This topic is currently marked as "dormant"—the last message is more than 90 days old. You can revive it by posting a reply.
1Hoperin
8 BOOKS READ as of FEB.2
Alright! This is my first attempt at any sort of yearly goal in regards to reading and books, and I have no idea how many books I read annually. I go through great big gaps where I read everyday, and then don't read for weeks, I'm terribly inconsistent, but I think 75 books is definitely within reach!
Right now I'm just trying to read through all (or most) of the books sitting unread on my shelves, before I start picking up other titles. Actually, I'm kind of dreading some of them (hence why they've sat unread for so long) but I feel like I should give them all a chance, aha.
JANUARY
1 My Booky Wook -Russel Brand (3/1/10) ♥♥♥
2 Book of Three -Lloyd Alexander (4/1/10) ♥♥♥♥
3 Watershipdown -Richard Adams (10/1/10) ♥♥♥♥♥
4 The Golden Compass -Philip Pullman (17/1/10) ♥♥♥♥♥
5 The Subtle Knife -Philip Pullman (18/1/10) ♥♥♥♥♥
6 Emma -Jane Austen (28/1/10) ♥♥♥
7 Jonathan Livingston le Goeland -Richard Bach (29/1/10) ♥♥♥♥
8 Skeleton Crew -Stephen King (31/1/10) ♥♥♥♥♥
Alright! This is my first attempt at any sort of yearly goal in regards to reading and books, and I have no idea how many books I read annually. I go through great big gaps where I read everyday, and then don't read for weeks, I'm terribly inconsistent, but I think 75 books is definitely within reach!
Right now I'm just trying to read through all (or most) of the books sitting unread on my shelves, before I start picking up other titles. Actually, I'm kind of dreading some of them (hence why they've sat unread for so long) but I feel like I should give them all a chance, aha.
JANUARY
1 My Booky Wook -Russel Brand (3/1/10) ♥♥♥
2 Book of Three -Lloyd Alexander (4/1/10) ♥♥♥♥
3 Watershipdown -Richard Adams (10/1/10) ♥♥♥♥♥
4 The Golden Compass -Philip Pullman (17/1/10) ♥♥♥♥♥
5 The Subtle Knife -Philip Pullman (18/1/10) ♥♥♥♥♥
6 Emma -Jane Austen (28/1/10) ♥♥♥
7 Jonathan Livingston le Goeland -Richard Bach (29/1/10) ♥♥♥♥
8 Skeleton Crew -Stephen King (31/1/10) ♥♥♥♥♥
2Hoperin
I'd like to read, along the way:
- Dune Messiah, and Children of Dune
- Some history books (Canadian & Quebecois, especially!)
- Chronicles of Prydain (group read)
- The Amber Spyglass
- IT, The Stand, or some other equally ambitious King
- Gone, & Hungry? They've been highly recommended to me, considering my love for His Dark Materials and The Mortal Instruments
- Catch-22
- most of the dusty stuff on my shelves
- some classics!
- more Margaret Atwood, Isaac Asimov
- LOVECRAFTLOVECRAFTLOVECRAAaaaft
- Some Terry Pratchett! (Only've read one Discworld, but loved it)
- Dune Messiah, and Children of Dune
- Some history books (Canadian & Quebecois, especially!)
- Chronicles of Prydain (group read)
- The Amber Spyglass
- IT, The Stand, or some other equally ambitious King
- Gone, & Hungry? They've been highly recommended to me, considering my love for His Dark Materials and The Mortal Instruments
- Catch-22
- most of the dusty stuff on my shelves
- some classics!
- more Margaret Atwood, Isaac Asimov
- LOVECRAFTLOVECRAFTLOVECRAAaaaft
- Some Terry Pratchett! (Only've read one Discworld, but loved it)
6alcottacre
Glad to have you with us!
7alsvidur
Welcome! It looks like we have similar tastes in books so far, although I've never heard of your first book. I'll look into it. I've starred your thread and look forward to updates!
8Hoperin
Thanks guys!
@Alsvidur, it's an autobiography, Brand's a stand up comedian among other things. I found it just alright, some genuinely funny/witty passages but also a lot of narcissism, and I can definitely see most people not going in for this at all, since it's quite vulgar and revolves largely around his drugged up antics.
@Alsvidur, it's an autobiography, Brand's a stand up comedian among other things. I found it just alright, some genuinely funny/witty passages but also a lot of narcissism, and I can definitely see most people not going in for this at all, since it's quite vulgar and revolves largely around his drugged up antics.
9Hoperin
Okok! I am determined to do this right!
#2, The Book of Three, Lloyd Alexander, feels like Tolkein for children to me, in a great way. It's the first of 5, and if I wasn't on a scheduled group read I would've already devoured these. Love the small, highly stylized cast as well as the very convincing setting.
'To this extent, we are all Assistant Pig-Keepers at heart.' ♥♥♥♥
#3, Watershipdown, Richard Adams, I did not want to end. I can, and will, read this book over and over again. The handling of rabbits as narrators never makes one feel as if they're being humanized. Rather, I started feeling slightly rabbity myself, so naturally are their behaviours and societies laid out. Adams writes beautifully, especially when describing the morning sun chasing shadows across the down, or the colours of twilight, or when weaving a tale of the rabbit hero, El-Ahrairah. Absolutely an all-time favourite.
♥♥♥♥♥xinfinity
#4 & 5, The Golden Compass & The Subtle Knife, Philip Pullman. I read these back to back, and really I feel like any praise given to one is deserved by the other, so I'll go at these as one. I am a young adult, and yet I think any one could fall in love with Pullman's world of worlds. Lyra and Pan are endearing, Will, intriguing, the plot throughout both books never slacked it's fascinated hold on me, and to top it all off Pullman has really hit upon something genius with regards to daemons. As if I needed an other layer of plot to obsess upon, I now find myself constantly wondering what state Pan will settle upon, or if Will will ever cross into Lyra's world so that we can find out about his daemon, or what MY daemon would be (I've decided probably a raccoon). And that's just the superficial aspect of the concept. ♥♥♥♥♥
#2, The Book of Three, Lloyd Alexander, feels like Tolkein for children to me, in a great way. It's the first of 5, and if I wasn't on a scheduled group read I would've already devoured these. Love the small, highly stylized cast as well as the very convincing setting.
'To this extent, we are all Assistant Pig-Keepers at heart.' ♥♥♥♥
#3, Watershipdown, Richard Adams, I did not want to end. I can, and will, read this book over and over again. The handling of rabbits as narrators never makes one feel as if they're being humanized. Rather, I started feeling slightly rabbity myself, so naturally are their behaviours and societies laid out. Adams writes beautifully, especially when describing the morning sun chasing shadows across the down, or the colours of twilight, or when weaving a tale of the rabbit hero, El-Ahrairah. Absolutely an all-time favourite.
♥♥♥♥♥xinfinity
#4 & 5, The Golden Compass & The Subtle Knife, Philip Pullman. I read these back to back, and really I feel like any praise given to one is deserved by the other, so I'll go at these as one. I am a young adult, and yet I think any one could fall in love with Pullman's world of worlds. Lyra and Pan are endearing, Will, intriguing, the plot throughout both books never slacked it's fascinated hold on me, and to top it all off Pullman has really hit upon something genius with regards to daemons. As if I needed an other layer of plot to obsess upon, I now find myself constantly wondering what state Pan will settle upon, or if Will will ever cross into Lyra's world so that we can find out about his daemon, or what MY daemon would be (I've decided probably a raccoon). And that's just the superficial aspect of the concept. ♥♥♥♥♥
10elkiedee
I found Northern Lights aka The Golden Compass completely gripping in my 30s, and my boyfriend's then 76 year old mum asked for them for Christmas 2 years ago. Like you say, any age.
11tloeffler
Hmmm. 2 of my 3 20-something sons asked for the book Watership Down for Christmas this past year. Is it a fad? I read it (and loved it) years ago, but I was curious why all of the sudden interest in it.
12dk_phoenix
I really, really liked Pullman's Dark Materials trilogy... it got me really curious about physics, believe it or not... haha.
13alsvidur
#11 - I'm not very tuned in, but I don't *think* it's a popular fad. I mention it as one I want to finish just because I love rabbits.
14Hoperin
@11&13, Yeah, I think it's just one of those books where at any given time there's some people interested in it. It has staying power.
15BBGirl55
good collection of reads this time, no books to add to my pile and that is always a plus!
are you reading the amber spyglass now?
are you reading the amber spyglass now?
16littlegreycloud
It's interesting to read all the messages about Watership Down. Years ago, I took one of those "What book are you" quizzes, and the result was:
"You're Watership Down!
by Richard Adams
Though many think of you as a bit young, even childish, you're actually incredibly deep and complex. You show people the need to rethink their assumptions, and confront them on everything from how they think to where they build their houses. You might be one of the greatest people of all time. You'd be recognized as such if you weren't always talking about talking rabbits."
It's been on my TBR list ever since...:)
"You're Watership Down!
by Richard Adams
Though many think of you as a bit young, even childish, you're actually incredibly deep and complex. You show people the need to rethink their assumptions, and confront them on everything from how they think to where they build their houses. You might be one of the greatest people of all time. You'd be recognized as such if you weren't always talking about talking rabbits."
It's been on my TBR list ever since...:)
17Hoperin
@15, Not yet! I have to hop along off to the library as I don't own it myself, as soon as college loosens it's vice grip.
@16, Aaha, I love that last line, 'You'd be recognized as such if you weren't always talking about talking rabbits.' Definitely read it if you haven't yet!
And I finially finished Emma!
#6, Emma, by Jane Austen. I'm kind of torn on this one. On one hand, I found huge chunks of this book dry, I think largely caused by its formality between the characters. Not necessarily a fault, by any means, I just found the exchanges tedious. On the other hand, I was reacting strongly to Emma and many other characters the whole time; an initial strong dislike of Emma and pity for Harriet, always strongly agreeing with Mr. Knightley in my head, ect. The characters (and my need to finish any book I start) are what kept me turning pages, and I'm glad I stuck with it because I found the third 'book' delightfully twisty and unexpected. Much to my surprise I found myself hurt, on Emma's behalf, to find that Jane had been snubbing her, and hoping she would end up with Mr. So and so, as well as fearful for poor Harriet's heart breaking once again.
I feel like I would read the second half of this book over and over, but I just can not imagine myself attempting the whole length of it cover to cover, so I can really only rate it as a three (or maybe a four...). I've been soaking up Jane Austen for ten days now though and I've noticed I've begun speaking slightly like the characters, a touch of proper, aaha. This was my first Austen and I really want to try some others now because I really think she is a master with plot twists and characters. ♥♥♥
Holy wall of text. I'm enjoying this spewing of opinions way too much. ;P
@16, Aaha, I love that last line, 'You'd be recognized as such if you weren't always talking about talking rabbits.' Definitely read it if you haven't yet!
And I finially finished Emma!
#6, Emma, by Jane Austen. I'm kind of torn on this one. On one hand, I found huge chunks of this book dry, I think largely caused by its formality between the characters. Not necessarily a fault, by any means, I just found the exchanges tedious. On the other hand, I was reacting strongly to Emma and many other characters the whole time; an initial strong dislike of Emma and pity for Harriet, always strongly agreeing with Mr. Knightley in my head, ect. The characters (and my need to finish any book I start) are what kept me turning pages, and I'm glad I stuck with it because I found the third 'book' delightfully twisty and unexpected. Much to my surprise I found myself hurt, on Emma's behalf, to find that Jane had been snubbing her, and hoping she would end up with Mr. So and so, as well as fearful for poor Harriet's heart breaking once again.
I feel like I would read the second half of this book over and over, but I just can not imagine myself attempting the whole length of it cover to cover, so I can really only rate it as a three (or maybe a four...). I've been soaking up Jane Austen for ten days now though and I've noticed I've begun speaking slightly like the characters, a touch of proper, aaha. This was my first Austen and I really want to try some others now because I really think she is a master with plot twists and characters. ♥♥♥
Holy wall of text. I'm enjoying this spewing of opinions way too much. ;P
18alcottacre
#17: I'm enjoying this spewing of opinions way too much.
That's what this group is for!
That's what this group is for!
19Hoperin
#7, Jonathan Livingston le goeland, Richard Bach. We had a power failure so I read this little thing in one sitting. According to my mum it's mandatory french highschool, reading. It was cute, and bizarre, definitely an allegory. It's message is wonderful. I'll have to (and want to) read it again though, to see if I pick up on anything else, as french isn't my mother tongue. ♥♥♥♥
'-Comment se fait-il, que la chose la plus difficile dans le monde soit de convaincre un oiseau de ce qu'il est libre...'
@18, Aaha, I think this group is going to spare the ears of my friends and family much rambling! :P
'-Comment se fait-il, que la chose la plus difficile dans le monde soit de convaincre un oiseau de ce qu'il est libre...'
@18, Aaha, I think this group is going to spare the ears of my friends and family much rambling! :P
20Hoperin
#8, Skeleton Crew, by Stephen King!
Woah!
I started reading some of these short stories to break up the monotony of Emma, flitting around and reading what caught my interest, but by the time I finished Jonathan Livingston I started at the front of the book and read anything I hadn't read yet (I had tackled The Mist a while ago), devouring this.
Holy crap I like King's short stories. I think I've only read Cujo and The Shining of his, besides this, and while I liked the guy and definitely intended to read more, I was/am under the impression that most people don't really like his stuff as much as his novels? I feel like most people have told me something along those lines. Either way, I like these much better! I didn't like the two poems (but I've never really liked poetry...) nor Milkman #2, but the rest were thrilling in their brief way, like a kiss in the dark, as King said in the intro. If I were the type of person to read leisurely before bed (as apposed to one who feverishly must get through chapters and chapters before I turn out my light) I would keep this under my pillow or on my bedside table, and it would become a lovely, worn out old friend.
I especially loved The Raft (I've already read it again :P). "Oooh Ceeesco!" "Oooh Pancho!" Aaha, probably cause me and my friends talk like that ourselves. ♥♥♥♥♥
Woah!
I started reading some of these short stories to break up the monotony of Emma, flitting around and reading what caught my interest, but by the time I finished Jonathan Livingston I started at the front of the book and read anything I hadn't read yet (I had tackled The Mist a while ago), devouring this.
Holy crap I like King's short stories. I think I've only read Cujo and The Shining of his, besides this, and while I liked the guy and definitely intended to read more, I was/am under the impression that most people don't really like his stuff as much as his novels? I feel like most people have told me something along those lines. Either way, I like these much better! I didn't like the two poems (but I've never really liked poetry...) nor Milkman #2, but the rest were thrilling in their brief way, like a kiss in the dark, as King said in the intro. If I were the type of person to read leisurely before bed (as apposed to one who feverishly must get through chapters and chapters before I turn out my light) I would keep this under my pillow or on my bedside table, and it would become a lovely, worn out old friend.
I especially loved The Raft (I've already read it again :P). "Oooh Ceeesco!" "Oooh Pancho!" Aaha, probably cause me and my friends talk like that ourselves. ♥♥♥♥♥
21Hoperin
Also, I am now on a hunt for more Stephen King books throughout my house! I know my mom took Christine from me when I was ten-eleven-ish, before I could read it, and I must get my grubby hands on a copy of Night Shift! Anybody have favourites for my TBR pile? :P
22drneutron
I'm a big fan of his older stuff - The Stand, 'Salem's Lot, The Shining. His more recent Duma Key was a return to the older King - I liked it a lot too.
