Britain, with Saxons and Britons running around everywhere. Plus the dragon. And a lot of fantasy elements.
★★★½

>124 evilmoose: I love Ishiguro's prose (as evidenced by my recent review of The Remains of the Day) and I'm really looking forward to making it to the front of the holds list for this one. Hope your next read is more of a hit for you.

>124 evilmoose: I just got a copy of The Buried Giant from a friend. I hope it doesn't start putting me to sleep as I need to return it.

Woah, you have read some corkers lately! Go you. Once Were Warriors would be hard on audio I would imagine, and in film it is very much inescapable. Such an important film for NZ as before then so many people had no idea of what domestic violence actually looked like, how complex the situations are, and why women go back to their violent husbands. It is a gem, cased in prickles !

And you are doing improv!? As in stand up? Wow again....where do you do that and how? *stage fright*

>125 MickyFine: I saw you review of Remains of the Day Micky - there's been a few people who've read that one this year, and I think everyone has loved it. But when I read it, I just remember being bored by all the butlering. I wonder if I need to try Ishiguro in paper form, rather than audiobook, or if he just isn't for me. I certainly feel as if I'm missing out though!

>126 Oberon: Not to worry Erik, the other reviews I've seen have been very positive - I think I just have a missing Ishiguro appreciation chip. I do get through his books, but feel guilty about not enjoying them as much as I feel like I should. At least I don't feel the urge to hurl them through the window like I experienced when attempting Proust.

>127 LovingLit: Yep Megan, lots of awesome reads! Even the less good ones have really been quite good. And Once Were Warriors was quite overwhelming - I couldn't always listen to it at bedtime. It really is a very good capture of a very tough life - I was making mental comparisons with the situation with Australian Aborigines, and the Canadian native population - different people, but in some ways a very similar struggle. And yes, stand up improv style thingy stuff. There's a group that meets here, we spend a couple of hours messing around playing improv games one evening a week, and then every few months have a public show. After being an outgoing kid, I was terrified of speaking in public for years, and am just recently getting back to my old carefree ways - it's delightfully liberating to get up in front of people and make a fool of yourself. And the added bonus of the weekly sessions is that it's basically like a free comedy show every week - because it's invariably hilarious :)

Hi Megan, I wish you a wonderful weekend.

Megan, I think I'd be bored with The Remains of the Day if I listened to it on audio because my mind tends to wander more easily and all that beautiful prose would have been wasted on my ears. In print, I LOVED it. :)

I'm looking forward to The Buried Giant because his writing just clicks with me!

50. Alan Bradley - I am Half-Sick of Shadows (audiobook)
Well, I did it in entirely the wrong order, but I've now read the first six Flavia de Luce books. I enjoyed this more than A Red Herring Without Mustard, which was the last one I read, and am now looking forward to seeing what happens to Flavia next. Jolly good fun and all, but I have trouble giving it more stars because it's such fluffy reading. But so comfortable! I had actually been trying to start on W. Somerset Maugham's The Moon and Sixpence, but found the audiobook narrator so irritating that I just couldn't manage it, so switched to Flavia instead.
★★★½

>130 jolerie: You've encouraged me, I think I will try him in print next time :)

Meg, Alan Bradley is one of my guilty pleasures! :) I did not pick up one of his books until he had written 3 or so in the series, judging the books to be for YA, but I've been hooked since I read the first in the series! I even pre - order the next installment now! Runs away in embarrassment! :)

>133 vancouverdeb: >131 evilmoose: Now I want some Flavia too!

Is Flavia a guilty pleasure? Well, then I will join the crew. I am working my way through the series slowly (I have only read the first one but I was charmed and have the second one all set to go.)

>133 vancouverdeb: >134 connie53: >135 Familyhistorian: - Welcome Flaviaphiles! She is definitely a bit of a guilty pleasure. It's a bit like reading and re-reading the Enid Blyton St.Clare's books when I was a teenager. So fluffy! So formulaic! So fun!

Also - ARGH IT'S MAY! My big bike race is in 6 weeks! Also ARGH! MAY!!

Good luck on your training for the next 6 weeks! I'm training for a bike race myself. :) But it's not until the end of the summer.

>136 evilmoose: I forgot about the bike race. That sure snuck up pretty fast!

Bereft of naked dances, I had to hurry along and look you up, Megan.

Once were Warriors is also on my upcoming list as I am a touch behind in my ANZAC reading. "Hit by a brick" vividly sets it up for me, I think.

Thank you for keeping a smile in my thread whilst I was off worrying over things I can't control properly. xx

Cheering you on with your training, Megan!

6 weeks till race time, wow! Part of the Story in 'Ride the Divide' was the first woman to complete the race. How many women have finished it now, several years later?

51. Edmund de Waal - The Hare with the Amber Eyes (audiobook)
Well I didn't really have any idea what to expect with this one, I'd heard the title and had the idea I wanted to read it. And really enjoyed it! It's a biography of sorts, but it felt so much like fiction at the start that I had to double check. We travel from the past of de Waal's family to the present, in a meandering non-linerar sort of fashion, and all sorts of detours and wonderful tales along the way. It's about so much more than his ancestors (although it helps that he has some very interesting ancestors), but memory, history, and the stories that belong to objects.
★★★★

Thanks thread visitors, for keeping the place from becoming a desolate and sweeping wasteland while I've been away! I'm currently reading A Confederacy of Dunces, which I must admit I had always assumed was some sort of American history non-fiction book, which in hindsight was a slightly rude assumption for my brain to have leapt to, sorry Americans! It is a laugh out loud sort of book though.

>137 The_Hibernator: Thanks Rachel, and ooh, a bike race! What is your bike race? Good luck with training :)

>138 Familyhistorian: Super fast! It's five weeks away now. FIVE WEEKS! That's nothing!

>139 PaulCranswick: I find surprise nakedness is often useful to distract people from life's worries. Although I am sorry I've been away from my own thread so much. And everyone elses. And Trivia Crack! It's been days and days now.

>140 jolerie: Thanks :)

>141 streamsong: Still not an awful lot. The trend seems to be no more than 10 percent women taking part. I've tried to hunt down figures, but it's tricky with such an unofficial race, with no real records being kept for the last few years. I think it might be around 20 though. At least a couple of those are "non-competitive" times of over 30 days though. It looks like there might be around 10 females starting at the South-bound Grand Depart this year though.

Oh, and how about that Alberta election! I was meaning to jump on LT last night, but ended up glued to election results.

Stopping by to get caught up here and to cheer you on with your upcoming race! Great reviews - I am also a Flavia fan - and wow on the election. I did not see that coming, although I probably should have. Alberta has a bit of a history that when they change parties, they change big time.

>142 evilmoose: Glad to see you enjoyed The Hare With Amber Eyes. That was one of my favorite books of the past couple years.

>143 evilmoose: Ah, so some people start it from the South and travel northward? That sounds much nicer than dragging bikes over snowbanks as you skirt Glacier Park in the spring!

My Alberta friend mentioned that the election had been won by socialists, but that's the extent of what I know about it.

I also really enjoyed The Hare With Amber Eyes. Now I want a netsuke. :-)

Megan, I came to comfort you as you pay taxes without representation in Alberta! :) I am so surprised that after 40 years finally Alberta has voted out the PC's and gone to the NDP. Not a bad thing, I think - time for a change -and Alberta really changed! It will be hard to say how " socialist" the NDP will be in Alberta. In BC, we've had the Liberals for some ? 10 years and some might think that is a bit leftish, but not really. BC - and we are a " have province" , which Alberta currently is not, swings between the NDP and the Liberals as our provincial government.

Oh I loved all of the Enid Blyton books in my young days, so no wonder I'm a Flaviaphile.

>144 lkernagh: Thanks Lori :) I should post loaded bike photos some time soon, once I have my setup finally finalised. And I was thoroughly amazed at the "newspaper headings every time government has changed hands in Alberta" photo that has been floating around - they really do go in for long reigns followed by massive switches.

>145 Oberon: It was a lovely read Erik - and hope you and your family and books are well, I haven't had a chance to visit your thread recently.

>146 streamsong: Yep, there are some definite advantages to travelling that way, although the route was set up for travel in the other direction, and I don't fancy plunging myself straight into New Mexico heat. And I'm hoping the low snowpack this year will make for much easier snow travel! I'm guessing at least a few pesky passes that are usually snowbound won't be anywhere near so bad. I'm with you on the netsuke longing too, I had to google images of them, and you can see the collection he writes about, as well as many others. They're the sort of thing that calls out to be collected.

>147 vancouverdeb: Heh, thanks Deb :) And I suspect they won't really be that socialist, given the framework they're working within. I'm used to governments regularly swinging back and forth every couple of terms or so, so discovering what Alberta was like was a bit of a shock. It'll be very interesting to see what happens next though. And now you have me curious, I wonder how many other Flaviaphiles are fellow Enid Blyton lovers?

Hi Megan, I wish you a lovely weekend.

I keep bouncing back and forth with The Hare with Amber Eyes! I can't decide if I want to read it or not, but I imagine with time, I'll probably pick it up at some point. :)

Wishing you a wonderful Mother's Day as well!

>148 evilmoose: I never made the connection between loving Flavia and Enid Blyton. Blyton was one of my favourites growing up and I enjoy Falvia.

>147 vancouverdeb: The Liberals are not leftish, Deb, more like Conservatives going by another name. It remains to be seen what happens with the NDP in Alberta but a change was probably in order after 40 years!

Hi Megan! The Hare with the Amber Eyes has been on my wishlist for a while. I'm glad to see you liked it so well.

I have not had the pleasure of Flavia yet...apparently I must!!! Good luck on all the bike prep. I will ride my stationary (best I can offer with the off knee right now) bike and be with you in spirit!! At least for the half hour I do at a time. ; ) You are a warrior!!

>128 evilmoose: because it's invariably hilarious :)
I absolutely and utterly love laughing. I'm told by my funny friends that having me around makes them feel good as I laugh without fail at most things intended to by funny. I even laugh when I think of funny things that have been said in the past...

Less than 6 weeks til the mammoth race huh? GO you.

First, the book catch up....


52. John Kennedy Toole - A Confederacy of Dunces (audiobook)
I'll admit I thought this was a non-fiction US history book. Instead it's a laugh-out-loud farcical black comedy that I'd really like to re-read. Ignatius is an amazing main character. Actually, so many of the characters are just amazingly ridiculous.
★★★★½


53. Lily King - Euphoria (audiobook)
This was another book I entirely dived into, with a retelling of a part of the life of Margaret Mead as an anthropologist in Papua New Guinea. It was interesting as I have a friend who has done several spells of research as linguist in Papua New Guinea - and still has issues with lingering malaria.
★★★★


54. Jon Krakauer - Into Thin Air (audiobook)
I've been meaning to read this mountaineering tale for a long time. I live in a strange town which is filled with many talented mountaineers, including a few who've made it to the summit of Everest (one of who was name checked in this book). I never fully made the jump from rock climbing to mountaineering, on the grounds that mountains, although beautiful are quite terrifying. And although it did feel a little ego stroking, it was also jolly good reading and I didn't want to put it down once I started.
★★★★

And now - only 23 days until my big bike race is supposed to start, but last week I slipped walking down the stairs at home and twisted my knee (after bike racing without incident on the weekend!). It looks like it's an MCL sprain. I am not sure whether I'll be healed up in time or not. I'm coming to terms with the fact that I may not be able to race - because I'd potentially have to do plenty of hiking through snow over passes in out of the way places, I need to be able to be able to trust my knee thoroughly.

>149 Ameise1: Happy weekend x 2 to you Barbara!

>150 jolerie: The Hare with the Amber Eyes is a calm sort of book. Worth reading, but isn't the first I'd recommend of the ones I've read.

>151 Familyhistorian: Aha, more proof for my Enid Blyton - Flavia theory! Now I just need to get the question out to a larger sample size.

>152 cbl_tn: Excellent :) It's a nice booky book... and I'm beginning to feel like my sore knee is affecting my ability to think.

>153 Berly: :( Looks like I might not be a warrior after all. I've got three weeks to heal, and I'm not sure if I'll be able to pull it together. Oh well, if I have to postpone for another year, I'll be sure to cram in a few more ludicrous adventures in this summer. And train up even harder for next year! It's just such a shame as the weather and conditions this year are looking pretty great.

>154 LovingLit: Heh, I am often the one laughing first and most too. My brain converts things into hilarious visual images. Often it just leads people to think I'm mad, but many of the best people are. And less than 23 days now... but only if I heal...

Sorry to hear about your knee injury. Isn't that always the way, the injury happens doing something unrelated and usually benign.

>155 evilmoose: Ouch. Crap. Sending wishes for rapid healing; and for wisdom to know when & whether it's healed enough.

Oh no! Hope you have a swift recovery.

Get well soon

Get well soon, Megan.

Oh, no! I'm sorry to hear about your knee injury, Megan. I hope that you recover from it soon.

Drat on the knee! I'll be looking forward to your adventures.

55. China Mieville - Un Lun Dun (audiobook)
I loved some of the world play and inventions, but overall it really didn't hold my interest. At all.
★★★

>157 Familyhistorian: I know! A few days before injuring myself I'd actually had that conversation with a friend too.

>158 swynn: The wisdom to know when it's healed enough will be the tricky part I fear. It's beginning to feel better now - I'm still limping, but not in pain all the time. And I'm worried it will be feeling better and I'll be tempted to race despite myself.

>159 charl08: Thanks Charlotte!

>160 xymon81: Thank you :)

>161 Ameise1: Thanks Barbara, and for the lovely photo :)

>162 kidzdoc: Cheers Darryl. It feels like I'm on the mend now... but I suspect it will be something easy to re-injure if I'm not patient. I've already manged to make it worse a couple of times since the initial incident with the stairs!

>163 streamsong: Yes, no matter what, there will be adventures! *shakes fist at the world*

*shakes fist at the world*

Give 'em hell, Megan! LOL

56. Martin Amis - Money (audiobook)
Appreciated his authorial skills, but can't say I enjoyed it. Was a bit too rapey for my tastes. And painfully self-aware, which I know was the point, but but but. Still glad I read it, all things considered.
★★★½

>166 kidzdoc: Think I need to borrow some of this attitude right now, if that's ok. Short loan basis possible?

>167 evilmoose: I enjoyed (if that's the right word, given the subject matter, probably not) Zone of Interest but I'll give this one a miss. Thinking I need a new category on my library 'books that collected LT wisdom advises avoid...'. Hope recovery progresses.

Hi Megan, I wish you a great weekend.

What's bummer about your knee! I have my fingers crossed for it to recover in time, and would be so disappointed for you if you have to abandon starting it.

>167 evilmoose: a bit "rapey"? Yikes. ('nuf said)

Oh dear, I'm sorry to hear about the knee, and the race. I know how much you were looking forward to it. I've had one sprain in my lifetime - a sprained ankle just about 3 weeks before my college graduation. I managed to be off crutches in time for the ceremony so I didn't have to walk across the stage using them. My ankle was weak for months afterwards, though, and it was too easy to tweak it just in normal activity.

Just catching up here. How's the knee? I am going to try my first TKD class since the knee surgery. Starting off back in the white belt class so I can take it easy. Crossing fingers....

#167 That sums up my opinion of Amis nicely. I read Dead babies for the BAC challenge and your comments are pretty much on the money for that one too - though add in 'and druggy' after rapey....

Thanks for coming by, wonderful thread visitors! The news about the knee is not great - it's feeling reasonable now, I can walk around on it, but it still feels very weak. I feel incredibly wary of going out and overdoing, seeing as I've already aggravated it twice since the initial injury (>171 cbl_tn: I can only imagine how long it will take to get back to normal). I went in for a massage on Friday and found out my muscles (quad muscles?) have started atrophying (boo!). So I've started doing easy rides - causes discomfort, but doesn't seem to make things worse. And I can hike, but have to be very careful if I'm on uneven ground - so basically, all the fun stuff is out. My new plan is to aim for the bike race next year instead!

On the plus side - gorgeous weather, and we went for a short hike/camp on the weekend - one of the most gorgeous spots I've ever camped in:

>174 evilmoose: Great pictures and take it slow. I go in Wednesday for my knee. In hopefully six months ill be back to running, hiking and jumping out of planes.

Amazing pictures!!! I want to camp there! Where is it? Sorry about the knee. Go slow.

Beautiful country but there must be some explanation behind the second picture.

Scenery looks lovely. I have continuing ankle / knee issues, but find hiking with a stick has helped no end. Also I like to think helps the bingo wings :-) (not that implying you have any, of course!)

Beautiful country - I love the glow within the tent. And who woulda thought unicorns lived up that high?

Sending many knee-heal-quick vibes. Isn't it funny how many knee issues are popping up here? Me too. I've just started working out on an elliptical and am pleased with how knee - friendly it is.

>178 charl08: - Bingo wings! That's funny - never heard it before!

Stunning pics - but I too have to enquire about the second pic...

Glad the knee is better, but take it easy!

>174 evilmoose: Gorgeous photos, Megan. I'm so sorry to hear that you still struggle with your knee. Get better soon.

Hey, you had a unicorn come camping with you. Cool! ;)
Sorry about the knee taking its time, what a bummer. Walking stick is the bomb for me, I love how it can really propel you as you go. Plus, I have various orthopaedic issues, amongst other unrelated "issues", and a pole takes the pressure of the old joints.

Unicorn is kind of freaking me out. Just saying.

Great photos, Megan! I'm Also waiting to hear about the mountain unicorn.

Hi Megan, I wish you a relaxed weekend.

57. Scott Lynch - The Lies of Locke Lamora (audiobook)
Quite fluffy, but entertaining. Bands of honourable thieves, that sort of thing.
★★★★


58. Margaret Drabble - The Millstone
A main character so oddly disconnected from the world and the people around her, but I loved this novel, and want to read more Drabble now.
★★★★½

Thanks to everyone for visiting! I'm in a 'life is distracting' phase, which has just been lasting and lasting. And now of course I'm avidly following the progress of the bike race I was supposed to be doing - if anyone's interested, you can see here: http://trackleaders.com/tourdivide15 how people are doing. I'm cheering on Lael, along with all the other women out there racing the course - she stayed at my house when she was in town though, and is awesome as well as an amazingly strong rider!

>175 xymon81: Sounds good ... except for the bit about jumping out of planes. That just sounds alarming. A person has to draw the line somewhere!

>176 Berly: In Kananaskis Country, Alberta, just next door to Banff National Park. It's an amazing place :)

>177 Familyhistorian: What, you don't have wild unicorns wandering around in your neck of the woods?

>178 charl08: Hiking with sticks really is pretty handy - I did it for a while in my early 20s when I had knee issues, but they've calmed down for years now, and I'd gotten out of the habit.

>179 streamsong: Thanks streamsong, it was amazing light - and yes, surprisingly easy to capture an image of a unicorn at rest, relaxing in its natural environment. It seems like knee season right now - mine is slowly slowly improving. The diagnosis has been vague, thankfully not a direct ligament tear, but taking a long time to clear up, whatever it is.

>180 BekkaJo: Thanks BekkaJo! Taking it easy (for me anyway). Well, trying to. I'm going to try the whole 'going for a run in the pool' thing later today, see how that pans out.

>181 Ameise1: Thanks Barbara, and for the lovely flower photo :)

>182 LovingLit: Yep, awesome little unicorn, just hanging out near camp, he was a pretty happy guy. Totally digging the walking sticks. Also quite useful for hitting cheeky people with.

>183 Oberon: Erik, it's a good thing you didn't say that while the unicorn was actually anywhere near you. Those things are short-tempered, they'll snap and kill a man in the blink of an eye. The whole happy sparkly pony thing is all a cover.

>184 kidzdoc: Thanks Darryl :) And what happens in the mountains with a unicorn, stays in the mountains.

>187 evilmoose: LOL!

>187 evilmoose: Just part of the job description.

>187 evilmoose: No unicorns in my neck of the woods - I expect that they are scared off by the coyotes.

59. David Mitchell - The Bone Clocks (audiobook)
I'd heard other reviewers mention liking the early parts of the novel, then feeling less impressed with the latter sections when things got all science fictiony. I thought to myself, that won't happen to me, I quite like science fiction. But it did happen to me. The characters and stories in the early parts of the novel were great, and I would have happily just followed them along - although then it does rather feel like a great set of characters and moments in search of a plot that works. Ah well, still enjoyable reading.
★★★½


60. Beryl Bainbridge - The Bottle Factory Outing (audiobook)
I was feeling a bit woolly headed when listening to this, and the audiobook quality wasn't the best, but I enjoy black humour, and there were many moments of 'what on earth is going on now?!'. So I give it the benefit of the doubt, and assume my woolly headedness wasn't the book's fault.
★★★★

hehe, (re: the unicorn, still)
My friend has a horse head like that one, she wears it from time to time and was even our group mascot when we went to a fancy dress party. I think she likes the anonymity. And going "neigh".

>187 evilmoose: Thanks for the insight into the secret life of the camping unicorn. :-D

Sorry the Bone Clocks didn't quite work for you. I think my reading of it benefitted from being preceded by several character studies without any plots at all...
Wonder what he will write next.

On a roll right now, one good book after another. Sometimes it's nice to read classics! Not on a roll with updating LT, but ah well.


61. Witi Ihimaera - The Whale Rider (audiobook)
Jay Laga'aia is a great narrator, and this is a beautiful tale. I saw the movie years and years ago, so had a rough idea of the plot, which of course wasn't the same anyway. Highly recommended as a story for girl-readers who should be reading about strong female characters who are getting out and kicking ass despite those who don't believe in them.
★★★★½


62. Katherine Mansfield - The Garden Party and other stories
I do not enjoy short stories, but these were beautifully written, and pulled me in and had me so involved within seconds... I wish she had written novels. She didn't did she? I'm not missing out on something somewhere? But I can she why she and Virginia Woolf saw each other as equals.
★★★★½


63. Anthony Burgess - A Clockwork Orange (audiobook)
Listening to the audiobook was a great choice for this. Another one where I'd seen in the movie (back in 1998? 1999?) but hadn't read the book. Tried once before but was overwhelmed by the invented language used. Read aloud it is much easier to get into. Still wildly violent, but certainly an amazing book. I was interested to hear that the movie, and the US version of the book, both omitted the final chapter - which really does entirely change the feel of the whole thing, although I'm not entirely sure I buy Burgess' suggestion that banging a chapter on the end where the character changes actually makes it literature.
★★★★½

>164 evilmoose: That's the one book in the British author challenge I abandoned earlier this year.

>194 evilmoose: Good to hear you are reading GOOD books now.

I don't think we have unicorns in my neck of the woods. Or maybe our local unicorns are just shyer. ;-)

I am not much of a short story reader either, but now I will be on the lookout for Katherine Mansfield collections.

I really liked the audio of A Clockwork Orange, too. Did you listen to Tom Hollander as the reader? Fantastic! I would love to listen to more by that guy, but it looks like that may be his only audiobook. (I dislike how hard it is to search readers on LT).

>197 cbl_tn: They can be elusive beasties! And yes, definitely recommended, as long as you can get over the short story thing.

>198 streamsong: Yes, it was Tom Hollander - he did a great job! It would be great if it was easier to hunt down works read by certain readers.

Hi Megan, I wish you a lovely weekend.

>194 evilmoose: hey! Where have you been? Hiatus?
Maybe you are biking and running and not being injured any more? I hope so.

An infrequent visitor here (because I have faulty LT attendance lately--not personal ya know), only to find you are not. LOL. Hope all it well.

I have been away for many moons, and now I have finally returned! I have barely been reading, due to visitors, and visiting others, and falling into deep obsession with another podcast. And struggling greatly with an attempted re-read of Crime and Punishment - in the end I put it aside for a while, as it was inducing too much night-time anxiety.


64. Peter Carey - Oscar and Lucinda
I enjoyed it. That's all I can remember now. The ending didn't thrill me, but everything else was quite nice? Worst review ever!
★★★★½


65. HP Lovecraft - The Annotated HP Lovecraft
I've heard so much about Lovecraft, this is the first time I've actually read him. I do not recommend the annotated version at all though, as it's very very annotated, with apparently whatever thoughts that popped into the annotator's head. But Lovecraft, I just fall straight into his pulp horror stories, they resonate with my brain.
★★★★½

In knee related news, I've been out hiking, and started doing some short and easy bike rides. Trying not to over-do it, and get it all riled up on me.

>200 Ameise1: Thanks Barbara for remembering me and visiting, I hope all of your weekends have been wonderful.

>201 LovingLit: Megan! Hiatus indeed - on the plus side I'm getting closer to not being injured anymore.

>202 Berly: Heya Kim - my recent LT attendance has been dire, so I can sympathise. Thanks for visiting, and happy July :)

Wow, you have been away a while!
Your Crime and Punishment reading sessions don't inspire me to start that one, even though I have been about to for years. But, Oscar and Lucinda is one that might work!

Sorry to hear your knee is still not the best. These things take time, darn it.

Good to see you are back on LT, Megan!

>203 evilmoose: Fingers crossed the knee holds. (Although that sounds a bit odd as a sentence!)

So good to see you back!

Woo hoo! It's great to see you back, Megan.

>206 charl08: Fingers crossed the knee holds.

At the risk of dating myself, that sentence reminds me of a famous song by Gerry & the Pacemakers.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=08083BNaYcA

>203 evilmoose: At least you read Crime and Punishment before. I borrowed it from my son two or three years ago but there it sits on the shelf. Even my son, who is not a reader has read it but then I ask myself, is reading tomes like that the reason he is not a reader?

Good to hear that your knee is on the mend. Will you attempt to do the great bike ride in the future?

66. Carlos Ruiz Zafon - The Shadow of the Wind
Short review: Boo, did not enjoy. Felt like I should enjoy, couldn't put my finger on why I was so disengaged.
★★★


67. Rainbow Rowell - Eleanor & Park
Woo, finally an end to the stretch of unmotivating books! There were another couple I started on but gave up on over the course of July. Worst reading month ever! Really couldn't get into Hannah Kent's Burial Rites. But Rainbow Rowell, she makes me feel so many things! Her books suck me in, and suddenly I'm a teenager again, and feeling so many feelings. For me, reading her work is an entirely emotional experience, afterwards I'm just drained. In a good way.
★★★★½

>204 LovingLit: Heya Megan - I really enjoyed Crime and Punishment as a teenager, maybe I'm just not sufficiently angsty these days, and it's harder to share head space with the protagonist.

>205 connie53: Thanks Connie, and heya

>206 charl08: Heh, thank you! I went and got it riled up the other day by over-doing it, but it's finally calming down again now.

>207 scaifea: Thanks Amber! I don't count myself as fully re-immersed, perhaps just wading in the shallow end :)

>208 kidzdoc: Oh wow, that reminds me of a misspent childhood listening to bands from the 1960s instead of embracing the 80s and 90s era as I should have been.

>209 Familyhistorian: Thanks - and the great bike ride will definitely happen, but timing might depend on knee recovery. If I'm feeling strong enough to start piling on the kilometres by the end of this year, I'll aim for doing it in 2016, otherwise I might try to gradually build up to 2017 instead. I'm trying to be patient, and conscious of the fact my healing will only ever get slower.

>211 evilmoose: Not sufficiently angsty? Don't you have a young child to helicopter over and freak out about?

>212 Oberon: Ah, but I would describe my parenting style as more hovercraft than helicopter. He certainly doesn't seem to trigger much angst. Perhaps I need to move to a large city.

>210 evilmoose: I have a feeling I dnf'd this - just too long winded. Which is probably a vaguely sacrilegious comment for LT!

>214 charl08: Oh good, I'm not alone! I thought I was just having a spell of not being able to pay attention to anything. I think it really was not that that engaging for me. You know what? I'm going to take away half a star from it *cackles with a wild sense of power*

68. Graham Greene - The Power and the Glory
I can just imagine people being assigned this and Under the Volcano to compare and contrast. I don't have any coherent thoughts on it though - so, in lieu of a review, a list of three things. 1) It's set in Mexico 2) The main character is a Catholic priest 3) There's alcohol and a sense of impending doom. I am glad I'm finally getting around to reading Graham Greene.
★★★★

Happy Sunday, Megan.

I love that penguin cover (but haven't read the book!)

Thought I'd stop by and say hi! I hope your knee improves! Something is up with my husband's knee, so I have lots of sympathy! He got knocked over by a large dog that hit him at the side of his knee about 8 months ago. Initially it bothered him and he wore a knee brace, but now it's 8 months later and he has swelling and pain that gets better and worse. He saw the doctor a week ago, and the doctor sent him for X- rays. He goes back to the family doctor late today and then they will decide what to proceed with. Not sure what the problem is.

Glad you enjoyed Eleanor and Park. Sometimes I think we all need some cheerful reading! I read Burial Rites last year, and it was very dark for me. Take care with your knee.

How's the knee, Megan?

Was Power and Glory your first Graham Greene? My favorite Greene works are The Quiet American and The End of An Affair. If you haven't yet read these, I really encourage you to do so.

>217 Ameise1: Thanks Barbara! And a merry Wednesday to you.

>218 charl08: It is a great cover isn't it? I only listened to the audiobook, so just chose my favourite cover.

>219 vancouverdeb: Heya Deb. My knee is definitely on the mend! Info coming in following post. Your husband's knee sounds terrible - knowing what the problem actually is seems to be very tricky sometimes with knees.... and I definitely like to make sure I alternate my fluffy reads with my dark and tortuous.

>220 cameling: Improving thanks! Not perfect, but wildly better than it has been. It's actually my second, after reading The Quiet American earlier this year.... oh no, my third, I apparently read The Third Man back in 2007. I can't even remember that, but 2007 was a year of mighty change an upheaval, so I'm not surprised. I shall have to look into The End of An Affair though.

Book catch-up!


69. Kate Atkinson - Life after Life
I'd assumed there'd be some sort of optimistic ending, but instead just felt exhausted by the end. Still an interesting read.
★★★★


70. Ian Rankin - Black and Blue
I would complain that I found it unbelievable but that would just be a cover for the more honest "I didn't like it". I did enjoy the Scottish setting though.
★★½


71. Virginia Woolf - Mrs Dalloway
I love Virginia Woolf. Must re-read this.
★★★★


72. Irvine Welsh - Trainspotting
Great audiobook, very well read. Felt odd desire to take drugs alarmingly overcoming me from time to time. I loved the movie back when I was a teenager - but I can definitely relate to the story a lot more now compared to relatively innocent teenage me (despite my continued lack of heroin addiction)
★★★★½


73. Naguib Mahfouz - Palace Walk
I think it was a gorgeously textured and interesting story, but I struggled with the audiobook reader, and don't think he made the best of the book. Would not recommend him.
★★★★

So, the sudden spate of Scottish books was due to a 2.5 week holiday riding bikes in Scotland. Well, I say spate, in reality there only ended up being two. I brought others with me, but had bad luck with poor audiobooks, and abandoned three. Oh, and we were bikepacking - it's a term used to refer to light-weight off-road capable cycle-touring. So, generally no panniers, instead our bikes were equipped as you can see below. Although of course the trail-a-bike is not a common feature.

I wasn't sure how my knee would handle it, but our slow, short days of riding seemed fine, and at the end of it my knee was still feeling strong. We rode about in the Scottish Highlands and ended up covering about 500km, and covered a lot of terrain between Inverness, the Cairngorms, and the Isle of Skye. With a side trip to the Isle of Rum, and lots of camping and shortbread. Good fun!

Wow! Beautiful pics. Forgive my ignorance: does that mean you were carrying all your camping gear without panniers? I'm beyond impressed. Sounds like a wonderful trip (shame about the audio though).

Wonderful pictures of your Scotland riding/biking vacation! What a great way to see the country!

>216 evilmoose: This greatly worries me. I have had The Power and the Glory on my TBR list for several years. Cited as one of Greene's best. I started this week with a volcanic celebration, having finally gotten to the end of Under the Volcano, 50 years after having been beaten down by it in a college lit course. Didn't get halfway through, back then.

And now, having crested those belching, farting peaks finally, to learn that The P & the G is more of the same... Better put a caution label on that Greene. I doubt that I have another 50 years to invest in it.

>222 evilmoose: This looks fantastic. I also admire your ability to bury the lead - and in other news, we flew across the ocean and took a grueling but fascinating bike trip.

>223 charl08: Thanks :) And yes, we were carrying all our camping gear without panniers - our gear is mostly quite lightweight. I carried the tent and our sleeping mats on my handlebar roll; the cooking pots/stove/etc, plus some bike repair tools in the bag in my frame triangle; spare inner tubes and all my clothes were in the seat bag; two water bottles attached to my fork. My husband carried both our sleeping bags in his handlebar roll; 2L of water and bike repair kit in his frame triangle; and then our son's sleeping bag and clothes in the handlebar roll on the trail-a-bike; husband clothes in a seatbag lashed on top of that handlebar roll. Food in various pouches, and extra bits and pieces in our backpacks. Gosh, that's quite a long explanation.

>224 lkernagh: Travelling by bike is by far my favourite way to see a country. It was quite jarring to be cycling along through wonderful terrain, then suddenly be at a tourist destination and find the place swamped with people. I have dreams of cycling in so many places!

>225 weird_O: Oh dear - well it's not exactly more of the same, but there are certainly common strands to them both. I'm someone who really enjoyed Under the Volcano though - although I've only ever read it for fun, which makes a huge difference some times.

>226 Oberon: Cheers Erik :) Gruelling is certainly an apt description for parts of it. The night we wild camped on the Isle of Rum, then the wind changed direction and picked up... my husband and I sat inside the tent bracing it against complete collapse for a couple of hours, before giving in, getting dressed in rain gear (it was also raining) and relocating the tent and groggy half-awake 4 year old to a less windy location. Less wind, but considerably more tussocks, it was like sleeping on a pile of turtles. Fun times!

then the wind changed direction and picked up... my husband and I sat inside the tent bracing it against complete collapse for a couple of hours...

Yikes. And I was thinking the midges would be a problem...

>228 charl08: Heh, the midge were a bit irritating to be sure, but most nights we had enough of a breeze that they weren't too much of a bother. One night we stayed in a bothy though, set in a lovey sheltered spot - they just about drove me mad every time I stepped outside!

74. Frankie Boyle - My Shit Life So Far
Autobiography of a Scottish comedian who I sometimes enjoy. Entertaining enough read/listen, but nothing earth shattering.
★★★½

Wow, gorgeous photos. It must have been a fabulous trip.

Looks like a fabulous vacation. Love the shot with the thistles in the foreground. Very Scottish. :)

75. W. Somerset Maugham - The Moon and Sixpence
Oh wow, I'm not sure what to think or say about this. Maugham's writing was beautiful. But the whole thing left such a bitter taste in my mouth. It was compulsively readable, but a little like watching a car crash. And I think better to go into it not knowing the similarities between the life of the main character here (Strickland), and Gaugin, because really Maugham just seems to take a couple of main points and just use those as a jumping point to inspire the novel. I.... hmm. I think I need to track down paper copies of this and some other Maugham books, they beg to be re-read ("straight to the pool room" she says, in a quote that possibly no-one else will recognise)
★★★★

Congrats on 75! I've not read that one, but The Razor's Edge is a fave of mine.

Congrats on 75, Megan.

Kudos on reading 75 so far. Happy to say I am not that far behind you. Finished #72 last evening (The Time Machine), and I'm about halfway through numbers 73 and 74.

I read The Moon and Sixpence earlier this year, and I liked it pretty well. My unlearned impression of Gaugin is that he was a superb painter, but irritable and cranky. He did abandon his family in Europe to travel to the South Pacific and paint. Doesn't surprise me that he'd be churlish until death.

Huzzah for reaching the magic number!

>233 evilmoose: Sounds intriguing. Must read more Maughan!

Congrats on the 75.

75...whoohooo!! I love your reviews. Some are longer and more erudite. Some are bulletpoints. Others just a rating. My kinda reviewer! Your bike trip sounds like a true adventure and I am so glad the knee held up!! I am back at TKD and so far so good. (Taking it slooooowwwww!) : )

>234 drneutron: Thanks - I enjoyed Razor's Edge too, I'm beginning to forge a plan to properly get into reading as much Maugham as I can - he's sadly hard to find in most bookshops these days though.

>235 Ameise1: Thanks Barbara!

>236 weird_O: Thank you :) It caught me a little by surprise, and I honestly didn't even think about the number until afterwards. And a lot of the superficial details are definitely pretty similar - but the fact that it was just superficial details is what really bothered me for some reason.

>237 MickyFine: Huzzah indeed - thanks Micky (note to self, really must catch up on everyone else's reading)

>238 charl08: A good plan! Maugham writes well.

>239 Berly: Thanks Berly :) I'm always a little torn with my reviews, and wonder if I should be working towards creating 'proper' reviews. But I have decided I should just do whatever I jolly well feel like, which obviously varies wildly! Woo in regards to your TKD - I'm resting my knee a bit this week, as my wildly excited activity of the last couple of weeks have stirred it up a bit too much.

76. Peter Carey - The True History of the Kelly Gang
There's a rumour in my family, well at least it was the story that my grandfather always told, that some of our family helped out the Kelly Gang. And whether or not it's true, they were certainly the right demographic - Irish Catholic ex-convicts who lived in poverty in country Victoria.

For those who aren't familiar with the story, Ned Kelly (and the Kelly Gang) are infamous in Australia. A cultural institution. They were bushrangers - outlaws, bandits, however you'd refer to them. They felt themselves victimised by the police and the English squatters (landlords) - and no doubt were. But they also robbed banks, and stole horses and shot police. The metal armour they used in their final shootout is wildly familiar, and was the subject of a famous series of paintings by Sidney Nolan:



Due in large part to relating to the people and the land in the story so strongly, this was a fantastic read for me. Carey fictionalised the story of Ned Kelly's life, and I enjoyed the way he captured Ned Kelly's voice, based on actual writings he left behind. Before he was hanged. (Point of note, I grew up on a farm less than 50km from Jerilderie, of the famous Jerilderie Letter)

★★★★½

Happy weekend, Megan.

77. Salman Rushdie - The Satanic Verses
I remember hearing about Salman Rushdie when I was a child, when news of the fatwa first broke. I was quite worried at the time, particularly when people related to the book actually started being killed. I'd always assumed he must be quite a serious writer, as it sounded like a very serious sort of topic with serious implications. It was the first time I remember hearing about a book causing such consternation, and so it's stuck with me ever since. For me, Salman Rushdie has always been that author. And now I've finally read that book. Some part of my childhood presumptions had remained, and so I was surprised to find magical realism, despite the fact I've read other books by Rushdie, and so should have had some idea what to expect. He's quite the storyteller - I enjoy the things he does with language. It's a massive book though, of interwoven timelines and dream sequences, and takes some concentration. Even with concentration I feel I lost so much of what was there. and will need to re-read a few times to come close to full appreciation.

★★★★

>227 evilmoose: love the long explanation on gear storage! Wow, what a fabulous trip! The details make it so much more real for me anyway. How much fun did you have?

I'm not sure I have the stamina at present for The Satanic Verses but it's on my list!

Loved the Kelly Gang. Peter Carey at his best.

>243 evilmoose: Ooof, I need to get round to that one at some point...

Belated de-lurk - just have to say that pic (bottom left) in 222 is stunning - that's some seriously good sky!

I'm currently reading Satanic Verses - well I was supposed to read it this month but at one chapter in I'm pretty sure it's going to take me much much longer!

>244 LovingLit: Heh, I'm glad you enjoyed it. I find packing details always make things more real for me too. And so much fun! We realised just how much of a hand talker our son is though - kept having to remind him to hang onto the handlebars, as he turned around backwards gesticulating wildly at me. Some very long and silly days. Endless shortbread.

>245 charl08: It really is fantastic - I've actually just decided to up my rating to 5 stars.

>246 scaifea: It's worth getting to!

>247 BekkaJo: Thank you! And it really is a very booky book, not exactly light reading. Worth doing though I think.

78. Andrea Levy - Small Island
A really enjoyable audiobook, it's a very emotional story, filled me with rage, and hope, and tears. I just realised too, that the two British Author Challenge books I read this month both dealt with the immigrant experience, which is pretty timely as I just became a Canadian citizen in early September. The experience for an economic migrant who is the 'right' skin colour is vastly different to those described in Small Island and The Satanic Verses, but it's still a very big and rather thought-provoking event, to claim belonging to a new country.
★★★★½