Labfs39 wanders the world of words in 2022 (pt. 5)
Dies ist die Fortführung des Themas Labfs39 wanders the world of words in 2022 (pt. 4).
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2labfs39
Books Read in 2022:
January
1. Dare to Disappoint: Growing Up in Turkey by Özge Samancı (GNF, 4.5*)
2. Miyazaki's Spirited Away by Hayao Miyazaki, translated from the Japanese (TGN, 3.5*)
3. Snow by Orhan Pamuk, translated from the Turkish by Maureen Freely (TF, 3*)
4. I have Lived a Thousand Years by Livia Bitton-Jackson (NF, 4.5*)
5. The Bastard of Istanbul by Elif Shafak (F, 3.5*)
6. A Killer in King's Cove by Iona Whishaw (F, 2.5*)
7. Hyperbole and a half : unfortunate situations, flawed coping mechanisms, mayhem, and other things that happened by Allie Brosh (GNF, 4*)
8. Twenty Stories by Turkish Women Writers translated by Nilüfer Mizanoğlu Reddy (TF, 3.5*)
9. In. by Will McPhail (GNF, 4*)
February
10. The Hungry Tide by Amitav Ghosh (F, 4*)
11. Maus: A Survivor's Tale by Art Spiegelman (GNF, 4.5*)
12. Second Generation: Things I Didn't Tell My Father by Michel Kichka, translated from the French by Montana Kane (TGNF, ebook, 4.5*)
13. I Will Never See the World Again by Ahmet Altan, translated from the Turkish by Yasemin Çongar (TNF, 5*)
14. Jerusalem: A Family Portrait by Boaz Yakin and Nick Bertozzi (GN, 3.5*)
15. The School for Good Mothers by Jessamine Chan (F, 3*)
16. Palestine by Joe Sacco (GNF, 4*)
March
17. The Palestinian-Israeli Conflict: A Very Short Introduction by Martin Bunton (NF, T16, 4*)
18. Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir (F, T9, 4.5*)
19. A Study in Scarlet by Arthur Conan Doyle (F, T12, 3*)
20. The Property by Rutu Modan, translated from the Hebrew by Jessica Cohen (TGN, T3, 4*)
21. A Dangerous Place by Jacqueline Winspear (F, T11, 4*)
22. An Unnecessary Woman by Rabih Alameddine (F, T17, 4.5*)
23. American Born Chinese by Gene Luen Yang (GN, T16, 4*)
24. Santa Claus in Baghdad and Other Stories about Teens in the Arab World by Elsa Marston (YA, T6, 3.5*)
April
25. Passport by Sophia Glock (GN, T10, 3.5*)
26. In this Grave Hour by Jacqueline Winspear (F, T1, 3*)
27. Reading Lolita in Tehran by Azar Nafisi (NF, T14, 3.5*)
28. The Colonel by Mahmoud Dowlatabadi, translated from the Persian by Tom Patterdale (TF, T17, 4.5*)
29. They Called Us Enemy: the Expanded Edition by George Takei (GNF, T15, 4*)
30. My grandmother's braid by Alina Bronsky, translated from the German by Tim Mohr (TF, T3, 4*)
__ The Caiman by by María Eugenia Manrique, illustrated by Ramón París, and translated by Amy Brill (Kids, T11, 3.5*)
January
1. Dare to Disappoint: Growing Up in Turkey by Özge Samancı (GNF, 4.5*)
2. Miyazaki's Spirited Away by Hayao Miyazaki, translated from the Japanese (TGN, 3.5*)
3. Snow by Orhan Pamuk, translated from the Turkish by Maureen Freely (TF, 3*)
4. I have Lived a Thousand Years by Livia Bitton-Jackson (NF, 4.5*)
5. The Bastard of Istanbul by Elif Shafak (F, 3.5*)
6. A Killer in King's Cove by Iona Whishaw (F, 2.5*)
7. Hyperbole and a half : unfortunate situations, flawed coping mechanisms, mayhem, and other things that happened by Allie Brosh (GNF, 4*)
8. Twenty Stories by Turkish Women Writers translated by Nilüfer Mizanoğlu Reddy (TF, 3.5*)
9. In. by Will McPhail (GNF, 4*)
February
10. The Hungry Tide by Amitav Ghosh (F, 4*)
11. Maus: A Survivor's Tale by Art Spiegelman (GNF, 4.5*)
12. Second Generation: Things I Didn't Tell My Father by Michel Kichka, translated from the French by Montana Kane (TGNF, ebook, 4.5*)
13. I Will Never See the World Again by Ahmet Altan, translated from the Turkish by Yasemin Çongar (TNF, 5*)
14. Jerusalem: A Family Portrait by Boaz Yakin and Nick Bertozzi (GN, 3.5*)
15. The School for Good Mothers by Jessamine Chan (F, 3*)
16. Palestine by Joe Sacco (GNF, 4*)
March
17. The Palestinian-Israeli Conflict: A Very Short Introduction by Martin Bunton (NF, T16, 4*)
18. Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir (F, T9, 4.5*)
19. A Study in Scarlet by Arthur Conan Doyle (F, T12, 3*)
20. The Property by Rutu Modan, translated from the Hebrew by Jessica Cohen (TGN, T3, 4*)
21. A Dangerous Place by Jacqueline Winspear (F, T11, 4*)
22. An Unnecessary Woman by Rabih Alameddine (F, T17, 4.5*)
23. American Born Chinese by Gene Luen Yang (GN, T16, 4*)
24. Santa Claus in Baghdad and Other Stories about Teens in the Arab World by Elsa Marston (YA, T6, 3.5*)
April
25. Passport by Sophia Glock (GN, T10, 3.5*)
26. In this Grave Hour by Jacqueline Winspear (F, T1, 3*)
27. Reading Lolita in Tehran by Azar Nafisi (NF, T14, 3.5*)
28. The Colonel by Mahmoud Dowlatabadi, translated from the Persian by Tom Patterdale (TF, T17, 4.5*)
29. They Called Us Enemy: the Expanded Edition by George Takei (GNF, T15, 4*)
30. My grandmother's braid by Alina Bronsky, translated from the German by Tim Mohr (TF, T3, 4*)
__ The Caiman by by María Eugenia Manrique, illustrated by Ramón París, and translated by Amy Brill (Kids, T11, 3.5*)
3labfs39
Books read in 2022:
May
31. Gaza Mom: Palestine, Politics, Parenting, and Everything In Between by Laila El-Haddad (NF, 3.5*)
__999 Tadpoles by Ken Kimura, illustrations by Yasunari Murakami, translated from the Japanese (Kids, 4.5*)
32. The Bad Immigrant by Sefi Atta (F, T3, 4.5*)
33. The Corpse Washer by Sinan Antoon, translated from the Arabic by the author (TF, T9, 4*)
34. Journey to Munich by Jacqueline Winspear (F, T3, 4*)
35. To Die But Once by Jacqueline Winspear (F, T7, 3.5*)
36. The American Agent by Jacqueline Winspear (F, 3.5*)
37. Burnt Shadows by Kamila Shamsie (F, T3, 4.5*)
38. The patience stone: sang-e saboor by Atiq Rahimi, translated from the French by Polly McLean (F, T13, 3.5*)
39. Grunt: The Curious Science of Humans at War by Mary Roach (NF, T6, 4*)
40. The Consequences of Fear by Jacqueline Winspear (F, T3, 3*)
41. The Swallows of Kabul by Yasmina Khadra, translated from the French by John Cullen (TF, 3*)
June
42. A Sunlit Weapon by Jacqueline Winspear (F, T13, 3*)
43. A Thousand Rooms of Dream and Fear by Atiq Rahimi, translated from the Dari by Sarah Maguire and Yama Yari (TF, T17, 3*)
44. Anxious People by Fredrik Backman, translated from the Swedish by Neil Smith (TF, T12, 4.5*)
45. Earth and Ashes by Atiq Rahimi, translated from the Dari by Erdağ M. Göknar (TF, T12, 4*)
46. The Great Fire by Shirley Hazzard (F, T4, 3*)
July
47. Celestine by Kevin St. Jarre (F, T16, 4*)
48. Daughters of the Occupation by Shelly Sanders (F, T10, 3*)
49. A Visit to Moscow by Anna Olswanger, illustrated by Yevgenia Nayberg (GN, T17, 4*)
50. Monastery by Eduardo Halfon, translated from the Spanish by Lisa Dillman and Daniel Hahn (TF, T3, 3.5*)
51. Buying a Fishing Rod for my Grandfather by Gao Xingjian, translated from the Chinese by Mabel Lee (TF, T9, 3*)
52. Born a crime: stories from a South African childhood by Trevor Noah (NF, T7, 4.5*)
August
53. Snow Country by Yasunari Kawabata, translated from the Japanese by Edward G. Seidensticker (TF, T13, 3.5*)
54. The Crazy Iris and Other Stories of the Atomic Aftermath edited by Kenzaburō Ōe (TF, T18, 4*)
55. A Riot of Goldfish by Kanoko Okamoto, translated from the Japanese by J. Keith Vincent (TF, T5, 3*) Note: I only read the first of two stories.
56. Colorless Tsukuru Tazaki and His Years of Pilgrimage by Haruki Murakami, translated from the Japanese by Philip Gabriel (TF, T4, 4.5*)
57. The Easy Life in Kamusari by Shion Miura, translated from the Japanese by Juliet Winters Carpenter (TF, ebook, T14, 3.5*)
58. Moon in Full: A Modern-Day Coming-of-Age Story by Marpheen Chann (NF, T2, 4.5*)
May
31. Gaza Mom: Palestine, Politics, Parenting, and Everything In Between by Laila El-Haddad (NF, 3.5*)
__999 Tadpoles by Ken Kimura, illustrations by Yasunari Murakami, translated from the Japanese (Kids, 4.5*)
32. The Bad Immigrant by Sefi Atta (F, T3, 4.5*)
33. The Corpse Washer by Sinan Antoon, translated from the Arabic by the author (TF, T9, 4*)
34. Journey to Munich by Jacqueline Winspear (F, T3, 4*)
35. To Die But Once by Jacqueline Winspear (F, T7, 3.5*)
36. The American Agent by Jacqueline Winspear (F, 3.5*)
37. Burnt Shadows by Kamila Shamsie (F, T3, 4.5*)
38. The patience stone: sang-e saboor by Atiq Rahimi, translated from the French by Polly McLean (F, T13, 3.5*)
39. Grunt: The Curious Science of Humans at War by Mary Roach (NF, T6, 4*)
40. The Consequences of Fear by Jacqueline Winspear (F, T3, 3*)
41. The Swallows of Kabul by Yasmina Khadra, translated from the French by John Cullen (TF, 3*)
June
42. A Sunlit Weapon by Jacqueline Winspear (F, T13, 3*)
43. A Thousand Rooms of Dream and Fear by Atiq Rahimi, translated from the Dari by Sarah Maguire and Yama Yari (TF, T17, 3*)
44. Anxious People by Fredrik Backman, translated from the Swedish by Neil Smith (TF, T12, 4.5*)
45. Earth and Ashes by Atiq Rahimi, translated from the Dari by Erdağ M. Göknar (TF, T12, 4*)
46. The Great Fire by Shirley Hazzard (F, T4, 3*)
July
47. Celestine by Kevin St. Jarre (F, T16, 4*)
48. Daughters of the Occupation by Shelly Sanders (F, T10, 3*)
49. A Visit to Moscow by Anna Olswanger, illustrated by Yevgenia Nayberg (GN, T17, 4*)
50. Monastery by Eduardo Halfon, translated from the Spanish by Lisa Dillman and Daniel Hahn (TF, T3, 3.5*)
51. Buying a Fishing Rod for my Grandfather by Gao Xingjian, translated from the Chinese by Mabel Lee (TF, T9, 3*)
52. Born a crime: stories from a South African childhood by Trevor Noah (NF, T7, 4.5*)
August
53. Snow Country by Yasunari Kawabata, translated from the Japanese by Edward G. Seidensticker (TF, T13, 3.5*)
54. The Crazy Iris and Other Stories of the Atomic Aftermath edited by Kenzaburō Ōe (TF, T18, 4*)
55. A Riot of Goldfish by Kanoko Okamoto, translated from the Japanese by J. Keith Vincent (TF, T5, 3*) Note: I only read the first of two stories.
56. Colorless Tsukuru Tazaki and His Years of Pilgrimage by Haruki Murakami, translated from the Japanese by Philip Gabriel (TF, T4, 4.5*)
57. The Easy Life in Kamusari by Shion Miura, translated from the Japanese by Juliet Winters Carpenter (TF, ebook, T14, 3.5*)
58. Moon in Full: A Modern-Day Coming-of-Age Story by Marpheen Chann (NF, T2, 4.5*)
4labfs39
Books read in 2022:
September:
59. Grass by Keum Suk Gendry-Kim, translated from the Korean by Janet Hong (TF, T11, 4*)
60. Please Look After Mom by Kyung-sook Shin, translated from the Korean by Chi-young Kim (TF, T11, 3.5*)
61. The Waiting by Keum Suk Gendry-Kim, translated from the Korean by Janet Hong (TF, T11, 3.5*)
62. Tara Bulba by Nikolai Gogol, translated from the Russian by Peter Constantine (TF, T16, 3.5*)
63. Between Shades of Gray: The Graphic Novel by Ruta Sepetys, adapted by Andrew Donkin, art by Dave Kopka (GN, T13, 3.5*)
64. By Night in Chile by Roberto Bolaño, translated from the Spanish by Chris Andrews (TF, T8, 4*)
65. Before the Coffee Gets Cold by Toshikazu Kawaguchi, translated from the Japanese by Geoffrey Trousselot (TF, T9, 3.5*)
66. Canción by Eduardo Halfon, translated from the Spanish by Lisa Dillman and Danial Hahn (TF, T17, 4*)
October:
67. Novel Without a Name by Duong Thu Huong translated from the Vietnamese by Phan Huy Duong and Nina McPherson (TF, T12, 4*)
68. The Blue Sky by Galsang Tschinag, translated from the German by Katharina Rout (TF, ebook, T3, 4.5*)
69. The Invisible Wall by Harry Bernstein (NF, T13, 4*)
70. The Kill Artist by Daniel Silva (F, T2, 2.5*)
71. From the Land of Green Ghosts by Pascal Khoo Thwe (NF, T11, 4*)
November:
72. The Ten Loves of Nishino by Hiromi Kawakami, translated from the Japanese by Allison Markin Powell (TF, T13, 3*)
73. The Night Tiger by Yangsze Choo (F, T10, 3.5*)
74. The Gray Earth by Galsang Tschinag, translated from the German by Katharina Rout (TF, T16, 4.5*)
75. Crazy Rich Asians by Kevin Kwan (F, T12, 3.5*)
76. Fires on the Plain by Shohei Ooka, translated from the Japanese by Ivan Morris (TF, T2, 4*)
77. China Rich Girlfriend by Kevin Kwan (F, T7, 2.5*)
78. Radar Girls by Sara Ackerman (F, T8, 3*)
79. Song of Survival: Women Interned by Helen Colijn (NF, T14, 4*)
80. Men to Avoid in Art and Life by Nicole Tersigni (NF, T13, 3.5*)
81. The English Assassin by Daniel Silva (F, T11, 3.5*)
December:
82. Besieged : life under fire on a Sarajevo street by Barbara Demick (NF, T5, 4*)
83. Dust Child by Nguyễn Phan Quế Mai (F, T11, 4*)
84. The Confessor by Daniel Silva (F, T4, 3.5*)
85. How We Disappeared by Jing-Jing Lee (F, T9, 4*)
86. Romek's Lost Youth: The Story of a Boy Survivor by Ken Roman and John James (NF, T16, 4.5*)
87. A Bloodsmoor Romance by Joyce Carol Oates (F, T4, 3.5*)
88. War and Me: A Memoir by Faleeha Hassan, translated from the Arabic by William Hutchins (TNF, ebook, T5, 3.5*)
89. Agent Sonya: Moscow's Most Daring Wartime Spy by Ben Macintyre (NF, T9, 4.5*)
September:
59. Grass by Keum Suk Gendry-Kim, translated from the Korean by Janet Hong (TF, T11, 4*)
60. Please Look After Mom by Kyung-sook Shin, translated from the Korean by Chi-young Kim (TF, T11, 3.5*)
61. The Waiting by Keum Suk Gendry-Kim, translated from the Korean by Janet Hong (TF, T11, 3.5*)
62. Tara Bulba by Nikolai Gogol, translated from the Russian by Peter Constantine (TF, T16, 3.5*)
63. Between Shades of Gray: The Graphic Novel by Ruta Sepetys, adapted by Andrew Donkin, art by Dave Kopka (GN, T13, 3.5*)
64. By Night in Chile by Roberto Bolaño, translated from the Spanish by Chris Andrews (TF, T8, 4*)
65. Before the Coffee Gets Cold by Toshikazu Kawaguchi, translated from the Japanese by Geoffrey Trousselot (TF, T9, 3.5*)
66. Canción by Eduardo Halfon, translated from the Spanish by Lisa Dillman and Danial Hahn (TF, T17, 4*)
October:
67. Novel Without a Name by Duong Thu Huong translated from the Vietnamese by Phan Huy Duong and Nina McPherson (TF, T12, 4*)
68. The Blue Sky by Galsang Tschinag, translated from the German by Katharina Rout (TF, ebook, T3, 4.5*)
69. The Invisible Wall by Harry Bernstein (NF, T13, 4*)
70. The Kill Artist by Daniel Silva (F, T2, 2.5*)
71. From the Land of Green Ghosts by Pascal Khoo Thwe (NF, T11, 4*)
November:
72. The Ten Loves of Nishino by Hiromi Kawakami, translated from the Japanese by Allison Markin Powell (TF, T13, 3*)
73. The Night Tiger by Yangsze Choo (F, T10, 3.5*)
74. The Gray Earth by Galsang Tschinag, translated from the German by Katharina Rout (TF, T16, 4.5*)
75. Crazy Rich Asians by Kevin Kwan (F, T12, 3.5*)
76. Fires on the Plain by Shohei Ooka, translated from the Japanese by Ivan Morris (TF, T2, 4*)
77. China Rich Girlfriend by Kevin Kwan (F, T7, 2.5*)
78. Radar Girls by Sara Ackerman (F, T8, 3*)
79. Song of Survival: Women Interned by Helen Colijn (NF, T14, 4*)
80. Men to Avoid in Art and Life by Nicole Tersigni (NF, T13, 3.5*)
81. The English Assassin by Daniel Silva (F, T11, 3.5*)
December:
82. Besieged : life under fire on a Sarajevo street by Barbara Demick (NF, T5, 4*)
83. Dust Child by Nguyễn Phan Quế Mai (F, T11, 4*)
84. The Confessor by Daniel Silva (F, T4, 3.5*)
85. How We Disappeared by Jing-Jing Lee (F, T9, 4*)
86. Romek's Lost Youth: The Story of a Boy Survivor by Ken Roman and John James (NF, T16, 4.5*)
87. A Bloodsmoor Romance by Joyce Carol Oates (F, T4, 3.5*)
88. War and Me: A Memoir by Faleeha Hassan, translated from the Arabic by William Hutchins (TNF, ebook, T5, 3.5*)
89. Agent Sonya: Moscow's Most Daring Wartime Spy by Ben Macintyre (NF, T9, 4.5*)
5labfs39
Reading Globally
Books I've read in 2022 by nationality of author (a tricky business):
Afghani: 3
Algerian: 1
American: 18
Australian: 1
Belgian Israeli: 1
Burmese: 1
Cambodian American: 1
Canadian: 2
Chilean: 1
Chinese: 1
Chinese American: 1
Dutch: 1
English: 9
German (Russian): 1
Guatemalan: 2
Indian: 1
Iranian: 2
Iraqi: 2
Israeli: 2
Japanese: 8
Japanese American: 1
Korean: 3
Lebanese: 1
Malaysian American: 1
Maltese American: 1
Mongolian (Tuvan): 2
Nigerian American: 1
Pakistani: 1
Palestinian: 1
Polish (English): 1
Russian: 1
Scottish (English): 2
Singaporean: 3
Slovakian: 1
South African: 1
Swedish: 1
Turkish: 5
Vietnamese: 2
Check out my Global Challenge thread, labfs39 reads around the world, for a look at a cumulative list since around 2010. And I've broken out the US by state in my Labfs39 tackles the states thread.
Books I've read in 2022 by nationality of author (a tricky business):
Afghani: 3
Algerian: 1
American: 18
Australian: 1
Belgian Israeli: 1
Burmese: 1
Cambodian American: 1
Canadian: 2
Chilean: 1
Chinese: 1
Chinese American: 1
Dutch: 1
English: 9
German (Russian): 1
Guatemalan: 2
Indian: 1
Iranian: 2
Iraqi: 2
Israeli: 2
Japanese: 8
Japanese American: 1
Korean: 3
Lebanese: 1
Malaysian American: 1
Maltese American: 1
Mongolian (Tuvan): 2
Nigerian American: 1
Pakistani: 1
Palestinian: 1
Polish (English): 1
Russian: 1
Scottish (English): 2
Singaporean: 3
Slovakian: 1
South African: 1
Swedish: 1
Turkish: 5
Vietnamese: 2
Check out my Global Challenge thread, labfs39 reads around the world, for a look at a cumulative list since around 2010. And I've broken out the US by state in my Labfs39 tackles the states thread.
6labfs39
Asian Book Challenge
January: Turkey
1. Dare to Disappoint: Growing Up in Turkey by Özge Samancı
2. Snow by Orhan Pamuk
3. The Bastard of Istanbul by Elif Shafak
4. Twenty Stories by Turkish Women Writers
5. I Will Never See the World Again by Ahmet Altan
February: Israel & Palestine
1. Jerusalem: A Family Portrait by Boaz Yakin
2. The Property by Rutu Modan
3. Gaza Mom by Laila El-Haddad
Also: Palestine by Joe Sacco
The Palestinian-Israeli Conflict by Martin Bunton
March: Lebanon, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Iraq, Oman, Kuwait
1. An Unnecessary Woman by Rabih Alameddine (Lebanon)
2. The Corpse Washer by Sinan Antoon (Iraq)
3. War and Me: A Memoir by Faleeha Hassan (Iraq)
Also: Santa Claus in Baghdad and Other Stories about Teens in the Arab World by Elsa Marston (Iraq, Syria, Jordan, Lebanon)
April: Iran
1. Reading Lolita in Tehran by Azar Nafisi
2. The Colonel by Mahmoud Dowlatabadi
May: the Stans
1. Burnt Shadows by Kamila Shamsie (Pakistan)
2. The patience stone: sang-e saboor by Atiq Rahimi (Afghanistan)
3. A Thousand Rooms of Dream and Fear by Atiq Rahimi (Afghanistan)
4. Earth and Ashes by Atiq Rahimi (Afghanistan)
Also: The Swallows of Kabul by Yasmina Khadra
June: India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh
1. The Hungry Tide by Amitav Ghosh (India)
2. "Nosh Daru" by Naiyer Masud (India)
July: China
1. Buying a Fishing Rod for my Grandfather by Gao Xingjian
August: Japan
1. Snow Country by Yasunari Kawabata
2. The Crazy Iris and Other Stories of the Atomic Aftermath edited by Kenzaburō Ōe
3. A Riot of Goldfish by Kanoko Okamoto
4. Colorless Tsukuru Tazaki and His Years of Pilgrimage by Haruki Murakami
5. The Easy Life in Kamusari by Shion Miura
6. Before the Coffee Gets Cold by Toshikazu Kawaguchi
7. The Ten Loves of Nishino by Hiromi Kawakami
8. Fires on the Plain by Shohei Ooka
September: Korea
1. Grass by Keum Suk Gendry-Kim
2. Please Look After Mom by Kyung-sook Shin
3. The Waiting by Keum Suk Gendry-Kim
October: Mongolia, Nepal, Burma, Bhutan, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Thailand
1. Novel Without a Name by Duong Thu Huong (Vietnam)
2. The Blue Sky by Galsang Tschinag (Mongolia)
3. From the Land of Green Ghosts by Pascal Khoo Thwe (Burma/Myanmar)
4. The Gray Earth by Galsang Tschinag (Mongolia)
5. Dust Child by Nguyễn Phan Quế Mai (Vietnam)
November: Malaysia, Singapore, and Indonesia
1. The Night Tiger by Yangsze Choo (Malaysia)
2. Crazy Rich Asians by Kevin Kwan (Singapore)
3. China Rich Girlfriend by Kevin Kwan (Singapore)
4. How We Disappeared by Jing-Jing Lee (Singapore)
Also: Song of Survival: Women Interned by Helen Colijn (Indonesia)
December: The Asian Diaspora
January: Turkey
1. Dare to Disappoint: Growing Up in Turkey by Özge Samancı
2. Snow by Orhan Pamuk
3. The Bastard of Istanbul by Elif Shafak
4. Twenty Stories by Turkish Women Writers
5. I Will Never See the World Again by Ahmet Altan
February: Israel & Palestine
1. Jerusalem: A Family Portrait by Boaz Yakin
2. The Property by Rutu Modan
3. Gaza Mom by Laila El-Haddad
Also: Palestine by Joe Sacco
The Palestinian-Israeli Conflict by Martin Bunton
March: Lebanon, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Iraq, Oman, Kuwait
1. An Unnecessary Woman by Rabih Alameddine (Lebanon)
2. The Corpse Washer by Sinan Antoon (Iraq)
3. War and Me: A Memoir by Faleeha Hassan (Iraq)
Also: Santa Claus in Baghdad and Other Stories about Teens in the Arab World by Elsa Marston (Iraq, Syria, Jordan, Lebanon)
April: Iran
1. Reading Lolita in Tehran by Azar Nafisi
2. The Colonel by Mahmoud Dowlatabadi
May: the Stans
1. Burnt Shadows by Kamila Shamsie (Pakistan)
2. The patience stone: sang-e saboor by Atiq Rahimi (Afghanistan)
3. A Thousand Rooms of Dream and Fear by Atiq Rahimi (Afghanistan)
4. Earth and Ashes by Atiq Rahimi (Afghanistan)
Also: The Swallows of Kabul by Yasmina Khadra
June: India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh
1. The Hungry Tide by Amitav Ghosh (India)
2. "Nosh Daru" by Naiyer Masud (India)
July: China
1. Buying a Fishing Rod for my Grandfather by Gao Xingjian
August: Japan
1. Snow Country by Yasunari Kawabata
2. The Crazy Iris and Other Stories of the Atomic Aftermath edited by Kenzaburō Ōe
3. A Riot of Goldfish by Kanoko Okamoto
4. Colorless Tsukuru Tazaki and His Years of Pilgrimage by Haruki Murakami
5. The Easy Life in Kamusari by Shion Miura
6. Before the Coffee Gets Cold by Toshikazu Kawaguchi
7. The Ten Loves of Nishino by Hiromi Kawakami
8. Fires on the Plain by Shohei Ooka
September: Korea
1. Grass by Keum Suk Gendry-Kim
2. Please Look After Mom by Kyung-sook Shin
3. The Waiting by Keum Suk Gendry-Kim
October: Mongolia, Nepal, Burma, Bhutan, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Thailand
1. Novel Without a Name by Duong Thu Huong (Vietnam)
2. The Blue Sky by Galsang Tschinag (Mongolia)
3. From the Land of Green Ghosts by Pascal Khoo Thwe (Burma/Myanmar)
4. The Gray Earth by Galsang Tschinag (Mongolia)
5. Dust Child by Nguyễn Phan Quế Mai (Vietnam)
November: Malaysia, Singapore, and Indonesia
1. The Night Tiger by Yangsze Choo (Malaysia)
2. Crazy Rich Asians by Kevin Kwan (Singapore)
3. China Rich Girlfriend by Kevin Kwan (Singapore)
4. How We Disappeared by Jing-Jing Lee (Singapore)
Also: Song of Survival: Women Interned by Helen Colijn (Indonesia)
December: The Asian Diaspora
7labfs39
Graphic Novels
1. Dare to Disappoint: Growing Up in Turkey by Özge Samancı
2. Miyazaki's Spirited Away by Hayao Miyazaki
3. Hyperbole and a Half by Allie Brosh
4. In. by Will McPhail
5. Maus: A Survivor's Tale by Art Spiegelman
6. Second Generation: Things I Didn't Tell My Father by Michel Kichka
7. Jerusalem: A Family Portrait by Boaz Yakin and Nick Bertozzi
8. Palestine by Joe Sacco
9. The Property by Rutu Modan
10. American Born Chinese by Gene Luen Yang
11. Passport by Sophia Glock
12. They Called Us Enemy by George Takei
13. A Visit to Moscow by Anna Olswanger, illustrated by Yevgenia Nayberg
14. Grass by Keum Suk Gendry-Kim
15. The Waiting by Keum Suk Gendry-Kim
16. Between Shades of Gray: The Graphic Novel by Ruta Sepetys, adapted by Andrew Donkin
1. Dare to Disappoint: Growing Up in Turkey by Özge Samancı
2. Miyazaki's Spirited Away by Hayao Miyazaki
3. Hyperbole and a Half by Allie Brosh
4. In. by Will McPhail
5. Maus: A Survivor's Tale by Art Spiegelman
6. Second Generation: Things I Didn't Tell My Father by Michel Kichka
7. Jerusalem: A Family Portrait by Boaz Yakin and Nick Bertozzi
8. Palestine by Joe Sacco
9. The Property by Rutu Modan
10. American Born Chinese by Gene Luen Yang
11. Passport by Sophia Glock
12. They Called Us Enemy by George Takei
13. A Visit to Moscow by Anna Olswanger, illustrated by Yevgenia Nayberg
14. Grass by Keum Suk Gendry-Kim
15. The Waiting by Keum Suk Gendry-Kim
16. Between Shades of Gray: The Graphic Novel by Ruta Sepetys, adapted by Andrew Donkin
9labfs39
Remembering Rebeccanyc
Monica (Trifolia) has set up a thread challenging us to honor Rebecca/Sybil by collectively reading the books she had on her "Hope to Read Soon" list when she passed. It is a robust list of over 600 books. Of these I have read
8. Agus, Milena. From the Land of the Moon
13. Akpan, Uwem. Say You're One of Them
44. Beevor, Antony. Stalingrad
63. Bronsky, Alina. The Hottest Dishes of the Tartar Cuisine
97. Chekhov, Anton. Sakhalin Island
138. Dennys, Joyce. Henrietta's War: News from the Home Front 1939-1942
144. Dickens, Charles. A Tale of Two Cities
179. Ferrante, Elena. My Brilliant Friend
186. Flaubert, Gustave. Madame Bovary
216. Gogol, Nikolai. The Collected Tales of Nikolai Gogol
234. Gruša, Jiří. The Questionnaire, or Prayer for a Town & a Friend
235. Grushin, Olga. The Dream Life of Sukhanov
238. Gurnah, Abdulrazak. Paradise
245. Hašek, Jaroslav. The Good Soldier Švejk: and his fortunes in the world war
255. Hrabal, Bohumil. Dancing Lessons for the Advanced in Age
256. Hrabal, Bohumil. I Served the King of England
286. Khoury, Elias. White Masks
296. Knausgård, Karl Ove. My Struggle: Book 1: A Death in the Family
347. Marai, Sandor. Embers
364. Mendelsund, Peter. What We See When We Read: A Phenomenology
375. Mo Yan. The Garlic Ballads
420. Poulin, Jacques. Mister Blue
433. Redniss, Lauren. Radioactive: Marie & Pierre Curie: A Tale of Love and Fallout
436. Remarque, Erich Maria. All Quiet on the Western Front
469. Sansal, Boualem. The German Mujahid
483. Schulz, Bruno. The Street of Crocodiles and Other Stories (The Complete Fiction of Bruno Schultz
485. Schwarz-Bart, André. The Last of the Just
506. Singer, Isaac Bashevis. Love and Exile: An Autobiographical Trilogy
508. Skloot, Rebecca. The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks
516. Solzhenitsyn, Alexander. One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich
518. Soskice, Janet Martin. The Sisters of Sinai: How Two Lady Adventurers Discovered the Hidden Gospels
587. Vaculík, Ludvík. The Guinea Pigs
612. Wharton, Edith. The Age of Innocence
613. Wharton, Edith. The House of Mirth
621. Willis, Connie. Blackout
I have the following ones on my physical shelves:
79. Camus, Albert. The Stranger
190. Foster, Thomas C. How To Read Literature Like a Professor
215. Gogol, Nikolai. Taras Bulba
373. Miłosz, Czesław. The Captive Mind
388. Myśliwski, Wiesław. Stone upon Stone
409. Pavić, Milorad. Dictionary of the Khazars
455. Rufin, Jean-Christophe. The Abyssinian
462. Rytkhėu, Yuri. The Chukchi Bible
472. Saramago, José. The Stone Raft
493. Serge, Victor. Memoirs of a Revolutionary
553. Teffi. Memories: From Moscow to the Black Sea
576. Tsypkin, Leonid. Summer in Baden-Baden
577. Tuchman, Barbara W. A Distant Mirror: The Calamitous 14th Century
I purchased:
137. Besieged : life under fire on a Sarajevo street by Barbara Demick
I will also track books I read that I have marked as recommendations from rebeccanyc, i.e. books she had already read and reviewed. There are 36 of them.
The Colonel by Mahmoud Dowlatabadi (recommended by rebeccanyc)
Monica (Trifolia) has set up a thread challenging us to honor Rebecca/Sybil by collectively reading the books she had on her "Hope to Read Soon" list when she passed. It is a robust list of over 600 books. Of these I have read
8. Agus, Milena. From the Land of the Moon
13. Akpan, Uwem. Say You're One of Them
44. Beevor, Antony. Stalingrad
63. Bronsky, Alina. The Hottest Dishes of the Tartar Cuisine
97. Chekhov, Anton. Sakhalin Island
138. Dennys, Joyce. Henrietta's War: News from the Home Front 1939-1942
144. Dickens, Charles. A Tale of Two Cities
179. Ferrante, Elena. My Brilliant Friend
186. Flaubert, Gustave. Madame Bovary
216. Gogol, Nikolai. The Collected Tales of Nikolai Gogol
234. Gruša, Jiří. The Questionnaire, or Prayer for a Town & a Friend
235. Grushin, Olga. The Dream Life of Sukhanov
238. Gurnah, Abdulrazak. Paradise
245. Hašek, Jaroslav. The Good Soldier Švejk: and his fortunes in the world war
255. Hrabal, Bohumil. Dancing Lessons for the Advanced in Age
256. Hrabal, Bohumil. I Served the King of England
286. Khoury, Elias. White Masks
296. Knausgård, Karl Ove. My Struggle: Book 1: A Death in the Family
347. Marai, Sandor. Embers
364. Mendelsund, Peter. What We See When We Read: A Phenomenology
375. Mo Yan. The Garlic Ballads
420. Poulin, Jacques. Mister Blue
433. Redniss, Lauren. Radioactive: Marie & Pierre Curie: A Tale of Love and Fallout
436. Remarque, Erich Maria. All Quiet on the Western Front
469. Sansal, Boualem. The German Mujahid
483. Schulz, Bruno. The Street of Crocodiles and Other Stories (The Complete Fiction of Bruno Schultz
485. Schwarz-Bart, André. The Last of the Just
506. Singer, Isaac Bashevis. Love and Exile: An Autobiographical Trilogy
508. Skloot, Rebecca. The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks
516. Solzhenitsyn, Alexander. One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich
518. Soskice, Janet Martin. The Sisters of Sinai: How Two Lady Adventurers Discovered the Hidden Gospels
587. Vaculík, Ludvík. The Guinea Pigs
612. Wharton, Edith. The Age of Innocence
613. Wharton, Edith. The House of Mirth
621. Willis, Connie. Blackout
I have the following ones on my physical shelves:
79. Camus, Albert. The Stranger
190. Foster, Thomas C. How To Read Literature Like a Professor
373. Miłosz, Czesław. The Captive Mind
388. Myśliwski, Wiesław. Stone upon Stone
409. Pavić, Milorad. Dictionary of the Khazars
455. Rufin, Jean-Christophe. The Abyssinian
462. Rytkhėu, Yuri. The Chukchi Bible
472. Saramago, José. The Stone Raft
493. Serge, Victor. Memoirs of a Revolutionary
553. Teffi. Memories: From Moscow to the Black Sea
576. Tsypkin, Leonid. Summer in Baden-Baden
577. Tuchman, Barbara W. A Distant Mirror: The Calamitous 14th Century
I purchased:
I will also track books I read that I have marked as recommendations from rebeccanyc, i.e. books she had already read and reviewed. There are 36 of them.
10labfs39
Book stats for 2022:
I am trying to promote diversity in my reading and, for the lack of a more refined method, am tracking the following:
books total: 89
36 countries
33 (37%) translations
65 (73%) fiction
24 (27%) nonfiction
42 (48%) by women
45 (52%) by men
2 both (anthology)
53 (60%) nonwhite and/or non-European/North American
I am trying to promote diversity in my reading and, for the lack of a more refined method, am tracking the following:
books total: 89
36 countries
33 (37%) translations
65 (73%) fiction
24 (27%) nonfiction
42 (48%) by women
45 (52%) by men
2 both (anthology)
53 (60%) nonwhite and/or non-European/North American
11labfs39
Phew, I can't believe I'm on my fifth thread of the year! I think that's a record for me. Thanks to everyone who has followed along and shared their thoughts. I appreciate you all!
I also can't believe it's November. Where does the time go? Do you have any last big reading pushes planned for the end of the year? I'm going to just keep on keeping on. Now to decide what to read next...
I also can't believe it's November. Where does the time go? Do you have any last big reading pushes planned for the end of the year? I'm going to just keep on keeping on. Now to decide what to read next...
13MissBrangwen
Happy New Thread!
I read your review of From The Land of Green Ghosts with interest and added it to my wishlist.
I read your review of From The Land of Green Ghosts with interest and added it to my wishlist.
14RidgewayGirl
>11 labfs39: You have been active this year! And it's been great for my list of books to look for, so thank you. I would like to finish the year with a few longer books, but more likely is that I will continue to choose the next book based mostly on whim.
15dianeham
>6 labfs39: What do you have planned for Malaysia, Singapore, and Indonesia?
16BLBera
Happy new thread, Lisa. Yes, I went for a walk today without a jacket! I can't believe it's November.
17labfs39
>8 rocketjk: Ha, you snuck in there, Jerry. Thanks, I'm having my best reading year in ages.
>12 markon: Thanks, Ardene.
>13 MissBrangwen: I'm glad the review piqued your interest, Mirjam. I enjoyed it quite a bit, and I learned a lot about Burma (the author lived there pre-Myanmar days).
>14 RidgewayGirl: Thanks, Kay. It's been a good reading year for me, and a lot of good conversation as well. It's nice to be back in the LT fold.
>15 dianeham: Sadly, I only own two books from Malaysia, and I've read them both. I hope Paul gets the next Asian Book thread up soon, as I need some suggestions. Right now I have nothing in the queue, and so started a Japanese book that I've been looking forward to reading. Unfortunately, it is not as good as the first book I read by her, The Nakano Thrift Shop.
>16 BLBera: Today was crazy warm here too, in the 60s. But the leaves are mostly on the ground now, and most nights its in the 30s. Winter is just around the corner.
>12 markon: Thanks, Ardene.
>13 MissBrangwen: I'm glad the review piqued your interest, Mirjam. I enjoyed it quite a bit, and I learned a lot about Burma (the author lived there pre-Myanmar days).
>14 RidgewayGirl: Thanks, Kay. It's been a good reading year for me, and a lot of good conversation as well. It's nice to be back in the LT fold.
>15 dianeham: Sadly, I only own two books from Malaysia, and I've read them both. I hope Paul gets the next Asian Book thread up soon, as I need some suggestions. Right now I have nothing in the queue, and so started a Japanese book that I've been looking forward to reading. Unfortunately, it is not as good as the first book I read by her, The Nakano Thrift Shop.
>16 BLBera: Today was crazy warm here too, in the 60s. But the leaves are mostly on the ground now, and most nights its in the 30s. Winter is just around the corner.
18AnnieMod
>17 labfs39: "Today was crazy warm here too, in the 60s."
Yeah, no: that's not crazy warm, that's "where is my cardigan?" weather... :) There is probably nothing as objective as temperature and yet, how we perceive is so subjective...
Interesting statistics so far.
Yeah, no: that's not crazy warm, that's "where is my cardigan?" weather... :) There is probably nothing as objective as temperature and yet, how we perceive is so subjective...
Interesting statistics so far.
19labfs39
>18 AnnieMod: Ha true. I used to visit Phoenix occasionally for work back in the early 00s and liked the area. I wouldn't hold up with the heat however. I had heat exhaustion then heat stroke in Florida, and now have a healthy respect for hot climates and how they affect me.
Interestingly one of the lasting effects that Covid has had on my daughter is temperature dysregulation. Evidently it's a thing.
Interestingly one of the lasting effects that Covid has had on my daughter is temperature dysregulation. Evidently it's a thing.
20labfs39
Over on Mirjam/MissBrangwen's thread, she shared about her experiences with her new kindle, and I began asking questions. I feel like I hijacked her thread, so I'm going to redirect over here. I've never used either, but am considering it. I've tried reading books on both my phone and my laptop, but neither was easy. I would love input. Do you use an e-reader? Or an iPad for reading? Pros/cons?
21RidgewayGirl
>20 labfs39: I use an iPad mini. It's good for library books and because it's the size of a paperback but thinner and tougher (in its case), it's what I generally throw in my purse and take along with me. I prefer paper books, but it is good for longer books and for reading when my eyes are tired as the font size can be changed and also good when the lighting isn't great. It's another format and won't replace my paper books, but it is useful.
22cindydavid4
>18 AnnieMod: >19 labfs39: this october temps feel like it did when I was a kid. the last several years its been in the 80s 90s. So this has been a pleasant change. my morning walk routine now includes a sweater, at 6 in the morning the temps was 54 yesterday! this is the weather people come here for. they just forget that the pay off is six months of summer!
23lisapeet
>20 labfs39: I use my iPad for e-reading, and I use it a LOT—especially for e-galleys and library books, which make up at least half my reading these days. I really like it—the lighting doesn't bother me, maybe because my Kindles were all very early gens and I never got accustomed to e-ink. Also color is important to me—I read a lot of books and magazines on it with color images—and I like being able to look things (words, maps, terms, additional info) up easily. I'm team iPad all the way, and when this seven-year-old piece of hardware dies I'm going to replace it right away... though I'm happy to say it's still going strong.
24stretch
>20 labfs39: I use both an Ipad and Kobo e-ink devices and kindles in the past. The Ipad is great for color and large formats that don't fit on the 6' inch screen format, but for me the e-ink can't be beat. I think what has really fundamentally changed the way I read is the accessibility of an e-reader. I have access to not only books I own, but the library, articles saved from the internet all the things I can find in a single device. A device with a long battery life, that can be read in the dark, that has a ton of font options that can be scaled up or down as i chose. For me Ipad is heavy and I worry about battery life. Having options for reading without the distractions has changed the way I read so much that I haven't read an actual book in years.
25japaul22
>20 labfs39: I use a kindle. I think I'm on my 4th one and have been using one for about a decade! I love it. I do about half of my reading on it. I would not consider reading on my phone or an ipad, because the backlit screen really bothers my eyes. Reading in e-ink is just as easy on your eyes as paper. But, kindles are extremely portable, have a very long battery life (I probably only charge mine every 3 weeks), and are easy to hold. They also come with adjustable LED lighting and you can easily change the font size. So I don't have to wear my reading glasses when I use my kindle.
I buy some books for it, but I mainly use my library for new releases (yes, there's often a wait but I have lots of tricks for that if you are interested!), and classics are free. I also take advantage of sales or buying incentives if there are books I want to buy for the kindle.
I still overall would say I prefer paper, but my kindle is an essential part of my reading life now.
I buy some books for it, but I mainly use my library for new releases (yes, there's often a wait but I have lots of tricks for that if you are interested!), and classics are free. I also take advantage of sales or buying incentives if there are books I want to buy for the kindle.
I still overall would say I prefer paper, but my kindle is an essential part of my reading life now.
26labfs39
Thank you, everyone! This is all very helpful. One question, how many books can you store on your device? Is it important to have 3G/4G or is wifi sufficient?
I do have family members with ipads, I think I'll borrow one and try reading on it for comparison.
I do have family members with ipads, I think I'll borrow one and try reading on it for comparison.
27AnnieMod
>26 labfs39: They have different storage capacities but even the smallest ones can get a few thousand (I prefer to keep no more than 200-300 on it at any time for easier navigation and a bit faster load but the biggest number I ever had was somewhere around a thousand and it was less than half-full. Of course, there are also bigger books so numbers will differ but think high hundreds and into the thousands.
3G/4G is useful if you travel to places which do not have wifi OR if you do not have access to wifi at home or at a reasonably accessible place. Otherwise wifi is more than sufficient (I've had kindles with both options). I usually keep my kindles in Airplane mode if I am not downloading books - it conserves the battery much better (the dictionaries still work in that mode, the Wikipedia lookup does not - so for some books I may decide to stay online instead so that I can do my lookups easily)
3G/4G is useful if you travel to places which do not have wifi OR if you do not have access to wifi at home or at a reasonably accessible place. Otherwise wifi is more than sufficient (I've had kindles with both options). I usually keep my kindles in Airplane mode if I am not downloading books - it conserves the battery much better (the dictionaries still work in that mode, the Wikipedia lookup does not - so for some books I may decide to stay online instead so that I can do my lookups easily)
28labfs39
>27 AnnieMod: Oh, wow! I had no idea it would be so many. I hear 4 or 8 GB, and I think, that's not much. How spoiled we have become with our storage capacities. Do kids even know what kBs are any more, lol?
29AnnieMod
>28 labfs39: I doubt a lot of them know what MB are, let alone kB... :)
If you look at the library record or Amazon, they often have the size of the book in KB in there. For example the current one I am reading is 2498 KB - and it is a regularly sized modern novel. Anniversaries (which is the longest book I can think of right now) is 4367 KB. The numbers are not linear - covers can add quite a lot sometimes for example but you get the idea. There are bigger books of course but most of the fiction will be in that range.
Keep in mind that 0.8-1.5G of the capacity is for the Kindle OS and other system things (depends on model, software and so on). So 8 GB gives you a bit over 6 GB for books. With a book in the 2-5 MB range, you get your thousand easily. Even the 4GB ones will give you more than 2 GB space for books and that still will mean high hundreds.
PS: Example of a big book: here: 19,200 pages and 29,344KB space. Although the latest versions of the OS are glitching on books that big :) So if all your books are that size, you can fit a lot less of course but most of them won't be :)
If you look at the library record or Amazon, they often have the size of the book in KB in there. For example the current one I am reading is 2498 KB - and it is a regularly sized modern novel. Anniversaries (which is the longest book I can think of right now) is 4367 KB. The numbers are not linear - covers can add quite a lot sometimes for example but you get the idea. There are bigger books of course but most of the fiction will be in that range.
Keep in mind that 0.8-1.5G of the capacity is for the Kindle OS and other system things (depends on model, software and so on). So 8 GB gives you a bit over 6 GB for books. With a book in the 2-5 MB range, you get your thousand easily. Even the 4GB ones will give you more than 2 GB space for books and that still will mean high hundreds.
PS: Example of a big book: here: 19,200 pages and 29,344KB space. Although the latest versions of the OS are glitching on books that big :) So if all your books are that size, you can fit a lot less of course but most of them won't be :)
30MissBrangwen
>28 labfs39: >29 AnnieMod: I was talking about this to my husband yesterday, because when trying to find the actual type of my kindle, I saw the different storage capacities and suddenly realized that there is a capacity at all... I had not thought about that before, yikes! So I immediately became worried about how many books I would be able to store!
However, my husband said that even if you have to delete books from the kindle (or "un-download" them and just display the cover vs. having a full download) you still own them because they are in your amazon profile. Sort of like a "book cloud".
Does that make sense? Do you agree with that, Annie?
However, my husband said that even if you have to delete books from the kindle (or "un-download" them and just display the cover vs. having a full download) you still own them because they are in your amazon profile. Sort of like a "book cloud".
Does that make sense? Do you agree with that, Annie?
31AnnieMod
>30 MissBrangwen: Yep - except for some books you may have added via direct cable connection while off-line. I have ~2.5K books and magazines in my account - I am not keeping them all downloaded - I just pull the ones I want at a certain time.
Just look at your Digital account on Amazon (https://www.amazon.com/hz/mycd/digital-console/contentlist/allcontent/dateDsc for Amazon.com): books that are delivered via Amazon will be in Books (delivered via it, not just by it - so library Kindle books checked out via Amazon will be listed here but not downloadable anymore), other books, articles and other reading material (mailed to the Kindle address (you get an address with every kindle and you can mail yourself texts and so on and they get onto the kindle - some sites even have a handy sendtoKindle and most browsers have a nice plugin allowing you to send ANY page) OR added via cable) will be in Docs.
If you are worried about a book not being available later, just check if it is up there :)
Now... the term of service allows Amazon to pull books out (including ones you paid for) but they do not often do that - the last time was almost a decade ago and it was a version of 1984 (of all things) and it caused a lot of not so nice publicity. Same for the books in the Docs folder. So if you want to be 100% sure, just connect the kindle to your laptop/desktop with a cable, dump the contents on the drive and archive elsewhere. But I don't bother with that usually...
Now... if one prefers Barnes and Noble to Amazon, they have Nook. Same things apply there - except that it is their site (and Kobo) and not Amazon. Amazon uses the MOBI format, Nook/B&N/Kobo uses ePub. There are also other eReaders options and they usually use ePub. This is important when getting books outside of their site(s) (but then there is Calibre which can convert between formats if you really really want it) including the library. So for example if the library does not have a Kindle version (happens for some books although it is rare), I will get the ePub and read on the iPad (or if I am getting a comics or something else colorful or needing maps an so on). Technically I have Kindle Fire as well (which is a tablet and not eInk) so I used to use that for my comics but it is half the size of the iPad so... I've kinda moved to it. But if all they have is a kindle file even for those, I will use the Fire anyway :)
Just look at your Digital account on Amazon (https://www.amazon.com/hz/mycd/digital-console/contentlist/allcontent/dateDsc for Amazon.com): books that are delivered via Amazon will be in Books (delivered via it, not just by it - so library Kindle books checked out via Amazon will be listed here but not downloadable anymore), other books, articles and other reading material (mailed to the Kindle address (you get an address with every kindle and you can mail yourself texts and so on and they get onto the kindle - some sites even have a handy sendtoKindle and most browsers have a nice plugin allowing you to send ANY page) OR added via cable) will be in Docs.
If you are worried about a book not being available later, just check if it is up there :)
Now... the term of service allows Amazon to pull books out (including ones you paid for) but they do not often do that - the last time was almost a decade ago and it was a version of 1984 (of all things) and it caused a lot of not so nice publicity. Same for the books in the Docs folder. So if you want to be 100% sure, just connect the kindle to your laptop/desktop with a cable, dump the contents on the drive and archive elsewhere. But I don't bother with that usually...
Now... if one prefers Barnes and Noble to Amazon, they have Nook. Same things apply there - except that it is their site (and Kobo) and not Amazon. Amazon uses the MOBI format, Nook/B&N/Kobo uses ePub. There are also other eReaders options and they usually use ePub. This is important when getting books outside of their site(s) (but then there is Calibre which can convert between formats if you really really want it) including the library. So for example if the library does not have a Kindle version (happens for some books although it is rare), I will get the ePub and read on the iPad (or if I am getting a comics or something else colorful or needing maps an so on). Technically I have Kindle Fire as well (which is a tablet and not eInk) so I used to use that for my comics but it is half the size of the iPad so... I've kinda moved to it. But if all they have is a kindle file even for those, I will use the Fire anyway :)
32MissBrangwen
>31 AnnieMod: Thank you for taking the time to explain! I will save this for future reference.
33japaul22
If you try an iPad and don't love reading on it, don't give up on the thought of an e-reader! It's really a very different reading experience and much closer to paper. iPads are fantastic for reading that needs color - graphic novels, magazines, some nonfiction - but if you'd mainly be reading fiction, an e-reader is perfect.
34AnnieMod
>33 japaul22: I'd second that. eReaders are different and feel different from tablets and laptops/desktops.
Also - if you are going the Kindle route, the cheapest option is not a paperwhite model. I've had both options and I vastly prefer the paperwhite one - it feels more like actual book to my eyes than the regular version. Don't get me wrong - they both work, they both are eInk and feel very different from the tablet so sometimes it is all about perception and tastes. The classic kindle is lighter though and slightly smaller as well - but that comes with a battery which can handle less reading (still enough but less than the paperwhite). And the paperwhite does not grumble if you manage to get it a bit wet (one of mine is naked, the other one which used to be my travel one, has a cover - the naked one had had some incidents when I am reading while steering something at the stove and leave it on a counter for a minute or 3). So if you are looking to buy, if you can afford it, I'd go for the Paperwhite (just a personal recommendation - the regular one is just fine as well).
>32 MissBrangwen: Anytime. The cloud is everywhere! :)
Also - if you are going the Kindle route, the cheapest option is not a paperwhite model. I've had both options and I vastly prefer the paperwhite one - it feels more like actual book to my eyes than the regular version. Don't get me wrong - they both work, they both are eInk and feel very different from the tablet so sometimes it is all about perception and tastes. The classic kindle is lighter though and slightly smaller as well - but that comes with a battery which can handle less reading (still enough but less than the paperwhite). And the paperwhite does not grumble if you manage to get it a bit wet (one of mine is naked, the other one which used to be my travel one, has a cover - the naked one had had some incidents when I am reading while steering something at the stove and leave it on a counter for a minute or 3). So if you are looking to buy, if you can afford it, I'd go for the Paperwhite (just a personal recommendation - the regular one is just fine as well).
>32 MissBrangwen: Anytime. The cloud is everywhere! :)
35AlisonY
>33 japaul22:, >34 AnnieMod: That's interesting. I read one book on my Kindle and that was it - I just felt I couldn't concentrate in the same way on what I was reading, and it felt like computer time. Mine was a Kindle Fire, though, so essentially a tablet. I think those eInks would work much better. My husband bought me it some years back probably thinking he was doing me a favour getting me one that has more functionality, but I've seen people reading on the eInk styles of Kindles and they do look much easier on the eyes.
36stretch
For reference I have 1297 ebooks on my Kobo Clara a mix of largest files 12 MB and small ones 128 kb. It with the operating system takes up 5 GB of 8 GB. But that is just backup storage. On the kobo I read regularly I keep only a couple hundred on it to make it easier to find books, etc. The large storage size is great if you plan on listening to audiobooks on these things. For me a phone is a better audiobook player, I don't fear ever using the entirety of the 8 GB. 16 GB seems impossible to use up, and 32 GB seems wasteful. But mileage will vary depending on book sizes and graphic novels take up more space.
I also use Calibre a free open source management system on my computer to keep them accessible. And to strip the DRM off ebooks in order to convert them into different formats, unlocking ecosystems and making sure purchased books are mine and not lost in a cloud somewhere. This part is something of gray area. I don't consider it pirating to make things I bought epubs so Anniemods scenario is harder and I don't have to like managing my books in the cloud.
I also use Calibre a free open source management system on my computer to keep them accessible. And to strip the DRM off ebooks in order to convert them into different formats, unlocking ecosystems and making sure purchased books are mine and not lost in a cloud somewhere. This part is something of gray area. I don't consider it pirating to make things I bought epubs so Anniemods scenario is harder and I don't have to like managing my books in the cloud.
37AnnieMod
>35 AlisonY: Yeah - the Fire is not an eReader - it is comparable to iPad (but with less apps). It is much better for movies and magazines (although it can be small for most magazines) than for proper reading.
It is backlit (tablets and proper monitors of all types) vs frontlit (eReaders) essentially. I cannot read for 6 hours straight on a screen; I can (and had done it) on my Kindle or with a regular book. Especially the newer ones - the light is almost invisible during the day and it feels like a lamp light falling on paper when it is darker. And with an eReader, you can change the font of any book (both the size and the font type as well) so if a publisher is being a pain in the behind, you can work around them or bump the font up a bit in the evenings when you are tired and so on (you can do the same on a tablet of course).
Now - it may take some adjustment to getting used to how you turn pages initially (my first kindle was the keyboard one - I hated the touch version when I initially got it after my trusty old Keyboard one had to be retired (don't step on your kindles - I've killed 2 of them that way - they are so sturdy that I stop paying attention to them much and if you step on it badly, it can die on you) - now I am so used to the touch screen that I don't even notice. One other thing that may help is to get a cover which looks like a book (opens and closes like a book) so your hands can be in the usual position for reading for you at least initially - sometimes it is that difference that gets people's heads messed up a bit initially. If you do that, you will only have text on the right side of where you are used to have it (because the other side is just a cover) - but then that kinda works somewhat even if may initially trip your perception.
It is backlit (tablets and proper monitors of all types) vs frontlit (eReaders) essentially. I cannot read for 6 hours straight on a screen; I can (and had done it) on my Kindle or with a regular book. Especially the newer ones - the light is almost invisible during the day and it feels like a lamp light falling on paper when it is darker. And with an eReader, you can change the font of any book (both the size and the font type as well) so if a publisher is being a pain in the behind, you can work around them or bump the font up a bit in the evenings when you are tired and so on (you can do the same on a tablet of course).
Now - it may take some adjustment to getting used to how you turn pages initially (my first kindle was the keyboard one - I hated the touch version when I initially got it after my trusty old Keyboard one had to be retired (don't step on your kindles - I've killed 2 of them that way - they are so sturdy that I stop paying attention to them much and if you step on it badly, it can die on you) - now I am so used to the touch screen that I don't even notice. One other thing that may help is to get a cover which looks like a book (opens and closes like a book) so your hands can be in the usual position for reading for you at least initially - sometimes it is that difference that gets people's heads messed up a bit initially. If you do that, you will only have text on the right side of where you are used to have it (because the other side is just a cover) - but then that kinda works somewhat even if may initially trip your perception.
38stretch
>37 AnnieMod: I do miss the buttons on the old kindles at least for page turning. Those buttons were just so satisifing.
39AnnieMod
>38 stretch: Oh, I miss them and the keyboard and all of tat - but I am kinda used to the touch screen now. :)
>36 stretch: Calibre is always an option of course and I use it occasionally but if more than 99% of your ebooks reading is from or via Amazon, it is an extra step which may or may not be easy for a user. So it depends on one's usage and where they get their books from.
>36 stretch: Calibre is always an option of course and I use it occasionally but if more than 99% of your ebooks reading is from or via Amazon, it is an extra step which may or may not be easy for a user. So it depends on one's usage and where they get their books from.
40stretch
>39 AnnieMod: I switched from Amazon to Kobo, and those formats are at odds with each other. And I forced my way around the issue. Amazons new format ASW3 is especially painful these days, I still don't get why they went away from MOBI, but they do kind of work with epubs now so that opens more options with the Send to Kindle functionality.
41AnnieMod
>40 stretch: Kindle kinda works with ePub these days but it is a pain so I end up either converting or just biting the bullet and reading that book on the tablet. Amazon are doing what Amazon wants to do as usual - their new format apparently works for them better than the MOBI (and even before, they were MOBI-like and not real MOBI for a long time anyway).
So it really comes down to where you get your books from or which kind of eReader you like or can get your hands on. If the main usage will be library books with just the occasional purchase, it does not really make much of a difference if you go the Kobo or Amazon route.
So it really comes down to where you get your books from or which kind of eReader you like or can get your hands on. If the main usage will be library books with just the occasional purchase, it does not really make much of a difference if you go the Kobo or Amazon route.
42lisapeet
>31 AnnieMod: I also don't keep many books downloaded—I probably have thousands at this point (mostly e-galleys) and they just live in the cloud. I use Kindle for Mac and it suits my purposes well. If you're going to do that, though, you want the best wireless capacity possible. At least 4G, I'd say, depending what service is available in your area.
43labfs39
Thanks, everyone! I'm actually getting excited at the prospect of an e-reader, something I never thought you would hear me say. Not that I am a Luddite, far from it, but so much of my professional life was tech-related that I kept reading a separate experience. Now, however, I'm far from a large library system and borrowing books is harder. Plus so many things are available online for free. And my eyes are not what they used to be. They get fatigued reading in low light or with small font. Darryl nearly had me sold on a paperwhite kindle a few years ago, but I wasn't quite ready then. I think this has Hanukkah written all over it. If I can wait!
44avaland
Late to the question, but as you probably know I am still a physical, paper book reader. I'm not a Luddite, just that the physicality of a traditional book is part of my reading experience. I do so much other reading on the laptop....news, socialization, mail,messaging...etc. it's nice to have a respite.
I might also suggest investing in an Ott light or just use a full-spectrum bulb in your reading lamp.
I might also suggest investing in an Ott light or just use a full-spectrum bulb in your reading lamp.
45japaul22
I also have a kindle paperwhite!
I would recommend paying a little more for the version that does not have ads. It makes for a smoother book opening experience without the ads, and also is a bit weird to have an ad for some romance novel pop up on your main screen when it's not at all what you would read!
I would recommend paying a little more for the version that does not have ads. It makes for a smoother book opening experience without the ads, and also is a bit weird to have an ad for some romance novel pop up on your main screen when it's not at all what you would read!
46AmeliaCuthbert
Dieser Benutzer wurde wegen Spammens entfernt.
47BLBera
Well, your thread has turned into an informative one, Lisa! I am in the market for a new e-reader and the comments here have been helpful. I like them for when I travel and for the gym.
48raton-liseur
Happy new (busy) thread Lisa!
Interesting conversation regarding e-readers. My own experience would not add anything to the debate, but I thought that when I finally settled down and stopped travelling so much I would not use my e-reader anymore, but I find that it makes up for one third to half of my reading and it would be difficult if I had to stop using it, although I still prefer paper books (and will always read a paper book after 2 or 3 ebooks in a row. Else, I miss the change in cover, size, feeling, etc. too much.
And I agree with >37 AnnieMod: about buying a cover. With my first ereader, I had one that almost had a leather touch and liked having this cover and the feel of having a "near-real" book in my hands. Nowadays, I use the cover only when I travel, to protect my device, but if I read at home, I take it out and enjoy the lightness of the reader. The cover helped me transition from paper book to ebook, but I don't need it anymore, I don't mind the way the book comes to me, it's the book content that is more important (with the caveat of reading a paper book from time to time, else I start experiencing withdrawal symptoms...).
Interesting conversation regarding e-readers. My own experience would not add anything to the debate, but I thought that when I finally settled down and stopped travelling so much I would not use my e-reader anymore, but I find that it makes up for one third to half of my reading and it would be difficult if I had to stop using it, although I still prefer paper books (and will always read a paper book after 2 or 3 ebooks in a row. Else, I miss the change in cover, size, feeling, etc. too much.
And I agree with >37 AnnieMod: about buying a cover. With my first ereader, I had one that almost had a leather touch and liked having this cover and the feel of having a "near-real" book in my hands. Nowadays, I use the cover only when I travel, to protect my device, but if I read at home, I take it out and enjoy the lightness of the reader. The cover helped me transition from paper book to ebook, but I don't need it anymore, I don't mind the way the book comes to me, it's the book content that is more important (with the caveat of reading a paper book from time to time, else I start experiencing withdrawal symptoms...).
49AnnieMod
>45 japaul22: Unlike the Wifi/3G thing that is a hardware difference, the ads can be removed later from your account so trying with the ads (if one wants not to spend the extra $20) is also an option. I do agree it is better without them but it is mainly because I want my current book visible when the Kindle is asleep - so I can see which one I am was reading that book on and because the ads eat some battery. :)
>48 raton-liseur: My home Kindle never had a cover (partially because I could not find the type I wanted for it and partially because unless you are abusing it or throwing it at a purse with sharp things inside, the thing IS sturdy enough. They can look almost delicate, especially the newer smaller ones, but they are not that delicate.
>48 raton-liseur: My home Kindle never had a cover (partially because I could not find the type I wanted for it and partially because unless you are abusing it or throwing it at a purse with sharp things inside, the thing IS sturdy enough. They can look almost delicate, especially the newer smaller ones, but they are not that delicate.
50lisapeet
My big complaint about Kindle technology is that nobody's come up with a way to display the book cover on the front of an e-reader case. I get that sometimes you don't want to advertise what you're reading, but for folks who are very cover-driven (me), it would be such a good option. And surely not very difficult to design? I mean, I couldn't do it. But someone should be able to.
51raton-liseur
>49 AnnieMod: Oh, I could not imagine my ereader without a cover! I even knitted a pouch not to damage the leather-like cover that I had for my first ereader... This pouch is not the right size anymore for my current ereader, but a pupil gifted me a cotton-waxed book folder a couple of years ago and I now use it for both paperback books and ereader when they travel further than my bedside table. And I promise my books have a life: they get their corner chipped and their edges broken, many are second hand and I like them as much as brand new ones, but I feel better carrying them within their dedicated folder.
52AnnieMod
>51 raton-liseur: I am not much of a "Covers and protection" person. I take care of my books and technology but I am not treating it as if it will break if someone breathes on it - I make sure that my keys and other similar things are not anywhere near my book/kindle/phone when I am carryng them in a purse but other from that, I don't really worry too much. My iPhone 4s lived its long life without cover or protection screen or anything like that - it had the metal frame and yes, its back got a bit scratched after 5 years of usage but it was not that bad. The only reason the current one has a cover is because it has the glass-like back and these scratch like crazy and look ugly as sin (and the backs fall off apparently occasionally).
As for the kindles... the travel one got a cover for two reasons: the ability to turn itself on/off when you open/close the cover (useful when I need to move fast so I do not rely on it self-turning off on a timer or fumbling with the button or managing to jump 10 pages because the thing is still active) and because it ended up in all kinds of weird places while traveling (airplane pockets for example) so I wanted a bit more protection for it. Plus it is purple - who does not like purple? :)
And I went off topic again :)
As for the kindles... the travel one got a cover for two reasons: the ability to turn itself on/off when you open/close the cover (useful when I need to move fast so I do not rely on it self-turning off on a timer or fumbling with the button or managing to jump 10 pages because the thing is still active) and because it ended up in all kinds of weird places while traveling (airplane pockets for example) so I wanted a bit more protection for it. Plus it is purple - who does not like purple? :)
And I went off topic again :)
53stretch
To add to the cover discussion, I've always used my e-readers 'naked'. A nice lady from Lavtia makes a great canvas and felt lined slip cover that has been more than enough protection for all the traveling and hard road use I put things through. It even has pouch for cleaning and charger cord storage. Did try the like covers once but the felt odd hold a one handed device with two hands when hold the cover flap out or it made it unnecessarily bulky when folded over. Like AnnieMod I'm not a big fan put my electronics in cases. They make them with premium materials like metal and glass just to but a bulky cheap plastic case on top seems wasteful. But the autowake feature is nice with those magnetic book cases.
54japaul22
>50 lisapeet: When the kindle is "asleep" the cover of the current open book is displayed unless you have a kindle with ads.
The cover I use for my kindle (yes I do like one!) is leather so there isn't a screen to display a book cover.
The cover I use for my kindle (yes I do like one!) is leather so there isn't a screen to display a book cover.
55AnnieMod
>50 lisapeet: That will require the cover itself to have a battery and to connect to the kindle for status on which book you are reading and all that complexity which will then end up requiring a cover for your cover so you do not break whatever mechanism does that. Maybe you can find a clear plastic cover (on the front or one with a plastic window) that shows the kindle under it where the book cover can be made visible?
56raton-liseur
>55 AnnieMod: Ah, the cover requiring a cover...
Well, I still like my cover and feel that my ereader is cosier in its cover, and then I feel cosier myself. Even if you might be right and I might be too cautious, I like the mere fact of opening my pouch and take the book out of it, although I could not explain why.
Well, I still like my cover and feel that my ereader is cosier in its cover, and then I feel cosier myself. Even if you might be right and I might be too cautious, I like the mere fact of opening my pouch and take the book out of it, although I could not explain why.
57lisapeet
>54 japaul22: Aha, I haven't seen that in action. Probably because most of the Kindles I've seen out in the wild have covers on them because people are bringing them along on their commutes, tossing them in bags, etc.
>55 AnnieMod: Yeah, some kind of interface between the e-reader and the cover, some kind of screen on the cover, and then some kind of protection for that screen. A battery—or charging interface—but you'd think it would have a decent charge life, if it's just a static image. Then I guess the ebooks themselves would need to have a little bit of code attached so that the cover could be displayed. But it sounds doable (as someone who's never worked in ebook formatting, so what do I know).
>55 AnnieMod: Yeah, some kind of interface between the e-reader and the cover, some kind of screen on the cover, and then some kind of protection for that screen. A battery—or charging interface—but you'd think it would have a decent charge life, if it's just a static image. Then I guess the ebooks themselves would need to have a little bit of code attached so that the cover could be displayed. But it sounds doable (as someone who's never worked in ebook formatting, so what do I know).
58AnnieMod
>57 lisapeet: The cover can already be shown on the kindle when the kindle is sleeping anyway so no need to change anything on the ebooks or the kindle - you just need someone to get the information from the it. So it is not really the ebooks that need different formatting - you just need someone to build an intelligent cover - the kindle and the ebook already have all you need to support it.
59labfs39
Thanks, everyone! So much good information here. It's always nice to talk to readers rather than salespeople when making these kinds of decisions.
60labfs39
The Ten Loves of Nishino by Hiromi Kawakami, translated from the Japanese by Allison Markin Powell
Published 2003, 172 p.
I read and was utterly charmed by The Nakano Thrift Shop last year, so I was eager to read something else by this author. Unfortunately, Ten Loves of Nishino was disappointing in comparison. The idea is interesting enough, depict a man through the lenses of ten of the women he has dated. The relationships occur throughout his life, from the time he was a teenager until his death. The relationships were of different types: more or less sexual, older women, younger women, love, friendship. Nishino is self-centered and rather boring, and the women's voices are so similar as to blur into one (although translation may have effected this as well). Although I appreciated the concept, I felt that it was not executed as well as it might have been.
61MissBrangwen
>60 labfs39: The concept sounds interesting indeed, but obviously it cannot work if the women's voices are not distinct enough...
62labfs39
>61 MissBrangwen: Exactly. I found myself starting to skim, because each chapter began to sound like the one before to me.
Next Up:
The Night Tiger by Yangsze Choo
The Asian Book Challenge is focusing on Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, and Philippines this month, and I had already read the few books I owned, so I asked for recommendations and this one was suggested. Although the author was born in Malaysia, she was educated at Harvard and now lives in the US. But it's set in the Malaysia of the 1930s and was available at the library, so here I am! I'm 75 pages in and enjoying it. Follows two story lines: an 11-year-old boy on a quest on behalf of his dead master, and a young woman working as a dance hostess to pay off her mother's mahjong debt.
Next Up:
The Night Tiger by Yangsze Choo
The Asian Book Challenge is focusing on Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, and Philippines this month, and I had already read the few books I owned, so I asked for recommendations and this one was suggested. Although the author was born in Malaysia, she was educated at Harvard and now lives in the US. But it's set in the Malaysia of the 1930s and was available at the library, so here I am! I'm 75 pages in and enjoying it. Follows two story lines: an 11-year-old boy on a quest on behalf of his dead master, and a young woman working as a dance hostess to pay off her mother's mahjong debt.
63lisapeet
>62 labfs39: I saw that book pop up a lot of places when it came out, but never picked it up. That sounds interesting, though... looking forward to hearing what you think of it.
64weird_O
Wow! The flood of info on eReaders washed over me. Thought I was drowning. My pockets are full of sediment. Good info, I am sure, but it's not for me. I'm basking in my stacks of paper books. Contentment.
65labfs39
>63 lisapeet: I didn't get to read yesterday, but so far it has kept my attention and I like the details about life in 1930s Malaysia.
>64 weird_O: Thought I was drowning. My pockets are full of sediment. LOL. I'm glad you stopped by, Bill. Sorry for getting you waterlogged. I'm going to take the plunge (continuing the water metaphor) and get an e-reader. Although I still like reading paper books (and owning them), there are times when it will come in handy. Especially as my eyes get older and dislike tiny print. As you could probably tell from some of my bookshelf photos, I too enjoy basking in my paper books. I still have eight boxes without a home. I think it's time for the dining room to get some more. Currently there is only one floor to ceiling bookcase in that room. After that it will be the bathrooms!
>64 weird_O: Thought I was drowning. My pockets are full of sediment. LOL. I'm glad you stopped by, Bill. Sorry for getting you waterlogged. I'm going to take the plunge (continuing the water metaphor) and get an e-reader. Although I still like reading paper books (and owning them), there are times when it will come in handy. Especially as my eyes get older and dislike tiny print. As you could probably tell from some of my bookshelf photos, I too enjoy basking in my paper books. I still have eight boxes without a home. I think it's time for the dining room to get some more. Currently there is only one floor to ceiling bookcase in that room. After that it will be the bathrooms!
66arubabookwoman
Getting to the discussion late, but--I have been a Kindle reader since nearly the beginning. I currently have a Kindle Fire and a Paperwhite. I got the Paperwhite because I can read it outside (by the pool) without glare. Hard to do on a regular Kindle. I got the Fire many years ago to allow me to look at books with color pictures. However, it is now very old and cranky and has been sometimes giving me trouble downloading (esp. books I've owned a long time) and is sending me messages about capacity being nearly full even when I don't have a huge amount of books downloaded. So I recently downloaded the Kindle App for my iPad, and I am having a very good experience there. The pictures are bigger on the iPad too, so I don't think I will be replacing the Fire. (And I guess you would not even have to buy a Kindle, just buy/download Kindle books to the app).
For me the absolutely best thing about reading on a Kindle is the ability to put your finger on an unfamiliar word and get an immediate definition. If there are events or references you are unfamiliar with there is also an instantaneous connection to Wiki and other research tools. This has really enriched my reading as I would frequently be too lazy to pull out a dictionary or computer to research.
There is also the enhanced feature for highlighting and taking notes, very helpful for reviews and quotes you want to remember. And for older eyes it's great to be able to make then size of the font the size that is most comfortable for you. If you are into reading larger books, it is light and much easier to hold. And if you travel you can always have hundreds or thousands of choices with you without bringing a few extra suitcases. Or even if you"re sitting in a doctor's office and finish your book, the next one is there waiting for you.
So I'm a big fan. And if you have multiple devices, and sometimes read on one, then the other, they sync your place for you. My only problem is I have so many physical books I want to get to, (and I still love physical books) yet I keep gravitating to the Kindle (or Libby on my iPad).
And this may not be a good thing, but it's so easy to buy Kindle books. I rarely buy "new" books for Kindle, which now seem to range $12.99 and up, but frequently on LT when I'm reading people's reviews, especially of an older or more obscure book, I follow the link to Amazon, and find the book available on Kindle for $1.99, $2.99, or even $3.99, so I often end up buying them. And "classics" are often free.
For me the absolutely best thing about reading on a Kindle is the ability to put your finger on an unfamiliar word and get an immediate definition. If there are events or references you are unfamiliar with there is also an instantaneous connection to Wiki and other research tools. This has really enriched my reading as I would frequently be too lazy to pull out a dictionary or computer to research.
There is also the enhanced feature for highlighting and taking notes, very helpful for reviews and quotes you want to remember. And for older eyes it's great to be able to make then size of the font the size that is most comfortable for you. If you are into reading larger books, it is light and much easier to hold. And if you travel you can always have hundreds or thousands of choices with you without bringing a few extra suitcases. Or even if you"re sitting in a doctor's office and finish your book, the next one is there waiting for you.
So I'm a big fan. And if you have multiple devices, and sometimes read on one, then the other, they sync your place for you. My only problem is I have so many physical books I want to get to, (and I still love physical books) yet I keep gravitating to the Kindle (or Libby on my iPad).
And this may not be a good thing, but it's so easy to buy Kindle books. I rarely buy "new" books for Kindle, which now seem to range $12.99 and up, but frequently on LT when I'm reading people's reviews, especially of an older or more obscure book, I follow the link to Amazon, and find the book available on Kindle for $1.99, $2.99, or even $3.99, so I often end up buying them. And "classics" are often free.
67labfs39
>66 arubabookwoman: Thanks, Deborah, for chiming in. It's been great having so much user advice. I'm leaning towards a Paperwhite, as I can always go to my laptop and the kindle app for colored maps, pictures, etc. I'll probably succumb to an iPad at some point, but for now, I think I'm ready to try a Kindle. I'm keeping an eye out for Black Friday type sales.
68msf59
Happy Sunday, Lisa. Just checking in. I like my Paperwhite too. The bulk of my reading is still being done with physical books, but the Kindle comes in handy now and then, especially if I grab a title from the library.
69labfs39
The Night Tiger by Yangsze Choo
Published 2019, 372 p.
Ren is an eleven-year-old boy with a mission. His master's dying wish is to be buried with his amputated finger before the 49 day mourning period ends. Otherwise his master fears he will become a spirit tiger. Ji Lin is a young woman apprenticed as a dressmaker to escape her violent stepfather. She is working as a dance-hall girl to pay off her mother's mahjong debts. One evening she accidently ends up in possession of a customer's lucky charm: an embalmed finger. What follows is a mysterious and fantastical tale of Malay myth, Chinese superstition, and 1930's Malaysian prejudice.
I enjoyed learning more about Malaysian folklore, but was a bit disappointed with the historical aspect. I felt as though the characters had modern sensibilities and the setting lacked historical nuance. The author's father was a diplomat, so (according to Wikipedia) she was born in the Philippines and spent her childhood in Thailand, Germany, Japan and Singapore. She was educated at Harvard, worked as a management consultant, and lives in California. I'm not sure how much time she has spent in Malaysia. I think she could have told the story in modern day Malaysia without much impact on the story. The plot was fun, although a bit jerky, like a train just leaving the station. Recommended for those who are interested in Southeast Asian folklore.
Edited to add excerpt about author's background.
70labfs39
>68 msf59: Morning, Mark! Currently I am requesting a lot of interlibrary loan books from the library. If I have a Kindle, I can get e-books much easier and save the librarians some work.
One question: how difficult is it to download a library e-book to a Kindle?
One question: how difficult is it to download a library e-book to a Kindle?
71SassyLassy
>69 labfs39: I felt as though the characters had modern sensibilities and the setting lacked historical nuance.
That's always a disappointment. I'm not sure of the cause, and wonder if it's a lack of background knowledge.
That's always a disappointment. I'm not sure of the cause, and wonder if it's a lack of background knowledge.
72labfs39
>71 SassyLassy: wonder if it's a lack of background knowledge
I'm not sure either. The author's father was a diplomat, so (according to Wikipedia) she was born in the Philippines and spent her childhood in Thailand, Germany, Japan and Singapore. She was educated at Harvard, worked as a management consultant, and lives in California. I'm not sure how much time she has spent in Malaysia. I think she could have told the story in modern day Malaysia without much impact on the story.
I'm not sure either. The author's father was a diplomat, so (according to Wikipedia) she was born in the Philippines and spent her childhood in Thailand, Germany, Japan and Singapore. She was educated at Harvard, worked as a management consultant, and lives in California. I'm not sure how much time she has spent in Malaysia. I think she could have told the story in modern day Malaysia without much impact on the story.
73dchaikin
>69 labfs39: bummer. I was intrigued but worried it might be like that.
I’m an iPhone reader. I drifted that way as I wanted to read a book when my iPad wasn’t with me, and I noticed it was quite comfortable. Has most the the iPad advantages - any app, changes display for lighting etc. It’s just a smaller screen. And I always have it. My old iPhone always had me worried about battery life (but the main book apps don’t use much battery). With my latest iPhone (13) i no longer worry about battery life. I can use it for long charger-less plane flights fearlessly, for example.
I’m an iPhone reader. I drifted that way as I wanted to read a book when my iPad wasn’t with me, and I noticed it was quite comfortable. Has most the the iPad advantages - any app, changes display for lighting etc. It’s just a smaller screen. And I always have it. My old iPhone always had me worried about battery life (but the main book apps don’t use much battery). With my latest iPhone (13) i no longer worry about battery life. I can use it for long charger-less plane flights fearlessly, for example.
74AnnieMod
>70 labfs39: If they use the same system as my library, the kindle books get downloaded via Amazon - the library page forwards you there once you check out and tell it to and the book behaves the same way as any other Amazon book while you have it checked out.
75japaul22
>70 labfs39: It's very easy. In my library system, once you've checked out the book you click on a button that says "read on kindle" which redirects you to amazon - straight to the book. On that page it says something like "download free library book". The next time you turn on the wifi on your kindle (I never leave mine on because it drains the battery and isn't necessary) the book will appear in your kindle library.
Most e-books can be checked out for 3 weeks. But, if you don't turn on your wifi when it's due back, it will remain on your kindle til the wifi signal can snatch it back.
Most e-books can be checked out for 3 weeks. But, if you don't turn on your wifi when it's due back, it will remain on your kindle til the wifi signal can snatch it back.
76dianeham
Lisa, have you checked if your library can deliver ebooks to a kindle? I was looking at the icloud at Limerick library and it looks like you have to use their app to read the ebooks on an android, ipad or fire. It didn’t mention a regular kindle.
77labfs39
>76 dianeham: Good call, Diane, thank you for pointing this out. You are right. Neither my local library nor Portland Library have e-books that are compatible with Kindle. I do have alumni access a couple of places, but the lack of a local option is disappointing. Maybe I need to reconsider the iPad option...
78dianeham
You need access to Overdrive.
The price of ebooks for kindle have gone up too. They used to be 9.99 at the most. Now many of them are 14.99 so I’ve been using the library a lot more.
The price of ebooks for kindle have gone up too. They used to be 9.99 at the most. Now many of them are 14.99 so I’ve been using the library a lot more.
79stretch
>77 labfs39: if it is overdrive for lending of ebooks, that is fully intergrated in Kobo devices. You can even check out books from the store and keep track of holds. It's one of the reasons I choose Kobo over kindle. The library intercratin is better for hevy use. Amazon puts couple of extra layers that add a little more friction, both are good but Kobo is just a bit easier.
80labfs39
>78 dianeham: Fortunately, I have access to Overdrive through another library, but it's annoying that Maine hasn't caught on to the fact that people use Kindles.
>79 stretch: No, the Maine libraries seem to use CloudLibrary, which is not supported by Kindle. It's possible to use it on a Kobo device, but you have to download a book from CloudLibrary through ADE (Adobe Digital Editions) on a computer and then upload to Kobo. Doable, but not seamless by any means. sigh.
>79 stretch: No, the Maine libraries seem to use CloudLibrary, which is not supported by Kindle. It's possible to use it on a Kobo device, but you have to download a book from CloudLibrary through ADE (Adobe Digital Editions) on a computer and then upload to Kobo. Doable, but not seamless by any means. sigh.
81labfs39
I should be saying Libby, I guess, not Overdrive, as the Overdrive parent company is phasing out the Overdrive app by the end of the year, and switching to its Libby app.
82dianeham
>81 labfs39: i thought libby was used to read the books.
83dianeham
I was wrong, you can choose how to read it.
I see there’s an overdrive app. I didn’t even know that. I just go to the web page for our library cooperative.
I see there’s an overdrive app. I didn’t even know that. I just go to the web page for our library cooperative.
84MissBrangwen
>69 labfs39: A pity that this wasn't better. I am still adding it to my wishlist because of the Malaysian setting.
I cannot comment on the topic of using the kindle for library books because I don't do that, but I hope you will find a solution that suits your needs.
I cannot comment on the topic of using the kindle for library books because I don't do that, but I hope you will find a solution that suits your needs.
85avaland
Just popping in, but can't comment on hand-held readers (tho' hubby uses one). I'm too much sentimentally attached to the sensory experience of a physical paper book in my hand, the sight of full bookcases and what they represent...etc.
86SassyLassy
>85 avaland: Amen to that!
87labfs39
>83 dianeham: It's confusing because the app and the company had the same name, but now the company is migrating to a new app (Libby).
>84 MissBrangwen: I would definitely recommend Twan Tan Eng for Malaysia. The Night Tiger is the only other book I've read from there, and it wasn't bad, just not the historical novel I was hoping for.
Do libraries in Germany have e-books for circulation too? Sometimes EU copyright laws are different than those in the US, and I wondered if that affected how lending digital content works.
>85 avaland: I know, Lois, I'm the same way about paper books. However, I do use the library as well, especially with books that I'm not sure I'll like, or that are very expensive. So far I have been plaguing the librarian with ILL requests. If I had an e-reader, I could borrow them digitally and save the librarian some work. Also I have some books where the print is tiny. Although I want to keep the book, I might read it electronically so that I could enlarge the font. I don't know, this snafu with e-content from the library has deflated my enthusiasm a bit.
>84 MissBrangwen: I would definitely recommend Twan Tan Eng for Malaysia. The Night Tiger is the only other book I've read from there, and it wasn't bad, just not the historical novel I was hoping for.
Do libraries in Germany have e-books for circulation too? Sometimes EU copyright laws are different than those in the US, and I wondered if that affected how lending digital content works.
>85 avaland: I know, Lois, I'm the same way about paper books. However, I do use the library as well, especially with books that I'm not sure I'll like, or that are very expensive. So far I have been plaguing the librarian with ILL requests. If I had an e-reader, I could borrow them digitally and save the librarian some work. Also I have some books where the print is tiny. Although I want to keep the book, I might read it electronically so that I could enlarge the font. I don't know, this snafu with e-content from the library has deflated my enthusiasm a bit.
88labfs39
>85 avaland: >86 SassyLassy: Besides I can't give up the paper books because they insulate my house!
The weather has changed abruptly, which brings insulation to mind. Last week was unseasonably warm, into the 70s! Today it's 30 and it's supposed to snow on Wednesday. Goodbye autumn.
The weather has changed abruptly, which brings insulation to mind. Last week was unseasonably warm, into the 70s! Today it's 30 and it's supposed to snow on Wednesday. Goodbye autumn.
90cindydavid4
>88 labfs39: Besides I can't give up the paper books because they insulate my house!
Ha! I haven't made the change to Kindle etc, happy with my books. But I do read articles, and short stories on my lap top and with my eyesight, think it might be time soon. Thanks for the info above, will save it!
We have gone from summer to fall to winter to spring these last two weeks. Crazy We have trees that were leafing, now budding, and my garden plants are a mess. Hope we get some less extreme weather patterns soon.
Ha! I haven't made the change to Kindle etc, happy with my books. But I do read articles, and short stories on my lap top and with my eyesight, think it might be time soon. Thanks for the info above, will save it!
We have gone from summer to fall to winter to spring these last two weeks. Crazy We have trees that were leafing, now budding, and my garden plants are a mess. Hope we get some less extreme weather patterns soon.
91markon
>77 labfs39: If you're talking about cloudLibrary by bibliotheca, their site says they're compatible with Kindle Fires. (I know, not the paperwhite you were thinking about.)
Also, compatibility issues may be driven by Amazon, rather than the ebook vendor. Amazon requires that any app on their app store be designed around their proprietary standards. OverDrive has had a request in to add Libby to their store for a very long time, and has no idea when (or whether) it will ever get approved there. Libby users can still read on kindles, they just have to tell Libby to only check out books in kindle format.
Also, compatibility issues may be driven by Amazon, rather than the ebook vendor. Amazon requires that any app on their app store be designed around their proprietary standards. OverDrive has had a request in to add Libby to their store for a very long time, and has no idea when (or whether) it will ever get approved there. Libby users can still read on kindles, they just have to tell Libby to only check out books in kindle format.
92labfs39
>89 rocketjk: Sigh. You guys make me feel like a traitor! lol
>90 cindydavid4: I'm with you, Cindy, and looking forward to some "normal" weather, even if it means cold.
>91 markon: Yeah, if I were going to go to a tablet, I would probably get an iPad and stay in the apple family. I think you are right in that the issue is with Amazon. I'm just annoyed with the entire state of Maine for not using Overdrive/Libby at all. I belong to three libraries here, but they all use CloudLibrary. I can always read on my phone or laptop for things from the library. Kindle makes sense for me, because I get one free Kindle book per month through Amazon Prime, and I do have access to overdrive through an alumni source. Oh for open sources!
>90 cindydavid4: I'm with you, Cindy, and looking forward to some "normal" weather, even if it means cold.
>91 markon: Yeah, if I were going to go to a tablet, I would probably get an iPad and stay in the apple family. I think you are right in that the issue is with Amazon. I'm just annoyed with the entire state of Maine for not using Overdrive/Libby at all. I belong to three libraries here, but they all use CloudLibrary. I can always read on my phone or laptop for things from the library. Kindle makes sense for me, because I get one free Kindle book per month through Amazon Prime, and I do have access to overdrive through an alumni source. Oh for open sources!
93RidgewayGirl
>92 labfs39: I have an iPad and use the Kindle app on it as well as using the ePub format (Overdrive/Libby) to read library books. The CloudLibrary app is also easily downloaded, so there would be no fiddling with formats if you went in that direction.
94rocketjk
>92 labfs39: "....like a traitor!"
Nah. To each his/her/their own, sez I. I was speaking of my personal preference only.
Nah. To each his/her/their own, sez I. I was speaking of my personal preference only.
95MissBrangwen
And we should keep in mind that it is not either - or. I love, love, love my physical books, and intend to keep buying those, but the kindle is an addition for practical reasons (weight, space, accessibility of books, and also financial reasons because ordering new English books can be very expensive in Germany).
96ursula
My 2022 reading is 85% ebooks. I exclusively borrow from the library; I've never bought an ebook. In theory, it's kindle reading but in practice my husband uses the kindle these days and I read on my iPad or iPhone using the Kindle app. I borrow books from US libraries (Denver, where we used to live and where I still have a valid library card somehow, and Lexington, through my daughter's card). I brought some physical books with me, but not very many and obviously selection in English is limited here, and they're expensive.
97labfs39
>93 RidgewayGirl: Good to know, thanks Kay.
>94 rocketjk: I have been a staunch paper book lover and defender, so I do feel a bit traitorous. If supplementing with e-books allows me to read more, more easily, however, then it's time for me to take that step.
>95 MissBrangwen: Good point, Mirjam. Buying an e-reader doesn't mean I won't buy and read paper books, but it may make reading some things easier, either through accessibility or font size.
>96 ursula: More reasons why an e-reader can be a bibliophile's lifesaver. I read The Blue Sky on my iPhone, but my phone is one of the smaller ones, and it was a bit laborious with so few words on a page. It's good to know that there are amble e-books for borrowing. Thanks for stopping by, Ursula. I hope things are quiet in your neighborhood.
>94 rocketjk: I have been a staunch paper book lover and defender, so I do feel a bit traitorous. If supplementing with e-books allows me to read more, more easily, however, then it's time for me to take that step.
>95 MissBrangwen: Good point, Mirjam. Buying an e-reader doesn't mean I won't buy and read paper books, but it may make reading some things easier, either through accessibility or font size.
>96 ursula: More reasons why an e-reader can be a bibliophile's lifesaver. I read The Blue Sky on my iPhone, but my phone is one of the smaller ones, and it was a bit laborious with so few words on a page. It's good to know that there are amble e-books for borrowing. Thanks for stopping by, Ursula. I hope things are quiet in your neighborhood.
99labfs39
I placed an order with Better World Books recently, and yesterday a nice little bundle of books showed up on my doorstep. Three had been on my wishlist, and one is for my new book club.
Fires on the Plain by Shohei Ooka, translated from the Japanese by Ivan Morris (1957)
A novel about a Japanese soldier fighting for survival in the Philippines during WWII.
Why? A five-star review by Barry/basswood last year led me to the book page on LT and reviews by Deborah/arubabookwoman, Kevin/stretch, and Lilisin made it a must.
A River in Darkness by Masaji Ishikawa (2017)
A memoir by a Japanese man who moved to North Korea in search of a communist paradise and escaped in 1996.
Why? Always interested in NKorea, and this book was mentioned in the Asian Book Challenge.
Exposure by Helen Dunmore (2016)
A novel set in England during the Cold War.
Why? I've enjoyed three other books by Dunmore, and this one has been on my wishlist since Lois/avaland recommended it in 2017.
Radar Girls by Sara Ackerman (2021)
A novel inspired by the Women's Air Raid Defense in the US during WWII.
Why? It's this month's selection in my new book club.
Fires on the Plain by Shohei Ooka, translated from the Japanese by Ivan Morris (1957)
A novel about a Japanese soldier fighting for survival in the Philippines during WWII.
Why? A five-star review by Barry/basswood last year led me to the book page on LT and reviews by Deborah/arubabookwoman, Kevin/stretch, and Lilisin made it a must.
A River in Darkness by Masaji Ishikawa (2017)
A memoir by a Japanese man who moved to North Korea in search of a communist paradise and escaped in 1996.
Why? Always interested in NKorea, and this book was mentioned in the Asian Book Challenge.
Exposure by Helen Dunmore (2016)
A novel set in England during the Cold War.
Why? I've enjoyed three other books by Dunmore, and this one has been on my wishlist since Lois/avaland recommended it in 2017.
Radar Girls by Sara Ackerman (2021)
A novel inspired by the Women's Air Raid Defense in the US during WWII.
Why? It's this month's selection in my new book club.
100BLBera
Nice book haul, Lisa. Lots of good comments about e-readers. I am thinking of getting an iPad mini to use as a reader...I do like e-readers for the gym and for travel.
101stretch
>99 labfs39: Added a River of Darkness to my list. One day I'll need to read these N. Korean memoirs I keep stacking.
102lisapeet
Wearing my Better World Books t-shirt as we speak! I've had Exposure for a while, I think because I heard good things about it here.
Just chiming in as another person who hasn't found much friction using Kindle for iPad with library books, though I also have the OverDrive, Bluefire, and Adobe Reader installed, as well as NetGalley's proprietary reader that I need for some galleys. But I've also been fortunate that my library uses SimplyE, which is a free platform that aggregates a lot of e-borrowing platform really nicely. It takes a lot of friction out of the game (and it's open source—I don't know what the back end is like, but it seems like a good thing for libraries as a whole).
Just chiming in as another person who hasn't found much friction using Kindle for iPad with library books, though I also have the OverDrive, Bluefire, and Adobe Reader installed, as well as NetGalley's proprietary reader that I need for some galleys. But I've also been fortunate that my library uses SimplyE, which is a free platform that aggregates a lot of e-borrowing platform really nicely. It takes a lot of friction out of the game (and it's open source—I don't know what the back end is like, but it seems like a good thing for libraries as a whole).
103labfs39
>100 BLBera: That sounds like a good solution, Beth. Isn't the iPad mini about the same size as the Kindle?
>101 stretch: I'm looking forward to this one, Kevin. I'm not sure how old the author was when he moved to Korea, but being Japanese must have held additional challenges.
>102 lisapeet: I really like the philosophy behind Better World Books and have started using them more since I am purchasing a lot of books for my nieces. The one time I had an issue, their customer service was excellent too.
As I've learned more about the proprietary competition between CloudLibrary and Overdrive, I like the idea of open source even more. Seriously, do we need to have a Beta vs VHS knockdown drag-out over library software?
>101 stretch: I'm looking forward to this one, Kevin. I'm not sure how old the author was when he moved to Korea, but being Japanese must have held additional challenges.
>102 lisapeet: I really like the philosophy behind Better World Books and have started using them more since I am purchasing a lot of books for my nieces. The one time I had an issue, their customer service was excellent too.
As I've learned more about the proprietary competition between CloudLibrary and Overdrive, I like the idea of open source even more. Seriously, do we need to have a Beta vs VHS knockdown drag-out over library software?
104labfs39
The Gray Earth by Galsan Tschinag (Irgit Schynykbai-oglu Dshurukuwaa), translated from the German by Katharina Rout
Published 1999, English translation 2010, 303 p.
This is the second in Galsan's autobiographical fiction trilogy, picking up where The Blue Sky left off. Dshurukuwaa is eight (not an adolescent as the book flap mistakenly says) and on his way to the state boarding school where his siblings are. There he must leave behind his language, customs, and beliefs and become a communist Pioneer. Most difficult, he must suppress his shamanizing or face dire consequences.
I enjoyed this book as much as the first. Whereas The Blue Sky dealt with Dshurukuwaa's childhood on the steppe and life with his nomadic family, The Gray Earth has a larger scope as his world expands to include the district school in the regional center. Two themes run throughout: the inner tension for Dshurukuwaa at having to suppress his shamanistic tendencies and the outer conflict between the communist government imposed from the Soviet Union and centuries of nomadic tribalism. Highly recommended.
105dianeham
>102 lisapeet: SimplE was created by NYPL.
106lisapeet
>105 dianeham: Yep, that's my library. I've been using it literally since the day they rolled it out. (ETA: Using SimplyE since they rolled it out, not NYPL. I'm not THAT old.)
107labfs39
Oh no! The third book in Galsan's trilogy isn't published in English yet, not until October 2023. It's a sad day in Mudville...
I've started my first novel by a Singaporean author, Crazy Rich Asians by Kevin Kwan. I couldn't get further from the ethos of the Mongolian steppes if I tried!
I've started my first novel by a Singaporean author, Crazy Rich Asians by Kevin Kwan. I couldn't get further from the ethos of the Mongolian steppes if I tried!
108Dilara86
>107 labfs39: Oh no! The third book in Galsan's trilogy isn't published in English yet, not until October 2023. It's a sad day in Mudville...
Better late than never! It'll only be 19 years after its original publication...
Better late than never! It'll only be 19 years after its original publication...
109raton-liseur
>104 labfs39: Great that you liked it!
>107 labfs39: And sad you'll have to wait so long for the third book. It is out of print in France but I got lucky and found it in a second-hand online bookshop. Just waiting for it to arrive (and there is From the Land of Green Ghosts in the same parcel!)
>102 lisapeet: and >103 labfs39: And if I may ask, what is Better World Books? I've been using Book depository in the past few years for books written in English, how does Better World Books compare to them?
>107 labfs39: And sad you'll have to wait so long for the third book. It is out of print in France but I got lucky and found it in a second-hand online bookshop. Just waiting for it to arrive (and there is From the Land of Green Ghosts in the same parcel!)
>102 lisapeet: and >103 labfs39: And if I may ask, what is Better World Books? I've been using Book depository in the past few years for books written in English, how does Better World Books compare to them?
110labfs39
>108 Dilara86: Better late than never!
True! I'm very glad that Galsan is getting translated as I think his books are excellent. At least he writes in German and not Tuvan, or it would be a lot longer (if ever) before they were translated.
>109 raton-liseur: Ooh, two good books in one shipment. I hope you enjoy them. I'll look forward to your thoughts when you get to them.
Better World Books in an online retailer that sells used and new books. Every time you buy a book, they donate a book. I have found their prices to be competitive and customer service excellent. Like most used book sellers, you need to pay attention to the condition (good, very good, like new, etc) and be aware of ex-libris books (if that matters to you), but I have found the books' overall condition to be much better than say Thriftbooks. They have lots of sales too, and when you sign up they send coupons. I'm buying a fair number of kids books for homeschooling, and using BWB has saved tons. You can read about them here.
True! I'm very glad that Galsan is getting translated as I think his books are excellent. At least he writes in German and not Tuvan, or it would be a lot longer (if ever) before they were translated.
>109 raton-liseur: Ooh, two good books in one shipment. I hope you enjoy them. I'll look forward to your thoughts when you get to them.
Better World Books in an online retailer that sells used and new books. Every time you buy a book, they donate a book. I have found their prices to be competitive and customer service excellent. Like most used book sellers, you need to pay attention to the condition (good, very good, like new, etc) and be aware of ex-libris books (if that matters to you), but I have found the books' overall condition to be much better than say Thriftbooks. They have lots of sales too, and when you sign up they send coupons. I'm buying a fair number of kids books for homeschooling, and using BWB has saved tons. You can read about them here.
111raton-liseur
>110 labfs39: Yes, you definitely have some influence on my reading!
And thanks for the info on Better World Books. It sounds like a nice on-line shop. I think I'll try it next time I buy books in English (which is once every other year or so...).
And thanks for the info on Better World Books. It sounds like a nice on-line shop. I think I'll try it next time I buy books in English (which is once every other year or so...).
112labfs39
>111 raton-liseur: And you on mine. I'm glad we became LT friends this year, raccoon!
I'm glad I made the switch to BWB. I'm not sure what their overseas shipping policies are, but my orders have shipped free too.
I'm glad I made the switch to BWB. I'm not sure what their overseas shipping policies are, but my orders have shipped free too.
113labfs39
Crazy Rich Asians by Kevin Kwan
Published 2013, 527 p.
Rachel Chu has been dating Nicholas Young, a fellow professor in New York City, for two years when he asks her to fly home to Singapore with him for his best friend's wedding. Although a bit leery of the implications of meeting his family for the first time, Rachel agrees. Little does she know that Nicholas Young is the heir to a huge family fortune, and the family is large, entitled, and obsessed with bloodlines. Rachel, daughter of a single mom of modest means, is unprepared for what awaits her.
I wasn't sure what to expect from this book, but I needed a Singaporean book for a challenge. Chick lit is not a genre I often read. But what I found was a funny, satirical look at life among the ultra-rich in Singapore, by an author who was on the periphery of that crowd until the age of eleven when he moved to the US. Peppered with slang in Cantonese, Malay, and Mandarin, the novel includes details about the island and the lifestyles of the Asian jet set who live there. Fast-paced with an often wicked humor, I enjoyed this romp of a book and might look for the next volume in the trilogy the next time I need a light diversion.
Note: the family tree in the front of my copy was invaluable in keeping everyone straight.
114raton-liseur
>112 labfs39: Same here, I love following your reading adventures!
>113 labfs39: Not exactly my genre, but this sounds fun. I should keep it in mind if/when I want to paper-visit Singapore.
It seems there is a film adaptation of this book, by the way. Do you plan to watch it?
>113 labfs39: Not exactly my genre, but this sounds fun. I should keep it in mind if/when I want to paper-visit Singapore.
It seems there is a film adaptation of this book, by the way. Do you plan to watch it?
115labfs39
>114 raton-liseur: Not my usual fare either, but having read and enjoyed it, I am wondering about the term chick lit and what it means to me. What does chick lit mean? According to Wikipedia, chick lit is
a type of popular fiction targeted at younger women... address romantic relationships, female friendships, and workplace struggles in humorous and lighthearted ways. The typical protagonists are urban, heterosexual women in their late twenties and early thirties.
In my mind, I focus on the aspects of being light and focusing on romantic relationships and female friendships. None of those things typically interest me. But why? Do I have an inherent dislike of books aimed at young women? That would be counter to my desire to read books written by women. Am I snobby in thinking that if a book is light that it is less-than?
One thing I do know is that I dislike books/movies that glorify mediocrity. Books like Bridget Jones and My Big Fat Greek Wedding irritate me. Rather than identify with the protagonists, I get annoyed. For one thing, it is so unrealistic that the frumpy, unsuccessful woman gets the hot, successful guy. I just can't buy into that fantasy.
What made Crazy Rich Asians work for me is that the tone is snarky and that some historical detail is added.
What prejudices do others have about certain genres? Do you read the books despite your prejudices? Do you try to overcome your prejudices, or are you content to avoid books in those genres?
a type of popular fiction targeted at younger women... address romantic relationships, female friendships, and workplace struggles in humorous and lighthearted ways. The typical protagonists are urban, heterosexual women in their late twenties and early thirties.
In my mind, I focus on the aspects of being light and focusing on romantic relationships and female friendships. None of those things typically interest me. But why? Do I have an inherent dislike of books aimed at young women? That would be counter to my desire to read books written by women. Am I snobby in thinking that if a book is light that it is less-than?
One thing I do know is that I dislike books/movies that glorify mediocrity. Books like Bridget Jones and My Big Fat Greek Wedding irritate me. Rather than identify with the protagonists, I get annoyed. For one thing, it is so unrealistic that the frumpy, unsuccessful woman gets the hot, successful guy. I just can't buy into that fantasy.
What made Crazy Rich Asians work for me is that the tone is snarky and that some historical detail is added.
What prejudices do others have about certain genres? Do you read the books despite your prejudices? Do you try to overcome your prejudices, or are you content to avoid books in those genres?
116labfs39
>114 raton-liseur: And yes, I watched the movie with my teenage daughter. It deviates from the book in a couple of important ways, but my daughter and I had fun discussing it.
117labfs39
Now back to my usual grim reading:
Fires on the Plain by Shohei Ooka, translated from the Japanese by Ivan Morris
Originally published 1952, this translation 2001, 246 p., 4*
Tamura is a conscripted Japanese soldier on the island of Leyte in the Philippines late in World War II. When the novel opens, he has been discharged from the field hospital because he can no longer supply his own food, and rejected by his unit because he is too weak to forage. He wanders the forests, starving and lonely. At one point he sees the cross on the top of a Filipino church and begins reflecting on his youthful belief in God and later adult rejection of religion as childish illusions. Rather than the existence of evil, his focus is on his personal relationship with God and God's wishes for him. Eventually he meets up with other Japanese stragglers and joins them in making a push for the coast, where rumor has it they are to be evacuated. But the American army has cut off their escape route, and Tamura finds himself wandering alone again. As starvation and madness set in, he must confront both practical and philosophical questions about death, sin, and the role of chance in human destiny.
Like his protagonist, Shohei Ooka was a conscript sent to the Philippines late in the war. He was a student and translator of French literature and after the war was a Fulbright Scholar at Yale. He kept a journal during the war and began writing and publishing postwar. Several of his books won prominent awards, and in his Nobel acceptance speech, Kenzaburo Oe credits Ooka as an influence on his own writing.
I read Fires on the Plain in two sittings, unable to stop turning pages to see what would happen. The writing is clear and clean, with detailed descriptions of nature, but what I found most compelling was Tamura's struggles with survival, not only of his body, but of his Self. How do you remain true to yourself during the horrors of war, the degradation of the body, and the effects of starvation, loneliness, and guilt on the mind?
Fires on the Plain by Shohei Ooka, translated from the Japanese by Ivan Morris
Originally published 1952, this translation 2001, 246 p., 4*
Tamura is a conscripted Japanese soldier on the island of Leyte in the Philippines late in World War II. When the novel opens, he has been discharged from the field hospital because he can no longer supply his own food, and rejected by his unit because he is too weak to forage. He wanders the forests, starving and lonely. At one point he sees the cross on the top of a Filipino church and begins reflecting on his youthful belief in God and later adult rejection of religion as childish illusions. Rather than the existence of evil, his focus is on his personal relationship with God and God's wishes for him. Eventually he meets up with other Japanese stragglers and joins them in making a push for the coast, where rumor has it they are to be evacuated. But the American army has cut off their escape route, and Tamura finds himself wandering alone again. As starvation and madness set in, he must confront both practical and philosophical questions about death, sin, and the role of chance in human destiny.
Like his protagonist, Shohei Ooka was a conscript sent to the Philippines late in the war. He was a student and translator of French literature and after the war was a Fulbright Scholar at Yale. He kept a journal during the war and began writing and publishing postwar. Several of his books won prominent awards, and in his Nobel acceptance speech, Kenzaburo Oe credits Ooka as an influence on his own writing.
I read Fires on the Plain in two sittings, unable to stop turning pages to see what would happen. The writing is clear and clean, with detailed descriptions of nature, but what I found most compelling was Tamura's struggles with survival, not only of his body, but of his Self. How do you remain true to yourself during the horrors of war, the degradation of the body, and the effects of starvation, loneliness, and guilt on the mind?
118Dilara86
>117 labfs39: Now back to my usual grim reading That made me laugh (in recognition!)
I read this book last year. It packs a punch.
I read this book last year. It packs a punch.
119dchaikin
>113 labfs39: this is encouraging, seriously. I’m interested. (We spent two weird days in Singapore in 2015. Two days before we left i was sick from something i ate. And our first day our daughter got sick in the same way and spent Singapore in our wonderfully located hotel room with mom. I spent the two days walking around central Singapore, where all the famous buildings are, trying to entertain my 9-yr-old son without making my wife and daughter too jealous. So lots of water taxis which he loved and my daughter didn’t care for. It was all very surreal.)
>117 labfs39: wow. Terrific review and this sounds terrific.
>117 labfs39: wow. Terrific review and this sounds terrific.
120labfs39
>118 Dilara86: Friends and I have joked over the years that we were members of the Depressing Books Club. Next year I should start a thread with that name. lol
Fires on the Plain does indeed pack a punch. I would be curious to read Ooka's war journals. (I just checked online, and English translations are available, so I popped one in my cart.)
>119 dchaikin: I'm not sure which part of my post about chick lit you found encouraging, but how exciting to have visited Singapore. I have never been to Asia. Someday...
I think you would like Fires on the Plain.
Fires on the Plain does indeed pack a punch. I would be curious to read Ooka's war journals. (I just checked online, and English translations are available, so I popped one in my cart.)
>119 dchaikin: I'm not sure which part of my post about chick lit you found encouraging, but how exciting to have visited Singapore. I have never been to Asia. Someday...
I think you would like Fires on the Plain.
121stretch
>120 labfs39: Fires on the Plian is one that haunts. I did not know Ooka had a war journals, I'll need to track those down myself.
122dchaikin
>120 labfs39: chic lit comments were fun, but also I’m interested in the book Crazy Rich Asians - despite the chic-lit genre.
123BLBera
Fires on the Plain sounds good, Lisa, if not cheerful. Great comments.
124cindydavid4
>122 dchaikin: me too. Never took to them when I was the target audience
125MissBrangwen
>115 labfs39: What prejudices do others have about certain genres? Do you read the books despite your prejudices? Do you try to overcome your prejudices, or are you content to avoid books in those genres?
I have only this year gotten into romance novels. I never ever read them, for various reasons. One might be that I was single for many years and while I wasn't particularly sad about that and was quite happy with my life as it was, it still wasn't fun to read about other people finding their happy ever after. It just wasn't something I was able to identify with. Another thing was that I thought that they were all just predictable, stupid and too cheesy.
However, this year I first read a few historical romances after I became interested in them due to some reviews on LT (in the Category Challenge). I have only read three so far, but I enjoyed them immensely and plan to read many more (though mainly as audiobooks). That also made me take a leap and start trying contemporary romance, a genre I have little experience with, but I am enjoying the two books I have currently going (one audiobook and one kindle book).
I still feel like I "should" be reading serious literature, especially when I see what other CR members are reading, haha! But the thing is that I simply can't do that all the time, especially when my job is demanding, and then it is either Read something that is easy or Don't read at all. For several years I read crime novels in order to keep reading and relax, but I got a bit tired of them lately and the romances are a welcome addition. I still think that I will be picky with the genre and not read everything that comes my way, but I think that there are some good ones and well, why not read something about love? It may just be that I need it after all that happened in the last three years.
I have only this year gotten into romance novels. I never ever read them, for various reasons. One might be that I was single for many years and while I wasn't particularly sad about that and was quite happy with my life as it was, it still wasn't fun to read about other people finding their happy ever after. It just wasn't something I was able to identify with. Another thing was that I thought that they were all just predictable, stupid and too cheesy.
However, this year I first read a few historical romances after I became interested in them due to some reviews on LT (in the Category Challenge). I have only read three so far, but I enjoyed them immensely and plan to read many more (though mainly as audiobooks). That also made me take a leap and start trying contemporary romance, a genre I have little experience with, but I am enjoying the two books I have currently going (one audiobook and one kindle book).
I still feel like I "should" be reading serious literature, especially when I see what other CR members are reading, haha! But the thing is that I simply can't do that all the time, especially when my job is demanding, and then it is either Read something that is easy or Don't read at all. For several years I read crime novels in order to keep reading and relax, but I got a bit tired of them lately and the romances are a welcome addition. I still think that I will be picky with the genre and not read everything that comes my way, but I think that there are some good ones and well, why not read something about love? It may just be that I need it after all that happened in the last three years.
126labfs39
>121 stretch: Yes, Fires on the Plain will be difficult to forget, Kevin.
>122 dchaikin: Ah, got you, Dan. I'll be curious as to what you think if you read it.
>123 BLBera: Thanks, Beth, it was very good.
>124 cindydavid4: Crazy Rich Asians was diverting and funny, so I read the second in the trilogy yesterday, and it was a snooze. 1 for 2.
>125 MissBrangwen: Thanks for sharing, Mirjam. I have read the occasional romance book, either historical or, strangely enough, military. My sister started me reading Suzanne Brockman, who writes these romantic thriller novels about Navy Seals. I've read them all, and there are quite a few. ;-) Never been motivated to pick up any others in the genre though. That was enough.
>122 dchaikin: Ah, got you, Dan. I'll be curious as to what you think if you read it.
>123 BLBera: Thanks, Beth, it was very good.
>124 cindydavid4: Crazy Rich Asians was diverting and funny, so I read the second in the trilogy yesterday, and it was a snooze. 1 for 2.
>125 MissBrangwen: Thanks for sharing, Mirjam. I have read the occasional romance book, either historical or, strangely enough, military. My sister started me reading Suzanne Brockman, who writes these romantic thriller novels about Navy Seals. I've read them all, and there are quite a few. ;-) Never been motivated to pick up any others in the genre though. That was enough.
127labfs39
China Rich Girlfriend by Kevin Kwan
Published 2015, 479 p.
I read and enjoyed the first book in the trilogy, Crazy Rich Asians, but found this one disappointing. It felt as though the author was trying to recreate the same novel, only in mainland China instead of Singapore.
Two years have passed since the last book ended, and Rachel and Nicholas are about to get married, without his family's knowledge. Eleanor, however, has unearthed secrets about Rachel's family and will stop at nothing to make sure Nick knows before he ties the knot.
128raton-liseur
>115 labfs39: I think you prettymuch summed up my dislike towards chick lit. I do like light books (from time to time), but you need a certain level of credibility and you need to get fun rather than being annoyed and dislike to character!
You say: In my mind, I focus on the aspects of being light and focusing on romantic relationships and female friendships. None of those things typically interest me. But why? Do I have an inherent dislike of books aimed at young women?
In the same line of thought, I think what I dislike most is thinking about a book as being aimed at women (or whatever subset of the readers population - even if I agree some books are better read at some stage of the reader's life, but that a personal choice and the fruit of a personal encounter between a given reader and a given book). Although I imagine it is easier from a marketing point of view...
>117 labfs39: I love this book, that I read at the end of 2021 I think. We do like the same grim books, then!
You say: In my mind, I focus on the aspects of being light and focusing on romantic relationships and female friendships. None of those things typically interest me. But why? Do I have an inherent dislike of books aimed at young women?
In the same line of thought, I think what I dislike most is thinking about a book as being aimed at women (or whatever subset of the readers population - even if I agree some books are better read at some stage of the reader's life, but that a personal choice and the fruit of a personal encounter between a given reader and a given book). Although I imagine it is easier from a marketing point of view...
>117 labfs39: I love this book, that I read at the end of 2021 I think. We do like the same grim books, then!
129msf59
Good review of Fires on the Plain, Lisa. I remember really enjoying the film adaptation, many years ago. Maybe I can bookhorn in the novel before I do a rewatch.
130labfs39
>128 raton-liseur: I'm glad I tried Kevin Kwan, but I'm happy to move on. Fires on the Plain was hard to put down. I agree that our reading tastes seem to overlap when it comes to the grim books.
>129 msf59: Wikipedia says that the film "substantially changes the protagonist's relationship to the theme ofcannibalism and Christianity," two important themes in the book. If you do read the book, Mark, I would love to know your thoughts on this. I'm not sure I have the emotional fortitude to watch the movie.
>129 msf59: Wikipedia says that the film "substantially changes the protagonist's relationship to the theme of
131RidgewayGirl
>115 labfs39: That is an interesting question and one that makes me look at my literary prejudices. If a book is well-written, shouldn't the genre be irrelevant? And should a badly-written, or lazily written book turn me off of an entire genre? Anyway, lots to think about.
132labfs39
>131 RidgewayGirl: If a book is well-written, shouldn't the genre be irrelevant?
Yes, but what if prejudice prevents a reader from picking up the book in the first place? I avoid certain sections of the bookstore (physical or online) in favor of other sections. I tend not to pick up books with certain types of covers. I prefer some publishers over others. All of that happens long before I read a word the author has written. And with so many books out there, isn't it inevitable, and even good, that we have personal preference filters? CR recommendations from fellow readers I trust are exceptions that push me outside my comfort zones. Interestingly, I have found that my reading tastes dovetail with another Club Reader in certain genres, but not others.
Also, I find that my taste in genre fiction changes over time. I used to read a lot of fantasy, then I switched to science fiction. I used to like medical thrillers, now it's espionage. Add enough history and I will even read mysteries (looking at you, Jacqueline Winspear) or genre-benders like Outlander. My tastes in history and translated literature, on the other hand, have broadened, but not changed per se. Huh, I wonder why? Because my entertainment needs are different from my intellectual interests?
Yes, but what if prejudice prevents a reader from picking up the book in the first place? I avoid certain sections of the bookstore (physical or online) in favor of other sections. I tend not to pick up books with certain types of covers. I prefer some publishers over others. All of that happens long before I read a word the author has written. And with so many books out there, isn't it inevitable, and even good, that we have personal preference filters? CR recommendations from fellow readers I trust are exceptions that push me outside my comfort zones. Interestingly, I have found that my reading tastes dovetail with another Club Reader in certain genres, but not others.
Also, I find that my taste in genre fiction changes over time. I used to read a lot of fantasy, then I switched to science fiction. I used to like medical thrillers, now it's espionage. Add enough history and I will even read mysteries (looking at you, Jacqueline Winspear) or genre-benders like Outlander. My tastes in history and translated literature, on the other hand, have broadened, but not changed per se. Huh, I wonder why? Because my entertainment needs are different from my intellectual interests?
133dchaikin
Ok, i know this is wrong, but my own prejudice is that if a book is well written is shouldn’t fall easily into any genre. And if a book is genre-ed, my first thought is that its whole purpose is pre-contained within the genre definition. So, in a sense, the worst problem for a work of chic-lit is that it failed to escape the genre. Again, I know that’s wrong. It’s just a semi-unconscious prejudice.
134labfs39
>133 dchaikin: Interesting, Dan. Of course, failing to escape the genre label implies that there is something wrong with genre labels. It makes me wonder when genre labels were developed. I think they are mainly marketing tools, both as a way for marketers to promote a book to a certain demographic and as shortcuts to lead people to books they might like. I sometimes take issue with how a book is genre-ed. For instance, some young adult books, to me are not. A famous example is Maus. Art Spiegelman was aghast that it was labelled a YA book, a genre label that has stuck unfortunately. Diana Gabaldon has fought long and hard for her books not to be labelled romance. Why? Because many adults don't read YA and many men (and women) wouldn't be caught dead in the romance department. For these authors, the genre labels limit their potential customers, rather than increase sales through targeted demographics.
135MissBrangwen
>134 labfs39: I love this interesting discussion!
Diana Gabaldon has fought long and hard for her books not to be labelled romance. I didn't know about this, but it is interesting, because I have always read the Outlander books for the historical details, the Scottish topics and Claire's character, and not for the romance.
I also think that there are many books that are genre-ed but that are much more than that genre at a closer look.
Diana Gabaldon has fought long and hard for her books not to be labelled romance. I didn't know about this, but it is interesting, because I have always read the Outlander books for the historical details, the Scottish topics and Claire's character, and not for the romance.
I also think that there are many books that are genre-ed but that are much more than that genre at a closer look.
136labfs39
>135 MissBrangwen: Me too! It's as preposterous to me as labeling them fantasy because they contain time travel. But some do.
I would like to think that I am above being unduly swayed by genre labels, but I know that I am.
I would like to think that I am above being unduly swayed by genre labels, but I know that I am.
137rocketjk
>133 dchaikin: "... if a book is well written is shouldn’t fall easily into any genre."
In my view, yes and no. A well written science fiction novel, say one that takes place a million years from now on a giant spacecraft and includes a meeting with mysterious beings who . . . well, you get the idea, will still be science fiction, regardless of how well done it is. But if the writing is graceful and the characterizations are believable and the plot contains themes of human experience that transcend the spaceship and the futuristic setting, then it might end up being enjoyed by readers who wouldn't normally enjoy science fiction. So the book can fall easily into the genre but transcend it at the same time, in my view.
>134 labfs39: -- >136 labfs39: I agree that marketing plays a major role in how books are perceived and discussed. My favorite example, from when I owned my used bookstore, is the distinction between "Paranormal Romance" and "Urban Fantasy." I never read any books of either appellation, but from reading the plot and character synposes on the backs of the books, the only real distinction I could discern between the genres* was the labeling on the books' spines. In my store, the Paranormal Romance had a distinct set of shelves within the Romance section, while the Urban Fantasy were simply shelved within the Science Fiction/Fantasy section. Whether the authors got a say in which label would appear on the spines of their books, I don't know.
* Female protagonists fighting non-human beings of some sort or another. Not all Urban Fantasy novels fall into this generalization, of course. You would never see a book with a male protagonist and/or a male author labeled Paranormal Romance. What I'm getting at is that almost all of the "Paranormal Romance" novels, which always had female authors, could just as easily have been labeled "Urban Fantasy." It seemed to me that over the years I owned the store, the sales of Paranormal Romance novels became less and less robust, as if it had been a trend or even a fad that had lost steam. I sold the store around four years ago. My guess is that many of the series that once would have been marketed as Paranormal Romance are now labeled Urban Fantasy.
In my view, yes and no. A well written science fiction novel, say one that takes place a million years from now on a giant spacecraft and includes a meeting with mysterious beings who . . . well, you get the idea, will still be science fiction, regardless of how well done it is. But if the writing is graceful and the characterizations are believable and the plot contains themes of human experience that transcend the spaceship and the futuristic setting, then it might end up being enjoyed by readers who wouldn't normally enjoy science fiction. So the book can fall easily into the genre but transcend it at the same time, in my view.
>134 labfs39: -- >136 labfs39: I agree that marketing plays a major role in how books are perceived and discussed. My favorite example, from when I owned my used bookstore, is the distinction between "Paranormal Romance" and "Urban Fantasy." I never read any books of either appellation, but from reading the plot and character synposes on the backs of the books, the only real distinction I could discern between the genres* was the labeling on the books' spines. In my store, the Paranormal Romance had a distinct set of shelves within the Romance section, while the Urban Fantasy were simply shelved within the Science Fiction/Fantasy section. Whether the authors got a say in which label would appear on the spines of their books, I don't know.
* Female protagonists fighting non-human beings of some sort or another. Not all Urban Fantasy novels fall into this generalization, of course. You would never see a book with a male protagonist and/or a male author labeled Paranormal Romance. What I'm getting at is that almost all of the "Paranormal Romance" novels, which always had female authors, could just as easily have been labeled "Urban Fantasy." It seemed to me that over the years I owned the store, the sales of Paranormal Romance novels became less and less robust, as if it had been a trend or even a fad that had lost steam. I sold the store around four years ago. My guess is that many of the series that once would have been marketed as Paranormal Romance are now labeled Urban Fantasy.
138cindydavid4
If a book is well written is shouldn’t fall easily into any genre."
Confused; is this saying that a well written book does not belong in any genre; that genres, by that definition, are not well written? This drives me crazy; I have read books from the 'genre' shelves that easily compare with any of the classics in fiction/lit, and have read books considered literature that was not readable.
I understand the need for genre labels; they are for marketing and make it easy for customers to find books that they are interested in, but there are way too many times when these work against writers, as well as limiting the selections of books for customers. LIke others ive seen strange books in genre sections that don't belong there. I don't like the sub genres and feel they should just be listed with
the genreI wish they would just have fiction/lit in alphabetical order, but thats probably never going to happen. Who decides where these books go? Lots of it makes no sense.
Confused; is this saying that a well written book does not belong in any genre; that genres, by that definition, are not well written? This drives me crazy; I have read books from the 'genre' shelves that easily compare with any of the classics in fiction/lit, and have read books considered literature that was not readable.
I understand the need for genre labels; they are for marketing and make it easy for customers to find books that they are interested in, but there are way too many times when these work against writers, as well as limiting the selections of books for customers. LIke others ive seen strange books in genre sections that don't belong there. I don't like the sub genres and feel they should just be listed with
the genreI wish they would just have fiction/lit in alphabetical order, but thats probably never going to happen. Who decides where these books go? Lots of it makes no sense.
139labfs39
>133 dchaikin: >137 rocketjk: To continue... The idea of transcending the genre implies that being genre is not enough, and it leads the question of what has to be excluded from a book in order to be considered genre. By that, I mean, we know what needs to be included in order to be considered a mystery, but what needs to be left out in order to stay in genre and not transcend it. For instance, I don't read a lot of mysteries, but I really like Jacqueline Winspear's Maisie Dobbs series because of the setting (WWI-WWII England). Does the historical detail mean that it has transcended the genre?
>137 rocketjk: I love hearing about your bookstore days, Jerry. Without your descriptions, I would have wrongly defined paranormal romance and urban fantasy. I would have thought the first was love between vampires or such and the second dystopian urban books like the later Terry Brooks or Butler's Parable books.
>138 cindydavid4: What's interesting to me is the difference in how booksellers and librarians think about shelving books. Although these days, I've started seeing more libraries taking a page from bookstores with their layout.
>137 rocketjk: I love hearing about your bookstore days, Jerry. Without your descriptions, I would have wrongly defined paranormal romance and urban fantasy. I would have thought the first was love between vampires or such and the second dystopian urban books like the later Terry Brooks or Butler's Parable books.
>138 cindydavid4: What's interesting to me is the difference in how booksellers and librarians think about shelving books. Although these days, I've started seeing more libraries taking a page from bookstores with their layout.
140cindydavid4
>137 rocketjk: But if the writing is graceful and the characterizations are believable and the plot contains themes of human experience that transcend the spaceship and the futuristic setting, then it might end up being enjoyed by readers who wouldn't normally enjoy science fiction. So the book can fall easily into the genre but transcend it at the same time, in my view.
oh I am not confused now I know what it says. Indeed such would transcend it . Thanks for that clarification
oh I am not confused now I know what it says. Indeed such would transcend it . Thanks for that clarification
141rocketjk
>139 labfs39: "The idea of transcending the genre implies that being genre is not enough . . . Does the historical detail mean that it has transcended the genre?"
To me, "transcending the genre" means reaching an audience that might not normally be especially interested in reading books in that genre. So if word gets around via venues like LT that a science fiction novel, just for example, is particularly well written, enough to be of interest to a more general cohort of readers, or if the book is successfully marketed as such, then to me it has transcended the genre because it's reached a wider readership. In the case of the Maisie Dobbs books, for example, I would imagine that you, and many others, like them not just because they have an interesting historical setting, but because that interesting historical setting is presented particularly well. So it's a good mystery and good historical fiction. However, I don't put any negative connotation on a good mystery that does not transcend the genre, at least as per the definition I'm presenting here. Personally, I like to dip my reading toes into genres of all sorts from time to time. I don't think of them as lesser books in any way. So for me, even though some novels do transcend their genres, it doesn't mean that I think that "being genre is not enough."
"I would have wrongly defined paranormal romance and urban fantasy. I would have thought the first was love between vampires or such and the second dystopian urban books like the later Terry Brooks or Butler's Parable books."
My take on the Paranormal Romance genre is the stories generally involve quite a bit of conflict. Humans against vampires, or vampires against werwolves, or some such. Sometimes it's good guy werwolves protecting Humanity against bad guy werwolves. That sort of thing. The protagonist is a female human or vampire or werwolf doing battle against some such group or other. But, yes, of course there is also "romance" involved. In fact, like more general romance novels, quite a few of the PR series are quite steamy.
I think that the Urban Fantasy sub-genre does indeed include books like the ones you've mentioned. The Jim Butcher "Dresden File" books also come to mind. But I also noticed that publishers began labeling series that might just as easily have been considered Paranormal Romance as Urban Fantasy in order to gain a wider readership. Because you would very, very rarely have found male readers browsing the Paranormal Romance shelves, while, in my experience as a bookseller, Science Fiction has become much less a males-only readership than it used to be (or at least than it used to be perceived to be by us dudes). So either men or women might stumble upon a series shelved with in Science Fiction section.
"I love hearing about your bookstore days, Jerry."
Be careful what you wish for! :) (Glory days, oh, they pass you by . . . )
To me, "transcending the genre" means reaching an audience that might not normally be especially interested in reading books in that genre. So if word gets around via venues like LT that a science fiction novel, just for example, is particularly well written, enough to be of interest to a more general cohort of readers, or if the book is successfully marketed as such, then to me it has transcended the genre because it's reached a wider readership. In the case of the Maisie Dobbs books, for example, I would imagine that you, and many others, like them not just because they have an interesting historical setting, but because that interesting historical setting is presented particularly well. So it's a good mystery and good historical fiction. However, I don't put any negative connotation on a good mystery that does not transcend the genre, at least as per the definition I'm presenting here. Personally, I like to dip my reading toes into genres of all sorts from time to time. I don't think of them as lesser books in any way. So for me, even though some novels do transcend their genres, it doesn't mean that I think that "being genre is not enough."
"I would have wrongly defined paranormal romance and urban fantasy. I would have thought the first was love between vampires or such and the second dystopian urban books like the later Terry Brooks or Butler's Parable books."
My take on the Paranormal Romance genre is the stories generally involve quite a bit of conflict. Humans against vampires, or vampires against werwolves, or some such. Sometimes it's good guy werwolves protecting Humanity against bad guy werwolves. That sort of thing. The protagonist is a female human or vampire or werwolf doing battle against some such group or other. But, yes, of course there is also "romance" involved. In fact, like more general romance novels, quite a few of the PR series are quite steamy.
I think that the Urban Fantasy sub-genre does indeed include books like the ones you've mentioned. The Jim Butcher "Dresden File" books also come to mind. But I also noticed that publishers began labeling series that might just as easily have been considered Paranormal Romance as Urban Fantasy in order to gain a wider readership. Because you would very, very rarely have found male readers browsing the Paranormal Romance shelves, while, in my experience as a bookseller, Science Fiction has become much less a males-only readership than it used to be (or at least than it used to be perceived to be by us dudes). So either men or women might stumble upon a series shelved with in Science Fiction section.
"I love hearing about your bookstore days, Jerry."
Be careful what you wish for! :) (Glory days, oh, they pass you by . . . )
143labfs39
This might be a good time to mention some of my favorite books that I do think transcend the genre, or at least are genre-bending:
The Sparrow (science fiction) and Doc (western) by Mary Doria Russell
Xenocide (science fiction) by Orson Scott Card
Outlander (romance) by Diana Gabaldon
Maisie Dobbs (mystery) by Jacqueline Winspear
The Good German (espionage thriller) by Joseph Kanon
Others want to chime in with some suggestions?
The Sparrow (science fiction) and Doc (western) by Mary Doria Russell
Xenocide (science fiction) by Orson Scott Card
Outlander (romance) by Diana Gabaldon
Maisie Dobbs (mystery) by Jacqueline Winspear
The Good German (espionage thriller) by Joseph Kanon
Others want to chime in with some suggestions?
144labfs39
>141 rocketjk: in my experience as a bookseller, Science Fiction has become much less a males-only readership than it used to be
I would be interested to see stats on readership for different genres over time. My perception about science fiction is similar to yours. While I think some women have always read science fiction, I think that as more women write science fiction, that number has grown. Perhaps too as more women get into the sciences? It's interesting to me that women read male authors at a much higher rate than men read female authors. This has been discussed many times on LT, but I bring it up here because I think it bears on the issue of genre and how marketers label books.
>142 avaland: Hi Lois, thanks for popping in. My reading has been a little crazy this month.
I would be interested to see stats on readership for different genres over time. My perception about science fiction is similar to yours. While I think some women have always read science fiction, I think that as more women write science fiction, that number has grown. Perhaps too as more women get into the sciences? It's interesting to me that women read male authors at a much higher rate than men read female authors. This has been discussed many times on LT, but I bring it up here because I think it bears on the issue of genre and how marketers label books.
>142 avaland: Hi Lois, thanks for popping in. My reading has been a little crazy this month.
145labfs39
Happy Turkey Day to all those who are celebrating it. I am finally coming out of my tryptophan stupor and am ready to pick up my next book:
Song of Survival: Women Interned by Helen Colijn
When looking for books set in Singapore for the Asian Book Challenge this month, I came across this at the library. It's the memoir of a Dutch woman who was interned by the Japanese during WWII. I see that it is the inspiration for the movie, Paradise Road, starring Glenn Close. I read a similar account many years ago called Three Came Home, by a woman who was similarly interred on Borneo with her two year old son.
Song of Survival: Women Interned by Helen Colijn
When looking for books set in Singapore for the Asian Book Challenge this month, I came across this at the library. It's the memoir of a Dutch woman who was interned by the Japanese during WWII. I see that it is the inspiration for the movie, Paradise Road, starring Glenn Close. I read a similar account many years ago called Three Came Home, by a woman who was similarly interred on Borneo with her two year old son.
147labfs39
>146 dianeham: Oh, sorry, Diane, let me check.
148lisapeet
Great conversation here! When I'm reading, I don't think a lot about genre, but covers are a whole nother ballgame for me. I scroll through a lot of e-galleys, and there are many I just reject out of hand because they look like things I won't like. And conversely, I'm drawn to some covers like catnip. Every so often, reading reviews of books already out, I see that I got the wrong impression (Lessons in Chemistry, I'm looking at you), but... live and learn.
I've never worked in a bookstore or a public library, so it's interesting to hear about how shelving conventions in both work for and against books.
I've never worked in a bookstore or a public library, so it's interesting to hear about how shelving conventions in both work for and against books.
150rocketjk
>143 labfs39: Of those you mention, I've only read The Good German, which I agree transcends the espionage thriller genre label.
In the science fiction realm, we have some classics, of course, including 1984 and Brave New World. (Digression alert! -- I recently heard a young standup comedian talking about how he never liked to read in school but has just started enjoying it. "I read 1984," he said. "Man, things were weird back then! Things are much better now!")
I think The Lonesome Dove books are thought of as transcending the Western genre.
Graham Greene's espionage novels, as well.
I would conjecture that The Martian by Andy Weir, Ready Player One by Ernest Cline and Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel all make the list. I haven't read any of these myself, but going by the number and breadth of the folks here on LT that have read and enjoyed these books, I think they've reached genre transcendence. (Or as the Zen master said to the hot dog vendor, "Write me one with everything.")
In the science fiction realm, we have some classics, of course, including 1984 and Brave New World. (Digression alert! -- I recently heard a young standup comedian talking about how he never liked to read in school but has just started enjoying it. "I read 1984," he said. "Man, things were weird back then! Things are much better now!")
I think The Lonesome Dove books are thought of as transcending the Western genre.
Graham Greene's espionage novels, as well.
I would conjecture that The Martian by Andy Weir, Ready Player One by Ernest Cline and Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel all make the list. I haven't read any of these myself, but going by the number and breadth of the folks here on LT that have read and enjoyed these books, I think they've reached genre transcendence. (Or as the Zen master said to the hot dog vendor, "Write me one with everything.")
151RidgewayGirl
I wonder if by "transcends the genre" what is really meant is that an author used the limitations placed on them by the genre as a framework for what is really literary fiction? Sometimes the rules of a genre gives authors a ready-made scaffolding for something interesting.
152cindydavid4
Mmmmmm Do authors really think about those limitations as they write? they may be thinking they are writing a HF What restrictions would be nec to keep it from being a sci fi? What did Vonnegut write to cause his work to be considered sci fi when he said it absolutely was not. who made those limitations in the first place?
All this is why I really dont like lables. these new (to me )labels like urban fantasy and Paranormal romance drive me crazy coz I don't know what they mean. Have the same problem with Realistic Fiction, Speculative fiction ad nauseum. I remember twenty years ago the big thing was to call a book Post Modern and I still don't know what it means! Again I know why they are necessary. But using these new ones will just confuse readers and cause lots more books being misshelved (if thats a word)
>151 RidgewayGirl: hope you dont think Im jumping on you ; you brought up a very good point just trying to wrap my head around it!
All this is why I really dont like lables. these new (to me )labels like urban fantasy and Paranormal romance drive me crazy coz I don't know what they mean. Have the same problem with Realistic Fiction, Speculative fiction ad nauseum. I remember twenty years ago the big thing was to call a book Post Modern and I still don't know what it means! Again I know why they are necessary. But using these new ones will just confuse readers and cause lots more books being misshelved (if thats a word)
>151 RidgewayGirl: hope you dont think Im jumping on you ; you brought up a very good point just trying to wrap my head around it!
153cindydavid4
very intersting article from Wiki, answering some of my questions https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_writing_genres
Check out this list.Imagine going in to a bookstore looking for a mystery and finds this many shelves with books fitting all of those genre.
Another thought: I see some sections labeled LGBTQ. Who decides to put books on that shelf when they could easily just be literature?
What a minefield we created!
Check out this list.Imagine going in to a bookstore looking for a mystery and finds this many shelves with books fitting all of those genre.
Another thought: I see some sections labeled LGBTQ. Who decides to put books on that shelf when they could easily just be literature?
What a minefield we created!
154labfs39
Goodness, what a busy week! I did take a couple of hours yesterday and check through my books for ones that will fit Paul's African Novel Challenge for 2023. I enjoyed his Asian Book Challenge this year, so am signing on for Africa. As expected, I have read most of the few books by African authors that I have, so I ordered a bunch through Better World Books and Amazon. Exciting new authors and countries for 2023!
155cushlareads
I'm not even going to try to catch up on 4 threads - but I've enjoyed the genre conversation above (and many others!). I agree about Joseph Kanon, and your mention of him sent me upstairs to a bookshelf to figure out which books of his I have and haven't read. And now I'm confused...pretty sure I read The Good German quite recently after having it sit here for years, then Leaving Berlin.
I'd add Edward Wilson into the espionage-plus category for his Willam Catesby/Kit Fournier novels. Have you tried them? The Envoy is the first one, then The Darkling Spy.The plots are so involved though that I feel like I need a re-read before I embark on the next ones.
Hope the snow has been pretty but not too much.
I'd add Edward Wilson into the espionage-plus category for his Willam Catesby/Kit Fournier novels. Have you tried them? The Envoy is the first one, then The Darkling Spy.The plots are so involved though that I feel like I need a re-read before I embark on the next ones.
Hope the snow has been pretty but not too much.
156RidgewayGirl
>152 cindydavid4: I enjoy a robust conversation! I absolutely do think that authors choosing to write in a specific genre do pay attention to the parameters, and when they choose to step outside of the expectations, it is deliberate.
157cindydavid4
but what are the parameters of each genre and how would a writer know if they are in one genre or several or none, or if you are just writing fiction?
158raton-liseur
>153 cindydavid4: I think the LGBTQ+ (you forgot the + :) ) might be the label I am most incomfortable with. I would not deliberately go to such a section of my bookstore (because I do not deliberately seek books with LGBTQ+ characters), but I would like to see them in the mainstream section, to be able to come across such characters now and then, just naturally without it being forced.
I understand why it is there as I guess some people do specifically want to read about this subject, but maybe, hopefully, at some point, this label won't be necessary anymore as it will be a normal feature in a book, genre and sexual orientation not being such a determining factor of the genre of literature you are reading. Am I day-dreaming?
Oh, and according to what I see from this conversation, I feel that the genre classification might be less important in the French bookshops (says someone who has never been in a US bookshop or library...). We have the usual "mysteries & thriller" category and the unavoidable "sci-fi and fantasy" shelves, maybe a romance section but more likely (in a non-parisian bookstore) a "roman du terroir" section (regional/rural literature, usually a kind of historical romance, where the historical and local background is of prime importance), and that's it (for the fiction department of course).
>154 labfs39: Oh, good to know, I'll check this new challenge. I too probably don't have much on my shelves, but this could be a good way to open my literary horizons.
I understand why it is there as I guess some people do specifically want to read about this subject, but maybe, hopefully, at some point, this label won't be necessary anymore as it will be a normal feature in a book, genre and sexual orientation not being such a determining factor of the genre of literature you are reading. Am I day-dreaming?
Oh, and according to what I see from this conversation, I feel that the genre classification might be less important in the French bookshops (says someone who has never been in a US bookshop or library...). We have the usual "mysteries & thriller" category and the unavoidable "sci-fi and fantasy" shelves, maybe a romance section but more likely (in a non-parisian bookstore) a "roman du terroir" section (regional/rural literature, usually a kind of historical romance, where the historical and local background is of prime importance), and that's it (for the fiction department of course).
>154 labfs39: Oh, good to know, I'll check this new challenge. I too probably don't have much on my shelves, but this could be a good way to open my literary horizons.
159cindydavid4
>158 raton-liseur: but maybe, hopefully, at some point, this label won't be necessary anymore as it will be a normal feature in a book, genre and sexual orientation not being such a determining factor of the genre of literature you are reading. Am I day-dreaming?
no you are not, think that day will come
no you are not, think that day will come
160labfs39
>148 lisapeet: I think most about genre when I am looking for something entertaining. Sometimes I'm in the mood for a certain trope, and then I seek out that genre. Otherwise I tend to fall back on familiar subjects: translated lit, WWII, etc.
I would love to be a fly on a wall in a book marketing meeting. How do all of these things get decided? How many of the decision makers have read the book? How much input does the author have? Inquiring minds want to know...
When I was hired to create the library for Folio: The Seattle Athenaeum, they specifically asked if I could arrange books like a bookstore, not like a library. I had to create a special taxonomy. When I worked one holiday season at Borders (remember them?) in grad school, there was a system for determining which books faced out, as books with covers displayed tended to move faster.
>149 dchaikin: You are always welcome to pop by, Dan!
>150 rocketjk: LOL. A standup comedian doing book jokes, I love it.
So where did you shelve books like 1984, Jerry? Did you have a classics section? If so, what made the cut to go there?
going by the number and breadth of the folks here on LT that have read and enjoyed these books, I think they've reached genre transcendence
Hmm, or was The Martian (the only one of the three that I've read) so well-written (with an interesting backstory), that more people surprised themselves with liking a science fiction novel? Did it get pulled out of the genre, or did others get pulled in?
"Write me one with everything." A great aspect of what we are talking about with genre transcendence, I think: more than one trope. Not being easily defined.
>151 RidgewayGirl: Interesting question, Kay. Mary Doria Russell is someone who plays with genre structures in my mind. The Sparrow for instance starts with a spaceship and an alien encounter, but then she throws in a Jesuit priest and a whole lot of philosophy and sociology. The result is something more than. Similarly, I feel, she starts off with a gunslinger western in Doc but flips it on its head with her portrayal of the inner life of her tubercular dentist hero from history (Doc Holliday).
>152 cindydavid4: In that particular case, historical fiction is by definition the fictionalization of an historical event or person (looking back). Science fiction is imagining the future, especially as it relates to technology (looking forward). But I understand your point about the problems inherent in genre labels. I do find it interesting to think about from time to time though, and to question my biases as a reader.
>153 cindydavid4: I think that most bookstores don't get that granular, unless they specialize in a particular genre. I could see a mystery bookshop, for instance, breaking out their collection into more specific subgenres. But most general bookshops are happy to stop with mystery.
I think your question about LGBTQ+ is an interesting one. I'm afraid that too many (American) readers in the general population would be offended to run across many books featuring LGBTQ+ protagonists in the literature section. Especially these days with irrational fears that people will somehow get brainwashed into changing their sexual orientation if they are exposed to LGBTQ+ characters. I would not want to be a bookstore owner or librarian in a red state right now. I'm reminded of a book club I belonged to back in Washington. I suggested The Song of Achilles for my selection. One of the members came to the meeting in a tizzy about having to read "gay porn."
I would love to be a fly on a wall in a book marketing meeting. How do all of these things get decided? How many of the decision makers have read the book? How much input does the author have? Inquiring minds want to know...
When I was hired to create the library for Folio: The Seattle Athenaeum, they specifically asked if I could arrange books like a bookstore, not like a library. I had to create a special taxonomy. When I worked one holiday season at Borders (remember them?) in grad school, there was a system for determining which books faced out, as books with covers displayed tended to move faster.
>149 dchaikin: You are always welcome to pop by, Dan!
>150 rocketjk: LOL. A standup comedian doing book jokes, I love it.
So where did you shelve books like 1984, Jerry? Did you have a classics section? If so, what made the cut to go there?
going by the number and breadth of the folks here on LT that have read and enjoyed these books, I think they've reached genre transcendence
Hmm, or was The Martian (the only one of the three that I've read) so well-written (with an interesting backstory), that more people surprised themselves with liking a science fiction novel? Did it get pulled out of the genre, or did others get pulled in?
"Write me one with everything." A great aspect of what we are talking about with genre transcendence, I think: more than one trope. Not being easily defined.
>151 RidgewayGirl: Interesting question, Kay. Mary Doria Russell is someone who plays with genre structures in my mind. The Sparrow for instance starts with a spaceship and an alien encounter, but then she throws in a Jesuit priest and a whole lot of philosophy and sociology. The result is something more than. Similarly, I feel, she starts off with a gunslinger western in Doc but flips it on its head with her portrayal of the inner life of her tubercular dentist hero from history (Doc Holliday).
>152 cindydavid4: In that particular case, historical fiction is by definition the fictionalization of an historical event or person (looking back). Science fiction is imagining the future, especially as it relates to technology (looking forward). But I understand your point about the problems inherent in genre labels. I do find it interesting to think about from time to time though, and to question my biases as a reader.
>153 cindydavid4: I think that most bookstores don't get that granular, unless they specialize in a particular genre. I could see a mystery bookshop, for instance, breaking out their collection into more specific subgenres. But most general bookshops are happy to stop with mystery.
I think your question about LGBTQ+ is an interesting one. I'm afraid that too many (American) readers in the general population would be offended to run across many books featuring LGBTQ+ protagonists in the literature section. Especially these days with irrational fears that people will somehow get brainwashed into changing their sexual orientation if they are exposed to LGBTQ+ characters. I would not want to be a bookstore owner or librarian in a red state right now. I'm reminded of a book club I belonged to back in Washington. I suggested The Song of Achilles for my selection. One of the members came to the meeting in a tizzy about having to read "gay porn."
161labfs39
>155 cushlareads: Hey Cushla, nice to see you! CR has been busy this year. I'm glad you dropped in here rather than wait until you could read past threads.
The only other book by Joseph Kanon that I've read is Istanbul Passage, and I didn't find it as philosophically interesting as The Good German. How was Leaving Berlin? I haven't read Edward Wilson. I'll make a note for the next time I'm looking for an espionage book. I recently picked up a slew of Alan Furst's Night Soldiers books, and I also read the first Gabriel Allon book, and although I am willing to give it another try, I wasn't impressed with the first one.
The snow melted (except for some ice clumps left by the plows), but it has been chilly. Below freezing for most of the day most days. Sunny though, which is nice. One of our winters I would love to come visit you!
>156 RidgewayGirl: I too appreciate a good book conversation, but get tense when things get snarky. Fortunately we have avoided that here.
>156 RidgewayGirl: >157 cindydavid4: I think authors and many readers are aware of the parameters and whether or not they are being stretched. But I understand your frustration, Cindy, over the tension between genres and the ubiquitous term literature or literary fiction. When poking around, I read an interesting article in the Guardian called Literature vs genre is a battle where both sides lose. In a Huff article, the article's writer says that genre fiction is meant to allow the reader to escape reality (entertainment), whereas literary fiction is helps the reader better understand the real world. I get what he's saying, but I think well-written genre fiction allows helps us understand the nature of humanity, albeit within prescribed parameters or tropes.
>158 raton-liseur: I think the Africa challenge will broaden my reading horizons more than any other regional challenge, with the exception maybe of South America. I hope I can better balance my reading time next year though, so that I have time to fit in other books. This year I felt a bit prescribed at times.
The only other book by Joseph Kanon that I've read is Istanbul Passage, and I didn't find it as philosophically interesting as The Good German. How was Leaving Berlin? I haven't read Edward Wilson. I'll make a note for the next time I'm looking for an espionage book. I recently picked up a slew of Alan Furst's Night Soldiers books, and I also read the first Gabriel Allon book, and although I am willing to give it another try, I wasn't impressed with the first one.
The snow melted (except for some ice clumps left by the plows), but it has been chilly. Below freezing for most of the day most days. Sunny though, which is nice. One of our winters I would love to come visit you!
>156 RidgewayGirl: I too appreciate a good book conversation, but get tense when things get snarky. Fortunately we have avoided that here.
>156 RidgewayGirl: >157 cindydavid4: I think authors and many readers are aware of the parameters and whether or not they are being stretched. But I understand your frustration, Cindy, over the tension between genres and the ubiquitous term literature or literary fiction. When poking around, I read an interesting article in the Guardian called Literature vs genre is a battle where both sides lose. In a Huff article, the article's writer says that genre fiction is meant to allow the reader to escape reality (entertainment), whereas literary fiction is helps the reader better understand the real world. I get what he's saying, but I think well-written genre fiction allows helps us understand the nature of humanity, albeit within prescribed parameters or tropes.
>158 raton-liseur: I think the Africa challenge will broaden my reading horizons more than any other regional challenge, with the exception maybe of South America. I hope I can better balance my reading time next year though, so that I have time to fit in other books. This year I felt a bit prescribed at times.
162labfs39
Radar Girls by Sara Ackerman
Published 2021, 352 p.
Read for book club
Daisy Wilder loves horses and is an exceptional trainer, like her father. But when Pearl Harbor is bombed, Daisy leaves the male-dominated pastures of Oahu to do her part by joining the island's newly created WARD (Women's Air Raid Defense) program. She finds herself living and working in close quarters with women from all walks of life in stressful situations. The WARDs are trained to use one of the newest technologies of the war, radar, to act as a warning system in the event of another invasion and to guide pilots when they are in trouble or flying blind. Daisy is determined to succeed for reasons both patriotic and personal.
I like reading about WWII and I knew little about the WARDs, so I was looking forward to this novel. It was a little light for my taste, but it's not badly written; more entertaining than enlightening.
163RidgewayGirl
>157 cindydavid4: The rules and parameters of genre fiction differ widely in how firmly they must be adhered to by genre, but they are noticeable to people who read that genre. For example, cozy mysteries require that there be a crime, usually a murder, but that the details not be too graphic, nor is the kind of sexual encounter that is practically required in the hard-boiled present at all. And readers of that genre would be unhappy to find graphic details. Genre helps people know what they are getting. Just as I avoid "cozy mysteries" and appreciate how clearly they are indicated (the covers and titles are distinctive), another reader will avoid the hard-boiled and noir mystery subgenres. If what you want after a long day at work is a gentle mystery set in a craft shop or bed & breakfast, then the parameters of the genre aren't restrictive, but freeing -- you can choose a book knowing what you'll get. Not sure that's a bad thing at all, especially for people who do not want to be stretched and challenged by what they read. Escapist reading or reading purely for enjoyment has as much validity as any other reason.
164rocketjk
>153 cindydavid4: & >158 raton-liseur: "I think the LGBTQ+ (you forgot the + :) ) might be the label I am most incomfortable with. I would not deliberately go to such a section of my bookstore (because I do not deliberately seek books with LGBTQ+ characters), but I would like to see them in the mainstream section, to be able to come across such characters now and then, just naturally without it being forced.
I understand why it is there as I guess some people do specifically want to read about this subject, but maybe, hopefully, at some point, this label won't be necessary anymore as it will be a normal feature in a book, genre and sexual orientation not being such a determining factor of the genre of literature you are reading. Am I day-dreaming?"
This is an extremely interesting point to me. If I may mind trip back to my bookstore days once again (pointing out for the record, in case it might be necessary to do so, that I am a straight white male). . . for the first few years of the store a determinedly did not have any sort of LGBTQ+ section. All fiction got mainstreamed into the general population area it would belong in sexual orientation notwithstanding. The way I thought about it, for better or worse term-wise, was that I didn't want to ghetto-ize fiction that had LGBTQ+ characters, authors and themes, any more than I would do so with the books for which you could replace LGBTQ+ with Black or Jewish. When I came to nonfiction, I thought differently. I had Jewish, African American, Latinx and Native American Studies sections. It seemed logical to me that readers interested in reading/learning about LGBTQ+ history and/or sociology would want to find such books gathered together. After a few years, however, and several requests from LGBTQ+ customers, I did end up creating an LGBTQ+ fiction section. But this section was far from comprehensive. It certainly did not contain every novel in the store that had LGBTQ+ protagonists/themes, etc., for my knowledge of such was certainly not complete. These were mostly the books that were published back in the days that being "out" as a gay/lesbian person was much more fraught in America than it is now and catered pretty much exclusively to the LGBTQ+ community.** Again, I only did this because I had requests for such a section from customers. However, more recent books released by mainstream publishers but that had LGBTQ+ themes, wholly or in part, would be shelved in the more general "Literary Fiction"* section, books such as Alan Hollinghurst's The Line of Beauty or Ocean Vuong's On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous. A lot of it, again, came down to marketing and packaging.
Regarding your comments at the end of >160 labfs39:, labsf39, I never had a customer come back with a book complaining that they'd purchased it from the Literary Fiction section not realizing it had LGBTQ+ themes. My store was in Ukiah, in Mendocino County, Northern California. You might be surprised to know how wide a range politically my customers ascribed to. It is definitely a "purple" area!
* I went through a long deliberation about what to call this section. I was already on LT member when I bought the store in 2006 and posed the question on a couple of different groups as to what people thought. A brief search right now failed to turn up these threads. I can't even recall what group I posted them in. The two main candidates were "General Fiction" and "Literary Fiction." There were some relatively lively debates about the pros and cons of each, and nobody could suggest (nor could I think of myself) any alternatives. I ended up going with Literary Fiction simply because General Fiction seemed deadly dull to me.
** My mentor when I was getting my Masters Degree at San Francisco State in the late 1980s was a wonderful teacher/writer/person named Michael Rubin. He was a gay, Jewish man from New York. Once we were talking in his office and the subject of Philip Roth came up. Michael, who loved Roth's writing, told me that when he published his first novels, which were about the American Jewish experience and featured heterosexual rather than gay characters, he'd get reviews that were positive but would include caveats that his books were not quite as good as Roth's. So he couldn't get traction as an author, because all books with Jewish themes of course had to be compared to each other. So then he decided that he was going to "come out" as an author and write novels centering around his experiences as a gay man. But in those days mainstream publishers wouldn't consider such books, so he got pigeonholed as a "gay writer." Then he sighed and said, "Philip Roth ruined my life." But of course, as he well knew, if anyone had ruined his career as a novelist, it had been the reviewers who had insisted on not considering his early novels on their own, and the society that had insisted that LGBTQ+ people were so firmly "outsiders." Tragically, what eventually did ruin Michael's life was AIDS.
I understand why it is there as I guess some people do specifically want to read about this subject, but maybe, hopefully, at some point, this label won't be necessary anymore as it will be a normal feature in a book, genre and sexual orientation not being such a determining factor of the genre of literature you are reading. Am I day-dreaming?"
This is an extremely interesting point to me. If I may mind trip back to my bookstore days once again (pointing out for the record, in case it might be necessary to do so, that I am a straight white male). . . for the first few years of the store a determinedly did not have any sort of LGBTQ+ section. All fiction got mainstreamed into the general population area it would belong in sexual orientation notwithstanding. The way I thought about it, for better or worse term-wise, was that I didn't want to ghetto-ize fiction that had LGBTQ+ characters, authors and themes, any more than I would do so with the books for which you could replace LGBTQ+ with Black or Jewish. When I came to nonfiction, I thought differently. I had Jewish, African American, Latinx and Native American Studies sections. It seemed logical to me that readers interested in reading/learning about LGBTQ+ history and/or sociology would want to find such books gathered together. After a few years, however, and several requests from LGBTQ+ customers, I did end up creating an LGBTQ+ fiction section. But this section was far from comprehensive. It certainly did not contain every novel in the store that had LGBTQ+ protagonists/themes, etc., for my knowledge of such was certainly not complete. These were mostly the books that were published back in the days that being "out" as a gay/lesbian person was much more fraught in America than it is now and catered pretty much exclusively to the LGBTQ+ community.** Again, I only did this because I had requests for such a section from customers. However, more recent books released by mainstream publishers but that had LGBTQ+ themes, wholly or in part, would be shelved in the more general "Literary Fiction"* section, books such as Alan Hollinghurst's The Line of Beauty or Ocean Vuong's On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous. A lot of it, again, came down to marketing and packaging.
Regarding your comments at the end of >160 labfs39:, labsf39, I never had a customer come back with a book complaining that they'd purchased it from the Literary Fiction section not realizing it had LGBTQ+ themes. My store was in Ukiah, in Mendocino County, Northern California. You might be surprised to know how wide a range politically my customers ascribed to. It is definitely a "purple" area!
* I went through a long deliberation about what to call this section. I was already on LT member when I bought the store in 2006 and posed the question on a couple of different groups as to what people thought. A brief search right now failed to turn up these threads. I can't even recall what group I posted them in. The two main candidates were "General Fiction" and "Literary Fiction." There were some relatively lively debates about the pros and cons of each, and nobody could suggest (nor could I think of myself) any alternatives. I ended up going with Literary Fiction simply because General Fiction seemed deadly dull to me.
** My mentor when I was getting my Masters Degree at San Francisco State in the late 1980s was a wonderful teacher/writer/person named Michael Rubin. He was a gay, Jewish man from New York. Once we were talking in his office and the subject of Philip Roth came up. Michael, who loved Roth's writing, told me that when he published his first novels, which were about the American Jewish experience and featured heterosexual rather than gay characters, he'd get reviews that were positive but would include caveats that his books were not quite as good as Roth's. So he couldn't get traction as an author, because all books with Jewish themes of course had to be compared to each other. So then he decided that he was going to "come out" as an author and write novels centering around his experiences as a gay man. But in those days mainstream publishers wouldn't consider such books, so he got pigeonholed as a "gay writer." Then he sighed and said, "Philip Roth ruined my life." But of course, as he well knew, if anyone had ruined his career as a novelist, it had been the reviewers who had insisted on not considering his early novels on their own, and the society that had insisted that LGBTQ+ people were so firmly "outsiders." Tragically, what eventually did ruin Michael's life was AIDS.
165Trifolia
>146 dianeham: >147 labfs39: So did I, Lisa (11/20).
166raton-liseur
>164 rocketjk: Thanks for sharing this experience. Interesting to see that the LGBTQ+ shelves might be there more for people looking for such books rather than making sure people who could feel offended are "protected" from them.
I like the fact that some but not all books featuring LGBTQ+ characteres were there, but not all. It sounds like a good compromise.
For the time being, I feel I come across non-straight characters more easily in the books I pick in the teens bookshelves than in the adult/mainstream bookshelves (in the bookshop I go, there are no LGBTQ+ shelves, either teen or mainstream litterature). My daughter has read books with both straight and non-straight characters and it seems she can identify to any of them, their sexual orientation is not a criteria. I'd like to believe this attitude will be more and more widely shared.
(Sorry, I am kind of digressing from the book-genre conversation here).
I like the fact that some but not all books featuring LGBTQ+ characteres were there, but not all. It sounds like a good compromise.
For the time being, I feel I come across non-straight characters more easily in the books I pick in the teens bookshelves than in the adult/mainstream bookshelves (in the bookshop I go, there are no LGBTQ+ shelves, either teen or mainstream litterature). My daughter has read books with both straight and non-straight characters and it seems she can identify to any of them, their sexual orientation is not a criteria. I'd like to believe this attitude will be more and more widely shared.
(Sorry, I am kind of digressing from the book-genre conversation here).
167labfs39
>163 RidgewayGirl: Genre helps people know what they are getting.
True. And because I usually turn to genre books when I am in a specific reading mood (entertainment, diversion, comfort, or speed), I want what I want.
One of my favorite names for a genre is "cardigan" books. I heard it on a podcast once and was used to describe comfy, feel good reads, often British, such as Miss Buncle's Book.
>164 rocketjk: I'm glad your experiences in the bookstore were more positive regarding LGBTQ+ books, but I wonder if the same would be true today in much of America. I read such horrible things about LGBTQ+ being banned from public libraries, not just school libraries, even defunding libraries for such.
>165 Trifolia: Got it, Monica.
>166 raton-liseur: I have found the same thing with YA books, raton, and with my daughter. She too "can identify to any of them, their sexual orientation is not a criteria". On the micro level I have hope, but the macro level scares me. Will this trend continue despite the current political climate in America, or will the "don't say gay" in schools and "not in our library" crowd crush progress?
True. And because I usually turn to genre books when I am in a specific reading mood (entertainment, diversion, comfort, or speed), I want what I want.
One of my favorite names for a genre is "cardigan" books. I heard it on a podcast once and was used to describe comfy, feel good reads, often British, such as Miss Buncle's Book.
>164 rocketjk: I'm glad your experiences in the bookstore were more positive regarding LGBTQ+ books, but I wonder if the same would be true today in much of America. I read such horrible things about LGBTQ+ being banned from public libraries, not just school libraries, even defunding libraries for such.
>165 Trifolia: Got it, Monica.
>166 raton-liseur: I have found the same thing with YA books, raton, and with my daughter. She too "can identify to any of them, their sexual orientation is not a criteria". On the micro level I have hope, but the macro level scares me. Will this trend continue despite the current political climate in America, or will the "don't say gay" in schools and "not in our library" crowd crush progress?
168labfs39
Song of Survival: Women Interned by Helen Colijn
Published 1995, 216 p.
In 1939, eighteen-year-old Helen and her younger sister, Antoinette, went to visit their parents in the Dutch West Indies for a planned three-month break before returning to the Netherlands and school. Their father, Anton, was a geologist working for a Dutch subsidiary of Shell oil company. When war broke out in Europe, the girls stayed on with their parents and younger sister. One month after Pearl Harbor was attacked, so was Tarakan Island. Their father helped destroy the oil facilities to keep them out of the hands of the Japanese. Their mother was a Red Cross nurse and was held hostage upon pain of death in attempts to keep the Dutch from implementing their scorched earth policy. Their father escaped.
Not knowing the fate of their mother, the three girls and their father board a ship evacuating civilians to Australia. It was sunk by Japanese fighter pilots, however, and they had to escape on lifeboats. Eventually they made it to Sumatra, but were eventually caught and interned. Helen spent three and a half years in Japanese interment camps for women and children. One of the ways in which the women maintained moral was through vocal performances. In particular they recreated orchestra works using only voices.
After the war, Helen pieced together her diaries to document her experiences, but it wasn't published until 1995 when interest in the camp's music led to public performances. In addition to the book, there is a documentary also called Song of Survival. A film featuring Glenn Close called Paradise Road was released in 2001 that contains some of the same incidents.
The book was a gripping account of a young woman's wartime experiences and an important first-hand account of life in a woman's interment camp. The lack of emotional excess or hyperbole made the story even more impactful. I couldn't put it down.
169lisapeet
>167 labfs39: I'm really dispirited about the pro-censorship stance across the country. I cover public—rather than school—libraries, so that's what I'm looking at in detail, and it's such a terrible confluence of people pushing out their conservative, largely misinformed, agendas and voters responding to these really aggressive campaigns. Then a library gets defunded and everyone's like, "Oh, we didn't want the library to close—we love our library!" Such a vicious cycle of prejudice and ignorance, both of which could be addressed by... open, functioning libraries, for one thing. Argh, don't let me get started.
170labfs39
>169 lisapeet: Things have escalated from book banning to defunding public libraries at a frightening pace, and in places I wouldn't necessarily have thought of as hotbeds of censorship. It's a frightening trend piggybacking off the censorship frenzy in American classrooms. I'm heartened when grassroots fundraising campaigns prevent closures, but that is not a sustainable model.
171labfs39
Thanks to Joyce/nickelini for recommending this one.
Men to Avoid in Art and Life by Nicole Tersigni
Published 2020, 96 p.
Nicole Tersigni is popular on Twitter for her pairing of fine art with humorous quips attributed to figures in the paintings. In this book, she groups 91 classic paintings into the categories of Mansplainer, Concern Troll, Comedian, Sexpert, and Patronizer. The result is funny, yet pointed.
To see some of the images, search the book's title.
Men to Avoid in Art and Life by Nicole Tersigni
Published 2020, 96 p.
Nicole Tersigni is popular on Twitter for her pairing of fine art with humorous quips attributed to figures in the paintings. In this book, she groups 91 classic paintings into the categories of Mansplainer, Concern Troll, Comedian, Sexpert, and Patronizer. The result is funny, yet pointed.
To see some of the images, search the book's title.
172BLBera
I love the discussion of genre that is going on it; I have some issues with labels because a lot of the labeling is sexist; women writers are more likely to be labelled, which has huge economic consequences.
Like Lisa >148 lisapeet:, I tend to be influenced by covers; some just turn me off.
>171 labfs39: This does sound like a lot of fun.
Like Lisa >148 lisapeet:, I tend to be influenced by covers; some just turn me off.
>171 labfs39: This does sound like a lot of fun.
173markon
>169 lisapeet: , >170 labfs39: This also concerns me. I'm not aware of recent challenges in the library system I work in, but I live and work in a county that is majority African American and overwhelmingly Democratic - I think it's unlikely a ban would gain traction without attracting grassroots opposition. That's not the case in many counties in Georgia (where I live.)
Particularly disturbing is the PEN report about how a variety of organizations are sharing lists of books to challenge and coaching groups in tactics, as well as how politicians will use these as springboards to promote themselves.
I like Unite Against Book Bans talking points
Particularly disturbing is the PEN report about how a variety of organizations are sharing lists of books to challenge and coaching groups in tactics, as well as how politicians will use these as springboards to promote themselves.
I like Unite Against Book Bans talking points
- Books are tools for understanding complex issues.
- Young people deserve to see themselves reflected in a library’s books.
- Parents should not be making decisions for other parents’ children.
- Individuals should be trusted to make their own decisions about what to read.
- Limiting young people’s access to books does not protect them from life’s complex and challenging issues.
174markon
>168 labfs39:, >171 labfs39: Song of survival and Paradise Road sound fascinating - I may ask some friends if I can come watch the movie at their house.
Men to avoid in art and life sounds like fun.
Men to avoid in art and life sounds like fun.
175rocketjk
>167 labfs39: "I'm glad your experiences in the bookstore were more positive regarding LGBTQ+ books, but I wonder if the same would be true today in much of America. I read such horrible things about LGBTQ+ being banned from public libraries, not just school libraries, even defunding libraries for such."
Maddening to think that my bookstore owning experiences were only 7 or 8 years ago, and yet it's perfectly reasonable to wonder whether "the same would be true today in much of America," less than a decade later. I know for sure that the atmosphere around my own neck of the woods, Northern California, hasn't changed, unless you get up into the far northern counties, near the Oregon border, where "Trump won" flags and signs abound. But, yes, across this country things have been moving fast and not for the better.
Maddening to think that my bookstore owning experiences were only 7 or 8 years ago, and yet it's perfectly reasonable to wonder whether "the same would be true today in much of America," less than a decade later. I know for sure that the atmosphere around my own neck of the woods, Northern California, hasn't changed, unless you get up into the far northern counties, near the Oregon border, where "Trump won" flags and signs abound. But, yes, across this country things have been moving fast and not for the better.
176cindydavid4
>167 labfs39: One of my favorite names for a genre is "cardigan" books. I heard it on a podcast once and was used to describe comfy, feel good reads, often British, such as Miss Buncle's Book.
love that! could also mean books about grandmas because for some reason thats what I think about when I see that word!
>167 labfs39: I read such horrible things about LGBTQ+ being banned from public libraries, not just school libraries, even defunding libraries for such.
Its really fricking scary how much is happening. Weve had parents running for school board on just this issue, and have been getting elected.
love that! could also mean books about grandmas because for some reason thats what I think about when I see that word!
>167 labfs39: I read such horrible things about LGBTQ+ being banned from public libraries, not just school libraries, even defunding libraries for such.
Its really fricking scary how much is happening. Weve had parents running for school board on just this issue, and have been getting elected.
177cindydavid4
>166 raton-liseur: (Sorry, I am kind of digressing from the book-genre conversation here).
No youre not! :) I think your daughters views are going to become more mainstream as she gets older. I certainly hope so.
No youre not! :) I think your daughters views are going to become more mainstream as she gets older. I certainly hope so.
178cindydavid4
>168 labfs39: I saw that movie and it was indeed powerful. Cant remember, was the mother later found?
179raton-liseur
The situation seems even worse than what is described in French news. It is said what's going on in the US comes to France around 10 years latter. I hope it won't be true.
ETA: (and hope the situation will reverse soon in the US).
>177 cindydavid4: I hope you're right!
ETA: (and hope the situation will reverse soon in the US).
>177 cindydavid4: I hope you're right!
180labfs39
I will return tomorrow to pick up the thread of the conversation, but I wanted to pop in and say that I watched Paradise Road tonight. It's the film about the women interned with Helen Colijn in Sumatra in WWII. She is represented in the film with her friend, Ruth, but mainly it is about the two women who organized the vocal orchestra: Margaret Dryburgh and Norah Chambers. The music from the original scores was performed. I was glad I had read Song of Survival before watching the movie, it made more sense, and I was able to recognize some of the poetry for instance. Quite the cast: Glenn Close, Frances McDormand, Cate Blanchett, Julianna Margulies, Jennifer Ehle
181labfs39
>172 BLBera: women writers are more likely to be labelled, which has huge economic consequences Interesting. I hadn't even considered the gender politics of genre labels.
>173 markon: the PEN report about how a variety of organizations are sharing lists of books to challenge and coaching groups in tactics
And this is why the bans are being successful despite the majority being against banning.
Thanks for sharing the talking points. Takes the argument away from politics and specific issues (LGBTQ+) to larger issues.
>174 markon: I watched Paradise Road last night, but as I said above, I'm glad I had read the book first for some context. Another possible read before the movie is White Coolies, a memoir by another interned woman. It focuses on the Australian Army nurses who were interned in the camp. They figure more prominently in the movie, than in Song of Survival, which focuses more on the Dutch experience. You can read more about the unique music from the camp on the Stanford website (where the original scores are housed): Songs of survival: vocal music by women POWs. The article has links to other sources.
>173 markon: the PEN report about how a variety of organizations are sharing lists of books to challenge and coaching groups in tactics
And this is why the bans are being successful despite the majority being against banning.
Thanks for sharing the talking points. Takes the argument away from politics and specific issues (LGBTQ+) to larger issues.
>174 markon: I watched Paradise Road last night, but as I said above, I'm glad I had read the book first for some context. Another possible read before the movie is White Coolies, a memoir by another interned woman. It focuses on the Australian Army nurses who were interned in the camp. They figure more prominently in the movie, than in Song of Survival, which focuses more on the Dutch experience. You can read more about the unique music from the camp on the Stanford website (where the original scores are housed): Songs of survival: vocal music by women POWs. The article has links to other sources.
182labfs39
The English Assassin by Daniel Silva
Published 2002, 386 p.
Gabriel Allon is called to Zurich to evaluate and restore a Raphael, but when he arrives the owner is lying in a pool of blood. Gabriel is soon caught up in case involving a missing art collection, a Swiss banking cabal, and a temperamental violinist.
I liked this second book in the Allon series much more than the first. The author seems to have moved past his adolescent fixation on women's bodies, and focuses instead on an interesting chapter in history: the Nazi theft of art and the role of Switzerland in aiding and abetting the Nazis by laundering artwork and preventing its reclamation by the rightful heirs.
183labfs39
>175 rocketjk: Unfortunately Trump seems to have started a ball rolling downhill, and the Biden presidency has not slowed its momentum. I'm hoping for a correction, but I don't know what it will take for that to happen.
>176 cindydavid4: I'm trying to think of the podcast where I first heard the term. I think it was two guys, one named Simon. Does it ring a bell with anyone?
>177 cindydavid4: I agree. Genres evolve, and I'm curious where they will go in the future.
>178 cindydavid4: Re: Song of Survival endingYes, miraculously the mother survives, but the father does not.
>179 raton-liseur: I certainly hope this fetish for censorship doesn't spread beyond our borders. American society seems brittle at the moment, polarized and on edge. I wish everyone would take a deep breath and stop worrying so much about what other people are reading. If people want to fret, it seems likes there are much more pressing things to worry about.
>176 cindydavid4: I'm trying to think of the podcast where I first heard the term. I think it was two guys, one named Simon. Does it ring a bell with anyone?
>177 cindydavid4: I agree. Genres evolve, and I'm curious where they will go in the future.
>178 cindydavid4: Re: Song of Survival ending
>179 raton-liseur: I certainly hope this fetish for censorship doesn't spread beyond our borders. American society seems brittle at the moment, polarized and on edge. I wish everyone would take a deep breath and stop worrying so much about what other people are reading. If people want to fret, it seems likes there are much more pressing things to worry about.
184labfs39
I went to my second book club meeting tonight to discuss Radar Girls. I almost didn't make it because I wrenched my knee yesterday and it's quite swollen and painful, but I didn't want to lose momentum. The discussion was a bit bland, to be expected with a light novel. I met one of the regular members who was absent last month, and she seems interesting. She's a biologist and her pick for January is Watson's book, The Double Helix. She says she wants to discuss the controversy about it, but then why not read something like Rosalind Franklin: The Dark Lady of DNA or The Secret of Life: Rosalind Franklin, James Watson, Francis Crick, and the Discovery of DNA's Double Helix? I guess I'll find out in January.
185labfs39
>168 labfs39: And tonight I watched the documentary, also titled Song of Survival. It was not available on Amazon Prime in my area, but I was able to watch it here on YouTube. It featured the concert that was given for survivors using the original scores and interviews with many of the women, including Helen Colijn.
186labfs39
I've added the BookBub app to my phone. Creating a Kindle wishlist is another fun way to waste time I could be reading. :-)
187labfs39
I read this for the Remembering rebeccanyc project.
Besieged : life under fire on a Sarajevo street by Barbara Demick
Published 1996, 2012 (revisions); 255 p.
During the Bosnian War, the cosmopolitan city of Sarajevo was blockaded and under fire from April 1992 to February 1996, making it the longest siege in modern warfare. In addition to artillery fire, including anti-aircraft missiles, Serb snipers made daily life in the city extremely perilous. In addition, electricity, water, and gas were turned on only sporadically, and communications were almost completely cut. The UN launched humanitarian airlifts, but they often operated at the whim of the Serbs who controlled the airport. Rations from the Vietnam War comprised a surprising amount of the donated food. Before it was over, over 5,400 civilians would be killed, including 1,600 children.
Barbara Demick, most famous for her book Nothing to Envy about North Korea, was a young reporter during the Bosnian War. She first went to Sarajevo in January 1994, and she spent the better part of two years there. She focused on a single neighborhood, Logavina Street, and rented a room from an elderly couple. Her boots-on-the-ground approach allowed her to forge long-term relationships with her interviewees, and she returned in July 2011 to write a follow-up to her original book. In her introduction, Demick acknowledges the rather naïve perspective of her younger self, but decided not to rework the book when she republished it with the 2011 chapter.
I was a young adult during the Bosnian War, and it made a strong impact on me at the time. But in the aftermath of all the wars and genocides perpetrated since then, Sarajevo had faded into the background. Reading Besieged brought it all back, and I found it emotionally difficult reading. Because Demick interviews so many people, and follows ten families in particular, I found it a bit difficult to keep track of everyone. After a couple of chapters, I decided to stop trying and let the stories wash over me, to a better effect. The details of everyday life, like recipes on how to make wiener schnitzel with bread instead of meat or whether or not to burn the couch for heat, make the war seem immediate again. A single child making it out of the city and to America for medical treatment is both a cause for celebration and a symbol of how isolated the residents were. The book is not a "balanced account" of the war, but a glimpse of how the Muslim, Serb, and Croatian residents of the besieged city lived and died.
Besieged : life under fire on a Sarajevo street by Barbara Demick
Published 1996, 2012 (revisions); 255 p.
During the Bosnian War, the cosmopolitan city of Sarajevo was blockaded and under fire from April 1992 to February 1996, making it the longest siege in modern warfare. In addition to artillery fire, including anti-aircraft missiles, Serb snipers made daily life in the city extremely perilous. In addition, electricity, water, and gas were turned on only sporadically, and communications were almost completely cut. The UN launched humanitarian airlifts, but they often operated at the whim of the Serbs who controlled the airport. Rations from the Vietnam War comprised a surprising amount of the donated food. Before it was over, over 5,400 civilians would be killed, including 1,600 children.
Barbara Demick, most famous for her book Nothing to Envy about North Korea, was a young reporter during the Bosnian War. She first went to Sarajevo in January 1994, and she spent the better part of two years there. She focused on a single neighborhood, Logavina Street, and rented a room from an elderly couple. Her boots-on-the-ground approach allowed her to forge long-term relationships with her interviewees, and she returned in July 2011 to write a follow-up to her original book. In her introduction, Demick acknowledges the rather naïve perspective of her younger self, but decided not to rework the book when she republished it with the 2011 chapter.
I was a young adult during the Bosnian War, and it made a strong impact on me at the time. But in the aftermath of all the wars and genocides perpetrated since then, Sarajevo had faded into the background. Reading Besieged brought it all back, and I found it emotionally difficult reading. Because Demick interviews so many people, and follows ten families in particular, I found it a bit difficult to keep track of everyone. After a couple of chapters, I decided to stop trying and let the stories wash over me, to a better effect. The details of everyday life, like recipes on how to make wiener schnitzel with bread instead of meat or whether or not to burn the couch for heat, make the war seem immediate again. A single child making it out of the city and to America for medical treatment is both a cause for celebration and a symbol of how isolated the residents were. The book is not a "balanced account" of the war, but a glimpse of how the Muslim, Serb, and Croatian residents of the besieged city lived and died.
188lisapeet
>187 labfs39: That sounds interesting. It's something I think about, and I'm sure a lot of Gen X and younger North Americans who've never lived in a war zone do as well—what that day-to-day felt like. Noted, and thanks for the review.
189labfs39
>188 lisapeet: Thanks, Lisa. I purchased it because it was on rebeccanyc's TBR and because it was by Barbara Demick. I had started reading it when I first received it, but had a hard time getting into it. I wasn't in the right frame of mind for it then. This time I had no trouble staying engaged, but it was so sad in places that I set it aside simply to regroup emotionally. I'm glad I read it, but it wasn't cheerful.
190labfs39
I just finished reading Dust Child by the author of The Mountains Sing, and, wow, Nguyen Phan Que Mai did it again. Amazing novel beautifully written. I'll try to write my review tomorrow after taking my niece to the children's museum. (We are going to see the play, The Three Little Kittens. Ooh, I sense a plot twist involving mittens...)
191labfs39
Dust Child by Nguyễn Phan Quế Mai
To be published March 2023, 339 p.
In post-war Vietnam, children with an American GI father and a Vietnamese mother were frequently ostracized or persecuted as being the product of the defeated enemy and a collaborating mother. Often having different features, hair, or skin color, the children were easy targets. In this, her second novel, Nguyen writes about the issue from multiple perspectives and a generosity of understanding for the complexities of human failings.
Phong is trying to get a visa to the US based on his heritage via the Amerasian Homecoming Act. Despite being tall and having the hair and skin coloring of a Black man, he lacks the required proof that his father was an American serviceman: he is an orphan.
In 1969 Trang and her sister leave their village for Saigon, hoping to make enough money to pay off their parents' debt and return to school. The seemingly harmless job of being a bar girl, who makes lot of money flirting and drinking Saigon tea, turns out to be nothing more than prostitution with American soldiers.
In 2016 Vietnam vet Dan Ashland and his wife are making a trip to Vietnam to try and put to rest some of Dan's ghosts. In addition, Dan hopes to secretly find out what happened to Kim, the bar girl he lived with during the war, and the child she was carrying.
At first, the conclusion of the story seemed obvious, but it was not. As each person's backstory is told, the complexity of the issues and relationships deepens. The author writes beautifully about the ugly side of war.
192labfs39
Quotes from Dust Child:
She cried silently: for herself, for Trang, for the countless young women whose lives had been nothing but firewood in the furnace of wars.
For a reader like him, burning books was an incomprehensible act, and most people who didn't even read would fight for the right to open any book they chose. Those in power feared free minds, and nothing unlocked thinking like literature.
She cried silently: for herself, for Trang, for the countless young women whose lives had been nothing but firewood in the furnace of wars.
For a reader like him, burning books was an incomprehensible act, and most people who didn't even read would fight for the right to open any book they chose. Those in power feared free minds, and nothing unlocked thinking like literature.
193markon
>191 labfs39: I enjoyed The mountains sing, so I'm putting this one on my to read list.
194MissBrangwen
>192 labfs39: Very strong quotes! I will add Dust Child to my wishlist.
195labfs39
>193 markon: I think you'll like it, Ardene. I didn't like it quite as much as The Mountains Sing, but it was still very good, I thought.
>194 MissBrangwen: Have you read The Mountains Sing yet, Mirjam? It was excellent too.
>194 MissBrangwen: Have you read The Mountains Sing yet, Mirjam? It was excellent too.
196labfs39
Last night I started How We Disappeared by Jing-Jing Lee. Like Dust Child it follows a couple of characters in different times. So far I'm enjoying it, but don't quite see how it's going to come together. A much more serious Singaporean novel than Crazy Rich Asian.
197BLBera
Nice comments onDust Child, Lisa. I think you liked it more than I did. I found the tone a bit uneven, and the characters sounded the same to me. But I loved the story and appreciated that it is not one we often hear.
198labfs39
>197 BLBera: That's one of the things I like most about Nguyen's books: that she provides a perspective on the Vietnam war that new to me. I remember reading that she wrote The Mountains Sing in English precisely so she could get the Vietnamese (and North Vietnamese) experience into the Western canon. Translated books don't get the same traction in the US.
I agree with you that this one was uneven in places. Evidently it was her PhD thesis of all things. But even with the ungainly aspects, I find her writing beautiful (you can tell she is a poet) and that, combined with the topics, made me like it.
I agree with you that this one was uneven in places. Evidently it was her PhD thesis of all things. But even with the ungainly aspects, I find her writing beautiful (you can tell she is a poet) and that, combined with the topics, made me like it.
199labfs39
After reading Crazy Rich Asians, I wanted to try a more substantial book by a Singaporean author. I'm not sure how I happened upon this one, but I got it through the library's ILL. I zipped through it in two days.
How We Disappeared by Jing-Jing Lee
Published 2019, 348 p.
Seventeen-year-old Wang Di was abducted at gunpoint by Japanese soldiers in August 1942 and forced into sexual slavery for the rest of the war. Her story is told in both the past and the present, where her husband is dying without their ever having shared their stories of the war. Kevin is a twelve-year-old boy trying to solve a mystery that arose with his dying grandmother's whispered words. Toward the end of the book, their stories become entangled.
I liked the chapters that dealt with Wang Di's life in the 1940s and would have liked that story on its own, or even as flashbacks with her current life. The inclusion of Kevin's story felt forced and out of place. I don't think it was necessary in order to have a meaningful novel. That said, I still found the book engaging, and I learned some thing about Singaporean history.
How We Disappeared by Jing-Jing Lee
Published 2019, 348 p.
Seventeen-year-old Wang Di was abducted at gunpoint by Japanese soldiers in August 1942 and forced into sexual slavery for the rest of the war. Her story is told in both the past and the present, where her husband is dying without their ever having shared their stories of the war. Kevin is a twelve-year-old boy trying to solve a mystery that arose with his dying grandmother's whispered words. Toward the end of the book, their stories become entangled.
I liked the chapters that dealt with Wang Di's life in the 1940s and would have liked that story on its own, or even as flashbacks with her current life. The inclusion of Kevin's story felt forced and out of place. I don't think it was necessary in order to have a meaningful novel. That said, I still found the book engaging, and I learned some thing about Singaporean history.
200BLBera
I will look for The Mountains Sing, Lisa. I did like Dust Child quite a lot.
201dchaikin
>199 labfs39: nice find and review.
202Trifolia
Well, you have read quite a few interesting books. But do I have the impression that many of the books you have chosen for your Asian challenge are rather intense and/or depressing? And is that because you chose to read the depressing ones or because the Asian authors mostly write depressing books or because only the depressing ones get translated?
ETA Excellent reviews, btw!
ETA Excellent reviews, btw!
203labfs39
>200 BLBera: I hope you like it, Beth.
>201 dchaikin: Thanks, Dan.
>202 Trifolia: Hi, Monica. I do tend to gravitate toward the intense and depressing, so that's on me. I did read a few lighter Asian novels this year—Crazy Rich Asian, Before the Coffee Gets Cold, The Easy Life in Kamusari—but they tend to be the exception, rather than the rule. I'm reading a really tough Holocaust memoir right now, so I may need to find something cheerful for my next book. Probably not one from my read-next pile:
Hiroshima Diary
At Night All Blood is Black
All for Nothing
The Polish Boxer
Red Famine
Ru
River in Darkness
Exposure
The Abyssinian
>201 dchaikin: Thanks, Dan.
>202 Trifolia: Hi, Monica. I do tend to gravitate toward the intense and depressing, so that's on me. I did read a few lighter Asian novels this year—Crazy Rich Asian, Before the Coffee Gets Cold, The Easy Life in Kamusari—but they tend to be the exception, rather than the rule. I'm reading a really tough Holocaust memoir right now, so I may need to find something cheerful for my next book. Probably not one from my read-next pile:
Hiroshima Diary
At Night All Blood is Black
All for Nothing
The Polish Boxer
Red Famine
Ru
River in Darkness
Exposure
The Abyssinian
204labfs39
In other news, I bailed on the book for my next book club meeting. Almost, Maine is a novel adaptation of a play and was supposed to be light and enjoyable for the holiday season. I found it excruciatingly awful. I was torn about abandoning a book club book so early in my tenure with the group, but life is too short.
I also did something rather foolish. I volunteered to curate the first Reading Globally theme read of 2023: The Baltic Sea. I spent most of today researching and creating lists that will become posts. I finished the background on the Baltic Sea, some general reading ideas, and the background and suggestions for Denmark. I only have Estonia, Finland, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Russia, and Sweden to go!
I also did something rather foolish. I volunteered to curate the first Reading Globally theme read of 2023: The Baltic Sea. I spent most of today researching and creating lists that will become posts. I finished the background on the Baltic Sea, some general reading ideas, and the background and suggestions for Denmark. I only have Estonia, Finland, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Russia, and Sweden to go!
205labfs39
I just got back from the post office and mailing my offerings for the LibraryThing card exchange. It was my first year participating, so I wasn't sure of the usual fare. I hope the recipients aren't disappointed with my pedestrian cards. The post clerk was in a tizzy. The wind had blown the door out of a customer's hand and shattered. He was taping cardboard over the worst of it when I arrived. We still only have a dusting of snow, but it's been below freezing for a couple of days and very gusty today.
206AnnieMod
>205 labfs39: As long as a card is sent, it is all good :) If anyone is disappointed by the card or your message inside or whatever, they will always be disappointed by something anyway so no reason to worry about it.
Ouch about the wind - it had been cold around here (well, for here anyway - it is not dipping under freezing even early in the mornings) but almost no wind.
Ouch about the wind - it had been cold around here (well, for here anyway - it is not dipping under freezing even early in the mornings) but almost no wind.
207labfs39
This was an Early Reviewer privately-published book.
Romek's Lost Youth: The Story of a Boy Survivor by Ken Roman and John James
Published 2022, 120 p.
Roman, or Romek, as his family called him, was only 13 when Germany invaded his native Poland. He was an only child, but part of a large, close-knit family who owned a soda factory in Gorlice. In 1941 he was apprenticed to a Silesian engineer who owned a small fix-it shop, in an attempt to keep him from being abducted for forced labor by the Germans. Blond, blue-eyed, and fluent in Polish (not all Jews of the time were), Romek began passing as Polish. Then the Judenrat submitted his name to the Gestapo as skilled labor, and he was assigned to a nearby Luftwaffe facility. The sixty workers at the facility were saved during the final action, when the Jews of Gorlice were rounded up. Many of the Jews were shot in a nearby brick factory, the rest sent to the camps. Of the 42 members of Romek's family, only he and his uncle survived the Holocaust.
Six months after the roundup, in the dead of winter, the sixty skilled workers were taken to Mielec, an Arbeitslager within the grounds of a pre-war aircraft construction company. The "Gorlice Mob" as they were called, began building aircraft for the Luftwaffe. Despite grueling 12-hour days and a dearth of food, life was bearable until the SS arrived to turn Mielec into a Konzentrazions Lager, a concentration camp. Conditions plummeted further when Mielec was deemed a target of the Allies, and the production was moved underground into a salt mine. When that environment proved too corrosive to the metals used, the mine was closed and, everyone was sent to Flossenbürg concentration camp.
Flossenbürg has a unique history in that it was constructed in 1933 as a work camp for German criminals. When non-Aryans began to be sent to the camp, the Aryan criminals were put into positions of authority over them and given privileges. One of the privileges was that kapos were tacitly allowed to keep a boy as their servant, in most cases the boys were sexually abused as well. Being young, small, and blond, Romek became the property of first a sadistic kapo and then was traded to a less vicious one. The latter helped him by changing his camp records to list him as a Pole, not as a Jew.
In April 1945, with the Americans nearly at the camp, the guards forced the prisoners on a death march. A few days later, events overtook them, the guards fled, and the prisoners were on their own.
In the second half of the book, Romek (or Kenneth Roman, the name he takes later on) relates how he found out about the fate of his family, his life as a displaced person, and his decision to be sent to Italy. There he recovers and decides to join the Polish cadets as a way to secure his future. Eventually he ends up in England, and we learn about his life there and his decision to become a British citizen. The book ends with his efforts to secure a pension from the German courts as a Holocaust survivor.
This slim Holocaust memoir was surprising in many ways. For one thing, Romek was very young when he went to the camps, yet his skills allowed him to remain with the skilled workers instead of being sent to his death early on. For another, he was in a work camp overseen by criminals, not a traditional concentration camp. Sexual abuse at the hands of the kapos is not often a factor in Holocaust memoirs I have read. Finally, many survivors marry other survivors after liberation, but Romek appears to have been homosexual or bisexual, something else that I haven't seen much mention of in Holocaust memoirs. Well-written, direct, and frank, Ken Roman's memoir deserves a larger audience than it is likely to get as a privately published book. I encourage anyone who is interested to visit www.batorypublishing.com to purchase a copy.
Romek's Lost Youth: The Story of a Boy Survivor by Ken Roman and John James
Published 2022, 120 p.
Roman, or Romek, as his family called him, was only 13 when Germany invaded his native Poland. He was an only child, but part of a large, close-knit family who owned a soda factory in Gorlice. In 1941 he was apprenticed to a Silesian engineer who owned a small fix-it shop, in an attempt to keep him from being abducted for forced labor by the Germans. Blond, blue-eyed, and fluent in Polish (not all Jews of the time were), Romek began passing as Polish. Then the Judenrat submitted his name to the Gestapo as skilled labor, and he was assigned to a nearby Luftwaffe facility. The sixty workers at the facility were saved during the final action, when the Jews of Gorlice were rounded up. Many of the Jews were shot in a nearby brick factory, the rest sent to the camps. Of the 42 members of Romek's family, only he and his uncle survived the Holocaust.
Six months after the roundup, in the dead of winter, the sixty skilled workers were taken to Mielec, an Arbeitslager within the grounds of a pre-war aircraft construction company. The "Gorlice Mob" as they were called, began building aircraft for the Luftwaffe. Despite grueling 12-hour days and a dearth of food, life was bearable until the SS arrived to turn Mielec into a Konzentrazions Lager, a concentration camp. Conditions plummeted further when Mielec was deemed a target of the Allies, and the production was moved underground into a salt mine. When that environment proved too corrosive to the metals used, the mine was closed and, everyone was sent to Flossenbürg concentration camp.
Flossenbürg has a unique history in that it was constructed in 1933 as a work camp for German criminals. When non-Aryans began to be sent to the camp, the Aryan criminals were put into positions of authority over them and given privileges. One of the privileges was that kapos were tacitly allowed to keep a boy as their servant, in most cases the boys were sexually abused as well. Being young, small, and blond, Romek became the property of first a sadistic kapo and then was traded to a less vicious one. The latter helped him by changing his camp records to list him as a Pole, not as a Jew.
In April 1945, with the Americans nearly at the camp, the guards forced the prisoners on a death march. A few days later, events overtook them, the guards fled, and the prisoners were on their own.
In the second half of the book, Romek (or Kenneth Roman, the name he takes later on) relates how he found out about the fate of his family, his life as a displaced person, and his decision to be sent to Italy. There he recovers and decides to join the Polish cadets as a way to secure his future. Eventually he ends up in England, and we learn about his life there and his decision to become a British citizen. The book ends with his efforts to secure a pension from the German courts as a Holocaust survivor.
This slim Holocaust memoir was surprising in many ways. For one thing, Romek was very young when he went to the camps, yet his skills allowed him to remain with the skilled workers instead of being sent to his death early on. For another, he was in a work camp overseen by criminals, not a traditional concentration camp. Sexual abuse at the hands of the kapos is not often a factor in Holocaust memoirs I have read. Finally, many survivors marry other survivors after liberation, but Romek appears to have been homosexual or bisexual, something else that I haven't seen much mention of in Holocaust memoirs. Well-written, direct, and frank, Ken Roman's memoir deserves a larger audience than it is likely to get as a privately published book. I encourage anyone who is interested to visit www.batorypublishing.com to purchase a copy.
208qebo
>205 labfs39: FYI if you ever need a resource for greeting cards... RedBubble and FineArtAmerica are excellent. I scouted around on the internet recently because I wanted to send a series of cards to the family of a friend who was hospitalized and will be recuperating for months, and local options are limited. Specifically I was seeking cards relevant to their interests of architecture, fashion history, and microbiology. Plug in search words and voila! I would never have expected so many options for bacteriophage greeting cards. I haven't looked, but can imagine many book-related offerings.
209labfs39
>206 AnnieMod: Thanks, Annie. At least the stamps are cute. I got ones of otters in the snow. :-)
>207 labfs39: Great tip, qebo, thanks. I bookmarked both.
>207 labfs39: Great tip, qebo, thanks. I bookmarked both.
210AnnieMod
>209 labfs39: :) I got these last year when they issued them for the first (and only?) time and used most of my remaining otter ones for my cards as well. They are cute indeed. A lot of otters will be traveling around USA this year :)
211cindydavid4
>205 labfs39: oh my Ive had days like that, poor guy!
212labfs39
>210 AnnieMod: I haven't bought stamps in ages. I do all my banking electronically, and I don't write many letters. Plus I had purchased a stash of stamps featuring service dogs a few years ago and still have some left. The otters were the cutest option of the few available in our little post office.
>211 cindydavid4: As if the postal workers aren't stressed enough this time of year!
>211 cindydavid4: As if the postal workers aren't stressed enough this time of year!
213labfs39
I've started reading my first book by Joyce Carol Oates, A Bloodsmoor Romance. It's sort of a play on Little Women, sort of a parody of a Victorian gothic novel, and is quite smart and darkly funny. It begins with a wealthy family of five daughters in 1879 Pennsylvania. The youngest, adopted, daughter is abducted in "an outlaw balloon of sinister black," as we learn on the first page. The gleefully, gossipy narrator then goes back and fills us in on the family and the day in question. Despite being 615 pages long, it's going by quickly, and I should have time for at least one last book before the end of the year. What should it be?
Do you have any special plans for the last (or first) book of the year?
214msf59
Happy Friday, Lisa. If I can get a copy in time, I hope to kick off the New Year with Demon Copperhead. I also want to read Horse in the early part of the year.
215dchaikin
>207 labfs39: great review of Romek’s Lost Youth.
And I’m curious about your first JCO. I haven’t read her before.
And I’m curious about your first JCO. I haven’t read her before.
216markon
I'm curious about Romek's lost youth, but not sure I'm willing to pay as much for shipping as for the book, which is what it would cost.
No definite plans for last book of this year, or first book of next. I am planning on reading Kin by Miljenko Jergović. and counting it towards January's GeoCat in the Category Challenge group. I bought it as an ebook today, but don't anticipate being able to start it until on or after New Year's Day.
No definite plans for last book of this year, or first book of next. I am planning on reading Kin by Miljenko Jergović. and counting it towards January's GeoCat in the Category Challenge group. I bought it as an ebook today, but don't anticipate being able to start it until on or after New Year's Day.
217labfs39
>214 msf59: Howdy, Mark. I had caught up on your most recent thread, then fell behind again. Hope all is well in your neck of the woods.
>215 dchaikin: I'm 135 pages in and still enjoying it, although I do occasionally sigh when seeing how many pages I still have to go! (615 p. total)
>216 markon: Yikes, that is prohibitive. I wonder if he will sell on Amazon. It just came out a few months ago.
Kin looks good. This line in the description sums it up, no? Jergović sees his country through the devastation of the First World War, the Second, the Cold, then the Bosnian war of the 90s
Just came in from shoveling the driveway. Even thought the snow blower was working fine when I gave it a once over a couple of weeks ago, now that the snow is here, it won't start. Grrr. Why is my driveway so long!
>215 dchaikin: I'm 135 pages in and still enjoying it, although I do occasionally sigh when seeing how many pages I still have to go! (615 p. total)
>216 markon: Yikes, that is prohibitive. I wonder if he will sell on Amazon. It just came out a few months ago.
Kin looks good. This line in the description sums it up, no? Jergović sees his country through the devastation of the First World War, the Second, the Cold, then the Bosnian war of the 90s
Just came in from shoveling the driveway. Even thought the snow blower was working fine when I gave it a once over a couple of weeks ago, now that the snow is here, it won't start. Grrr. Why is my driveway so long!
218RidgewayGirl
>213 labfs39: I have yet to dive into JCO's gothic novels, but I am a fan of her writing and you've made me want to jump into the one I have on my tbr.
This year featured two large moves (moving both my household at the beginning of the year and my father at the end of the year) which disrupted my reading so much. So next year I am taking a comment rocketjk made on my thread this year and declare 2023 the year of whim and inclination. I will not know what I'm going to read until the book is in my hand.
This year featured two large moves (moving both my household at the beginning of the year and my father at the end of the year) which disrupted my reading so much. So next year I am taking a comment rocketjk made on my thread this year and declare 2023 the year of whim and inclination. I will not know what I'm going to read until the book is in my hand.
219labfs39
>218 RidgewayGirl: declare 2023 the year of whim and inclination
Good for you, Kay. I'll look forward to following along wherever the winds of whimsey take you.
Good for you, Kay. I'll look forward to following along wherever the winds of whimsey take you.
220labfs39
An order from Better World Books arrived today:
Samurai: A Very Short Introduction by Michael Wert, because I liked the VSI book I read on the Palestinian-Israeli Conflict and understanding the myth of the samurai would help me understand Japanese culture better
The Door by Magda Szabó, an Hungarian novel that has been on my wishlist since 2013, rec by Stephanie/DieFledermaus
War Hospital by Sheri Fink, an account of a hospital trapped in Srebrenica during the Bosnian War by the author of Five Days at Memorial and which has also been on my wishlist since 2013
Minor Detail by Adania Shibli, a Palestinian novel recommended by ursula
Love's Shadow by Ada Leverson, because I like the Bloomsbury Group imprint
The Double Helix: A Personal Account of the Discovery of the Structure of DNA by James D. Watson, because it is my book group choice for January
Samurai: A Very Short Introduction by Michael Wert, because I liked the VSI book I read on the Palestinian-Israeli Conflict and understanding the myth of the samurai would help me understand Japanese culture better
The Door by Magda Szabó, an Hungarian novel that has been on my wishlist since 2013, rec by Stephanie/DieFledermaus
War Hospital by Sheri Fink, an account of a hospital trapped in Srebrenica during the Bosnian War by the author of Five Days at Memorial and which has also been on my wishlist since 2013
Minor Detail by Adania Shibli, a Palestinian novel recommended by ursula
Love's Shadow by Ada Leverson, because I like the Bloomsbury Group imprint
The Double Helix: A Personal Account of the Discovery of the Structure of DNA by James D. Watson, because it is my book group choice for January
222labfs39
>221 dchaikin: LOL, I'm excited to read it. I see Kevin/stretch has it too. I had borrowed the Palestinian-Israeli Conflict VSI from the library and regretted it—I took so many pages of notes! So this time, I sprang for a copy to highlight. It's teeny-tiny text, so maybe next time I'll get an e-version so I can enlarge the font.
224AlisonY
I look away for 5 minutes and I'm hugely behind on your thread. You've had some very interesting reads lately. Noting several of them which are new titles to me.
And Happy Hanukkah to all.
And Happy Hanukkah to all.
225cindydavid4
>223 labfs39: chag someach!!!!! Going to big brothers to have a feast. Brining my famous mint brownieis. Hoping Ill get to see my grand nieces who I havent seen since the pandemic!
227rocketjk
Yes, Happy Hanukkah, everybody. Unfortunately I have to go down to the Bay Area tonight for a sad occasion, but my wife and I will be lighting up the menorahs every night thereafter. Cheers!
228labfs39
>224 AlisonY: I know my thread has been particularly long this year. I appreciate your taking the time to catch up, Allison. I value your comments.
>225 cindydavid4: I hope you have a fun time with your family, Cindy. The brownies sound yummy.
>226 dchaikin: Thanks, Dan, you too!
>227 rocketjk: I'm sorry the funeral fell on the first night of Hanukkah. The jazz jam sounds like a great way to celebrate a musician's life. I understand your covid concerns though. One wonderful thing about Hanukkah, is that there is always another night to celebrate!
>225 cindydavid4: I hope you have a fun time with your family, Cindy. The brownies sound yummy.
>226 dchaikin: Thanks, Dan, you too!
>227 rocketjk: I'm sorry the funeral fell on the first night of Hanukkah. The jazz jam sounds like a great way to celebrate a musician's life. I understand your covid concerns though. One wonderful thing about Hanukkah, is that there is always another night to celebrate!
229labfs39
My own Hanukkah plans fell through tonight. My nieces came down with viruses, and the little one's fever was 103.8 and not responding to meds. So we all decided to postpone our dinner and holiday get together. It was just my daughter and I and my mother tonight. We lit the candles, then I shut off the lights and read on my new Kindle by candlelight. Very nice!
I read for about an hour with no eye strain, although I'm still playing around with the brightness and warmth settings. It was nice to seamlessly pick up reading the book I had begun on my phone. The leather case is great, and I like that the Kindle shuts off when I close the case. So far I'm enjoying the experience.
I also received a couple of (paper) books from my wishlist:
Katalin Street by Magda Szabó
Go Tell the Bees That I am Gone by Diana Gabaldon
I read for about an hour with no eye strain, although I'm still playing around with the brightness and warmth settings. It was nice to seamlessly pick up reading the book I had begun on my phone. The leather case is great, and I like that the Kindle shuts off when I close the case. So far I'm enjoying the experience.
I also received a couple of (paper) books from my wishlist:
Katalin Street by Magda Szabó
Go Tell the Bees That I am Gone by Diana Gabaldon
230dianeham
>229 labfs39: glad you like your new kindle.
231RidgewayGirl
Happy Hannukah, Lisa. Enjoy your new kindle!
232ursula
Oh yay for new kindle! I agree that it is nice to be able to seamlessly pick up where you left off between apps.
233markon
Happy Hanukkah Lisa! Sounds like you found a lovely way to celebrate. Hope your nerves nieces recover quickly.
234labfs39
Thanks, everyone!
>232 ursula: My copy of Minor Detail, a book bullet from you, arrived. Can't wait to get to it.
>233 markon: You had me stumped as to why you were hoping my nerves recovered. Then I realized it was an autocorrect for nieces! LOL. And thanks, the little one's fever broke during the night, now below 101. Now it's just the cough, runny eyes and nose, etc.
>232 ursula: My copy of Minor Detail, a book bullet from you, arrived. Can't wait to get to it.
>233 markon: You had me stumped as to why you were hoping my nerves recovered. Then I realized it was an autocorrect for nieces! LOL. And thanks, the little one's fever broke during the night, now below 101. Now it's just the cough, runny eyes and nose, etc.
235labfs39
Well, Happy Hanukkah. Not so much. I had my mom, stepmom, dad, and sister for dinner tonight (not my sister with the sick kids). We had a nice meal, exchanged a few gifts. Then my mom on the way out says she has a runny nose and sore throat. I told her to test, and sure enough she has covid. She said she didn't realize those were symptoms. I explained that they are the most prevalent symptoms of the current variant, not cough and fever. She's vaxxed and booster (twice) and will call her doctor tomorrow about Paxlovid. Our Hanukkah has now moved to video chat only. Sigh.
Be careful out there everyone
Be careful out there everyone
236dianeham
>235 labfs39: yikes. Hope she’s better soon.
238qebo
>235 labfs39: Ugh, sorry. I hope the rest of you are OK and it's no more than a nuisance for your mother.
239labfs39
>236 dianeham: Thanks, Diane. She was quite upset when she tested positive. Her brother (my uncle) died of Covid a little over a year ago.
>237 avaland: I am enjoying The Bloodsmoor Romance, Lois. I got distracted reading on my Kindle for a bit, but returned to it yesterday. I'm almost half way (p. 257 of 615, but who's counting?) :-)
>237 avaland: I am enjoying The Bloodsmoor Romance, Lois. I got distracted reading on my Kindle for a bit, but returned to it yesterday. I'm almost half way (p. 257 of 615, but who's counting?) :-)
240labfs39
>238 qebo: Thanks, qebo. We cross-posted. So far she's not too bad, and the rest of the family is testing negative. Mom had gone to NYC to see the holiday decorations and go to a play. She was symptomatic 7 days later, so we'll keep testing for a week, especially if we get any symptoms. It's tough because the kids are sick with something else, so it's hard to know what's what.
241labfs39
>240 labfs39: The kids have influenza A
242labfs39
A few more new books:
The First Woman by Jennifer Nansubuga Makumbi, a recommendation from Trifolia that will fit the 2023 African Novel Challenge
Autumn Rounds by Jacques Poulin, a favorite author, this one has been on my wishlist for years. Archipelago Press finally came out with a new addition so it's more available. A recommendation from TadAD.
Agent Sonya: Moscow's Most Daring Wartime Spy by Ben Macintyre, another favorite author, this was a gift from my daughter
The First Woman by Jennifer Nansubuga Makumbi, a recommendation from Trifolia that will fit the 2023 African Novel Challenge
Autumn Rounds by Jacques Poulin, a favorite author, this one has been on my wishlist for years. Archipelago Press finally came out with a new addition so it's more available. A recommendation from TadAD.
Agent Sonya: Moscow's Most Daring Wartime Spy by Ben Macintyre, another favorite author, this was a gift from my daughter
243SassyLassy
A Jacques Poulin in a new Archipelago edition - sounds like a winner. I'll look for that one.
You will enjoy the Szabó books. Actually, enjoy is the wrong word for them, so I'll say appreciate.
You will enjoy the Szabó books. Actually, enjoy is the wrong word for them, so I'll say appreciate.
244markon
I enjoyed Kintu, Makumbi's first novel. Will be curious to see what you think of The first woman.
245Trifolia
>235 labfs39: I'm sorry to hear this about your mother. I hope the symptoms will be mild and she'll get better very soon. And your nieces as well.
>242 labfs39: The First Woman is indeed a great book. I'll probably join the African challenge and read Makumbi's Kintu then. There are so many African writers and books to explore. Something to look forward to. Actually I'm currently listening to Africa is not a country, somewhat in preparation for this challenge.
>242 labfs39: The First Woman is indeed a great book. I'll probably join the African challenge and read Makumbi's Kintu then. There are so many African writers and books to explore. Something to look forward to. Actually I'm currently listening to Africa is not a country, somewhat in preparation for this challenge.
246ursula
>234 labfs39: Cool! Hope you find it a good read.
>235 labfs39: Ooof. Sorry to hear about the covid. It seems endless.
>235 labfs39: Ooof. Sorry to hear about the covid. It seems endless.
247cushlareads
Happy Hanukkah, Lisa - and sorry to read your Mum's got Covid and your nieces are sick. I hope they're all ok.
I had a big drive back from Auckland on Wednesday and listened to a Q&A with Ben MacIntyre on Simon Mayo's Books of the Year podcast. He writes great books faster than I can read them!
I had a big drive back from Auckland on Wednesday and listened to a Q&A with Ben MacIntyre on Simon Mayo's Books of the Year podcast. He writes great books faster than I can read them!
248labfs39
>243 SassyLassy: I love Archipelago Press: the paper, the size, the mission. I've considered subscribing several times, but I prefer being able to pick which ones I get. Since they had published several of Poulin's other books, I was hoping they would publish this one as well.
>244 markon: I was interested in The First Woman after reading Monica/Trifolia's review, and the African Novel Challenge has given me the impetus to read it sooner rather than later.
>245 Trifolia: Thanks, Monica. My mom is doing well, thankfully. But the girls and my sister and BIL are down and out still. The influenza is kicking their sad behinds. My daughter and I continue to test negative for covid, but are sniffling, coughing, headache-y with low-grade fevers.
There are so many African countries and authors to explore, and I have read few of them. I went crazy on Better World Books and Amazon getting used, inexpensive copies in preparation for the challenge. I'll also read a few on my new Kindle.
>246 ursula: Thanks, ursula. Endless indeed, and here in the US, influenza and RSV are creating a perfect storm of illnesses.
>247 cushlareads: Hi Cushla! I like Ben Mcintyre's books too. I have read three of the six I own. Rogue Heroes was fantastic. I also really liked Operation Mincemeat. A Spy Among Friends was my least favorite, but I still learned a lot.
>244 markon: I was interested in The First Woman after reading Monica/Trifolia's review, and the African Novel Challenge has given me the impetus to read it sooner rather than later.
>245 Trifolia: Thanks, Monica. My mom is doing well, thankfully. But the girls and my sister and BIL are down and out still. The influenza is kicking their sad behinds. My daughter and I continue to test negative for covid, but are sniffling, coughing, headache-y with low-grade fevers.
There are so many African countries and authors to explore, and I have read few of them. I went crazy on Better World Books and Amazon getting used, inexpensive copies in preparation for the challenge. I'll also read a few on my new Kindle.
>246 ursula: Thanks, ursula. Endless indeed, and here in the US, influenza and RSV are creating a perfect storm of illnesses.
>247 cushlareads: Hi Cushla! I like Ben Mcintyre's books too. I have read three of the six I own. Rogue Heroes was fantastic. I also really liked Operation Mincemeat. A Spy Among Friends was my least favorite, but I still learned a lot.
249cindydavid4
best place for good used books is bookfinder.com I usually buy all of my used books from their indie bookstores now; lots that i got for the asian challenge were from thoss, and rarely spent more than $10m(and better world books is in there)
What my own challenge for the African challenge is to get a handle of the geograpphy of the continent. I know the north and some of the east,but the rest is really a jumble for me. Hopefully as the challenge goes on I can get a better handle on it all
What my own challenge for the African challenge is to get a handle of the geograpphy of the continent. I know the north and some of the east,but the rest is really a jumble for me. Hopefully as the challenge goes on I can get a better handle on it all
250ursula
>248 labfs39: I'm sure it's the same cocktail here too, but you can't get a flu shot unless you're over 65 or something.
251labfs39
>249 cindydavid4: Yes, bookfinder is a great resource, especially for rarer titles. Buying from one place when I can helps with shipping though, and I like that BWB donates a book for every book I buy.
>250 ursula: Oh interesting. They will give anyone a flu shot here. Unfortunately, this variant does not seem to be in the quad-dose that we got, as my sister's family is very sick with it despite having been vaccinated.
>250 ursula: Oh interesting. They will give anyone a flu shot here. Unfortunately, this variant does not seem to be in the quad-dose that we got, as my sister's family is very sick with it despite having been vaccinated.
252cindydavid4
>251 labfs39: oh I didn't know that about BWB! cool Ill go there more often!
253cindydavid4
>250 ursula: where do you live? In the US Ive been getting them since I started teaching preschool 30 years ago, its been a life saver Edited
255AlisonY
We've got the same 3 viruses doing the rounds in the UK. Always in time for the holidays. Hope you remain well, Lisa.
256cindydavid4
>254 rocketjk: ha ha, yes I did. need to take better care of who Iam chatting with online :)
257labfs39
Years ago I started a list of the books that I've read by Nobel Laureates in Literature. I decided to formalize the challenge in a dedicated group so that I can stop going to my Club Read 2014 with updates. If you like lists and would like to join me, the link is Nobel Laureates in Literature Challenge.
258SassyLassy
>257 labfs39: Checked out your list and love the idea.
260labfs39
>258 SassyLassy: Thanks, Sassy. I love lists, so it was fun.
>259 dchaikin: Thanks, Dan. The fun times just don't stop. Today we had a horrific wind and rain storm. My sister and her family have no power, yet can't go to anyone else's house because of they have the flu. They've got a generator, but it's busy pumping water out of their flooded basement. Tonight the temps are supposed to drop 40 degrees to a chill 10F. The flooded roads are going to be a glare of ice. Sigh. Meanwhile, my daughter and I are running low-grade fevers and feel punk, but not super ill.
>259 dchaikin: Thanks, Dan. The fun times just don't stop. Today we had a horrific wind and rain storm. My sister and her family have no power, yet can't go to anyone else's house because of they have the flu. They've got a generator, but it's busy pumping water out of their flooded basement. Tonight the temps are supposed to drop 40 degrees to a chill 10F. The flooded roads are going to be a glare of ice. Sigh. Meanwhile, my daughter and I are running low-grade fevers and feel punk, but not super ill.
261cindydavid4
yikes! stay warm if you can and be safe. This storm is a polar vortex that supposed to be pretty powerful and large and feel better. Id send some of our sunshine to youif I could
262labfs39
A few more books arrived. Oddly it was cheaper to buy Afterlives from Blackwell's in England and have it shipped here, than it was to buy in the states.
Afterlives by Abdulrazak Gurnah, because I read Paradise and would like to explore this author further
The Tuner of Silences by Mia Couto, because Darryl/kidzdoc loves this book and author
The First Wife: A Tale of Polygamy by Paulina Chiziane, an Archipelago Press edition of another African novel
The ultimate tragedy by Abdulai Sila, the first novel from Guinea Bissau to be translated into English
Afterlives by Abdulrazak Gurnah, because I read Paradise and would like to explore this author further
The Tuner of Silences by Mia Couto, because Darryl/kidzdoc loves this book and author
The First Wife: A Tale of Polygamy by Paulina Chiziane, an Archipelago Press edition of another African novel
The ultimate tragedy by Abdulai Sila, the first novel from Guinea Bissau to be translated into English
263labfs39
>261 cindydavid4: Thanks, Cindy. Something like 60% of the United States is under a winter advisory at present. My daughter rebooked her flight for next week. Sea-Tac closed earlier today due to ice, and Portland Airport had to close because they lost power.
264dchaikin
>260 labfs39: - oh, your poor sister! And poor you. I hope you feel better!
But more books are good. I hope you take to the slow Afterlives. I really enjoyed it on audio (where I could listen lazily).
But more books are good. I hope you take to the slow Afterlives. I really enjoyed it on audio (where I could listen lazily).
265markon
>260 labfs39: - yes, your poor sister & family! Hope the power comes back soon!
266ursula
>253 cindydavid4: I live in Istanbul. In the US my husband and I got them every year too.
>263 labfs39: My son lives in Denver, he and his girlfriend went to see his dad in California just before the storm hit, but now they're trying to get to her family in southern Utah. Waiting to hear how it goes.
>263 labfs39: My son lives in Denver, he and his girlfriend went to see his dad in California just before the storm hit, but now they're trying to get to her family in southern Utah. Waiting to hear how it goes.
267MissBrangwen
Oh no, I am so sorry to hear about all that has happened to your family! I hope everyone stays as safe as possible in these circumstances, and that they (and you) will feel better soon.
268labfs39
Update: we lost power about 9 last night. One good thing about a Kindle, you can read when the power is out! 10F outside, feels like -4. 56 inside.
270msf59
OMG! That is terrible, Lisa. How are you staying warm? Any idea when they can get the power back on? Sending warm thoughts!
271cindydavid4
oh no!! wish I could send you some sunshine! Thats terrible I hope they get the heat back on soon. And in the meantime you cant heat up anything warm to drink, unless you have a gas stove?
272cindydavid4
>266 ursula: oh right I remember that, you put up some video for the Asian Challenge. Wow had no idea there was a age limit for Flu shots there!
273arubabookwoman
Just joined your Nobel Laureate group. I want to read more seriously next year.
We lost our power last night too, but it was only 40 outside so we stayed relatively warm. I lent Mia my Kindle for her to read while I read my library book on my iPad.
We lost our power last night too, but it was only 40 outside so we stayed relatively warm. I lent Mia my Kindle for her to read while I read my library book on my iPad.
274labfs39
The power is back on and the house is slowly warming up again. Hooray!
>269 ursula: Thanks, Ursula.
>270 msf59: Nippy out your way, Mark! Since it was after 9pm when the power went out last night, we just went to bed. :-) When it was still out this morning, I was working on borrowing a generator (the house is wired, but I don't own one) when the power came back on. yay!
>271 cindydavid4: Fortunately several members of the family have generators, so my dad brought me coffee this morning. Otherwise I'm down to a tiny backpacking stove!
>273 arubabookwoman: I'm glad some folks are interested in the Nobel reading group. I do enjoy me a good list. Do you have power back yet? That's an unforeseen bonus to the e-reader, I can read at night without electricity for a long time without draining the battery. I hope all your kids made it okay. I've heard nightmare stories. I'm glad my daughter was able to postpone her flight.
>269 ursula: Thanks, Ursula.
>270 msf59: Nippy out your way, Mark! Since it was after 9pm when the power went out last night, we just went to bed. :-) When it was still out this morning, I was working on borrowing a generator (the house is wired, but I don't own one) when the power came back on. yay!
>271 cindydavid4: Fortunately several members of the family have generators, so my dad brought me coffee this morning. Otherwise I'm down to a tiny backpacking stove!
>273 arubabookwoman: I'm glad some folks are interested in the Nobel reading group. I do enjoy me a good list. Do you have power back yet? That's an unforeseen bonus to the e-reader, I can read at night without electricity for a long time without draining the battery. I hope all your kids made it okay. I've heard nightmare stories. I'm glad my daughter was able to postpone her flight.
275RidgewayGirl
So sorry you lost power, but glad it didn't last too long! We had a dramatic drop in temperature with snow on Thursday and wind on Friday, with our lowest temps being around -35 with wind chill factored in, but the power didn't go out. Wishing all of you a speedy recovery! You've ordered some intriguing books -- I'm hoping for at least one gift card myself.
276AnnieMod
Stay warm and safe while these power outages continue. Hopefully that one was the last one. Hugs.
277avaland
>262 labfs39: You are nearly as bad as I am with your book purchases! :-)
278lisapeet
Oof, labfs39, you're having a star-crossed holiday season. I hope things look up for you and yours healthwise and heatwise. Bookwise, on the other hand, you're doing great—you've got some good stuff there, and I look forward to hearing what you think about them.
279labfs39
>275 RidgewayGirl: Brrr. I remember well that wind chill from when I lived in Bloomington, Ind. I'm glad you didn't lose power. My sister and father are still without power, but they both have their houses wired for a generator, so they are okay. Some families are not so lucky and it's a very chilly holiday. -4F at the moment.
My family asked for a book wishlist, then capitulated and just said, go ahead and buy them and we'll wrap them! So I had the fun of compiling the list and shopping, :-)
>276 AnnieMod: Thanks, Annie. Some people have lost power again, thanks to falling trees, but mine has stayed on. Big thanks to all the line workers who have been out on the roads for two days straight trying to get everyone back online.
>277 avaland: Tis the season!
>278 lisapeet: Thanks, Lisa. I'm like a squirrel hoarding nuts. Winter may come, but I'll have books
Merry Christmas to all who celebrate it!
My family asked for a book wishlist, then capitulated and just said, go ahead and buy them and we'll wrap them! So I had the fun of compiling the list and shopping, :-)
>276 AnnieMod: Thanks, Annie. Some people have lost power again, thanks to falling trees, but mine has stayed on. Big thanks to all the line workers who have been out on the roads for two days straight trying to get everyone back online.
>277 avaland: Tis the season!
>278 lisapeet: Thanks, Lisa. I'm like a squirrel hoarding nuts. Winter may come, but I'll have books
Merry Christmas to all who celebrate it!
280labfs39
A Bloodsmoor Romance by Joyce Carol Oates
Published 1982
Once upon a Victorian time, there were five sisters. The oldest, Constance Philippa, was tomboyish and engaged to a Baron. Octavia was pious and domestic, a proper young miss. Malvinia was headstrong and beautiful, the belle of the ball, while Samantha was too interested in books to attract any beau. And then there was their adopted youngest sister, Deirdre, who we learn on the very first page is doomed to be abducted by an "outlaw balloon of sinister black." Their father was a poor and maligned but brilliant inventor, and their mother was the daughter of a wealthy former Pennsylvania Supreme Court judge.
The book's first half has heavy parallels to Little Women. The girls gathered around the piano with their brave mother while their father is off fighting the Confederates. They are Transcendentalists, intellectual and rational, yet clinging to the social mores that define women in very stringent terms. It also resembles a stereotypical gothic novel replete with dark mysteries, curses, ghosts, doomed romances, dastardly villains, nightmares, virginal damsels in distress, and lots of melodrama.
But this novel was written in 1982, not 1882, and the author, Joyce Carol Oates, has so much fun playing with the genre. Brilliant, witty writing both paying tribute to and mocking Victorian gothics. Some of the most hilarious scenes are those describing sex, never in so many words of course. The faithful narrator of the Zinn family history is the epitome of gossipy discretion. I couldn't stop turning the pages, which is a good thing, because this is a long book, 615 pages in my edition. A fun tongue-in-cheek book for those who enjoy Victorian literature and parodies.
281cindydavid4
>279 labfs39: My family asked for a book wishlist, then capitulated and just said, go ahead and buy them and we'll wrap them! So I had the fun of compiling the list and shopping, :-)
I love this!! Since my birthday and Hanukah are about two week apart,David has given me 8 gift cards for Chanukah to my favorite bookstore and one more for for my birthday. Works out pretty well esp when I use them all at the 25% off new years sale every year. . I get what I want, and get a discount. Not a bad
I love this!! Since my birthday and Hanukah are about two week apart,David has given me 8 gift cards for Chanukah to my favorite bookstore and one more for for my birthday. Works out pretty well esp when I use them all at the 25% off new years sale every year. . I get what I want, and get a discount. Not a bad
282dchaikin
>280 labfs39: fun review. And kudos for flying through.
283labfs39
>281 cindydavid4: My mom doesn't like the idea of my knowing what she is getting me, but I assured her that shopping for books is as much fun as receiving them: it's a double gift.
>282 dchaikin: Thanks, Dan. There hasn't been much else to do with so much of the family isolating with one illness or another and the storm. It's nice to be done though so that I can spend more time with my new Kindle.
>282 dchaikin: Thanks, Dan. There hasn't been much else to do with so much of the family isolating with one illness or another and the storm. It's nice to be done though so that I can spend more time with my new Kindle.
284labfs39
My daughter found this on my wishlist and surprised me with it:
Unknown Soldiers by Vaino Linna, a Finnish novel of WWII recommended by SassyLassy and rocketj
Unknown Soldiers by Vaino Linna, a Finnish novel of WWII recommended by SassyLassy and rocketj
285PaulCranswick
LT makes the world smaller and better. Have a good holiday, Lisa.
286avaland
>280 labfs39: Great review and a nice revisit of a favorite book!
287labfs39
>281 cindydavid4: Happy Birthukkah, Cindy! Bookstores are thin on the ground here, so I end up ordering online for the most part. Gift cards are great too. We are lucky to have people in our lives who understand we would rather get books than almost anything else.
>282 dchaikin: Thanks, Dan. It was a fun read and something I would never have picked up on my own.
>285 PaulCranswick: Happy holidays to you too, Paul. As you can see, I'm getting geared up for Africa.
>286 avaland: Thanks to you, Lois, my eyes have been opened to another great writer.
>282 dchaikin: Thanks, Dan. It was a fun read and something I would never have picked up on my own.
>285 PaulCranswick: Happy holidays to you too, Paul. As you can see, I'm getting geared up for Africa.
>286 avaland: Thanks to you, Lois, my eyes have been opened to another great writer.
288GeorginaJenkins 
Dieser Benutzer wurde wegen Spammens entfernt.
289lisapeet
>280 labfs39: Great review, and it inclines me to give the book a chance, maybe (as I get older, I get more choosy about 600+-page books). I had written it off as JCO playing around with the genre in a more conventional way, but tongue-in-cheek mode sounds fun.
290PaulCranswick
>287 labfs39: Looking forward to it too, Lisa. x
291SassyLassy
>280 labfs39: Maybe this is the one with which to start reading JCO. I tried years ago and couldn't do it, but loving Victorians and parodies, this one just might work.
>284 labfs39: Excellent daughter.
>284 labfs39: Excellent daughter.
292Trifolia
Oh my, you have a lot on your plate! I do hope that you and your family are doing well, both healthwise and warmthwise. We've seen the news about the weather in the US and it looks terrifying. I'm glad you have your kindle and a stack of books!
Thanks for setting up the Nobel Laureates in Literature Challenge.
Thanks for setting up the Nobel Laureates in Literature Challenge.
293labfs39
>289 lisapeet: Bloodsmoor Romance was my first JCO, given to me by Lois. It was... unexpected, and I found it entertaining. It was long though, so I understand the hesitation.
>290 PaulCranswick: I've purchased ten? book from African writers and have several lined up for the Kindle, in addition to the ones I already owned. :-)
>291 SassyLassy: Lois is my JCO point of contact. She's been trying to lure me in and this is the one that did it.
My daughter is excellent. :-)
>292 Trifolia: Everyone finally has power back. We are getting together for a last (post-)Hanukkah celebration tonight. My sister also celebrates Christmas, but she hasn't told the kids that it has passed. They are too little to know, so Santa is coming Saturday. LOL.
I hope you enjoy another list.
>290 PaulCranswick: I've purchased ten? book from African writers and have several lined up for the Kindle, in addition to the ones I already owned. :-)
>291 SassyLassy: Lois is my JCO point of contact. She's been trying to lure me in and this is the one that did it.
My daughter is excellent. :-)
>292 Trifolia: Everyone finally has power back. We are getting together for a last (post-)Hanukkah celebration tonight. My sister also celebrates Christmas, but she hasn't told the kids that it has passed. They are too little to know, so Santa is coming Saturday. LOL.
I hope you enjoy another list.
294labfs39
I began reading this e-book on my phone and switched to my Kindle around the halfway point. It's the first book I've read on my Kindle.
War and Me: A Memoir by Faleeha Hassan, translated from the Arabic by William Hutchins
Published 2022, 364 p.
Faleeha Hassan is an Iraqi poet with refugee status in the United States. Her memoir details her life growing up in Iraq through one war after another: the Iran-Iraq War, the invasion of Kuwait, various uprisings, the Gulf War, and the Iraq War. She eschews the political, however, and writes about her family, her schooling and pursuit of higher education, her first love, her professional life, and her unhappy marriage. In 2011 her name was published on a militia group's death list. She fled to Turkey with her two youngest children and from there to the US. She was the first woman to publish a book of poetry in Najaf and has been widely published and translated.
This is the first Iraqi memoir I've read, and I learned a lot about the daily life of a woman growing up under Saddam Hussein and subsequent sanctions. Hassan is pious, well-educated, and a prolific poet. Unfortunately the memoir doesn't read as fluidly as one might expect. It could be a result of the translation or even my own reading of the book, which was interrupted in the middle. The result is the I enjoyed the content more than the writing.
War and Me: A Memoir by Faleeha Hassan, translated from the Arabic by William Hutchins
Published 2022, 364 p.
Faleeha Hassan is an Iraqi poet with refugee status in the United States. Her memoir details her life growing up in Iraq through one war after another: the Iran-Iraq War, the invasion of Kuwait, various uprisings, the Gulf War, and the Iraq War. She eschews the political, however, and writes about her family, her schooling and pursuit of higher education, her first love, her professional life, and her unhappy marriage. In 2011 her name was published on a militia group's death list. She fled to Turkey with her two youngest children and from there to the US. She was the first woman to publish a book of poetry in Najaf and has been widely published and translated.
This is the first Iraqi memoir I've read, and I learned a lot about the daily life of a woman growing up under Saddam Hussein and subsequent sanctions. Hassan is pious, well-educated, and a prolific poet. Unfortunately the memoir doesn't read as fluidly as one might expect. It could be a result of the translation or even my own reading of the book, which was interrupted in the middle. The result is the I enjoyed the content more than the writing.
295dchaikin
Glad you’re enjoying your Kindle. I’m curious about Iraq from Iraqi perspectives, so this sounds very interesting to me.
296labfs39
>295 dchaikin: It's interesting for that reason, Dan. It's on sale on Amazon for $9 now, paperback.
297dchaikin
>296 labfs39: - oh, i don’t do amazon sales. ☺️ But thank you.
298labfs39
Okay, the last roundup of new-to-me books. First, those for the African Reading Challenge:
Beneath the Lion's Gaze by by Maaza Mengiste (Ethiopia)
The madwoman of Serrano by Dina Salustio (Cape Verde)
Black Mamba Boy by Nadifa Mohamed (Somalia)
A follow up to a book I read this year:
Taken Captive: A Japanese POW's Story by Shohei Ooka
Beneath the Lion's Gaze by by Maaza Mengiste (Ethiopia)
The madwoman of Serrano by Dina Salustio (Cape Verde)
Black Mamba Boy by Nadifa Mohamed (Somalia)
A follow up to a book I read this year:
Taken Captive: A Japanese POW's Story by Shohei Ooka
299labfs39
And five excellent, unexpected gifts that weren't on my wishlist:
The last million : Europe's displaced persons from World War to Cold War by David Nasaw
My Name Is Selma: The Remarkable Memoir of a Jewish Resistance Fighter and Ravensbrück Survivor by Selma van de Perre
Angels of the Resistance by Noelle Salazar (author is from my old stomping grounds)
Bellevue : three centuries of medicine and mayhem at America's most storied hospital by David M. Oshinsky
All that She Carried : The Journey of Ashley's Sack, a Black Family Keepsake by Tiya Miles
And that's the end of a fabulous holiday book buying spree and gifts!
The last million : Europe's displaced persons from World War to Cold War by David Nasaw
My Name Is Selma: The Remarkable Memoir of a Jewish Resistance Fighter and Ravensbrück Survivor by Selma van de Perre
Angels of the Resistance by Noelle Salazar (author is from my old stomping grounds)
Bellevue : three centuries of medicine and mayhem at America's most storied hospital by David M. Oshinsky
All that She Carried : The Journey of Ashley's Sack, a Black Family Keepsake by Tiya Miles
And that's the end of a fabulous holiday book buying spree and gifts!
300cushlareads
Eeee, so many new books!! I read and enjoyed Black Mamba Boy while we were living in Switzerland - can't find a review but I gave it 3 1/2 stars. Is the African Challenge in the 75 group?
301labfs39
>300 cushlareads: This year end has been a bonanza of books. I'm thrilled. Yes, Paul Cranswick is leading the African Challenge in the 75 Group. The Asian Book Challenge this year was mellow, folks dropped in and out. Some months I read more than others. I found it a good motivator though, and I finally read some books that had been on my TBR forever, as well as read some authors from new-to-me countries. I'm excited to do the same in Africa.
302labfs39
Now Reading:
I picked up Agent Sonya today, a book my daughter gave me. Typical of Ben Macintyre's books, it is well-written and researched, and I'm enjoying it so far. Trying to squeeze it in before the new year.
I picked up Agent Sonya today, a book my daughter gave me. Typical of Ben Macintyre's books, it is well-written and researched, and I'm enjoying it so far. Trying to squeeze it in before the new year.
303dianeham
>298 labfs39: Where is the African challege?
305dchaikin
>298 labfs39: >299 labfs39: ooh… love new books
307msf59
>299 labfs39: These all look especially good, Lisa. I will have to watch for your reports.
I also need to get to Agent Sonya. I have loved all the books I have read by Macintyre.
I also need to get to Agent Sonya. I have loved all the books I have read by Macintyre.
308dianeham
>304 labfs39: so it will be a thread in the 2023 75 group? Or many threads?
309labfs39
>305 dchaikin: It was a wonderful season for books, both purchased and received.
>306 Dilara86: Now to read them all! I think I may have bitten off more than I can chew...
>307 msf59: I read the first six chapters of Agent Sonya today and have been loving it. So far it may be my favorite after Rogue Heroes. Operation Mincemeat was good too. The only one I've read that I didn't care for was A Spy among Friends about Kim Philby. I still have Agent Zigzag and Double Cross on my shelves.
>308 dianeham: If it is like this year with Asia, there will be the master thread that I linked to above, then each month Paul will create a separate thread for that month's countries. All within the 75 Books group.
>306 Dilara86: Now to read them all! I think I may have bitten off more than I can chew...
>307 msf59: I read the first six chapters of Agent Sonya today and have been loving it. So far it may be my favorite after Rogue Heroes. Operation Mincemeat was good too. The only one I've read that I didn't care for was A Spy among Friends about Kim Philby. I still have Agent Zigzag and Double Cross on my shelves.
>308 dianeham: If it is like this year with Asia, there will be the master thread that I linked to above, then each month Paul will create a separate thread for that month's countries. All within the 75 Books group.
310labfs39
I tried to finish Agent Sonya this year, but I don't think I'm going to make it. I spent three hours of prime reading time this morning at my dad's fixing all his electronics. So, I'm going to go ahead and do my recap of the year now.
The year I joined challenges and had a much more structured approach to my reading than is usual for me. I thoroughly enjoyed the Asian Book Challenge, tribute to rebeccanyc, etc., although at times I did feel some self-imposed pressure. Overall I read more and of a better quality than I have in years. I'm pleased with the percentage of translations and the number of countries I explored. I didn't read as much nonfiction as I sometimes do, but I did manage a fair number of graphic books, which is an area I am interested in exploring more.
Here's the stats:
Total number of books: 89
33 (37%) translations
65 (73%) fiction
24 (27%) nonfiction
42 (48%) by women
45 (52%) by men
2 both (anthology)
53 (60%) nonwhite and/or non-European/North American
Country of Author
Afghani: 3
Algerian: 1
American: 18
Australian: 1
Belgian Israeli: 1
Burmese: 1
Cambodian American: 1
Canadian: 2
Chilean: 1
Chinese: 1
Chinese American: 1
Dutch: 1
English: 9
German (Russian): 1
Guatemalan: 2
Indian: 1
Iranian: 2
Iraqi: 2
Israeli: 2
Japanese: 8
Japanese American: 1
Korean: 3
Lebanese: 1
Malaysian American: 1
Maltese American: 1
Mongolian (Tuvan): 2
Nigerian American: 1
Pakistani: 1
Palestinian: 1
Polish (English): 1
Russian: 1
Scottish (English): 2
Singaporean: 3
Slovakian: 1
South African: 1
Swedish: 1
Turkish: 5
Vietnamese: 2
Genre
Mystery: 8 (3 series)
Espionage: 3 (1 series)
Science Fiction: 1 (not in a series)
Chicklit: 2
Memoirs: 21
History: 2
Other nonfiction: 1
Challenges
Asian Book Challenge: 39 (plus 5 about the countries about not by an author from that country)
Graphic Stories: 16
Remembering Rebeccanyc: 2 (plus 1 she had recommended to me)
Holocaust: 5 (4 memoirs)
Novel Laureates: 2 (Kawabata, Gao)
Global Challenge (countries new to me this year): 7
Chile
Guatemala (2)
Iraq (2)
Mongolia (2)
Myanmar/Burma
Singapore (2)
Venezuela
Most Read Authors
Jacqueline Winspear: 6
Atiq Rahimi: 3
Daniel Silva: 3
Eduardo Halfon: 2
Keum Suk Gendry-Kim: 2
Galsang Tschinag: 2
Kevin Kwan: 2
Source
Library: 40
Bought: 13 (5 new, 8 used)
Borrowed: 5
Gift: 6
Early Reviewer: 5
Ebook: 4
Reread: 2
Off my shelves: 13
The year I joined challenges and had a much more structured approach to my reading than is usual for me. I thoroughly enjoyed the Asian Book Challenge, tribute to rebeccanyc, etc., although at times I did feel some self-imposed pressure. Overall I read more and of a better quality than I have in years. I'm pleased with the percentage of translations and the number of countries I explored. I didn't read as much nonfiction as I sometimes do, but I did manage a fair number of graphic books, which is an area I am interested in exploring more.
Here's the stats:
Total number of books: 89
33 (37%) translations
65 (73%) fiction
24 (27%) nonfiction
42 (48%) by women
45 (52%) by men
2 both (anthology)
53 (60%) nonwhite and/or non-European/North American
Country of Author
Afghani: 3
Algerian: 1
American: 18
Australian: 1
Belgian Israeli: 1
Burmese: 1
Cambodian American: 1
Canadian: 2
Chilean: 1
Chinese: 1
Chinese American: 1
Dutch: 1
English: 9
German (Russian): 1
Guatemalan: 2
Indian: 1
Iranian: 2
Iraqi: 2
Israeli: 2
Japanese: 8
Japanese American: 1
Korean: 3
Lebanese: 1
Malaysian American: 1
Maltese American: 1
Mongolian (Tuvan): 2
Nigerian American: 1
Pakistani: 1
Palestinian: 1
Polish (English): 1
Russian: 1
Scottish (English): 2
Singaporean: 3
Slovakian: 1
South African: 1
Swedish: 1
Turkish: 5
Vietnamese: 2
Genre
Mystery: 8 (3 series)
Espionage: 3 (1 series)
Science Fiction: 1 (not in a series)
Chicklit: 2
Memoirs: 21
History: 2
Other nonfiction: 1
Challenges
Asian Book Challenge: 39 (plus 5 about the countries about not by an author from that country)
Graphic Stories: 16
Remembering Rebeccanyc: 2 (plus 1 she had recommended to me)
Holocaust: 5 (4 memoirs)
Novel Laureates: 2 (Kawabata, Gao)
Global Challenge (countries new to me this year): 7
Chile
Guatemala (2)
Iraq (2)
Mongolia (2)
Myanmar/Burma
Singapore (2)
Venezuela
Most Read Authors
Jacqueline Winspear: 6
Atiq Rahimi: 3
Daniel Silva: 3
Eduardo Halfon: 2
Keum Suk Gendry-Kim: 2
Galsang Tschinag: 2
Kevin Kwan: 2
Source
Library: 40
Bought: 13 (5 new, 8 used)
Borrowed: 5
Gift: 6
Early Reviewer: 5
Ebook: 4
Reread: 2
Off my shelves: 13
311labfs39
(Copied from Best of Thread)
Best of the Best: I Will Never See the World Again by Ahmet Altan (memoir, Turkey)
Best Nonfiction (not memoir): The Palestinian-Israeli Conflict by Martin Bunton (Very Short Introduction)
Best Memoir: Born a Crime by Trevor Noah (South Africa)
Best Holocaust Memoir: Romek's Lost Youth by Ken Roman (Poland)
Best Graphic Novel: Dare to Disappoint by Özge Samancı (memoir, Turkey)
Best (and only) Science Fiction: Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir (US)
Best Children's Picture Book: 999 Tadpoles by Ken Kimura (Japan)
Bombs: The Kill Artist and China Rich Girlfriend
Best Fiction (in order read):
An Unnecessary Woman by Rabih Alameddine (Lebanon)
The Colonel by Mahmoud Dowlatabadi (Iran)
The Bad Immigrant by Sefi Atta (Nigerian American)
Burnt Shadows by Kamila Shamsie (Pakistan)
Anxious People by Fredrik Backman (Sweden)
Colorless Tsukuru Tazaki and His Years of Pilgrimage by Haruki Murakami (Japan)
The Blue Sky and The Gray Earth by Galsan Tschinag (Tuvan/Mongolia)
Best of the Best: I Will Never See the World Again by Ahmet Altan (memoir, Turkey)
Best Nonfiction (not memoir): The Palestinian-Israeli Conflict by Martin Bunton (Very Short Introduction)
Best Memoir: Born a Crime by Trevor Noah (South Africa)
Best Holocaust Memoir: Romek's Lost Youth by Ken Roman (Poland)
Best Graphic Novel: Dare to Disappoint by Özge Samancı (memoir, Turkey)
Best (and only) Science Fiction: Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir (US)
Best Children's Picture Book: 999 Tadpoles by Ken Kimura (Japan)
Bombs: The Kill Artist and China Rich Girlfriend
Best Fiction (in order read):
An Unnecessary Woman by Rabih Alameddine (Lebanon)
The Colonel by Mahmoud Dowlatabadi (Iran)
The Bad Immigrant by Sefi Atta (Nigerian American)
Burnt Shadows by Kamila Shamsie (Pakistan)
Anxious People by Fredrik Backman (Sweden)
Colorless Tsukuru Tazaki and His Years of Pilgrimage by Haruki Murakami (Japan)
The Blue Sky and The Gray Earth by Galsan Tschinag (Tuvan/Mongolia)
313RidgewayGirl
The breadth of your reading certainly pushed me to read more globally this year. I hope to keep it up in 2023, now that I'm really enjoying it.
314japaul22
Yes, like Kay, I noticed right away how diverse your reading is! I got a little frustrated with translations in general a few years back, feeling like I somehow wasn't always really getting the author's intent through the translation. But I need to balance thing out a bit again. The Blue Sky is definitely on my list for 2023 from your reviews.
I've enjoyed following your reading!
I've enjoyed following your reading!
315labfs39
>313 RidgewayGirl: Thanks, Kay. You covered quite a bit of ground this year too.
>314 japaul22: I understand your frustration with translations, Jennifer. I too struggle with that from time to time. I always try to give the author of a translated work leeway in my review. Perhaps awkward writing is not their fault. Despite that, I am drawn to books from other places and love learning about other cultures and times. The Blue Sky and The Gray Earth were highlights of my reading year. Even my daughter talks about them, referring to things I told her as she has not read them. Some of the customs are memorable that way.
>314 japaul22: I understand your frustration with translations, Jennifer. I too struggle with that from time to time. I always try to give the author of a translated work leeway in my review. Perhaps awkward writing is not their fault. Despite that, I am drawn to books from other places and love learning about other cultures and times. The Blue Sky and The Gray Earth were highlights of my reading year. Even my daughter talks about them, referring to things I told her as she has not read them. Some of the customs are memorable that way.
316labfs39
Well, I did it! I finished Agent Sonya, an absolutely fascinating account of a fascinating female spy. I'm going to amend my stats above, then take a break from LT until tomorrow, when I'll set up my new thread.
317RidgewayGirl
I'm reading Babel by R. F. Kuang right now and there is a great bit in there about how translation is a balancing act between making the work reflect the author's words, tone, culture, etc and be hard for the reader to connect with, or so completely focus on the reader's language, culture, etc so as to be like they were reading something written originally in the translated language. A constant tension. Anyway, the whole art of translation is fascinating.
318labfs39
>317 RidgewayGirl: Funny you should mention Babel, it caught my eye on Dilara's thread a few days ago. I should look for it. I agree with you that the translation is an art and fascinating. I can't imagine trying to translate poetry.
319cindydavid4
>317 RidgewayGirl: I read her poppy war which blew me away. The sequel less so. Wanting to read Bable - Ive always been fascinated by how language works and about translation.
321labfs39
Before 2022 gets too far away in the rearview mirror, here's the review for the book I finished New Year's Eve:
Agent Sonya: Moscow's Most Daring Wartime Spy by Ben Macintyre
Published 2020, 377 p., 4.5*
Ursula Kuczynski grew up in 1920s Berlin. A daughter of an upper middle class, Jewish, liberal family, Ursula was participating in communist marches by the time she was a teenager. Once she was struck by a brownshirt, leaving a nasty bruise and solidifying a lifelong hatred of fascism. In 1930 Ursula and her new husband, Rudi Hamburger, moved to Shanghai, where he could find work as an architect. There she met Agnes Smedley, a dedicated communist like herself. Agnes recruited her to begin spying for the Soviets, who were backing the Chinese communists. Despite being pregnant with her first child, Ursula leapt at the chance to further the cause.
Thus Ursula (codenamed Sonya) began her decades long career as a Soviet spy and later spymaster. She would carry out missions in Japanese-occupied Manchuria, Poland, Switzerland, and England, where she handled one of the most notorious spies, Klaus Fuchs. Along the way, she was to acquire several lovers who, like her, were spying for the Soviets. She also had several children and used her status as a mother and housewife to camouflaged her activities.
Her career was remarkable for its longevity, surviving the Stalinist purges and illuding the Kempeitai, MI5, and spycatchers around the world. She would be feted by the Soviets, achieving the military rank of Colonel in the Red Army, and by the Stasi. I found her story utterly fascinating, and, once again, Ben Macintyre's research and writing were stellar. Highly recommended for anyone interested in espionage.
Agent Sonya: Moscow's Most Daring Wartime Spy by Ben Macintyre
Published 2020, 377 p., 4.5*
Ursula Kuczynski grew up in 1920s Berlin. A daughter of an upper middle class, Jewish, liberal family, Ursula was participating in communist marches by the time she was a teenager. Once she was struck by a brownshirt, leaving a nasty bruise and solidifying a lifelong hatred of fascism. In 1930 Ursula and her new husband, Rudi Hamburger, moved to Shanghai, where he could find work as an architect. There she met Agnes Smedley, a dedicated communist like herself. Agnes recruited her to begin spying for the Soviets, who were backing the Chinese communists. Despite being pregnant with her first child, Ursula leapt at the chance to further the cause.
Thus Ursula (codenamed Sonya) began her decades long career as a Soviet spy and later spymaster. She would carry out missions in Japanese-occupied Manchuria, Poland, Switzerland, and England, where she handled one of the most notorious spies, Klaus Fuchs. Along the way, she was to acquire several lovers who, like her, were spying for the Soviets. She also had several children and used her status as a mother and housewife to camouflaged her activities.
Her career was remarkable for its longevity, surviving the Stalinist purges and illuding the Kempeitai, MI5, and spycatchers around the world. She would be feted by the Soviets, achieving the military rank of Colonel in the Red Army, and by the Stasi. I found her story utterly fascinating, and, once again, Ben Macintyre's research and writing were stellar. Highly recommended for anyone interested in espionage.
