Books of 2008
I only read 28 books this year. That's a bit sad, but I guess with school and all it is to be expected. On top of that, the books I read, although interesting, few were what I would call favorites. Basically it comes down to two...
Fingersmith by Sarah Waters
I just finished the book this afternoon... I only started it two days ago. What an amazing read - I never wanted to stop. I adored Tipping the Velvet and it's peep into the dirty underside of Victorian England. Fingersmith takes Waters' knowledge of the Victorians and goes Gothic with it. Add the sapphic love story and you KNOW I'm hooked. I can't wait to read more of her books and I am so happy that she'll be writing more.
The Twelve Caesars by Suetonius
Sound boring to you? Think again. Do you like tell-all biographies? Suetonius is like the Andrew Morton of the Ancient world. Good times!
This brings up the book version of my "Guilty Pleasure" for the year: Ultimate Porno by PierNico Solinas. Solinas is the Assistant Director of the infamous 1980 film Caligula and he writes this no-holds-barred book describing the making of. Another LiveJournaler labeled it "porny" and indeed it is... more or less than the movie? It's hard to say. It alternatively made me laugh and want to puke.
1. Oil! ***1/2
~~~ Upton Sinclair
2. Pompey in Cicero's Correspondence and Lucan's Civil war (nr)
~~~ Vivian L. Holiday
3. The Friendly Young Ladies ***
~~~ Mary Renault
4. Lucan: An Introduction ****
~~~ Frederick Ahl
5. Gods Behaving Badly: A Novel ***1/2
~~~ Marie Phillips
6. The Fall of Troy **1/2
~~~ Peter Ackroyd
7. Ancient Rome On Five Denarii A Day ****
~~~ Philip Matyszak
8. Cairo ****
~~~ G. Willow Wilson
9. Owly: A Time To Be Brave *****
~~~ Andy Runton
10. The Question: Poisoned Ground **
~~~ Dennis O'Neil
11. The Twelve Caesars *****
~~~ Suetonius
12. The Murder of Regilla ****
~~~ Sarah B. Pomeroy
13. Death Note, Vol. 1 ****
~~~ Tsugumi Ohba
14. Ultimate Porno ****
~~~ PierNico Solinas
15. Death Note, Vol. 2 ****
~~~ Tsugumi Ohba
16. Lavinia ***1/2
~~~ Ursula K. LeGuin
17. Death Note, Vol. 3 *****
~~~ Tsugumi Ohba
18. Twilight ***1/2
~~~ Stephanie Meyer
19. Death Note, Vol. 4 ***1/2
~~~ Tsugumi Ohba
20. Beebo Brinker ****
~~~ Ann Bannon
21. Marvel's Illustrated Iliad ****
~~~ Roy Thomas
22. Death Note, Vol. 5 ***1/2
~~~Tsugumi Ohba
23. Washington Square ****
~~~ Henry James
24. Mouse Guard: Fall 1152 ****
~~~ David Petersen
25. Death Note, Vol. 6 ****
~~~ Tsugumi Ohba
26. Janes In Love ***
~~~ Cecil Castellucci
27. The Beedle and the Bard *****
~~~ J.K. Rowling
28. Fingersmith *****
~~~ Sarah Waters
Fingersmith by Sarah Waters
I just finished the book this afternoon... I only started it two days ago. What an amazing read - I never wanted to stop. I adored Tipping the Velvet and it's peep into the dirty underside of Victorian England. Fingersmith takes Waters' knowledge of the Victorians and goes Gothic with it. Add the sapphic love story and you KNOW I'm hooked. I can't wait to read more of her books and I am so happy that she'll be writing more.
The Twelve Caesars by Suetonius
Sound boring to you? Think again. Do you like tell-all biographies? Suetonius is like the Andrew Morton of the Ancient world. Good times!
This brings up the book version of my "Guilty Pleasure" for the year: Ultimate Porno by PierNico Solinas. Solinas is the Assistant Director of the infamous 1980 film Caligula and he writes this no-holds-barred book describing the making of. Another LiveJournaler labeled it "porny" and indeed it is... more or less than the movie? It's hard to say. It alternatively made me laugh and want to puke.
1. Oil! ***1/2
~~~ Upton Sinclair
2. Pompey in Cicero's Correspondence and Lucan's Civil war (nr)
~~~ Vivian L. Holiday
3. The Friendly Young Ladies ***
~~~ Mary Renault
4. Lucan: An Introduction ****
~~~ Frederick Ahl
5. Gods Behaving Badly: A Novel ***1/2
~~~ Marie Phillips
6. The Fall of Troy **1/2
~~~ Peter Ackroyd
7. Ancient Rome On Five Denarii A Day ****
~~~ Philip Matyszak
8. Cairo ****
~~~ G. Willow Wilson
9. Owly: A Time To Be Brave *****
~~~ Andy Runton
10. The Question: Poisoned Ground **
~~~ Dennis O'Neil
11. The Twelve Caesars *****
~~~ Suetonius
12. The Murder of Regilla ****
~~~ Sarah B. Pomeroy
13. Death Note, Vol. 1 ****
~~~ Tsugumi Ohba
14. Ultimate Porno ****
~~~ PierNico Solinas
15. Death Note, Vol. 2 ****
~~~ Tsugumi Ohba
16. Lavinia ***1/2
~~~ Ursula K. LeGuin
17. Death Note, Vol. 3 *****
~~~ Tsugumi Ohba
18. Twilight ***1/2
~~~ Stephanie Meyer
19. Death Note, Vol. 4 ***1/2
~~~ Tsugumi Ohba
20. Beebo Brinker ****
~~~ Ann Bannon
21. Marvel's Illustrated Iliad ****
~~~ Roy Thomas
22. Death Note, Vol. 5 ***1/2
~~~Tsugumi Ohba
23. Washington Square ****
~~~ Henry James
24. Mouse Guard: Fall 1152 ****
~~~ David Petersen
25. Death Note, Vol. 6 ****
~~~ Tsugumi Ohba
26. Janes In Love ***
~~~ Cecil Castellucci
27. The Beedle and the Bard *****
~~~ J.K. Rowling
28. Fingersmith *****
~~~ Sarah Waters