This is what happens when you sit idly in front of the computer trying to think of what you want to chat about but not finding many ideas. I could tell you about what I've been reading in my class, but I think I'll wait until I finish the last two books and then give a little overview. I should tell you about novella I recently finished by Stefan Zweig that I liked very much, but I'm not feeling very inspired at the moment, and he definitely deserves a little inspiration. I really need to do a series of mini reviews for all the books I read this year but never got around to writing about, but ditto on that inspiration thing.
This is what happens. In those idle moments I decide to go back into my archives from last year and see what was on my mind on and around November 24.
Forthcoming Books! Let's see, out of the sixteen (pretty impressive) books I had my eye on, I actually managed to read two and a half--Helen Dunmore's The Lie, and Valerie Martin's The Ghost of the Mary Celeste, plus part of Gabriel Chavallier's Fear. I bought Amara Lakhous's Dispute Over a Very Italian Piglet and as a matter of fact it is within arm's reach of me right now! I really liked his Divorce Islamic Style by the way.
Ooh, avert your eyes. See I go through this every year. Last year's end of the year reading pile, which I managed to read much more of than this year's pile (though we still have another month and a half to go). Of the 'carry-over' books I finished Elizabeth Wix's Ruth & Gisela (and am glad I did!). Wow, has it really been so long since I started Herman Wouk's Marjorie Morningstar? I actually recently picked it back up again so am not quite yet prepared to abandon it.
And a book I finished and loved--May Sarton's Journal of Solitude. I shared a teaser last year about this time. Maybe for my serial read next year I should pick up another of her journals rather than a nature book? Surely there must be one that is divided over the course of a year and can be read in monthly increments? Will have to investigate that now.
I'm actually reading one of the books that appeared in last year's mishmash of items. I bought Jill Lepore's Book of Ages about Jane Franklin and have been enjoying it very much. See, sometimes I really do read the books I buy!
Two years ago in 2012 I was in the midst of another German Literature Month and in the middle of reading Romantic Fairy Tales (not romance Romance, but as in the Romantic movement), which I recall liking but being somewhat challenged by some of the tales.
Back in 2011 I was revamping my reading pile (I do that a lot, don't I?). Hah. I was in the middle of a reread of the Cazalet Chronicles. Hmm. Maybe I should get around to finishing those books sometime? Especially since the fifth book was released this past year and I really want to read it (but should refresh my memory about the previous four books).
Okay, so just one more year. Now I am very curious. I must say this is very illuminating and I see a pattern emerging here. My old standby--reading notes! (It's about time for a reading notes post before the long weekend, too). Shaking head and chuckling to myself. It's almost always about reading possibilities here. I had lots of them and actually do recall the one book of the group that I finished, Judith Lennox's The Heart of the Night.
Looking back sort of makes me weirdly nostalgic for some of those unfinished books. I'm thinking I might pick a new book to read (one from my shelves that I haven't talked about here--definitely need some fresh blood here, I think) and maybe an old, from the in-progress but set aside pile, book to read for my holiday weekend. One more (long) day to go and then all that free time to look forward to.
Mentally counting down and contemplating how to optimize my reading time!