pontalba Posted January 1, 2015 Share Posted January 1, 2015 (edited) I can hardly believe it is the New Year already.....well, for us it's still 5 and a half hours away, but still..... Last year I tried to set a few challenges, and miserably failed at 2 out of 3. So. Not again. Yes, I'll try to manage the same ones, but am not declaring for it! Past Book list thread links are here: http://www.bookclubforum.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/12437-pontalbas-2014-reading-list/page-1 109 books read http://www.bookclubf...3-reading-list/ 99 books read pontalba's 2012 reading list 65 books readpontalba's 2011 reading list 92 books readpontalba's 2010 reading list 74 books readpontalba's 2009 reading list 36 books read (I was distracted this year.) pontalba;s 2008 reading list 62 books readpontalba's books read list (2007) 59 books read BOOKS READ 2015 JANUARY Ancient Light by John Banville 5+/5 The High Window by Raymond Chandler 3.5/5 Cypress Grove by James Sallis 4/5 FEBRUARY The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins 4/5 The Girl With a Clock for a Heart by Peter Swanson 4/5 Colorless Tsukuru Tazaki by Haruki Murakami 4/5 Iron House by John Hart 3.5/5 MARCH The Martian by Andy Weir 5/5 (again) The Memory Box by Eva Lesko Natiello 3.5/5 Girl on A Train by A. J. Waines 3.5/5 APRIL Do Not Enter! by Jutta Profijt 2.5/5 Rain on the Dead by Jack Higgins 3.5 MAY The Silent Wife by A.S.A. Harrison 3.5 The Adventurers by Harold Robbins4/5 The Carpetbaggers by Harold Robbins 4/5 The Quiet Earth by Craig Harrison, Introduction by Bernard Beckett 5/5 The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August by Claire North 4/5 Ghost in the Machine by Ed James 3.5/5 Lamentation by C.J. Sansom 4.5/5 No Time For Goodbye by Linwood Barclay 4/5 JUNE The Green Mile by Stephen King 5/5 the life-changing magic of tidying up by marie kondo meh His First His Second by A.D. Davis 4/5 JULY The Long Way Home by Louise Penny 3.5/5 The Bone Clocks by David Mitchell 4.5/5 Moriarty by Anthony Horowitz 3.5/5 The Hangman (novella) by Louise Penny 4/5 Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel 4/5 AUGUST The Day of the Triffids by John Wyndham 5/5 SEPTEMBER The Silence 3.5/5 Touch by Claire North 4/5 OCTOBER The Last Exodus by Paul Tassi 3.5/5 The Clan of the Cave Bear by Jean M. Auel 5/5 The Valley of Horses by Jean M. Auel 3.5/5 NOVEMBER Those We Left Behind by Stuart Neville 3.5/5 Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy} The Honorable Schoolboy} John Le Carre 5/5 Smiley's People} DECEMBER The Wall by Marlen Haushofer 5/5 A Pleasure and A Calling by Phil Hogan 4/5 The Lover by Marguerite Duras 5/5 (reread) From Africanus: The Roman Empire, the Nika Riots and the Approaching Darkness by Matthew Jordan Storm 2/5 Edited December 10, 2015 by pontalba Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pontalba Posted January 1, 2015 Author Share Posted January 1, 2015 (edited) 2015 purchases, both new and second hand: Sylfish's War American Wife Battlefield of the Mind The Brothers The Lost Gospel The Man Who Would not be Washington Tuxedo Park Carved in Bone The Girl on the Train The Big Rock Candy Mountain Wallace Stegner Recapitulation Wallace Stegner Love and War Heaven and Hell The Gods of Guilt Michael Connelly Charleston John Jakes Bones of Betrayal Jefferson Bass Just One Evil Act: A Lynley Novel Homeland John Jakes Dylan Thomas Winnie and Wolf The Bureau and the Mole Angels Flight Michael Connelly The Just City Heaven and Hell (paperback) John Jakes Love and War (paperback) John Jakes Last of the Wine Mary Renault The Hollow Man The Magus John Fowles The Man in the Wooden Hat The Girl in the Green Raincoat Cloud Chamber Team of Rivals Kurze Deutsche Grammatik The Circle by Dave Eggers Hitler 1889-1936 by Ian Kershaw Hitler 1936-1945 by Ian Kershaw Fateful Choices by Ian Kershaw ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Bought at two different Estate Sales 1/23/15: On A Pale Horse by Piers Anthony Star Man's Son by Andre Norton Dread Companion by Andre Norton Sandman by Neil Gaiman and Ed Kramer 31 Nebula Awards SWFA's Choices for the best science fiction and fantasy of the year (1997) Brightness Falls From the Air by James Tiptree, Jr. The Trial of Socrates by I.F. Stone Flowers For Algernon by Daniel Keyes (a second copy) The Iliad by Homer, translation by Robert Fagles Don't Know Much About the Civil War by Kenneth C. Davis Love Medicine by Louise Erdrich (forgot I had a copy /sigh/) A Passage to India by E.M. Forster More Book Lust by Nancy Pearl The Three Crowns by Jean Plaidy Six Modern American Plays--The Emperor Jones, Winterset, The Man Who Came to Dinner, The Little Foxes, The Glass Menagerie and Mister Roberts Six Plays by Lillian Hellman (some replications, I know, but what the heck!) Everyday Life in Ancient Times (put out by National Geographic) Just gorgeous illustrations in this good looking hardback! A History of God by Karen Armstrong The Torah Citizen Soldiers by Stephen E. Ambrose Grandmother and The Priests by Taylor Caldwell The Complete Works of Saki by H.H. Munro, Introduction by Noel Coward ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Killer Angels by Michael Shaara When the Facts Change, Essays 1995-2010 by Tony Judt Death Without Company , A Walt Longmire Mystery by Craig Johnson ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Middle C by William H. Gass Ordeal of the Union: Fruits of Manifest Destiny 1947-1852 by Allan Nevins Empty Mansions The Mysterious Life of Huguette Clark and the Spending of a Great American Fortune by Bill Dedman and Paul Clark Newell, Jr. Four Warned by Jeffery Archer (recommended by Gaia) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ World Order by Henry Kissinger My Life in Court by Louis Nizer The Carpet Makers by Andreas Eschbach None Shall Look Back by Caroline Gordon The Hunting Gun by Yasushi Inoue American Sniper by Chris Kyle w/ Scott McEwen and Jim DeFelice ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The Skeleton Road by Val McDermind The Wild Trees by Richard Preston The Word Exchange by Alena Graedon Self Comes to Mind: Constructing the Conscious Mind by Antonio Damasio Killers of the King: The Men Who Dared to Execute Charles I by Charles Spencer Lamentations by C.J. Sansom Wolf Hall & Bring Up the Bodies: The Stage Adaptation by Hilary Mantel, Mike Poulton (Adapter) The Autobiography of Malcom X by Malcolm X, Alex Haley Summer House with Swimming Pool by Herman Koch (a HB, I only had the kindle copy before) The Perfect King: The Life of Edward III, Father of the English Nation by Ian Mortimer Rain on the Dead by Jack Higgins The King's Curse by Phillippa Gregory The Death of Caesar by Barry Strauss Blood Moon by Garry Disher Dragon _____by Garry Disher A Chain of Thunder by Jeff Shaara The Fifth Gospel by Ian Caldwell The Buried Giant by Kazuo Ishiguro Paddy Whacked by T.J. English Crime Scene Britain and Ireland by John Martin Some from an Estate Sale and Library Sale yesterday 3/20/15. Trinity by Leon Uris Countdown in Cairo by Noel Hynd History of Czechoslovakia in Outline by J.V. Polisensky The Little Czech and the Great Czech Nation by Ladislav Holy The Hittites by J.G. Macqueen A Book of Luminous Things by Czeslaw Milosz U.S.A. by John Dos Passos Roots by Alex Haley Lancelot by Walker Percy (signed, first edition) Gate Keeper by Philip Shelby The Time Detectives by Brian Fagan (How Archeologists Use Technology to Recapture the Past) The Classical Greeks by Michael Grant Runner by Thomas Perry The World of the Scythians by Renate Rolle The Aryans by V. Gordon Childe Flood by Robert Penn Warren On Borrowed Time by Leonard Mosley Leaves of Grass by Walt Whitman The Barbarians of Asia by Stuart Legg ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ From the used book section at Bay Books in Bay St. Louis, Ms. L.A. Requiem by Robert Crais Philistines At the Hedgerow by Steven Gaines My Nave is Mary Sutter by Robin Oliveira Beyond Recall by Robert Goddard Gladstone by Roy Jenkins A lovely Estate Sale....a professor, in the Bywater area of N.O. The Nature of Alexander by Mary Renault Cleopatra's Sister by Penelope Lively Moon Titer by Penelope Lively An Unsuitable Attachment by Barbara Pym A Very Private Eye (An Autobiography in Letters and Diaries) Altered States by Anita Brookner Undue Influence by Anita Brookner Falling Slowly by Anita Brookner The Ice Age by Margaret Drabble Collected Poems by Robert Graves Evelyn Waugh by Selina Hastings U.S. Grant American Hero, American Myth by Joan Waugh Lee's Lieutenants by Douglas Southall Freeman ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Estate Sale in Metairie, a Doctor that had 4,000 books, supposedly. He had a nice selection, but very few novels. And God Created the French by Louis-Bernard Robitaille Execution Eve by William F. Buckley, Jr. In Search of the Dark Ages by Michael Wood Versions of History from Antiquity to the Enlightenment Edited by Donald R. Kelley Charlemagne by Derek Wilson (the only duplicate we bought) The Origins of Modern Europe by R. Allen Brown The Fall of Constantinople 1453 by Steven Runciman Kings & Queens of England by David Williamson The Illustrated Origin of Species by Charles Darwin 1,000 Years, 1,000 People by various The End of the World Edited by Lewis H. Lapham with Peter T. Struck Men of Athens by Rex Warner The Military Life of Julius Caesar: Imperator by Trevor Nevitt dupuy Justinian's Flea by William Rosen The Gnostics by Tobias Churton Caesars & Saints The Rise of the Christian State A.D. 180-313 by Stewart Perowne Gods and Heros by Gustav Schwab Thermopylae by Ernle Bradford Explaining Hitler by Ron Rosenbaum The Ultra Secret by F.W. Winterbotham The German Generals Talk by B.H. Liddell Hart The Murder of Adolf Hitler by Hugh Thomas American Caesar: Douglas MacArthur 1880-1964 by William Manchester Secret Affairs: Franklin Roosevelt, Cordell Hull, and Sumner Wells by Irwin F. Gellman And, from Amazon... Murder at Wrotham Hill by Diana Souhami Near Enemy by Adam Sternbergh From the same Estate Sale just above here.. . Hannibal by Ernle Bradford Talleyrand by Duff Cooper The Murder of Napoleon by Ben Weiders & David Hapgood Nearer, My God (Autobiography of Faith) by William F. Buckley, Jr. Where Shall Wisdom Be Found by Harold Bloom Lionhearts Richard I, Saladin, and the Eara of the Third Crusade by Geoffrey Regan The Nazis by Laurence Rees Live by the Sword by Gus Russo The Habsburgs by Andrew Wheatcroft Emperor The Gods of War by Conn Iggulden The Life and Death of Lenin by Robert Payne The Phoenicians by Gerhard Herm Troja by Heinrich Schliemann A Durable Peace by Benjamin Netanyahu Brooklyn: An Illustrated History Birth of a Theorem: A Mathematical Adventure by Cedric Villani The Blazing World by Siri Hustvedt The Necessary Death of Lewis Winter by Malcolm Mackay Every Day by the Sun by Dean Faulkner Wells Requiem For A Nun by William Faulkner A King's Ransom by Sharon Kay Penman Dear Life by Alice Munro The Silent Wife by A.S.A. Harrison One of Us The Story of Anders Breivik and the Massacre in Norway by Asne Seierstad, and translated by Sarah Death The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat by Oliver Sacks On The Move: A Life by Oliver Sacks The Wizard of Oz by Frank L. Baum Bitter Seeds by Ian Tregillis Follies of God: Tennessee Williams and the Women of the Fog by James Grissom The Door by Magda Szabo Our Mathematical Universe by Max Tegmark The Closers by Michael Connelly The Choirboys by Joseph Wambaugh The Secrets of Harry Bright by Joseph Wambaugh Shiloh by Shelby Foote An Infinity of Mirrors by Richard Condon The Raiders by Harold Robbins Revolutionary Road by Richard Yates Amrita by Banana Yoshimmoto The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon by Stephen King Different Seasons by Stephen King Multivariate Statistical Analysis A Conceptual Introduction by Sam Kash Kachigan The Gregg Reference Manual Tenth Edition by William S Sabin Chess Story by Stefan Zweig Gentlemen Prefer Blondes by Anita Loos The Last Word: A Spellman Novel by Lisa Lutz The Romanovs, The Final Chapter by Robert K. Massie Never Victorious, Never Defeated by Taylor Caldwell The Blue and The Gray by Henry Steele Commanger The Green Mile by Stephen King Seveneves by Neal Stephenson Pigs in Heaven by Barbara Kingsolver Mr. Mercedes by Stephen King Vodka by Boris Starling Tropical Freeze by James W. Hall Mother Tongue: English by Bill Bryson Mr. Ives Christmas by Oscar Hijuelos The Double by George Pelecanos The Overlook by Michael Connelly The Reversal by Michael Connelly The Brass Verdict by Michael Connelly Inferno: The World At War 1939-1945 by Max Hastings Man on Earth by John Reader Wet Work by Christopher Buckley The Steel Spring by Per Wahloo Flashman and The Mountain of Light by George MacDonald Fraser Wednesday's Child by Peter Robinson The Woman Upstairs by Claire Messud The Emperor's Children by Claire Messud War Trash by Ha Jin Edited June 7, 2015 by pontalba Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pontalba Posted January 1, 2015 Author Share Posted January 1, 2015 (edited) Thought I'd borrow part of Karen's idea for at least saving somewhere the films we've watched this year. At the theatre: Interstellar The Imitation Game Inherent Vice At home: Rebecca VHS tape Jane Eyre (Orson Wells version) VHS tape Evidence of Blood Amazon Prime Suspicion (newer version) Amazon Prime Invasion Earth Amazon Prime (BBC/Scotland) technically a series, but only 6 episodes Gone Girl Locke Coherence Moon Howl - partially Stories We Tell Wallander UK Wallander Swedish season 3 NCIS: Los Angeles season 1 Outlander, season 1 (first half) Elementary seasons 1 and 2 a few episodes of The Ambassador House of Cards Season 3 (first item on Netflix) Magnum P.I. Blue Blood Nikita Longmire Mad Men Fringe As they come out we watch (streaming) Person of Interest, Blacklist and third season of Elementary. We watched a one season, sort of mini series called The Assets. It's the story of Aldrich Ames the American CIA agent that was a mole in the CIA for the Russians back in the 1980's. It's based on the book by the main agent that was finally able to nail him. A woman, I might add, two women actually. Absolutely nerve wracking and fascinating. An explanatory link for who Ames was..... https://en.wikipedia...le=Aldrich_Ames And a link to the TV show. https://en.wikipedia...wiki/The_Assets We're also watching CSI: Miami and CSI: NYC. On Netflix, we've watched: Longmire - abandoned half way through the 3rd season, due to unmitigated stupidity..... Narcos - abandoned 3 or 4 eps in on account of too much brutality towards animals, namely dogs and cats. Hinterland - Welsh, angst ridden detective/murder mysteries. Absolutely fantastic! Midsomer Murders - always cozy. Rosemary & Thyme - abandoned after only the first ep. Gag me, please! Survivor - a great film! Sherlock - finally! we watched the third season, and loved it. I don't know why we didn't before!! Island At War Broadchurch Charlie Chan: The Secret Service CSI: Miami - all 12 seasons! Gotta love the redhead! The Fall Good Morning, Killer Thorne - all three series Hostage. Bruce Willis.....need I say more? Ok, on Amazon Prime: (we have Prime): Grantchester - love, love, love it! Jack Ryan - Shadow Recruit Philly - only one season of this great lawyer show based in.......you guessed it! - Philadelphia, Pa., USA Magician - The Astonishing Life and Work of Orson Welles Fabulous! The Last Enemy P=NP/Travelling Salesman - This film is based on a real mathematical, unsolved problem - https://en.wikipedia...rsus_NP_problem The film, - https://en.wikipedia...sman_(2012_film) Honestly, this is in the top 2 or 3 ....... ever. Worricker Trilogy Newsroom The Tamarind Seed Godzilla (newest version) Loved it! A Most Wanted Man Philip Seymour Hoffman...../sigh/ Based on the John LeCarre book. So. Very. Well. Done!! Justified yeech Inspector Lewis The Professional I'll Follow You Down Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil The Carpetbaggers Edited September 15, 2015 by pontalba Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pontalba Posted January 1, 2015 Author Share Posted January 1, 2015 (edited) OK, OPEN FOR BUSINESS, WELCOME, COME ONE, COME ALL!!!!! Edited January 19, 2015 by pontalba Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Little Pixie Posted January 1, 2015 Share Posted January 1, 2015 Hi Kate, best wishes for your reading in 2015 ! +hic+ and a happy New year to you and yours +hic+ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BSchultz19 Posted January 1, 2015 Share Posted January 1, 2015 Best wishes on your reading this year! Enjoy! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chesilbeach Posted January 1, 2015 Share Posted January 1, 2015 Hope you have a successful reading year in 2015 (and secretly make progress on those challenges! ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nollaig Posted January 1, 2015 Share Posted January 1, 2015 Happy new reading year! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Athena Posted January 1, 2015 Share Posted January 1, 2015 Kate, I wish you a great reading year in 2015 ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anisia Posted January 1, 2015 Share Posted January 1, 2015 Hope you have a great reading year! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobblybear Posted January 1, 2015 Share Posted January 1, 2015 I hope you have a great reading year, Pontalba. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Inver Posted January 1, 2015 Share Posted January 1, 2015 Enjoy your 2015 reading.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pontalba Posted January 1, 2015 Author Share Posted January 1, 2015 Thank you, thank you, and thank you all, so much! I hope y'all have a wonderful new year as well! If we can all keep on going on the way we are, I think we'll make it a great year of reading! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vodkafan Posted January 1, 2015 Share Posted January 1, 2015 Hi Kate . have a great reading year. I will look in and read your reviews Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pontalba Posted January 1, 2015 Author Share Posted January 1, 2015 I thought I'd post a list, albeit from last year, of the books I'd already owned previously and read last year. The Cuckoo's Calling, by Robert Galbraith The Secret History, by Donna Tartt Octopussy & the Living Daylights, From Russia With Love, Doctor No. by Ian FlemimgMidnight in the Garden of Good and Evil by John Berendt On the Beach by Nevil ShuteThe Sound and the Fury by William FaulknerBig Fish by Thomas Perry11/22/63 by Stephen KingNaoko: A Novel by Keigo HigashinoDance for the Dead by Thomas PerryDixie City Jam by James Lee BurkeThe First Man in Rome by Colleen McCulloughThe Grass Crown by Colleen McCulloughAmerican Gods by Neil Gaiman (reread)The World Without Us by Alan WeismanI, Claudius and Claudius the God and His Wife Messalina by Robert Graves (both rereads) Legends by Robert Littell So, 19 (I'm counting the Fleming as one) out of 109. Hmm, really ought to improve on that stat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pontalba Posted January 1, 2015 Author Share Posted January 1, 2015 Thanks James. I hope you will as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kylie Posted January 2, 2015 Share Posted January 2, 2015 I hope you have a great reading year, Pont! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
julie Posted January 2, 2015 Share Posted January 2, 2015 Happy Reading this year Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pontalba Posted January 2, 2015 Author Share Posted January 2, 2015 I hope you have a great reading year, Pont! Thanks, Kylie.....I hope you will as well. Happy Reading this year Hey, hey!! I hope your reading year is great, and no more of those pesky interruptions.....you know.....hospitals, nasty car people, stuff like that! Great to see you back on here, Julie. Didn't post on your thread yet as I wasn't sure if you were open for business yet..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pontalba Posted January 2, 2015 Author Share Posted January 2, 2015 (edited) Well. First purchases of the New Year.... The Brothers (John Foster Dulles, Allen Dulles and Their Secret World War) by Stephen Kinzer ~~Allen Dulles, of course, was one of the originators of the OSS, and CIA. Just sayin'. Sylfish's War (A Memoir of a World War II Childhood) by Sylvia Jean Charlesworth (gift from 1st Daughter) Battlefield of the Mind by Joyce Meyer American Wife by Curtis Sittenfeld The Lost Gospel by Simcha Jacobovici and Barrie Wilson The Man Who Would Not Be Washington (Robert E. Lee's Civil War and His Decision That Changed American History) by Jonathan Horn Edited January 2, 2015 by pontalba Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
julie Posted January 2, 2015 Share Posted January 2, 2015 Thanks Kate Yep, open for business on my page. I'm not adding any lists, etc .. Will just start fresh for the new year . Sounds like you are off to a good start ,purchasing some new books in the new year Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pontalba Posted January 2, 2015 Author Share Posted January 2, 2015 Yeah, it was getting low around here..... Hope you are doing ok, Julie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
julie Posted January 3, 2015 Share Posted January 3, 2015 Yeah, it was getting low around here..... Down in the triple digits ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anna Begins Posted January 3, 2015 Share Posted January 3, 2015 A bit late, but Happy New Year and reading in 2015! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobblybear Posted January 3, 2015 Share Posted January 3, 2015 Well. First purchases of the New Year.... That didn't take long! I've resisted so far, but we are only on day 3. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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