Group Reading Log: January 2010

I just wanted to say Happy New Year to everyone. I hope you all had a great Christmas and got lots of new books to read. I got the latest Kerry Greenwood (Forbidden Fruit) & Terry Pratchett (Unseen Academicals). I now have to re-read all the others ~ oops!

(Forbidden Fruit is picking up an Erica Spindler book so I've taken the touchstone off.)

Happy New Year from me too. No new books for Christmas for me. But I have a couple that I ordered that I need to pick up including PD Martin's new release Kiss of Death

Am currently reading The Accidental Bestseller By Wendy Wax. My first book for 2010 - and will be my first A as well.

Happy New Year everyone! I'm still going on The Broken Shore. It's quite an excellent gritty crime novel, but I am wincing at the horrible impression the Victorian cops are getting (lots of swearing, internal politics, racism). If it's true, it's too depressing, so I'll choose to believe that he's exaggerating. Ditto the small town dwellers.

And my self-imposed ban on buying books is over! (I fell off the wagon once, for a second hand pristine condition copy of The Children's Book by AS Byatt. It would have taken a saint to resist that one! Now to get to the bookshop and buy all those lovely books that have tempted me for the last two months. ;)

Happy New Year!

Started reading my copy of Kiss of Death by PD Martin and was gobsmacked to see that she has mentioned my husband, Wayne, via me in her acknowledgements for helping her out with missing persons procedures. Wayne headed up Missing persons here in the NT back in the 1980s.

The book has started off as a damn fine read as well :)

#5> Whoa. That's pretty cool.

Mr TQD got a thanks in a non-fiction book out in 2009, because he helped out with looking after the author's son (one of Mr Bear's school friends, he used to come by after school every now and then, leaving her with a full day to write). We're yet to buy a copy, though!

I hope everyone had a great new year. I have finished my first book for 2010 - Krakatoa by Simon Winchester.

Ever since I was a little girl learning about volcanoes in school, the name Krakatoa has been enough to inspire fear and awe. Therefore, I jumped at the chance to read this historical account of the great disaster that befell Java and, indeed, the world in 1883. Simon Winchester pieces together contemporary accounts and modern evidence to paint a fascinating picture, not just of the horror of the eruption, but also of life in Java and elsewhere at the time.

There are a couple of minor inconsistencies, but these can be put down to discrepancies between various sources. The story is engaging, and I was finished reading almost before I knew it. Importantly, the book includes a bibliography for those wishing to delve deeper into the subject, and index for those looking for specific information.

Overall, this is a great introduction to life in the Dutch East Indies, and the beginning of mass communication, as well as the effect a single catastrophe can have on world history.

I have now started reading How to Kill Your Husband (and other hand household hints) by Kathy Lette.

Happy New Year.
I've followed on from last year with one that I wouldn't describe as a beach read - The Swarm from the 1001 list.
Next up is Everything is Illuminated another one from the 1001 list.
Both are bookrings.

I just finished The Broken Shore, and I did enjoy it (some quibbles about the climax which just had a silly moment which didn't fit in with the realism of the rest of the book). It's gritty crime, so if you like that genre, this is recommended.

No idea what to read next, but I'd better make some dents in the bookring pile!!!

I'm making only slow progress with The Clothes on Their Backs. Just when everyone else is on holiday, I'm way too busy to read. Sigh.

Damn, I neglected bookrings. Again. Picked up At The Mountains of Madness because I borrowed it from a friend at Christmas in 2008 and revisited her early this year and saw the hole on her shelves where it belonged. Guilt!

Agreed, it's hard to read over Christmas. I've got time off, but so does day care/vacation care... Today we had a picnic lunch at the local park, played at the playground, kicked a soccer ball around, I let the kids play with my camera phone, and we bought ice cream for dessert on the way home. And I'm looking at the clock, thinking "3 more hours to fill until dinner". (Yay for ABC Kids! They're currently hypnotised by "Giggle and Hoot" while I have a cold drink and catch up online.)

wookiebender >>> weird, I have At the Mountains of Madness on my shelf too. A well-meaning friend lent it to me to help me knock off one more from the 1001 pile, but I'm finding it a real slog & I've only read about ten pages.

Meanwhile, A Short History of Tractors in Ukrainian has been much more palatable, although I'm not entirely sure why it's on the 1001 list at this stage of reading.

Finally - did your kids take any interesting pics?

livrecache >>> why are you so busy?

Miss-Owl, it is a slog. So... many... descriptions. And I'm not a very visual reader, and the (what felt like) pages of "scientific" descriptions of tentacles just dragged. I keep on telling myself it's only 141 pages (oh dear, I'm page-counting) and I'll probably finish it tonight. But I can't say I'll be reading any other Lovecraft after this one. (But I do rather like a number of the concepts - he's got a nice little bit of already established mythology for the Old Ones, which I appreciated.)

The point (as I understand it) of Lovecraftian horror is tentacles, and losing your sanity over it all. My sanity is remaining steadfastly intact. (And I'm craving the calamari in black bean sauce at the New Marigold yum cha in the city... Mmmm, tentacles...)

I enjoyed Short History but I don't think it's worthy of its 1001 status.

And they took a couple of shots - one of a rubbish bin, and one of an ibis. :)

If I believed in new years resolutions I'd have made one about recovering my reading mojo, with only four books completed throughout November and December last year its been conspicuously absent of late.

So far this month I've finished Bowie: A Biography which was a great read (for me as a fan, probably less so if you're not into his music) and Wishing Well, a better-than-average new-series Doctor Who novel - it was Doctor Who fiction that got me out of a 10+ year no-reading rut a while back so I thought it might do the trick again. I've just set aside The Lightning Thief which I was finding a bit too kiddie for my current mood (both my older kids have read it, I'll make do with the movie) and have decided to skip the film adaptation of The Lovely Bones so I don't have to read it this week as planned... instead I'm going to start The Song Is You.

Finished At The Mountains of Madness. Some good bits, some annoying bits. Overall, only read it if you're curious about one of the "dark princes" of 20th century horror (I am) or if you're obsessive about the "1001" book list (I am).

Now, don't all fall off your computer chairs in shock, but I actually picked up a bookring. And started it. (And have plans to work my way through the remaining bookrings on Mt TBR.) The Welsh Girl (Booker Prize longlist 2007) has a good start, I hope it continues to be a good read! (I also have to finish it by Tuesday so I can pass it on to Fleebo...)

And I have Plans to get to a Post Office tomorrow, so hopefully a few bookrings/VBB books will get a move on. (Freelunch, I'll let you know once any VBB books are sent.)

And this wasn't even my New Year's Resolution!

my copy of Bowie: A Biography is setting off today as a not-a-BOOKRING. if you'd like to read it let me know and I'll add you to the list of future readers.

I had to stop reading Worldchanging because it had to go back to the library. What I read was very interesting though. I wouldn't mind acquiring it for my personal collection.

I have finished reading Too Safe For Their Own Good by Michael Ungar. This book presents an opinion that I have expressed for a long time - namely, that parents today wrap their children in cotton wool, and that this is not good for them. Michael Ungar argues his case well, presenting statistics and case studies to support his view. We cannot protect our children from everything in life, and attempting to do so denies them the opportunity to grow into the wonderful people they are meant to be.

I am still reading How to Kill Your Husband and I'm now also reading The Day My Life Changed by Carmel Reilly and What Do I Do Monday by John Holt.

I finished The Welsh Girl and thoroughly enjoyed it. It's not ground-breaking stuff, but it was a damned fine read.

Moved on to A Study in Scarlet, the first Sherlock Holmes mystery. (Yes, I did go and see the movie on the weekend, and it was mostly fun.) It's good going back to the start with such an iconic character!

fairy-whispers: but they're so cute wrapped up in cotton wool! Agreed though, we're all far too careful of our kids nowadays. But do we really want to be the parent whose child is the one who gets hurt? There's a lot of pressure to keep up the cotton wool. I guess I should track down the book and see what he has to say for himself...

Finished A Study in Scarlet and I recommend it. Nice sprightly stuff, good to see why Sherlock Holmes is still so popular!

Moved onto The Secret Scripture. Another bookring! (To make up for the one that arrived in the mail yesterday, oh dear...) An interesting, if slightly confusing, beginning.

Birdsong by Sebastian Faulks for me. Really enjoying the read, but does it sound irredeemably nerdy if I say that the point of view is interesting? One moment I think I'm in one character's head, then I'm with the omniscient narrator, then we've leapt into another character's head. I don't know if that's praise or a fault, but it's interesting & well-written enough that I don't want to get out my favourite marking pen.

A student has lent me The Brothers Karamazov with evangelical zeal. He is convinced that my inability to the read the Russians is all Tolstoy's fault. At 900 pages it is a teeny bit intimidating!

900 pages! I was hoping it was a slim one! Damn those Russians and their proliferating words.

Didn't feel like a Booker shortlist book at bedtime last night, so picked up Blind Submission as a fluffy book read (and one that may not make it past the 50-page test, so it could be easily assigned to the bookcross pile if needed). Some irritations to start (those horrible "I swept my long red curly hair into a pile, and felt ugly" descriptions) but once we had the legginess of our heroine scorched into our brains, the plot kicked in and I read 100 pages before turning out the lights. I think it passed the 50-page test...

Wookiebender - of course noone wants to see their child hurt, but like it or not, we learn by making mistakes. The premise of the book is that we are doing them more harm by overprotecting them. I actually know a 16 yr old girl who is not allowed in the back yard unsupervised. This is not an isolated case, and is certainly unhealthy. I highly recommend you read this book.

I have finished reading How to Kill Your Husband (and other handy household hints) by Kathy Lette. I was unsure what to expect from this book, but I'm pretty sure this wasn't it. Humorous, intriguing and engrossing, anyone who has ever been a wife or mother will relate to the scenarios that arise as Lette explores the world of the modern working woman. I do think the author is a tad cynical and perhaps a little bitter, but the book is enjoyable nonetheless.

I am now reading Sabriel by Garth Nix.

Squee! For Sabriel! Great series, I hope you enjoy it.

Consider Too Safe for Their Own Good added to my wishlist. Although I'm not quite as bad as not allowing my children to play unsupervised in the backyard. Hell, I even let Mr Bear (7 years old) run out of sight in the local park. (Oh dear. Is that an admission of being too careful? Or not careful enough?? Believe me, it took a lot of willpower to not scold him the first time it happened, I was really rather terrified when I couldn't see him. I'm used to it now. Sort of. Trying to let him have some personal responsibility and space, but feeling fairly worried all the time anyhow. *sigh*)

Wookie. I wasn't accusing you personally and I apologise if it came across that way. It is scary when we extend our children's freedoms. I still worry when I allow Butterfly to babysit for a few hours!

Let the mutual apologising session begin!

fairy-whispers, I never thought you were accusing me, and sorry if I came across as overly defensive/snarky in my response! It does sound like a good book, I am very curious about what the author is suggesting. And I will stop panicking about my parenting skills, I'm sure my kids will turn out fine, even if I stuff up occasionally. :)

re #26 >>> "I'm sure my kids will turn out fine, even if I stuff up occasionally". Don't know anything about parenting, but that thought has always comforted the teacher in me :)

Really loving Birdsong - it's been a while since I've consciously thought about a book while out there in Real Life, wishing I could get back to it. Much as I hate over-enthusiastic bookblurbs, I have to agree with Simon Schama when he says (reportedly): "Ambitious, outrageous, poignant, sleep-disturbing, Birdsong is not a perfect novel - just a great one".

Or maybe it's just because the shock of having to teach straight after the New Year here in Thailand has me longing for ANY form of escapism!

Miss-Owl, I've heard terrific things about Birdsong. Yet it remains unread on my shelves, for many years! I think it's the cover, it looks like a bleak war story and I have to steel myself for them sometimes.

I finished Blind Submission last night. It was a pretty good read (although I have a vague deja vu feeling with the movie adaptation of Devil Wears Prada). Some nice writing, which almost made up for the clunky exposition. And I was up late finishing it, so it wasn't that bad. :) It'll be in the Oz VBB this round - it was fun, but not re-read worthy.

Back to The Secret Scripture, which is being partially neglected because I know NOTHING about Irish history, and I think a lot of knowledge in this area is assumed. Which makes it a slightly difficult read at times.

I am researching phonemic segmentation, so I'm sure you don't want to know what I'm reading.

Actually, livrecache, I'd be quite interested.

I have just finished reading Sabriel by Garth Nix. This is a fascinating Australian fantasy novel. The characters are believable and filled with life, and the juxtaposition of modern and Old world's somehow ominous. There is layer upon layer of depth in this story and it is very difficult to put down. I feel that the author's unique style will make this book enjoyable even to those who are not fans of the genre. I will definitely be reading the sequels!

I am now reading Fiend: The Shocking True Story of America's Youngest Serial Killer by Harold Schecter.

Glad you liked Sabriel, fairy-whispers. I loved it, and the two to follow as well, so definitely continue with the series.

So far this year has been atrocious for me in terms of reading. I just finished Bonk, which I did sort of enjoy, but not as much as I enjoyed Stiff previously. As well as too much else going on in RL, I think it probably had a bit to do with feeling too much like reading for "work". Work in another life that is . . . and no, I have not been a 'lady of the night' in one of my past lives. Well, at least I don't think I have! :) *lol*

Anyway, back to being serious 'n all that. Now I'm reading a few: A Model by Anais Nin which is a little Penguin 60s book of short stories, The Children by Charlotte Wood, and I really do need to get back and be a good girl and read Passing, which is the second story after Quicksand. It's a bookring and I've had it for an age as I needed a break between the two stories. Maybe that's telling me something??

crimson-tide, I think I'm about to pass on (unread) A Fraction of the Whole. I don't want to know how long I've had it, thinking "I'll read that after this" and then welching on the whole deal. And it's a bookring. *sigh* So, what I'm saying is, we all pass along books unread at one time or another. (And sit on them for too long too, but I seem to be the champion of that.) There's always further copies in bookshops and libraries, it's not like it's a one-and-only chance. And, yes, having sat on it for so long, makes me wonder if I ever really was keen on reading it in the first place...

Having said that, I seem to have neglected The Secret Scripture for Vanity Fair. I spent a bit of time Saturday picking up books and discarding them, and thought "well, since I'm being so difficult, I may as well tackle the 'difficult' one" and it stuck - I read the first few pages without getting at all distracted. It's not really difficult at all! Becky Sharpe is a conniving little minx, and it's amusingly written. I shall enjoy this one.

Just finished the YA fantasy romance Ella Enchanted am now reading Sophie and the Rising Sun which is a very subtle romance - dealing more with Racism, perceptions and place in society in the deep south of the USA during WWII.

Ender in Exile for me. After reading Speaker for the Dead, I'd given up on sequels to Ender's Game. But a friend convinced me that this was the "real" sequel, since it takes place just after the events of Ender's Game - the deserved successor. But it isn't... it's not that well written, the psychology is a bit off, and the multitude of new characters coming is the nail in the coffin because it suggests none of them is strong enough to carry the plot. Ender's Game was tightly woven and psychologically compact.

Nevertheless, I'm going to finish it anyway, just to find out what happens. And it beats Gulliver's Travels, which is what I'm currently teaching. Never did get on very well with most of the early eighteenth century.

Oh dear, I've got Gulliver on Mt TBR... Must admit, I don't think I've tried anything from that whole century - maybe it'll agree more with me than with you, Miss-Owl. :)

I keep on thinking I have read Ella Enchanted but I think it was a different YA retelling of Cinderella. One where it kicks in after she's claimed the prince, and she has to have all sorts of elocution lessons and finds out that Prince Charming is really rather an idiot. It was a fun book, I'll see if I can remember the name...

Finished The Secret Scripture last night. Can't say I was impressed - it seemed clunky and contrived. But I may have been biased since I was annoyed at not understanding any of the Irish political history that is so important, but so little explained! At any rate, another (Booker shortlisted) bookring out of the way.

Will be concentrating on Vanity Fair - which I am enjoying - for the next little while.

wookiebender, I agree wholeheartedly (in theory) that books should be passed on unread or partly read if they are not grabbing us. I just find it so difficult to actually do . . .

My assessment of A Model is meh! Don't bother.

crimson-tide, I keep on looking at my shelves at books I've owned for years (and lugged from house to house) but have never read. But I can't quite bear to get rid of them, just in case I do actually find time to read them, and they're brilliant!

And I call myself a bookcrosser...

wookiebender>>> You may find Gulliver's Travels quite palatable, actually. I was enjoying it; it's just that I hate reading things under duress because they're coming up in my teaching syllabus. Actually it's more that I'm struggling with cramming 1000 years of Brit Lit into a one year course (we're using a US curriculum). I was fine with the Renaissance & I love the Romantics, but the C18th has always been a bumpy one for me. Oh well, only another 100 years to go!

Gulliver's Travels remains on Mt TBR... :)

I have Finnikin of the Rock due back at the library this weekend, so picked it up last night. A bit of a confusing opening, but an interesting story! I doubt I'll have it finished by Sunday (when it's due) so it might be returned a *tad* late...

I haven't actually read Gulliver's Travels, though I did enjoy the movie.

I have finished reading What Do I Do Monday? by John Holt. I have been hearing a lot about John Holt while trawling forums and websites about homeschooling, so I thought I might as well check him out. What Do I Do Monday? is the first book that became available at my local library, so this is the one I read first. Holt soundly condemns methods used in public schools at the time (methods that have improved very little since then!) and I found myself agreeing with the majority of his opinions.

He doesn't just argue against these methods, though. He also provides some alternatives. This book is packed full of great ideas for helping (not making!) children to follow their natural learning inclinations. I particularly love the way he explained certain Maths concepts. Not being mathematically minded myself, this is perhaps the first time in my life that I have fully understood some of these concepts!

This book is a must-read for anyone embarking on the homeschool journey, but I also recommend it to parents, grandparents, teachers and anyone else who cares for the children in their life.

I am now reading Created By by Richard Matheson.

Mr Bear requested Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator tonight, so we started reading that one out loud.

Miss Boo has finally "got" the concept of rhyming and is driving her bigger brother nuts in the process, by rhyming every word we say. So she got Hairy Maclary from Donaldson's Dairy tonight, and had a great time with eyes popping wide when she finally got all the rhymes! She's always liked the book, but this is the first time she understood the rhythm and rhyme of it. Hercules Morse, as big as a horse; Muffin McLay, like a bundle of hay...

>41 wookiebender: Oh gosh, Wookie how lovely to be reading those books to your little ones. Thanks for sharing the Hairy Maclary moment. Just love it.

Not good news about The Secret Scripture I was hoping it would be a good one.

I'm struggling to stay awake while reading Wolf Hall, a bit of a surprise I thought it would be just my thing. Well written, just not sure what my problem is with it.
Received Lullabies for Little Criminals another bookring from another bookcrosser at the Canberra Meet-up. We had a lovely time at the pub.

While Orange January is still on I think I might move on to Lullabies looks like it might be a quicker read or one that I can decide I'm not going to persist with quickly.

AND Miss Boo slept for twelve hours last night. Hopefully that'll de-grump her, she's been a bit of a handful lately. (Five sleeps until she starts Kindergarten!)

I got Lullabies out of the library a few weeks ago, but haven't had a chance to start reading it of course. We were in the library between Xmas & NYE, and obviously everyone had returned their books for the holidays, because they had boxes and boxes of returned books stacked around the desk. They were actively encouraging people to take straight from the boxes, because that of course meant less shelving for them. And there were two Orange Prize books near the top of one box... Which meant that I left with about *six* books for myself, which was completely ridiculous. I'm never going to read six library books, even with the double renewal!

Libraries are some days worse than bookshops. They don't have the range of new books, but they're FREE.

I have finished reading The Day My Life Changed by Carmel Reilly. This book is filled with stories of how people's lives changed dramatically in a single moment. Some were due to what I call mundane miracles - a birth, a death - others were due to more catastrophic events - fires, bankruptcy and so on. However, I was struck by the number of times the turning point was due to a casual comment or a passing kindness by strangers. Perhaps this should be a wake up call for all of us about the impact we have on the lives of others.

I am now reading Playful Parenting by Lawrence J. Cohen.

Interesting. I'm working on a series of books by Carmel Reilly for younger readers. In these (as yet unpublished) she's certainly an empathetic author, who writes very well.

Speaking of young adult novels by Australian authors - I finished Finnikin of the Rock last night (er, early this morning) and really enjoyed it. Recommended for anyone else who enjoys YA fantasy.

Moving on to Malouf's Ransom as Finnikin renewed no problem, but it didn't because someone else has requested it. And I've already lost it once to a recall at the library! Yeesh, it's always the wrong library book I pick up to finish before renewal/visit time. I've got a week to read it, shouldn't be a problem. (*fingers crossed*)

I have just finished Death of a celebrity by MC Beaton. I love the Hamish Macbeth books. Now I am reading The Sugar Queen by Sarah Addison Allen - I have already been dragged into the story

livrecache - She was certainly empathetic in her intros to each chapter. You can't always tell from writing, of course, but she came across as a very nice person.

wookiebender - I've heard Finnikin of the Rock is a good read. I've been meaning to check it out. I like Aussie YA.

I have finished reading Fiend: The Shocking True Story of America's Youngest Serial Killer by Harold Schecter. I found this book both chilling and interesting. I will start by saying that I would not recommend this to people who have a weak stomach, as some of the crimes are described in gruesome detail. There were times when even I had to put the book down for a time and return to it later. It is interesting that, despite people's complaints about violence in today's youth, America's youngest serial killer appeared in the nineteenth century. I was amused to note that the furore about the negative influence of the media is by no means a modern phenomenon. These days, it is violent movies and video games. Back then it was the Penny Papers. If there is any lesson we can take from this book it is this: that, while the media may expand a persons repertoire of possible methods, the innate ability and desire to commit terrible acts upon their fellow human beings must already be there.

I am now reading (I started last night & I'm loving it so far) Under the Dome by Stephen King.

Oh, fairy-whispers, you won't be disappointed by Finnikin of the Rock! Although if I were recommending it for a teenager, I'd be a bit more circumspect - there is a fair amount of what I would consider adult content in it (somewhat more than Harry Potter VII). Those of you who screen their children's reading still - just read it yourself first and see what you think, if your child would be okay with it or not.

And I'm quite suckered into Ransom already. A good read - I was a bit worried since my only other Malouf was Johnno which I can't say I enjoyed.

Sorry, not Johnno, but Remembering Babylon.

Anyhoo, really enjoyed Ransom. Gobbled it up, and am now thinking I should re-read it, taking my time. (What time??)

Now I am returning for some solid reading to Vanity Fair. No, really. No book-related distractions this weekend, I am hoping!

I have finished reading Created By by Richard Matheson. I found the plot of this book predictable and the character's felt fake. The format, which kept switching from script, to character, to real life, was extremely annoying and distracted from the story. Additionally, it wasn't really very thrilling or scary. I wouldn't bother reading this again.

I am now reading The Unschooling Unmanual by Nanda Van Gestel, Jan Hunt, Daniel Quinn, Rue Kream, Earl Stevens, Kim Houssenloge, John Holt and Mary Van Doren.

Just finished reading The Thin Man by Dashiell Hammett. All I can say is that if more crime fiction were like this, I'd be a crime fiction reader. The impact of a tough week was somewhat cushioned by Hammett's labyrinthine plot, and I'm proud to say that for once I had a clear & compelling epiphany regarding the culprit (even if it got muddled by several red herrings a little afterwards... no, but really, I knew who did it!). Highly recommended reading - especially if you like Raymond Chandler (although I wish I'd read Hammett first, since Chandler owes so much to him).

I'm about to tackle the monolithic Brothers Karamazov for the month of February (and try to come to a peace treaty with the Russians - I'm really bad at Russian lit). Wish me luck!

Oodles of luck for the Brothers Karamazov!

I seem to have misplaced Vanity Fair (it's in the kitchen *somewhere*) so picked up Dissolution because it was a new book and if I get ONE MORE recommendation I might have to ... well, you know... go and read it...

Hm, talk about empty threats! :)