This topic is currently marked as "dormant"—the last message is more than 90 days old. You can revive it by posting a reply.
1angrystarlyt
1. Heart-Shaped Box, Joe Hill
This one shows up rather quickly because it's a carry-over from a hectic Christmas vacation. A scary book. It has its flaws--I found myself more disgusted with Jude than sympathetic with him through most of the book, and Georgia and Florida both could have used some hefty characterization--but the writing was lovely and detached, and the story was interesting, with enough twists to keep it interesting but plausible enough to not be The Moonstone, bless its little heart.
This one shows up rather quickly because it's a carry-over from a hectic Christmas vacation. A scary book. It has its flaws--I found myself more disgusted with Jude than sympathetic with him through most of the book, and Georgia and Florida both could have used some hefty characterization--but the writing was lovely and detached, and the story was interesting, with enough twists to keep it interesting but plausible enough to not be The Moonstone, bless its little heart.
2angrystarlyt
2. The Hunger Games, Suzanne Collins
Wowow. I was shocked at how gritty and adult this novel was, but enjoyed it immensely because of those very things. It's interesting how genre expectation changes my conceptions about a story; I know I wouldn't feel as viscerally about the various tribulations if the people playing the Hunger Games weren't teens, interestingly...
I should be re-reading the 5 novels I'm teaching in *checks watch* two weeks, but instead I think I'll read the next book!
Wowow. I was shocked at how gritty and adult this novel was, but enjoyed it immensely because of those very things. It's interesting how genre expectation changes my conceptions about a story; I know I wouldn't feel as viscerally about the various tribulations if the people playing the Hunger Games weren't teens, interestingly...
I should be re-reading the 5 novels I'm teaching in *checks watch* two weeks, but instead I think I'll read the next book!
3angrystarlyt
3. Catching Fire, Suzanne Collins
A solid second book, thought not as compelling as the first. When Kat's...punishment (not to give away what it is) for disobedience occurs, I rolled around, thinking I was incapable of bearing it...but I did, and the twist ending was great. I love the revolution stuff and can't wait to see where it leads when the third book comes out.
A solid second book, thought not as compelling as the first. When Kat's...punishment (not to give away what it is) for disobedience occurs, I rolled around, thinking I was incapable of bearing it...but I did, and the twist ending was great. I love the revolution stuff and can't wait to see where it leads when the third book comes out.
4angrystarlyt
4. Dracula, Bram Stoker
A very favorite of mine that I'm teaching for the first time this upcoming semester. I haven't read this since I was in high school/early undergrad, and there are many, many interesting things that I didn't notice at the time I'm eager to talk about--Lucy with all that blood? What's with the men acting as a unit? What other book spends so much time detailing transcriptions? ZOMG Lombroso??
A very favorite of mine that I'm teaching for the first time this upcoming semester. I haven't read this since I was in high school/early undergrad, and there are many, many interesting things that I didn't notice at the time I'm eager to talk about--Lucy with all that blood? What's with the men acting as a unit? What other book spends so much time detailing transcriptions? ZOMG Lombroso??
11whitewavedarling
What did you think of The Future of Environmental Criticism? It sounds like something right up my alley, but I'd never heard of it before, and, of course, there's not a single review posted!
12angrystarlyt
I actually think it's a really great place to start if you're just getting into the subject. Buell does a good job of talking about how many different ways people interpret the really disparate discipline, and he gives a fabulous critical review so that, if you like a particular kind of environmental criticism, you know who to turn to next. Plus I think he's kind of funny :)
13. House Made of Dawn, N. Scott Momaday
13. House Made of Dawn, N. Scott Momaday
13angrystarlyt
14. Native American Fiction: A User's Manual, David Treuer
I marvel that formalist critics still exist, but you know, after I got used to it...I kind of dug it. Reminds me that you can analyze similes and metaphors and still be publishable material!
I marvel that formalist critics still exist, but you know, after I got used to it...I kind of dug it. Reminds me that you can analyze similes and metaphors and still be publishable material!
15angrystarlyt
16. Ceremony, Leslie Marmon Silko
16angrystarlyt
17. 1 Henry IV, William Shakespeare
18. 2 Henry IV, William Shakespeare
19. Henry V, William Shakespeare
The last three of my absolute favorite historical tetralogy--although none of the other three even begin to compare to 1 Henry IV, my favorite favorite favorite Shakespeare play.
18. 2 Henry IV, William Shakespeare
19. Henry V, William Shakespeare
The last three of my absolute favorite historical tetralogy--although none of the other three even begin to compare to 1 Henry IV, my favorite favorite favorite Shakespeare play.
17angrystarlyt
20. Wide Sargasso Sea, Jean Rhys
19angrystarlyt
23. Gulliver's Travels, Jonathan Swift
20angrystarlyt
24. An Apology for Poetry, Sir Philip Sidney
21angrystarlyt
Well hello again, post comps librarything! Let's add up the rather massive talley since about a month and a half ago, shall we?
25. Strong Motion, Jonathan Franzen
26. Paradise Lost, John Milton
27. Valiant, Holly Black
28. Hazel, Julie Hearn
29. The Windup Girl, Paolo Bacigalupi
30. The House of Mirth, Edith Wharton
31. Age of Innocence, Edith Wharton
32. Tristram Shandy, Laurence Sterne
33. The Awakening, Kate Chopin
34. A Streetcar Named Desire, Tennessee Williams
35. The Golden Notebook, Doris Lessing
36. Green Grass, Running Water, Thomas King
Whew! Do you see how long some of these are?!
25. Strong Motion, Jonathan Franzen
26. Paradise Lost, John Milton
27. Valiant, Holly Black
28. Hazel, Julie Hearn
29. The Windup Girl, Paolo Bacigalupi
30. The House of Mirth, Edith Wharton
31. Age of Innocence, Edith Wharton
32. Tristram Shandy, Laurence Sterne
33. The Awakening, Kate Chopin
34. A Streetcar Named Desire, Tennessee Williams
35. The Golden Notebook, Doris Lessing
36. Green Grass, Running Water, Thomas King
Whew! Do you see how long some of these are?!
22angrystarlyt
37. Undertow, Elizabeth Bear
Not so great. A lot of interesting ideas--in fact, way too many interesting ideas--crammed into a short, not very fleshed-out novel. And the characterization was pretty ridiculous.
Not so great. A lot of interesting ideas--in fact, way too many interesting ideas--crammed into a short, not very fleshed-out novel. And the characterization was pretty ridiculous.
24angrystarlyt
40. Boneshaker, Cherie Priest
Y'know, for me liking steampunk as much as I do, I thought this book was boooooooring. Of course I just came home from an SF convention whose theme was "Steampunk and Evil Geniuses," so perhaps I'm just overexposed to it.
Y'know, for me liking steampunk as much as I do, I thought this book was boooooooring. Of course I just came home from an SF convention whose theme was "Steampunk and Evil Geniuses," so perhaps I'm just overexposed to it.
25angrystarlyt
41. Monster, A Lee Martinez
Am I such a fuddy-duddy that I can't get into humor fiction? Apparently so. I tried Discworld books but thought they were silly--ditto Christopher Moore--ditto this. I'm 24 years old--why so serious?
But, I am. And this book isn't. So it wasn't my cup of tea.
Am I such a fuddy-duddy that I can't get into humor fiction? Apparently so. I tried Discworld books but thought they were silly--ditto Christopher Moore--ditto this. I'm 24 years old--why so serious?
But, I am. And this book isn't. So it wasn't my cup of tea.
26angrystarlyt
42. Julian Comstock: A Story of 22nd-Century America, Robert Charles Wilson
Much more like it! Read like a 19th c yarn, and although the story, to me, fell a little flat in the end, the journey was very much worth it.
Much more like it! Read like a 19th c yarn, and although the story, to me, fell a little flat in the end, the journey was very much worth it.
27angrystarlyt
43. The City & the City, China Mieville
30angrystarlyt
47. Rollback, Robert J Sawyer
A surprisingly emotional exploration of many SF themes. I went into the novel thinking it would be a first contact book, and it is, sort of, but it's more about the consequences of the Rollback procedure and love and relationships through aging. I definitely teared up reading this at work!
A surprisingly emotional exploration of many SF themes. I went into the novel thinking it would be a first contact book, and it is, sort of, but it's more about the consequences of the Rollback procedure and love and relationships through aging. I definitely teared up reading this at work!
31angrystarlyt
48. Abarat, Clive Barker
33angrystarlyt
51. The Love We Share Without Knowing, Christopher Barzak
52. Timescape, Gregory Benford
53. The Demolished Man, Alfred Bester
52. Timescape, Gregory Benford
53. The Demolished Man, Alfred Bester
35angrystarlyt
56. Dawn, Octavia Butler
38angrystarlyt
60. Desperation Stephen King
One of my very favorite SK books, one that I think is really underrated. Stands up brilliantly to re-reading.
One of my very favorite SK books, one that I think is really underrated. Stands up brilliantly to re-reading.
39angrystarlyt
61. The Shadow Year, Jeffrey Ford
62. As I Lay Dying, William Faulkner
Two excellent novels--I'm teaching the second one (with limited success) and read the first one for fun.
62. As I Lay Dying, William Faulkner
Two excellent novels--I'm teaching the second one (with limited success) and read the first one for fun.
40angrystarlyt
63. Rite of Passage, Alexei Panshin
41angrystarlyt
64. Sense and Sensibility, Jane Austen
65. Curtains: Adventures of an Undertaker-in-Training, Tom Jokinen
65. Curtains: Adventures of an Undertaker-in-Training, Tom Jokinen
42angrystarlyt
66. The Engines of God, Jack McDevitt
43DScarboro12
oh I heard that was a good book and so I went to the library and checked it out and read it and I loved it
44rocketjk
"Am I such a fuddy-duddy that I can't get into humor fiction? Apparently so. I tried Discworld books but thought they were silly--ditto Christopher Moore--ditto this. I'm 24 years old--why so serious? But, I am. And this book isn't."
Hey! To each his/her own!
But on the outside chance that you decide to give humor another go, since you clearly like science fiction, I recommend you give Jasper Fforde a go. Start with The Eyre Affair and see if you can get into it.
Hey! To each his/her own!
But on the outside chance that you decide to give humor another go, since you clearly like science fiction, I recommend you give Jasper Fforde a go. Start with The Eyre Affair and see if you can get into it.
45angrystarlyt
Which book, DScarboro? The Engines of God? If so, I, too, loved it!
46angrystarlyt
Actually, rocket, I *do* really like those books--also because I'm an English teacher and they're a lot of fun in that way :) I have only read the first one and keep meaning to get back into them. I have renewed faith I'll stop being so boring some day.
47angrystarlyt
67. Mysteries of the Unknown: Psychic Powers, Time-Life Books
I get a kick of reading New Age books for fun and this series used to be my Bible when I was a kid (I read the UFO one to pieces). I was pleasantly surprised, upon revisiting a volume regarding a subject about which I'm really skeptical, that these books are so full of history, humor, and a heady dose of skepticism. They're just talking about the history of psychics, from the Titanic to turn-of-the-century magicians (which I love!) to Uri Geller vs James Randi. Fun read.
I get a kick of reading New Age books for fun and this series used to be my Bible when I was a kid (I read the UFO one to pieces). I was pleasantly surprised, upon revisiting a volume regarding a subject about which I'm really skeptical, that these books are so full of history, humor, and a heady dose of skepticism. They're just talking about the history of psychics, from the Titanic to turn-of-the-century magicians (which I love!) to Uri Geller vs James Randi. Fun read.
49angrystarlyt
69. The Honey Trail: In Pursuit of Liquid Gold and Vanishing Bees, Grace Pundyk
I enjoyed the author's voice immensely and learned so much about honey, bees, and all the countries she visited. Very interesting!
I enjoyed the author's voice immensely and learned so much about honey, bees, and all the countries she visited. Very interesting!
51angrystarlyt
72. Palimpsest, Catherynne Valente
53angrystarlyt
74. Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?, Philip K Dick
Would I have liked this better if Bladerunner weren't my favorite movie? Yes, very probably. I tried hard to make it something different but my mind kept trying to want to make the comparisons.
Would I have liked this better if Bladerunner weren't my favorite movie? Yes, very probably. I tried hard to make it something different but my mind kept trying to want to make the comparisons.
54angrystarlyt
75. The Witch of Hebron, James Howard Kunstler
I really wanted to like this book, a post-apocalyptic tale that is shockingly not a dystopia, but not much *happens* in it. Maybe if I had read World Made By Hand first it would have felt more fleshed out, but aside from a few vague plot points, the book seemed mainly to consist of descriptions of beautiful New England, lots of delicious, delicious food, and people masturbating...all. the. time.
I really wanted to like this book, a post-apocalyptic tale that is shockingly not a dystopia, but not much *happens* in it. Maybe if I had read World Made By Hand first it would have felt more fleshed out, but aside from a few vague plot points, the book seemed mainly to consist of descriptions of beautiful New England, lots of delicious, delicious food, and people masturbating...all. the. time.
56angrystarlyt
77. Abraham Lincoln, Vampire Hunter, Seth Grahame-Smith
No, it didn't take me a week to read it. It took me a week to read it and grade 70 papers!
The book was cute, but the racial issues--and the way they were, in my opinion, rather callously brushed to the side--*really* bothered me. Like, "we should only care about black people (who are totally inferior) because eventually the vampires will feast on everyone!" Dude.
No, it didn't take me a week to read it. It took me a week to read it and grade 70 papers!
The book was cute, but the racial issues--and the way they were, in my opinion, rather callously brushed to the side--*really* bothered me. Like, "we should only care about black people (who are totally inferior) because eventually the vampires will feast on everyone!" Dude.
57angrystarlyt
78. Pandemonium, Daryl Gregory
One of the most fun books I've read in a really long time. I couldn't put it down! It was like all the best parts of Stephen King, mixed with awesome nods to SF greats and comic books, mixed with serious humor. I can't wait to read more by this guy and hope he's hard at work.
One of the most fun books I've read in a really long time. I couldn't put it down! It was like all the best parts of Stephen King, mixed with awesome nods to SF greats and comic books, mixed with serious humor. I can't wait to read more by this guy and hope he's hard at work.
58angrystarlyt
79. Nemesis, Philip Roth
Pretty darn harrowing, and the end third was not at all how I thought the book would end. Absorbing.
Pretty darn harrowing, and the end third was not at all how I thought the book would end. Absorbing.
60angrystarlyt
rocketjk, I absolutely agree! I am a big fan of early Roth but had been disenchanted since around the Plot Against America, so this was a pleasant surprise.
80. Full Dark, No Stars, Stephen King
80. Full Dark, No Stars, Stephen King
61angrystarlyt
81. Deepsix, Jack McDevitt
Another superfun space romp by McDevitt. Archaeologists...IN SPACE! You'd think McDevitt would have tired of dangling itinerant pilots off spaceships, but no. Not as good as the Engines of God, but good enough to convince me to keep on with the series.
Another superfun space romp by McDevitt. Archaeologists...IN SPACE! You'd think McDevitt would have tired of dangling itinerant pilots off spaceships, but no. Not as good as the Engines of God, but good enough to convince me to keep on with the series.
62angrystarlyt
82. Bones of the Tiger: Protecting the Man-Eaters of Nepal, Hemanta Mishra
