anisia Posted January 6, 2012 Share Posted January 6, 2012 (edited) Currently Reading: "Shadows Return" - Lynn Flewelling Reading List January 1. "A Clash Of Kings" - George R.R. Martin, 752 pages 2. "Stuart: A Life Backwards" - Alexander Masters, 304 pages 3. "One Day" - David Nicholls, 435 pages 4. "A Study in Scarlet" - Arthur Conan Doyle, 176 pages February 5. "Robert Schumann: Life and Death of a Musician" - John Worthen, 384 pages 6. "The Human Story: Our History, from the Stone Age to Today" - James C. Davis, 466 pages March 7. "A Storm of Swords: Steel and Snow" - George R.R. Martin, 623 pages 8. "The Sign of Four" - Arthur Conan Doyle, 160 pages April 9. "A Storm of Swords: Blood and Gold" - George R.R. Martin, 637 pages May 10. “Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ” – Lew Wallace, 428 pages 11. “A Clockwork Orange” – Anthony Burgess, 141 pages June 12. "Stories I Only Tell My Friends" - Rob Lowe, 357 pages July 13. "Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children" - Ransom Riggs, 352 pages 14. "Target" - Kathleen Jefrrie Johnson, 175 pages 15. "Luck In The Shadows" - Lynn Flewelling, 479 pages 16. "Stalking Darkness" - Lynn Flewelling, 501 pages August 17. "A Place Called Here" - Cecelia Ahern, 485 pages 18. "Trainspotting" - Irvine Welsh, 344 pages September 19. "A Feast for Crows" - George R.R. Martin, 778 pages October 20. "Last Breath" - Rachel Caine, 479 pages 21. "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (Book 1)" - Douglas Adams, 192 pages November 22. "The Casual Vacancy" - J.K. Rowling, 503 pages December 23. "A British History of Serial Killing" - David Wilson, 308 pages 24. "A Brief History of Time" - Stephen Hawking, 256 pages 25. "Traitor's Moon" - Lynn Flewelling, 540 pages 26. "About a Boy" - Nick Hornby, 278 pages 27. "Clockwork" - Philip Pullman, 92 pages 28. "Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone" - J.K. Rowling, Kindle edition Edited December 29, 2012 by anisia Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anisia Posted January 6, 2012 Author Share Posted January 6, 2012 Title: A Clash of Kings Author: George R.R. Martin Book Description (amazon.co.uk) George R.R. Martin writes sword-and-sorcery which concentrates on the swords. A Clash of Kings is the second volume of A Song of Ice and Fire, the sequence which began with A Game of Thrones and will take another four volumes to complete. The Seven Kingdoms are divided by revolt and blood feud; beyond their Northern borders, the men of the Night Watch fight the coming of a great cold and the walking corpses that travel with it; on the other side of the ocean, the last of the Kingdom’s deposed ruling house mourns her horseclan husband and rears the dragonlets she hatched from his funeral pyre. This is character-driven fantasy–we see most events through the eyes of the sons and daughters of the Stark family, the once and future Kings of the North, whose father’s judicial murder started the war. Martin avoids the cosy Californian cheeriness of many epic fantasies in favour of a sense of the squalor and grandeur of high medieval life; there is passion here, and misery and charm–and a profound sense of moral ambiguity as we learn to like the Richard III figure in this epic as much as the more virtuous Starks. Personal Note As I mentioned in the note regarding A Game of Thrones, I am impressed with the author and the way he manages to keep up with every detail of the book and have it make sense at the end. It was an excellent continuation of the series full of unexpected twists. Tyrion slowly became my favorite character, mostly because he is so misunderstood and it feels like he is the only one who thinks about the future. Daenerys on the other hand is a character I really liked in the first book of the series, but I’ve lost interest in her in A Clash of Kings, perhaps because she doesn’t have too many chapters and it feels like her story is so separate from the others. After a short break from the genre (I can never read such long series in one go) I will definitely return to the third volume! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ben Posted January 7, 2012 Share Posted January 7, 2012 I really need to get around to reading this series - it sounds right up my street. Great thoughts as usual. Anyway, following your thread and I can't wait to hear about all your reads this year. Best of luck with your 2012 reading. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anisia Posted January 8, 2012 Author Share Posted January 8, 2012 I really need to get around to reading this series - it sounds right up my street. Great thoughts as usual. Anyway, following your thread and I can't wait to hear about all your reads this year. Best of luck with your 2012 reading. Thank you, and defintely give the series a try, it's very well written Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anisia Posted January 8, 2012 Author Share Posted January 8, 2012 Author: Alexander Masters Title: Stuart: A Life Backwards Book Description (amazon.co.uk) A major new launch for the paperback edition of the most original, capitvating and award-winning memoir of the year. Stuart, A Life Backwards, is the story of a remarkable friendship between a reclusive writer and illustrator (‘a middle class scum ponce, if you want to be honest about it, Alexander) and a chaotic, knife-wielding beggar whom he gets to know during a campaign to release two charity workers from prison. Interwoven into this is Stuart’s confession: the story of his life, told backwards. With humour, compassion (and exasperation) Masters slowly works back through post-office heists, prison riots and the exact day Stuart discovered violence, to unfold the reasons why he changed from a happy-go-lucky little boy into a polydrug-addicted-alcoholic Jekyll and Hyde personality, with a fondness for what he called ‘little strips of silver’ (knives to you and me). Funny, despairing, brilliantly written and full of surprises: this is the most original and moving biography of recent years. Personal Note I didn’t know what to expect from this book. It is such a tragic subject to write about and knowing it was an actual biography, I thought it would be a difficult read, full of tears. It turned out completely different. Alexander Masters presented Stuart’s life in a very different way – the book is funny and sad in the same time. I think what I liked most is that while Alexander is Stuart’s friend, he has moments in the book in which he just doesn’t like Stuart, doesn’t want to be in his company, and he isn’t afraid to write about it. There’s an honesty through the whole book that I liked. It’s an unforgettable book. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chrissy Posted January 8, 2012 Share Posted January 8, 2012 I have seen this book mentioned many times, and was always intrigued by it. Now you have convinced me to actually get hold of it. Not sure whether to thank you or not! 2012 looks like it may be as book buying heavy as 2011. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anisia Posted January 8, 2012 Author Share Posted January 8, 2012 Umm...thank me? It IS a good book! I've decided to buy one book/month this year, I think it's doable. I don't even have bookshelevs, so I'm starting to really have no more space for books. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ben Posted January 13, 2012 Share Posted January 13, 2012 (edited) But.. but I bought four books today. Does that mean I can't buy anymore till May if I'm to be good too? Edited January 13, 2012 by Ben Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anisia Posted January 14, 2012 Author Share Posted January 14, 2012 Seeing as I bought three books just a day after I posted the above...I guess the rule's off. So Ben, buy as many books as you want Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ben Posted January 14, 2012 Share Posted January 14, 2012 (edited) Seeing as I bought three books just a day after I posted the above...I guess the rule's off. So Ben, buy as many books as you want Well that's that then, Mona has spoken - I have no choice but to buy more books. Edited January 14, 2012 by Ben Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frankie Posted January 14, 2012 Share Posted January 14, 2012 Author: Alexander Masters Title: Stuart: A Life Backwards Personal Note I didn’t know what to expect from this book. It is such a tragic subject to write about and knowing it was an actual biography, I thought it would be a difficult read, full of tears. It turned out completely different. Alexander Masters presented Stuart’s life in a very different way – the book is funny and sad in the same time. I think what I liked most is that while Alexander is Stuart’s friend, he has moments in the book in which he just doesn’t like Stuart, doesn’t want to be in his company, and he isn’t afraid to write about it. There’s an honesty through the whole book that I liked. It’s an unforgettable book. I think I got this title off Nick Hornby's A Polysyllabic Spree (where he writes about the books he reads, buys and thinks should read) and I've already acquired the copy but haven't gotten around to reading it yet, you've just reminded me that I should bump it up on my TBR pile I've kind of forgotten most of what Hornby had to say about the book, so I was also expecting a rather saddening read, and now I'm happy I've read your review and know that the book is funny as well Did you know that it's been made into a film? It was on (the Finnish) TV a few months ago, I taped it but haven't watched it yet because naturally I want to read the book first. If you have a chance to watch it (that is, if you want to watch it in the first place!), I'd be interested to know what you made of it Happy reading in 2012 Mona! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anisia Posted January 17, 2012 Author Share Posted January 17, 2012 (edited) Well that's that then, Mona has spoken - I have no choice but to buy more books. It makes me very happy that my opinion is so valued and important I think I got this title off Nick Hornby's A Polysyllabic Spree (where he writes about the books he reads, buys and thinks should read) and I've already acquired the copy but haven't gotten around to reading it yet, you've just reminded me that I should bump it up on my TBR pile I've kind of forgotten most of what Hornby had to say about the book, so I was also expecting a rather saddening read, and now I'm happy I've read your review and know that the book is funny as well Did you know that it's been made into a film? It was on (the Finnish) TV a few months ago, I taped it but haven't watched it yet because naturally I want to read the book first. If you have a chance to watch it (that is, if you want to watch it in the first place!), I'd be interested to know what you made of it Happy reading in 2012 Mona! Oh, I need to get A Polysyllabic Spree - I always enjoy seeing what authors/actors/singers read and it's good for the TBR list I've watched the BBC adaptation of Stuart, but after I read the book. I found out about the adaptation first (cause I love Benedict Cumberbatch) but I prefer reading the book first so I just recently saw it. Very much enjoyed it, and I think Tom Hardy was absolutely brilliant. I think he portrayed the character incredibly well, but I will say the book is better. Edited January 17, 2012 by anisia Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vinay87 Posted January 17, 2012 Share Posted January 17, 2012 A fellow GRRM fan I see! The man is a genius but I hope he'd write more. He takes too long between books, so long that I've not dared touch his latest book just because I don't want to have to go through all the agony involved in the wait for the next one. I'd rather read once he finishes the series, if he ever manages to! And Tyrion is such an interesting imp isn't he! Wait till you meet Brianna! She's another wonderful character. Or is she already there? Nevertheless, enjoy the next book, imo it's the best of the lot so far! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anisia Posted January 17, 2012 Author Share Posted January 17, 2012 I don't have the waiting problem because I already feel the need to take a break. I'm starting volume 3 probably in about 2 weeks. It's just that the books are SO big and so packed with details, I can't read all of them at the same time. Brianna has made an appereance, but she's not yet a very important character so I'm looking forward to read more of her development Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anisia Posted January 17, 2012 Author Share Posted January 17, 2012 Author: David Nicholls Title: One Day Book Description (amazon.co.uk) ‘I can imagine you at forty,’ she said, a hint of malice in her voice. ‘I can picture it right now.’ He smiled without opening his eyes. ‘Go on then.’ 15th July 1988. Emma and Dexter meet for the first time on the night of their graduation. Tomorrow they must go their separate ways. So where will they be on this one day next year? And the year after that? And every year that follows? Twenty years, two people, ONE DAY. From the author of the massive bestseller STARTER FOR TEN Personal Note I’m not sure how I feel about this book, I think the first word that comes to mind is disappointed. I have read impressive reviews about it and I’ve seen it advertised everywhere, I thought I must read it, and definitely before seeing the movie. I’m not saying I didn’t enjoy the book, I did and it’s a good story but I ended up not really liking the characters and the ending really disappointed me. What I initially liked about both Emma and Dex was their tries to discover who they are and to make a life for themselves – being at a similar age and phase right now, it certainly appealed to me. But then Emma became a person I didn’t like and I felt there were many times in the story when she could have done more for Dex, could have changed both of their lives for the better (not that Dex is an angel!). Overall, an enjoyable read, but I wasn’t impressed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frankie Posted January 18, 2012 Share Posted January 18, 2012 Oh, I need to get A Polysyllabic Spree - I always enjoy seeing what authors/actors/singers read and it's good for the TBR list I've watched the BBC adaptation of Stuart, but after I read the book. I found out about the adaptation first (cause I love Benedict Cumberbatch) but I prefer reading the book first so I just recently saw it. Very much enjoyed it, and I think Tom Hardy was absolutely brilliant. I think he portrayed the character incredibly well, but I will say the book is better. A bunch of us read A Polysyllabic Spree for the Rory Gilmore reading challenge and I think most of us (if not all) really liked it. I'm not sure if it'll be good for you TBR list, unless you are in need of loads of new books I remember adding 10-15 titles to my wishlist based on that book. Happy to hear you liked the Stuart movie, I really neeed to get going with the book so I can watch it and enjoy both Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anisia Posted January 25, 2012 Author Share Posted January 25, 2012 Author: Arthur Conan Doyle Title: A Study in Scarlet Book Description (amazon.co.uk) When Dr John Watson takes rooms in Baker Street with amateur detective Sherlock Holmes, he has no idea that he is about to enter a shadowy world of criminality and violence. Accompanying Holmes to an ill-omened house in south London, Watson is startled to find a dead man whose face is contorted in a rictus of horror. There is no mark of violence on the body yet a single word is written on the wall in blood. Dr Watson is as baffled as the police, but Holmes’s brilliant analytical skills soon uncover a trail of murder, revenge and lost love. Personal Note I’ll admit, reading the Sherlock Holmes books didn’t cross my mind until I fell in love with the TV show Sherlock. That being said, I liked “A Study in Scarlet” a lot and I’m looking forward to read the next books. It’s fast paced, I like the characters and it’s original. The one thing that bothered me was the sudden change of point of view and plot in the middle of the book. For a few pages, I was more than confused…but I did like how it all came together in the last pages. It’s a very short read, but enjoyable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
karen.d Posted January 25, 2012 Share Posted January 25, 2012 Author: David Nicholls Title: One Day Book Description (amazon.co.uk) ‘I can imagine you at forty,’ she said, a hint of malice in her voice. ‘I can picture it right now.’ He smiled without opening his eyes. ‘Go on then.’ 15th July 1988. Emma and Dexter meet for the first time on the night of their graduation. Tomorrow they must go their separate ways. So where will they be on this one day next year? And the year after that? And every year that follows? Twenty years, two people, ONE DAY. From the author of the massive bestseller STARTER FOR TEN Personal Note I’m not sure how I feel about this book, I think the first word that comes to mind is disappointed. I have read impressive reviews about it and I’ve seen it advertised everywhere, I thought I must read it, and definitely before seeing the movie. I’m not saying I didn’t enjoy the book, I did and it’s a good story but I ended up not really liking the characters and the ending really disappointed me. What I initially liked about both Emma and Dex was their tries to discover who they are and to make a life for themselves – being at a similar age and phase right now, it certainly appealed to me. But then Emma became a person I didn’t like and I felt there were many times in the story when she could have done more for Dex, could have changed both of their lives for the better (not that Dex is an angel!). Overall, an enjoyable read, but I wasn’t impressed. Whilst I really enjoyed this book, I do agree with you about the ending of this. I did find it disappointing and little too convenient. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anisia Posted January 28, 2012 Author Share Posted January 28, 2012 Whilst I really enjoyed this book, I do agree with you about the ending of this. I did find it disappointing and little too convenient. Yes, that's exactly right, it felt a little too convenient. --- I knew getting a new laptop was a bad idea...my reading has just declined all of a sudden, the Internet is so distracting Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ben Posted January 28, 2012 Share Posted January 28, 2012 Author: Arthur Conan Doyle Title: A Study in Scarlet Personal Note I’ll admit, reading the Sherlock Holmes books didn’t cross my mind until I fell in love with the TV show Sherlock. That being said, I liked “A Study in Scarlet” a lot and I’m looking forward to read the next books. It’s fast paced, I like the characters and it’s original. The one thing that bothered me was the sudden change of point of view and plot in the middle of the book. For a few pages, I was more than confused…but I did like how it all came together in the last pages. It’s a very short read, but enjoyable. I felt the same about the Sherlock Holmes books; the television series inspired me to get reading them, and even set up the 'Sherlock Holmes Challenge' as motivation. I haven't got around to A Study In Scarlet yet but I am going back to the Holmes stories after I've had a shot at Dracula. Interesting that you mentioned the changes in the middle of the book, because a friend of mine also said the same thing. Nevertheless, none of the Holmes stories have disappointed me thus far, and I hope to get onto this one soon. Author: David Nicholls Title: One Day Personal Note I’m not sure how I feel about this book, I think the first word that comes to mind is disappointed. I have read impressive reviews about it and I’ve seen it advertised everywhere, I thought I must read it, and definitely before seeing the movie. I’m not saying I didn’t enjoy the book, I did and it’s a good story but I ended up not really liking the characters and the ending really disappointed me. What I initially liked about both Emma and Dex was their tries to discover who they are and to make a life for themselves – being at a similar age and phase right now, it certainly appealed to me. But then Emma became a person I didn’t like and I felt there were many times in the story when she could have done more for Dex, could have changed both of their lives for the better (not that Dex is an angel!). Overall, an enjoyable read, but I wasn’t impressed. I think I know what you mean in your thoughts on this one. I enjoyed One Day but couldn't really like any of the characters. I think for me, that's what made the book enjoyable though; even though I didn't like any of them I enjoyed the connection they had - even if they couldn't always see that they were right for each other - and I enjoyed watching how things developed. I'm a little disappointed with the ending, I feel Nicholls in a sense sold out in an attempt to make the novel more serious (without putting spoilers you'll know what I mean). He didn't need to do that after such a carefree, light-hearted atmosphere that really made the book in my opinion. Anyway good reviews/thoughts Mona, and I look forward to seeing what else you read this year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anisia Posted January 30, 2012 Author Share Posted January 30, 2012 I actually wanted to read the next Sherlock Holmes story but it seems my library doesn't have it! I think I'll have to invest in the huge volume that holds all of them, or I'll never finish. Thanks for the reply as always Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anisia Posted April 21, 2012 Author Share Posted April 21, 2012 Title: Robert Schumann: Life and Death of a Musician Author: John Worthen Book Description (amazon.co.uk) This candid, intimate, and compellingly written new biography offers a completely fresh account of Robert Schumann’s life. It confronts the traditional perception of the doom-laden Romantic, forced by depression into a life of helpless, poignant sadness. John Worthen’s scrupulous attention to the original sources reveals Schumann to have been an astute, witty, articulate and immensely determined individual who, with little support from his background in provincial Saxony, painstakingly taught himself his craft as a musician, overcame problem after problem in his professional life, and married the woman he loved after a tremendous battle with his father-in-law. Schumann was neither manic depressive nor schizophrenic, though he struggled with financial problems and illness. He worked prodigiously hard to develop his range of musical styles and to earn his living, only to be struck down, at the age of forty-four, by a vile and incurable disease. Worthen’s biography effectively demystifies a figure frequently regarded as a Romantic enigma. It frees Schumann from one hundred and fifty years of myth-making and unjustified psychological speculation. It reveals him, for the first time, as a brilliant, passionate, resolute musician and thoroughly creative human being, and as the composer of arguably the best music of his generation. Personal Note I enjoy reading biographies and although I didn’t have a special interest in Schumann, after hearing a lot about his life on BBC Radio 3, I decided to find out some more. I thought the book was very well written and researched – it was objective and used all the sources available. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chrissy Posted April 21, 2012 Share Posted April 21, 2012 That does sound fascinating Mona. The little I 'knew' about Schumann was mainly about his mental and physical illnesss alongside hs music, so to read a well researched biography would be really good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anisia Posted April 22, 2012 Author Share Posted April 22, 2012 That's really what I knew to, and this book puts an interesting and more objective spin even on his mental illness. It's quite factual Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anisia Posted April 22, 2012 Author Share Posted April 22, 2012 Author: James C. Davis Title: The Human Story: Our History from Stone Age to Today Book Description (amazon.com) Has there ever been a history of the world as readable as this?In The Human Story, James C. Davis takes us on a journey to ancient times, telling how peoples of the world settled down and founded cities, conquered neighbors, and established religions, and continues over the course of history, when they fought two nearly global wars and journeyed into space. Davis’s account is swift and clear, never dull or dry. He lightens it with pungent anecdotes and witty quotes. Although this compact volume may not be hard to pick up, it’s definitely hard to put down. For example, on the death of Alexander the Great, who in a decade had never lost a single battle, and who had staked out an empire that spanned the entire Near East and Egypt, Davis writes: “When they heard how ill he was, the king’s devoted troops insisted on seeing him. He couldn’t speak, but as his soldiers — every one — filed by in silence, Alexander’s eyes uttered his farewells. He died in June 323 B.C., at the ripe old age of thirty-two.” In similar fashion Davis recounts Russia’s triumph in the space race as it happened on an autumn night in 1957: “A bugle sounded, flames erupted, and with a roar like rolling thunder, Russia’s rocket lifted off. It bore aloft the earth’s first artificial satellite, a shiny sphere the size of a basketball. Its name was Sputnik, meaning ‘companion’ or ‘fellow traveler’ (through space). The watchers shouted, ‘Off. She’s off. Our baby’s off!’ Some danced; others kissed and waved their arms.” Though we live in an age of many doubts, James C. Davis thinks we humans are advancing. As The Human Story ends, he concludes, “The world’s still cruel; that’s understood, / But once was worse. So far so good.” Personal Note I wondered from the start how you can put all history in 400 pages or so and my answer after reading this is: you can’t! I did not enjoy the book at all and felt it was all over the place. Very little detail for important events and I don’t feel like I have learned anything from it. The attempted humour also annoyed me at times. I don’t like saying bad things about books, but I just cannot recommend this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.