First Post - Rio's Books of 2023 and an Introduction

Hi, I'm Rio. I joined this site to inventory my books, but I would love to participate in this challenge!

Here are the books I have completed so far this year:

Klara and the Sun by Kazuo Ishiguro

Night Watch by Terry Pratchett

The Rise and Fall of D.O.D.O. by Nicole Galland and Neal Stephenson

The Diamond Age by Neal Stephenson

I am currently reading:

I Am a Strange Loop by Douglas Hofstadter (I'm focusing on this one today)

Snow Crash by Neal Stephenson

Monstrous Regiment by Terry Pratchett (almost done!)

In Search of Our Mothers' Gardens: Womanist Prose by Alice Walker

I'm nearing the end of Discworld (I realized I have to skip the Tiffany Aching books, the style is not worth it for me). I'm making my way through Neal Stephenson's bibliography after loving Termination Shock and The Diamond Age, and reading others many years ago. Just read the part of Snow Crash where the word "metaverse" was coined, I have mixed feelings about that.

I noticed other people's threads have more of a diary/photo-sharing feel, I will probably stick with text lists for now until I get to know you all better.

Welcome, Rio! Looks like a great list to start the year. I'm gearing up for a re-read of Godel, Escher, Bach later this year, and D.O.D.O is definitely on my "soon" list.

Feel free to jump into threads and conversations. We love new friends!

>1 lyricism_: Hi Rio, I also a relative newcomer who just lists books. Your reading for this year looks interesting so I am going to star your posts so I can follow you.
Happy reading!

>2 drneutron: I am definitely going to revisit my copy of Godel, Escher, Bach soon. This is a super "soft" exploration of some of the same topics; it talks about math concepts in depth without a single equation. Just lots and lots of analogies. I loved it in high school so I wanted to reread but it's a bit frustrating now. D.O.D.O is SO FUN.

>3 catseyegreen: Thank you!! I will check out yours as well. Just found your post and starred it. :)

Oh, newbie question, is there a quick way to link the book covers using the touchstones, or do I have to use an html img tag?

Welcome, sisyphus! You'll find us a friendly, chatty group, and you will soon find your own preferred level of participation. I really hope that you will take time to write a little - or a lot - of your reactions to what you're reading since we seem to have interests in common. I only wish that I were in a position to indulge myself in real reading time more often.

Visit around! Have fun! Happy Reading!

>7 LizzieD: Thank you! I definitely plan on writing some reactions, I can be a bit...opinionated, haha. Is it typical to wait until you are finished and write up a review, or write reactions as you go in a post or something?

Welcome, Rio.
>6 lyricism_: No quick way, html img is the way. Don't forget height or width.

>9 FAMeulstee: OK, thank you. I'll put some covers into my next update.

>10 lyricism_: Hi, Rio! Glad to have you on board on LT (and with us for the TIOLI challenges). You should make your thread into whatever you want it to be. Feel free to visit threads of others and make lots of comments about what they say! In return, they’ll probably pop up in your thread as well.

The people here are great! I’ve been a member of LibraryThing since 2006. The best thing about it is having met up with other members in real life. I hope you will get the chance to do the same as time goes by.

Happy reading!

Welcome to the group, Rio.

Some threads are text heavy and some are picture oriented and some are a mixture of both. Some only discuss books and some go a fair bit further. Some of our number are very active around the threads, some moderately so and some largely still in their own threads.

I think that the point is that it is very much each to his/her own. Just do what makes you most comfortable - this is a pretty good group to make very good friends in.

>1 lyricism_: glad you found the 75ers.

Your thread is whatever you want it to be. Personally, I like images, photographs, illustrations, so I include lots of pictures in my threads...but that's just me.

Have fun!

Welcome to the 75ers, Rio. Looks like we read a lot in the same genres, so I'll be checking up on what you are reading. We share about 25% of your catalogued books. Have you read N. K. Jemisin, Nnedi Okorafor, or Nail Hopkinson? So much diversity these days in SFF authors!

Welcome!

I originally found LT while looking fo a way to catalogue my books as well. In the end I found a whole lot more. I hope you will as well :)

Welcome!

Yes, it was to have an online record of what I read - more than what I owned, though that too, that lead me to LT.

As to your Introduction, there are quite a few black women F&SF writers I've read recently, so you should be able to tick all the boxes. When I read non-fiction it tends to be biographical or biology, sort of on the "all wealth is biological" except interest rather than wealth.

On the subject of image embedding and such, there are links to some html helps on the group wiki.

Here’s the one I use the most: https://wiki.librarything.com/index.php/Basic_HTML_/_How_to_do_Fancy_Things_in_Y...

>17 drneutron: Haha I appreciate it, I am actually an old hand at HTML: HTML 3.2 visual quick reference has a copyright of 1997 and it has been on my shelf since then. I was 12 years old and it has my Geocities website URL written inside the cover. I just thought it would be cool if the touchstones could do that. (is the developer of the site part of the community? would you know any part of it is open source? I'd love to look "under the hood" and maybe contribute...) I have never seen a forum quite like this, I think phpBB was the de facto standard for what I'm guessing is the era this site first came out. It seems unique and I'm intrigued. Also, I noticed the alt tag does not seem to be working (at least in the preview). Is it not supported? Accessibility is important and I'm sure those who use screen readers would appreciate it.

>14 ronincats: Thank you for the tips! I've been meaning to check out Jemisin but the others are new to me.

>16 quondame: Can you elaborate on what you mean by "all wealth is biological"? I have a feeling I might understand but I want to know more.

Not sure how to reply to multiple comments at once but thank you to the people who encouraged me to be creative in my post, I will have fun with it.

Oh and as far as this thread goes, I finished Monstrous Regiment last night and will start Going Postal today. Posted a brief review on the entry in my library. I thought about going into the political commentary aspect but I'd rather move on with Discworld for now.

Finished:


Started:

>18 lyricism_: You're doing fine responding to multiple posts. 😀

And Tim, the owner/main developer, is part of the community - some of us have met Tim when he was exhibiting at ALA meetings and the like. If you're curious, he may respond to a message on the details if you give it a go - he's here: https://www.librarything.com/profile/timspalding

>18 lyricism_: Oooh, what fun! Going Postal is my favorite Terry Pratchett.

>18 lyricism_: It's a quote from Cordelia Naismith Vorkosigan probably in A Civil Campaign. She's counting kittens and/or assisting thwarted lovers.

Hi and welcome.

Hi and welcome! I'm also an SFF reader, I'm looking forward to seeing what you read. I wish LT was open source, I'd probably contribute too!

Thanks for the warm welcome everyone!

I thought I'd post a little update with my thoughts on the books I'm working on. I usually have two or three going at once, so I have a few different options depending on my mood.

The three I've been reading today, in order of when I started them:

I am a Strange Loop by Douglas Hofstadter



I am struggling to get through this one. It was one of my favorites in high school so I think I owe it to myself to finish it, but it is has a very low signal to noise ratio. Lots of ideas and concepts are repeated, analogies are driven into the ground, it is extremely verbose. It seems like a lot of filler. Homeboy needs an editor.

Snow Crash by Neal Stephenson



I plan on working my way through Stephenson's bibliography, and this was his first book. It is a classic for a reason. It's definitely super fast-paced with so many new ideas in such a short time I get a bit of whiplash sometimes. This is the book where the term "metaverse" was coined, and I can't help but contrast what is envisioned here with the boring, sterilized version we are plodding into now. The phrase that comes to mind to describe this book so far is "reckless abandon". I am really enjoying it.

Going Postal by Terry Pratchett

(I already have the cover image above so I won't repost it.)

I am at the very beginning of this and I can already see why it seems to be the favorite of so many people. He is on his game here. The last two Discworld books I read, Monstrous Regiment and Night Watch, were enjoyable but did not have the energy and spirit that this already has. They were dark, but not in the usual Discworld way, which I would describe as light masquerading as darkness. The balance of humor vs brutal honesty was off, and I came away less uplifted than usual. It feels like he took a bit of a break before this one, and the writing feels refreshed and renewed. So excited for it!

edit: I forgot to mention that the first scene is literally gallows humor. I can't help but think he did that on purpose, a bit of a wink to the fans/critics.

>24 lyricism_: I love Going Postal, but Night Watch is one of my favorites. I'm very much a Watch/Vimes fan and NW was and remains such fun for me.

>25 quondame: I usually keep Discworld as my "lighter" reading, and always read a bit just before bed. I know this categorization doesn't really do it justice; I think all the books have incredible depth and insight, and this one had some sharp political commentary for sure. I just usually expect the tone to be light enough to counterbalance some of the heavier stuff I read. Night Watch was much more serious than I anticipated, some of it was quite tragic. I do like Vimes as well, and I did enjoy it a lot. I even gave it 4 stars. :) I'm sure I will re-read all of them in the future so when I revisit it I won't mentally categorize it the way I did this time and give it its due.

>26 lyricism_: Ah. I'm very much into opportunities for dark humor, sometimes the darker the better. Of the Vorkosigan books, my favorite is Memory though I know many who put A Civil Campaign in that spot.

>27 quondame: I like it as well, Snow Crash is extremely dark and I am loving it. It's just not something I want to experience right before I fall asleep, haha. My nighttime ritual has included Discworld for a long time, and the last two books didn't quite soothe me like I expected. That's not a problem, I don't expect any author to keep the same style or tone for every book. Next time though I will read it during the day. :)

>28 lyricism_: I couldn't read Pratchett before bed unless it was to finish up the last few dozen pages. I pretty much keep reading his books until done - they're pretty much designed to keep you moving along.

>29 quondame: I guess everyone perceives and enjoys literature in their own way. I'm just glad we have so many books from such a gifted writer, there will never be anyone else like him. Definitely my favorite author, I wish I had gotten to meet him.

Finished:

I am a strange loop by Douglas R. Hofstadter
Full review here.

Started:

Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston




Word Collections:

One thing I do when reading is make notes of words from each book. They can be words I have never heard before, words I think I know from context but want to make sure I know fully, or just words I like or think sound cool.

Words from Monstrous Regiment:

escutcheon - shield or emblem bearing a coat of arms
osculate - [MATHEMATICS] (of a curve or surface) touch (another curve or surface) so as to have a common tangent at the point of contact; [FORMAL] or [HUMOROUS] kiss
perdition - (in Christian theology) a state of eternal punishment and damnation into which a sinful and unrepentant person passes after death/complete and utter ruin
palliasse - a straw mattress
adjutant - a military officer who acts as an administrative assistant to a senior officer
shako - cylindrical or conical military hat with a peak and a plume or pompom
mangonel - [HISTORICAL] a military device for throwing stones and other missiles.
rota - [BRITISH] a list showing when each of a number of people has to do a particular job
turbot - a European flatfish of inshore waters, which has large bony tubercules on the body and is prized as food. (Scophthalmus maximus, family Scophthalmidae)

Words from I am a strange loop:

impute - To assign as a characteristic; credit.
antecedent - [GRAMMAR] a substantive word, phrase, or clause whose denotation is referred to by a pronoun that typically follows the substantive
mirabile dictu - [LATIN] wonderful to relate
armamentarium - a collection of resources available or utilized for an undertaking or field of activity
lacuna - a blank space or a missing part
germane - being at once relevant and appropriate
inchoate* - being only partly in existence or operation; especially - imperfectly formed or formulated
quintic - [MATHEMATICS] a polynomial or a polynomial equation of the fifth degree
a priori - [LATIN] deductive; relating to or derived by reasoning from self-evident propositions
recondite - difficult or impossible for one of ordinary understanding or knowledge to comprehend; of, relating to, or dealing with something little known or obscure
ineluctable - not to be avoided, changed, or resisted
passel - a large number or amount
recherché - [FRENCH] exquisite, choice; exotic, rare; excessively refined; pretentious, overblown
façon de parler - [FRENCH] manner of speaking; figurative expression; turn of phrase
entelechy - a hypothetical agency not demonstrable by scientific methods that in some vitalist doctrines; is considered an inherent regulating and directing force in the development and functioning of an organism
holon - (coined in The Ghost in the Machine, Arthur Koestler) something that has integrity and identity while simultaneously being a part of a larger system; it is a subsystem of a greater system.
gemma - bud; an asexual reproductive body that becomes detached from a parent plant
echt - [GERMAN/YIDDISH] true, genuine
adduce - to offer as example, reason, or proof in discussion or analysis
didymous - growing in pairs; twin, twofold
canton - small territorial division of a country, such as: one of the states of the Swiss confederation or a division of a French arrondissement
abstruse - difficult to comprehend
sui generis - [LATIN] constituting a class alone
sine qua non - [LATIN] Something absolutely indispensable or essential
indexical - varying in reference with the individual speaker; associated with or identifying an individual speaker
bipartite - being in two parts; having a correspondent part for each of two parties; shared by two
irascible - marked by hot temper and easily provoked anger
ambigram - something (such as an image of a written word or phrase) that is intended or able to be oriented in either of two ways for viewing or reading
qualia - a property (such as redness) considered apart from things having the property; a property as it is experienced as distinct from any source it might have in a physical object
élan - [FRENCH] vigorous spirit or enthusiasm
fatuous - complacently or inanely foolish; silly
sacrosanct - most sacred or holy, inviolable; treated as if holy; immune from criticism or violation

*re: inchoate
I was delighted because I know this word from my favorite part of my favorite song by one of my favorite artists:
Only Skin by Joanna Newsom

Here are the lyrics from said part:

Last week, our picture window
Produced a half-word
Heavy and hollow
Hit by a brown bird

We stood and watched her gape like a rattlesnake
And pant and labor over every intake

I said a sort of prayer for some rare grace
Then thought I ought to take her to a higher place
Said, “dog nor vulture nor cat shall toy with you
And though you die, bird, you will have a fine view.”

Then in my hot hand, she slumped her sick weight
We tramped through the poison oak, heartbroke and inchoate
The dogs were snapping, so you cuffed their collars
While I climbed the treehouse. Then how I hollered!

Where she’d lain, as still as a stone, in my palm, for a lifetime or two;
Then saw the treetops, cocked her head, and up and flew
(While back in the world that moves, often, according to
The hoarding of these clues)
Dogs still run roughly around
Little tufts of finch-down

>31 lyricism_: I like reading new words and figuring out their definition by context. Sometimes I have to look them up.

>32 fuzzi: I have found a word or two while doing this that I thought had a completely different definition than it actually did. "Baleful" for example; I was sure it meant sad and forlorn, especially of a facial expression. Turns out it means threatening harm or menacing. Not sure where I got that idea but I'm glad I bothered to look it up.

>31 lyricism_: Love the word list, I should consider doing this.

Finished:

Snow Crash by Neal Stephenson
Short review here.

Started:

Chokepoint Capitalism: how big tech and big content captured creative labour markets, and how we’ll win them back by Rebecca Giblin and Cory Doctorow



Reading this for TIOLI challenge #12 - Read a book where the first two words in the title begin with the same letter.

Word Collection from Snow Crash

obstreperous - marked by unruly or aggressive noisiness, stubbornly resistant to control
aramid - Any of a group of lightweight but very strong heat-resistant synthetic aromatic polyamide materials that are fashioned into fibers, filaments, or sheets and used especially in textiles and plastics
lambada - [PORTUGUESE] a dance from State of Pará, Brazil. The dance became internationally popular in the 1980s, especially in the Philippines, Latin America and Caribbean countries.
macadam - roadway or pavement, especially with a bituminous binder
semiotics - a general philosophical theory of signs and symbols that deals especially with their function in both artificially constructed and natural languages and comprises syntactics, semantics, and pragmatics
pawl - a pivoted tongue or sliding bolt on one part of a machine that is adapted to fall into notches or interdental spaces on another part so as to permit motion in only one direction
tocsin - an alarm bell or the ringing of it; a warning signal
oblate - flattened or depressed at the poles
ambit - the bounds or limits of a place or district; a sphere of action, expression, or influence
ophidian - of, relating to, or resembling snakes
furuncle - boil
ramify - to split up into branches or constituent parts; to send forth branches or extensions
malinger - to pretend or exaggerate incapacity or illness (as to avoid duty or work)
force majeure - [FRENCH] superior or irresistible force; an event or effect that cannot be reasonably anticipated or controlled
abject - sunk to or existing in a low state or condition; very bad or severe; cast down in spirit; showing hopelessness or resignation
sylph - an elemental being in the theory of Paracelsus that inhabits air; a slender graceful woman or girl
sphygmomanometer - an instrument for measuring blood pressure and especially arterial blood pressure
sampan - a flat-bottomed skiff used in eastern Asia and usually propelled by two short oars
spang - to a complete degree; in an exact or direct manner
(papal) encyclical - a papal letter to the bishops of the church as a whole or to those in one country

>34 catseyegreen: Thanks! I got some colorful post-it tabs from Amazon and put them in when I find a word to look up later so I don't interrupt my reading. I started doing it because I noticed my Kindle saves words that you look up with its "Vocabulary Builder" feature and it was fun seeing the ones I had saved.

Started:

The Fifth Season by N. K. Jemisin



Reading for TIOLI #6: Read a book with the numbers 6 and 0 in the ISBN (9780316229296)

Excited for this one!

>37 lyricism_: I do wish I hadn't started this series with the second book. Maybe in a year or so when I've forgotten enough I'll revisit it in order.

Finished:
Going Postal by Terry Pratchett
Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston

I have some thoughts on these two books but I am going to wait to write reviews.

Started:

Tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin &
Thud! by Terry Pratchett


Word Collection from Going Postal

flannelette -a lightweight cotton
ignominy - deep personal humiliation or disgrace
susurrus - a whispering or rustling sound
gimbal - device that permits a body to incline freely in any direction or suspends it so that it will remain level when its support is tipped
dais - a raised platform (as in a hall or large room)
ebullience - the quality of lively or enthusiastic expression of thoughts or feelings
table d'hôte - [FRENCH] a meal served to all guests at a stated hour and fixed price;a complete meal of several courses offered at a fixed price
bumptious - presumptuously, obtusely, and often noisily self-assertive
agog - full of intense interest or excitement; wide open, agape; full of wonder or surprise
revenant - one that returns after death or a long absence
platen - a flat plate, especially: one that exerts or receives pressure (as in a printing press)
swage - a tool used by metalworkers for shaping their work by holding it on the work or the work on it and striking with a hammer or sledge
chandler - maker or seller of tallow or wax candles and usually soap; a retail dealer in provisions and supplies or equipment of a specified kind
baize - a coarse woolen or cotton fabric napped to imitate felt
besom - broom; especially one made of twigs
hauteur- arrogance, haughtiness
fervid - very hot, burning; marked by often extreme fervor
moribund - being in the state of dying; approaching death

Word Collection from Their Eyes Were Watching God

griot* - any of a class of musician-entertainers of western Africa whose performances include tribal histories and genealogies
exigency - that which is required in a particular situation; a state of affairs that makes urgent demands
bander - thin flat encircling strip:; a strip (as of living tissue or rock) or a stripe (as on an animal) differentiable (as by color, texture, or structure) from the adjacent material or area
calyx - the usually green outer whorl of a flower consisting of separate or fused sepals
mien - air or bearing especially as expressive of attitude or personality
temerity - unreasonable or foolhardy contempt of danger or opposition
fractious - tending to be troublesome; unruly
discomfiture - the state of being confused, embarrassed, or upset
dudgeon - a fit or state of indignation—often used in the phrase "in high dudgeon"
temporize - to act to suit the time or occasion; yield to current or dominant opinion
bream - a bronze-colored European freshwater cyprinid fish (Abramis brama)
newel - an upright post about which the steps of a circular staircase; a post at the foot of a straight stairway or one at a landing
jook - juke joint: a small inexpensive establishment for eating, drinking, or dancing to the music of a jukebox or a live band
flivver - a small, cheap, usually old automobile
insensate - lacking sense or understanding; lacking animate awareness or sensation; lacking humane feeling
oblique - neither perpendicular nor parallel

*re: griot
The word "griot" is the inspiration for the name of my coding project grio. The project is kind of a twitter-style microblog without the social media aspect; just short posts without liking, following, replying, etc. I was excited to see the word in this book, especially since the context discusses the protagonist Janie telling her own story, despite the "judgmental voices" and "mass cruelty" of those who observe her. Sound familiar?

I haven't finished anything but made my way through some of The Fifth Season, it is incredible so far. I wasn't sure what to expect but it's very different than anything I have read lately. The second-person perspective in some of the chapters is pretty unique. I've recognized a few tropes (particularly the Harry Potter/X-men thing where those with some kind of special powers get sent to a school or other institution to be trained/controlled) but they don't feel worn-out or trite here.

I visited my favorite bookstore here one more time before we move and treated myself to a few books from my wishlist, Wild Seed by Octavia Butler and Ancillary Justice by Ann Leckie. (I'm determined to shift the balance in my library to include more female/non-binary authors, particularly of sci-fi) I picked up my old copy of Quicksilver by Neal Stephenson momentarily because of my plan to plow through his bibliography but I've got too much on my plate with moving and everything to add another book so I will shelve it for now. It is super cute though because my older cat chewed the cover when she was a kitten:



Anyway, I'm also enjoying Thud! but to be honest The Fifth Season has my whole attention right now.

Nice thread! I read The Fifth Season last year. Solid book - some very original ideas. Would you believe I've never tried any of the Discworld books? It's been on my "gotta try" list forever....

Catching up Rio. I love the idea of collecting and recording words in books we read that catch our eyes or maybe we weren't familiar with earlier.

Have a great weekend.

>41 ChrisG1: Terry Pratchett and Douglas Adams were my ultimate speculative fiction parody/satire authors in high school (fantasy & sci-fi respectively). I was a bit obsessed, especially with Adams. It's been a joy to revisit some of my old favorites with the lens of experience, and to fill in the blanks in Discworld that I never read before. Discworld is nominally fantasy but I would describe it as dark humor that turns tropes on their heads and mocks them, although most of the books delve deeper into questions of philosophy and the nature of humanity. Great character development too. I'm loving The Fifth Season, I can't put it down. Did you continue the series?

>42 PaulCranswick: Thanks Paul! I am in love with words so collecting them adds another layer of enjoyment to reading for me. I didn't realize how satisfying it was until I started looking at the vocab builder on my Kindle; I had looked up so many cool words! Of course I had to start doing it with every book, e-book or paper. I really like having this thread to post them all in as well, otherwise they will just get lost in the archives of my note-taking app.

>43 lyricism_: I haven't picked up the second book of the series yet, but expect to in the next month or two. For some reason, Hitchhiker's Guide didn't do much for me - disappointing, since I have friends who LOVE it.

Hi, Rio!

I saw on my thread you’re interested in Desperate Remedies. The list at the beginning of my second thread is books discussed in the previous thread, so yep, I’ve read it and gave it 4 stars. Here’s the comment I wrote on it in thread 1:

Scull is a sociologist, not a psychiatrist, so his history of psychiatry is no defense. Starting with the origins of psychiatry in asylum keeping, the competing ideas of biological vs psychoanalytical sources of mental illness drove differing approaches to treatment through the decades. Ending with today’s pharmacopeia, Scull reports a mostly negative history and a failure of psychiatry to develop an understanding of the basic mechanisms behind mental illness and effective treatments.

This one’s not a happy history, for sure, but one that’s important. And given my experience with a member of my extended family, I’ve seen how ineffective psychiatric treatment can be. But there’s hope in recent research, and Desperate Remedies ends on that note.

>44 ChrisG1: It spoke to me as an angsty 15-year-old budding atheist, but re-reading it recently was a bit disappointing. Still one of my faves but some perspective is nice.

>45 drneutron: Thanks for the insight! I will put it on my wishlist but will probably save it for a less emotionally turbulent time in my life. Everything is in flux for me right now so I think that book might be a bit much. I've been OK with intense fiction but non-fiction might be a bit too far.

I finally made it through the move!! I have been reading on and off, mainly The Fifth Season and Quicksilver but it has been so much work and stress to get through all this I haven't had much time to focus. Settling in a bit more, and it's raining today so I am having a chill day and curling up with a book.

This place I am staying has SO MANY BOOKS:









If anyone sees anything in one of those pics that you recommend let me know, I don't have much time here but it would be a shame not to read any of them. Sorry they are a bit blurry, let me know if you need a close-up on anything.

So a lot of my books are in storage right now until we find a permanent place to live. Unfortunately I must remove Tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow from from currently reading, and some of the newer books I was excited about will be missing from the queue for now, including a few I added for TIOLI. I'm also having a bit of trouble getting through Chokepoint Capitalism so that is on hold as well.

However, I found a cool Humble Bundle of e-books this morning about computing and grabbed it. Meanwhile, I'm still obsessed with The Fifth Season so that has been my main read the past few days.

Official changes:

On Hold:
Tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin
Chokepoint Capitalism by Rebecca Giblin and Cory Doctorow

Started:
Quicksilver by Neal Stephenson
How Computers Really work by Matthew Justice



I want to explore some of the bookstores around here, so I'm hoping to pick up one or two of my TIOLI books this afternoon. We shall see.

>49 lyricism_: I've never gotten around to The Baroque Cycle - I'll be interest in what you think of it. So far, Snow Crash has been my only Stephenson read, which I liked quite a bit.

I have had barely any time to read lately, what with starting a new job, finding a place to live, etc. I have a plan though; it looks like I'm going to have a relatively long commute (maybe up to 2 hours), which I'm going to use to read on the train. Driving would make it shorter but it is SO stressful, I have always hated it. It doesn't put me in a mental state to start work, and on the way home it is even less fun when I'm already exhausted. I think with up to 4 hours a day to read I can finally start getting through my queue; I should definitely be able to make it to 75 in 2023 at that rate.

Since I started this relocation process I haven't finished anything, but I have made a lot of progress in The Fifth Season and Thud!. I want to immediately go on to the next The Broken Earth book afterwards, but that will make 3 series/bibliographies I'm trying to work through in order; also trying to finish Discworld and the bibliography of Neal Stephenson. Once the commute becomes a habit and I can focus on books though, it shouldn't be an issue.

I also want to work through that bundle of e-books about computing and code. I thought the most basic one, How Computers Really Work would be a good one to start with, even though I know a lot of it already; the table of contents shows some things I really could brush up on, and I am still skimming through the familiar parts for bits of new knowledge, but it's not holding my attention too well at this point. I think it would be great for someone completely new to tech and I can think of a few younger people I would love to introduce it to, but I might skip it and start the Write Great Code series (Starting with Understanding the Machine).

I also started Shosha while I am staying here, which I would like to finish before we move out in 2 weeks, but I don't think that's going to happen. I'll just pick it up somewhere else, maybe for my Kindle or at the library.

Moving has been an ordeal. Sadly I have had almost no time to read, but I finally have had some downtime. I borrowed How Music Works by David Byrne of the Talking Heads from a coffee shop here and it is the only book I have been reading consistently. It is great, by the way. It is divided into ten "chapters" that can be read in any order. I am on the third, "Technology Shapes Music: Analog". It is written imaginatively and has the wry sense of humor I would expect from the guy who wrote Once in a Lifetime (This is not my beautiful house!). A few passages have given me goosebumps; the poetic way he describes novel concepts sneaks up on me sometimes.

I've also made a little progress in Introduction to Computer Organization, I guess I decided How Computers Really Work was too basic and jumped straight to assembly language(!).

I have been trying my hardest to finish The Fifth Season but I think I am a bit burned out on sci-fi. I don't have much left of it but every time I pick it up to finish it I read about a paragraph and lose interest. Also dropping Quicksilver for now, I guess I'm entering a non-fiction phase for a bit.

Official changes:

On hold:
Quicksilver by Neal Stephenson

Abandoned:
How Computers Really Work by Matthew Justice

Started:
How Music Works by David Byrne
Introduction to Computer Organization by Robert Plantz



ETA: I forgot that I finished Thud! but I don't have time to do my usual word list, I'll try and post it later or tomorrow.

Finally updating. A lot has happened; it's too much to go into but I'm finally getting back to my normal rate of reading. I'm now at 13 books for 2023 and it's already mid-July, but I'm hoping I can make up for lost time.

Finished:
Thud! by Terry Pratchett
The Fifth Season by N. K. Jemisin
Quicksilver by Neal Stephenson

Still working on:
How Music Works by David Byrne

Started:
How to invent everything : a survival guide for the stranded time traveler by Ryan North, Unseen Academicals by Terry Pratchett &
Cryptonomicon by Neal Stephenson


Word Collection from Thud!

torque - [MECHANICS] a force that tends to cause rotation
vis-à-vis - [FRENCH] in relation to; with regard to
eminent - (of a person) famous and respected within a particular sphere
charnel - associated with death
risible - provoking laughter through being ludicrous
pantograph - an instrument for copying a plan or drawing on a different scale by a system of hinged and jointed rods
trundling - moving heavily or slowly
balk - a roughly squared timber beam
covey - a small flock of birds, especially partridge; a small group of people or things
stevedore - a person employed at a dock to load and unload ships
rockery - a heaped arrangement of rough stones with soil in between them, planted with rock plants, especially alpines
breccia - [GEOLOGY] rock consisting of angular fragments of stones cemented by finer calcareous material
subsidence the gradual caving in and sinking of an area of land
pique - a feeling of irritation or resentment resulting from a slight, especially to one's pride

Word Collection from The Fifth Season

fulcrum - the point against which a lever is placed to get a purchase, or on which it turns or is supported
schist - [GEOLOGY] a coarse-grained metamorphic rock which consists of layers of different minerals and can be split into thin irregular plates.
olivine - [GEOLOGY] an olive-green, grey-green, or brown mineral occurring widely in basalt, peridotite, and other basic igneous rocks.
poniard - [HISTORICAL] a small, slim dagger
corbel - a projection jutting out from a wall to support a structure above it
monzonite - [GEOLOGY] a granular igneous rock with a composition intermediate between syenite and diorite, containing approximately equal amounts of orthoclase and plagioclase
aplomb - self-confidence or assurance, especially when in a demanding situation
isostasy - [GEOLOGY] the equilibrium that exists between parts of the earth's crust, which behaves as if it consists of blocks floating on an underlying mantle, rising if material (such as an ice cap) is removed and sinking if material is deposited
epeirogeny - [GEOLOGY] the regional uplift of an extensive area of the earth's crust
fecund - producing or capable of producing an abundance of offspring or new growth; highly fertile
pyroclastic - [GEOLOGY] relating to, consisting of, or denoting fragments of rock erupted by a volcano
maxixe - a Brazilian dance for couples, resembling the polka and the Brazilian tango
mollify - appease the anger or anxiety of (someone)
gelid - icy, extremely cold
seneschal - [HISTORICAL] a governor or other administrative or judicial officer.
cornice - an ornamental moulding round the wall of a room just below the ceiling
tourmaline - [GEOLOGY] a brittle grey or black mineral which occurs as prismatic crystals in granitic and other rocks. It consists of a boron aluminosilicate and has pyroelectric and polarizing properties
scoria - [GEOLOGY] basaltic lava ejected as fragments from a volcano, typically with a frothy texture
cockamamie - ridiculous, implausible
catalysis - the acceleration of a chemical reaction by a catalyst
ostensible - stated or appearing to be true, but not necessarily so
capitulation - the action of ceasing to resist an opponent or demand
stolid - calm, dependable, and showing little emotion or animation
feldspar - [GEOLOGY] an abundant rock-forming mineral typically occurring as colourless or pale-coloured crystals and consisting of aluminosilicates of potassium, sodium, and calcium
syenite - [GEOLOGY] a coarse-grained grey igneous rock composed mainly of alkali feldspar and ferromagnesian minerals such as hornblende
torus - [GEOMETRY] a surface or solid formed by rotating a closed curve, especially a circle, about a line which lies in the same plane but does not intersect it (e.g. like a ring donut)
judder - (especially of something mechanical) shake and vibrate rapidly and with force
suppurating - undergoing the formation of pus
chilblain - painful, itchy swelling on a hand or foot, caused by poor circulation in the skin when exposed to cold.
dissemble - conceal or disguise one's true feelings or beliefs
crèche - [BRITISH] a nursery where babies and young children are cared for during the working day
chalcedony - [GEOLOGY] a microcrystalline type of quartz occurring in several different forms including onyx and agate
polity - a form or process of civil government or constitution; an organized society; a state as a political entity

Word Collection from Quicksilver

divagate - [LITERARY] stray or digress
turbid - (of a liquid) cloudy, opaque, or thick with suspended matter; confused or obscure in meaning or effect
limned - suffused or highlighted with a bright color or light
reticule - [CHIEFLY HISTORICAL] a woman's small handbag, typically having a drawstring and decorated with embroidery or beading
sot - a habitual drunkard
yeoman - [HISTORICAL] a man holding and cultivating a small landed estate; a freeholder
azimuth - the direction of a celestial object from the observer, expressed as the angular distance from the north or south point of the horizon to the point at which a vertical circle passing through the object intersects the horizon
ontogeny - [BIOLOGY] the branch of biology which deals with ontogenesis (the development of an individual organism or an anatomical or behavioral feature from the earliest stage to maturity)
apoplectic - related to or denoting apoplexy (stroke)
bryophyte - [BOTANY] a small flowerless green plant of the division Bryophyta, which comprises the mosses and liverworts
monad - [PHILOSOPHY] (in the philosophy of Liebniz) an indivisible and hence ultimately simple entity, such as an atom or a person
lanugo - fine, soft hair, especially that which covers the body and limbs of a human fetus
chivvy - [CHIEFLY BRITISH] repeatedly tell someone to do something
gaffer - an old man
sapper - a military engineer who lays or detects and disarms mines
retort - [HISTORICAL] a glass container with a long neck, used in distilling liquids and other chemical operations
sizar - an undergraduate at Cambridge University or at Trinity College, Dublin, receiving financial help from the college and formerly having certain menial duties
sophistry - the use of clever but false arguments, especially with thte intent of deceiving.
ween - [ARCHAIC] be of the opinion, think or suppose
caduceus - an ancient Greek or Roman herald's wand, typically one with two serpents twined around it, carried by the messenger god Hermes or Mercury
publican - [BRITISH] a person who owns or manages a pub
gibbet - a gallows
lascar - [DATED] a sailor from India or SE Asia
abnegation - the action of renouncing or rejecting something
extemporaneous - spoken or done without preparation
inveigh (against) - speak or write about something with great hostility
tumulus - an ancient burial mound; a barrow
moiety - a part or portion, especially a lesser share
obloquy - strong public condemnation
theophany - a visible manifestation to humankind of God or a god
capstan - a broad revolving cylinder with a vertical axis used for winding a rope or cable, powered by a motor or pushed round by levers
corsair - [ARCHAIC] a pirate
abstemious - indulging only very moderately in something, especially food or drink
metier - an occupation or activity that one is good at
theorbo - a large lute with the neck extended to carry several long bass strings, used for accompaniment in 17th and early 18th century music
pied-à-terre - [FRENCH] a small apartment, house or room kept for occasional use
dandle - move (a baby or a young child) up and down in a playful or affectionate way
prolix - (of speech or writing) using or containing too many words; tediously lengthy
donjon - the great tower or innermost keep of a castle
cataplasm - [ARCHAIC] a plaster or poultice
quoin - a wedge for raising the level of a gun barrel or for keeping it from rolling
oakum - [CHIEFLY HISTORICAL] loose fibre obtained by untwisting old rope, used especially in caulking wooden ships
ravelin - [HISTORICAL] an outwork of fortifications, with two faces forming a salient angle, constructed beyond the main ditch and in front of the curtain
demilune - crescent or half-circle, or a thing of this shape
cortege - a person's entourage or retinue
scion - a descendant of a notable family
spritsail - [SAILING] a sail extended by a sprit (a small spar reaching diagonally from a mast to the upper outer corner of a sail)
exeunt - used as a stage direction in a play to indicate that a group of actors leave the stage
hod - a builder's V-shaped open trough on a pole, used for carrying bricks and other building materials
pusillanimity - a lack of courage or determination
ratiocination - the process of forming judgements by a process of logic
tumblehome - the inward slope of the upper part of a boat's sides
cavilling - making petty or unnecessary objections
squib - a small, slight, or weak person, especially a child
drogue - a conical or funnel-shaped device with open ends, towed behind a boat, aircraft, or other moving object to reduce speed or improve stability
ketch - a two-masted, fore-and-aft rigged sailing boat with a mizzenmast (the mast aft of a ships main mast) stepped forward of the rudder and smaller than the foremast
mercer - [CHIEFLY HISTORICAL] a dealer in textile fabrics, especially silks, velvets, and other fine materials
ignominious - deserving or causing public disgrace or shame

I would do some kind of mini-review of these three books but it took way longer than I thought it would typing up the word lists, especially for Quicksilver. Hope someone finds some of these words interesting. :)

>53 lyricism_: Lovely to see you posting again Rio. Real life can so often get in the way of things can't it?

I liked your idea of "collecting" words. I did of course test myself against the 106 words you listed and was pleased to get all but 5 of the definitions right!

>53 lyricism_: So nice to se you here again, Rio. Moving is a bear, I get why you haven;t had time to read.
I always enjoy your word lists, I keep thinking I need to do this myself.

>53 lyricism_: I've read those books, I've seen those words - I even know some of them, though not as many as I'd like to think I do....

5 months after borrowing it from a coffee shop, I finally finished How Music Works. No longer will I wake up in a cold sweat with "As long as you bring it back..." echoing in my ears. It was an amazing book and not that difficult of a read, but I set it down and did not pick it up for quite awhile. I found one of the chapters a bit dry but wouldn't allow myself to skip it. After I finally gave in, the rest of the book was a delight.

In other news, I started a book club at work! I'm so excited. The book we voted to read is Minor Feelings: An Asian American Reckoning by Cathy Park Hong. I'm really looking forward to it, both the book and the club. I'm going to try and find a copy at a local bookstore tomorrow. After I finally go back to that coffee shop, head held high.

I did realize October is starting and I'm at 15 books for the year. I really don't think I can read 60 in 3 months, but it has been such an eventful year I'm proud I even got through the few I was able to. My pace at the end of 2022 made me think 75 in a year would be easy, but this year had so many life-changing events and so much plot that I think living through it counts as at least 25 books. Here's hoping 2024 will give me space to breathe and read.

Finished
Unseen Academicals by Terry Pratchett
How Music Works by David Byrne

Abandoned
How to invent everything : a survival guide for the stranded time traveler by Ryan North (This is a reference book masquerading as sci-fi, it is humorous but I had trouble reading it cover to cover)
Cryptonomicon by Neal Stephenson (Something about this one just made me eyeroll continuously, and I found myself wanting to write responses/rebuttals to every other scene. Too frustrating)

Started (or about to start)
Making Money by Terry Pratchett
Seveneves by Neal Stephenson
Minor Feelings: An Asian American Reckoning by Cathy Park Hong
Amazon Web Services in Action, Third Edition: An in-depth guide to AWS by Andreas Wittig (for work, but I might as well list it)



Word Collection from How Music Works

bombast - high-sounding language with little meaning used to impress people
declaim - utter or deliver words in a rhetorical or impassioned way, as if to an audience
hoi polloi - the masses; the common people
osseous - consisting of or turned into bone; ossified
ostinato - a continually repeated musical phrase or rhythm
amortize - gradually write off the initial cost of (an asset) over a period
pabulum - [LITERARY] (also pablum) bland or insipid intellectual matter, entertainment, etc
ancillary - providing necessary support to the primary activities or operation of an organization, system, etc
efflorescence - the action or process of developing and unfolding as if coming into flower
melodeon - a small accordion of German origin, played especially by folk musicians
tortas ahogadas - [SPANISH] literally "drowned sandwiches", sandwiches from the Mexican state of Jalisco (particularly Guadalajara) usually containing carnitas (shredded pork), beans, and onions, and submerged in a sauce consisting of vinegar, cumin, and chile de árbol
malandro - [PORTUGUESE] someone who is lazy or takes advantage of others instead of working to get by
favela - [PORTUGUESE] a Brazillian shack or shanty town, a slum
spandrel - [ARCHITECTURE] the space between the shoulders of adjoining arches and the ceiling or moulding above
timbre - the character or quality of a musical sound or voice as distinct from its pitch and intensity
soporific - tending to induce drowsiness or sleep

Word Collection from Unseen Academicals

milksop - a man or boy who is indecisive and lacks courage
byword - a person or thing cited as a notable and outstanding example or embodiment of something
rusticate - [BRITISH] suspend (a student) from a university as a punishment (used chiefly at Oxford and Cambridge)
shonky - [AUSTRALIAN/NZ] dishonest, unreliable, or illegal, especially in a devious way
wotcher - [BRITISH INFORMAL] used as a friendly or humorous greeting (a corruption of "what cheer")
expostulate - express strong disapproval or disagreement
salubrious - health-giving, healthy
benison - [LITERARY] a blessing
pedagogue - [FORMAL or HUMOROUS] a teacher, especially a strict or pedantic one
tracklement - [BRITISH] a savoury jelly, served with meat
diffidence - modesty or shyness resulting from a lack of self-confidence
louche - disreputable or sordid in a rakish or appealing way
chatelaine - [HISTORICAL] a set of short chains attached to a woman's belt, used for carrying keys or other items
convivial - (of an atmosphere or event) friendly, lively, and enjoyable
abseil - [BRITISH] descend a rock face or other near-vertical surface by using a doubled rope coiled round the body and fixed at a higher point
peroration - the concluding part of a speech, typically intended to inspire enthusiasm in the audience
eventuate - [FORMAL] occur as a result
concomitant - naturally accompanying or associated

>57 lyricism_: It's great to see you back!. Don't worry about how many books you read, enjoy the ones you do.

>58 catseyegreen: Thank you! I agree, I have gotten a lot of pleasure from the books I have managed to finish and am back in the mood to read again so whatever I get done by the end of the year is fine by me. It's always nice to have a goal though. ;)

Yeah, agreed. The whole point is to have fun and enjoy the company of fellow readers. So you’re a success!

Picking up some momentum! I started reading during my breaks at work; it has definitely accelerated my pace, because when I get home I'm often too tired to read.

Minor Feelings was heartbreaking but so powerful and validating. Definitely one of my favorites of the year.

Finished
Making Money by Terry Pratchett
Minor Feelings: An Asian American Reckoning by Cathy Park Hong

Started
Raising Steam by Terry Pratchett
Data Conscience: Algorithmic Siege on our Humanity by Brandeis Hill Marshall



Word collection from Making Money

fait accompli - [FRENCH] a thing that has already happened or been decided before those affected hear about it, leaving them with no option but to accept it
mendacity - untruthfulness
foundling - an infant that has been abandoned by its parents and is discovered and cared for by others
saturnine - gloomy, dark in coloring and moody or mysterious
gibbet - an upright post with an arm on which the bodies of executed criminals were left hanging as a warning to others
insouciance - casual lack of concern, indifference
gymkhana - an equestrian day event comprising races and other competitions on horseback, typically for children
dishabille - the state of being only partly or scantily clothed
plangent - [LITERARY] (of a sound) loud and resonant, with a mournful tone
deputation - a group of people appointed to undertake a mission or take part in a formal process on behalf of a larger group
mountebank - a person who deceives others, especially in order to trick them out of their money; a charlatan
thurible - a censer
impecunious - having little or no money
charivari - [HISTORICAL] a cacophonous mock serenade, typically performed by a group of people in derision of an unpopular person or in celebration of a marriage; a series of discordant noises
circumspect - wary and unwilling to take risks
stirabout - [CHIEFLY IRISH] porridge made by stirring oatmeal in boiling water or milk
fusspot - [INFORMAL] a fussy person
sinecure - a position requiring little or no work but giving the holder status or financial benefit
linish - [TECHNICAL] polish or remove excess material from (something) by contact with an abrasive moving belt
parvenu - [DEROGATORY] a person of humble origin who has gained wealth, influence, or celebrity
hostler - [HISTORICAL] a man employed to look after the horses of people staying at an inn

Word collection from Minor Feelings

scrivener - [HISTORICAL] a clerk, scribe, or notary
apparatchik - [HISTORICAL] a member of the Communist Party apparat; [DEROGATORY OR HUMOROUS] - an official in a large political organization
ontological - relating to the branch of metaphysics dealing with the nature of being
synecdoche - a figure of speech in which a part is made to represent the whole or vice versa (love this word!)
vituperative - bitter and abusive
tendentious - expressing or intending to promote a particular cause or point of view, especially a controversial one
libretto - the text of an opera or other long vocal work
aporetic - showing irresolvable internal contradiction or logical disjunction
bildungsroman - a novel dealing with one person's formative years or spiritual education
lyric - (of poetry) expressing the writer's emotions, usually briefly and in stanzas or recognized forms
declivity - a downward slope
cathect - [PSYCHOANALYSIS] from cathectic/cathexis - the concentration of mental energy on one particular person, idea, or object (especially to an unhealthy degree)
supercilious - behaving or looking as though one thinks one is superior to others
marmoreal - [LITERARY] made of or compared to marble
approbation - [FORMAL] approval or praise
solipsism - the view or theory that the self is all that can be known to exist
peregrination - [LITERARY OR HUMOROUS] a journey, especially a long or meandering one
involuted - complicated or abstruse
verdigris - a bright bluish-green encrustation or patina formed on copper or brass by atmospheric oxidation, consisting of basic copper carbonate
travertine - white or light-colored calcareous rock deposited from mineral springs, used in building
colloquy - [FORMAL] a conversation
arboretum - a botanical garden devoted to trees
vicissitude - a change of circumstance or fortune, especially one that is unwelcome or unpleasant
wainscoted - lined with wood paneling
delphinium - a popular garden plant of the buttercup family, which bears tall spikes of blue flowers
ekphrastic - a vivid, often dramatic, verbal description of a work of art
lexeme - [LINGUISTICS] a basic lexical unit of a language consisting of one word or several words, the elements of which do not convey the meaning of the whole
malfeasance- [LAW] wrongdoing, especially by a public official
bricolage - (in art or literature) construction or creation from a diverse range of available things
refulgent - [LITERARY] shining very brightly
patrimony - valued things passed down from previous generations
elision - the omission of a passage in a book, speech, or film
abstemious - indulging only moderately in something
gamine - attractively boyish

Thinking about you during the festive season, Rio