Do we read the same books? (Cross-posted)

[mojosmom]

Well, here's my poll. I've split it into fiction/non-fiction (seems to be a pretty even split!), and then alpha by author. I didn't read as much as usual this year, not sure why, only 85 books and a couple of those were re-reads.

[Poll #1113865]

So, enjoy!

Comments

[aurillia.livejournal.com]

I haven't read any of these books - this year or any other! I don't even recognise most of them. Any you would recommend in particular?

[mojosmom.livejournal.com]

Oh, boy! It's hard to recommend any one book, but, if pressed, I'd recommend Geraldine Brooks' Year of Wonders in the fiction category. It's set in a small village in England during the plague years, and is based on the true story of a community which quarantined itself to avoid spreading the disease.

Non-fiction's harder. If you have an interest in natural history, I'd strongly recommend Rachel Carson's book. Lansky's book is great, too; it's about finding and saving books written in Yiddish.

[aurillia.livejournal.com]

Oh, didn't spot that. I read that about 6 years ago and loved it! Ok, have gone back and checked the list again, and I'm positive that's the only one! Second fiction recommendation?

[mojosmom.livejournal.com]

Hmm, Alan Bennett's The Uncommon Reader, in which Queen Elizabeth II becomes an avid reader. It's funny, but it also gives you something to think about. I also really liked Maupin's book, but I think you need to have read the rest of the "Tales of the City" series to really appreciate it.

[teotakuu.livejournal.com]

Well, the Dorothy Sayers shouldn't be a surprise as we have discussed her before. I didn't know about that Mary Renault so will look out for it now and I have really enjoyed discovering Alexander McCall Smith this year.

Most of my non fiction reads are New Zealand and Maori centred so it is no surprise to me that I haven't read any of yours but some of them sounds really interesting. The Sara Paretsky has been mentioned by a few other people I know. Did you enjoy it? Would it encourage and / or help an aspiring writer or is it rather more autobiographical?

Thanks for sharing your reading with me, by the way. My reads are much more pedestrian by contrast!

[mojosmom.livejournal.com]

Sara Paretsky's book is a departure for her, as she is best known for her V.I. Warshawski detective novels. It is autobiographical, and talks about her life as a writer and an activist. I liked it very much.

The Mary Renault is the last in her trilogy about Alexander the Great, but is not about him so much as it is about the power struggles after his death.

[teotakuu.livejournal.com]

I have several of Paretsky's Warshawski books and have enjoyed them so I will keep my eye out for this one. I like getting some insight into the authos whose work I enjoy.

Mary Renault I discovered about the same time as I first read Dorothy Sayers so a little like revisiting my teenage years but with the greater understanding that age brings. I will be visiting the library on Thursday when it reopens! Thank you

[o-jenny.livejournal.com]

If I could've just ticked off authors, we'd have several more in common, but I haven't read the latest Maron, McCall-Smith, or Maupin. There are several others you've read whose books I've enjoyed too: McCrumb, Winchester, Davies, Toibin, Bennett...and the Gilgamesh book looks fascinating. Did you review it on BookCrossing or LibraryThing? If so, I need to go read your review!

[mojosmom.livejournal.com]

I didn't review the Gilgamesh book. :-( I'm afraid I've been horribly remiss about doing reviews this year. It was really quite interesting, though, because it also provides quite an insight into the class and racial bias that existed in archaeological and museum circles.

[fancyhorse.livejournal.com]

I haven't read any of them, but some of the titles sound interesting. I'm going to try to read more biographies this year.

[avanta7.livejournal.com]

I've read just two on that list, and both were read in previous years.

[helenze.livejournal.com]

What did you think of the Ian Sansom book? I read it this year too, and was really disappointed.

[mojosmom.livejournal.com]

So was I. The idea of it sounded so enticing, but it just didn't grab me at all.

My bad!

[lady-anemone.livejournal.com]

I actually did read Outwitting History, I just didn't see it before I clicked submit. You read some interesting books!

What did you think of The Courtesan's Arts? I can't quite decide whether to give it a try.

Re: My bad!

[mojosmom.livejournal.com]

I found The Courtesan's Arts very interesting. I think most people have an idea in their heads about who/what/where/why courtesans are, and this book will confirm some of those ideas and negate others. Because it's a collection of papers, naturally some are better than others (and some are heavier on the academic jargon than others!), and, given the fact that Feldman and Gordon are both musicologists, there is a focus on that particular art.

[zz-neena.livejournal.com]

I've only read a handful of yours (six, I think it was) but I'm adding your list to my *explorations* notebook - thanks!

[islandmomma.livejournal.com]

Am not familiar with most of the authors on your fiction list, with the exception of McCall Smith, whom I love, but I keep saving his books as "treat" when I need to read something, well, happy. They are my "comfort reading" books I guess. I have most of them but am rationing them!

I haven't read any of the books on your non-fiction list, either, but there are authors there who are favorites of mine - Jan Morris, Simon Winchester and Rachel Carson. I also keep meaning to read Studs Terkel, after seeing him interviewed by Larry King ages ago. He was fascinating.

[mojosmom.livejournal.com]

At 95, Studs continues to amaze and fascinate us all. He just keeps going, and is still pretty darn sharp.

[mrsdanvers63.livejournal.com]

I score a feeble two, but if it had been authors then that would have upped the list to eight. That's fiction only - no parallels in the non-fiction, this year.

I've read Picano's "Like People in History"; would you recommend "Fred in Love"?

[mojosmom.livejournal.com]

Yes, I would. It's very different from his usual work, though. It's about his cat!

[fruchtzwergchen.livejournal.com]

I haven't read any of those.

[thescrappycat.livejournal.com]

Just the one this time. I loved Year of Wonders.