Thoughts on the Booker Longlist and Shortlist

I had originally planned to pick my shortlist for the Man Booker Prize before it was announced, but I peeked and it's done, so now I will just ruminate on both.

The books making it to the shortlist this year, along with my thoughts:

1. The Luminaries by Eleanor Catton
   I read 100 pages of this mighty tome in an egalley, and just never went back to it.  I'm not sure I've given it a fair shot, but I have to admit that the subject matter (New Zealand gold rush) is just not very interesting to me.
   
2. Harvest by Jim Crace
   I read 1/3 of this book and abandoned it, just nothing happening in all that time. This feels like a bad pattern.
   
3. A Tale for the Time Being by Ruth Ozeki
   I got to read this one early too, and thought it was trying to do too much at once.  The two parallel stories are interesting but the "Time Being" element didn't really work for me.  Unfortunately, it's central to the success of the novel!
   
4. The Lowland by Jhumpa Lahiri
   I'm just about halfway through the audio version of this book.  I like Lahiri, but this story is trying to span so much time that it isn't saying a lot to me.  It's too bad because some of the characters are compelling, and I'd like to spend more time with them, go deeper.  Instead it reads a bit shallow.
   
5. We Need New Names by NoViolet Bulawayo
   Haven't tracked down a copy of this one yet.
   
6. The Testament of Mary by Colm Tóibín
   I didn't connect with this one when I read it the first time, but it's a slim novel and sometimes it takes a few reads.  I'll get a copy of the audiobook version, read by Meryl Streep, and give it another try before the winner is announced.

Who do I think will win?  I think they want to award it to Tóibín since he hasn't won yet, but that book isn't very impressive to me.  I can't really pick until I've read the Bulawayo.

But wait, what about the books that were leftovers on the longlist?

I am SO disappointed the Tash Aw book didn't make the shortlist (read my review!).  Five Star Billionaire is one of the best books I've read this year.   The others include Almost English by Charlotte Mendelssohn (I just got a copy), The Kills by Richard House (I didn't care much for this crime novel), The Marrying of Chani Kaufman by Eve Harris (Haven't tracked this down yet), The Spinning Heart by Donal Ryan (a lovely sad novel), TransAtlantic by Colum McCann (I felt ambivalent about this one although I know a lot of readers who loved it!), and Unexploded by Alison MacLeod (just got a copy of this one too.)

Now I'll try out the few that didn't get chosen and perhaps honor them with a reading.  How about you, what were your impressions of the books on the shortlist?

Where do you get reading ideas? Podcast Edition

A friend asked me yesterday which podcasts I listened to, or what other ways am I getting ideas of books to read.  I started listing them and thought hey, this would make a great post!  In fact I had so much to say, I'm only going to talk about podcasts this time around.

• KCRW Bookworm - absolute favorite.  I want to be Michael Silverblatt or just hang out with his brain.  My only problem is that I don't like to listen to the episodes until I've read the book they're discussing, so seeing the new interviews keeps me adding to my list.  If you aren't a person who subscribes to podcasts, you can also keep up with them in Facebook.
• New York Review of Books - okay I'm a bit of a podcast fraud because I've only listened to this once or twice BUT I have friends who think it is great.
• NPR Books - I'm more likely to read the website than listen, but that's just because I have a short commute.
• NY Times Book Review - Great stuff here!
• SFBRP (Science Fiction Book Review Podcast) - Luke Burrage listens to or reads science fiction books and then reviews them.  I save these for after I've read the book too.  He also has a group in GoodReads.
• SFF Audio - I end up reading so many books I wouldn't have read otherwise because of my involvement with SFF Audio.  This can span from "hurry up you have 24 hours to read a 400 page book and discuss it on the air" to "nobody wanted this review audiobook and it sounds slightly interesting."  Since I coordinate reviews there, I'm always getting ideas from other people of even more books to read.  
• Sword and Laser - I've been a dedicated follower of Tom and Veronica for years and years.  I love their author guides and they often talk about upcoming releases.  I also end up reading books with the group that I never would have picked.  Memoirs Found in a Bathtub, anyone?
• Others - from time to time I listen to SF Signal, Geek's Guide to the Galaxy, and some very specific topical podcasts like Re:Joyce. 

How about you?  Which podcasts send you off to read a book?

Speed Dating Report #2

As promised, my report on the second speed-dating project of 2013 has arrived!  The books I tested include everything from that original pile* plus Lionel Shriver's Post-Birthday World, since it came in the mail the next day.  (Paperbackswap.com is such a great website, highly recommend for getting used books!)  Last time, I put a brief thought under each title.  Today I will report on the date with that book - at least 50 pages, most of the time.

Fernando Baez - A Universal History of the Destruction of Books
This book is excellent, well-researched and written by the Director of the National Library of Venezuela after he had personally experienced locations where books and libraries had been destroyed, either from political or weather disasters.  It got to me more than I expected, and I actually wiped away a few tears.  Successful date!

Gabriel Garcia Marquez - Strange Pilgrims
I ended up reading one story each night before bed.  All of the stories were about people from Latin America in Europe, and there were more instances of ghosts and magical realism than I expected, even considering it is Marquez.  In his longer fiction, those elements are present but not as prominent; in his short stories he can really explore the weird.  I loved it! 

Doris Lessing - The Grass is Singing
I promised myself I wouldn't feel bad for not calling a book back, no matter the reputation or the reason I was going to read it in the beginning.  This one didn't grab me, I've already read a book set in Rhodesia in the past year, and I've had better experiences with Lessing's later novels.  I will let this book find a new girl.

Gustave Flaubert - Madame Bovary
I've put this one off for years, expecting it to be difficult or dense to read.  Instead I found myself enjoying it and even the tiny print flew by.  I might put it on hold until I'm done with Infinite Jest (I'm not sure how many books of density I can handle at once) but I'll definitely read this one.

*Paul Theroux - Ghost Train to the Eastern Star
I swapped this one out for The Great Railway Bazaar, the predecessor of Ghost Train.  I didn't want to put it aside for other dates!  I only got as far as his stop in Istanbul, and considering my Turkish focus this year, that was a great moment.  He also talks so much about writers and food that I'm going to have to start over and take notes.  I had put off reading Theroux for a while and now I'm kicking myself, if he's someone you either love or hate, you can mark me down for LOVE.  I can't wait to get back to this.  Maybe tomorrow!

Curtis Sittenfeld - American Wife
Yeah, I abandoned this one although I did make it through 50 pages.  I saw a review that described the main character (based on Laura Bush) as "limp lettuce" and that's pretty accurate.  I'd be making excuses to leave this date early.

Eckhart Tolle - A New Earth
A quick read, not as good as The Power of Now, but because I knew it'd be quick I've already finished it.

Carlos Ruiz Zafon - The Shadow of the Wind
<3 <3 <3
I'm not going to wait to read another book I'm sure I'll love.  What was I thinking?

Ellen Gilchrist - The Writing Life
This isn't what I expected.  Somehow Gilchrist has escaped my knowing, but she is a prolific southern writer who studied with Eudora Welty.  The small chapters are individual essays.  She didn't really become a serious writer until she was grandmother-aged, so her perspective is pretty unique.  I enjoy hearing her story even if I don't always identify with it.  And since this comes from the library, I'll be finishing it soon.

E. L. Doctorow - Ragtime
I'm not sure what to say about this book.  It is the most likely to become a book I abandon despite not saying it failed my speed-dating exactly.  The style is the hardest part - short sentences abound, which makes it feel abrupt the entire time.  He throws in a lot of famous people, but some of them were interesting (Emma Goldman was my favorite so far!).  One review describes it as American History told in the lens of 1970s radicalism.  Okay, maybe I'll go out with him again.  :)

Speed-dating books is fun, although I didn't discard many!  I'm already gathering books for the next round, so stay tuned!

Book Speed Dating #2 - The Pile

Back in April, I made a pile of most of the first page of my to-read list, and worked through until I had tasted each one. From there I decided whether or not to keep reading, to put on hold but to read later, or to discard. I was able to weed out a few, and ended up finishing three completely. The mightiest tome on the list, Infinite Jest, I am halfway through as of yesterday, so even that book got dipped into.

It is time to do it again, namely because I have run out of room on my bookshelves and something's gotta give!   I also can't stand to read Infinite Jest every day, and I've been pulling that back to once a week.  I had to wade through two pages of my to-read list to come up with a significant pile, but here it is. I'm going to have dated all of these books (read 50 pages minimum) by August 1. In the meantime, please tell me what you think! Have you read any of these titles?  Any you would steer me away from or encourage me toward?  I'll list the author, title, and brief thoughts on each below.

Fernando Baez - A Universal History of the Destruction of Books
I've read Double Fold by Nicholson Baker twice, where he focuses on libraries' recent roles in book destruction.  This seems like a much longer and international history, and will look great on the shelf in my office, even if I don't decide to read it all.  Ha!

Gabriel Garcia Marquez - Strange Pilgrims
Slim volume, short stories, I imagine it will go quickly.  But I thought that of the Borges stories that I keep starting and not finishing.

Doris Lessing - The Grass is Singing
This is a better known work of Lessing; I have read lesser known Lessings.  I predict I'll like it.

Gustave Flaubert - Madame Bovary
I've just never read this classic and I know it was very scandalous when it was published.  The challenge will be the prose of the translation.

Paul Theroux - Ghost Train to the Eastern Star
I have several Theroux on my shelves and wonder if this is really the best place to start.  It is a revisit by Theroux to a journey he took and chronicled in The Great Railway Bazaar.  I might swap them out since I own both.  Shhhhhh. (Or does it matter?)

Curtis Sittenfeld - American Wife
I've read other books by Sittenfeld, and intended to read this book for my DC pick this year.  Might as well get to it.

Eckhart Tolle - A New Earth
I had such intentions to read this that I ended up with two copies.  I liked The Power of Now, so maybe this will have some good stuff in it.

Carlos Ruiz Zafon - The Shadow of the Wind
I've been saving this because I so loved The Angel's Game.  But now that Zafon has other books coming out translated in English, I don't have to save this one any longer.  And why am I waiting? I expect to love it; the setting and the topic are both right up my narrow Spanish alley.  :)

Ellen Gilchrist - The Writing Life
I tend to enjoy books on writing, and have been intending to read this for a while.  It ended up on the leisure reading shelves at work, so no time like the present.

E. L. Doctorow - Ragtime
I have two Doctorow books at home that I've been intending to read... no three.  Ack!  I don't even know if I like him!  Nathaniel asked me if this is what the musical is based on, and I have no idea.  I guess I'll find out.

Review of Istanbul: Memories and the City by Orhan Pamuk

Istanbul: Memories and the City by Orhan Pamuk


Along with The World's Literature group, I have been reading a lot of books set in Turkey this year. Just check out what I've covered so far!  Most of the books have been fiction, two have included elements of fantasy (steampunk and nanotech!), and one is a cookbook with photography you would not believe.

One of the best known Turkish authors has to be Orhan Pamuk. I've only managed to read one book of his so far, but there are many more on my to-read list to get to. I actually think reading this autobiography/memoir first will add some understanding to any of his books that I read in the future. It covers his childhood in Istanbul, up through his college years and the moment he decides to become a writer.

While this book came out in print in 2003, this audio edition was newly released by Random House in April. I had downloaded it but was listening to another book.

Then this happened:



I was already deeply interested in Turkey, even to the point of learning some of the language and the cuisine, but following the protests and police action in Twitter made me more interested in Istanbul.

Of course, the Istanbul of this book is several decades ago, but you can see traces of a history that breeds an environment where clashes between groups are not exactly unexpected, where poverty and control have always been issues in the background. Pamuk suggests that the most beautiful view of the city is from afar. I'm not sure he really means it, because he continues to return to this concept of hüzün, or melancholy, that he claims is part of the daily lived aesthetic in the life of an Istanbullu. That those living in the city want to feel hüzün, and don't feel as alive without it.

I know Pamuk has been criticized both by the government for not being religious enough and by the public for not being critical of the government enough, but this book makes it clear that he isn't all that interested in making a statement with his writing; he wants to describe. It makes so much sense now, to see his journey from painter to writer, to understand how this plays out in his writing. His descriptions of the black and white landscape of winter is central to Snow, the one book I've read.

I've had dreams about the Bosphorus, a strait in Istanbul separating Asia from Europe. Even though I've never been there and don't have reason to dream of it, I can see why you would. His descriptions of living within view of the river, of the fires and the commerce, made me long for this place I've never experienced.

The reader for the audiobook is John Lee, whose voice is very familiar to me as the reader for Ulysses. He does a good job with the pronunciation of Turkish names, but I kept expecting him to jump into "Hoopsa, boyaboy, hoopsa!" You know you listen to a lot of audiobooks when....

Review of The Best of Connie Willis: Award-Winning Stories

The Best of Connie Willis: Award-Winning Stories by Connie Willis
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Connie Willis is a writer of ideas. In longer novel form, I think this is a good thing; I enjoyed Blackout/All Clear quite a bit. I still haven't made it to her earlier works like To Say Nothing of the Dog or The Doomsday Book - both books that others say are her best work. When this collection of stories was listed in NetGalley, I jumped at the chance, to try to get to know this Grand Master a little better.

Back to this ideas issue. Connie Willis often zooms in on a thought she has (What if we found a way to turn off the menstrual cycle? This becomes Even the Queen) or personal obsessions (A love affair with the London Underground becomes The Winds of Marble Arch, an interest in H.L. Mencken becomes Inside Job) and fleshes it out into a story. The problem for the reader occurs when he or she does not share this same obsession. Honestly, I don't understand the obsession with H.L. Mencken, so that was an automatic turn-off for me. I did enjoy Even the Queen though, with its continuation of concepts in the Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood (kind of the opposite scenario).

The other stories range from quantum physics to post-apocalyptic letters to aliens that respond to Christmas carols. All ideas that are explored in the length of a short story. Each story comes with an afterword written by the author, explaining where the idea comes from and why the story is significant in her eyes, great stuff for fans of her work.

So what is missing, and why am I only giving this three stars? (Three stars for me means decent but not really for me.) I suppose I expect more from a short story. I want beautiful, expressive language. I want depth of character and emotion. Ideas alone just don't cut it, and that's all I really find here. For a lot of readers, that will be more than enough.

Beach Reads (or Infinite Jest and a Bikini Body)

There is a meme going around today about Beach Reads.  I've skimmed a few of the posts, and as I suspected, most people are focusing on lighter reads - quick paced, shorter, engaging but easy to pop in and out of.

I guess I feel differently.  When I make it to the beach, I have more time to read than ever before.  Hours at a time, when I'm lucky.  The waves and the wind and a book.  Why wouldn't I use that opportunity to read something hefty; something that made me think?

A few years ago, I brought Gravity's Rainbow along with me on a cruise.  It is pictured here on a somewhat sandy towel and drying flippers from snorkeling.  I picked this book to read during swimming breaks, and because of that I'll always remember Pynchon being in that atmosphere (until I read it again.)

There have been a few bloggers talking about a "bikini body" lately, at least in the world of blogs I follow.  Their posts are along the lines of, "Want a bikini body? Put a bikini ON YOUR BODY."  The fearless blogger that drives the point home best (illustrated) is the Militant Baker in her post "How to Get a Sexy Swimsuit Body in Under 5 Minutes!"

This summer, my main read is Infinite Jest.  If I go to the beach, it will become my beach read.  It has also been my dentist read, my coffee shop read, my nail-drying read.  As I mentioned before, I am reading it inside of a vibrant community of readers all summer long. 

Okay, if it makes you feel better, I'll give it a bikini.

There you go!  Now David Foster Wallace's Infinite Jest is ready to be a beach read.  Pick up a copy for your vacation today!