Series - the Good, the Bad, the Undead

I just finished Dead Until Dark: A Sookie Stackhouse Novelby Charlaine Harris, which is book #1 of the Sookie Stackhouse, made even more popular by the HBO series based on the book series: True Blood.

I thought about basically copying my GoodReads review into this space, but I'm trying to make this blog about more than just single book reviews.  So I thought I would reflect a little about series in general - what I like and what I don't.

When I was younger, I read series all the time, probably more than anything else.  My Mom sells Christian books to libraries, and the series I remember the most vividly is The Mandie Books by Lois Gladys Leppard.  They could be seen as a pre-cursor to Nancy Drew, a young girl detective, with the added interest of being set in the 19th century, and Mandie's father is pure Cherokee.  (Wow, I just looked these up for the first time in years and years, only to find that the author went to the university where I work.  How is that for a connection?)

One summer my Mom brought home an entire run of the old Bobbsey Twins mysteries, the ones with the light purple cover.  I must have read each one three times.  My favorite was The Bobbsey Twins and the Secret of Candy Castle because of this one scene where a closet turns out to be a secret elevator, and I spent hours that summer trying to find the button in my bedroom closet.

I remember reading The Babysitter's Club, Sweet Valley High, you name it.  Maybe part of my problem with series as an adult is that I associate them so heavily with childhood.  I can't think of a single series that is what I would call "serious," in fact most belong to the "beach reading" genre.  I have to admit to not really understanding this genre. (I read Gravity's Rainbow on vacation once.   Does that make it a beach read?)  

In my adult reading life, the only series I can say I read all of is Harry Potter.  Of course, these are children's books too, right?   I read the first book of a lot of series.  I thought I'd like The Wheel of Time by Robert Jordan, until I realized in book 3 that the author was intentionally sending all his characters off on quests with no real action until the end, just in time to create a cliffhanger to make me buy the next book.  I caught on and was not amused.  Most of the time, if you don't like the characters or the story in the first book of a series, you might as well skip the rest, because the whole point seems to be to capitalize on what made the first one successful.

Assuming that philosophy is true, I would imagine the rest of the Sookie Stackhouse novels are full of naive Sookie trying to navigate a new world of vampire's girlfriend etiquette, life-threatening drama, and how to use her mind-reading abilities, with a good dose of gratuitous sex and violence thrown in for good measure.  I think a lot of readers like that predictability, with enough action to make you think you've gone somewhere, not really realizing that the author is actually limiting what is going on so she can squeeze out another 10-15 books in the series before the story is over.  I guess I'd rather read a long, well-developed, self-contained novel.  To me, that is just more satisfying.

One more side note before I go - the Sookie Stackhouse books are often classified into the sub-genre of urban fantasy, but these are set in a small southern town.  I'll go along with the masses and reign in my impulse to reclassify everything.

World's Longest Book Meme? 31-40

Questions 1-10
Questions 11-20
Questions 21-30

31. How do you feel about giving bad/negative reviews?
I have strange moments of guilt about it, especially if I know the author is trying to make a name for his or herself.  I try to be distinguish between a book that just isn't my thing from a book that is truly bad.  If it is bad enough that I don't finish, I don't review it.  I delete it from my list and it disappears into the abyss.  After all, I'm not the reviewer on Requires Only That You Hate, but I do enjoy reading those reviews!

32. If you could read in a foreign language, which language would you chose?
German, since half of published music research is written in it.

33. Most intimidating book you’ve ever read?
Ulysses by James Joyce.

34. Most intimidating book you’re too nervous to begin?
Infinite Jest by David Foster Wallace.  I picked it up and carried it around for a while the other day, and read the first few pages.  I'm just not ready!!

35. Favorite Poet?
Gulp, favorite?  Sara Teasdale?  Ted Roethke?  Mark Strand?  T. S. Eliot?  No idea.  I love poetry.

36. How many books do you usually have checked out of the library at any given time?
10 between my many libraries.

37. How often have you returned book to the library unread?
Often.  I'm always trying to get new books and 14 day check out periods with no renewals means that if I get busy, a book doesn't get read.  I had to return The Information without even cracking it open.

38. Favorite fictional character?
I always like the too-smart-for-their-own-good young women, like Anne of Green Gables, Meg from A Wrinkle in Time, or Harriet the Spy.

39. Favorite fictional villain?
The house in House of Leaves .  ;)

40. Books I’m most likely to bring on vacation?
Ever since the ill-fated vacation of oppressive fog, where the cruise ship was trapped in the port for three days, I always bring twice as many books as I think I can read.  I like to try to read books set where I'm traveling.  Sometimes I'll intentionally bring books that I don't mind if I just leave somewhere along the way - the plane, a bench, the hotel. 

World's Longest Book Meme? 21-30

I started a little memeage about books on Tuesday, and have been enjoying the opportunity to step back and think a little bit about reading.  While I'm still wading through my book pile, you can read my thoughts on reading.  Maybe they will inspire you to reflect on your own reading life! 

Questions 1-10
Questions 11-20

21. What will inspire you to recommend a book?
I always recommend books I love, but I've actually been trained for book recommending.  No, really.  When I was in library school, I knew I wanted to focus all my course work on preparing to apply for music librarian jobs, and also did a concentration in technology.  I had one elective and I spent it on taking a genre fiction for adults class.  My public library friends had a lot more training and experience in doing readers advisory, but the taste I got in that class was great fun.  I like figuring out what it is that a friend or student has liked about a particular book before suggesting other books.  "What did you like about it?" is the key!

22. Favorite genre?
Post-apocalypse and dystopia.  Side note - my spell check always suggests I change dystopia to utopia.  Hmm.

23. Genre you rarely read (but wish you did?)
How much time do you have?  I think my biggest area of reading envy has to do with genres I already read.  I feel like I'm never going to catch up on science fiction, post-modern literature, etc., etc.  I also admire people who regularly read history books.  Other than a few exceptional music history books (The Rest Is Noise by Alex Ross is so spectacular I have read it twice; and The Gesualdo Hex by Glenn Watkins was great fun), I just can't even force myself to try.

24. Favorite biography?
My Life by Bill Clinton is one of my favorites - the audio book is read by him and is really enjoyable.  However I think the foodie biographies are going to win it for me, hands down.  I couldn't not mention Kitchen Confidential by Anthony Bourdain, My Life in France by Julia Child, and Heat by Bill Buford.  I have a soft spot for people who made food their careers after I decided it wouldn't be mine!

25. Have you ever read a self-help book?
One book that I resisted reading for a while because I had dismissed it as a self-help book is The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey.  It changed how I worked, and I'll always be grateful to my boss at the time for recommending it.  I was just a graduate intern back then!  The next one I plan to read, along the same lines Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity.

26. Favorite cookbook?
Oh.  Oh my.  One thing you might not know about me is that I'm a hobby baker.  I couldn't live without Baking: From My Home to Yours by Dorie Greenspan or Baking with Julia or The Bread Baker's Apprentice .  Still, the cookbook I use the most is Vegan Planet , and I swear by any recipe Robin Robertson writes.  She is a vegan who hasn't forgotten what food should taste like, and her recipes are friendly even for people who aren't vegetarian.

27. Most inspirational book you’ve read this year (fiction or non-fiction)?
It Gets Better: Coming Out, Overcoming Bullying, and Creating a Life Worth Livingby Dan Savage

28. Favorite reading snack?
Cheetos!  What a nightmare that would be, hmm?  I don't have a favorite snack for reading but I imagine if I did it would include chocolate.

29. Name a case in which hype ruined your reading experience.
Sometimes I won't read a book for a long time because of hype, and then feel like it is too common to like it.  In reality, I should be thrilled when good authors receive hype, because it means they will be more likely to write more.  It is my own hype that will most often ruin a reading experience, because I'll have high expectations and then be annoyed if a book doesn't meet them.

30. How often do you agree with critics about a book?
Ha.  Anyone who has followed my reviews for any length of time knows how often I will end up disagreeing with judges for awards, at least.  I wanted to personally chastise any critics who rated Freedom by Jonathan Franzen highly.  Cross-reference this American Chickens three-panel review of Freedom to see exactly how I felt!

World's Longest Book Meme? 11-20

Well, hello there.  I'm back to do another ten questions that I got from Julie at Happy Catholic.  I'm not Catholic, but I'm pretty happy, I guess.  I grabbed a picture from my webcam folder demonstrating how I read to keep track of details I want to mention by the time I review something.  That is one of three volumes of 2666  by Robert Bolaño that I read last year.  So much there.  Many sticky notes.  (What?  I'm not a bad librarian!  These are my books!  I take the sticky notes out, I promise!  Better than folded pages!)

By the way, am I the only one who takes really silly pictures when I'm alone in my office?  I'm pretty sure it is in my genetic structure.  You should see my little sister (who is still in college) and her webcam albums in Facebook.

I feel like I'm procrastinating.  I'm treading water on a bunch of books right now, because I'm reading too many at once.  That is why I am happy to bring you a meme instead of a book review!  Stay tuned, because I'll probably hit the last page of several books at once.

11. How often do you read out of your comfort zone?
All of the time!  In 2008, I only read books others recommended.  Sometimes it sucked, but most of the time it was so rewarding that I haven't really stopped that practice.  In fact, it supercharged my love of reading. If you tell me something is worth reading, I'll give it a try, and probably learn something about you in the process.  Oh how I wish I had blogged my reading back then!  Even now, while I tend to stick to a few genres + literature, I'm often pushing outside my comfort zone within those as well.  I just read a novel set in space.  It had aliens.  I didn't implode.

12. What is your reading comfort zone?
General literature, fantasy (some parts), science fiction (some parts), poetry (somewhat), non-fiction as far as memoirs/biographies, music, and definitely cookbooks.

13. Can you read on the bus?
Sure.  I'm not sure I've been on one since 2001.

14. Favorite place to read?
The corner overstuffed chair in the living room, right next to the window looking into the garden/backyard.  I have dreams of a reading room that I hope to make come true some day.  I have the room, and the bookshelves, just no cozy lamp or chair yet. 

15. What is your policy on book lending?
I borrow a lot of books, and own only those I really love.  Most of the time, I don't know people who would want to borrow them.  I have loaned a few to people who love to read as much as I do, and figure they'll either return to me eventually or get loved by someone else.

16. Do you ever dog-ear books?
Officially no. 

17. Do you ever write in the margins of your books?
Cookbooks, definitely.  Otherwise, I mark with little slips of paper (at home), post-it notes if I'm traveling and I don't want them to fall out, or I might even take notes on a separate paper.  I started thinking about reading Infinite Jest the other day, and if I ever go there, I'm going to need a notebook to keep track of all the words I've had to look up.  In audiobooks I prefer listening in Audible because that app lets me make notes, while iTunes doesn't have that ability.  I also post some quotations directly to Twitter (@readingenvy) that may never get marked or written down.

18. Not even with text books?
I always planned to sell text books back, so no.

19. What is your favorite language to read in?
English.

20. What makes you love a book?
Beautiful writing, the sense that it hasn't been done before, and surprises.

Wonderful Wednesdays #5 (Escapism)

One of my favorite book blogs to follow is Tiny Library, because Sam seems to have similar literary tastes to me, but just different enough where I'm always adding more to my to-read list.  She is also the creator of the Literary Blog Directory, where I have stumbled across some great blogs!

She is bringing back her Wonderful Wednesdays meme, and today's theme is escapism. 

What books do you read when you are having a tough time of it in real life and need to forget all of your worries?  What books do you trust to take you far away from reality?

When I was an undergrad, my roommate and I would escape to the curriculum room of the library on campus and read children's books to de-stress.  My top two were The Velveteen Rabbit and Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No-Good, Very Bad Day.  I wish I had copies of both to pull out on bad days!

I think really any book I'm engaged with will allow for escape, but someone who writes beautifully will be the most effective.  Actually I think the best escape would be fantasy combined with beautiful writing, so I would head to Catherynne M. Valente.  Maybe Palimpsest, or the book I'm in the middle of listening to - the first volume of The Habitation of the Blessed.  The creatures and constantly shifting point of view demand attention, and I'm happy to oblige, and allow my worries and stress to take a breather. 

World's Longest Book Meme? 1-10

I'm never sure if memes are enjoyable for anyone but the blogger, but I saw this on Happy Catholic and couldn't resist being a copycat.  Besides, Julie and I share a favorite childhood book!

We'll take it in stages, shall we? A little every day ...

1. Favorite childhood book?
A Wrinkle in Timeby Madeleine L'Engle,  The Secret Gardenby Frances Hodgson Burnett, and The Girl with the Silver Eyes

2. What are you reading right now?
The Thing Around Your Neck(for a class I'm helping with), Dead Until Dark (Sookie Stackhouse 1)(eBook through Overdrive from the public library; I've had this on hold forever so had to read it when it came in), Brave New Worlds: Dystopian Stories(in print, I own it!), and Gilead(in print, this author is coming to campus Sunday). Oh yeah and I'm listening to The Habitation of the Blessedso I can review it for SFF Audio, usually trying for one disc a day.

3. What books do you have on request at the library?
I just requested four of the six Giller Prize books announced for the shortlist through interlibrary loan, although I'm not sure I'll be able to read all of them before the prize is announced in November.  I have Neuromancer by William Gibson, A Fire Upon The Deepby Vernor Vinge, and Reamde in the hold queue at the public library. Reamde because it is the alternate Sword and Laser pick, Neuromancer because it will be discussed on an SFF Audio podcast next month, and the Vinge because the sequel comes out soon and I've never read it. I always have piles of books to read and to pick up. That largely dictates what I read next!

4. Bad book habit?
Reading so quickly that I don't pick up on the details others do, and then I don't remember much later.

5. What do you currently have checked out at the library?
Swamplandia! at the public library, the Adichie, another book of African short stories, and a book on music copyright from interlibrary loan, and from the work library - seven books on film music that I keep renewing until I finish the course proposal I'm working on.

6. Do you have an e-reader?
I have an iPad with the Nook, Kindle, Overdrive, and iBooks apps, but I always prefer to read in print if I can.

7. Do you prefer to read one book at a time, or several at once?
Ha, I'd never survive with one at a time.

8. Have your reading habits changed since starting a blog?
Not as much since starting a blog as starting to keep track in GoodReads.  I'm reading more intentionally, sometimes by categories, which I really like, even if I make them up to begin with.  I like reading with intention, and within community. 

9. Least favorite book you read this year (so far?)
Tie between The Waters Rising by Sheri S. Tepper and Jamrach's Menagerie by Carol Birch.  A shame because I absolutely love other books by Tepper, and Jamrach's Menagerie went on to make the Booker shortlist.

10. Favorite book you’ve read this year?
The Dervish Houseby Ian McDonald, hands down. I can't wait to read more of him!

2011 Scotia Bank Giller Prize Shortlist

The shortlist for the Scotia Bank Giller Prize was just announced.  I followed the announcements in Twitter as they were posted from Toronto. You can already read more about the six books selected on the Giller Prize website.

This award recognizes excellence in Canadian fiction.  As someone living south of that border, I'm always interested in reading more Canadian authors.  I've already read The Sisters Brothers because of the Booker Prize longlist (and shortlist), and have had Half Blood Blues on my list for that same reason.  The last I heard from the publisher, they had signed a deal for the USA with a release date hovering around January 2012.  Perhaps yet another award nomination will move that date up?  Canada is not that far away!

Of the remaining four authors, I'm only familiar with Michael Ondaatje, author of Anil's Ghost and The English Patient.  I look forward to getting to know Lynn Coady, Zsuzsi Gartner, and David Bezmozgis through their shortlisted books.