October Late
Posted: 2019/10/11 | Author: gr4c5 | Filed under: E-Books, Early Review, Fiction, NonFiction | Tags: biography, books, butterflies, chick lit, crime, e-books, Early Review, Elinor Lipman, Fiction, John Gardner, Lee Child, librarything, lists, Lou Reed, medieval, memoir, mental illness, Michelle Huneven, murder, Music, musician, mystery, NonFiction, Peter Turnbull, science, series, Sharman Apt Russell, Sigrid Undset, Vermont, wyoming | Leave a commentI am so frigging late with this it’s not even funny. Here are my excuses: I was home-home the first weekend in October. I am hosting an art show. I’m trying to hire a new librarian. And. And! And, I have been running. Only 13.25 miles so far but it’s a start, right? I’m thrilled to be putting one foot in front of the other. But, here are the books:
Fiction:
- October Light by John Gardner – in honor of October being in the the title of the book and the fact that it takes place in Vermont, a place that is simply gorgeous in the fall.
- Jamesland by Michelle Huneven – in honor of October being Mental Health Awareness month.
- Long Day Monday by Peter Turnbull – in honor of police proceedurals.
- The Axe by Sigrid Undset – in honor of the fact I needed a translated book by a woman for the Portland Public Library challenge. Weak, I know.
- Isabel’s Bed by Elinor Lipman – in honor of Lipman’s birth month.
Nonfiction:
- Wyoming Summer by Mary O’Hara – in memory of O’Hara dying in October.
- An Obsession with Butterflies: Our Long Love Affair by Sharman Apt Russell – in honor of Magic Wings opening in October and the fact that Monhegan was inundated with monarch butterflies for the month of September. We even saw a few while we were home.
Series Continuation:
- Running Blind by Lee Child – started in honor of New York becoming a state in July (where Lee Child lives). However, big confessional: I am reading this out of order. My own fault completely.
LibraryThing Early Review:
- Notes from the Velvet Underground by Howard Sounes
Creature of Habit August
Posted: 2019/08/01 | Author: gr4c5 | Filed under: audio book, E-Books, Early Review, Fiction, NonFiction | Tags: africa, audio book, biography, books, Cecil Forester, crime, death, e-books, Early Review, fairy tale, Fiction, Florence Nightingale, grief, holocaust, Isaac Asimov, Isaak Sturm, james gleick, Jonathan Frazen, Laurie Colwin, Lee Child, librarything, lists, Maria Arana, Maria Thomas, Mark Bostridge, memoir, mikael rosen, movie, NonFiction, Peru, post modern, Robin McKinley, science, science fiction, series, South africa, sports, swimming, women, world war ii | Leave a commentLast month (okay, yesterday!) I whined about how I have been feeling uninspired writing this blog. I think it’s because I haven’t really been in touch with what I’ve been reading. None of the books in July jump started my heart into beating just a little faster. “Dull torpor” as Natalie would say in the Maniacs song, Like the Weather. Maybe it comes down to wanting more oomph in my I’mNotSureWhat; meaning I don’t know if what I need or what would fire me up enough to burn down my yesterdays; at least so that they aren’t repeated tomorrow. I’m just not sure.
Hopefully, these books will do something for me:
Fiction:
- African Queen by Cecil Forester – in honor of the movie. Can I be honest? I’ve never seen the movie!
- Antonia Saw the Oryx First by Maria Thomas (EB/print) – in honor of August being Friendship month.
- Shine On, Bright and Dangerous Object (EB/print) by Laurie Colwin – in honor of August being National Grief Month.
- Strong Motion by Jonathan Frazen (EB/print) – in honor of August being Frazen’s birth month.
- Beauty: the Retelling of Beauty and the Beast by Robin McKinley (EB/print) – in honor of August being Fairy Tale month.
Nonfiction:
- Florence Nightingale by Mark Bostridge (EB/print) – in memory of Florence Nightingale. August is her death month.
- American Chica: Two Worlds, One Childhood by Maria Arana (EB/print) – a memoir in honor of August being “Selfish Month.”
- If there is time: What Just Happened by James Gleick – in honor of Back to School month.
Series continuations:
- Foundation’s Edge by Isaac Asimov (EB/print) – the penultimate book in the Foundation series.
- Die Trying by Lee child (AB/EB/print) – the second book in the Jack Reacher series.
Early Review:
- Filling in the Pieces by Isaak Sturm (started in July).
- Open Water by Mikael Sturm.
Spring Pages
Posted: 2019/05/01 | Author: gr4c5 | Filed under: audio books, E-Books, Fiction, Graphic Novel, NonFiction | Tags: animals, Anythony Trollope, bears, boats, books, childrens book, E Nesbit, e-books, Earlene Fowler, Ellis Peters, exploration, Fiction, Fridtjof Nansen, graphic novel, Isaac Asimov, lists, marriage, murder, Music, mystery, NonFiction, north pole, ocean, Patrick O'Brian, Rafi Zabor, Raymond Briggs, religion, science fiction, series, Sloan Wilson, travel | Leave a commentI will be traveling for part of May so who knows how many books I’ll be able to read for this month. Here is the list I will attempt:
Fiction:
- Man in the Gray Flannel Suit by Sloan Wilson – in honor of May being Wilson’s birth month.
- Ethel and Ernest by Raymond Briggs – in honor of Graphic Novel month being in May.
- Mariner’s Compass by Earlene Fowler – in honor of May is Museum Month.
- Bear Comes Home by Rafi Zabor- in honor of May being Music Month.
- Morbid Taste for Bones by Ellis Peters – in honor of the first Thursday in May being Prayer Week.
- Master and Commander by Patrick O’Brian – in honor of my father’s birth month. As a kid he read this book.
- Five Children and It by E. Nesbit – in honor of May being Nesbit’s birth month.
Nonfiction:
- Farthest North by Fridtjof Nansen – in honor of Peary’s birth month being in May. From one explorer to another.
Series continuations:
- Prelude to Foundation by Isaac Asimov – to continue the series started in January in honor of Asimov’s birth month.
- Barchester Towers by Anthony Trollope – to continue the series started in honor of Trollope’s birth month in April.
The Painted Desert
Posted: 2019/04/30 | Author: gr4c5 | Filed under: audio book, Early Review, Fiction, NonFiction | Tags: africa, Anthony Trollope, audio books, Barbara Kingsolver, Craig Childs, Denise Uwimana, e-books, Early Review, family, Fiction, Henry Fielding, humor, Isaac Asimov, italy, Laurie King, librarything, Miss Read, mystery, Natalia Ginzburg, Nevada Barr, NonFiction, Paul Collins, relationships, Rwanda, science fiction, series, Sherlock Holmes, southwest, Sydney Taylor, teacher, Thorne Smith, women, writer | Leave a comment“…April is over. Will you tell me how long before I can be there?”
-The Painted Desert, 10,000 Maniacs
I will have that song playing in my head from now until June. Not only am I planning to be there, the trip cannot happen soon enough. But for the purposes of this post: April is over and here are the books accomplished:
Fiction:
- The Warden by Anthony Trollope.
- The City and the House by Natalia Ginzburg (EB & print).
- Summer at Fairacre by Miss Read (EB).
- Joseph Andrews by Henry Fielding.
- All Souls by Javier Marias (EB & print).
- All-of-a-Kind-Family by Sydney Taylor (AB and print).
Nonfiction:
- Sixpence House by Paul Collins (EB & print).
- Secret Knowledge of Water by Craig Childs.
Series continuation:
- Hunting Season by Nevada Barr (EB and print).
- The Game by Laurie R. King (AB/AB/print).
- Topper Takes a Trip by Thorne Smith (EB & print)
- Second Foundation by Isaac Asimov (EB)
Early Review for LibraryThing:
- Red Earth: a Rwandan Story of Healing and Forgiveness by Denise Uwimana
For fun:
- Flight Behavior by Barbara Kingsolver – Yes! I finally finished it!
February Falling Behind
Posted: 2019/02/07 | Author: gr4c5 | Filed under: audio books, Early Review, Fiction, NonFiction, Poetry | Tags: alaska, Alice Walker, animals, Arizona, Barbara Kingsolver, biography, birds, Blake Bailey, Brazil, Dana Stabenow, Dorothy Dunnett, e-books, Early Review, Fiction, Frederick Busch, historical, Isaac Asimov, Jonathan Weiner, Laurie King, leisure, librarything, Luiz Garcia-Roza, medicine, mystery, NonFiction, Philip Caputo, Poetry, Richard Yates, Sana Goldberg, science fiction, series | Leave a commentWe are nearly one full week into February and I have yet to report what is on the reading list. I have to admit, my other (non-book) life got in the way. I was selected for jury duty for a trial that lasted three days, a friend was admitted to the hospital with atrial fibrillation for three days, an uncle was taken off hospice, and oh yeah, I turned fifty with my family and friends in attendance. The last week of January going into the first week of February was all a bit nutty. And. And! And, I am running again. So, there’s that. But enough of that. Here are the books:
Fiction:
- Good Night Willie Lee, I’ll See You in the Morning by Alice Walker (EB)- in honor of Walker’s birth month.
- Take This Man by Frederick Busch (EB & print) – in memory of Busch’s death month.
- Crossers by Philip Caputo (EB & print) – in honor of Arizona becoming a state in February.
- Alone in the Crowd by Luiz Alfredo Garcia-Roza (EB & print) – in honor of Brazil’s festival.
Nonfiction:
- Tragic Honesty by Blake Bailey (print) in honor of Yates’s birthday.
- Beak of the Finch by Jonathan Weiner (AB) in honor of February being Feed the Birds Month.
Series Continuations:
- A Monstrous Regiment of Women by Laurie R. King (EB & print) – to continue the series started in honor of January being Mystery Month.
- Caprice and Rondo by Dorothy Dunnett (print) – to continue the series started in honor of Dunnett’s birth month being in August.
- Foundation and Empire by Isaac Asimov (EB) – in honor of Asimov’s birth month being in January.
- A Fine and Bitter Snow by Dana Stabenow (EB & print) – to continue the series started in January in honor of Alaska becoming a state.
Early Review for LibraryThing:
- How to Be a Patient by Dr. Sana Goldberg (confessional: I started this in January and haven’t finished it yet).
For Fun:
- Flight Behavior by Barbara Kingsolver.
December Didn’t Disappoint
Posted: 2019/01/03 | Author: gr4c5 | Filed under: E-Books, Fiction, NonFiction | Tags: africa, Anthony Burgess, astronaut, audio books, Bill Adler Jr, books, Carl Raswan, childrens book, Delia Owens, Diana Athill, Dorothy Dunnett, e-books, editor, fantasy, Fiction, historical, Jeffrey Kluger, Jim Lovell, Mark Owens, memoir, middle east, NonFiction, Philip Pullman, racism, sad, science fiction, Sena Jeter Naslund, series, southern, Tahar Ben Jelloun, time travel, Ursula Le Guin | Leave a commentI may not be happy with my personal life in regards to fitness, health, and so on, but I am definitely satisfied with the number of books I was able to check off my Challenge list for the month of December. Special thanks to my kisa who did all the driving up and back and around the great state of Maine.
Fiction:
- The Dispossessed by Ursula K. Le Guin (EB/print).
- Any Old Iron by Anthony Burgess.
- Four Spirits by Sena Jeter Naslund.
- This Blinding Absence of Light by Tahar Ben Jelloun.
- Time Machines: the Best Time Travel Stories Ever Written edited by Bill Adler, Jr.
Nonfiction:
- The Black Tents of Arabia: (My Life Among the Bedouins by Carl Raswan.
- Lost Moon: the Perilous Voyage of Apollo 13 by Jim Lovell and Jeffrey Kluger.
- The Female Eunuch by Germain Greer.
- Stet: a Memoir by Diana Athill (EB and print).
- Cry of the Kalahari by Mark and Delia Owens (EB and print).
Series continuations:
- Unicorn Hunt by Dorothy Dunnett. Confessional: I did not finish this.
- The Subtle Knife by Philip Pullman (EB/print/AB).
December Updates
Posted: 2018/12/03 | Author: gr4c5 | Filed under: E-Books, Early Review, Fiction, NonFiction | Tags: africa, alabama, Anthony Burgess, Arabia, books, Carl Raswan, civil rights, Confessional, Delia Owens, Diana Athill, Dorothy Dunnett, e-books, Early Review, editor, fantasy, feminism, Fiction, Germain Greer, historical, illness, insane moments, librarything, lists, Mark Owens, memoir, NonFiction, Philip Pullman, research, science fiction, Sena Jeter Naslund, series, Tahar Ben Jelloun, Terry Beard, Ursula Le Guin, women | Leave a commentSo, by the end of November I was a blathering mess, wasn’t I? I know I was. Mea culpa. Three xrays, five vials of blood taken, one CT scan, and two therapy sessions later, here are the updates. The protruding ribs are being blamed on chiropractic appointments even though I felt the rib cage move before I started see Dr. Jim. The nerve pain is being controlled by medication. The spot on the lung and possibly tumor…no results as of today. White blood cell count still elevated. Possibility of cancer…still a possibility.
But. But! But, enough of all that. Here are the books: I have a week off at the end of the month so I am anticipating it will be a good reading month. Here are the books planned:
Fiction:
- Any Old Iron by Anthony Burgess (EB) – in memory of the bombing of Pearl Harbor on December 7th.
- The Dispossessed by Ursula K. Le Guin – in memory of Le Guin passing in 2018.
- Four Spirits by Sena Jeter Naslund – to honor Alabama becoming a state in December.
Nonfiction:
- The Female Eunuch by Germain Greer – to honor women’s suffrage law.
- Cry of the Kalahari by Mark and Delia Owens (EB) – to honor the wedding anniversary of Mark and Delia.
- Lost Moon by Jim Lovell and Jeffrey Kluger – in honor of the moon landing.
- Stet: an Editor’s Life by Diana Athill (EB) – in honor of Athill being born in December.
Series continuation:
- The Subtle Knife by Philip Pullman (AB) – to continue the series His Dark Materials, started in November in honor of National Writing Month.
- The Unicorn Hunt by Dorothy Dunnett (EB) – to continue the series Niccolo House, started in August in honor of Dunnett’s birth month.
Early Review for LibraryThing:
- Squelched by Terry Beard.
If there is time:
- Black Tents of Arabia by Carl Raswan – in honor of Lawrence of Arabia.
- This Blinding Absence of Light by Tahar Ben Jelloun – in honor of Jelloun’s birth month.
November New
Posted: 2018/11/01 | Author: gr4c5 | Filed under: Fiction | Tags: audio book, books, childrens book, Confessional, Dorothy Dunnett, e-books, fantasy, Fiction, historical, homosexuality, humor, insane moments, Isabel Miller, lesbian, Leslie Silko, lists, Martha Beck, Michael Malone, Morocco, motherhood, native american, new york, NonFiction, Philip Pullman, reading, real estate, series, Steven Millhauser, Tahir Shah | Leave a commentWhat do you do when the most inappropriate sentiment unexpectedly comes out of someone’s mouth? A confession that should never have left the lips of the confessor? Instead of thinking of the actions I should take I chose to take none. I do nothing. Distance makes it easy to ignore and deny. When I can’t avoid I read. Here are the books started for November:
Fiction:
- Foolscap, or, the Stages of Love by Michael Malone – Malone was born in the month of November; reading in his honor.
- Ceremony by Leslie Marmon Silko – in honor of November being Native American Heritage month.
- The Golden Compass by Philip Pullman – November is National Writing month. Choosing fantasy for this round.
- Patience and Sarah by Isabel Miller – Routsong’s birth month was in November. Reading in her honor.
- Martin Dressler by Steven Millhauser – reading in honor of Millhauser’s birth place, New York City.
Nonfiction:
- Expecting Adam: a True Story of Birth, Rebirth, and Everyday Magic by Martha Beck – in honor of my mother’s birth month.
- The Caliph’s House by Tahir Shah – in honor of Morocco’s independence was gained in November.
Series continuation:
- Scales of Gold by Dorothy Dunnett – to continue the series started in honor of Dunnett’s birth month in August.
Fun: nothing decided yet.
Early Review: I have been chosen to receive an early review but I will refrain from naming it in case it doesn’t arrive.
September Sorrows
Posted: 2018/10/09 | Author: gr4c5 | Filed under: Book Reviews, E-Books, Early Review, Fiction, NonFiction | Tags: africa, Amanda Boyden, Amy Armbruster, audio books, biography, Bryce Courtenay, Dorothy Dunnett, e-books, Early Review, Ed McNain, essays, Fiction, florida, historical, hurricane, india, Judith Heimann, librarything, Miami, mystery, new orleans, NonFiction, Nora Roberts, Peter Bridgford, romance, series, short stories, Tarquin Hall, Tom Grimes, Tom Harrisson | Leave a commentWhat can I say about September? It sucked. There. I did have something to say after all. It sucked because I didn’t diverge or divulge. I like epiphanies that flash like light bulbs and bring about great catapults of change. None of that happened. I barely did anything worth mentioning except a great trip to Colorado. Then Jones died. That really sucked. What else? I didn’t run at all. That also sucked. My uncle started hospice care and do I dare mention September is the anniversary month for my grandmother, father, and high school friend’s passings. An ugly and sucky month all the way around. Silver linings: my 14th wedding anniversary and two opportunities to hear Natalie Merchant sing. Then! And then there were the books. I can’t forget the books! Here they are:
Fiction:
- Babylon Rolling by Amanda Boyden (EB & print)
Nonfiction:
- Most Offending Soul Alive by Judith Heimann (EB & print)
- Life and Times of Miami Beach by Amy Armbruster (print)
- The Workshop: Seven Decades of ther Iowa Writers’ Workshop edited by Tom Grimes (print)
Series continuations:
- Fuzz by Ed McBain (print and EB)
- Case of the Man Who Died Laughing by Tarquin Hall (AB & print)
- The Spring of the Ram by Dorothy Dunnett (print)
- Holding the Dream by Nora Roberts (EB)
- Tandia by Bryce Courtenay (print & EB)
Early Review for LibraryThing:
- Where Eagles Dare Not Perch by Peter Bridgford (EB) – finally, finally finished it!
An August Attempt
Posted: 2018/09/05 | Author: gr4c5 | Filed under: BookLust I, BookLust II, E-Books, Fiction, NonFiction | Tags: africa, Arnaldur Indridason, audio book, books, Bryce Courtenay, chick lit, china, civil war, colorado, crime, Donna Jo Napoli, Dorothy Dunnett, e-books, Early Review, Ed McBain, fairy tale, greece, historical, Iceland, india, Isabella Bird, Kerstin Ekman, Kirsty Needham, librarything, lists, mystery, NonFiction, Nora Roberts, Peter Bridgford, romance, Rona Jaffe, series, Sofka Zinovieff, sweden, Tarquin Hall, travel, women | Leave a commentSo. I’ve done a few short runs here and there. Nothing crazy, but at least I’m back in it somewhat. Spent more time with the books. Speaking of which, here they are:
Fiction:
- Under the Snow by Kerstin Ekman (EB/print)
- The Best of Everything by Rona Jaffe
- The Case of the Missing Servant by Tarquin Hall (AB)
- Crazy Jack by Donna Jo Napoli (EB)
- Power of One by Bryce Courtenay (EB)
- Niccolo Rising by Dorothy Dunnett (EB/print)
- Daring to Dream by Nora Roberts (EB)
Nonfiction:
- A Season in Red: My Great Leap Forward into the New China by Kirsty Needham
- A Lady’s Life in the Rocky Mountains by Isabella L. Bird
- Eurydice Street by Sofka Zinovieff
Series continuation:
- Arctic Chill by Arnuldur Indridason (EB/print) – which I forgot to mention when I was plotting the month. It’s the last book of the series -that I’m reading. (There are others.)
- Big Bad City by Ed McBain
LibraryThing Early Review:
- Where Eagles Dare Not Perch by Peter Bridgford (EB) – which came after I plotted the month of reading so it wasn’t mentioned before.
July’s Pages Upon Pages
Posted: 2018/07/02 | Author: gr4c5 | Filed under: audio book, E-Books, Early Review, Fiction, NonFiction | Tags: Alice Mattison, Arnaldur Indridason, audio books, Caroline Preston, chick lit, childrens book, cookbook, cooking, crime, David Halberstam, e-books, Early Review, Ed McBain, Elizabeth David, Elizabeth Lowell, Fiction, hurricane, Iceland, James Stewart, japan, Joan Aiken, Kate Walbert, Korean War, librarything, Lizzie Borden, Mediterranean, mystery, NonFiction, romance, series, Tristram Korten, Walter Satterhwait, war | 1 CommentI have a prediction for July. I will read a crap load of books. Actually, I am cheating. It’s not a prediction because I already know I will. Case in point – yesterday my husband and I spent seven hours on the water. He fished. I read. Yesterday was July 1st so I was already knee-deep in the July Challenge list and thanks to an iPad I had five books with me. I made a decent dent in the “Boat” books:
Fiction:
- Jackie by Josie by Caroline Preston – in honor of Jacqueline O. Kennedy’s birth month.
Nonfiction:
- The Coldest Day: America and the Korean War by David Halberstam – in honor of July being the month the Korean War ended.
- The Book of Mediterranean Cooking by Elizabeth David – in honor of July being picnic month.
Series Continuation:
- The Draining Lake by Arnaldur Indridason – to continue the series started in June.
- Midnight in Ruby Bayou by Elizabeth Lowell – to continue the series started in April.
Others on the list:
Fiction:
- Black Hearts in Battersea by Joan Aiken – in honor of July being Kids Month.
Nonfiction:
- Den of Thieves by James B. Stewart – in honor of July being Job Fair month (odd choice, I know).
Early Review for LibraryThing:
- Into the Storm: Two Ships, a Deadly Hurricane, and an Epic Battle for Survival by Tristam Koten.
If there is time:
- Gardens of Kyoko by Kate Walbert – in honor of Japan’s Tanabata Festival.
- Animals by Alice Mattison – in honor of Mattison’s birth month.
- Miss Lizzie by Walter Satterthwait – in honor of Lizzie Borden’s birth month.
- Cop Hater by Ed McBain – to honor McBain’s passing in the month of July.
June Thunder
Posted: 2018/07/01 | Author: gr4c5 | Filed under: E-Books, Early Review, Fiction, NonFiction | Tags: africa, Alice Adams, Arnaldur Indridason, audio books, autobiography, books, Dan White, e-books, edith wharton, Elizabeth Lowell, evolution, Fiction, hiking, homosexuality, Iceland, Janet Frame, Julie Foudy, Kuki Gallman, lists, meditation, memoir, Michael Oren, middle east, mystery, New Zealand, Nicholas Drayson, Paul Monette, romance, self help, series, short stories, war | Leave a commentSo June went by lightning fast, as I expected. Had good shows with Imagine Dragons and Dead and Company. Spent quality time with family and friends. Ran next to nothing for miles. But, the books! Thanks to not running (still) and all the travel I was able to get a lot of reading done…
Fiction:
- Confessing a Murder by Nicholas Drayson (EB & print)
- Stories of Alice Adams by Alice Adams (EB & print)
- Afterlife by Paul Monette (EB & print)
- Jar City by Arnaldur Indridason (AB)
Nonfiction:
- Six Days of War by Michael Oren (print) – confessional: did not finish
- Cactus Eaters by Dan White (print)
- I Dreamed of Africa by Kuki Gallman (print)
- Mindfulness Meditation by Jon Kabat-Zinn (AB)
Series continuations:
- Pearl Cove by Elizabeth Lowell (EB & print)
- Envoy From Mirror City by Janet Frame (EB & print)
Short Stories:
- “Xingu” by Edith Wharton (EB)
- “Verlie I Say Unto You” by Alice Adams (EB)
- “Roses, Rhododendrons” by Alice Adams (EB)
For fun:
- Choose to Matter: Being Courageously and Fabulously YOU by Julie Foudy
June Lightning
Posted: 2018/06/01 | Author: gr4c5 | Filed under: audio book, E-Books, Fiction, NonFiction | Tags: africa, Alice Adams, audio book, autobiography, books, Dan White, e-books, Elizabeth Lowell, Fiction, hiking, homosexuality, humor, Iceland, Janet Frame, Kuki Gallman, lists, meditation, memoir, Michael Oren, middle east, mystery, New Zealand, Nicholas Drayson, NonFiction, Paul Monette, romance, self help, series, short stories, war | 2 CommentsJune is going to go by lightning fast. For starters, there is a concert in Bangor, Maine that I cannot wait for! Then, a concert at home. After that, a week later, an art show reception for my talented sister’s work. Then, a vacation with my best friend (Maine for the third weekend in a row). I will have many opportunities to read. Hence, the huge list:
Fiction:
- Confessing a Murder by Nicholas Drayson – in honor of the first month of boating weather (EB & print).
- Stories of Alice Adams by Alice Adams – June is short story month (EB & print).
- Afterlife by Paul Monette – in honor of gay and lesbian pride month (EB & print).
- Jar City by Arnaldur Andridason – National Icelandic Day is in June (AB).
Nonfiction:
- Six Days of War: June 1967 and the Making of the Middle East by Michael B. Oren – the Six Day War started in June.
- Cactus Eaters: How I Lost My Mind and Almost Found Myself by Dan White – June is national hiking month.
- I Dreamed of Africa by Kuki Gallman – in honor of Gallman’s birth month.
- Mindfulness Meditation by Jon Kabat-Zinn – in honor of Zinn’s birth month.
Series continuations:
- Pearl Cove by Elizabeth Lowell – to continue the series started in April in honor of Lowell’s birth month.
- Envoy From Mirror City by Janet Frame – to finish the series started in April in honor of New Zealand’s Anzac Day.
May Has Her Reasons
Posted: 2018/05/02 | Author: gr4c5 | Filed under: audio book, Fiction, NonFiction | Tags: Andre Norton, books, chick lit, e-books, Elizabeth Lowell, Elizabeth Nunez, fantasy, Fiction, humor, Jon Krakauer, journal, lists, minnesota, mount everest, mountaineering, Nevil Shute, NonFiction, romance, sad, satire, series, Sinclair Lewis, Sue Townsend, Trinidad, war | Leave a commentThis is the first month since September that I don’t have some kind of race looming. It feels weird to not worry about the run. I guess I can concentrate on the books:
Fiction:
- Landfall: a Channel Story by Nevil Shute – in honor of the month the movie was released.
- Main Street by Sinclair Lewis – in honor of Minnesota becoming a state in May (AB).
- Bruised Hibiscus by Elizabeth Nunez – on honor of the Pan Ramjay festival held in May.
- Adrian Mole: the Cappuccino Years by Sue Townsend – in honor of Mother’s Day.
Nonfiction:
- Into Thin Air by Jon Krakauer – in honor of the failed Mount Everest climb in May 1994.
Series continuations:
- Jade Island by Elizabeth Lowell – to continue the series started in April in honor of Lowell’s birth month.
- Warding of Witch World by Andre Norton – to continue the series started in March to honor the month of Norton’s passing.
Something new! I just discovered archive dot org! They are brilliant! I have been able to find a bunch of the books I have on my Challenge list, including two for this month. That means I will be able to leave the print at home and still read on my lunch break!
May Day
Posted: 2015/05/04 | Author: gr4c5 | Filed under: audio books, biography, books, childrens book, E-Books, Early Review, Fiction, history, list, mystery, NonFiction, travel | Tags: audio books, biography, books, e-books, Early Review, Fiction, librarything, lists, NonFiction, reading | Leave a commentMay is going to be a crazy month. I have no idea why I have so many books scheduled for this month. Have I gone mad? I doubt I will get through nine, count ’em, nine books in 31 days but there you have it. This is the list. In other news May is was: a trip to Toronto & a half marathon; & will be a trip to Bolton and a 60 mile walk. I think I am crazy.
Dragon Reborn by Robert Jordan(DNF)In a Strange City by Laura LippmanBy a Spider’s Thread by Laura Lippman (AB)Recognitions by William Gaddis(DNF)Maus by Art SpiegelmanLady Franklin’s Revenge by Ken McGooganBrief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao* by Junot Diaz (AB)
Walk in the Woods by Bill BrysonEugene Onegin by Alexander PushkinShadow Rising by Robert JordanA Good Doctor’s Son by Steven SchwartzDrinking: a Love Story by Caroline KnappAncient Rome on 5 Denarii a Day by Philip MatyszakNero Wolfe Cookbook by Rex StoutTreasure Hunter by W. Jameson (ER)Maus II by Art Spiegelman (Jan)The Dew Breaker by Edwidge Danticat (AB)
In Xanadu by William DalrympleThe Assault by Harry MulischWild Blue by Stephen Ambrose
Shot in the Heart by Mikal Gilmore
Greater Nowheres by David Finkelstein/Jack London
Alma Mater by P.F Kluge
Old Man & Me by Elaine Dundy
Dud Avocado by Elaine Dundy
Good Life by Ben BradleeUnderworld by Don DeLilloHer Name Was Lola by Russell Hoban
Man Who Was Thursday by GK ChestertonFires From Heaven by Robert JordanFinnegan’s Wake by James JoyceDNFHerb ‘n’ Lorna by Eric KraftPolish Officer by Alan Furst – ABLord of Chaos by Robert JordanWalden by Henry David ThroreauReservations Recommended by Eric Kraft
Selected Letters of Norman Mailer edited by J. Michael Lennon – ER
Chasing Monarchs by Robert Pyle
Saturday Morning Murder by Batya Gur
Bebe’s By Golly Wow by Yolanda Joe
Lives of the Muses by Francine Prose
Broom of the System by David Wallace
Crown of Swords by Robert JordanLittle Follies by Eric Kraft
Literary Murder by Batya Gur
ADDED: Bob Marley, My Son by Cedella Marley Booker (ER)ADDED: Night Flight by Antoine de Saint-Exupery
Southern Mail by Antoine de Saint- ExuperyMeasure of All Things, the by Ken Alder (AB)
Two Gardeners by Emily Wilson
Royal Flash by George Fraser
- Fifties by David Halberstam (Apr – DNS)
Binding Spell by Elizabeth Arthur
Crown of Swords by Robert Jordan(DNF)ADDED: Castle in the Backyard by Betsy Draine (EB)
Path of Daggers by Robert Jordan(DNF)- ADDED: Where Do You Stop? by Eric Kraft (May/Feb)
Everything You Ever Wanted by Jillian Lauren (ER)- Murder on a Kibbutz by Batya Gur (May)
- Flash for Freedom! by George Fraser (May)
- Murder in Amsterdam by Ian Buruma (May)
- Petra: lost city by Christian Auge (May)
- From Beirut to Jerusalem by Thomas Friedman (May)
- Jordan by E. Borgia (May)
- Coroner’s Lunch by Colin Cotterill (May)
- Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese (AB/May)
- Flash at the Charge by George MacDonald Fraser (Jun/Apr)
- ADDED: What a Piece of Work I Am by Eric Kraft (Jun/Feb)
- Castles in the Air by Judy Corbett (Jun)
- Battle Cry of Freedom by James McPherson (Jun)
- Thirty-three Teeth by Colin Cotterill (Jun)
- Millstone by Margaret Drabble (Jun)
Winter’s Heart by Robert Jordan(DNF)Crossroads of Twilight by Robert Jordan(DNF)- At Home with the Glynns by Eric Kraft (Jul/Feb)
- Disco for the Departed by Colin Cotterill (Jul)
- Sixty Stories by Donald Barthelme (Jul)
- New Physics and Cosmology by Arthur Zajonc (Jul)
- Grifters by Jim Thompson (Jul)
- Complete Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle (Jul)
- Snow Angels by James Thompson (Jul)
- Anarchy and Old Dogs by Colin Cotterill (Aug)
- ADDED: Leaving Small’s Hotel by Eric Kraft (Aug/Feb)
- Flashman’s Lady by George MacDonald Fraser (Aug)
- Possession by AS Byatt (Aug)
- In the Footsteps of Ghanghis Khan by John DeFrancis (Aug)
- What Just Happened by James Gleick (Aug)
- Game of Kings by Dorothy Dunnett (Aug)
- ADDED: Inflating a Dog by Eric Kraft (Sep/Feb)
- Curse of the Pogo Stick by Colin Cotterill (Sep)
- Flashman and the Redskins by George MacDonald Fraser (Sep)
- Queens’ Play by Dorothy Dunnett (Sep)
- Robber Bride by Margaret Atwood (Sep)
- Mysterious Affair at Styles by Agatha Christie (Sep)
- Beautiful Struggle by Ta-Nehisi Coates (Sep)
- Then She Found Me by Elinor Lipman (Oct)
- Merry Misogynist by Colin Cotterill (Oct)
- Disorderly Knights by Dorothy Dunnett (Oct)
- Flashman and the Dragon by George MacDonald Fraser (Oct)
- Dark Hills Divide by Patrick Carman (Nov)
- Love Songs from a Shallow Grave by Collin Cotterill (Nov)
- Flashman and the Mountain of Light by George MacDonald Fraser (Nov)
- Pawn in Frankincense by Dorothy Dunnett (Nov)
- Andorra by Peter Cameron (Nov)
DNF = Did Not Finish; AB = Audio Book; ER = Early Review; DNS = Did Not Start; EB = Electronic book