March 18: Reading Notes

I realize that in the last couple of days you've likely been bombarded with posts on this year's Orange Prize Longlist, but I have to mention it briefly here, too, because I am always so curious about the books that end up on these lists.  You can get a detailed run down of titles and book descriptions via  Fleur Fisher Reads.  Controversy aside (I'll leave that to those who are better arguers than I am), I see this as a way of being exposed to new books and authors and hopefully some good literature.  I think deep down it's also just a good excuse for me to buy a few (new to me) books, but pretend I didn't say that.  Of the list I've only read The Little Stranger by Sarah Waters, but I've got Small Wars by Sadie Jones and Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel ready to read.  I'd be very happy to see Sarah Waters get the Prize, but I wonder if in the end it will be Hilary Mantel as she seems to be snagging prizes left and right. 

I did see which books I might be able to borrow from the library and discovered they have Savage Lands by Clare Clark (I read her The Nature of Monsters and liked it), A Gate at the Stairs by Lorrie Moore and Black Water Rising by Attica Locke.  Unfortunately the lines run around the block when it comes to The Lacuna by Barbara Kingsolver and The Help by Kathryn Stockett.  I'd have a better chance waiting for the books to come out in paper than getting them from the library anytime soon!  Maybe interlibrary loan? 

And then there are those books that haven't been published here, but now that I've heard about them I feel like I have to read them right now (you know how that goes, the moment you see something you want but can't easily have...)--Hearts and Minds by Amanda Craig, The Very Thought of You by Rosie Alison (have actually been eyeing this one for a while now), The Twisted Heart (oh, this one especially!) by Rebecca Gowers, and  The Wilding by Maria McCann.

Doesn't a long list of good books you want to read just warm your heart?  It does mine.  Alas, how many of these I will actually get to anytime soon is another story considering the pile of library books that I've been working my way through, my own reading list has just increased by a dozen or so titles!

Also announced yesterday (though no doubt overshadowed by the Orange Prize) was the Miles Franklin Literary Award longlist, which is Australia's highest literary prize.  I took a quick look on Amazon, though it appears that only a handful have been published over here.  I was gratified to see not only a YA title but also a thriller!  

And a sure sign that spring is really on the way?  It's time for Carl's Once Upon a Time reading challenge.  My reading card is seriously full at the moment, but I would still like to read at least one book.  I was thinking I could pick up Ali Shaw's The Girl with Glass Feet again and read it in earnest finally as I started it not too long ago.  I had planned to read along with another book group, but I seem to have fallen behind in a lot of my plans!  Oh well, there will be other opportunities.

And one last bookish note.  I've gotten my postal reading group book in the mail and am very excited about it.  I'll be reading this book in the next month or so.  Just think, pretty soon I might just be able to sit out on my porch with a glass of lemonade and a good book soaking up sunny rays.  My mantra these days is 'spring is coming, spring is coming'.  I'll just ignore the weather forecaster threatening us with snow on Saturday.  Could Mother Nature possibly be so cruel?

I wonder if it is too soon to start contemplating beach books?

Comments

[Sakura]

You are not alone in feeling behind with your reading! I've heard a lot about the Orange Prize longlist, but haven't heard about the Miles Franklin Literary Award. It's funny how book covers can influence your perception of a book instead of just the title. I haven't heard of many of the authors on the longlist, but I'll be checking some of them out.

[Karen]

Ooh! Ooh! You will love The Help and Wolf Hall, two of my recent favorites. The latter is LONG, so probably best to splurge rather than go the library route. It took me WEEKS to read.

[cathy]

The Help is absolutely my favourite read of the past year; it is a wonderful book. I just fnished The Lacuna and really enjoyed it; I learned a lot about Mexican art and culture. The other books look enticing (I have read a few of them), it is a good list this year!

[litlove]

The Orange Prize longlist looked great, I though. I have actually read the Rosie Alison and am about to review it - it was good, very enjoyable. But there are lots of others on that list I'd like to read, too. And oh for spring! We have had a few milder days, which has been so nice. If only the sunshine would come back too!

[Liz F]

Finally seeing spring here but everything is really late so we are only getting snowdrops and crocus now (here in North Yorkshire anyway) which are normally out a month earlier.
The Orange long list is interesting this year - to my surprise I have read four and a half of them which is a definite improvement on previous years. The half is Wolf Hall which I initially got from the library but had to give back before i had got very far into it. I ended up having to buy it because as Karen says it is a VERY big book and I found that it is one I have to concentrate on especially keeping track of who is saying what! It is very good though and fully justifies its Booker win, although I think I would like to see something else win the Orange.
I can recommend The Help and Hearts and Minds is excellent too.
Hope you enjoy the Patrick Leigh Fermor - I read it years ago and loved it.

[Jodie]

I've heard nothing about any of the Australian titles - more to look into. Hurray I'm very excited about the Orange longlist, might pick up The Wilding quite soon :)

[Stefanie]

Thanks a lot Danielle for adding a gazillion books to my list! ;) We were in the low 60s the last couple days but today will only get up to 40. The forecast earlier in the week said snow today but now it's just cloudy which is fine by me! Spring is definitely coming and soon you'll have your sunny porch and lemonade :)

[Danielle]

Sakura--I hate to admit how easily I can be taken with a cover and want to read a book! There really has been a lot of talk about the Orange Prize--I know some bloggers will try and read all of the longlist and I'm always amazed at their dedication. I'd like to read a few anyway!
Karen--I've requested The Help via ILL as I don't want to wait six months for a copy from my public library. However, I have bought Wolf Hall as I fully expect that one to take me a chunk of time when I finally start it.
Cathy--So glad to hear you liked The Help. I had seen the cover, but for some reason I never got around to reading what it was about! I'd like to read The Lacuna at some point, but as it is another lengthy one it will be a while before I get to it--it does look very good!
Litlove--I enjoyed hearing what you had to say about Rosie Alison's book and can't wait to read it myself. It sounds very good and I do like Alma Books, so it's nice to see a small publisher get one of their authors on the list. And yes, warm,sunny weather! It has been snowing here--it's almost a cruel joke on the last day of winter!
Liz--We are actually getting snow at the moment! Agh. I couldn't bear to pull out my snow boots, so I wore tennis shoes to work and slipped around a bit on my walk home! I was just starting to see green blades of grass starting to grow in my yard and now it is all covered! I thought about borrowing the Mantel book but I know it will take me ages to read so am better off with my own copy. I've heard nothing but good things about it, but it would be nice to see another book win. I'm looking forward to The Help and Hearts and Minds is one of the books I've ordered from the list (I've splurged on a few...). And the Fermor book looks great. I need to start that one soon.
Jodie--I'm unfamiliar with the Australian titles as well though it looks like a few have been published here. The Wilding is on my list to read, too.
Stefanie--You can never have too many titles on your list, right?! :) I have this fear that our weather is going to go from nasty winter to nasty summer in one fell swoop. Please I want spring for a while--sunny and 60s or 70s!! I'm so looking forward to sitting outside in the sun and listening to the birds chirp--what a nice thought.

[Nancy Dwinell]

Hi Dani, Sent you an email about The Help. I have it and would be happy to send it on to you. Nancy D.

[catharina]

Although not all new, meaning read ABOUT quite a few of them - I haven't read one title from the Orange Prize longlist. Still quietly working my way through last year's list and that of the Man Booker prize too and then all of a sudden a year has passed. Don't know how I will ever catch up.

[Danielle]

Nancy--Hi, thanks for the offer, I'll email you!
Catharina--I can't keep up with these prize lists either. I'd just like to read the winning book and haven't done that in many cases actually. I don't expect to ever be caught up either!

[Matthew]

Even though there are lots of great titles, the longlist actually overwhelms me. I know I won't be able to read through everything on it. I am excited that I've got The Little Stranger, The Help, and Wolf Hall in my pile. If The Little Stranger blows me away with just half the magnitude of Fingersmith, I'll be very satisfied.

[Dorothy W.]

This week has certainly spoiled me. We've had gorgeous days in the 60s and even 70s, and I have to keep reminding myself it's still March and the weather can still turn bad. I'm intrigued by the idea of reading through a prize list, just to see what it's like, but I know it would never happen in reality. Some days I wish I were the type who could easily read a book in a few hours!

[Danielle]

Matthew--Same here. I will definitely look them over a little more closely but I will be lucky if I manage to read a small handful of them! I loved The Little Stranger--it is my favorite novel by Sarah Waters, though Fingersmith will always hold a special place in my reading heart! I do want to read Wolf Hall (eventually--will not likely read it right away) and am hoping to get The Help, too!

[Danielle]

Dorothy--I sometimes wish I could read faster, too, but then I do like losing myself in a good book and don't necessarily mind if it's something that takes me a week to get through. I wonder if I could read through a whole prize list like that--I would have to put everything aside, which I'm not sure I could do. And then there is the idea of reading the books that maybe don't appeal so much and sticking with them, which can be hard sometimes as I like to keep within my comfort zone usually. Even if I can't do it, it's fun watching other reader work their way through.

[Buried In Print]

I share your interest in the Orange Prize, but thanks so much for mentioning the Miles Franklin Award, which I'd completely lost track of this year. I was complaining that our library system only has 14/20 of the OP longlisters, but I'm now shocked to find they only have one of the MF longlisters, so have politely asked if they can add a few, and will have to check the shops in the meantime. Anyhow, my card, like yours, is "seriously full", too, so perhaps that's just as well. ::lol::

[Danielle]

Buried in Print--I've got loads (as you can tell from my posts) of books checked out at the moment and when I went to look today there were nine(!!) more waiting for me. None of them are more Orange Prize titles (though I do have one coming from ILL at the library where I work). I didn't find many of the MF longlist titles either at my library, which is a shame. So many good books to read (well almost all the time really), but lately there seems to be an overabundance of them!