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Post by StarOpal on Jan 10, 2009 14:33:07 GMT -5
Okay so last year (well two years ago sort of) I asked the question: "How was your year in reading? Was it mostly a good year, or incredibly crummy? Read a lot of books, or just even just one or two that stood out? Any great book stories (a perfect gift you gave or received; finally finding a book you've been looking for forever)? Discover any new authors?" So, a little late this time, how did 2008 treat you literally? |
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Post by StarOpal on Jan 10, 2009 14:51:02 GMT -5
I reset my goal from 2007's 50 books to a more reasonable 36. I only got up to 33, which I think is pretty darn good since I had two months where I didn't finish ANY books.
Keeping up with my recording system, I see the lowest grade I gave a book was a C- (a mystery called Summer of the Big Bachi). The clever story was what kept it out of D territory but the pacing was so slow I had to start reading another book alongside because I was getting frustrated.
I finally gave in and read The Fourth Bear, by Jasper Fforde, which a friend had been telling me I needed to read. Am now converted over to those crazy books.
Three books made me laugh out loud (I mean "I. Can't. Breeeeathe!" laugh). In order: Yarn Harlot: The Secret Life of a Knitter, by Stephanie Pearl-McPhee (The letters to and from the sweater in the clear comforter bag! HA!), Twilight, by Stephanie Meyer (though unintentional the humor), and Sexiest Man Alive, by Diana Holquist (it's a good book okay? ...shut up).
But my favorite book of the year had to be Dianne Wynn Jones' Deep Secret. LOVED IT.
Still haven't got around to finishing off that series I promised myself I would. I mean, one and a half books and it's over. I wonder how many years I can drag it out until "savoring" becomes "denial."
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Post by TheOogieBoogieMan on Jan 11, 2009 1:05:46 GMT -5
I was able to read 40 books in 2008, with about 3 books read each month on average. Not too shabby... Star, I followed your system and graded each book I read, with comments, if I had any. I enjoyed keeping track, so I'll definitely keep it up this year (although maybe with a "thumbs up/thumbs down" system instead of letter grades, just because ranking books eventually becomes a hassle). Looking over the list, it seems like the quality of books I read this last year was all over the place. By the looks of it, there are as many books with a C grade as there are A's. Because I like making lists oh so much, I'll present here my five favourite and five least favourite books that I read in 2008, in no particular order: TOP FIVE - Sarah Vowell, Assassination Vacation - Bernhard Schlink, The Reader (which I actually read before all the movie buzz) - The Dirt (Motley Crue's biography) - Stephen King, The Dark Tower VII - Salman Rushdie, the Ground Beneath Her Feet BOTTOM FIVE - Jane Austen, Emma (the only book last year that earned a D grade...ladies, keep your garbage-throwing neat and orderly) - Richard Dreyfuss + Harry Turtledove, The Two Georges - Michael Drosnin, The Bible Code (I gave this one a C-, but in retrospect, it also deserves a D) - L. Frank Baum, the Wizard of Oz (maybe I would've liked it more if I was a kid) - Norman Mailer, The Gospel According to the Son (more disappointing than bad; I still want to read some other books by Mailer, though) So there you go.  |
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Post by BlackCatWhiteCat on Jan 11, 2009 1:49:05 GMT -5
I didn't know about this whole thing, as I was a more casual forumite a couple of years ago. I don't know exactly how many books I read and I didn't grade them. I can tell you, though, 2008 was filled with Stephen King and Michael Crichton (I will never forgive you for taking him from me, 2008. Never.)
The few non King/Crichton books I read:
The Princess Bride. (Love love looooooovvvveee!)
Days of Wine and Roses (Sad, but a good read. It kept me interested the whole way through).
The Innocent Man (Very good! I'm a Grisham fan now)
Dead Eye Dick ('twas hard to get through, but There's something I like about Vonnegut)
Skinny Bitch (Oh how how loathe myself for this airport gift shop impulse buy tripe)
I reread all Mike Nelson's book and read Kevin Murphy's book. Love them all so much!
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Post by StarOpal on Jan 11, 2009 2:08:16 GMT -5
- Jane Austen, Emma (the only book last year that earned a D grade...ladies, keep your garbage-throwing neat and orderly) No garbage from this region. I got halfway through it, put it down, and didn't finish it for two years. In the 5/6 Austen books (I haven't gotten to Mansfield Park yet) I've read it's decidedly at the bottom. Welcome to the discussion, Heather! |
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Post by sandrine on Jan 11, 2009 13:02:49 GMT -5
I have no idea how many books I read this year.
Although I do know that four of them were written by George RR Martin. How I wish I had never read Lissa's review of The Golden Compass and been intrigued by the Song of Ice and Fire series she mentioned in it...
My favourite book of the year was very recent, actually: 'The 19th Wife'. If you see it about, pick it up - it's very addictive.
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Post by Al on Jan 11, 2009 13:49:59 GMT -5
I liked this idea so much in 2007 that I made sure to keep track this year. I didn't grade anything, but I did rank all the books I finished between January and December (There were 42! Thanks, books on tape!).
My #1 book of the year was A Crime So Monstrous by E. Benjamin Skinner. I don't call it my favorite, just because it''s so horrifying, but no other book had such a profound effect on me this year, or ever, really. Skinner travels the world chronicling modern day slavery. Posing as a wealthy socialite, he moves from continent to continent, everywhere from India to Dubai to places as close at Haiti, attempting to buy women and children. The ease of it is sickening and the statistics he throws out are even worse. It shook me like few books have ever managed.
I was introduced to Bill Bryson this year also, and he quickly became my favorite author I'd never heard of. I consumed A Short History of Nearly Everything, A Walk in the Woods, and Shakespeare in rapid succession. His writing is insightful, funny, and like few other nonfiction writers I have seen.
My classes spurred me to read lots of great YA Lit that I missed back when I was the target audience, like Freak the Mighty, Game, Fallen Angels, The Contender, The First Part Last, and The Absolutely True Diary of A Part-Time Indian. The last two were particularly excellent, Part-Time Indian for it's humor and The First Part Last for it's unexpected, uncompromising story.
I caught up on my classics a bit, too, finally getting to 1984, Fahrenheit 451, Silas Marner, and Foundation (which were all as good as advertised). I also read a few that I believe will become classics, like The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, The Rapture of Canaan, and Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell.
My Top Ten Favorites of 2008
A Crime So Monstrous by E Benjamin Skinner
Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell by Susanna Clarke
A Short History of Nearly Everything by Bill Bryson
A Walk in the Woods by Bill Bryson
A Confederacy of Dunces by John Kennedy Toole
1984 by George Orwell
Silas Marner by George Eliot
Anansi Boys by Neil Gaiman
The Perfect Mile by Neal Bascomb
The Rapture of Canaan by Sheri Reynolds
The Only Two Books I Hated This Year
Hannibal Rising by Thomas Harris
Texas by James A. Michener
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Post by thewhiteknight on Jan 16, 2009 14:43:21 GMT -5
I had an awesome year of reading!! I pretty much loved everything.
Stephanie Meyers: The Twilight Series
Christopher Paolini: The Inheritance cycle (Eragon, Eldest, Brisingr)
Stephen King: The Talisman, Black House, Rose Madder, Blaze, Just after Sunset, Duma Key, Lisey's Story, On Writing, The Dark Tower Series, Cell, and Bag of Bones
Neil Gaiman: Smoke and Mirrors
Malcolm Gladwell: Blink and Outliers
And about 10 business and success books.
My favorite book of the year was....
The talisman!!
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Post by BlackCatWhiteCat on Jan 16, 2009 16:01:28 GMT -5
We read quite a few of the same SK books this year, it seems. I loved Rose Madder and Cell. Blaze was good, but not my favorite. On Writing I read a couple of years ago and it's fantastic! The rest of your list I haven't read yet. I'm working on the Stand and I'm halfway through right now (yay for copious amounts of free time). I plan to start the Dark Tower series next, but I might check out The Talisman next if it's that good.
Eunice...about the Dianne Wynn Jones book: What audience is it geared to? I read Howl's Moving Castle and loved it, but it was obviously written for a younger (teens?) reader. I'll read your recommendation anyway, but I was just wondering if you thought that one read like a young adult book.
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Post by StarOpal on Jan 16, 2009 16:34:16 GMT -5
Eunice...about the Dianne Wynn Jones book: What audience is it geared to? I read Howl's Moving Castle and loved it, but it was obviously written for a younger (teens?) reader. I'll read your recommendation anyway, but I was just wondering if you thought that one read like a young adult book. It reads older than Howl's. Nothing explicit, but definitely older. ... On her official site it's under "Adults'." |
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"If I'm going to be desensitized into a mindless stock animal, I may as well do it with a cushy ergonomic seat and magnificent THX-certified sound. -Kevin Murphy
