Amarie's 2009 reading

Hopefully I will keep this up to date since I haven't really tracked books read in a year's time so I really don't know how many I read!

(overlap end of 2008, end of re-reading entire series since November)
#1 Thursday Next: First Among Sequels by Jasper Fforde

#2 The Shell Seekers by Rosamunde Pilcher

Welcome to the group!

I did enjoy The Shell Seekers but there were others of hers I think I've enjoyed more. She's a great switch from my usual scifi/fantasy :)

#3 Never hit a jellyfish with a spade by Guy Browning

#4 Obscene in the Extreme: The Burning and Banning of John Steinbeck's the Grapes of Wrath by Rick Wartzman

#5 Intellectual Freedom Manual (for a class but reading the whole thing so it counts!)

#6 A War of gifts by Orson Scott Card

I haven't gotten that far in Ender... how was it?

>5 suslyn:
Great short story that hardly mentions Ender himself, kind of like Ender's Shadow in that way. Similar to First Meetings as a format delving further into the "Enderverse".

>3 suslyn:
What other Rosamunde Pilcher books have you liked? I read and enjoyed Winter Soltice and September. Although I made it through Coming Home, it was a little too sad for me.

I enjoyed First Among Sequels welcome to the group!

Thanks for the welcomes! Although my pace is all right so far, I hope to kick it up first this next week when I am going on vacation, and then in about a month when I finish school which should really help free up some time!

How exciting that your schoolwork is almost completed! congrats in advance.

#7 Dewey: The Small-Town Library Cat Who Touched the World by Vicky Myron

#8 Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone

#9 Time and Chance by Sharon Kay Penman

Has taken forever including 2 library renewals and even returning one copy and checking another out from a different branch--in fact I technically *still* have 50 pages left! I do not remember When Christ and His Saints Slept taking as long...

#10 Shakespeare: The World as Stage by Bill Bryson

#11 Briar Rose by Jane Yolen

#12 Assassination Vacation by Sarah Vowell

#13 Wordy Shipmates by Sarah Vowell

#14 The Box : How the Shipping Container Made the World Smaller and the World Economy Bigger by Marc Levinson

Your last book sounds like fun--was it?

Very much so! I even finished earlier than anticipated because of almost 100 pages in endnotes-whew!

I remember reading about how much containers had changed things in a Wired magazine article around 2002. This book by Marc Levinson is very well-researched (and apparently the first general history of container) and looks at all those aspects of change. He was especially strong on labor relations (all those longshoremen) and rise of Sea-Land Industries as the innovator. I also liked learning how certain cities that invested in the technology (Long Beach, Seattle & New Jersey vs. New York and Boston that did not) grew as a result.

The author is an economist so the focus overall is economic gains and losses, and how containers changed shipping worldwide.

#15: That one looks very good! I will add it to the Continent.

#15 Serendipity by Louise Shaffer
Slightly overdue Early Review, but worth it enough to stay up late with a real page-turner.

#19: I already have that one on the Continent. I hope my local library gets it soon!

Catching up -- that container book sounds like fun!

#16 Labyrinth by Kate Mosse

Slow start with oft confusing names and *lots* of French, but turns into a fast-moving adventure.

#22: I am going to have to steal that one from Catey to read!

#17 Ramsay Scallop by Frances Temple
#18 The Beduins' gazelle by Frances Temple

old YA favorites from the library :)

#19 In a Sunburned Country by Bill Bryson

#19: How did you like the Bryson book? I admit, he is a favorite author of mine.

How did you like the Bryson book? I admit, he is a favorite author of mine.

Loved it, read it in 3 days flat after grabbing a nice discount at Borders. Laughed out loud at a number of points. I think this is the third book I have read by him, now I just need to get The Lost Continent: Travels in Small-Town America.

#27: Bryson causes me to laugh out loud, too.

I do not think I have read The Lost Continent yet. I will have to look for it. Thanks for the mention.

Just wanted you to know I'm still here and still enjoying your posts.

suslyn, thanks for stopping by! I actually used to think I was a fairly speedy reader--at least compared to those around me. Now that I am exposed to some serious readers here on LT, I am really going to have move a little faster! I know, no pressure really, but it rather helps to have a goal to work toward.

I was thinking about just that thing today -- I am so competitve. But I really want to DEcrease the amount I read every year. Not knowing how many books I read a year, I arbitrarily set a goal of 150. Apparently I normally read a lot more than that per year :( We'll have to compare this year with next to see if I can do other constructive things with my time besides reading (which I count as constructive indeed!).

Yes, I finally took a look at your thread and noticed the goal to limit the number of books :) Working full time has really put a dent in my reading I must say. Even during undergraduate college I used to have lovely long afternoons available to read (not to mention 2 hour bus round-trip commutes every day). That and the blessing/curse of TiVo. With it, I have been able to watch many quality programs (like a lot of PBS stuff for instance), but then I also just watch more because there is always something worthwhile waiting for me!

LOL -- We haven't had television since our marriage in 2001. We do have a home cinema (what a luxury! wowsers) and before that had a TV but it just function as a screen for our movies. PBS is addictive :) or the movie channels... or sf channels... or the home improvement... LOL

#20 The Yiddish policemen's union : a novel by Michael Chabon

Imaginative and interesting alternate history all in great writing adhering to classic detective mystery.

Hi, I really enjoyed Yiddish Policeman's Union as well and I keep meaning to try his other books. I enjoyed the Gentleman of the Road but it's very very short.

>35 clfisha: I also had read Gentleman of the Road and enjoyed it too. I felt a little distracted reading Yiddish Policeman's Union with other things going on right now, but liked (as mentioned) the style and the original setup.

#34: My favorite of Chabon's books is The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay, so if you have not tried that one, I highly recommend it.

#21 Star Wars : Medstar I, Battle surgeons : a clone wars novel by Michael Reaves & Steve Perry

Good expanded universe SW novel (and I am choosy about which of the many are available that I read). Mostly liked this one because it featured padawan Barriss Offee who was also in another good novel, The Approaching Storm by Alan Dean Foster. I still remember us fans being worried whether or not her character had survived Attack of the Clones. Since Medstar takes place after, clearly she did!

#22 Uh-Oh by Robert Fulghum

I could read and re-read his books everyday and be happy. First time reading hardcover acquired recently, previously I wore out a paperback.

#24 The Day of the Storm by Rosamunde Pilcher

Lovely story reminding me of long-time favorite The Shell Seekers by the same author.

#25 Harry Potter's Bookshelf by John Granger

Totally contributing to recent Potter-mania as I watch the new movie and re-read the later books.

Ooh I don't have The Day of the Storm -- glad to hear it's a good one two. I've enjoyed some of the SW series but not all I've read -- glad you found some you're enjoying.

Two books on books:

#26 Imagined London by Anna Quindlen
out of the library, superb little exploration of the great literary setting.

#27 The Book in America with Images from the Library of Congress by Richard W. Clement
learned a lot about publishing history and beautiful photographs of important books and authors

Imagined London sounds like a fun read.

#28 Unveiled by Francine Rivers
really liked how this series is starting and looking forward to reading more

#29 Don't Panic: The Official Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy Companion by Neil Gaiman
wish now I had the 3rd edition dedicated to Douglas Adams' memory

I have a friend who just raves about Francine Rivers but I don't think I've ever read anything by her... hmmm...

>47 suslyn:
As a teen also liking historical fiction, I discovered that books published by Bethany House, including those by Francine Rivers, would be slightly more uplifting since they are essentially a Christian publisher. That is not to say that quality couldn't still vary, but I did fall in love with her Mark of the Lion series about 1st century Rome. It ranges all over the ancient world from Jerusalem to Germania with really compelling characters.

Also, our local library at the time kept a separate oversized paperback section which is where I found this series. As I moved from young adult books to regular adult books, I found this subset to be less overwhelming and checked-out a lot of books from it--being the time before LibraryThing and shared libraries, interests and discussions!

#30 Letters from Yellowstone by Diane Smith
beautifully told in letters

#49: I like the looks of that one. Thanks for the recommendation!

Amarie, I run our church library and recently someone found out about Rivers' book Redeeming Love (I guess someone read it, loved it, and word got around) and how powerful it is, and I've had a flurry of requests for it... so many, that I had to lend out my personal copy because I felt so badly that all these ladies were on a waiting list!!! But her historical series, Mark of the Lion, is also quite popular, along with the women/men of faith books. I wasn't all that impressed with The Last Sin Eater, but I did enjoy Atonement Child. Never got into Leota's Garden, though...!

#31 The King's English by Betsy Burton

#32 The Host by Stephanie Meyer

I am conflicted about both of these. Good enough writing, but nothing touched me and I skimmed plenty just to see what would happen. King's English is like a memoir about an independent bookstore. The Host was a gift from a fan of the author. I remain neutral on that whole phenomenon. I think now I will need a tightly written little volume for some variety!

>52 amarie: you had me laughing on this message. Hope the next books are just complete winners!

Well, I had another failure and could not finish The Invention of Clouds. Maybe I was in a bad mood, but the writing just rubbed me the wrong way.

Now, however, I am finally happily finishing the YA series The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel by Michael Scott. Much easier to read, quite exciting and chock full of delightful mythology. Puts me in the mood for a re-read of Jonathon Strange and Mr. Norell...

I have never read the Scott series, although I have heard good things about it. I will have to look for that one. Thanks for the reminder.

#33 The Magician by Michael Scott

#34 The Sorceress by Michael Scott

Quite the adventure stories! I am both happy (for more) and sad (we're not done yet?) that more book or books in the series will follow...

#35 The lost continent by Bill Bryson

Surprisingly, I did not like this book as much as others by the same author. I actually regret the purchase even. I did finish though I resented a overwhelmingly mean-spirited attitude and poor choices in interesting places to visit in my home country. Positively endless comments about sprawling burger joints and cheap hotels. Way to see only the negative, Mr. Bryson.

#57: I am sorry to hear that about Bryson's book. I have a copy of it unread in my library. I am normally a big Bryson fan, but my copy may languish for a long while before I get to it.

>58 alcottacre: Still, you should give it try someday! I am purposely not posting an actual review as I feel that my opinion may still change.

#36 My name is Number 4: A True Story from the Cultural Revolution by Ting-Xing Ye

Waaay late with this ER selection. The guilt finally got to me :) Since it is aimed for young adults, I read it fast--pretty much in one day. One of those really powerful eyewitness experiences so important for key events in history.

#37 Dream voyager by Thomas Locke

I only remembered from reading this out of the library in younger days that it was "blue" had to do with space travel and was published by Bethany House. Took me years to figure out the title! Turns out to be in the same library branch I checked it out of probably 10+ years ago.

Interesting YA story about "sensitives" on space ships who can navigate along lightways and shadowlanes brimming with pirates. Simplistic love story but sweet. I really like the world that is created in a very little amount of pages, many elements of which stayed with me a long time.

#38 And Another Thing... by Eoin Colfer

A fine enough attempt to pair a new writer in the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy series by Douglas Adams. The writing style by Eoin Colfer is similar but not exactly like Adams, which is both good and bad. It's not like Adams was perfection for every word (especially in Hitchhiker's novels, the Detective Gentley novels were a little more polished), but not everyone can pull it off. I found myself scanning a lot to get through awkward and/or boring scenes.

#39 Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince by J.K. Rowling

Re-read, making my way through the later part of the series in between library books.

#40 The ladies of Grace Adieu : and other stories by Susanna Clarke

Pales next to rich, deep (and yes long) Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell but still contains some interesting and beautiful stories.

#41 The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman

An excellent story finished in only 2 days! Review.

#65: Nice review of a very good book!

#42 The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown

He stuck to a formula but it sure read fast. Review.

#43 Assassination Vacation by Sarah Vowell

Needed something light even though I already read it this year :)