Just a few quick bookish things today as I am determined to turn off the computer early so I can read and maybe write a long overdue letter or two. It's amazing how time speeds up when you are sitting in front of the computer. Has anyone else noticed that? I swear it moves at warp speed.
There is a new list up over at the Slaves blog of books to vote on. Of course everyone who is interested is invited to join in. If you think you'd like to read along leave a comment to help choose the next title for discussion. As always it is an excellent list and I think I'd be happy to read (or reread in one case) any of the books listed.
The month is speeding along, so I need to gather up a few books for readalongs. I'll be starting Tracy Chevalier's Remarkable Creatures this weekend. Emma at Book Around the Corner has organized things and you can read more about it here. She'll be posting about the book on the 26th of the month, so there is still plenty of time to think about reading it. It's been too long since I've read any of Tracy Chevalier's books and I'm really looking forward to it.
I also need to decide which book by Muriel Spark I'm going to read for Simon and Harriet's Muriel Spark Reading Week begins April 23 and runs through the 29th. I'm leaning towards either The Girls of Slender Means, A Far Cry from Kensington or Territorial Rights. They are all three fairly short reads, so if I start a little ahead of time I am sure I can manage one, but is it being too optimistic to think I might be able to read two? Best to start small, I think and work my way up from there.
And my copy of Coventry by Helen Humphreys is all ready to go for Caroline's Literature and War Readalong at the end of the month. Discussion is set to begin April 30. It's another very short book, with less than 200 pages, so there shouldn't be (knock on wood) any problems squeezing it in at the end of the month.
My postal bookclub book arrived in the mail this week. If you're curious to know what I'll be reading next, you can see it here. I've read and enjoyed this author before, so am curious about this new to me book (though it was published early 1990s). It looks as though it could be an emotionally draining book, however. I have until the end of May to read it before it will need to get posted on to the next person in line for it. I may have to save that one for May and a sunny day!
There are some interesting lists via Rob Around Books to check out. The shortlist for the Independent Foreign Fiction Prize has been announced. A nice source of good international titles to draw from (the longlist here). You can also check out the longlist for the Frank O'Connor International Short Story Award for 2012. I really am going to read more short stories this year (thinking Chekhov, and may have to see which books look of particular interest on that list, too).
And one more interesting item I came across by chance. I've been reading Helen MacIness's Decision at Delphi you might recall. I just discovered that Titan Books is going to begin reissuing her work. I can only say yay--what good news. The first three, Assignment in Brittany, Above Suspicion and Pray for a Brave Heart, will be out in June.
Maybe I'll go and read her right now as a matter of fact!