I attempted the 50 Book Challenge this year, with spectacularly unspectacular results. However, I did read a book on the weekend (Bossypants by Tina Fey - not as funny as you'd expect it to be), so there's one more to add to that fail list, at least. I don't know what the problem has been the last few years - I've always been a reader, and not so long ago I would have churned through that challenge twice over easily, but I seem to have the attention span of a goldfish these days. Any book that doesn't instantly grab my attention is cast aside, and back to my (TV) stories I go, staring vacantly at a screen while vaguely feeling my brain cells die off one by one.
I am determined to complete this challenge in 2012. I'm intending to take up some kind of study as well, so maybe that will spur me on to read more. Jade asked me the other day what books I was planning to read, and I couldn't think of much off the top of my head. I've been pondering since and come up with a list I would like to check out. I'm going to start by revisiting some of the works of Paul Auster, and catching up with those I haven't read. I know he's kind of wanky, but he's wanky in a good way - not in the Tim Winton OH MY GOD DOES THIS NOTHINGNESS EVER END kind of way.
I'm also seriously considering a Kindle. In fact, I've all but made up my mind to get one. When e-readers first appeared on the scene I was a staunch hold-out for paper, but the cost of books and the bulk of storing them is wearing me down. OKAY E-READER, YOU'VE GOT ME. Who's got one? Tell me all!
Also, please give me book recommendations, bearing in mind I'm not a big fan of crime novels aside from one or two authors, and I hate chick lit with a fiery passion. And I don't want to read The Slap.
Dee, have you ever read Miss Smilla's Feeling for Snow? It's unusual, but I loved it. It's kind of crimey adventure. Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman is another good one, the Thursday Next books by Jasper Fforde, and the His Dark Materials trilogy by Philip Pullman (even though I know you're not big on YA).
ReplyDeleteI have a Kindle and couldnt live without it now. Well I probably could but wouldn't want to! Just finished reading the godless boys by naomi wood, very good
ReplyDeleteYou're right that I'm not a big fan of YA Lit, Nat, but I do love His Dark Materials. It appeals to the atheist in me. ;-) I have read Miss Smilla, but it was yonks ago and I don't remember it - I'll add that and the others to my list. Thanks. :-)
ReplyDeleteGaelle, I just read a blurb about The Godless Boys - it sounds interesting. I'll add it to the list, thank you! :-D By the way, with your Kindle can you buy books from either Amazon US or Amazon UK, or are you just tied to UK? I don't really get how it works...
Hmn I'm intrigued by this Paul Auster, I may well pick up a book of his :) I've got a few Tim Winton books, mr 9 read one that Winton wrote for kids, can't recall the name off the top of my head. I like Milan Kundera, his books always make me think about *stuff*
ReplyDeletePretty much the only two adult writers I read who aren't fantasy are Jeffrey Eugenides (he of The Virgin Suicides fame) and Jonathan Safran Foer (Extremely loud and Incredibly Close). Both are lifechangers. But by way of warning, Foer's Eating Animals will make you vegan. Forcibly. I had to stop halfway through on behalf of my Hungry Jacks grilled chicken burger.
ReplyDeleteOH and Katherine Dunn's Geek Love has your name AAALL over it.
OH GOD and John Kennedy Toole's A Confederacy of Dunces! Drop everything! read THAT first!
ReplyDeleteJade, Paul Auster is great, but a bit on the pretentious side. He gets away with it though, because he's a New Yorker and you expect pretentiousness from New York writers, lol.
ReplyDeleteSuzanne, Geek Love and A Confederacy of Dunces are both favourites of mine and I've read them many times! Especially A Confederacy of Dunces - oh my, how I adore that book.
I have Eating Animals at work - I pick it up here and there and read a few pages. I've read a lot about the practices in food production though, it would take a lot to make me even vegetarian, let alone vegan. ;-)