Posts
Forgive my absence! I've been extra busy this past week but I'm back with another list and an update on books I've ordered and books I've received! Yay!
So first, a list! This list comes from Allison, one of my oldest friends who introduced me to many wonderful things, including vegetarian cuisine, RuSan's sushi, anime conventions, tattoos, and the artistic merits of One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish. She's a huge fan of Halloween so I'm sure her place is already decked out in all of its finery. I also worked with her in the book biz lo, these many years ago. She knows her stuff!
1. The Little Prince
2. Kitchen or NP by Banana Yoshitmoto
3. Pride and Prejudice - Austen
4. Innocent's Abroad and Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain
5. anything calvin and hobbes because that really is the history of philosophy
6. Power of myth - Joseph Campbell was just brillant!
7. My YA/kids section
Diane Wynne Jones- Howl's Moving Castle etc.
Libba Bray- A great and terrible Beauty
Peter Pan
Oh the places you will go by Seuss
anything of the old Shel Silverstein
Happy Hockey family by Lane Smith
13 little blue Envelopes -MJohnson
Ferdinand by Leaf and Lawson
Blanket (graphic novel) by Craig Thompsonand
Francesca. Block books
8. mutant message down under- M. Morgan
9. Post Secret series by Frank Warren
10. Arabic Fiction book called i'jaam by Antoon
Aha! A list where I have read more than three! Six! I have read six of these! Hooray! I have not read The Little Prince yet, however, it was given to my partner and I for our anniversary this past year by a very dear friend and it is sitting on our bookshelf waiting to be read. Then I will have read seven! Seven books from this list! Bwa-ha-ha! (That's the best impression of the Count from Sesame Street you're going to get out of me.)
This past weekend I received in the mail three of the books I've ordered from other lists. I recieved The Moorchild (from Victoria's list), The Bone People (from Ellen's list), and To Kill a Mockingbird (from practically everybody's list). I started The Moorchild first, quite by accident, and as soon as I've finished it, I will write a little review. Two more books are on the way, or so I've been told: Atlas Shrugged (from Stefanie's list) and To Serve Them All My Days (from my father's list). I have my reading cut out for me for a while, that's for sure!
Happy Reading!
Erin
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
Three Apparently Really is a Magic Number
One more list and an addition today...plus the promise of a list to come.
The list I got today is from Tiffany, my partner and girlfriend, my lovely funny girl who fills my days with sunshine.
She told me earlier this week that she couldn't think of any books that she adored that I hadn't already read and yet there are books on the list I haven't read, so she found some!
Jurassic Park by Michael Crichton (Sci-Fi)
The Gilded Chain by Dave Duncan (Fantasy)
Ireland: A Novel by Frank Delaney - Now that I think about it, reading this book directly lead to me starting to use my LJ again, which is the medium through which we met... see where I'm going? :)
Druids by Morgan Llywelyn (Historical Fantasy)
tWot series by Robert Jordan (Fantasy)
The Complete Works of Shakespeare (Classic)
Sherlock Holmes Complete Novels & Stories by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (Classic & Mystery)
Miss Marple novels by Agatha Christie (Classic & Mystery)
The Works of Raymond Chandler (Mystery)
Ulysses by James Joyce - I haven't actually read this myself, but it's one of Frank Delaney's favorite books and he's an amazing author, so I don't doubt his opinion. I'll get to it someday.
I have read Ireland, I have read most of The Wheel of Time series, and I have read a good number of Shakespearean works (yes, I am a good little theatre major, thankyouverymuch) but that's it. So, I'm still averaging about three-ish per list even though The Wheel of Time series has 12 books in it and Shakespeare was a little more prolific than most and they both should count for more. But they don't. C'est la vie!
The addition comes from Victoria who said:
"I realize that this is the third time I've tweaked my list, but I'm not taking anything off this time. I just feel compelled to say that, if you haven't already, you absolutely must read Robert Fulghum's All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten. Because it's an amazing read, and it furthered my belief that the world would be a much happier place if everyone would just live by playground rules. So, just a thought."
I haven't read it either. I worked at a bookstore when it was first published oh, so many moons ago but I never did read it. I will work to rectify the oversight.
The promised list will come from my cousin, Chris, who is vacationing in Maui currently and relaxing absolutely takes precedence. She says she will send it when she gets home and I am looking forward to finding out what is on it because, if I recall correctly, she once recommended a book to me when she was still in high school and I was on my way to South Dakota for what was supposed to be two years and ended up being closer to five months. (It's a long story. Perhaps I'll put it in a book someday.) The book she recommended back then was The Pigman by Paul Zindel. I remember reading it and being impressed by both the book and by Chris. But then, she is a brilliant lawyer now and when she was a baby, she used to let me carry her everywhere on my hip.
God. I'm old.
Anyway. I have received word that The Bone People, The Moorchild, and The House of Mirth are all on their way to me via the wonders of Paperbackswap.com, so I am looking forward to picking them up soon and diving in.
Thanks again for helping me broaden my horizons without resorting to prepackaged lists! I eat locally produced foods as often as I can, I might as well be inspired locally, too!
Happy reading!
Erin
The list I got today is from Tiffany, my partner and girlfriend, my lovely funny girl who fills my days with sunshine.
She told me earlier this week that she couldn't think of any books that she adored that I hadn't already read and yet there are books on the list I haven't read, so she found some!
Jurassic Park by Michael Crichton (Sci-Fi)
The Gilded Chain by Dave Duncan (Fantasy)
Ireland: A Novel by Frank Delaney - Now that I think about it, reading this book directly lead to me starting to use my LJ again, which is the medium through which we met... see where I'm going? :)
Druids by Morgan Llywelyn (Historical Fantasy)
tWot series by Robert Jordan (Fantasy)
The Complete Works of Shakespeare (Classic)
Sherlock Holmes Complete Novels & Stories by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (Classic & Mystery)
Miss Marple novels by Agatha Christie (Classic & Mystery)
The Works of Raymond Chandler (Mystery)
Ulysses by James Joyce - I haven't actually read this myself, but it's one of Frank Delaney's favorite books and he's an amazing author, so I don't doubt his opinion. I'll get to it someday.
I have read Ireland, I have read most of The Wheel of Time series, and I have read a good number of Shakespearean works (yes, I am a good little theatre major, thankyouverymuch) but that's it. So, I'm still averaging about three-ish per list even though The Wheel of Time series has 12 books in it and Shakespeare was a little more prolific than most and they both should count for more. But they don't. C'est la vie!
The addition comes from Victoria who said:
"I realize that this is the third time I've tweaked my list, but I'm not taking anything off this time. I just feel compelled to say that, if you haven't already, you absolutely must read Robert Fulghum's All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten. Because it's an amazing read, and it furthered my belief that the world would be a much happier place if everyone would just live by playground rules. So, just a thought."
I haven't read it either. I worked at a bookstore when it was first published oh, so many moons ago but I never did read it. I will work to rectify the oversight.
The promised list will come from my cousin, Chris, who is vacationing in Maui currently and relaxing absolutely takes precedence. She says she will send it when she gets home and I am looking forward to finding out what is on it because, if I recall correctly, she once recommended a book to me when she was still in high school and I was on my way to South Dakota for what was supposed to be two years and ended up being closer to five months. (It's a long story. Perhaps I'll put it in a book someday.) The book she recommended back then was The Pigman by Paul Zindel. I remember reading it and being impressed by both the book and by Chris. But then, she is a brilliant lawyer now and when she was a baby, she used to let me carry her everywhere on my hip.
God. I'm old.
Anyway. I have received word that The Bone People, The Moorchild, and The House of Mirth are all on their way to me via the wonders of Paperbackswap.com, so I am looking forward to picking them up soon and diving in.
Thanks again for helping me broaden my horizons without resorting to prepackaged lists! I eat locally produced foods as often as I can, I might as well be inspired locally, too!
Happy reading!
Erin
Friday, October 3, 2008
Day Two and I'm still down in the count.
And the lists keep on coming...
My fabulous friend Victoria--through whom I am vicariously reliving my younger years because she's three times as smart as me and therefore going to be 12 times as successful--answered the call not one but three times, revising her offerings until they were just perfect.
The Moorchild, by Eloise McGraw
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, by Douglas Adams
The Year of Living Biblically: One Man's Quest To Follow the Bible As Literally As Possible, by A.J. Jacobs
What We Could Have Done With the Money: 50 Ways to Spend the Trillion Dollars We've Spent on Iraq, by Rob Simpson
The Book Thief, by Markus Zusak
Tao Te Ching, Lao Tzu
Red Azalea, by Anchee Min
Slaughterhouse 5, by Kurt Vonnegut
The Unbearable Lightness of Being, by Milan Kundera
Bridge to Terabithia, by Katherine Patterson
I have read two books on this list but am very interested in reading more. Particularly in Slaughterhouse 5, which I should have already read, and in The Moorchild, which I've never heard of but suspect will like a great deal. Historical fiction about Ireland? Yeah, I'm there.
The next responder was Ellen, my boss, who is both a mentor and a friend.
The Color Purple, by Alice Walker
Outlander, by Diana Gabaldon
The Education of Little Tree, by Forrest Carter
The Bone People, by Keri Hulme
Dune, by Frank Herbert
Even Cowgirls Get the Blues, by Tom Robbins
One. I've read one of these. See, I told you I wasn't as well-read as I'd like to be! This project could not have come at a better time.
You see, currently I'm reading Alison Plowden's Two Queens in One Isle: The Deadly Relationship of Elizabeth I and Mary Queen of Scots. I wanted to better understand Elizabeth's hesitance to execute the dishonored younger queen and the choices that Mary made to lead her to that fate. Just one of the aspects of Elizabeth I that I am eager to discover, which accounts for the 16 or so books I have on the subject. I think next on that list will be Elizabeth I, CEO by Alan Axelrod.
I've gone ahead and ordered The Moorchild and The Bone People from paperbackswap.com. I also ordered Byron, Selected Poetry and Letters, completely on a whim. I am a nut for stuff like that.
If you haven't joined paperbackswap.com, do it. It's a great way to send books you no longer need or want on to other homes while also finding books you want or need. Check out their About Us portion to see what they're all about. In these lovely economic times, it's quite a bargain.
Happy reading!
Erin
My fabulous friend Victoria--through whom I am vicariously reliving my younger years because she's three times as smart as me and therefore going to be 12 times as successful--answered the call not one but three times, revising her offerings until they were just perfect.
The Moorchild, by Eloise McGraw
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, by Douglas Adams
The Year of Living Biblically: One Man's Quest To Follow the Bible As Literally As Possible, by A.J. Jacobs
What We Could Have Done With the Money: 50 Ways to Spend the Trillion Dollars We've Spent on Iraq, by Rob Simpson
The Book Thief, by Markus Zusak
Tao Te Ching, Lao Tzu
Red Azalea, by Anchee Min
Slaughterhouse 5, by Kurt Vonnegut
The Unbearable Lightness of Being, by Milan Kundera
Bridge to Terabithia, by Katherine Patterson
I have read two books on this list but am very interested in reading more. Particularly in Slaughterhouse 5, which I should have already read, and in The Moorchild, which I've never heard of but suspect will like a great deal. Historical fiction about Ireland? Yeah, I'm there.
The next responder was Ellen, my boss, who is both a mentor and a friend.
The Color Purple, by Alice Walker
Outlander, by Diana Gabaldon
The Education of Little Tree, by Forrest Carter
The Bone People, by Keri Hulme
Dune, by Frank Herbert
Even Cowgirls Get the Blues, by Tom Robbins
One. I've read one of these. See, I told you I wasn't as well-read as I'd like to be! This project could not have come at a better time.
You see, currently I'm reading Alison Plowden's Two Queens in One Isle: The Deadly Relationship of Elizabeth I and Mary Queen of Scots. I wanted to better understand Elizabeth's hesitance to execute the dishonored younger queen and the choices that Mary made to lead her to that fate. Just one of the aspects of Elizabeth I that I am eager to discover, which accounts for the 16 or so books I have on the subject. I think next on that list will be Elizabeth I, CEO by Alan Axelrod.
I've gone ahead and ordered The Moorchild and The Bone People from paperbackswap.com. I also ordered Byron, Selected Poetry and Letters, completely on a whim. I am a nut for stuff like that.
If you haven't joined paperbackswap.com, do it. It's a great way to send books you no longer need or want on to other homes while also finding books you want or need. Check out their About Us portion to see what they're all about. In these lovely economic times, it's quite a bargain.
Happy reading!
Erin
Thursday, October 2, 2008
The What and the Why
A good book should leave you... slightly exhausted at the end. You live several lives while reading it. ~William Styron, interview, Writers at Work, 1958
So today I had an idea. I know--stop the presses! Anyway, lately I've been feeling less well-read than I should be at my age and educational history so--rather than succumb to some "1001 Books to Read Before You Die" list--I thought I'd email a selection of friends and family and ask for 10 book recommendations from each of them.
It's already been a wildly successful venture in my opinion, with six responses so far. My wonderful cousin, Michele, suggested that I start a blog to both compare the lists and to track my responses to the books I read from them. So voila! One blog, made to order. I've taken the name of the blog from the quote above. It is an apt description for both good books and good people, many of which I hope will meet here.
The first response I got was from my father. He is the best history professor that never stood in front of a classroom and a human repository of golf and baseball stats like you would not believe.
anything by R.F, Delderfield
anything by David Halberstom, but especially "The Children", which I
believe Justin has a copy of
and, of course, if you have not already done so, "To Kill a Mockingbird".
And I was chagrined to realize that I have not read anything on that list.
The second response came from one of the most truly beautiful human beings I have ever had the honor to know: my friend Stefanie. It came in two parts, though, because she asked me for my 10 books and I gave her 11 instead, plus three short stories, and she felt she had to add to her list.
Mama Day by Gloria Naylor
Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli
A Prayer for Owen Meany by John Irving
The House of Mirth by Edith Wharton
Atlas Shrugged Ayn Rand (I was an angsty teen at the time, though...)
Operating Instructions by Anne Lamott
Traveling Mercies by Anne Lamott
Linden Hills by Gloria Naylor
To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
Freakonomics Stephen Dubner and Steven Levitt
Oh yes--please add Prodigal Summer by Barbara Kingsolver to the list and The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down by Anne Fadiman Both are resplendent. And for the short story set, I myself love A Beast in the Jungle by Henry James.
I felt a little better when I read her list because I've actually read three of her favorites (and don't you just love her usage of the word resplendent?), but look! There it is again! To Kill a Mockingbird!
Don't worry, I'll put my list of recs at the end of this post.
The third responder is one of the very best there is...and I've never met her. I've known Rachel for going on 9 years now but a pesky ocean separates us and we have not had the pleasure of a cuppa and a snack--yet.
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen (obvious, I know, but it has to be included)
Gaudy Night by Dorothy L Sayers - you need to read Strong Poison and Have His Carcass first though, because they introduce the character of Harriet Vane, and it's through her introduction and the love story element that Gaudy Night went from being a puzzle book to a piece of literature that spanned several genres from crime to love story to social commentary and a look at the place of women in modern society (modern being 1930s - I think - England).
To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
Stoner McTavish by Sarah Dreher
Talking Heads and Talking Heads 2 by Alan Bennett - these are both collections of monologues, so you might prefer listening to them being read (the audio books are superb), but they're also a very good read and character study.
Wilfred Owen - there are several collections of his poetry, all of which should include his more famous Great War poems - I'm not the kind of person who's in to poetry, but we read these in school and they've stayed with me ever since. Haunting indictment of the cruelties of war. (If you're interested in reading more about the Great War and the poets Owen and Sassoon you might want to read Pat Barker's Regeneration trilogy, which I've heard is excellent, although I haven't read it yet so can't officially put it on my list).
Wild Swans by Jung Chang
The Monarchs are Flying by Marion Foster - not a particularly well written book, I suppose, but I love it nevertheless.
Mallory's Oracle by Carol O'Connell - the first in a series of crime/thriller books.
Back to feeling like crap, because I haven't read any of these either. Did you notice the third book on the list, though? Yep, there it is again. At this point I felt the Universe was spelling something out quite clearly.
Then my beautiful cousin, Michele, answered. Have I mentioned that I'm named after her? It's one of my bragging rights.
THE GREAT GATSBY by F. Scott Fitzgerald
TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD by Harper Lee
ANIMAL FARM by George Orwell
1984 by George Orwell
WANDERLUST by Danielle Steele (Story behind the book-It was in the Piedmont baggage service office and I read it to pass the time!)
A SEPARATE PEACE by John Knowles
EAT PRAY LOVE by Elizabeth Gilbert
THE CRICKET IN TIMES SQUARE by George Selden
STILL LIFE WITH WOODPECKER by Tom Robbins
THE HOBBIT by J.R.R. Tolkien
Back to feeling a little better again because I've read three of these, as well. But the Universe is most definitely telling me something and that is "Read To Kill a Mockingbird already!" I immediately went to paperbackswap.com and ordered the book. When the Universe is being that obvious, I listen. I also ordered an anthology of Wilfred Owen's poetry, To Serve Them All My Days by Delderfield, and The House of Mirth by Edith Wharton.
I will continue with the other posts I've received tomorrow but before I go, I promised to post my recommendations, such as they are. I reserve the right to revise this list later. Just so you know.
Operating Instructions by Anne Lamott
Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott (I'm on my 8th copy, I think)
Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver
The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver
Lessons in Becoming Myself by Ellen Burstyn
Succulent Wild Women by SARK
The Carpet Makers by Andreas Eschbach
Alas, Babylon by Pat Frank
Anger by Thich Nhat Hahn
Dune by Frank Herbert
and one more, because I couldn't resist:
Gulliver's Fugitives by Keith Sharee (this is almost a "guilty pleasure" book because it is a Star Trek: The Next Generation novel but it is by far one of the most amazing stories I've ever read and it touches exactly on point here--it's about books and how, in one community, imagination and fiction are crimes punishable by death and the resistance has memorized their favorite books/works of fiction to pass on to their children...)
and, as an honorable mention, these short stories:
Leiningen Versus the Ants by Carl Stephenson
A Good Man is Hard to Find by Flannery O'Connor
Try to Remember by Frank Herbert
Take from it what you will.
Happy reading!
Erin
So today I had an idea. I know--stop the presses! Anyway, lately I've been feeling less well-read than I should be at my age and educational history so--rather than succumb to some "1001 Books to Read Before You Die" list--I thought I'd email a selection of friends and family and ask for 10 book recommendations from each of them.
It's already been a wildly successful venture in my opinion, with six responses so far. My wonderful cousin, Michele, suggested that I start a blog to both compare the lists and to track my responses to the books I read from them. So voila! One blog, made to order. I've taken the name of the blog from the quote above. It is an apt description for both good books and good people, many of which I hope will meet here.
The first response I got was from my father. He is the best history professor that never stood in front of a classroom and a human repository of golf and baseball stats like you would not believe.
anything by R.F, Delderfield
anything by David Halberstom, but especially "The Children", which I
believe Justin has a copy of
and, of course, if you have not already done so, "To Kill a Mockingbird".
And I was chagrined to realize that I have not read anything on that list.
The second response came from one of the most truly beautiful human beings I have ever had the honor to know: my friend Stefanie. It came in two parts, though, because she asked me for my 10 books and I gave her 11 instead, plus three short stories, and she felt she had to add to her list.
Mama Day by Gloria Naylor
Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli
A Prayer for Owen Meany by John Irving
The House of Mirth by Edith Wharton
Atlas Shrugged Ayn Rand (I was an angsty teen at the time, though...)
Operating Instructions by Anne Lamott
Traveling Mercies by Anne Lamott
Linden Hills by Gloria Naylor
To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
Freakonomics Stephen Dubner and Steven Levitt
Oh yes--please add Prodigal Summer by Barbara Kingsolver to the list and The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down by Anne Fadiman Both are resplendent. And for the short story set, I myself love A Beast in the Jungle by Henry James.
I felt a little better when I read her list because I've actually read three of her favorites (and don't you just love her usage of the word resplendent?), but look! There it is again! To Kill a Mockingbird!
Don't worry, I'll put my list of recs at the end of this post.
The third responder is one of the very best there is...and I've never met her. I've known Rachel for going on 9 years now but a pesky ocean separates us and we have not had the pleasure of a cuppa and a snack--yet.
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen (obvious, I know, but it has to be included)
Gaudy Night by Dorothy L Sayers - you need to read Strong Poison and Have His Carcass first though, because they introduce the character of Harriet Vane, and it's through her introduction and the love story element that Gaudy Night went from being a puzzle book to a piece of literature that spanned several genres from crime to love story to social commentary and a look at the place of women in modern society (modern being 1930s - I think - England).
To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
Stoner McTavish by Sarah Dreher
Talking Heads and Talking Heads 2 by Alan Bennett - these are both collections of monologues, so you might prefer listening to them being read (the audio books are superb), but they're also a very good read and character study.
Wilfred Owen - there are several collections of his poetry, all of which should include his more famous Great War poems - I'm not the kind of person who's in to poetry, but we read these in school and they've stayed with me ever since. Haunting indictment of the cruelties of war. (If you're interested in reading more about the Great War and the poets Owen and Sassoon you might want to read Pat Barker's Regeneration trilogy, which I've heard is excellent, although I haven't read it yet so can't officially put it on my list).
Wild Swans by Jung Chang
The Monarchs are Flying by Marion Foster - not a particularly well written book, I suppose, but I love it nevertheless.
Mallory's Oracle by Carol O'Connell - the first in a series of crime/thriller books.
Back to feeling like crap, because I haven't read any of these either. Did you notice the third book on the list, though? Yep, there it is again. At this point I felt the Universe was spelling something out quite clearly.
Then my beautiful cousin, Michele, answered. Have I mentioned that I'm named after her? It's one of my bragging rights.
THE GREAT GATSBY by F. Scott Fitzgerald
TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD by Harper Lee
ANIMAL FARM by George Orwell
1984 by George Orwell
WANDERLUST by Danielle Steele (Story behind the book-It was in the Piedmont baggage service office and I read it to pass the time!)
A SEPARATE PEACE by John Knowles
EAT PRAY LOVE by Elizabeth Gilbert
THE CRICKET IN TIMES SQUARE by George Selden
STILL LIFE WITH WOODPECKER by Tom Robbins
THE HOBBIT by J.R.R. Tolkien
Back to feeling a little better again because I've read three of these, as well. But the Universe is most definitely telling me something and that is "Read To Kill a Mockingbird already!" I immediately went to paperbackswap.com and ordered the book. When the Universe is being that obvious, I listen. I also ordered an anthology of Wilfred Owen's poetry, To Serve Them All My Days by Delderfield, and The House of Mirth by Edith Wharton.
I will continue with the other posts I've received tomorrow but before I go, I promised to post my recommendations, such as they are. I reserve the right to revise this list later. Just so you know.
Operating Instructions by Anne Lamott
Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott (I'm on my 8th copy, I think)
Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver
The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver
Lessons in Becoming Myself by Ellen Burstyn
Succulent Wild Women by SARK
The Carpet Makers by Andreas Eschbach
Alas, Babylon by Pat Frank
Anger by Thich Nhat Hahn
Dune by Frank Herbert
and one more, because I couldn't resist:
Gulliver's Fugitives by Keith Sharee (this is almost a "guilty pleasure" book because it is a Star Trek: The Next Generation novel but it is by far one of the most amazing stories I've ever read and it touches exactly on point here--it's about books and how, in one community, imagination and fiction are crimes punishable by death and the resistance has memorized their favorite books/works of fiction to pass on to their children...)
and, as an honorable mention, these short stories:
Leiningen Versus the Ants by Carl Stephenson
A Good Man is Hard to Find by Flannery O'Connor
Try to Remember by Frank Herbert
Take from it what you will.
Happy reading!
Erin
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