2012 in Review - The Numbers

I'm taking these numbers from GoodReads.  Rather than linking to each shelf, if you want to know the details, you can rummage through my various shelves and books on your own.

Books read total: 202 (around the same as 2011)
Pages read total: 53639 (6k less than 2011)

Books read by format (in this case, one eBook and audiobook were the same title):
Print (hardback/paperback): 145
eBook: 32
Audiobook: 26

Books read by genre:
(Many of these duplicate each other, but I track these categories.  Some like music and techie include both fiction and non-fiction.)
Around the World: 65
Biography/memoir: 11
Books on Books: 2
Cold Weather Islands: 7
Foodie: 5
Graphic novels and comics: 6
History: 1
Librarianship (and anything relating to work, really, so teaching too):7
Music: 4
Poetry: 14
Post-apocalyptic or dystopia: 12
Science fiction/ fantasy: 47
Short stories (individual or compilations): 25
Southern lit: 2
Techie: 8
Travel: 4
YA: 4

Books read for other reasons:
Award nominees: 46 (not sure I'll do this again, this was 25% of my reading!)
Book clubs: 20
SFF Audio Podcast: 8

I expect poetry and southern lit to go up considerably in 2013 because of various challenges I will be participating in, and I have been stockpiling poetry to read for National Poetry Month (April.)  I'd like to read more history, the others I don't really have goals for, I just like to see.  I'm happy that I'm reading about 25% science fiction and fantasy.

Review of The Black Flower by Howard Bahr

The Black Flower: A Novel of the Civil War by Howard Bahr
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Growing up in the northwest, the Civil War / War Between the States/ War of Northern Aggression gets a brief mention, but classtime tended to focus on local history. Fur trade, Oregon trail, Native Americans. Since moving to the south, it has become more clear how very recent events like this war were, and everything seems related to it in some way. Most of the time, I get mistaken for a Southerner, but I always feel like I should know more about the history.

This book was selected for the December read for the On the Southern Literary Trail Group, one I joined intentionally to have greater exposure to southern lit. This piece of historical fiction serves two purposes - one more southern novel, but one that takes a very intimate and specific look at a small group of Confederate soldiers surrounding the events of the battle in Franklin, TN, in November 1864.

Most of the story circles around a rifleman named Bushrod Carter, although sometimes it goes off on tangents following other characters' backstories. My favorite bits of the book were between Bushrod and Anna, a girl helping out at a home the soldiers end up at for rest and recovery. You might be rolling your eyes and saying, "Oh, typical girl," but I'm not a war novel person most of the time. This would have never been something I would have picked up on my own to read, but I'm glad I did. It humanizes the events and the soldiers, it brings the situation to a very realistic place through descriptive and emotional writing, and makes some connections to the future (the present) that I was nodding along with, things I recognized in the southerners I know.

The most memorable moment for me is the author talking about the impact the war had on the women, after burying their dead, but also after welcoming home the men who hadn't died in battle.

"...This the women could not forgive. Much was taken, too little returned; distinctions blurred, and the hearts that might have lain like picked roses in the women's hands were buried forever under the stones of the dead.

So the women would not forgive. Their passion remained intact, carefully guarded and nurtured by the bitter knowledge of all they had lost, of all that had been stolen from them. For generations they vilified the Yankee race so the thief would have a face, a name, a mysterious country into which he had withdrawn and from which he might venture again...."

One Yankee slur in passing I'm including here so I can go research it:
"'Never fear,' said the Major. He smiled his broad smile, the corners of his mouth crinkling. 'The day ain't dawned I can't outrun a tribe of cheese-eaters.'"
Cheese-eaters? Ha!

Music is so frequently mentioned that I hunted down the songs explicitly mentioned and created a Spotify playlist. Annie Laurie is used throughout, a Scottish-origin ballad that seemed to comfort the soldiers, in fact they seemed to prefer it even as heading into battle, over a rousing march (much to one band-leader's chagrin!).

View all my reviews

2012 - Around the World Wrap-Up

 

There was once a group in GoodReads that decided to read around the world in 2012.  I didn't make it to 52 countries, but I made it to 64 books.  Almost all of us are going to continue on for another year (if you have coveted this project, envied it, you can join us in 2013!).  I know I have more books set in different countries, from my wishlist, to read than I did when I started a year ago!  

I was thinking about apologizing that a lot of my books seem to be from Europe, but I decided that it makes sense that those books would be more commonly translated into English.  I've found some gems from more obscure places, and 2013 will continue the trend.

First a visual representation, and then a list by region.  What book set somewhere other than where you live did you enjoy most this year?

ReadingEnvy Around the World in Books 2012

(Map made using travellerspoint.com, a fun travel site!)

 

Africa

Egypt
The Yacoubian Building by Alaa Al Aswany (review)
Baked good: Basbousa 

Kenya
Unbowed by Wangari Maathai (review)

Liberia
This Child Will Be Great by Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf (review)

Libya
In the Country of Men by Hisham Matar (review)
The Bleeding of the Stone by Ibrahim Kuni (review)

Senegal
Redemption in Indigo: A Novel by Karen Lord (review)

South Africa
Moxyland by Lauren Beukes (review)
Zoo City by Lauren Beukes (review)
Baked good - malva pudding!


Asia/Australia/Polynesia, etc.

Australia
Cocaine Blues (Phryne Fisher #1) by Kerry Greenwood (review)
The Light Between Oceans by M.L. Stedman (review)

China Big Breasts and Wide Hips by Mo Yan (review)
Shark's Fin And Sichuan Pepper by Fuschia Dunlop (review)
Land of Plenty by Fuschia Dunlop (review)
Baked good: CongYou Bing

India
Narcopolis by Jeet Thayil (review)
The Artist of Disappearance by Anita Desai (review)

Japan
Kitchen by Banana Yoshimoto (review)
A Pale View Of Hills by Kazuo Ishiguro (review)
Ten Nights Of Dream, Hearing Things, The Heredity Of Taste by Natsume Soseki (review)
Tales of Moonlight and Rain by Ueda Akinari (review)
The Cape and Other Stories from the Japanese Ghetto by Kenji Nakagami (review)

Kiribati
The Sex Lives of Cannibals: Adrift in the Equatorial Pacific (review)

Korea, North or South
The Orphan Master's Son by Adam Johnson (review) 

Malaysia
The Garden of Evening Mists by Tan Twan Eng (review)

New Zealand
The Forrests by Emily Perkins (review)

Russia
We by Yevgeny Zamyatin (review)
Moscow but Dreaming: Stories by Ekaterina Sedia (review)

Saudi Arabia
Habibi by Craig Thompson (review)

Sri Lanka
The Fountains of Paradise by Arthur C. Clarke (review)

Tahiti (French Polynesia)
Frangipani: A Novel by Celestine Vaite (review)
Baked good: Po'e


Caribbean

Dominican Republic
This is How You Lose Her by Junot Diaz (review)

Haiti
Krik? Krak! by Edwidge Danticat (review)

Jamaica
From Harvey River: A Memoir of My Mother and Her Island by Lorna Goodison (review)
Baked good: rum cake 

Saint Maarten/ St. Martin
The Making of an Island: St. Martin by Jean Glasscock (review)

Trinidad and Tobago
The White Woman on the Green Bicycle by Monique Roffey (review)


Europe

Austria
Rock Crysta| by Adalber Stifter (review)

Croatia
The Tiger's Wife by Tea Obreht (review)
Baked good – black pepper cookies

Czech Republic
The Unbearable Lightness of Being by Milan Kundera (review)

Denmark
Library of Shadows by Mikkel Birkegaard (review)

Faroe Islands
The Old Man and His Sons by Heðin Brú (review)

Finland
The Year of the Hare by Arto Paasilinna (review)

France
The Unknown Masterpiece by Balzac (review)

Germany
City of Women by David R. Gillham (review)
The Lighthouse by Alison Moore (review)

Greece
Skios by Michael Frayn (review)
Kassandra and the Wolf by Margarita Karapanou (review)
The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller (review)

Guernsey
The Book of Ebenezer Le Page by G.B. Edwards (review)

Ireland
A Greyhound of a Girl by Roddy Doyle (review)
Dubliners by James Joyce (review)
Baked good: Caraway seed cake

Italy
Little Novels of Sicily by Giovanni Verga (review)
Baked good: Sicilian Cassata

Poland
The Taste of a Man by Slavenka Drakulic (review)

Romania
Dracula by Bram Stoker (review)
 
Scotland
Island Of Wings by Karin Altenberg (review)

Spain
Driving Over Lemons by Chris Stewart (review)

Sweden
Yes Chef: A Memoir by Marcus Samuelsson (review)

Ukraine
A Short History of Tractors in Ukrainian by Marina Lewycka (review)

Wales
Among Others by Jo Walton (review)


North America

Canada
On Whale Island by Daniel Hays (review)

Mexico
Like Water for Chocolate by Laura Esquival (review)


South America

Chile
The House of the Spirits by Isabel Allende (review)
Travels in a Thin Country: A Journey Through Chile (review)
Baked good: mil hojas

Paraguay
The News from Paraguay by Lily Tuck (review)

Peru
The Storyteller by Mario Vargas Llosa (review)
Turn Right at Machu Picchu: Rediscovering the Lost City One Step at a Time (review)
Baked good - Arroz Zambito

Book Beginnings: The Quantum Thief by Hannu Rajaniemi

I stumbled across a blog that had posted a book beginning, and it led me to the Rose City Reader blog.  I may not remember every Friday, but what better way to spread reading envy than to share an excerpt from what I'm reading or reading next?


This Friday I am returning to The Quantum Thief by Hannu Rajaniemi.  I read the first chapter last weekend as I speed dated a big stack of books, but I could tell it was going to take more focus then I had at the beginning of a vacation at the end of a long year.

I'm not certain how I first learned of this book since I've had it on my to-read list for a long time, but when I was sent a review copy of The Fractal Prince, I quickly realized it was book #2 of a trilogy and hunted down The Quantum Thief.

At this point, I'm as much fascinated with the author as with the concept of the book.  He is a mathematician by training, and founder of ThinkTank Maths.  I'm expecting the book to be heavy on the math and science side of things.  He is from Finland, lives in Edinburgh, and publishes in Finnish and English. 

Without further ado, here is the beginning of The Quantum Thief!

 "As always, before the warmind and I shoot each other, I try to make small talk."

The Hobbit, Final Week

"So comes snow after fire, and even dragons have their ending!"

I am participating in the "The Hobbit" Read-a-Long instigated by Unputdownables.  As I previously mentioned, this is my first time reading The Hobbit! Some of my observations may seem like no-brainers, but I hope you can forgive my naive perspective.

Now we have come to the end, and I am writing this weeks in advance since I finished the book in early December.  I have loved this reading experience.  I have valued the words, the storytelling, the song, and the feedback of friends in reading communities who have offered their own thoughts as they journey with me through this book that seems to be a favorite of many.  Oh how I wish I had read this as a child.  It feels like a book that has nostalgia built-in.  The songs, the poems, the characters, the lands, the descriptions, the way action builds - these are clearly geared towards a younger audience, but I still enjoyed it very much.

I was surprised at what Bilbo did with the Arkenstone of Thraine.  I suppose I thought the battles and Gandalf's return would have enough momentum to resolve the story line, but I love that the Hobbit's actions prove central to the resolution of the story of the same name.

I'm not sure it does enough for Bilbo, who still just wants to go home, but he clearly earns the respect of Gandalf:

"'Well done! Mr. Baggins!' he said, clapping Bilbo on the back. 'There is always more about you than anyone expects!'"

Thorin has an excellent last-words speech to give to Bilbo, somewhat of an apology really:
"If more of us valued food and cheer and song above hoarded gold, it would be a merrier world."

I will end this experience with this very poignant moment between Gandalf and Bilbo as they are close to the Shire:
"There is a long road yet," said Gandalf.
"But it is the last road," said Bilbo.

Reading Envy - The Best of 2012

2012 was a great year for reading! I thought I'd highlight a few of my favorites. Pictures link to Amazon, titles link to GoodReads.

1. Glaciers by Alexis M. Smith 

Maybe this book just resonates with my librarian heart, but the quiet strength of the character and the well-written story have remained with me since I read it this past summer.

Not everything has to be exciting or complicated to be good.  I feel like I may need to say that now, considering what will follow.


2. We by Yevgeny Zamyatin

The book so nice I read it twice in 2012!  The book that started dystopian fiction, or at least helped turn it into what it became, having a direct influence on Orwell and possibly Huxley.

I read this on my own in April, and we recently had a great discussion about it on the SFF Audio Podcast, with Jesse and Professor Eric Rabkin.

This book may sound dark, but it is written like a journal, and is a quick read.  I'd recommend it to anyone.  This goes beyond my love for dystopia, slipping over into just being an important book.

3. Alif the Unseen by G. Willow Wilson

A newer voice in fantasy and science fiction, G. Willow Wilson got her start in graphic novels and this is her first novel.  I was lucky to read a galley of it, but now it is out in print for everyone.  I was drawn in by the political relevance of an unnamed Middle Eastern country and a teenage hacker, his unique ethnic/religious situation, and his adventure that includes jinns, politicians, and love.

I think fans of Cory Doctorow (Little Brother) or Ernst Cline (Ready Player One) would enjoy this one.  I think it is time to read it again.

4. The Ask by Sam Lipsyte

This book is more literary, but hilarious.  I devoured it and wanted more.  He uses words in clever ways, and comes up with characters who are far too realistic not to be believed.  I still want more.



5. You've Got to Read This: Contemporary American Writers Introduce Stories That Held Them in Awe
6. This Is How You Lose Her by Junot Diaz
7. Moscow but Dreaming by Ekaterina Sedia

I read a lot of great short stories this year, and these three volumes were the cream of the crop.  The You've Got to Read This is the best anthology I've seen, unfortunately it is out of print.  It took me a while to find a copy to read the first time around (from a library), when I did a buddy read with one of my GoodReads friends.  I just recently tracked down a copy for my very own. My favorite story from that volume was "Reflection" by Angela Carter.

This is How You Lose Her received great acclaim this year, and for good reason.  Go for the audio if you can- the author reads his own work brilliantly.  I just finished the Sedia stories and they were beautiful and dark.

8. Narcopolis by Jeet Thayil

A dark horse for the Booker Prize this year, I still did not hear much about this book despite its short-listed status.  The only book written by the author (he is otherwise a poet and musician), one he made clear he didn't care if anyone read and that "wasn't for everyone," I loved it.  I loved the writing style, the way the story swirls around you especially in the seven page sentence that starts the novel. I loved how there was no main character, instead a main location, and the story would take different directions depending on who was in focus in the moment.

I would recommend it to people who are willing to try something new, and still want to be swept away.  I was, and I'm hopeful he will write more in the future.  I'm going to try to track down his poetry in 2013.

9. The White Woman on the Green Bicycle by Monique Roffey

In the course of my reading with the Around the World in 52 Books group, I experienced a lot of authors writing about countries outside of the empires.  When I went to the Caribbean for a week, I had stockpiled many books set in the islands to read while I was in the atmosphere.  This was my favorite.  The descriptions of the landscape mirrored what I was seeing, and the non-linear storyline was compelling to the end.

When I see pictures of my trip, I recall bits of the story.  That's what can happen after a bout of immersive reading!

10. The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien

I almost forgot to include The Hobbit, probably because I read it so recently.  Of course this would rank in my top 10 of the year.  I wish I'd read the book as a child, but am still glad I was able to experience it.  Superb storytelling, fascinating world, and one little hobbit that I can't help but be fond of. 

Practically everyone I know was reading or rereading the Hobbit this year because of the movie.  I participated in a book-blogger readalong, and it was also the December pick for the Sword and Laser Book Club.

This also marked a new reading experience for me -  I used the Whispersync functionality that allowed me to move between an audio book and an eBook.  I loved hearing the story in audio, and could quickly mark a spot and return to it in the text.  Great way to read a special book, although I'm not sure I'd do it that often since it costs more.  If my commute were longer, I'd probably be more willing, but I only drive 3.6 miles each way.

Honorable mentions: rereads of Snow Crash and Cloud Atlas. This year I had several bouts of re-reading, and these two books still rank among my favorites of all time.

You can skim through some of the 200ish books I read this year in GoodReads.  Add me as a friend!

The Fun Parts by Sam Lipsyte

The Fun Parts by Sam Lipsyte
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Sam Lipsyte has an ability to make me laugh uncomfortably, the way you would do after having a shared awkward experience where someone loses it in front of you. The characters in his short stories are always out of place, trying to cope with reality, failing, and the author is not afraid to push their scenarios to the most outrageous conclusion.

My favorites - The Climber Room (for the ending), The Wisdom of the Doulas (is the male doula "doulo" crazy, or is the world?).

Also - don't have kids. We forget, when we are grown up, how serious life was in our teens and pre-teens. Lipsyte hasn't forgotten, and it is terrifying.

To be honest, I really did enjoy these stories, but I liked The Ask even better.   Short stories tend to vary in audience and tone, and not all of these had the same punch.  The entire novel of The Ask did that for me.  I'd start either place if you are new to his work.