I'm not entirely sure how I am going to fit nine books in before the end of the year. There are eight weeks left in 2006. How did that happen? While finishing the rest of the books on my current reading pile would be the perfect way to end the year, I think I am going to have to rethink my plan. I know there are some very fast readers out there who could probably easily finish these books this month, but unfortunately I am not one of them! So my improvised plan is to simply whittle my pile down to six books or less. I am now past the halfway mark with Gaudy Night, and I hope to finish it soon. Now I plan on working on Frankenstein and the Shelley biography, Monsters: Mary Shelley and the Curse of Frankenstein (sort of sounds like a bad B movie, doesn't it!?). I would really like to finish War and Peace, too! I started that in July! If I had read it steadily from when I began reading it, I would probably be finished by now! Here is where the list stands:
Indiana- War and Peace
- The Mystery of the Sea
Mr. Midshipman Hornblower- The Black Pearl
- Robinson Crusoe
- Monsters
- Gaudy Night
Eat, Pray, LoveThe Observations- Frankenstein
- A Voyage Out
- Sophie's Choice
I am sure you know by now that author William Styron passed away this week. I was sort of sad to read in his NYT obituary that some of his works caused quite a controversy when they were published. I have only been reading Sophie's Choice, but I think he is a wonderful writer (one of the very best I have read in a long time). Of course maybe the controversy shouldn't necessarily be seen as such a bad thing if it makes readers think and discuss issues? A second obituary appears in today's NYT. I really do need to finish Sophie's Choice, and read some of his other works as well. Really, he is THAT Good! Michiko Kakutani said:
"The long shadow of William Faulkner, along with those of Thomas Wolfe and Robert Penn Warren, fell over Mr. Styron’s work, and like many members of the postwar generation, he struggled, at least initially, to come to terms with the daunting achievements of his predecessors. His prose bore the full imprint of the Southern tradition: it was lush, luxuriant, sometimes purple, and it was often put in the service of decidedly violent and gothic storylines."
Today I will be returning my pile of library books. All of them. And I have no more in the queue at present. You don't know how hard this is for me! There are several I want to read, but I will never finish my other books if I get too distracted. The only new book that I have started since deciding to work my way through my languishing pile is the next in the series of Hornblower books, Lieutenant Hornblower. Have I mentioned it is excellent? I want to keep picking it up,but I have to give equal time to my other books! It is told from the perspective of one of Hornblower's shipmates, Lieutenant Bush. It is interesting and you get a very different take on Hornblower--but really it just confirms what you were thinking of him all along.
If I could, I would join in Kailana's new challenge (but I am trying hard not to get too distracted). As strange as it sounds I have always enjoyed books set in the WWI and WWII period. I think Litlove sums it up well why these books are so interesting. Although I might not be reading along, this is a perfect time to add new titles to my own book list as others give their reading choices: Kate S., Ex Libris, Lesley, and Sassymonkey. Maybe I will make a list of books set in that era even though I will be watching from the sidelines this time around. Carl V. has hinted at a Christmas challenge (that will be simple) that I might be able to squeeze in. And Susan will be choosing the next book we read for the Slaves of Golconda, so I am looking forward to seeing what she comes up with!