RIF 4
What I read in 2009
Click on the cover to see my review. I didn't read as many books as last year, and I gave up on a couple that are shown here, but I did read another bunch of long ones. I really love getting into a long book that I like, because I hate when good books end.
PULITZER PROGRESS: The Caine Mutiny and Andersonville were two long ones from the Pulitzer winners list that I never would have read if not for that list, and I really loved them. Also on the Pulitzer list were Angle of Repose and Martin Dressler, but I would have been plenty happy not having read them. I tried to read Empire Falls, but I put it down after about 80 pages because it's still too soon after having read Nobody's Fool, which is a very similar book also by Richard Russo. There are still 59 books from that list that I have yet to read. I have a few now on my shelves, and a few are short stories collections that I will probably need another lifetime to get through. There are just a few that I know I will probably never read, like the Richard Ford book because I hated the prequel, same with the remaining Updike Rabbit books, otherwise I will give most of them a chance!
YOUR RECOMMENDATIONS: Last year a few of you gave me some really great recommendations, many of which I'm still working on getting to reading! I loved The Good, Good Pig, thanks supersnackcake, but it has only made me feel terrible about eating bacon. I have not stopped eating bacon, mind you, I just feel terrible about it. I also had read The Left Hand of Darkness back in college and really wanted to re-read it, but I can't find it anywhere! I think I loaned it out and never saw it again. And there were a couple of others Tara suggested that are still on my used book store shopping list--if I find any there, then that's when I'll read them! vozeatscake also had some great suggestions that I have been on the look out for. I just put in an order at allbooks4less.com (a killer site suggestion earlier this year from boygirlparty) that includes The Story of Edgar Sawtelle, and also The Road Home by Jim Harrison, the continuation of the story in Dalva, which I read this year and loved, thanks to a recommendation from pondbluebird. After I finished that, I had to read Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee because I realized I didn't know anything about Indian history, and I got so enraged that in my sleep one night I accused Dave of becoming "as bad as the White man!"
At the end of 2008, the library by my office closed down for construction, and has been closed ever since. It sucks. There is a library near my apartment, but it's just far enough away that I have never been--the one near my office was perfect, because it got me out from behind the computer to take a walk. What that means is that I own, and still have, every single one of the books I read this year (except for Revolutionary Road, see review for the reason). I should put some more up on bookmooch, but I haven't found any of the books that I want on that site in months, because I suspect usage has dwindled. Maybe I should sell some? I am definitely out of space for books. I dream of my own library, a room in a house filled with floor-to-ceiling shelves stuffed with all the books I've read and am going to read. It's too bad that I can't hold on to all these books that I'd like to while I'm waiting, and waiting, and waiting for that room.
So...what should I read next year?
Click on the cover to see my review. I didn't read as many books as last year, and I gave up on a couple that are shown here, but I did read another bunch of long ones. I really love getting into a long book that I like, because I hate when good books end.
PULITZER PROGRESS: The Caine Mutiny and Andersonville were two long ones from the Pulitzer winners list that I never would have read if not for that list, and I really loved them. Also on the Pulitzer list were Angle of Repose and Martin Dressler, but I would have been plenty happy not having read them. I tried to read Empire Falls, but I put it down after about 80 pages because it's still too soon after having read Nobody's Fool, which is a very similar book also by Richard Russo. There are still 59 books from that list that I have yet to read. I have a few now on my shelves, and a few are short stories collections that I will probably need another lifetime to get through. There are just a few that I know I will probably never read, like the Richard Ford book because I hated the prequel, same with the remaining Updike Rabbit books, otherwise I will give most of them a chance!
YOUR RECOMMENDATIONS: Last year a few of you gave me some really great recommendations, many of which I'm still working on getting to reading! I loved The Good, Good Pig, thanks supersnackcake, but it has only made me feel terrible about eating bacon. I have not stopped eating bacon, mind you, I just feel terrible about it. I also had read The Left Hand of Darkness back in college and really wanted to re-read it, but I can't find it anywhere! I think I loaned it out and never saw it again. And there were a couple of others Tara suggested that are still on my used book store shopping list--if I find any there, then that's when I'll read them! vozeatscake also had some great suggestions that I have been on the look out for. I just put in an order at allbooks4less.com (a killer site suggestion earlier this year from boygirlparty) that includes The Story of Edgar Sawtelle, and also The Road Home by Jim Harrison, the continuation of the story in Dalva, which I read this year and loved, thanks to a recommendation from pondbluebird. After I finished that, I had to read Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee because I realized I didn't know anything about Indian history, and I got so enraged that in my sleep one night I accused Dave of becoming "as bad as the White man!"
At the end of 2008, the library by my office closed down for construction, and has been closed ever since. It sucks. There is a library near my apartment, but it's just far enough away that I have never been--the one near my office was perfect, because it got me out from behind the computer to take a walk. What that means is that I own, and still have, every single one of the books I read this year (except for Revolutionary Road, see review for the reason). I should put some more up on bookmooch, but I haven't found any of the books that I want on that site in months, because I suspect usage has dwindled. Maybe I should sell some? I am definitely out of space for books. I dream of my own library, a room in a house filled with floor-to-ceiling shelves stuffed with all the books I've read and am going to read. It's too bad that I can't hold on to all these books that I'd like to while I'm waiting, and waiting, and waiting for that room.
So...what should I read next year?