One Book A Week Club 2020

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

Welcome to the LibriVox One Book a Week Club, "new decade" edition 2020!

Sign up and set your goal for 2020 - how many books do you want to read this year?
Or do you just skip the goals and read as you go?

Anything goes: novels, non-fiction, audio- or e-books...
Anytime goes: one per day/week/weekend/month/quarter...

Update your post with your latest read, if you like, you can give a rating or even a short synopsis.

But most of all: Have fun! :D

This seems to be one of the oldest and longest going traditions on LibriVox. Threads from previous years are here - how do you compare? :wink:
2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012, 2011, 2010, 2009, 2008 and 2007
Cheers, Ava.
Resident witch of LibriVox, channelling
Granny Weatherwax: "I ain't Nice."

--
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Availle
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Post by Availle »

Let's start the thread off already ;-)

Looking at last year's statistics, I didn't do well with only 23 finished books, but I do think that I missed a few towards the end, and I didn't count re-reads of which there were plenty. Unfortunately, English books are very expensive here, and the library doesn't have quite as many as I'd wish (for obvious reasons...) I'm also not commuting anymore at all, which has cut into my time for audiobooks... Anyway, who knows what this year brings - I'm on the way of finishing one LV solo already. :D

Dead tree copies for my own entertainment/edification/or for work:
1. The Gate by Soseki Natsume. Nice and old-fashioned. Very Japanese indeed.
2. Silence by Shusaku Endo. Wonderful novel about Christian persecution in 17th century Japan. Highly recommended!
3. Unexpected Destinations by Akiko Kuno. Nonfiction about her great-grandmother, the first Japanese graduate of Vassar.
4. Taiko by Eiji Yoshikawa. Epic about the life of Hideyoshi Toyotomi. A bit boring towards the end when all they do is fighting, but it was the Sengoku (Warring States) period after all.
5. 12 Rules for Life by Jordan Peterson. Took me months to complete. Food for thought indeed!
6. Musashi by Eiji Yoshikawa. Fictionalised biography of the greatest fighter of Japan
7. Birthday Stories by Various, edited by Haruki Murakami. Nice. I liked it that not all of them were happy-happy-joy-joy.
8. After the Quake by Haruki Murakami. 6 short stories vaguely tied in to the Kobe Earthquake of 1995. Mixed bag.
9. The Elephant Vanishes by Haruki Murakami. 17 short stories connected through the "I" narrator. Covers both the fun and the profound.
10. Blind Willow, Sleeping Woman by Haruki Murakami. 24 short stories of all stripes.
11. The Unfettered Mind by Takuan Soho. Zen Buddhism. Difficult.
12. The Penguin Book of Japanese Short Stories edited by J. Rubin. Lovely selection of stories from Meiji era to modern times.
13. The Women I Think About at Night by Mia Kankimäki. Part biography of 19th century women, part diary, part philosophical musings.
14. The Office of Gardens and Ponds by Didier Decoin. Set in mid 12th century Japan. Nice if you don't know anything about Kyoto. Not so much if you do...
15. Der Plan von der Abschaffung des Dunkels by Peter Hoeg. Re-read. Still great.
16. The Voice and other stories by Seicho Matsumoto. 6 crime stories where the criminal is always done in because of the need to check back onto the crime scene. Don't do that and you'll get away with it!
17. Killing Commendatore by Haruki Murakami. Gripping read where you keep waiting for the deeper meaning, which there isn't (?).

Audiobooks FROM LibriVox for my own entertainment/edification on commutes and during housework:
1. Jenny by Sigrid Undset. I felt it dragged a bit without much plot. Very big literature - she did receive the Nobel Prize - with tragic ending.
2. Der Mord im Ballsaal by Matthias Blank. Mediocre at best with a cookie-cutter bad father who has zero depth. 3.5 hours only.
3. One Hundred Verses from Old Japan by Teika no Fujiwara. Lovely translation of tanka poetry. Will go on my "re-listen" stack.
4. The Devil's Pool by George Sand. Cute little love story with a happy ending.
5. Cubs of the Wolf by Raymond Fisher Jones. Short sci-fi story with an unexpected ending.

Audiobooks FOR LibriVox for my own entertainment/edification and possibly that of others:
1. Nami-ko by Roka Tokutomi Love, romance and betrayal. Plus an annoying MIL.
2. The Einstein Theory of Relativity by Hendrik Lorentz Science, yess!!
3. Meine Hölle von Jakob Elias Poritzky DPL. As editor/DPL.
4. Lot No. 249 by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Short horror story with surprising twist and a deserved comeuppance.
5. Die Liebe der Erika Ewald by Stefan Zweig. Wow! He must have been unhappily in love himself!
6. El Filibusterismo by Jose Rizal. Only okay-ish sequel to the "Noli me Tangere". Way too preachy in parts.
Cheers, Ava.
Resident witch of LibriVox, channelling
Granny Weatherwax: "I ain't Nice."

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Lynnet
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Post by Lynnet »

Jumping on the bandwagon here... last year I was laid up pre- and post-surgery and read a lot 8-)

I crossed off 23 books on a 100 Favorite Books poster -- a couple were re-reads (Pride and Prejudice, Great Expectations). The list goes from The Odyssey to ... I'm not sure what. Oprah's book club selections, I think.
I also read all 19 of a modern series of mysteries -- knitting pattern and recipe included in each :D
I started on another series, but only read the first 3 before I had to start back in real life :D
I think I only managed 2 LV solos this year, but am over halfway through my first for 2020.
I listen to LV in the car but am not driving for work any more so only get to listen going to the grocery store :evil: Except for the 1500 mile drive between Oregon and Arizona,which we did twice; but no more.

Can't wait to get started on the next year's reading 8-) 8-) 8-)

Goal for this year: 52 books

Real books/ebooks:

It Happened in Arizona by James A. Crutchfield
The Red Badge of Courage by Stephen Crane
Hooked on Murder by Betty Hechtman
Unspeakable Things by Jess Lourie
Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess
The Tale of Genji by Murasaki Shikibu
Roadside Arizona by Marshall Trimble
Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte
A Patchwork Murder by Jan Fields
Raven Threads by K.D. McCrite
A Midsummer Night's Seam By Rachael Phillips
Animal Farm by George Orwell
Broderie Curse by Jan Fields
Lord of the Flies by William Golding
Knit Lit (Too) edited by Linda Roghaar and Molly Wolf
Day of the Locust by Nathanael West
Innocent Until Proven Quilty by Donna Kelly
The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis
Ocean Selvedge by Jan Fields
Arizona Outlaws and Lawmen by Marshall Trimble
If on a Winter's Night a Traveler by Italo Calvino
The Byzantine Empire and the Plague by Charles River
The Story of the Thimble by Bridget McConnel
Middlemarch by George Eliot
Unsavory Notions by Amy Lovell
The Big Sleep by Raymond Chandler
Seam of the Crime by Jan Fields
I, Claudius by Robert Graves
The Heart is a Lonely Hunter by Carson McCullers
Gilead by Marilynne Robinson
Stab Stitched by Elizabeth Penney
Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston
A Holiday Yarn by Sally Goldenbaum
Unraveled Secrets by Jan Field
Ceramics Glazing for Beginners by Gill Roy

Audiobooks listened to:


Days with Sir Roger de Coverley by Joseph Addison and Richard Steele https://librivox.org/days-with-sir-roger-de-coverley-by-joseph-addison/
Coffee Break Collection 26 (PL) https://librivox.org/coffee-break-collection-26-its-a-small-world-by-various/
An African Millionaire by Grant Allen (PL) https://librivox.org/an-african-millionaire-episodes-in-the-life-of-the-illustrious-colonel-clay-by-grant-allen/
The Lion's Brood by Duffield Osborne (PL)
https://librivox.org/the-lions-brood-by-duffield-osborne/
First Chapter Collection 6 (PL) https://librivox.org/first-chapter-collection-06-by-various/
The Perfect World by Ella Scrymsour (PL) https://librivox.org/the-perfect-world-by-ella-scrymsour/
Oliver Cromwell and the Rule of the Puritans in England by Charles H. Firth (PL) https://librivox.org/oliver-cromwell-and-the-rule-of-the-puritans-in-england-by-charles-h-firth/
First Chapter Collection 07 by Various (PL) https://librivox.org/first-chapter-collection-07-by-various/
The Critique of Dogmatic Theology and Investigation of the Christian Teaching by Leo Tolstoy (PL) https://librivox.org/the-critique-of-dogmatic-theology-by-leo-tolstoy/
Hinduism and Buddhism: An Historical Sketch Volume 2 by Charles Eliot (PL) https://librivox.org/hinduism-and-buddhism-an-historical-sketch-volume-2-by-charles-eliot/
Great Diamond Syndicate by Nicholas Carter (PL) https://librivox.org/the-great-diamond-syndicate-by-nicholas-carter/
A Minor War History by Martin Alonzo Haynes (PL) https://librivox.org/a-minor-war-history-by-martin-alonzo-haynes/
The Crime of the French Cafe and Other Stories by Nicholas Carter (PL)

Audiobooks recorded:

The Forgery by G.P.R. James https://librivox.org/the-forgery-by-george-payne-rainsford-james/
Form and Ornament in Ceramic Art by William Henry Holmes https://librivox.org/form-and-ornament-in-ceramic-art/
Struggle for Happiness: Tanya's Story by Carol Collins (not LV)
Forest Days by G.P.R. James https://librivox.org/forest-days-a-romance-of-old-times-by-george-payne-rainsford-james/
Love and Emergencies by Carol Collins (not LV)
Ticonderoga: A Story of Early Frontier Life in the Mohawk Valley by G.P.R. James https://librivox.org/ticonderoga-a-story-of-early-frontier-life-in-the-mohawk-valley-by-george-payne-rainsford-james/

Total: 53 (goal exceeded)
DACSoft
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Post by DACSoft »

Well, I missed my goal in 2019 by 3 books. :( So I'm keeping the same goal for this year.

Goal: 66 books

Unfortunately, I haven't been able to keep up with either my reading, or record-keeping of such reading, due to RL and this very unusual year.
Last edited by DACSoft on December 4th, 2020, 10:27 pm, edited 8 times in total.
Don (DACSoft)
Bringing the Baseball Joe series to audio!

In Progress:
The Arrival of Jimpson; Baseball Joe in the World Series
Next up:
Two College Friends; Baseball Joe Around the World
commonsparrow3
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Post by commonsparrow3 »

I read 42 books last year, counting audiobooks and paper books together. The 2019 list is here.

My goal last year was to remember to update the list once a month, so I wouldn't have to work from memory at the end of the year. I did pretty well until June, then forgot about it. (Whoops!) So this year, I'll set the same goal -- update once a month -- and try to remember!

I'll start off this year's list with my newest book, a Christmas gift that I'm almost finished reading on New Year's Day:

1. Nurse and Spy in the Union Army by S. Emma Edmonds
(This is a facsimile reprint of the original memoir, so the print is a bit hard to read, but the content is fascinating.)

----------------------
Edit: Update January 7, 2021

Well, I obviously neglected keeping this list updated this past year. What can I say? After all, it was 2020 - excuse enough for forgetting.
Fortunately, my public library records will enable me to at least reconstruct the part of the list that consists of borrowed library books.
(Though my library has been closed to the public since March, books can still be checked out by internet or phone for a curbside pick-up.)

Books Read from my Public Library:
2. When the Sky Fell by Michael Deibert
(About Hurricane Maria and how it fits into the entire history of the US presence in Puerto Rico.)
3. The Otterbury Incident by Cecil Day-Lewis
(An old childhood favorite that came up in conversation and led to a wish to re-read it again after many years.)
4. To the Land of Long Lost Friends by Alexander McCall Smith
(The latest Precious Ramotswe mystery novel.)
5. Exactly As You Are by Shea Tuttle
(A look at the work of TV's "Mr. Rogers" seen as a ministry of his Christian faith.)
6. Breach of Faith by Jed Horne
(The book's subtitle "Hurricane Katrina and the Near Death of a Great American City" pretty well describes it.)
7. The Second Founding by Eric Foner
(A study of the three Reconstruction amendments to the US Constitution, and of the ways they were twisted and undermined in the century that followed.)
8. Daily Life in Immigrant America, 1870-1920 by June Granatier Alexander
(Looks at the "second wave" of European immigrants to the US, exploring where they lived and worked, and what daily life was like.)
9. Bold Spirit by Linda Hunt
(How a Norwegian immigrant woman and her adult daughter walked across the US in the 1890's in hopes of prize money to save their farm.)
10. The Color of Law by Richard Rothstein
(Explains in detail how racially segregated housing patterns got that way by intentional governmental action, from federal housing subsidies to local zoning laws.)
11. A Place for Everything by Judith Flanders
(Subtitled "The Curious History of Alphabetical Order", a fascinating topic I'd never really thought about, but simply taken for granted.)
12. Conditional Citizens by Laila Lailami
(The author usually writes fiction, but here she gives us a nonfiction exploration of the exclusion and mistrust she has faced as a newly naturalized US citizen who came from Morocco.)
------------------
So much for library books. Figuring out what books I read from my own bookshelf is not so easy, since there's no handy records to consult.
Fortunately, I don't always put my books back on the shelves, but leave them lying about in random stacks.
From such sloppy shelving habits, I can trace a few of the books I read this year!

My Own Books Read:
13. The Witch Family by Eleanor Estes
(Another old childhood favorite that came to mind and led to a re-reading.)
14. 1066 by David Howarth
(A lively popular history of the Norman invasion of England.)
15. One Corpse Too Many by Ellis Peters
16. The Sanctuary Sparrow by Ellis Peters
17. An Excellent Mystery by Ellis Peters
(During a stessfully busy summer, I escaped into three mystery novels in the Brother Cadfael series, set in a medieval English monastery.)
18. History of Seneca Park Zoo by Maureen Whalen
(Of personal interest, because this is the local zoo where I work, and the book is written by my local branch librarian.)
19. A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith
(My grandmother's favorite novel, which we often used to read aloud together, it still reminds me of her.)
20. A Child's Christmas in Wales by Dylan Thomas
(My dad always read this aloud to me on Christmas. This year I read it aloud on the phone to a friend in the hospital.)

--------
And then there was LibriVox! During the lockdown in the spring, I did more LV recording than usual.
Then I went back to work in July, and did almost no LV work until November.
Now I'm back, and recording again.
Here are the LV projects of this past year. Two solos, and the rest group projects. (I listened to all of the group projects when they were complete.)

LibriVox Books Read in 2020:
21. Tin Horns and Calico by Henry Christman
(Solo recorded during the early days of the lockdown, about the New York State Anti-Rent War in the 1830's-1840's.)
22. The Curtiss Aviation Book by Glenn Curtiss and Augustus Post
(Solo completed just before going back to work, about the early experiments of aviation pioneer Curtiss.)
23. Whom We Shall Welcome: Report of the President's Commission on Immigration and Naturalization
(Group project, a report written in 1952 recommending an overhaul of the restrictive US immigration quotas then in effect.)
24. Report of the National Advisory Commission on Civil Disorders (Kerner Commission Report)

(Group project, the 1965 report by the Kerner Commission which concluded that "Our nation is moving toward two societies, one black, one white - separate and unequal".)
25. Report on Securing and Growing the Digital Economy by President's Commission on Enhancing National Cybersecurity
(Group project, a 2016 report on the threats to the nation's cybersecurity and how to strengthen protections against them.)
26. Seeking a Human Spaceflight Program Worthy of a Great Nation
(Group project, a 2009 report on the issues surrounding plans to return humans to space flight.)
27. LibriVox 15th Anniversary Collection
(Group project, to which I contributed a story about cattle theft and a newspaper commentary on the 15th amendment.)
28. Christmas Short Works Collection 2020
(Group project, the annual LV holiday collection, to which I contributed two short stories.)
29. Christmas Carol Collection 2020
(Group project, the annual LV musical holiday collection. I was BC and sang two carols.)
30. Peter Piper's Practical Principles of Plain and Perfect Pronunciation
(Group challenge project! We celebrated the record-breaking total number of LV projects cataloged this year by recording tongue-twisters, a nice little fun conclusion to the year 2020!)

So it looks like I read about 30 books this year. There were probably just a few more than that, but the things I read last spring have mostly slipped my mind now, so I'll have to leave the list as it is, and say "good enough."
Off to start my 2021 list -- which I hope to update more faithfully as the year goes along!
Last edited by commonsparrow3 on January 7th, 2021, 7:55 am, edited 1 time in total.
linny
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Location: Florida, USA

Post by linny »

I've decided this is becoming more of a chore and something to feel guilty about not keeping up with. I'm out. Good luck everyone! :clap:
Last edited by linny on February 16th, 2020, 7:21 am, edited 1 time in total.
Cori
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Post by Cori »

Reserving my slot too :D As previously, no reading goal, I will just aim to be good about updating a 'oooh, really enjoyed that' list here.
There's honestly no such thing as a stupid question -- but I'm afraid I can't rule out giving a stupid answer : : To Posterity and Beyond!
icequeen
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Post by icequeen »

Here is my spot! My goal last year was 50 books read or listened to, and I reached 45. Not too bad! My goal will be 50 books again.

Real Books with Real Pages

1. Princes at War by Deborah Cadbury
2. Inherit the Stars, by James P. Hogan
3. The Cruel Stars by John Birmingham
4. Angel Time, by Anne Rice
5. The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis


E-Books

The Gamma Sequence by Dan Alatorre
Rogue Elements by Dan Alatorre
Alea Jacta Est by Marcus Richardson
Terminal Sequence by Dan Alatorre
The Blowback Protocol by Lars Emmerick
Roman Mask by Thomas M.D. Brooke
Martian Quadrilogy Box Set: A Mars Space Opera Series, Books 1-4 by Brandon Ellis
Sic Semper Tyrannis by Marcus Richardson
Sam by Iain Rob Wright


Audio Books

The Life of Washington, Volume 1 by John Marshall
The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame
The Dust Flower by Basil King
Thuvia, Maid of Mars by Edgar Rice Burroughs
The Chessmen of Mars by Edgar Rice Burroughs
The Mark of Zorro by Johnston McCulley
The Red Hell of Jupiter by Paul Ernst
The Life of Washington, Volume 2 by John Marshall
History of Astronomy by George Forbes
The Life of Washington, Volume 3 by John Marshall
The Lonely Warrior by Claude Washburn
The Life of St Hilarion by St Jerome
The Turn of the Screw (version 3) by Henry James
The Queen of Appalachia by Joe H. Borders
No Quarter! by Thomas Mayne Reid
The Obscure Night of the Soul by St John of the Cross
The Great Events by Famous Historians, Vol 4 by Charles F. Horn, Rossiter Johnson and John Rudd
The Life of Washington, Volume 4 by John Marshall


Solo Projects Finished
Ann

Audio, video, disco!
MaryinArkansas
Posts: 1402
Joined: October 4th, 2008, 8:06 pm
Location: Arkansas

Post by MaryinArkansas »

I’ll sign up again this year. Reached my goal of 60 last year...just. This year I’m aiming for 52. Looking forward to listening to lots of LibriVox books.
“Reading one book is like eating one potato chip.”
―Diane Duane, So You Want to Be a Wizard.

Mary :)📚
RSlabaugh
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Location: USA

Post by RSlabaugh »

In the past 5 months (Aug. - Dec.) I DPLed 9 complete books (plus parts of some others), & I read 1 PDF book. So according to that I'm setting my goal at 30 books for 2020. I know already that I've got some busy schedules coming up, so I'll be happy if I make my goal. But who has ever complained of over-accomplishment?! :wink:

Books/ ebooks:
1) ‘Tiger Lily and Other Stories’ by Julia Schayer
2) 'Flower of the Dusk' by Myrtle Reed
3) 'The Young Pilgrim' by A.L.O.E.

LV DPL’s:
1) History of England in Words of One Syllable by Helen Pierson
2) Cobwebs from a Library Corner by John Kendrick Bangs
3) Vinzi: A Story of the Swiss Alps by Johanna Spyri
4) On Angel's Wings by Louisa Lilias Greene
5) CRIPPS the Carrier by R.D. Blackmore
6) A Red Wallflower by Susan Warner
7) Summer on the Lakes, in 1843 by Margaret Fuller
8) Kit and Kitty by R.D. Blackmore
9) Call Mr. Fortune by H. C. Bailey
10) Commentary on the Apocalypse of the Blessed John by St. Victorinus of Pettau
11) Jacko and Jumpo Kinkytail by Howard R. Garis
12) Ben, the Luggage Boy by Horatio, Alger Jr.
13) The Living Animals of the World, Volume 1: Mammals by Various
14) The Old Peabody Pew: A Christmas Romance of a Country Church by Kate Douglas Wiggin
15) The Principles of the Christian Religion Expressed in Plain and Easy Verse by Philip Doddridge
16) The Paradise, or Garden of the Holy Fathers (Book 3) by Palladius
17) Prayers of the Early Church by J. Manning Potts
18) The Paradise, or Garden of the Holy Fathers (Book 4) by Palladius
19) The White Czar: A Story of a Polar Bear by Clarence Hawkes

LV audio books:
1) 'The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes' by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
2) 'The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes' by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
3) 'The Return of Sherlock Holmes' by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

I know there are surely more, but I hadn't been keeping track since April. :? Still, 25 isn't bad considering all.
Last edited by RSlabaugh on January 1st, 2021, 2:15 am, edited 6 times in total.
~Rosebud
mightyfelix
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Post by mightyfelix »

My goal is (again) to actually track what I read, and to read more. I should probably set a number, but really, just... more. My reading time has been slowly eaten away by other activities (mostly worthwhile), but I really want to claim it back.

This year, I won't be separating my list by month, or by which books are LV and which are not. I'm just going for total count.

Current reads:
  • Christus Victor, by Gustaf Aulén. Theology. Somewhat dense, but worth it.
  • The Marquis of Lossie, by George MacDonald. My current solo, and the sequel to my last solo, Malcolm. I read this once before, but it was many years ago, so a lot of it will feel new to me!
  • St. George and St. Michael, by George MacDonald. Reading this aloud with my husband. I've read it once before, and finally convinced him that we should read it together.
  • Heather and Snow, by George MacDonald. (I like MacDonald, all right???) I've read this once before. Starting it again because I recently joined a MacDonald facebook group, and they were coincidentally getting ready to read it and discuss.
  • The Divine Comedy, by Dante. I started this as a read-along with a group of friends. But after we got started, it was clear that only one or two people were really committed to it. But then a professor I follow started doing a free seminar on it, so I picked it back up.
  • The Riddle of Joy. A collection of scholarly talks about C.S. Lewis and G.K. Chesterton, which were all delivered at a conference in 1987.
  • Anna Karenina, by Leo Tolstoy. LV listen. Picked this one out on the recommendation of strangers who happen to like books that I like. I haven't been interested in it before, and I've only read one other Russian novel (The Brothers Karamazov, which was awesome). So I have really no idea what I'm in for! :lol:
Finished:
  1. Howl's Moving Castle, by Diana Wynne Jones. Light hearted magical fun. Sophie is a young woman who has a curse placed on her by a witch that turns her old and prompts her to leave home. She encounters a wizard and his fire demon, who have made some kind of compact between them which she must somehow break.
  2. Castle in the Air, by Diana Wynne Jones. Sequel to the above. It was not quite as fun or original as the first, in my opinion. Centers around a magic carpet/genie/Sultan/all of the tropes that go with that. But there was a rather fun twist at the end.
  3. Out of the Silent Planet, by C.S. Lewis. This was maybe my fourth time reading this book, or thereabouts. First in Lewis' Space Trilogy, it tells of Dr. Ransom and his unwitting journey to the planet called Malacandra by the inhabitants.
  4. House of Many Ways, by Diana Wynne Jones. Last of the trilogy, and maybe my favorite. Lots of fun magical shenanigans, a mystery to solve, and a truly horrifying (and, as far as I know, original) fairy-tale monster to defeat.
  5. The Roots of the Mountains, by William Morris. LV listen. I liked it ok. Tells the tale of several people groups living in a mountainous region who are threatened by a barbaric tribe and have to fight to defend their homes and lives. It started out very slowly, but had quite an exciting battle at the end.
  6. The History of Lady Barton, by Elizabeth Griffith. LV listen. I narrated parts of this, and so wanted to hear the entire story in the proper order. There are several stories-within-the-story here, which I rather enjoy. It certainly has a tendency to moralize, which in fact was the author's stated intention, but for all that, I enjoyed the story, and didn't hate the moralizing. Warning: it's a tear-jerker.
  7. The Horse and His Boy, by C.S. Lewis. BBC radio theatre recording. I've read the story many times, and know and love it well. I picked up this 3-disc recording at the Salvation Army for $3, and loved experiencing the story in a new way!
  8. Pride and Prescience, by Carrie Bebris. Our story begins on the wedding day of Jane and Elizabeth Bennet to Mr. Bingley and Mr. Darcy. Circumstances force Mr. and Mrs. Darcy to change their plans to spend Christmas at Pemberley, and before they know it, they are deeply involved in a suspicious series of accidents surrounding the Bingley family. I enjoyed it, however, I thought it skewed too much to the supernatural, particularly toward the end. It didn't feel quite right to me to blend those genres, like adding cayenne pepper in your English breakfast tea.
  9. Tales From Watership Down, by Richard Adams. Sequel to Watership Down, which is still my favorite and most-often-read book. Sadly, it will never be PD in my lifetime, barring some drastic legal changes, as Richard Adams died only two or three years ago. I enjoyed it, though not as much as the first one. This was not as immersive, being mostly a collection of short stories.
  10. The Club of Queer Trades, by G.K. Chesterton. LV listen. Short and enjoyable, a series of separate but related short stories, each an hour or less. One of Chesterton's favorite themes is here strongly at work: that the one who appears to be completely and utterly insane is actually the only thoroughly sane and reasonable one.
  11. A Bunch of Everlastings, by F.W. Boreham. LV listen. Short biographical sketches of several prominent Christians, along with explanations of the Bible verses that had the most impact of their lives.
  12. Adam: God's Beloved by Henri Nouwen. This was actually required reading at work, but I liked it. It's about a man named Adam with severe disabilities and the relationship that the author had with him, and how Adam taught him about God, without being able to speak a word.
  13. The Flying Inn, by G.K. Chesterton. LV listen. This one was pretty good. As a story, I think it's not one of his best. But there are lots of really delightful comic poems and many truly funny moments scattered throughout! I enjoyed it, even if I didn't really get it. :D
  14. The Superstition of Divorce, by G.K. Chesterton. LV listen. Defense of marriage and argument against divorce. There were quite a lot of good insights here, and some food for thought. But some of his arguments probably don't hold any water for most modern readers.
  15. The Hermit of ----- Street, by Anna Katherine Green. LV listen. A short one which I very much enjoyed! A young bride learns that her husband is not quite what she thought him to be--and then most decide what to do about it!
  16. The Machine Stops, by E.M. Forster. LV listen. A dystopia in which everyone lives in their own room and has all of their needs met, including their communication with each other, through The Machine. I didn't quite like it like I wanted to, though I can't figure out why.
  17. Parables of the Cross, by Lilias Trotter. LV listen. I can't recommend this one enough for devotional reading. Beautifully narrated and wonderfully written. The book shows how plants and flowers can give us a picture of the Christian Life and the surrender God requires.
  18. Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister, by Gregory Maguire. Library book. I'd been wanting to read this for many years, ever since seeing the made-for-TV movie based off of it. A Cinderella story, set in Holland and told from the perspective of the younger of the two ugly stepsisters. A bit darker than the movie.
  19. The Cat Who Knew Shakespeare, by Lilian Jackson Braun. A light little mystery story, part of a series, about an ex-reporter and his two Siamese cats who solve mysteries. It was enjoyable.
  20. The Last Dragon, by Silvana De Mari. I read this about ten years ago, and the story stuck with me powerfully. This was my first re-read. This book is delightful, beginning to end.
  21. Nicholas Nickleby, by Charles Dickens. LV listen. I've been saying for awhile that I want to read more Dickens. Barnaby Rudge was my first full Dickens novel to finish, and that was just last year. This one was also very enjoyable.
  22. The Bone of Contention, by Dorothy Sayers. Short mystery story, my first Sayers read. Complete with a strange assault in the middle of the night, a missing will, and a ghostly carriage drawn by headless horses.
  23. The Mouse and the Motorcycle, by Beverly Cleary. What can I say? It's a classic.
  24. Mairelon the Magician, by Patricia C. Wrede.
  25. Magician's Ward, by Patricia C. Wrede. Sequel to the above. I'd read them before, but had been hankering for a reread. The story is very cute, but it seemed to me this time through that the writing wasn't actually as good as I'd remembered, or as good as her writing in her other stories.
  26. Instead of Evidence, by Rex Stout. Short murder mystery, the kind you can read in one evening. I enjoyed it.
  27. The Brownies and Prince Florimel, by Palmer Cox. Just finished DPLing a solo reading of this. Delightful story, talented reader, I highly recommend it.
  28. The Rule of Names, by Urusla K. LeGuin. This one may not even count, because it's only a short (very short) story. But I enjoyed it. Set in the world of her EarthSea books.
  29. Malcolm, by George MacDonald. My most recent LV solo. It took me much longer than I expected, but it's done! I've decided to move on to the sequel for my next solo.
  30. The Fastest Friend in the West, by Vicki Grove. I read this as a kid in the early or mid 90s. Found it again recently and reread it. The writing isn't great, but it's a sweet story, I guess. One that stuck with me, anyway.
  31. Les Miserables, by Victor Hugo. LV listen. This one was on my to-read list for quite some time. I think it might have been the best I've read this year. Absolutely phenomenal. I bought the unabridged paperback (it's quite thick) and I'm already looking forward to the reread. :9:
  32. The Hunchback of Notre Dame, by Victor Hugo. LV listen. Since I loved Les Mis so much, I picked this one out for my next classic book. It's good, but not near as good as Les Mis.
Abandoned:
  • Gawain and the Green Knight, Tolkien's translation. (I had been reading this with my husband, and then we kind of lost interest. He doesn't seem to like the verse much. I'll finish it by myself sooner or later.)
Last edited by mightyfelix on April 1st, 2020, 1:46 pm, edited 8 times in total.
CSCO
Posts: 393
Joined: April 6th, 2010, 10:48 am
Location: Toyokawa, Japan

Post by CSCO »

Hi,

I also have no goal.



HALF FINISHED:
THE ILIAD [Homer, Pope]
The War of the Worlds and the War in the Air [Wells]
宇宙戦争
ELIA & THE LAST ESSAYS OF ELIA [Lamb]
エリア随筆
続エリア随筆集
Robinson Crusoe [Defoe]
ロビンソン・クルーソー (上)
ロビンソン・クルーソー (上)
A Christmas Carol [Dickens]
クリスマス・キャロル
A FAREWELL TO ARMS [Hemingway]
A FAREWELL TO ARMS (audiobook)
THE SUN ALSO RISES (audiobook) [Hemingway]
THE SUN ALSO RISES (audiobook) [Hemingway]
MOBY DICK [Melville]
白鯨 (上) (中) (下)
Catch-22 [Heller]
キャッチ=22 (上) (下)
History of Florence and of the Affairs of Italy [Machiavelli]
フィレンツェ史 (上)(下)
Leaves of Grass [Whitman]
草の葉 (上)(中)(下)
アメリカ史 [上][下]
The Federalist Papers [Hamilton, Madison, Jay]
ザ・フェデラリスト
戦史 (上) (中) (下)
The Wind in the Willows [Grahame]
川べにそよ風
Three Men in a Boat and Three Men on the Bummel [Jerome]
ボートの三人男
Twelve Angry Men [Rose]
The Phantom of the Opera [Leroux]
オペラ座の怪人
The Complete Fairy Stories of OSCAR WILD [Wild]
幸福な王子 ワイルド童話全集
Pygmalion [Shaw]
BULFINCH'S GREEK AND ROMAN MYTHOLOGY THE AGE OF FABLE [Bulfinch]
BULFINCH'S MEDIEVAL MYTHOLOGY THE AGE OF CHIVALRY [Bulfinch]
Moll Flanders [Defoe]
A Journal of the Plague Year [Defoe]
Roxana [Defoe]
A DISCOURSE ON METHOD, MEDITATIONS, AND PRINCIPLES [DESCARTES]
By the Shores of Silver Lake (audiobook) [Wilder]
These Happy Golden Years (audiobook) [Wilder]
Little Town on the Prairie (audiobook) [Wilder]
The Long Winter (audiobook) [Wilder]
On the Banks of Plum Creek (audiobook) [Wilder]
By the Shores of Silver Lake [Wilder]
These Happy Golden Years [Wilder]
Little Town on the Prairie [Wilder]
The Long Winter [Wilder]
On the Banks of Plum Creek [Wilder]
THE AUTOBIOCRAPHY OF BENJAMIN FRANKLIN
CHILD HAROLD'S PILGRIMAGE [BYRON]
The Crucible [MILLER]
Death of a Salesman [MILLER]
The Price [MILLER]
THE Arthur Miller AUDIO COLLECTION ON COMPACT DISC
DR JEKYLL AND MR HYDE [Stevenson]
RHYME STEW [DAHL]
Anne of Green Gables [Montgomery]
Anne of Green Gables (audiobook) [Montgomery]
{All of Anne Books (BOXSET)} [Montgomery]
IN COLD BLOOD [Capote]
IN COLD BLOOD (audiobook) [Capote]
TAO TE CHING [LAO TZU]
Fanny Hill [Cleland]
Adventure Of Huckleberry Finn [Twain]
THE COMPLETE MOWGLI OF THE JUNGLE BOOK STORIES [Kipling]
Leviathan [Hobbes]
THE WEALTH OF NATIONS [Smith]
Reflections on the Revolution in France [Burke]
The Wonderful Adventure of Nills [Lagerlöf]
THE EMPEROR OF PORTUGALLIA [Lagerlöf]
THE CHRIST LEGENDS [Lagerlöf]
The Godfather [Puzo]
The Godfather (audiobook) [Puzo]
The Complete Poetical Works Of Edgar Allan Poe
THE VICAR OF WAKEFIELD [Goldsmith]
Sherlock Holmes The Complete Stories (with Strand illustrations) [Doyle]
The Ship of Fools [Brant, Edwin H. Zeydel]
WALDEN [Thoreaw]
The Hunchback of Notre Dame [Hugo]
Toilers of the Sea [Hugo]
Laws [Plato]
Homer {EVERYMAN'S POETRY} [Homer, Pope]
The Red House mystery [Milne]
once on a time [Milne]
Notes on the New Testament Explanatory and Practical [Barnes]
ローマ帝国衰亡史 (1-10, all books)
A Tale of Two Cities [Dickens]
ピクウィック・クラブ [Dickens]
オリヴァー・トゥイスト[Dickens]
骨董屋 [Dickens]
デイヴィッド・コパフィールド[Dickens]
大いなる遺産 [Dickens]
Alice's Adventures in Wonderland [Carroll]
THROUGH THE LOOKING-GLASS [Carroll]
THE ILIAD [Homer, Butler]
The ILIAD [Homer, Rouse]
The ODYSSEY [Homer, Rouse]
ILIAD AND ODYSSEY (audiobook) [Homer, Rouse]
THE ILIAD [Homer, Fagles]
THE ILIAD (audiobook) [Homer, Fagles]
THE ODYSSEY [Homer, Fagles]
THE ODYSSEY (audiobook) [Homer, Fagles]
THE AENEID [Virgil, Fagles]
THE AENEID (audiobook) [Virgil, Fagles]
AND MORE!
===============================
Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov
Story of O by Pauline Réage [Translator: Sabine d'Estree]
もつれっ話 (A Tangled Tale) by Lewis Carroll [Translator: Yanase]
アエネーイス (The Aeneid) by Virgil [Translator: Izui]
ニルスのふしぎな旅 (The Wonderful Adventure of Nills) by Selma Lagerlöf [Translator: Kagawa and Kagawa]
猫のゆりかご (CAT'S CRADLE) by Kurt Vonnegut, Jr. [Translator: Ito]


FINISHED:
ロリータ (Lolita) by Vladimir Nabokov [Translator: Wakashima]
[ Lolita is wonderful! Women couldn't understand my wonder. I find myself in the story. Humbert Humbert is me. This is a great work indeed. Nabokov wrote a man. I suppose any man is spiritually like Humbert Humbert. (So, my second ID is Pervert Pervert!) I read this novel as David and Bathsheba story. (Honestly speaking, as CSCO and Chick story.) Please don't have a wrong idea. I'm not a criminal and Chick is a young adult woman. (And I am an old man.) We didn't travel together. We worked together at a store and I love her still. That's all. ]
[ I finished Lolita today. It's too beautiful to imitate and it's very rich. I looked at God (for love is God), at Satan, and at myself. Thanks a lot, Mr. Nabokov! It should become my old fellow. I could go along with imaginary Chick for life. (6 February, 2020)]
シャーロック・ホームズの帰還 (The Return of Sherlock Holmes) by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle [Translator: Nobuhara]
[ Very good! I enjoyed the collection. The humor and bracing conclusions charm me. The Abbey Grange is wonderful! I want to say nothing except one: Don't forget your profession, Dr. Watson! (14 April, 2020) ]
恐怖の谷 (The Valley of Fear) by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle [Translator: Nobuhara]
[Very good! I finished the four novels of Sherlock Holmes. In Japan, they say The Hound of the Baskervilles is the best of the Sherlock Holmes. But I don't think so. I suppose The Valley of Fear is the best of the four. And I am amazing at the author's pluck. (It's impossible for me to tell the truth.) A Study in Scarlet is the best novel for Japanese English learners. The mass media in Japan says many regular staffs do remote works now. They have got a chance. A Study in Scarlet improves their English skills. (3 May, 2020)]
鷲は舞い降りた(完全版) (The Eagle Has Landed) by Jack Higgins [Translator: Kikuchi]
[A captivating story. Whereas I suppose the book belongs to Satan. I suppose soldiers must be ugly. Even if they are beautiful, they must be ugly in novels. Whereas Mr. Higgins shows them in praise. I suppose he has no anger against wars... By the way, Liam Devlin met Molly Prior the last night. (21 March, 2020)]
[Devlin beat Arthur Seymour up the last night. I supposed the metric (the distance) between the novel and I was 16 hops at first. But Devlin's age is nearly double than Molly's. My age is more than double than Chick's so that it is a novel for me. (10 April, 2020)(modified 26 April, 2020)]
[The eagle landed the last night!! (13 May, 2020)]
[The story is complex. Whereas the last half of the story is like a flying arrow. It was hard for me to stop reading it. The characters die and die one after another easily in the novel but Liam and Molly never die in my mind. By the way, Mr. Higgins was a soldier but he was never a warrior. So, he could write the novel and the like. The novel is very good and very bad. The novel takes romantic fools out to battlefields. I suppose the novel is wonderful and sinful. (20 May, 2020)]
ローズウォーターさん、あなたに神のお恵みを (GOD BLESS YOU, MR. ROSEWATER) by Kurt Vonnegut, Jr. [Translator: Asakura]
[Kurt had a philosophy. But I also know the world is insane. I don't know how great Kurt was. Gild? Gold? I only know it is very bad to teach kids to give up all hope. Book reviews in Japan say the novel attacks filthy deeds of the poor. So, I said to myself I also know them, while reading the novel. I thought the novel was useless. But, the last night, I wondered the novel renders the rich indeed. If so, yes, I know, the novel cannot be useless. (6 June, 2020)]
[I found it is a good anit-war novel in fact. The anti-war novel is wrapped in the silly appearance. Whereas I want to tell a lie that Kurt wrote the novel to attack the poor. Because I want to deceive the rich. I want to protect the novel from them for the future readers. Diana is good. (10 June, 2020)]
シャーロック・ホームズ最後の挨拶 (His Last Bow) by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle [Translator: Nobuhara]
[Very good! (12 June, 2020)]
スローターハウス5 (SLAUGHTERHOUSE-FIVE) by Kurt Vonnegut, Jr. [Translator: Ito]
[Eliot Rosewater appeared last night. (10 July, 2020)]
[Very good. (But I'm against Kurt's making fun of our Lord.) I suppose Kurt could have had nothing as a writer if Kurt hadn't faced the bombing of Dresden. If the experience had left Kurt, he would have had nothing to write. (Whereas he was a first-class writer, I suppose he was untalented in the class.) I suppose SLAUGHTERHOUSE-FIVE is a dressed anti-war novel; it isn't outspoken novel; he could render less than half of his anger. He spreaded what he truly wanted to exclaim over this novel or that novel bit by bit. (To save his life? To save his easy money?) So, we msut read all his works if we want to realize whether he was a piece of glass or a diamond. Only a fool, Ernest Hemingway, could be straightforward. Kurt was too wise. However, SLAUGHTERHOUSE-FIVE is very good. (19 July, 2020)]
シャーロック・ホームズの事件簿 (The Case-Book of Sherlock Holms) by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle [Translator: Nobuhara]
[Very good! (26 June, 2020)]
アポクリファ (The Apocrypha) [Translator: The Anglican-Episcopal Church in Japan (日本聖公会)]
[Very profitable. I'm a Lutheran and follower of the non-church movement. So, I read the Apocrypha alone. (I wanted to read Sirach.) Book of Baruch is beautiful! Now, I 'm also a Catholic technically? (31 July, 2020)]
O嬢の物語 (Story of O) by Pauline Réage [Translator: Suzuki]
[Very insane. But very good prouse. I encountered aching lyricism many times. The author's techniques are very stable. But this novel is insane. By the way, I'm a Japanese. I want to increase my English obscene terms. English speakers are familiar with the four-letter words, or they can't run away from the words even if they are running away. Because they are surrounded by the words. So am I? So do I? Never! In my case, only my special efforts bring me the words. So, I will read the book in English someday. Bother! (3 August, 2020)]
茶の本 (The Book of Tea) by 岡倉 覚三 (Okakura Kakuzou) [Translator: Muraoka]
[Good! (18 August, 2020)]
[Okakura's English language is very good? Indeed? A Japanese professor praised Okakura's English writings to the skies that an American scholar of Japanese Literature had praised Okakura's English writings to the skies. I suppose any of them couldn't relate bad things. Inasmuch as they were not free from their positions. By the way, I hate both the enhancement of the national prestige and the national brainwashing. (21 August, 2020)]
シャーロック・ホームズの叡智 (The Adventure of Engineer's Thumb and Others) by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle [Translator: Nobuhara] *Note: This book is a Shinchou-sha own edition. It publishes The Complete Stories of Sherlock Holmes in 10 volumes.*
[I completed complete stories of Sherlock Holms last night. This fact is my praise. (21 August, 2020)]
あしながおじさん (Daddy-Long-Legs) by Jean Webster [Translator: Matumoto]
[Very good. I read it about 15 years ago. But it was a graded reader (2000 words level). I was busy at that time and I have time to kill now. So, I read unabridged it in Japanese this time. (28 August, 2020)]
続あしながおじさん (Dear Enemy) by Jean Webster [Translator: Matumoto]
[Dr. MacRae danced a war dance last night. (18 September, 2020)]
[They dined together on the hill last night. (1 October, 2020)]
[Hattie got happy at last. (13 October, 2020)]
[The growing processes are very comfortable. This novel is a real masterpiece. Sally Lunn and Robin lad, I lo'e you weel! (13 October, 2020)]
アメリカの鱒釣り (Trout Fishing in America) by Richard Brautigan [Translator: Fujimoto]
[The author's approach to objects is very unique. And his composition is very unique too. (14 October, 2020)]
[Good. What I learned from this book is:
1) indirect rendition
2) strange composition
3) The father of mammonism in America is Benjamin Franklin and the mother of it is Puritanism. (2 November, 2020)]
青ひげ (BLUEBEARD) by Kurt Vonnegut [Translator: Asakura]
[Rabo Karabekian got out got out the last night. (25 November, 2020)]
[The first half is not bad. The second half is very good. (14 December, 2020)]


DISCARDED:
ふしぎの国のアリス (Alice's Adventures in Wonderland) by Lewis Carroll [Translator: Kitamura]
[In the translation, Alice speaks in the way Dolores Haze does. Kitamura translated it so intentionally. There is not a Victorian manner. There is not a Victorian girl but a modern girl. I'm agaist the Alice.]
不思議の国のアリス (Alice's Adventures in Wonderland) by Lewis Carroll [Translator: Yagawa]
[A pity. Carroll didn't write the book for me. I suppose the book is only for kids. The details are sparkling but development of the story is very slow for me.]
冷血 (In Cold Blood) by Truman Capote [Translator: Sasada]
[Very good. Whereas I discarded it. I wanted to learn English through reading of the English book. So, I bought the secondhand audiobook several years ago and stored it. And, yesterday, I found each of the audio CDs had a few disabled tracks at the end of the disc. (The tracks are as a band at the outer edge of a disc). I can't claim to refund it because I have been dead-stored it. I'm so down. So, I have no reason to read 冷血 anymore. I read it until Perry and Dick appeared. I've wasted my money again... (10 July, 2020)]
鏡の国のアリス (THROUGH THE LOOKING-GLASS) by Lewis Carroll [Translator: Yagawa]
[The work is very useful for a novelist. And I'm very busy for a work. (Although I'm at home everyday, I'm not a novelist.) (26 June, 2020)]
赤い館の秘密 (The Red House Mystery) by A. A. Milne [Translator: Oonisi]
[I got bored. I found Milne was bad at writing a novel. (Winnie-the-Pooh is a short story collection.) (31 August, 2020)]
ユーラリア国騒動記 (ONCE ON A TIME) by A. A. Milne [Translator: Aizawa]
[In short, this book is a novelized drama, not a novelized poem. Sophisticated conversations. But I don't want him the sophistication. (14 October, 2020)]


P.P. (or CSCO)
Last edited by CSCO on December 24th, 2020, 7:20 am, edited 96 times in total.
!!!!!!.!!!!!!.!!!!.!!!!!!!!!..!!!.!!!!!!!!!!!...!!!!!!!!!.!!!!!!.!!!!.!!!!!!.!!!!
No way. He stole away a pretty thing, you know.
That's your heart.
!!!!.!!!!!!.!!!!.!!!!!!!!!..!!!.!!!!!!!!!!!...!!!!!.!!!!!!.!!!!!!!!.!!!!!!.!!!!!!
lethargilistic
Posts: 266
Joined: July 24th, 2018, 3:38 am
Contact:

Post by lethargilistic »

I'd be happy to read 35, although I never know where my head is going to be at. This year, I'm going to try to read seriously from one book each week rather than fretting about finishing them. Most of it is non-fiction to be nebulously referenced later, anyway.

I've already polished off two print books, half-finished from last year:
  • Capital is Dead: Is This Something Worse by McKenzie Wark. Good book about GREAT ideas, the transition of the ruling classes away from capitalism and towards vectoralism.
  • Race After Technology by Ruha Benjamin. Wonderful, about the ways technology is used to enforce racist policy and encode injustices.
I didn't read a print book this week, but I've been listening to the LV recording of Miss Maitland, Personal Secretary to finish off the Molly Babbitts trilogy. (LV will soon have all the books read, once I'm done editing The Black Eagle Mystery!)

And the next two weeks will be print books:
  • The Human Condition by Hannah Arendt
  • The End of Policing by Alex S. Vitale

------------

So. I had a mental health episode in the first third of the year. Then COVID happened. Then the protests happened. I've found that I can't focus at all, lately. Goal seems out of reach now, but I'll start the list over and record what I've been mulling over. Audiobooks have been a godsend. (June 15)

Finished
  1. Capital is Dead: Is This Something Worse by McKenzie Wark. Good book about GREAT ideas, the transition of the ruling classes away from capitalism and towards vectoralism.
  2. Race After Technology by Ruha Benjamin. Wonderful, about the ways technology is used to enforce racist policy and encode injustices.
  3. The Human Condition by Hannah Arendt. Interesting. I was most interested in her fire takes about technology. Ultimately, it was a bit too abstract for me to retain much from it.
  4. Anne's House of Dreams by Lucy Maud Montgomery. An absolute favorite I find I can always come back to, which is rare for me. When I read this, I generally stick with the first half because Anne's relationship with Leslie is the whole story for me. Absolute bicons, the both of them. This year, I published a collection of Lucy Maud Montgomery stories and included a plagiarism by myself based around an alternate version of this where Anne moved to Four Winds alone and fell in love with Leslie, and I just love it to pieces.
  5. Rilla of Ingleside by Lucy Maud Montgomery. If the first half of Anne's House of Dreams is my favorite part of the Anne stories, Rilla is my favorite of the books as a whole. Completely, utterly a masterpiece. Heartbreaking. Romantic. Confusing. Unsure of itself. Unsure of the future. But nonetheless determined.
  6. The World of Books in Classic Antiquity by H. L. Pinner. A friend invited me to help research and collaborate on a book project involving plagiarism in the ancient world and this was an interesting resource.
  7. The End of Policing by Alex S. Vitale. I already hated the police before I bought this and before the protests against police brutality happened. They are an immoral social engineering project intended to groom the poor into submission to the wealthy. They are all bastards. The institution cannot be reformed and it must be abolished. This book is a eminently practical as a guide to the reasons why. But, since I already agreed with it, it didn't offer a lot to me that I didn't already know or feel.
  8. The Flying Flamingo Sisters by Carrie Seim. Fun story for kids, albeit a bit repetitive. I was charmed. It was short.
  9. Kizumonogatari by NISIOISIN. The Monogatari series has never seemed like it would be my thing. Anime is already pretty meta without needing to deliberately try to be meta. I loved the interactions between Araragi and Hayakawa because they are both deeply neurodivergent individuals who do nothing but talk past each other. Their friendship works because of what their severe emotional, anti-social issues do to their heads, and it was pretty much perfect. I also liked Kiss-Shot's emotional arc with regards to Araragi because of how well it works whether you read it as platonic or romantic. It struck a pleasant balance. But all of the exaggerated anime junk and the lack of an interesting antagonist left me a bit wanting. The characters were great, and so was the wordplay. But the story was kinda meh. Araragi's internal monologue catastrophizing everything hit very close to home for me.
  10. Andrea Vernon and the Corporation of Ultrahuman Protection by Alexander C. Kane. This is basically Worm if Worm were a workplace comedy first and foremost. Or, rather, it just strongly reminded me of Worm. I'm sure there are a lot of novels out there pushing meta, mature takes on superheros. But I liked the heroes personalities and diversity in this. Framing everything through the annoyances workplace bureaucracy without condemning people who thrive within such artificial environments felt nice to read. And the use of all the different characters during the climactic battle sequence was completely inspired.
  11. House of X/Powers of X by Jonathan Hickman. This is a graphic novel (and a superhero one at that), but it's one of the most exciting superhero books I've read in AGES. It re-invents mutants in Marvel Comics as a separate species advocating for itself as a separate species from humans. There's no more radical peace talk and model minority mutants. The mutants are a movement and they are united, and the world will bend to accept them or the world will burn to the ground. Absolutely adored it. Extremely powerful storytelling.
----------------

(From March 23, 2021)
Honestly, the pandemic kinda just got to me and I haven't seriously read in a very long time. Podcasts, yes. Audiobooks, no. Books, definitely no. It makes me sad sometimes that I'm no longer in the habit, but it's not like I'll die without it. I ended up reading a few minor books here and there, and parts of others, because that's just how I live my life, but nothing too substantial. The stand-out of 2020 was probably that I read almost all of the ongoing X-Men stories that followed House of X/Powers of X because they were just SO DAMN GOOD. And so Queer! Amazing!! Ah! But, yeah, didn't reach the goal. Didn't set a 2021 goal. Maybe I'll hit 35 when I go to law school in the coming years. x)

I did read a full audiobook for my podcast, Amicus Lectio, though! God Save This Honorable Court: The Supreme Court Crisis by Louis M. Kohlmeier, Jr. (1972). It's an extremely interesting history book about the United States Supreme Court's hard shift to the political right under President Nixon and, ultimately, the Court's historical role in civil rights. That is, its role in hurting efforts to give people civil rights. Because it was written during the Nixon administration, there's a lot of period-specific information I had never heard before. Lyndon B. Johnson once created a vacancy on the Supreme Court for himself to fill by appointing a Justice's son as the Attorney General! Wild! Can you imagine that today?!

I also ended up writing a lot in the middle of the year and I published three books. After the LibriVox collection of Lucy Maud Montgomery's unrepublished public domain short stories came out, I did more research to find ALL of her stories that have definitely lapsed into the public domain and published it all myself as Uncollected: Lucy Maud Montgomery. After that, I plagiarized a selection of short stories that I have never read and published them as The Death and Resurrection of Almansor the Gentle Robber: A Book I Have Written and Never Read. It's conceptual art intended to prompt thought about plagiarism and authorship, because I'm a proud Plagiarist. ^^ And the third book was the inaugural issue of a law review journal called A Legal Scholarship Jubilee. The articles in the first issue are law review articles that a friend of mine wrote, but which he voluntarily reassigned attribution of to other people. I attributed the articles to those people without mentioning him once, haha. It's another vehicle for exploring the plagiarism I love!

I actually made quite a few things when I wasn't depressed, once you stack them all up together, haha. As always, trying to be hopeful about the future, and hopeful I'll take up reading seriously again!
Last edited by lethargilistic on March 23rd, 2021, 1:10 am, edited 11 times in total.
Mike
ColleenMc
LibriVox Admin Team
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Joined: April 9th, 2017, 5:57 pm

Post by ColleenMc »

I'm aiming to read 52 books (a book a week) again, and also have a goal of 52 graphic novels in 52 weeks. I include in my counting the books I read in full here either for recording or prooflistening, and full-length audiobooks I listen to. I don't count works under 80 or so pages as a full length work (I read a fair amount of self-published Kindle books and some of them are more like a magazine article).

I did manage to read 52 books last year though I neglected tracking them here -- I aim to do better this year!

I will edit and update this post through the year.

Colleen

Edited on 12/11/20: haha, I completely forgot about this and forgot to track my reading anywhere so I can't even catch it up....oh well, next year is just a few weeks away and I can try again!
Last edited by ColleenMc on December 11th, 2020, 1:51 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Colleen McMahon

No matter where you go, there you are. -- Buckaroo Banzai
JayKitty76
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Post by JayKitty76 »

I'm going for 100 books this year. (I have lots of free time and I really should read more.) I've been getting more into journaling so that's what I've been doing more of, but I should read more...
~ 𝚘𝚗 𝚑𝚒𝚊𝚝𝚞𝚜 ~
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