Melodious Posted January 7, 2015 Share Posted January 7, 2015 I received a book in the mail today: George Orwell's A Life in Letters. I ordered this last year, so it counts as a 2014 book (and don't try to tell me otherwise! ). I think Devi received this for Christmas recently. Just after Christmas the Book Depository sent me an email saying that the price had gone down. It was so cheap that I had to get it! 978014119263520141229-8529-100uk47.jpeg I've read a few of Orwell's essays and enjoyed them very much so I'll be interested to know how both you and Devi rate this collection. Down and Out in Paris and London is a goal for this year. Enjoy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kylie Posted January 7, 2015 Author Share Posted January 7, 2015 Thanks Melodious. Janet is the biggest Orwell fan on the forum (that I know of!) I think she's read pretty much everything Orwell has written! I've still only gotten as far as 1984 and Animal Farm. Down and Out in Paris and London is the next novel of his that I want to read. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anna Begins Posted January 7, 2015 Share Posted January 7, 2015 I think I'm most interested in reading Diamond's Guns, Germs and Steel, followed by Collapse. I've put off his books for far too long. Now that I recently finished reading Alan Weisman's The World without Us, I think I'll focus on Diamond next. Helter Skelter is also highly recommended by Frankie. I've been rather interested in the Manson Family since reading about their connection with a couple of Beatles songs. In the last couple of years I watched a documentary about the family, which had extensive interviews with the woman who drove the getaway car (can't remember her name at the moment). It was absolutely fascinating. And then I read a couple of excellent Rolling Stones articles (both a recent article and an older one). So now I guess I'm 'primed' and ready to read Helter Skelter. I'm also interested in reading his 2011 book called Divinity of Doubt. Here's the synopsis from the Book Depository: 'In this controversial New York Times bestseller, Vincent Bugliosi, the fearless attorney who prosecuted Charles Manson, turns his critical eye on both religious believers and the atheists, indicting both camps for the intellectual shortcuts each takes to arrive at their conclusions. He argues lucidly and persuasively why agnosticism-and a healthy skepticism toward certainty of all kinds-is the most responsible position to take with regard to the existence of God. Divinity of Doubt sets a new course amid the explosion of bestselling books on religion, urging us to recognize the limits of what we know, and what we cannot know, about the ineffable mysteries of existence.' You'll like Helter Skelter, that's a good one. I had the great fortune to speak with Bugliosi over the phone when a Manson family member (I won't say which) was dying of cancer and trying to get out of jail when she had a few weeks left to live. He supported her release (I used to work in news radio). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kylie Posted January 7, 2015 Author Share Posted January 7, 2015 WOW, colour me impressed, Anna! That's so, so cool. Have you heard that Manson is going to marry his 26-year-old girlfriend? That's all kinds of messed up, isn't it? I thought it was strange when I heard about it because I thought I had read in an interview that he didn't want to get married. So I just looked it up, and I was right (I suppose I shouldn't be surprised that he lied!). Here's what Manson said when he was interviewed for Rolling Stone in November 2013 (it's an excellent article): What about the marriage?He snorts. "Oh, that," he says. "That's a bunch of garbage. You know that, man. That's trash. We're just playing that for public consumption." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
julie Posted January 7, 2015 Share Posted January 7, 2015 Anna I am also majorly impressed, getting to talk to Bugliosi ! What a rare treat . Helter Skelter is one true crime I have yet to read and not sure why I keep putting it off ,but with you guys talking about it, it makes me want to read it more . Maybe this year ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Devi Posted January 8, 2015 Share Posted January 8, 2015 i did indeed get A Life in Letters for Christmas, along with Down and Out in Paris and London. I really want to read Helter Skelter as well, but I need to get myself a copy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kylie Posted January 8, 2015 Author Share Posted January 8, 2015 I received another book in the mail today: In the Garden of Beasts by Erik Larson. This is the second and final book I ordered in 2014 (therefore it doesn't count as a 2015 acquisition ). Given how much I loved The Devil in the White City last year, I absolutely cannot wait to read this. Here's the synopsis from Goodreads: The time is 1933, the place, Berlin, when William E. Dodd becomes America’s first ambassador to Hitler’s Germany in a year that proved to be a turning point in history. A mild-mannered professor from Chicago, Dodd brings along his wife, son, and flamboyant daughter, Martha. At first Martha is entranced by the parties and pomp, and the handsome young men of the Third Reich with their infectious enthusiasm for restoring Germany to a position of world prominence. Enamored of the ‘New Germany’, she has one affair after another, including with the suprisingly honorable first chief of the Gestapo, Rudolf Diels. But as evidence of Jewish persecution mounts, confirmed by chilling first-person testimony, her father telegraphs his concerns to a largely indifferent State Department back home. Dodd watches with alarm as Jews are attacked, the press is censored, and drafts of frightening new laws begin to circulate. As that first year unfolds and the shadows deepen, the Dodds experience days full of excitement, intrigue, romance—and ultimately, horror, when a climactic spasm of violence and murder reveals Hitler’s true character and ruthless ambition. Suffused with the tense atmosphere of the period, and with unforgettable portraits of the bizarre Göring and the expectedly charming—yet wholly sinister—Goebbels, In the Garden of Beasts lends a stunning, eyewitness perspective on events as they unfold in real time, revealing an era of surprising nuance and complexity. The result is a dazzling, addictively readable work that speaks volumes about why the world did not recognize the grave threat posed by Hitler until Berlin, and Europe, were awash in blood and terror. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kylie Posted January 8, 2015 Author Share Posted January 8, 2015 Culled some emoticons. Your wishlist is surprisingly short But then I remembered that you have a longer version stashed somewhere...? Awww, you kept tally of that! I keep overall tally but not one per each specific year. I have a longer wishlist at the Book Depository, but that's not complete either. I don't add all of the books I want because then my wishlist would be never-ending. I just try to keep it small. I kept a tally last year, for the first time, and then I just copied it across to this year's blog, but I'm not sure that I'll keep it...yeah, I'll probably delete it when I read my first 2015 from the list. You and Gaia really make me want to buy book collector software! I love cataloguing my books and creating lists, so far I have GoodReads for my bought books and some wish-lists and a notepad with the rest of my wish-list - which is heaps long. It's pretty awesome software. You can download a trial version for free if you want to check it out and see if it's suitable. It totally makes sense to me! It's very interesting to see your statistics. I'll be working on my collection too, as for me certain values are also off. Cover Price is often way too low, I agree with you that it's possibly dollars it uses and in my case not euro's. I loved reading your post! Heh, I knew you'd appreciate it. Thanks! You know, when I was going through your TBR the other day when I commented on your log to wish you a happy new reading year, I noticed that your TBR stands at 1996. Wow!! When did you get there? But then it's been a while since I was aware of your TBR, and one could've assumed you would've been well over 2000 so far. But here's where your curbing your book buying enthusiasm last year helped you a great deal! I like it that your current price is way higher than purchase price Well, who wouldn't Sounds like a really silly comment now... Oi! Don't you underestimate the other readers of your reading log! I'll have you know that my TBR pile stands at 1995, not 1996, thank you very much! (And now it's at 1994 because I've read one book so far this year.) Actually, I think it was originally 1996, but then I had to recalculate some numbers and I was able to reduce it by one, so you must have seen the original total before I changed it. I can't believe I managed to stay below 2000 books last year. I really didn't think I could do it, so I'm not surprised at all that you might have assumed I would be over 2000 by now. And now I'm determined to never go above 2000 books (ha, I remember saying that when I was nearing 1000 books!), but it's going to be very difficult. That's not a silly comment about the current price being higher than the purchase price. I just meant that I wasn't sure if I was explaining things properly. I've never been good at that! When I used to have to show people how to do things at work, I would just always get blank looks when I finished explaining the process. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Athena Posted January 8, 2015 Share Posted January 8, 2015 Kylie, I hope you enjoy your two new books ! I'm also not counting books I purchased in 2014 but didn't arrive yet, for 2015, so I fully support you there! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vodkafan Posted January 8, 2015 Share Posted January 8, 2015 I received another book in the mail today: In the Garden of Beasts by Erik Larson. This is the second and final book I ordered in 2014 (therefore it doesn't count as a 2015 acquisition ). Given how much I loved The Devil in the White City last year, I absolutely cannot wait to read this. Here's the synopsis from Goodreads: The time is 1933, the place, Berlin, when William E. Dodd becomes America’s first ambassador to Hitler’s Germany in a year that proved to be a turning point in history. A mild-mannered professor from Chicago, Dodd brings along his wife, son, and flamboyant daughter, Martha. At first Martha is entranced by the parties and pomp, and the handsome young men of the Third Reich with their infectious enthusiasm for restoring Germany to a position of world prominence. Enamored of the ‘New Germany’, she has one affair after another, including with the suprisingly honorable first chief of the Gestapo, Rudolf Diels. But as evidence of Jewish persecution mounts, confirmed by chilling first-person testimony, her father telegraphs his concerns to a largely indifferent State Department back home. Dodd watches with alarm as Jews are attacked, the press is censored, and drafts of frightening new laws begin to circulate. As that first year unfolds and the shadows deepen, the Dodds experience days full of excitement, intrigue, romance—and ultimately, horror, when a climactic spasm of violence and murder reveals Hitler’s true character and ruthless ambition. Suffused with the tense atmosphere of the period, and with unforgettable portraits of the bizarre Göring and the expectedly charming—yet wholly sinister—Goebbels, In the Garden of Beasts lends a stunning, eyewitness perspective on events as they unfold in real time, revealing an era of surprising nuance and complexity. The result is a dazzling, addictively readable work that speaks volumes about why the world did not recognize the grave threat posed by Hitler until Berlin, and Europe, were awash in blood and terror. This sounds like a must read O Mistress Of Books! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janet Posted January 8, 2015 Share Posted January 8, 2015 Thanks Melodious. Janet is the biggest Orwell fan on the forum (that I know of!) I think she's read pretty much everything Orwell has written! I've still only gotten as far as 1984 and Animal Farm. Down and Out in Paris and London is the next novel of his that I want to read. The lovely Kay bought me A Life in Letters for Christmas last year. I feel so bad that I haven't read it yet. It's on my "I definitely will read in 2015" list. I'm going to read it alongside some fiction because the print is quite small so it'll be easier to read in small bursts (I really need to make an appointment for a sight test - I'm going to have to admit defeat and go for varifocals I think ) but I'm really looking forward to it. I've a few essays to read but I've read all his fiction and both Down and Out... and The Road to Wigan Pier. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Signor Finzione Posted January 8, 2015 Share Posted January 8, 2015 I'm completely in awe of your lists, Kylie. Hope you have a lovely reading year! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kylie Posted January 8, 2015 Author Share Posted January 8, 2015 This sounds like a must read O Mistress Of Books! Thanks James. Usually books stay on my TBR pile for years before I get around to reading them, but I was so impressed with the Erik Larson book I read last year that there's no way this one is going to stay unread for long! The lovely Kay bought me A Life in Letters for Christmas last year. I feel so bad that I haven't read it yet. It's on my "I definitely will read in 2015" list. I'm going to read it alongside some fiction because the print is quite small so it'll be easier to read in small bursts (I really need to make an appointment for a sight test - I'm going to have to admit defeat and go for varifocals I think ) but I'm really looking forward to it. Don't feel bad! I'm sure Kay understands as well as anyone about having so many books to read and so little time. I noticed the small print in the book too. That reminds me...I'm overdue for an eye checkup and new glasses! I opened the book randomly when I got it and found a letter that Orwell had written to Victor Gollancz, which I thought was really cool, although I must admit that the only thing I know about Vic is that his surname is used for a sci-fi publishing imprint . It was a well-written and insightful letter, which bodes well for the rest of the book (that's a rather silly thing to say, isn't it? Would George Orwell ever write anything that wasn't well-written and insightful?) I'm completely in awe of your lists, Kylie. Hope you have a lovely reading year! Thanks Signor! I love keeping my lists updated. (Except when I get really behind...then it becomes a chore ). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anna Begins Posted January 8, 2015 Share Posted January 8, 2015 WOW, colour me impressed, Anna! That's so, so cool. Have you heard that Manson is going to marry his 26-year-old girlfriend? That's all kinds of messed up, isn't it? I thought it was strange when I heard about it because I thought I had read in an interview that he didn't want to get married. So I just looked it up, and I was right (I suppose I shouldn't be surprised that he lied!). Here's what Manson said when he was interviewed for Rolling Stone in November 2013 (it's an excellent article): What about the marriage? He snorts. "Oh, that," he says. "That's a bunch of garbage. You know that, man. That's trash. We're just playing that for public consumption." Anna I am also majorly impressed, getting to talk to Bugliosi ! What a rare treat . Helter Skelter is one true crime I have yet to read and not sure why I keep putting it off ,but with you guys talking about it, it makes me want to read it more . Maybe this year ? Thanks! He was so smart! He was interesting to listen to. Kylie- Since Manson is only an hour and 1/2 from me, he is on the news occasionally. You should see him, with his swastika tattooed forehead and this 26 year old girl lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Devi Posted January 9, 2015 Share Posted January 9, 2015 (edited) I read an article saying she was only marrying him for the money... Will see if I can find it again. Edit: I swear I saw it on ninemsn the other week, but can't find it now. Edited January 9, 2015 by Devi Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alexi Posted January 9, 2015 Share Posted January 9, 2015 I've added In the Garden of Beasts to my wishlist as well - sounds fascinating. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frankie Posted January 9, 2015 Share Posted January 9, 2015 I've got other stuff to get to, but for now I have only time to say that I just came from the library and I got the copy of Landlines!! No, wait, was it Eleonor & Park we were supposed to read? Oh crap, I can't remember now Oh and hey, while I'm here, posting away, I talked to my Lahti friend and she's moved onto Gilmore Girls season 2 and she said (even before I asked her about the DVDs!) that she was on a roll and thought she'd probably watch the whole season before we meet next time GG marathon, here we come! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poppyshake Posted January 9, 2015 Share Posted January 9, 2015 The lovely Kay bought me A Life in Letters for Christmas last year. I feel so bad that I haven't read it yet. It's on my "I definitely will read in 2015" list. I'm going to read it alongside some fiction because the print is quite small so it'll be easier to read in small bursts (I really need to make an appointment for a sight test - I'm going to have to admit defeat and go for varifocals I think ) but I'm really looking forward to it. I've a few essays to read but I've read all his fiction and both Down and Out... and The Road to Wigan Pier. It's just as Kylie says. I would be the last person to expect anyone to read a book I've bought them straight away. It's to be read in your lifetime Janet .. or even intended to be read in your lifetime which is good enough for me I get a lot of pleasure at looking at all my unread books. I'm sure I'd get panicky if I was down to my last two or three .. thankfully that's one problem I will never have to face You will know when the time is right and nobody should ever read a book when the time is wrong!! Unthinkable! You might as well eat a mince pie in June Love your lists Kylie .. you are list queen I like the idea of your priority reads list in particular .. very focused and something that I should consider in order to keep me on the straight and narrow this year. I like the way it is subject to change .. very wise Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kylie Posted January 11, 2015 Author Share Posted January 11, 2015 Thanks! He was so smart! He was interesting to listen to. Kylie- Since Manson is only an hour and 1/2 from me, he is on the news occasionally. You should see him, with his swastika tattooed forehead and this 26 year old girl lol Am I right in thinking that he carved the swastika into his head himself? You have to wonder what goes on in the heads of women who form relationships with murderers in prison. I've got other stuff to get to, but for now I have only time to say that I just came from the library and I got the copy of Landlines!! No, wait, was it Eleonor & Park we were supposed to read? Oh crap, I can't remember now Oh and hey, while I'm here, posting away, I talked to my Lahti friend and she's moved onto Gilmore Girls season 2 and she said (even before I asked her about the DVDs!) that she was on a roll and thought she'd probably watch the whole season before we meet next time GG marathon, here we come! Haha. Yes, it was Eleanor & Park we were going to read, but I'm happy for you that you received Landlines. Yay! I'm glad she's finally watching the DVDs. Love your lists Kylie .. you are list queen I like the idea of your priority reads list in particular .. very focused and something that I should consider in order to keep me on the straight and narrow this year. I like the way it is subject to change .. very wise Thanks Kay. I had a much shorter list of priority reads last year (probably about half a dozen) and I didn't read most of them, so it's probably pointless for me to do it again, but I'll try to keep a closer eye on it this year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kylie Posted January 13, 2015 Author Share Posted January 13, 2015 I finished Ripley Under Ground today. It wasn't quite as good as the first book, but I think it would be impossible to top the brilliance of The Talented Mr Ripley. RUG was excellent though, and I've rated it 9/10. Ripley is such a wonderful character; in fact, he might be one of my favourite characters ever written. He's so diabolical! I've been inspired by all of the recent talk about Alan Bradley's Flavia de Luce series to start The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie. I'm meant to be getting ready to go out, but I couldn't help but open the book to read just the first line or two. I ended up reading about six pages before I tore myself away. Yes, I think I'm going to enjoy this! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Athena Posted January 13, 2015 Share Posted January 13, 2015 I've been inspired by all of the recent talk about Alan Bradley's Flavia de Luce series to start The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie. I'm meant to be getting ready to go out, but I couldn't help but open the book to read just the first line or two. I ended up reading about six pages before I tore myself away. Yes, I think I'm going to enjoy this! I don't know much about the book other than what others on this forum have said but I'm glad you're enjoying it so far . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kylie Posted January 15, 2015 Author Share Posted January 15, 2015 I bought The Martian by Andy Weir today. I intend to give it to my ex, but I'm going to read it myself first. I'm yet to decide whether I have to add it to my 'books acquired' list or whether I can create a loophole because it's technically a gift. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Athena Posted January 15, 2015 Share Posted January 15, 2015 I hope you enjoy the book ! If you're giving it to someone else, it doesn't count as 'books acquired' in my opinion, since it's a gift for someone. I don't count the books I buy people as presents, as books bought for myself. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kylie Posted January 15, 2015 Author Share Posted January 15, 2015 Thanks Athena. I'm glad you agree! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kylie Posted January 16, 2015 Author Share Posted January 16, 2015 I've jumped on the bandwagon and made myself a reading jar. It looks like fun, and it adds another little exciting element to reading. I've only put in 77 titles from my TBR pile, which are on my priority reading list. This means that no matter what book I choose, I'm bound to be very excited by it. I badly want to choose a book now, but I'm already in the middle of two, so I should wait...oh, to heck with it...here goes! *Drumroll* And the winner is...Guns, Germs and Steel by Jared Diamond. This is actually a pretty good choice, as the non-fiction will go nicely alongside my two fiction books. Also, given that it took me many months to read The World without Us, which is a similar sort of book, I guess this will be a longer-term read too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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