Frankie reads 2012

[Kylie]

Easy for you to say, you own a car! I'd have to walk and my feet would get wet.

 

But once you have the package, you'll be so happy you won't even notice the rain! Bah, what are wet feet when there is a BOOK reward at the end?

 

Bah humbug ! Can't call it a proper library if it doesn't have The Forever War ...

 

Woohoo! My (personal) library is a proper library.

[frankie]

But once you have the package, you'll be so happy you won't even notice the rain! Bah, what are wet feet when there is a BOOK reward at the end?

 

Yes but... My throat's been icky today. I didn't want to risk anything! I don't know if it's the allergies or what.

 

Woohoo! My (personal) library is a proper library.

 

That goes without saying One could live a happy life only using your library. Bliss

[frankie]

I've just finished reading Shutter Island and I'm now starting The Stars My Destination by Alfred Bester. What's kinda funny is that the 'recommendation quote' on the cover ('Science fiction has produced only a few works of actual genius, and this is one of them') is actually by Joe Haldeman, the author of The Forever War, which happens to be the book Steve's just recommended to me It's scary, that I'm actually beginning to recognise these names and see the links between authors and books. What shall become of me?!

 

I wonder if it's going to be 'gosh wow'

 

Edit: I'm not sure if I should've but I started reading Neil Gaiman's forewords and it says here: '[bester] began his career as a writer in the SF pulps, moved from there to comics, writing Superman, Green Lantern (he created the "Green Lantern Oath"), and many other characters;...'.

 

Is Green Lantern not one of the, um, figures one of the Big Bang Theory dudes played when they all entered a comic figure group contest?

[Karsa Orlong]

I've just finished reading Shutter Island and I'm now starting The Stars My Destination by Alfred Bester. What's kinda funny is that the 'recommendation quote' on the cover ('Science fiction has produced only a few works of actual genius, and this is one of them') is actually by Joe Haldeman, the author of The Forever War, which happens to be the book Steve's just recommended to me It's scary, that I'm actually beginning to recognise these names and see the links between authors and books. What shall become of me?!

 

Welcome to the slippery slope Those recommendation quotes are all very incestuous - they all recommend each other

 

 

I wonder if it's going to be 'gosh wow'

 

Nah, this is a proper book

 

 

Edit: I'm not sure if I should've but I started reading Neil Gaiman's forewords

 

Is this the SF Masterworks edition? Some of those forewords are a bit spoilery, so beware.

 

 

and it says here: '[bester] began his career as a writer in the SF pulps, moved from there to comics, writing Superman, Green Lantern (he created the "Green Lantern Oath"), and many other characters;...'.

 

Is Green Lantern not one of the, um, figures one of the Big Bang Theory dudes played when they all entered a comic figure group contest?

 

I do seem to remember Sheldon walking around with an actual lantern

 

Edit: oh look:

 

Edited May 29, 2012 by Karsa Orlong

[frankie]

Welcome to the slippery slope Those recommendation quotes are all very incestuous - they all recommend each other

 

It certainly seems that way, from the few books I've picked up and taken a look at

 

Nah, this is a proper book

 

I guess I delivered that to you on a golden platter

 

Is this the SF Masterworks edition? Some of those forewords are a bit spoilery, so beware.

 

Yep, that's the one. I didn't notice any spoilers and if I read forewords I usually stop the second I sense there's a spoiler coming. Doesn't always work, though

 

I managed to read the prologue last night before I fell asleep. Much ado about jaunting!

 

I do seem to remember Sheldon walking around with an actual lantern

 

Ah, yes 'Good night, puny human!' That's not the scene that I meant, though. They did the Justice League competition at the comic book store. Somebody was Green Lantern, I think Leonard.

[frankie]

It's been a slow week, readingwise. I got back to Joensuu on Sunday and was waiting to get my book package from the post office on Monday, but it was raining. Then on Tuesday morning I came down with a flu. So annoying! About 25 uni books were due on Thursday and I just knew I wouldn't be better by then so I thought I'd go and take them there that day. The books weighed a lot!

 

I wasn't too ill, though, apparently, because I did take a look at their books on sale -section (which was luckily right next to the book return machine). Nothing there, except for a book I thought might interest another BCF member.

 

At this point I was really happy I hadn't gotten the book package from the post the day before, because now I knew it was waiting for me there, at the end of my tour of running errands. I kept my eye on the prize! Next stop was the pharmacy, I got me some meds for my flu and other ailments. Then the grocerystore, where I bought plenty of stuff in case I wouldn't make it to the stores in a while. And then the post office

 

The package was from chesilbeach, thank you again! There was a copy of Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird (Vintage edition!) and Frances Osborne's The Bolter (I think at least poppyshake might find this book really interesting, too), very exciting! I also got a beautiful bookmark and some postcards displaying some of important English spots in Claire's life

 

I also got an unexpected package in my mail box, it was from Weave! Thank you Paula! Inside there was an adorable doggy postcard, and a really beautiful magnetic kitty bookmark.

 

I must say I felt quite spoiled and pampered! Especially when I'd also received a book package from Devi, too. It was the book swap book, The Hunger Games! Thanks Devi! I don't remember when people started to talk about this series here on the forum, but I do remember that I was looking at the books already back in 2010. I'm very excited about this one!

 

Other than that, I've spent so little time with books this week. I'd alread started reading The Stars My Destiny for my sci-fi/fantasy challenge, but I felt that I didn't want to continue reading it when I'm not 100% okay. It's really annoying because I was really looking forward to reading the book! Instead, I started reading Quantum Leap: The Beginning. That one's easier because I know the story, and it's also a short book, only 190 pages. Mind you, I only read about 30 pages before I fall asleep, and I've done a lot of sleeping today and yesterday. Not much progress.

 

Also, I'm really bummed about Emma, the mini TV series I was supposed to watch. I had recorded the first two episodes, then forgot about the third one when I was in Nurmes, so missed that. And now my digibox is acting up and cannot record the fourth episode. I don't think there's any use in watching the first two eps

 

What else? How did I manage to ramble on this much. I'm so tired of being in bed, reading and sleeping. Does anyone want to fly over to do the dishes? They are piling up!

[frankie]

I'm having a huge book crisis. I guess it stems from the life crisis I'm also experiencing. Suppose I'm to graduate this year. What next. Am I really going to stay in Joensuu? What if I can't get a job? Do I have to move to Helsinki, where all the jobs seem to be? I don't want to move to Helsinki. I wouldn't want to live there. I could do a year maybe, but I'd feel out of the loop there, eventhough I have friends living there, actually more than I have in Joensuu. But it's just such an anonymous town. I love Joensuu, especially in the summer.

 

I'd rather move to the UK than Helsinki. I've actually been thinking about moving there today. I remember when a friend of mine used to talk about moving abroad after graduating, and I always thought, wow, she's really courageous and spontaneous, I would never do that!. And now I'm thinking, well, why couldn't I do that, and why wouldn't I do that? There's really nothing stopping me, and I'd rather live abroad for some time now and get it over with, than settle down in Finland and always think about how I could've traveled back in the day.

 

I know it's silly, but as soon as I started thinking about moving some place else, I thought, oh mg. What would I do with all my books? So now I'm walking around the flat, looking at books, sighing, and trying to find titles I could get rid of. Why do I have so many amazing novels I can't part with???

 

Why do I watch television. I should read, read, read. Reduce mount TBR. When did I go so book crazy? I'm so not going to buy any more books this year. My TBR books and the library will have to do. This is crazy!!

[Brian.]

I'm so not going to buy any more books this year.

 

Yes you are

 

I've had to move a few times because of work and although I have always been against it initially its always worked out ok in the end.

[frankie]

I'm so not going to buy any more books this year.

 

Yes you are

 

Thanks for having faith in me, mate

 

I've had to move a few times because of work and although I have always been against it initially its always worked out ok in the end.

 

Yeah, sometimes it's hard not to plan ahead and sort of think that one knows how things are going to be like, good or bad. It's easy to forget that life has a funny way of getting involved in those plans and throwing a few curve balls every now and then

[chaliepud]

Wow frankie, you have a lot of thinking to do! Much as you love your books you must do what is right for you, your books can either follow you or wait for you to return or to call for them later, they are very forgiving..

[frankie]

That was beautifully said, chaliepud, you are the liberal advocate of Books United

 

The future isn't looking clearer, but I've been continuing going through my bookcases today. It's raining and I don't feel like risking my recovery from the flu by walking to the uni library so I'm taking the day off. And I've come up with maybe 30-40 titles I can give away. Some of them are books that I have read, some of them books that I wanted to read at the time of the purchase, but which I don't feel like reading anymore. Most of them are titles that were never on my wishlist to begin with, but which I bought spontaneously on some secondhand bookshop book hunt. Mostly Finnish titles.

 

It feels very liberating. I'm beginning to think I could actually manage to read all my books on my TBR pile, some day.

[Devi]

Good luck with it all Frankie! It must be an exciting thought, like a whole new adventure.

[Kylie]

Wow, Frankie, your poor little bookies. Just kidding. You're very strong-willed to do that. Are you going to list the books you're not going to keep (well, at least the non-Finnish titles that I might recognise)? You go, girl!

[chesilbeach]

You CAN do it! Look at me - I'm almost there now, and it's been challenging, rewarding and you're right, completely liberating.

 

*picks up cheerleading pompoms* Go frankie! Go frankie! Go frankie! Gooooooo FRANKIE!

[frankie]

Good luck with it all Frankie! It must be an exciting thought, like a whole new adventure.

 

It's mostly frightening and terrifying, but it's sometimes also quite thrilling in a way

 

Oh and btw, I think I've been scared straight. I now know Tony Blair wanted me but that was years ago and now I'm to stay at home.

 

Wow, Frankie, your poor little bookies. Just kidding. You're very strong-willed to do that. Are you going to list the books you're not going to keep (well, at least the non-Finnish titles that I might recognise)? You go, girl!

 

I did list the books for certain purposes and I'm going to post it on here. I know you are going to go hmph at few of them

 

You CAN do it! Look at me - I'm almost there now, and it's been challenging, rewarding and you're right, completely liberating.

 

*picks up cheerleading pompoms* Go frankie! Go frankie! Go frankie! Gooooooo FRANKIE!

 

Thanks Claire! I've actually thought of you and the example you've set when I've been going through my shelves these past few days

[frankie]

Around the World – Trivia Quiz (this is obviously not a novel. I sort of got it for free)

Aho, Juhani: Juha

Aronpuro, Kari: Terveydeksi

Bergman, Ingrid & Burgess, Alan: Ingrid Bergman: My Story (in Swedish, can't be bothered to read)

Bradbury, Ray: Fahrenheit 451 (see above)

Bradbury, Ray: The Small Assassin (difficult to explain)

Brantenberg, Gerd: The Daughters of Egalia(this was supposed to be an interesting and weird feminist novel but the few pages I read where just whack)

Brecht, Bertolt: The Book of Changes

Böll, Heinrich: Group Portrait with Lady

Cain, Chelsea: Evil at Heart (read it, didn't enjoy)

Capote, Truman: In Cold Blood (hate the edition)

Christie, Agatha: And Then There Were None (have already read it, what's the point in owning. can always borrow from library)

Courtenay, Bryce: The Power of One

Cunningham, Michael: Flesh and Blood

Cunningham, Michael: A Home at the End of the World (This was one of my favorite books some years ago but RC re-read of this made me see it was rather just an ordinary read rip!)

Cunningham, Michael: Specimen Days

Diamant, Anita: The Red Tent (can always borrow from library)

Dunant, Sarah: Birth Marks (read it, really liked it, but probably never going to re-read)

Fielding, Helen: Bridget Jones I & II (my Finnish copies. I thought it's enough I own the English copies )

Fitch, Janet: White Oleander (bleh)

Flagg, Fannie: Welcome to the World, Baby Girl! (too many books, too little time. I loved her Green Tomatoes but let's not take any chances with her other novels yet)

Graves, Robert: I, Claudius (can borrow from library)

Gregory, Julie: Sickened (read it)

Hawes, Annie: Ripe for the Picking (need to first read the first book in the series)

Heinlein, Robert A.: The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress (I don't see myself reading this in the near future)

Helenoro, Pirkko: Tuntemattoman sotilaan tytär (see above)

Holappa, Pentti: Vuokralla täällä

Hosseini, Khaleid: Thousand Splendid Suns (in Swedish, would take too much time, will borrow from library)

Huxley, Aldous: Point Counter Point(hmph)

James, Peter: Dead Simple (read it, liked it, but will probably never re-read)

Kafka, Franz: Amerika (Well... ugly hardcover)

Kerouac, Jack: On the Road (want English edition)

Kupiainen, Jari & Sevänen, Erkki: Kulttuurintutkimus - johdanto(too many books)

Larsson, Stieg: The Girl Who Kicked the Hornets' Nest (before you guys start bombarding me with posts about saving poor Larsson's books, I'll tell you that these are Swedish copies and just don't have the time or inclination to read them in Swedish, it would take ages. And the other copy is a humongous hardback, I roll my eyes everytime I see it. I will read the books in Finnish!)

Larsson, Stieg: The Girl Who Played with Fire (see above)

Manson, Marilyn: The Long Hard Road Out of Hell (read it. Manson is full of himself.)

Maurier, Daphne du: The Bird and Other Stories (read it)

Maurier, Daphne du: Hungry Hill (sad copy)

Maurier, Daphne du: The Parasites (sad copy)

McCrumb, Sharyn: Bimbos of the Death Sun (read it)

McBride, James: The Color of Water (bleh)

McCullough, Colleen: Tim (sad copy)

Miller, Henry: Opus Pistorum

Miller, Henry: Tropic of Capricorn(sad copy)

Montgomery, L.M.: The Blue Castle (want in English)

Murakami, Haruki: A Wild Sheep Chase (want in English)

Ozick, Cynthia: The Cannibal Galaxy

Peltzer, Dave: The Boy Named It

Peura, Maria: On rakkautes ääretön

Pratchett, Terry: Pyramids (difficult to explain)

Robitaille, Julie: Quantum Leap: The Beginning (read it, liked it, will not re-read)

Saarikoski, Pentti: Euroopan reuna

Sapphire: Push! (want in English)

Sayers, Dorothy L.: Murder Must Advertise (can always borrow)

Seth, Vikram: An Equal Music (not interested anymore)

Shakespeare: Hamlet (hehehe)

Sheffield, Jack: Teacher, Teacher! (read it, liked it, will not re-read)

Sienkiewicz, Henryk: Quo Vadis

Sigurðardóttir, Steinunn: Heart Place

Sijie, Dai: Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress (want in English)

Sundvall, Viveca: Mimmi ja miljonääri Mårtenson

Tartt, Donna: The Secret History (sad copy. Have a Finnish copy, must suffice)

Toole, John Kennedy: Neon Bible (want in English)

Twain, Mark: A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court (have read three times, will not re-read)

Tyler, Anne: The Accidental Tourist (read it)

Tyler, Anne: The Ladder Years (read it)

Tyler, Anne: Breathing Lessons (tired of Tyler)

Tyler, Anne: Dinner at the Homesick Restaurant (see above)

Updike, John: Witches of Eastwick (life's too short)

Waugh, Evelyn: Brideshead Revisited (maybe someday)

Welty, Eudora: Optimist’s Daughter (muahahahahha! If you read my review, you'll know why!)

Wodehouse, P. G.: The Old Reliable(sorry Kylie hehehe. It's a really cute red hardcover but I just have too many books!)

Wodehouse, P. G.: Pip-pip, Sir! (sorry again, Kylie, hehe!)

 

That's around 70 books. And it was like 42 books of TBR or so. Which will actually take me just under 500 titles!!!

[chesilbeach]

Thanks Claire! I've actually thought of you and the example you've set when I've been going through my shelves these past few days

Wow, I don't think I've ever done anything to inspire anyone before, but this reading my TBR challenge seems to have struck a note with a few people, although it's a bit like preaching to the converted on this forum, I guess Good luck, I'm sure you can do it

[poppyshake]

I really should do this but can't .. not yet anyway. You are streamlining frankie and I bet you'll feel more liberated as a result. I do feel for your poor bookywooks though .. I bet they were all trying to hide and not look conspicuous I can hardly bear to look at the list but I must .. ooh Wodehouse and Waugh (ouch and ouch) .. and du Maurier (triple ouch) and Pratchett *sad face*

[lauraloves]

Well done Frankie on getting rid of all those books, I wish you loads of luck in reducing your TBR too. its something that I need to do aswell, but I dunno if I can get rid of a few books like you have!

[Kylie]

I think that's a pretty good list, actually. It's good that you've read a lot of them, and most of the others are 'sad' copies or in a different language or books that you can borrow. I can forgive removing Wodehouse as well. I have enough for the both of us.

 

This is a smart list. You have my approval, for what it's worth.

 

Are you going to try to sell them to at least make some money back?

[frankie]

Wow, I don't think I've ever done anything to inspire anyone before, but this reading my TBR challenge seems to have struck a note with a few people, although it's a bit like preaching to the converted on this forum, I guess. Good luck, I'm sure you can do it

 

Think if you managed to convince everyone to stop buying books, read the books on TBR, and then go off the forum! To a life of not reading! Scary I'm happy that I know that is not the ulterior motive behind your efforts.

 

Or is it...

 

I really should do this but can't .. not yet anyway. You are streamlining frankie and I bet you'll feel more liberated as a result. I do feel for your poor bookywooks though .. I bet they were all trying to hide and not look conspicuous. I can hardly bear to look at the list but I must .. ooh Wodehouse and Waugh (ouch and ouch) .. and du Maurier (triple ouch) and Pratchett *sad face*

 

I felt liberated yesterday, and when I actually get all these books out of my apartment, I'll feel more liberated. Now they are all over the place. Should get them sorted in cardboard boxes for the time being.

 

You know, I bet the books are sighing from relief, they remember all too well what it was like when I used to pick them up, them getting all hopeful, just to grunt and put them back again, to pick up their neighbor and read him instead. They must be looking forward to their new, rescue homes!

 

I don't like the Waugh copy, and I've tried reading that for a few times but it never stuck. I'm going to read it someday in the future, I'm still hoping to like the novel, but I guess it's one of those books that I would need to be in the right mood when starting it.

 

And I have about five other du Mauriers to read, so I thought I could give up these two. They really are sad copies, I know that as long as I tried to read the story from those books, the sad state of the copies would just horrify me and I could never read them!

 

And the Pratchett... The copy was in a horrid state when I bought it. I thought I could do something about it, remove the plastic sticky covers and do a little Bosistoing, but then it all fell apart. The same happened with the other Bradbury book.

 

Well done Frankie on getting rid of all those books, I wish you loads of luck in reducing your TBR too. its something that I need to do aswell, but I dunno if I can get rid of a few books like you have!

 

Oh but you have more years on you to read and collect more books! And you are a quicker reader than me. You'll do fine

 

I think that's a pretty good list, actually. It's good that you've read a lot of them, and most of the others are 'sad' copies or in a different language or books that you can borrow. I can forgive removing Wodehouse as well. I have enough for the both of us.

 

Oh yeah? Well what good does it do to me when your Wodehouses are Down Under, woman?! When are we going to combine our libraries?

 

 

This is a smart list. You have my approval, for what it's worth.

 

I guess I don't really need your approval, but I wanted it anyways. I'm happier now that I have it, thank you

 

 

Are you going to try to sell them to at least make some money back?

 

I've listed some of them on my FB status, local friends of mine can take a look at them and see if they find anything interesting. The last time I did this I sold two books so I'm not expecting to sell many Some of the rest will go to the library (the ones that have been bought at a library and have the stickers) and the last, final rest will go to a charityshop.

 

I did wonder if I should try and take some of them to a secondhand bookshop, so I'd get credit, but then I realised I'd just come back home with more books.

[lauraloves]

Oh but you have more years on you to read and collect more books! And you are a quicker reader than me. You'll do fine

 

I might do, but the ammount of books that I already own will take me years and years to get through! we seem to have read around the same number of books this year too good on you though for all your hard work getting rid of the books

Edited June 5, 2012 by lauraloves

[Brian.]

The first time I took a load of my books to my local charity bookshop was a strange feeling. Once you get used to letting go of some of your books it becomes easier to give away the ones that you don't really love.

[frankie]

I might do, but the ammount of books that I already own will take me years and years to get through! we seem to have read around the same number of books this year too good on you though for all your hard work getting rid of the books

 

Yep, it's a pretty rude wakeup call to start calculating how many years it would take to read all the books on one's TBR, and that's without adding the library loans and the new bought books. It's just too scary.

 

And I hate it that this means that in the future I have to give up one of my most favorite hobbies: going around in secondhand bookshops and charityshops to see what they have to offer. I can't do any impulse buying anymore, at least for a while. All my purchases need to be books that are on my wishlist, and ones that I seriously, really want to read. *sigh*

 

The first time I took a load of my books to my local charity bookshop was a strange feeling. Once you get used to letting go of some of your books it becomes easier to give away the ones that you don't really love.

 

Yeah, it comes easier with practise. Yesterday I was looking at my bookshelves again, thinking which other books could I get rid of, when a little voice in my head started talking: 'Isn't it enough for now that you are going to get rid of over 70 titles? Leave it for now, and don't worry about it, and start actually reading the books and recuding the mount TBR in that way!' A smart voice

 

I started reading Amy Tan's The Opposite of Fate for the Rory Gilmore reading challenge (and after that I'm so going to read the sci-fi book Steve's recommended!), and I managed 80 pages in one sitting. I have a feeling, though, that this will be a book I can't part with after having finished it.

[lauraloves]

Yep, it's a pretty rude wakeup call to start calculating how many years it would take to read all the books on one's TBR, and that's without adding the library loans and the new bought books. It's just too scary.

 

And I hate it that this means that in the future I have to give up one of my most favorite hobbies: going around in secondhand bookshops and charityshops to see what they have to offer. I can't do any impulse buying anymore, at least for a while. All my purchases need to be books that are on my wishlist, and ones that I seriously, really want to read. *sigh*

 

I started reading Amy Tan's The Opposite of Fate for the Rory Gilmore reading challenge (and after that I'm so going to read the sci-fi book Steve's recommended!), and I managed 80 pages in one sitting. I have a feeling, though, that this will be a book I can't part with after having finished it.

 

It is scary, I think if I didnt buy or download any more books and just stuck to what I've already got it would take me four years to get through! Thats a scary thought!

 

I havent been book shopping at all in 2012, but its now that its getting a bit difficult and I want to go and shop. I'm doing the read 4 buy 1 thing just because I don't think I can go totally cold turkey on the book buying front.

 

I still think its a great acheivement that you got rid of all those books though

 

Glad you are enjoying The Opposite of Fate by Amy Tan, I'm finding it difficult to put down too.