One Book a Week Club 2021

Everything except LibriVox (yes, this is where knitting gets discussed. Now includes non-LV Volunteers Wanted projects)
Dulcamara
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Post by Dulcamara »

19) A Very Stable Genius, by Carol Leonning and Philip Rucker. An account on the White House from the inside. Roughly 2017-2019

20) Brave New World Revisited, by Aldous Huxley. I came across this book in my teens and that time I could not make head or tails of it. Fifty plus years do make a difference. :D In 1958 the author writes essays on Brave New World, which he had written in the thirties and portrays a dystopian, totalitarian world. Still resonates.

21) Witch Hunt - The first thriller in the Rankin-Harvey series. I've read it in a volume that contains all three of them. There's an interesting foreword in which the author refers to the background to the series and its relation to his career.

EDIT. I intend to read more non-fiction. I realize I heavily lean to fictional works. :mrgreen: I do read papers and reports on topics that interest me, but not many full books. Never too late to mend ways.
Last edited by Dulcamara on August 23rd, 2021, 12:39 am, edited 1 time in total.
Jasna

Second to the right and then straight on till morning.
Dulcamara
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Joined: December 23rd, 2020, 1:14 pm
Location: Barataria

Post by Dulcamara »

Update
(Spanish and English)

These are some books I've read this year as I proof-listened to them:
(By the way, do you say 'proof- listened to' or just 'proof- listened'?

22) Black Spirits and White: A Book of Ghost Stories (Ralph Adams Cram). An entertaining collection of gothic stories. I enjoyed PLing them in the long dark nights of winter.

23)Blue Ghost Mystery by Harold L. Goodwin. This is one in a series of light fiction intended for young teenagers long before even I was one. That being said, it may make for a welcome change in pace for the young ones.

24) El cocinero de su majestad. Memorias del tiempo de Felipe III, de Manuel Fernandez y Gonzalez. Aventuras e intrigas mil en la corte. Giros inesperados, situaciones increibles, personajes pintorescos, todo se conjuga para hacer la lectura muy entretenida al viejo estilo en un lenguaje rimbombante.

25) Cookie 'n' Cracker Cookin'( Jeanette Hindman Elliott, Alfred Festen) As far as cooking is concerned, I'm barely at the survival level. However, for some reason, I really enjoy reading cookbooks. There is definitely something very comforting about them. This one introduces us to a series of useful tips.

26) La Corte de Carlos IV (Version 2) de Benito Perez Galdos. Este es uno de los famosos Episodios Nacionales. A traves de distintas novelas seguimos al valiente Gabrielillo y sus aventuras. Es un personaje muy, muy querible.

27) El crimen de Gramercy Park by Anna Katherine Green. Desde el Nueva York de principios del siglo veinte llega esta novela de misterio. Es posible que lector@s exigentes digan que no ha envejecido bien: la ciencia forense ha avanzado tanto, no? Si apartamos esas consideraciones, y simplemente seguimos a la fascinante Miss Amelia Butterworth, nos llevara por una entretenida senda de intriga, sorpresas y emocion. Debo decir que esperaba ansiosamente cada capitulo para escucharlo!

28) Cuentos de terror latinoamericanos por varios autores. Desde el chileno Baldomero Lillo al maestro uruguayo Horacio Quiroga, esta seleccion hara las delicias de los libriauditores.

29) Cuentos rusos de Tolstoy. Una interesante y variada seleccion de cuentos de este escritor que muestra las diversas etapas de su creacion. Personalmente, encuentro que para aproximarse a algunos de ellos, como a casi todo lo escrito por Tolstoy, hay que asegurarse de estar en buen animo. Lo mismo va para Kaffka! :D

30) Four Noncanonical Sherlock Holmes Short Stories. This is a dramatic reading of stories which introduce the character of Holmes at the beginning of his career. Most enjoyable. It was my first experience proof-listening a dramatic work and a wonderful opportunity for learning. All my respect to editors!
Jasna

Second to the right and then straight on till morning.
Dulcamara
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Joined: December 23rd, 2020, 1:14 pm
Location: Barataria

Post by Dulcamara »

Update (Spanish and English)

More books I've read as I PLd


31) Guerra de la Independencia: Extractada para uso de los niños. Por Benito Perez Galdos.
En todos los libros suyos que he leido me encuentro con un autor ameno. Con un tono a veces un poco didactico pero siempre entretenido.

32) Historia de Simbad el marino. Anonimo. Un clasico. Recomendable para los ninos y los no tanto. Aventuras fantasticas en las tierras de Oriente. Interes garantizado.

Idea of a University by John Henry Newman. I don't count it as a full book as I came to the project halfway through the process. I decided to PL it because of the academic register (I've been studying English as a foreign language since I was seven.). It records a series of lectures given by the author expounding his views on what a Catholic university should be like, on occasion of the founding of the first such university in the Rep. of Ireland. I found it very interesting, and not only from the linguistic point of view. This is nineteenth century English and ideas. Approach with an open mind.

33) Jātaka Tales, by H. T. Francis and E.J. Thomas
. Scores and scores of picturesque Indian folk tales of budhist origin. They are delightful fables featuring talking animals, gods floating down to earth, and fantastic adventures. I absolutely loved them -even when the feminist in me wasn't very happy with the portrayal of certain female characters. :D For me it was a lovely trip to ancient India. :clap:

34) Marianela , by Benito Perez Galdos. (Yes, you are right, he WAS an astonishingly prolific writer) Ah, Marianela, alma hermosa en un cuerpo poco agraciado, nos obliga a enfrentar nuestra superficialidad. . Me gusta la construccion de los personajes. Romantica y sin un final feliz pero enteramente disfrutable.

35) La muerte de Ivan Ilitch de Leon Tolstoy. En esta fuerte historia Tolstoy comparte con nosotros su obsesion por la muerte y lo fugaz de la vida. Cuando todo este dicho y hecho y hagamos el balance final...que resultado obtendremos?... habremos vivido bien? Como he comentado anteriormente, mi opinion es que este genial escritor es para leerlo cuando uno goza de paz mental.

36) Napoleón en Chamartín (Version 2) de Benito Perez Galdos
. Otro de los Episodios Nacionales, narrando en forma novelada la guerra de Espana. Como siempre, su descripcion de la vida en las ciudades y campos espanoles de principios del siglo XIX es tan vivida que me parece estar en los lugares que va describiendo y contemplar la accion que se desarrolla. Cada uno de sus libros es un verdadero viaje para mi.

37) Narraciones inquietantes, de Poe y otros. Muy bien elegidas para poner nerviosa a la mas valiente, je, je. Muy recomendable.

Oracles of Nostradamus by Charles Ward. This is another book I can't count as fully read as I joined the project once it was well under way, in the March Campaign. It contains Ward's very personal interpretations of some of the cryptic predictions. I found it soothing, like a fairy tale told to you by your grandmother. In this sense I think listeners will find it a positive contribution. I find it hard to explain... there is a kind of hypnotic quality to it; listening to it set my mind to rest. :D

38) Selections from Aunt Sammy's Radio Recipes and USDA Favorites (Ruth van Deman). Creative recipes retrieved from a famous radio programme that was first broadcast in the 20s. I really enjoyed it.

39) Short History of Pittsburgh, by Samuel Harden Church.
A brief but informative account of the history and development of r the city since its foundation to the beginning of the 20th century. Easy to read and enjoyable. It interested me because my husband's family comes from that city.

40) Trafalgar (Version 2) de Benito Perez Galdos. Es el primero de los Episodios Nacionales, introduce al interesantisimo personaje Gabrielillo. Me gusto mucho. Debo decir que dos de mis grandes intereses son la historia y aprender sobre lugares y modos de vida, por lo que estos libros de Galdos los encuentro geniales. Estoy consciente de que posiblemente Galdos no sea de gusto de todo el mundo.

41) Los viajes de Marco Polo veneciano o El libro de las maravillas, de Rustichello de Pisa y Marco Polo. Que decir? Es el libro de aventuras por excelencia!

42) What Shall We Do? by Leo Tolstoy.
His reflections as an aristocrat who did not believe in property and proclaimed a strictly simple way of life as the solution to injustice and poverty. It can get dense and a bit repetitive at times but it is undoubtedly very interesting. Readers must be warned that the way he refers to women in some passages, and especially in chapter 40, is unacceptable today. Approach with an open mind.

43) The Wonderful Adventures of Nils Holgerson (Version 2) by Selma Lagerlof
. What an absolutely lovely book! We accompany Nils on his journey north and back with the wild geese, on a trip of discovery and growth. Marvelous descriptions of the Swedish landscape and rural life. There is a moving chapter on emigration. It's a children's book but I'm 65 and thoroughly enjoyed it.(I'm really fortunate and am DPLing it in Spanish now : twice the fun! :9: )
Jasna

Second to the right and then straight on till morning.
mightyfelix
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Post by mightyfelix »

I put two books on my "Abandoned" list this week. One of them was good, but I finally admitted to myself that I'm not coming back to it, at least not any time soon. And the other one was recommended to me by a coworker, but I'm just not that into it. :roll:

viewtopic.php?p=1830468#p1830468
Dulcamara
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Post by Dulcamara »

I've read some more crime fiction by Ian Rankin (writing as Jack Harvey). As the titles state, blood drips freely from these pages. Both have investigative journalist characters. (The one in Blood Hunt is much more developed.)

44) Bleeding Hearts. A hit man is the protagonist of a story with many twists.

45) Blood Hunt. A survival expert becomes the prey. Breathless action, very entertaining. This one closes the Harvey novel series. After this, Rankin would concentrate on the Inspector Rebus series.
Jasna

Second to the right and then straight on till morning.
MaryinArkansas
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Location: Arkansas

Post by MaryinArkansas »

A decent number of books for August. No doubt because two of them were fairly short LibriVox recordings. A nice mix for an August of frustratingly hot weather that went on way too long. But no bad weather or fires in our area, so that was very, very good. Reading was a nice way to get through the hot days.

"Have You Seen Luis Valdez?" by Katherine Ryan Hyde. Kindle E-Book. Very good
"The Passenger" by Lisa Lutz by Hardcover book from .10 per book charity store sale. Good book. Entertaining
"Gods of the North" by Robert E. Howard. Librivox recording read by Phil Chenevert. Short, entertaining pulp story. Very nicely read by Phil Chenevert
"The Railway Children" Edith Nesbitt. Librivox recording read by Karen Savage. Entertaining children’s book written in the early 1900s. A book that I somehow missed as a child. Nice story, beautifully read by Ms. Savage
"Skin Tight" by Carl Hiaasen. Library audiobook download. Another entertaining book by Hiaasen. Wicked humor.
“Reading one book is like eating one potato chip.”
―Diane Duane, So You Want to Be a Wizard.

Mary :)📚
Dulcamara
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Joined: December 23rd, 2020, 1:14 pm
Location: Barataria

Post by Dulcamara »

Update (English and Spanish)


Mis disculpas, amigos/as hispanohablantes, por la horrorosa falta de acentos. Este computador no permite la opcion de cambiar teclado.
:shock:

46) Citadel of the Green Death
, by Robert Emmett McDowell. (Project Gutenberg) It's a fast-reading science fiction story from Planet Stories Fall 1948.
Joel Hakkyt, a mutant, has been declared an Outlaw. As such he faces a ghastly choice. Adventures a-plenty.

47) Zaragoza, por Benito Perez Galdos. Otro de los famosos Episodios Nacionales donde encontramos a nuestro protagonista Gabrielillo durante el sitio de Zaragoza por los franceses. Los Zaragozanos muestran de que estan hechos.

48) My Hundred Favourite Recipes
, by Mary Blake.(Project Gutenberg) This is a series of recipes using Carnation evaporated milk. Sound delicious- worth giving them a try. (And the illustrations are lovely!)

Still working on Plato's The Republic. Just started The Dark Remains, William MacIlvanney's unfinished last novel, completed by Ian Rankin. Another Laidlaw mystery. MacIlvanney's known as the "godfather of tartan noir". I've added Michio Kaku's The God Equation to my to-read- pile. Hope I can finish it.
Jasna

Second to the right and then straight on till morning.
mightyfelix
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Post by mightyfelix »

For some reason, for the last month, I have been working on one mystery novel after another after another. Here are my recent mysteries, and what I thought of them:
  • Thieftaker, by D.B. Jackson. It was ok, but not really satisfying. The guy who was supposed to be figuring it out was not that bright and kept getting beat up.
  • The Markenmore Mystery, by J.S. Fletcher. I wasn't trying too hard to guess the whodunnit, instead just enjoying the ride. The ride was fun, but I was unsatisfied with the ending.
  • The Daughter of Time, by Josephine Tey. A laid-up policeman begins a series of inquiries about King Richard III, merely to pass the time, and soon finds himself fascinated and drawn on to discover more, all without leaving his hospital room. I'm not even really sure if this counts as a mystery. But it was brilliant!
  • The Moonstone, by Wilkie Collins. A priceless diamond disappears mere hours after being given as an inheritance to a young woman. She seems to know something about it, but won't tell. A housemaid also seems to know something. On the other hand, the three Indians who have been in the neighborhood are certainly connected in this mystery, but how? I loved this book!
  • One Corpse Too Many, by Ellis Peters. I discovered the Cadfael mysteries! I'd encountered Cadfael the TV show some years back, but just learned that it was based on a 20-something-book series! This is the second in the series (my library doesn't have the first), and I loved it. When 94 men are hung in one night for being on the wrong side of a civil war, why are 95 bodies recovered the next day?
  • Monk's Hood, by Ellis Peters. More Cadfael! Cadfael is a Benedictine monk in 12th century England. When weird and suspicious things happen in his neighborhood, you can be sure that he'll be there to find the truth behind it. This one involves poison! :shock:
  • St. Peter's Fair, by Ellis Peters. Fourth book in the Cadfael series. :9: I'm still in the early chapters of this one. No bodies yet. :wink:
  • The Mystery of the Hasty Arrow, by Anna Katherine Green. A young woman is shot with an arrow in one of New York's finest museums. But no one saw how it happened... Or did they? I'm almost finished with this one. Most of the mysteries have been unraveled, but there are still a few knots to untangle. :mrgreen:
MaryinArkansas
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Joined: October 4th, 2008, 8:06 pm
Location: Arkansas

Post by MaryinArkansas »

A list of books that I read in September. Or, in some cases, listened to. A nice variety.

"Alonzo Fitz and Other Stories" by Samuel Clemens/Mark Twain. Librivox recording read by John Greenman. Entertaining book. Short stories and essays excellently read by Mr. Greenman.

Stan” by Neil Brand BBC Radio Drama. Tom Courtenay takes on the role of Stan Laurel in Neil Brand's poignant and powerful farewell to Oliver Hardy. Poignant, sweet drama about Laurel and Hardy…a comedy team of 1930s and 1940s movies.

"The Sparrow’s Fall" by Fred Bodsworth. Excellent book. The story was somewhat familiar. Looking back on my list of books read for umpteen years (the only type of journal that I keep) I see that I also read it in 1983. Mr. Bodsworth was Canadian writer and an amateur naturalist.

"The Memory Keeper’s Daughter" by Kim Edwards. Paperback book. Very good book. Excellently written.

"Blix" by Frank Norris. Gutenberg E-book Probably one of his early books. Fairly predictable, lightweight. Pleasant enough and shows some of his talent as a writer.
“Reading one book is like eating one potato chip.”
―Diane Duane, So You Want to Be a Wizard.

Mary :)📚
MaryinArkansas
Posts: 1402
Joined: October 4th, 2008, 8:06 pm
Location: Arkansas

Post by MaryinArkansas »

A list of the books that I read in October.

"The Words Between Us" by Erin Bartels. Kindle e-book. Very good story. Nicely written
"Fugitive Nights" by Joseph Wambaugh. Hardback. Good, entertaining story. Interesting characters and storyline. Dated technology, but a nice read
"A Separate Peace" by John Knowles. Library e-book download. Good book. Also read it in 1981. Apparently liked it better then. Excellent writing, but I really didn't relate to the characters. Oh well, I'm a lot older now. :)
“Reading one book is like eating one potato chip.”
―Diane Duane, So You Want to Be a Wizard.

Mary :)📚
Dulcamara
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Joined: December 23rd, 2020, 1:14 pm
Location: Barataria

Post by Dulcamara »

MaryinArkansas wrote: November 10th, 2021, 10:36 am A list of the books that I read in October.

"The Words Between Us" by Erin Bartels. Kindle e-book. Very good story. Nicely written
"Fugitive Nights" by Joseph Wambaugh. Hardback. Good, entertaining story. Interesting characters and storyline. Dated technology, but a nice read
"A Separate Peace" by John Knowles. Library e-book download. Good book. Also read it in 1981. Apparently liked it better then. Excellent writing, but I really didn't relate to the characters. Oh well, I'm a lot older now. :)
Mary, I find it absolute amazing that you've kept a reading journal. It's a brilliant idea! :clap:

(I wish it had occurred to me - it would have saved me the embarrassment of reading halfway through a book to only then remember I'd already read it! :oops: :oops: :oops: )
Jasna

Second to the right and then straight on till morning.
MaryinArkansas
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Joined: October 4th, 2008, 8:06 pm
Location: Arkansas

Post by MaryinArkansas »

Dulcamara wrote: November 12th, 2021, 10:57 am
Mary, I find it absolute amazing that you've kept a reading journal. It's a brilliant idea! :clap:

(I wish it had occurred to me - it would have saved me the embarrassment of reading halfway through a book to only then remember I'd already read it! :oops: :oops: :oops: )
Thank you for the compliment. I'm not even sure why I've kept a reading journal, as journal keeping is not in my nature. It started out as a little, black notebook in 1976, which I later converted to a MS Word document. It is kind of fun to look at it occasionally to see what struck my fancy...or didn't strike my fancy. :)
“Reading one book is like eating one potato chip.”
―Diane Duane, So You Want to Be a Wizard.

Mary :)📚
mightyfelix
LibriVox Admin Team
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Post by mightyfelix »

Whew, I've been reading so much lately! :roll: It's hard work keeping my list updated. In fact, while looking through it just now, I realized that I forgot to include one book that I read back in July! :lol: This error has been rectified. viewtopic.php?p=1830468#p1830468
mightyfelix
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Post by mightyfelix »

There are less than four and a half hours until 2022 where I am. This year, I read 75 books, which is more than twice what I did last year, and I still have time to finish The Great Divorce, if I try!

Happy New Year, everyone. Here's to more good books next year!

EDIT: Finished! 76!
Dulcamara
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Joined: December 23rd, 2020, 1:14 pm
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Post by Dulcamara »

mightyfelix wrote: December 31st, 2021, 6:44 pm There are less than four and a half hours until 2022 where I am. This year, I read 75 books, which is more than twice what I did last year, and I still have time to finish The Great Divorce, if I try!

Happy New Year, everyone. Here's to more good books next year!

EDIT: Finished! 76!
:clap: :birthday: :clap: :birthday: :clap: :birthday:
Jasna

Second to the right and then straight on till morning.
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