My weekend was all sorts of productive. Who knew all I had to do was actually give myself some deadlines? While I put together some house-and-life updates, I’ll leave you with my current literary adventures and a thank you to Fran for introducing me to the What Are You Reading? link up at Book Journey.
Read
This weekend, I finished the epically amazing Anathem by Neal Stephenson.
This book is a history of classic thought philosophy not-so-subtly hidden within an epic sci-fi exploration. I will fully admit this book isn’t for everyone–if you want your typical space-opera, look elsewhere, but if you’re fascinated by philosophy, love great world-building and character structures and can enjoy a theoretical journey as much as an action-based journey, this whopping tome of a book is worth a read.
Reading
I’m just pages away from finishing The Long Song by Andrea Levy.
The Long Song is a historical fiction novel that features the story of July, a black woman living in Jamaica just as slavery ends. Great picture of life on sugar cane plantations with a lovable, unreliable and realistic main character.
To Read
I should be starting Embassytown by China Mieville before the day is over.
Mieville is one of my all-time favorite “new weird” writers. Almost steampunk, almost cyberpunk, mostly just dark-alternate-world-fantasy-punk (let’s make that a genre)–He has a writing style and feel that I can’t get enough of. His earlier books–Perdido Street Station and The Scar–remain my favorites, but I’ll still pick up any of his work that drifts my way.
What are you reading? What’s next on the list?
The Long Song sounds great! I’m reading Battle Cry of Freedom, which is really excellent book so far about the Civil War. Then I’m reading Manhunt, about catching Lincoln’s killer. I’m also in the middle of David McCullough’s John Adams, which I absolutely adore. I don’t read much fiction, although there’s nothing I love more than a fiction book so good you spend hours straight reading through it! Have you read Gone Girl? I keep seeing bloggers talking about that book, and also my sister says it’s good.
I need to get back to nonfiction! Got on a fantasy kick as of late, but it all seems to go in waves for me. And yup, read Gone Girl, and since I’m lazy, I’m just going to post my review from goodreads (which you should join!):
I expected something more from this book. Don’t get me wrong, it’s fun, creepy and obsessive, but it’s still a solid “psycho-thriller.” It doesn’t break any genre bonds or do or present anything particularly unique or different in terms of characters, plot or twists. It’s engaging, but not in a heart-gripping, can’t-put-it-down way. This is a solid 2.5-star book–utterly readable, but nothing extraordinary.
Haha, actually, I am on there but I haven’t logged in in probably two years! I’ll try to get back on it and put the link on my blog because I’ve finished 5 books this year!
Oh I like this. I need to read more! I just feel burnt out with all the reading I have to do for school, but I really need to pick up something for fun. I have the book “John Dies at the End” just sitting next to my bed… gotta get on that!
Hands down the BEST part about being done with school? Free time for reading! I definitely slacked off on reading for fun when in college–because it wasn’t so fun after I got through reading all the required stuff.
I’m totally bemoaning the fact that I’m back in school and NEVER read anymore, even super fun, super easy fiction. Shameful!
To read: The Happiness Project. I have it sitting next to my bed at home, and I’m DYING to read it, just haven’t found time. I’ve started it, and I think it’s going to be incredible!
That book sounds fabulous! Now I want to read it too
The Long Song sounds really good – I’ve read another book by Levy which I liked a lot.
Hope you have a great week!
I’m definitely going to find more by her after this–I love good historical fiction, and The Long Song has been fantastic!
Have a lovely reading week!!!!
Whatcha readin’ this week @ the Brunette Librarian and Don’t forget to enter to win Philippa Gregory’s “Changeling”
Right now I am reading ‘An American Wife’. I heard a lot about it years ago so when I saw it at the library bookstore for a few bucks I grabbed it. I like it but I have to remind myself it’s fiction, slow at parts, but thorough.
I’m running low on books–I need to find a good library sale! Always fun to have a stack going, and it’s a good chance to pick up those books you hear so much about but never get around to reading.
I haven’t heard of any of these… I do need to get my reading on. I have been slacking. I am in the middle of two books – Sharp Objects and another book about recovery.
How is Sharp Objects? I read Gone Girl and, hmm, enjoyed it but wasn’t blown away.
it is pretty good I have to say, I read the other book from that author (don’t know why the name is slipping..) and adored it too
Good work on having a productive weekend. That’s always such a good feeling. Deadlines definitely work wonders. I’m reading too many books at the moment- I like to read one at a time but I’ve got some for work that are in the que. On my bed side table I’ve got The Happiness Project, Freakanomics, It’s Okay to Manage your Boss (a total bore), and a book about online reputation management. Oh, and I’m “reading” the AP Style book and it’s a little rough. Hopefully in a few months I’ll be back to just 1 book!
I keep hearing about The Happiness Project, I think I need to pick that one up! And erggg, the AP stylebook…I live with that next to me at work, and I could do without (well, I couldn’t, but it’s not exactly exciting ;D )
I’m currently reading case studies and a financial accounting book. FUN! I can’t wait for spring break when I can actually pick up a fun novel that I *want* to read!
Seriously, BEST part of being done with school–free time for reading fun things!
I haven’t read any of those! I’m reading The Hiding Place right now.
I’m still reading A Storm of Sword from A Song of Ice and Fire. It’s a great book, but I never have time for reading (outside of blogs, cookbooks, and People magazine) so I literally pick it up before I go to sleep every night and manage to read two pages before nodding off. It’s starting to make me crazy.
I need to pick up the most recent in the series–read #1-4, but I just can’t get around to #5 for whatever reason. Maybe I’ll just wait for HBO to catch up…and read some People magazine in the meantime. Who doesn’t love some good celeb gossip??
The Long Song sounds really good – and has a lovely cover! As I’ve been reading a lot on the Kindle recently I don’t see many pretty book covers.
I’ve just finished reading With or Without You by Domenica Ruta, which was a really tiresome ‘tragic childhood’ style autobiography, written by a woman whose main beef with her abusive, drug addict mother seemed to be that she was fat. (Would not recommend!) I’ve just started City of Women by David R. Gilham. I’m only a few pages in and have already encountered a cringey, male-written sex scene… but I hope it gets better.
That’s the main reason I’m hesitant to buy a Kindle–I just love the look and feel of books and cover art. Ugh, I think I’ll avoid both of those. Can’t stand those obviously male-written sex scenes–it’s just too obvious who wrote it sometimes.
All of those books sound lovely! I just finished the Hunger Games trilogy and loved it! Traveling on a plane left me tons of time to read so I was able to finish all three and am now ready for the two movies! I got a tablet for Xmas so I am obsessed with the Kindle store! Love + Shine CourtStar
I saw this on Fran’s! What a cool idea
Right now I’m just trying to keep up with the She Reads Truth blog passages!
I always have several books going at a time, so this is a longer answer. I’m listening to “a voice in the wind” for commuting, Shadow & Bone for running, and just finished Eyes Wide Open on Kindle.
I really want to read Shadow & Bone! It’s on my list, but I can’t decide if I want to get the audiobook or regular book version…
Anathem sounds really good. I will have to look into that one!
I’m reading Open City right now. I’m only about 50 pages in, but it’s really interesting.
I really wish I read more (I mean literature not schoolwork). At the moment I only read during my bus rides and I’m reading the Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. Took me half a month but I’m half way through it. I swear I read more during the summer
I tried reading Girl with the Dragon Tattoo–I don’t know why I couldn’t get into it, I might have to give it a second chance. And oh my gosh, I don’t blame anyone in school for not getting much for-fun reading done!
Hooray!! Allie is playing What are you reading!! Ok, by me!
Have you read “Through a Dark Mist” by Marsha Canham? I’m too lazy to check Goodreads. It’s currently my e-book while I’m doing HIIT on the stairmill, and it totally makes me think of you. It’s been awhile since I’ve read trashy fantasy.
I haven’t–Hmm, sounds good! I’m hit-or-miss on whether I’ll like Robin Hood books, but I’ll take your word on this one.
Just finished The Poisonwood Bible after taking a few breaks for The Chaperone, Silver Linings Playbook, and a young adult fiction novel I hate to admit I was gripped by.
Currently reading a rather innocuous ‘southern girl does crazy stuff in a small town’ novel, but will be picking up Mermaid for our Book Club this month.
The Poisonwood Bible is on my to-read list, I’d love to pick it up. And there’s nothing wrong with some good YA fiction. Or at least, there better not be, ’cause I get way too into those books too
The Long Song sounds fantastic, I’ll have to add that to my (endless) reading list!
I’ve got three texts on the go at the moment, Adam Bede by George Eliot is the main one and it’s huge… I’ve been reading it for two weeks. It’s good but not amazing. I miss having the time to read outside of my course!
Still working on Gone girl & Joshua and I are reading Meaning of Marriage together