Poppy's Paperbacks

[poppyshake]

I say paperbacks because on the whole I have an aversion to hardbacks .. though I do succumb occasionally .. if the cover is nice .. or the book is too long anticipated for me to wait.

 

Anyway, this is a list of books that I've read in 2009 .. I wish I'd kept a note of which order I read them in now but no matter.

 

Books Read 2009

 

Books I loved I'll highlight in purple

Books that I nearly loved ... green

Books that I like... blue

The rest ... black (but there weren't any that I hated ... some were just a bit disappointing or I lost interest etc)

 

I know it's all going to be as clear as mud but here goes ...

 

The Book Thief - Markus Zusak

Ice Land - Betsy Tobin

Marianna - Monica Dickens

Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day - Winifred Watson

Mr Toppit - Charles Elton

Dear Dodie - Valerie Groves

How I Live Now - Meg Rosoff

The Memory Keepers Daughter - Kim Edwards

The Time Travelers Wife - Audrey Niffenegger

Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe - Fanny Flagg

Inkspell - Cornelia Funke

God's Own Country - Ross Raisin

The 19th Wife - David Ebershoff

The Boy In the Striped Pyjamas - John Boyne

Mariah Mundi: The Midas Box - G.P. Taylor

Coraline - Neil Gaiman

Cheerful Weather for the Wedding - Julia Strachey

The Fortnight in September - R.C. Sherriff

Notes on a Scandal - Zoe Heller

The Bolter: Idina Sackville - Frances Osborne

Revolutionary Road - Richard Yates

Bit of a Blur - Alex James

The Kite Runner - Khaled Hosseini

What Was Lost - Catherine O'Flynn

The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao - Junot Diaz

Salmon Fishing in the Yemen - Paul Torday

What a Carve Up - Jonathan Coe

Beedle the Bard - J.K. Rowling

The Graveyard Book - Neil Gaiman

The Suspicions of Mr Whicher - Kate Summerscale

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society - Mary Ann Shaffer

The Earth Hums in B Flat - Mari Strachan

Miss Buncles Book - D.E. Stevenson

Uncle Montagues Tales of Terror - Chris Priestley

Last Argument of Kings - Joe Abercrombie

Pies and Prejudice - Stuart Maconie

Cider with Roadies - Stuart Maconie

The Owl Service - Alan Garner

That's Another Story - Julie Walters

Firmin: Adventures of a Metropolitan Lowlife - Sam Savage

Decca: The Letters of Jessica Mitford - Peter Y. Sussman

A Short History of Tractors in Ukranian - Marina Lewycka

Chocolate and Cuckoo Clocks - Alan/Giles/Victoria Coren

The Little Giant of Aberdeen County - Tiffany Baker

Edited January 13, 2010 by poppyshake

[poppyshake]

Books Read 2009 cont'd

Fragile Things - Neil Gaiman review
The Lost Dog - Michelle de Kretser review
To Kill a Mockingbird - Harper Lee review
PopCo - Scarlett Thomas review
Excellent Women - Barbara Pym review

Edited November 29, 2013 by poppyshake

[poppyshake]

My TBR pile ... so far

 

Leviathan - Phillip Hoare

December - Elizabeth H. Winthrop

A Spot of Bother - Mark Haddon

The Outcast - Sadie Jones

The Little Friend - Donna Tartt

City of Thieves - David Benioff

Inkdeath - Cornelia Funke

The Gargoyle - Andrew Davidson

Away - Amy Bloom

Ostrich Boys - Keith Gray

The House at Riverton - Kate Morton

Yellow Lighted Bookshop - Lewis Buzbee

9987 - Nik Jones

Best Served Cold - Joe Abercrombie

American Gods - Neil Gaiman (currently reading)

Un Lun Dun - China Mieville

Tales of Terror from the Black Ship - Chris Priestley

The Five People You Meet In Heaven - Mitch Albom

A Prayer for Owen Meany - John Irving

Edited December 8, 2009 by poppyshake

[poppyshake]

Audiobooks listened to 2009:

 

I do a lot of sewing both for a living and for pleasure and obviously you can't read and sew, so I listen to a lot of audiobooks .. some on CD/cassette and some downloaded from Audible ... here is what I've heard so far this year ..

(A/R ... means already read in book form)

 

Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell (unabridged) - Susanna Clarke read by Simon Prebble (I hadn't read this previously to listening .. it's wonderful, probably the best (next to Stephen Fry's Potter books) audiobook I've ever heard and just a fantastic story)

Magyk (unabridged) - Angie Sage read by Allan Corduner

Flyte (unabridged) - Angie Sage read by Gerard Doyle (was disappointed it wasn't read by Allan .. I think it was the worse for it)

The Graveyard Book (unabridged) - Neil Gaiman read by Neil Gaiman (I had already read it but liked it enough to listen .. and Neil reads wonderfully)

Heroes of the Valley - Jonathan Stroud read by Steven Pacey

Summer Lightning - P.G. Wodehouse read by Martin Jarvis

Heavy Weather - P.G. Wodehouse read by Martin Jarvis

Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day (unabridged) - Winifred Watson read by Frances McDormand (A/R)

How I Live Now (unabridged) - Meg Rosoff read by Laurel Lefkow (A/R)

The Book Thief (unabridged) - Markus Zusack read by Allan Corduner (A/R)

Telling Some Tales - Anna Massey read by Anna Massey

Mixed Fancies - Brenda Blethyn read by Brenda Blethyn

Sabriel (unabridged) - Garth Nix read by Tim Curry

Company of Liars (unabridged) - Karen Maitland read by David Thorpe

Physik - Angie Sage read by Gerard Doylr (currently listening to)

 

 

I listen to Stephen Fry reading the Harry Potter books all the time .. practically on rotation .. there is nothing like Stephen reading you a story .. also I love Kate Binchy reading Maeve's books and Steven Pacey reading Jonathan Strouds 'Bartimaeous' books.

Edited October 29, 2009 by poppyshake

[chesilbeach]

I listen to Stephen Fry reading the Harry Potter books all the time .. practically on rotation .. there is nothing like Stephen reading you a story ..

I agree! He's got the most wonderful voice to listen to - I also downloaded him reading some Oscar Wilde short stories which is wonderful as well.

[poppyshake]

I agree! He's got the most wonderful voice to listen to - I also downloaded him reading some Oscar Wilde short stories which is wonderful as well.

 

Thanks for the recommendation, I've been looking at that collection .. I must download it .. the combination of Stephen and Oscar Wilde is irresistible.

[BookJumper]

Fragile Things - Neil Gaiman

City of Thieves - David Benioff

Inkdeath - Cornelia Funke

The Gargoyle - Andrew Davidson

Ostrich Boys - Keith Gray

Yellow Lighted Bookshop - Lewis Buzbee

Best Served Cold - Joe Abercrombie

American Gods - Neil Gaiman

These are on my wishlist or nearly so, you seem to have good taste so I'd be interested to know what you make of them !

[Ben]

To Kill a Mockingbird - Harper Lee

December - Elizabeth H. Winthrop

The Outcast - Sadie Jones

Inkdeath - Cornelia Funke

The Gargoyle - Andrew Davidson

The House at Riverton - Kate Morton

9987 - Nik Jones

 

I've only read 9987 out of them books, which I loved. As for the rest, I have them all on TBR and heard great things about a lot of them there. Oh and I just started Inkdeath so I'll let you know how I get on?

[Dimitra]

To Kill A Mockingbird is one of my favorite books.

[poppyshake]

These are on my wishlist or nearly so, you seem to have good taste so I'd be interested to know what you make of them !

 

Thanks, I'm looking forward to the Neil Gaiman books especially .. I've gone a bit Gaiman-mad lately. I've already started dipping into 'Fragile Things' because it's a collection of short stories and all I can say is wow ... they're not for the faint hearted though .. bit grim and gruesome some of them.

[poppyshake]

I've only read 9987 out of them books, which I loved. As for the rest, I have them all on TBR and heard great things about a lot of them there. Oh and I just started Inkdeath so I'll let you know how I get on?

 

'9987' is on my wishlist cos of your enthusiastic review Ben .. though the premise is really intriguing.

I'd be interested to hear what you make of 'Inkdeath' .. I'm sort of not looking forward to it because it took me an age to read 'Inkspell' and I kind of struggled with it ... I loved 'Inkheart' (thought the film was pretty awful though) .. thought it was a fantastic book.

[poppyshake]

To Kill A Mockingbird is one of my favorite books.

 

I'm totally embarrassed that I haven't read it yet because so many people have told me over the years how great it is.

 

whoops, I just remembered .. you're not supposed to multiple post .. sorry!

[Ben]

'9987' is on my wishlist cos of your enthusiastic review Ben .. though the premise is really intriguing.

I'd be interested to hear what you make of 'Inkdeath' .. I'm sort of not looking forward to it because it took me an age to read 'Inkspell' and I kind of struggled with it ... I loved 'Inkheart' (thought the film was pretty awful though) .. thought it was a fantastic book.

 

Ah well I'll get my thoughts to you when I've finished. I should probably start.

[BookJumper]

I say paperbacks because on the whole I have an aversion to hardbacks .. though I do succumb occasionally .. if the cover is nice

My feelings exactly.

 

the combination of Stephen and Oscar Wilde is irresistible.

Indeed. You have, I presume, seen Wilde, wherein our own Oscar is played by our own Stephen? Truly delightful. It had me crying buckets at the end though.

 

Thanks, I'm looking forward to the Neil Gaiman books especially .. I've gone a bit Gaiman-mad lately. I've already started dipping into 'Fragile Things' because it's a collection of short stories and all I can say is wow ... they're not for the faint hearted though .. bit grim and gruesome some of them.

I've loved what Gaiman I've read ("Neverwhere", "Anansi Boys", "Stardust" and a handful of "Sandman"s) but have been putting off the short stories for some time as I was warned I might find a couple of them too much - I don't mind grim and gruesome but explicit is a bit of a problem. As for "American Gods", I'm intrigued as to why it's such a polarising book (people either think it's Gaiman's best or unaccountably bad).

[poppyshake]

My feelings exactly.

 

Indeed. You have, I presume, seen Wilde, wherein our own Oscar is played by our own Stephen? Truly delightful. It had me crying buckets at the end though.

 

I've loved what Gaiman I've read ("Neverwhere", "Anansi Boys", "Stardust" and a handful of "Sandman"s) but have been putting off the short stories for some time as I was warned I might find a couple of them too much - I don't mind grim and gruesome but explicit is a bit of a problem. As for "American Gods", I'm intrigued as to why it's such a polarising book (people either think it's Gaiman's best or unaccountably bad).

 

Yes, I've seen Wilde .. wonderful as you say and very moving.

 

I have only previously read Neil's 'Coraline' and 'The Graveyard Book' .. they were both brilliant but of course mostly aimed at children.

 

The short stories have turned into a bit of a revelation .. I wasn't expecting them to be quite so stomach churningly gruesome. But, you were right to be wary, there are quite a lot of explicit adult scenes .. there is one involving Aslan and Jadis which totally shocked me .. I'm not sure that it isn't blasphemous lol. They aren't mentioned by name but it's clear that he means them as it is a story about Susan (apparently Neil was unhappy at the shoddy way Susan was dealt with at the end of the Narnia books).. and they are called the lion and the white witch ... I nearly fell off my chair in shock at that one.

[poppyshake]

Fragile Things - Neil Gaiman

 

Waterstones synopsis:

 

A stunning book of short stories by the acclaimed fantasy writer. The distinctive genius of Neil Gaiman has been championed by writers as diverse as Norman Mailer and Stephen King. With THE SANDMAN Neil Gaiman created one of the most sophisticated, intelligent and influential graphic novel series of our time. Now after the recent success of his latest novel ANANSI BOYS, Gaiman has produced FRAGILE THINGS, his second collection of short fiction. These stories will dazzle your senses, haunt your imagination and move you to the very depths of your soul. This extraordinary book reveals one of the world's most gifted storytellers at the height of his powers.

 

Methinks:

 

This was a bit of a book of two halves .. in as much as I liked about half of the stories and the other half I found either uninteresting or too disturbing. Definitely not one for the faint hearted and also not for those as I said earlier that don't like graphic adult content. Neil gives a little synopsis at the start of the book about each story (what or who had influenced him to write it etc) which is a nice touch .. a few seemed to be about or influenced by his friend Tori Amos and her music.

My favourite story was 'Harlequin Valentine' a story of Harlequin giving his heart (literally) to his Columbine on Feb 14th .. which is both gruesome and amusing .. I loved it. Also good was 'Forbidden Brides of the Faceless Slaves in the Nameless House of the Night of Dread Desire' which is a parody of gothic novels and their worst excesses .. very funny.

He writes beautifully, so imaginative and creative. I seemed to prefer the stories that had a good dollop of humour in them .. perhaps I'm too much of a scaredy cat to enjoy the more gruesome and graphic tales.

 

7/10

[BookJumper]

you were right to be wary, there are quite a lot of explicit adult scenes .. there is one involving Aslan and Jadis which totally shocked me .. I'm not sure that it isn't blasphemous lol.

 

not for those as I said earlier that don't like graphic adult content

 

Oh dear.

 

I'll still read this eventually because I'm a completist and therefore must, at some point, read all of Mr. Gaiman's oeuvre. However, I'll probably do it later rather than sooner and give precedence to books that won't disturb me!

 

Thanks for the warning !

[poppyshake]

 

The Lost Dog - Michelle de Kretser

 

Waterstones synopsis:

 

Tom Loxley is holed up in a remote cottage in the bush, trying to finish a book on Henry James and the Uncanny when his dog goes missing, trailing a length of orange twine, tied with firm knots. Tom's lonely childhood in India taught him to tie knots but not to hold on ...The house belongs to Nelly Zhang, an elusive artist with whom Tom has become enthralled. The narrative spans ten days while Tom searches for his dog ...and loops back in time to take the reader on a breathtaking journey into glittering worlds far beyond the present tragedy, from an Anglo-Indian childhood to the brittle contemporary Melbourne art scene, from Tom's scratchy, unbearably poignant relationship with his ailing mother to the unanswered puzzles in Nelly's past - her husband also disappeared in the bush. And the reader fears for Tom as well as for the dog. Set in present-day Australia and mid-20th century India, here is a haunting, layered work that vividly counterpoints new cityscapes and their inhabitants with the untamed continent beyond. With its atmosphere of menace and an acute sense of the unexplained in any story, it illuminates the collision of the wild and the civilised, modernity and the past, home and exile. "The Lost Dog" is a mystery and a love story, an exploration of art and nature, a meditation on ageing and the passage of time. It is a book of wonders: a gripping contemporary novel which examines the weight of history as well as different ways of trying to grasp the world.

 

Methinks:

 

I wish I could say I loved this book .. I loved the cover!!, it's what made me pick it up in the first place and the plot sounded intriguing. The trouble with it mostly is that the writing is very flowery and descriptive .. overly so in most cases .. and it got in the way of the plot. I put it down more than I picked it up which obviously isn't good .. and is not the way forward for someone who want's to read all her books on her TBR pile this year!!

Some parts of it I liked .. The bits of the book that dealt with Tom's Mother and Aunt were good and it was those bits ... and the searches for 'the dog' (for all the description he doesn't even have a name!) that I enjoyed most. The parts about the mysterious and arty Nelly I found boring .. I didn't really care enough about her to make unravelling her history interesting.

A.S. Byatt gives it a glowing review .. and for lovers of rich, artistic, abstract prose .. it's probably perfect. For bears of very small brain .. it was a struggle. Still a great cover though!!

 

5/10

[poppyshake]

 

To Kill A Mockingbird - Harper Lee

 

Waterstones synopsis:

 

'Shoot all the Bluejays you want, if you can hit 'em, but remember it's a sin to kill a Mockingbird.' This book presents a lawyer's advice to his children as he defends the real mockingbird of this classic novel - a black man charged with attacking a white girl. Through the young eyes of Scout and Jem Finch, Harper Lee explores the irrationality of adult attitudes to race and class in the Deep South of the 1930s with both compassion and humour. She also creates one of the great heroes of literature in their father, Atticus, whose lone struggle for justice pricks the conscience of a town steeped in prejudice, violence and hypocrisy.

 

Methinks:

 

You always wonder, when you read a classic book that is much loved and critically acclaimed, whether it's going to live up to it's reputation. This one did that and more .. I loved it and it was easily one of the best books I've read in ages. It is beautifully written and with characters that you become instantly interested in .. I loved Scout.

I've always liked the film but the book is so much more, you can really immerse yourself in the time and place. If you haven't read it .. I thoroughly recommend it.

 

10/10

[Kylie]

Glad you finally got to read To Kill a Mockingbird, Poppyshake! It's one of my top 2 books (along with Pride and Prejudice). I like your edition of the book too (I generally like all Vintage covers). Mine has a rather boring black cover, which doesn't do the book justice. I'll have to get a nicer edition one day.

 

I've looked back over your reading list and we have a lot of similar tastes so I'll be looking forward to reading more reviews from you.

[poppyshake]

Glad you finally got to read To Kill a Mockingbird, Poppyshake! It's one of my top 2 books (along with Pride and Prejudice). I like your edition of the book too (I generally like all Vintage covers). Mine has a rather boring black cover, which doesn't do the book justice. I'll have to get a nicer edition one day.

 

I've looked back over your reading list and we have a lot of similar tastes so I'll be looking forward to reading more reviews from you.

 

ah thank you .. covers play an important part in my book choices .. perhaps too important sometimes. This was one of the times when the book and the cover were brilliant thankfully.

 

Pride and Prejudice is one of my fave books too .. perhaps my fave book. I've got about three editions of it .. and I am still tempted when a see a nice new cover.

[Kylie]

I can see myself following in your footsteps one day and buying multiple editions of my favourite books. I already have two each of Animal Farm and 1984 (although the Animal Farm one is more of a replacement because my original copy for pretty ordinary).

 

I'll probably replace my Jane Austen's one day. The covers of mine are a little too chick-litty(?) for my taste.

[Janet]

I've been thinking about collecting editions of Dickens' A Christmas Carol for some time now. I have three editions already (one is a huge hardback illustrated by Quentin Blake - gorgeous) and there seem to be lots of versions available!

 

I think I can picture the Austen books you mean, Kylie. The ones with pastel colours? They do seem rather chick-litty if they're the ones I'm thinking of.

[poppyshake]

I can see myself following in your footsteps one day and buying multiple editions of my favourite books. I already have two each of Animal Farm and 1984 (although the Animal Farm one is more of a replacement because my original copy for pretty ordinary).

 

I'll probably replace my Jane Austen's one day. The covers of mine are a little too chick-litty(?) for my taste.

 

Have you seen this edition of 'Pride and Prejudice'?

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Pride-Prejudice-Fine-Jane-Austen/dp/0955881862/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1255077873&sr=1-3

It's beautiful .. and though I don't like hardbacks I am a sucker for beautifully illustrated cloth bound books.

 

I've been thinking about collecting editions of Dickens' A Christmas Carol for some time now. I have three editions already (one is a huge hardback illustrated by Quentin Blake - gorgeous) and there seem to be lots of versions available!

 

I think I can picture the Austen books you mean, Kylie. The ones with pastel colours? They do seem rather chick-litty if they're the ones I'm thinking of.

 

I've got multiple editions of 'A Christmas Carol' .. one of my favourites is the one illustrated by P.J. Lynch ...

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Christmas-Carol-Charles-Dickens/dp/1844280373/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1255078087&sr=1-3

it's stunning.

[Janet]

I've got multiple editions of 'A Christmas Carol' .. one of my favourites is the one illustrated by P.J. Lynch ...

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Christmas-Carol-Charles-Dickens/dp/1844280373/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1255078087&sr=1-3

it's stunning.

Oooh, I have put that one on my wishlist. I will have to order it when it's back in stock on that recommendation - thanks.