Chrysalis' reading habits 2010

[chrysalis_stage]

2010 Finished

Douglas Adams - The Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy

Douglas Adams - The Restaurant At The End Of The Universe

Haruki Murakami - After Dark

Stephen King - Salems Lot

Mark Haddon - The Curious Incident of The Dog in The Night-Time

Cormac McCarthy - The Road

Michel Faber - The Crimson Petal and the White

Michel Faber - The Apple: New Crimson Petal Stories

Richard Fortey - The Secret life of the Natural History Museum: Dry Store Room No.1

Jacqueline Kelly - The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate

China Mieville - Perdido Street Station

Richard Dawkins - The Greatest Show on Earth: Evidence for Evolution

Clive Barker - Abarat (1)

China Mieville - The Scar

 

Currently reading two handfuls and started but paused many

*been a hard year*

ON A POSITIVE NOTE I COMPLETED A READING CHALLENGE

Chunkster reading challenge

To read books with 450 pages and more.

'Chubby chunkster' is the lowest level asking for 3 chunksters to be read in 12 months

Perdido Street Station - China Mieville - 867 pgs

The Crimson Petal and the White - Michel Faber - 835 pgs

The Scar - China Mieville - 795 pgs

Clive Barker - Abarat - 496 pgs

Richard Dawkins - The Greatest Show On Earth - 470 pgs

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited December 15, 2010 by chrysalis_stage

[Rawr]

Some great titles on there Sarah! I also have some Lovecraft and more Poe on my reading list. You must post your thoughts on 'Salem's Lot when done, I like that book I am actually reading Cabal by Barker right now and also Johnathan Strange is soon to be read I think.

[Kimmy619]

A Midsummer Nights Dream is one of the favourites! It was the first performance that I saw by the RSC, it is so magical.

[chrysalis_stage]

Douglas Adams - The Hitchiker's Guide To The Galaxy - 180 pgs

 

Waterstones synopsis

One Thursday lunchtime the Earth gets demolished to make way for a hyperspace bypass. For Arthur, who has just had his house demolished, this is too much. Sadly, the weekend's just begun.

My random thoughts

A very enjoyable, humourous book. If you have a sense of humour, as well as understand and pick up on dry wit you will love this. I had heard so many good reviews of this book as well as the other four books in the 'trilogy in five parts' but this being the most famous with almost classic status. Happy to say I was not disappointed and now I can understand some comments said in todays culture which normally people giggle at with knowledge I did not have, kind of like an inside joke. I used to sit there thinking, did I miss something?, well yes I did, I had not read this brilliant book! Must read again.

 

Douglas Adams - The Restaurant At The End Of The Universe - 200 pgs

 

Waterstones synopsis

When all issues of space, time, matter and the nature of being are resolved, only one question remains: Where shall we have dinner? The Restaurant at the End of the Universe provides the ultimate gastronomic experience and, for once, there is no morning after

My random thoughts

The second book in the 'trilogy in five parts' which is equally as enjoyable as the first. Many laugh out loud moments especially when they got to meet 'the main dish of the day' and Arthur's attempts to get a cup of tea.

Even if you do not read Sci-fi, do not be put off by the titles because it is not really sci-fi imo, you could read these without being a fan of said genre, the witty diagloue between characters is enjoyable enough. Must read again.

 

Marvin

 

Haruki Murakami - After Dark - 201 pgs

 

Waterstones synopsis

The midnight hour approaches in an almost empty all-night diner. Mari sips her coffee and glances up from a book as a young man, a musician, intrudes on her solitude. Both have missed the last train home. The musician has plans to rehearse with his jazz band all night, Mari is equally unconcerned and content to read, smoke and drink coffee until dawn. They realise they've been acquainted through Eri, Mari's beautiful sister. The musician soon leaves with a promise to return. Shortly afterwards Mari will be interrupted a second time by a girl from the Alphaville Hotel; a Chinese prostitute has been hurt by a client, the girl has heard Mari speaks fluent Chinese and requests her help.Meanwhile Eri is at home and sleeps a deep, heavy sleep that is 'too perfect, too pure' to be normal; pulse and respiration at the lowest required level. She has been in this soporific state for two months; Eri has become the classic myth - a sleeping beauty. But tonight as the digital clock displays 00:00 a faint electrical crackle is perceptible, a hint of life flickers across the TV screen, though the television's plug has been pulled. Murakami, acclaimed master of the surreal, returns with a stunning new novel, where the familiar can become unfamiliar after midnight, even to those that thrive in small hours. With "After Dark" we journey beyond the twilight. Strange nocturnal happenings, or a trick of the night?

My random thoughts

One of Murakami's short novels. I love night time and am interested in the nocturnal habits of humans. The dead of night has such a freeing vibe and reading about something set in such a time was intriguing to me as it is so unnatural to us naturally diurnal creatures. Anyway I enjoyed the book and like many of Murakami's other books there are sections which are useful to use as quotes or that make you stop and think things over in relation to your own life. I could relate to feelings from both sisters Mari and Eri at times. The dialogue between Korogi and Mari about 'memory drawers' reminded me of one of my favourite pieces of Salvador Dali called The Anthropomorphic Cabinet (painting) or The City of Drawers (sketch)

Edited February 22, 2010 by chrysalis_stage

[chrysalis_stage]

Some great titles on there Sarah! I also have some Lovecraft and more Poe on my reading list. You must post your thoughts on 'Salem's Lot when done, I like that book I am actually reading Cabal by Barker right now and also Johnathan Strange is soon to be read I think.

 

Thanks, I will try and post some of my thoughts on Salems Lot when finished, nearly finished I read a couple pages of Cabal when I got it and it was very intriguing. Hope you are enjoying it!

 

A Midsummer Nights Dream is one of the favourites! It was the first performance that I saw by the RSC, it is so magical.

 

 

That sounds lovely, it does seem like a fantastic performance to see, hopefully one day I will see it. It was interesting to read in the introduction of this book the various adaptations the play has gone through, through the ages, at one point with live rabbits on stage, robot birds in the trees and mud wrestling on stage .

 

I didn't do much Shakespeare at school and have always felt an interest in reading some more of his works in my own time so I do not feel pressured to think of it in a particular way. I just got the penguin shakespeare text which is apparently used and recommended by the National Theatre. Its taken me a day to get through the introduction which was about 80 pages but I am glad for it so now I will understand some aspects to the dialogue and layout I would not have even contemplated if going straight into reading the play.

[frankie]

Where have you been hiding? Nice to see you back Some great ones you have there on your TBR, happy reading 2010!

[chrysalis_stage]

Where have you been hiding? Nice to see you back Some great ones you have there on your TBR, happy reading 2010!

 

I have been a recluse of some sort but now i'm back. Thanks, so many great books out there to read - tis exciting!

[Rawr]

Let me know your thoughts on Midsummer Nights Dream too, I have been dabbling with the idea of purchasing this in my next batch of books.

[chrysalis_stage]

Reading Challenges 2010

 

 

Global reading challenge

2 novels to be read from each continent/region, each from different countries or states within and different authors

Expert level - eek

Africa

None

Asia

Haruki Murakami - After Dark

Australasia

None

Europe

Michel Faber - The Apple

China Mieville - Perdido Street Station

etc

North America(inc Central America)

Stephen King - Salem's Lot

Jaqueline Kelly - The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate

etc

South America

Julio Cortazar - Blow up and other stories

Antarctica

(books set in, not author from)

None

*DIDN'T QUITE MANAGE THIS CHALLENGE THIS YEAR*

 

Books to buy for next years attempt: (Africa & Antarctica)

Antarctica - Kim Stanley Robinson

The Heart of Redness - Zakes Mda

Welcome to Our Hillbrow - Phaswane Mpe

 



 

1001 books you must read before you die (continued)

Already read: 10/1001

own: 27/1001

tbr:17/991

 

10 down.....991 to go!

 

tbr/own from list

 

purple - need to start

blue - re-start or finish

 

1700's

Robinson Crusoe � Daniel Defoe

 

1800's

Jane Eyre � Charlotte Bront�

Northanger Abbey - Jane Austen

The Fall of the House of Usher - Edgar Allan Poe

R. L. Stevenson - Dr Jekyll & Mr Hyde & The Merrymen & Other Tales and Fables

Pride and Prejudice - Jane Austen

Tess of the D'Urbervilles - Thomas Hardy

The Death of Ivan Ilyich - Leo Tolstoy

The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes

Walden and Other Writings - Henry David Thoreau

 

1900's

J. R. R. Tolkien - The Lord of the Rings

The Trial - Franz Kafka

Tarka The Otter - Henry Williamson

Sons and Lovers - D. H. Lawrence

Memoirs of a Geisha - Arthur Golden

The Master and Margarita - Mikhail Bulgakov

The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle - Haruki Murakami

At The Mountains Of Madness - H. P. Lovecraft

 

2000's

Mark Haddon - The Curious Incident Of The Dog In The Night-Time

 

 

Already read:

1800's

The Yellow Wallpaper - Charlotte Perkins Gilman

Frankenstein - Mary Shelley

Wuthering Heights - Emily Bronte

The Purloined Letter - Edgar Allan Poe

The Pit and the Pendulum - Edgar Allan Poe

1900's

Animal Farm - George Orwell

The Little Prince - Antoine de Saint-Exupery

The Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy - Douglas Adams

2000's

Kafka on the shore - Haruki Murakami

Under the skin - Michel Faber

 

*ONLY 1 ADD TO MY ALEADY READ THIS YEAR*

Edited December 4, 2010 by chrysalis_stage

[chrysalis_stage]

Salems Lot - Stephen King

 

 

Waterstones synopsis:

Thousands of miles away from the small township of 'Salem's Lot, two terrified people, a man and a boy, still share the secrets of those clapboard houses and tree-lined streets. They must return to 'Salem's Lot for a final confrontation with the unspeakable evil that lives on in the town.

 

My random thoughts:

Now this is what a vampire book should be like! Intensely suspenseful in parts with instinctual vampires who rightly so scare people!

Character wise I only really felt for the young boy Mark, he was my favourite character. As much as Ben was a dominant character and he was going through alot I didn't really feel for him at all and wasn't really moved when

Jimmy and Matt died.

 

I enjoyed the ending and King's descriptions of the vampire's reactions, but I was wanting things to move alot faster than they did but then if they did I suspect I would not have been moved as much when the real action happened. To begin with I did feel bombarded with alot of street names and people's names and couldn't really remember who was who until much later in the book. I'm usually good with names so its either there were too many names to remember or I was just too lazy to remember.

 

One thing that I would like to know is

how the vampires managed to lock themselves in cupboards etc with padlocks and move furniture in front of the doors. Did the human familiar go round and do it and I doubt that because at the end anyway Straker was dead and Father Callahan had fleed. And how would they manage to get out with the padlocks on the doors on the outside, unless they can act like ghosts and seep though a crack....oddness. When Ben smashing the door with the axe and other characters hammering padlocks off here and there it just puzzled me to how the padlocks got there in the first place.

Did I miss something??????

 

Also

the outbursts of I love you or do you love me? between Ben and Mark puzzled me. I know they went through alot together and it made them very close very quickly. I don't know why but those comments just didn't seem to fit right for me in the story.

 

 

All that said I did really enjoy reading salem's lot and need to go buy my own copy now as i've borrowed this copy off my bf.

Edited March 1, 2010 by chrysalis_stage

[Rawr]

I'm glad you enjoyed 'Salem's Lot Chrysalis

 

I never noticed that point you make, well I suppose suspension of disbelief is always your friend in a story! Although that guy does

float up to the teacher's window, right? So maybe they do have such powers to a lesser degree than a Barlow strength vamp

 

 

King is very attentive to detail in his novels, 'Salem's is pretty bare compared to the ridiculous detail in a lot of his other work, you do lose track and sometimes it is a little convoluted, but more often than not it's very well done and adds a lot of depth and care to his stories

 

There are a lot of good scenes in this book I feel, it is a good tale!

[chrysalis_stage]

I went on an afternoon ramble around Kenilworth which involved trawling the charity shops and looking at what books they had on offer. I knew it would probably turn out bad for my purse because last time I went I came back quite a few books and my arm was nearly falling off because some were very heavy.....well the same happened this time. I came back with 7 books Although thats a lot less than if I had my way in oxfam, but alas they were re-organising the front window display when I went in which meant alot of stuff was placed infront of the bookshelves. I bet they didn't sell any books today because after 5-10 mins of straining to see what they had round and over an electric scooter and table with random things on I still couldn't see. The woman said don't worry I will be out of your way in a bit and I had already been in the shop long enough, I thought i'm not going to wait here all day.

 

Anyhoo I did pick up the following from other shops including the cats protection league shop, and I even got a funky plastic bag with a cats face on the front and his bum on the other side going through a cat flap

 

1. China Mieville - Perdido Street Station (used condition pb)

 

2. Michel Faber - Crimson Petal & The White (used condition pb) - over 800 pgs for 75p

 

3. Bernard Cornwell - Stonehenge (used condition pb) - 80p

 

4. R. L. Stevenson - Dr Jekyll & Mr Hyde & The Merrymen & Other Tales and Fables (Good as new pb) - 60p

 

5. Mark Haddon - The Curious Incident Of The Dog In The Night-Time (Good as new pb)

 

6. Adeline Yen Mah - Falling Leaves: The True Story Of An Unwanted Chinese Daughter (Good as new pb)

 

7. Chamber Of Horrors - Great Tales Of Terror & The Supernatural (used but great condition - hb)

(31 stories by different authors such as Stephen King, Bram Stoker, Road Dahl, Guy De Maupassant, H. P. Lovecraft, Edgar Allan Poe, H. G. Wells etc)

 

I was thinking about the books that are not in amazing condition, once I have read them and if I enjoyed enough to want to keep the book, I shall return these copies to the charity shop and buy a nicer version for me to keep and re-read.

 

I feel happy with my haul today although my arm isn't

 

I told my bf about my book haul and his reply was 'and when will you read these books?' and my reply was 'sometime in my life'

Edited March 4, 2010 by chrysalis_stage

[Kylie]

1. China Mieville - Perdido Street Station (used condition pb)

 

2. Michel Faber - Crimson Petal & The White (used condition pb) - over 800 pgs for 75p

 

7. Chamber Of Horrors - Great Tales Of Terror & The Supernatural (used but great condition - hb)

(31 stories by different authors such as Stephen King, Bram Stoker, Road Dahl, Guy De Maupassant, H. P. Lovecraft, Edgar Allan Poe, H. G. Wells etc)

 

I have the first two on my TBR pile and can't wait to read them. I understand why your arm was so sore with the weight of these two books alone!

 

Chamber of Horrors sounds excellent.

 

4. R. L. Stevenson - Dr Jekyll & Mr Hyde & The Merrymen & Other Tales and Fables (Good as new pb) - 60p

 

5. Mark Haddon - The Curious Incident Of The Dog In The Night-Time (Good as new pb)

 

I loved both of these books. I hope you do too!

[chrysalis_stage]

I have the first two on my TBR pile and can't wait to read them. I understand why your arm was so sore with the weight of these two books alone!

Chamber of Horrors sounds excellent.

I loved both of these books. I hope you do too!

 

They are both thick books. i'm looking forward to reading Dr Jekyll & Mr Hyde & The Merrymen & Other Tales and Fables - one book I have wanted to read for a long time.

 

I've started The Crimson Petal and the White. I couldn't stop myself after reading the first couple pages just to see how it started. Tis fantastic; Faber is a very gripping writer. His descriptions of things are very novel and entertain me at least. I like the way he has written the story including the reader as a character in the book, another different take that I have not really experienced before.

 

Almost unputdownable, as the size of it does cause you to want a break if you do not rest it on a table or cushion.

Edited March 7, 2010 by chrysalis_stage

[chrysalis_stage]

I keep telling myself to 'just read the books you have and then buying other books at a later date won't make you feel so guilty' ..........................................................................................but I have bought 3 books this weekend I couldn't stop myself.

 

1 from amazon - Dry Store Room No. 1: The Secret Life of the Natural History Museum by Richard Fortey

&

2 from ebay - 'Hear the wind sing' & 'Pinball 1973' both by Haruki Murakami

(small, 5 inch pocket books apparently)

 

Edit: Tesco 2 for

Edited March 16, 2010 by chrysalis_stage

[Janet]

I looked at The Elephant Keeper yesterday when my shift finished - but I'm really trying not to buy any more books.

[chrysalis_stage]

I looked at The Elephant Keeper yesterday when my shift finished - but I'm really trying not to buy any more books.

 

 

I totally know that feeling, I did see it originally on amazon and was happy thinking it will just stay in my wishlist for a while but then I came across it in tesco when getting food (shouldn't have gone down the dreaded aisle:roll:) and because it was infront of me AND the last one I couldn't force myself to put it back.

 

It does look like a good read tho!

[Janet]

It does look good!

 

 

[chrysalis_stage]

It does look good!

 

 

[Ooshie]

Edit: Tesco 2 for

[chrysalis_stage]

I thoroughly enjoyed The Road - very bleak but very touching, too. Hope you enjoy it too.

 

I'm glad to hear you enjoyed it. I have been meaning to get it for quite some time and I was surprised when I got my hands on it on how big the lettering is and the paragraphing. It looks like a shortish read and I was expecting something much longer for some reason but I hope to enjoy it as much as you did.

 

Noll pointed out to me McCarthy's lack of speech marks, did that affect your reading?

[Ooshie]

It was quite a short read, although I spaced it out a bit with other things when I was tired and feeling like something more lightsome. I remember noticing the lack of speech marks near the beginning of the book, but got into the style of writing very quickly and genuinely didn't notice again throughout my reading - in fact, I had forgotten about that until you reminded me!

[Janet]

Well there is no more more pondering necessary at that you can't not get it! I'd just get one food item less!

What a jolly good idea! Thanks.

[chrysalis_stage]

Mark Haddon - The Curious Incident of The Dog in The Night-Time

 

Synopsis:

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time is a murder mystery novel like no other. The detective, and narrator, is Christopher Boone. Christopher is fifteen and has Asperger's, a form of autism. He knows a very great deal about maths and very little about human beings. He loves lists, patterns and the truth. He hates the colours yellow and brown and being touched. He has never gone further than the end of the road on his own, but when he finds a neighbour's dog murdered he sets out on a terrifying journey which will turn his whole world upside down.

 

My random thoughts:

I am not sure how accurate the account of Asperger’s Syndrome is, although Christopher’s reactions did ring true to cases of autism I have heard about before. I found myself sympathizing with Christopher’s parents and their frustrations and wondered how I myself would cope if I had such a child with a lack of emotional understanding, nevertheless I found Christopher an inspiring character. His logical thinking was brilliant and very amusing at times; it just goes to prove emotions get in the way of seeing things clearly. I pretty much agreed with everything he said when questioning anything an adult said to him, I wish I had his memory and intellect at times.

 

The scene at the underground with Toby his rat had me on edge because I hate the underground myself and have often had nightmares of taking my pets in my pockets places and loosing them. The lack of emotion in the text coming from Christopher did make it an awkward read for me at times as I thrive on emotional and descriptive text although I guess the emotion was there in other ways picked up through his retelling of other people’s reactions. I empathized with Christopher’s anxiety and little quirks at times, we all have them at the end of the day and the last sentence was a nice finish to a maybe slightly rushed ending which is probably intentional as it is Christopher writing the book after all.

 

All in all, a quick, easy read with a rare narrator. I can’t see myself reading another book with a similar narrative style anytime soon which makes it stand out among other books I guess

Edited March 19, 2010 by chrysalis_stage

[chrysalis_stage]

The Road - Cormac McCarthy

 

Synopsis:

A father and son walk alone through burned America, heading slowly for the coast. Nothing moves in the ravaged landscape save the ash on the wind. They have nothing but a pistol to defend themselves against the men who stalk the road, the clothes they are wearing, a cart of scavenged food - and each other.

 

My random thoughts:

This is my first McCarthy book so his style of writing was new to me, such as his lack of speech marks and grammer (similar to Bukowski, some say it is the modern style of books, I do see it as lazy though), lack of chapters and poetic prose throughout which actually gave the post apocalyptic setting a very melancholic feel. The lack of chapters, just continuous writing (in short paragraphs) worked brilliantly in allowing the reader to feel and sympathize somewhat with the long continuum of the journey on the road made by the characters day in day out with not much change.

Admittingly it did take me about 100 pages to get into the story and start to care for the man and boy/ father and son (characters not given names) I think if I read this book as a parent I would have been more disturbed by the fathers desperate need to keep his son safe, I plan on reading this book again in the future that’s for sure.

I did read this book quite quickly and along side other books so maybe I would have found it more striking if it had been my only read and I read it slowly enough to ponder properly. Although there were also aspects in the story which were puzzling, like how long they had been on the road and there is not much detail explaining what had really happened to cause such destruction; it is mostly left to the imagination of the reader to fill in the gaps.

The lack of depth in dialogue between the man and boy (father and son) was put in such a way it definitely made me feel the deep feeling of lethargic strength, enough to make them go on another day against all the odds but clearly distraught at what another day may bring.

I felt the boy was made to come across like a Jesus type figure, a Good Samaritan and I’m not religious but his innocence in trying to stay good and keep the fire was inspiring in such an environment. One thing I was unsure of was the age of the boy, at times I thought he was quite young but other times I thought him in his early teenage years.

The ending did move too swiftly for me, I could have read much more but it was moving. I enjoy reading stories of strong emotion and struggle so I enjoyed reading this book although it was portraying a distressing time which my descendants may have to encounter some day. I was unsure of this book at first and how much I’d like it in the end (even though it has been given a lot of praise and won awards) but it grabbed me in the second half and I ended up enjoying it, it ended as I was just getting into it to be honest. The action and gruesome scenes included were great but I would have liked to read more about those.

 

I would now like to see the film of this book but can imagine I’ll be moved to tears seeing the visual emotion in front of me – especially if I watch the film alone.

Edited April 5, 2010 by chrysalis_stage