Feeling bookish

Last January my Goodreads app challenged me to set a number for the amount of books I would read for the year. I really had no concept of how much I was reading per year, just that it was a lot. I set the number at 50 and promptly forgot about it. Now it’s January again and there’s my app hollering for a goal in 2013. Beneath it, it claims that I read 65 books in 2012.

Maybe you’re thinking – holy crap that’s more than five books a month – or sounds about right - or damn, sister, get a life. I will just say two things: 1) I don’t have cable and 2) let’s remember where I live.

And a third thing: I love books.

goodreads.com

Here are some highlights from 2012 (you can friend me on Goodreads for the lowlights):

* The Christmas Kid & Other Brooklyn Stories by Pete Hamill. I wrapped up the year with arguably the best book of 2012. PH is an author I know, and love. He writes about New York (which I also love) and paints pictures with words. These are short stories (which I usually don’t like) and quick slices of life, love and death in the city. Amazing.

* Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell. Haven’t seen the movie but happily read the book. I had no idea how the book was written and was pleasantly surprised. I feel like I can’t describe it any more without giving it away … so go read it. Prepare yourself for a ride.

* A Year in Provence by Peter Mayle. France is not my bag but Mr. Mayle makes me want to be there, and suffer the olive oils and the baguettes and every last wheel of cheese (bastard!). This is the book Frances Mayes could not write (yeah, I said it.)

* The Time in Between by Maria Dueñas. I’ve mentioned this before – an epic tale set in the Spanish Civil War set in Spain, Morocco, Portugal. I have not seen characters or scenes as clearly as I did with this book. What an impression she made on me with her storytelling. In 2013 I will track down a Spanish language copy.

* The Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic and Madness at the Fair that Changed America by Erik Larson. Whether you give a damn about Chicago or not, this is a seriously good read. I’ve heard critiques about it, but I thought it was a serious page-turner. Amazing, what people will do to each other at the height of their lives / careers / histories ..

* Bossypants by Tina Fey * audiobook is highly recommended. Picture me driving and snorting so hard I yank the wheel. This is why you need the audiobook. Tina Fey is freaking hilarious. Save this one for when you need a good laugh. It’s like sitting down with her for a beer and letting her give a monologue (and pick up the tab).

* The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein. Sad, sad, sad. Dog lover or not, you will be moved by this book. And if you’re not, I don’t want to know about it.

* Kitchen Confidential: Adventures in the Culinary Underbelly by Anthony Bourdain. Hope you’re ready for cursing, food tips, recipes and a good lesson in kitchen Spanish. This is coarse, crude and hilarious – just like the author. (Now there’s someone else I want to have a drink with).

Honorable Mentions
* The Wishing Spell: The Land of Stories by Chris Colfer – Yes, the guy from Glee. Fantastical YA novel. Half Narnia, half Inkheart, altogether wonderful.
* Gregor the Overlander (Underland Chronicles) by Suzanne Collins. Yes – the author of Hunger Games. This series is much younger and as a result, far less dark, but enchanting nonetheless.
* A Moveable Feast by Ernest Hemingway – For when you want to move to Paris and get drunk and write and live a very strange and wonderful existence.

Summer bookshelves

One thing this 100 degree summer offered was plenty of down time. With temperatures soaring and AC working overtime, I spent a lot of time in my living room. On some weekends, I sprinted through 2 or 3 books at a time – some boring, some interesting, some endearing. Here’s a quick run down of some high (and low) -lights.

A Passage to India: E.M. Forster – two stars
This was not a good start to the summer reading list. This book sat on my shelf with it’s golden yellow binding and pristine font, beckoning just like a sunrise over the Taj Mahal. Then I started reading. Bear in mind this was written in 1924, and you may understand why I struggled. There were far too many times in this book that I read a descriptive paragraph, read it again, and read it one more time just to see if I could paint the picture in my mind. Sometimes yes, sometimes no. Oof.

Franklin Flyer: Christopher Nicholas – four stars
Set in the tumultuous times of the Great Depression, this story is about a young inventor and traveler. Two parts history, one part imagination it is a colorful human tale. As Publisher’s Weekly noted: “If Graham Greene collaborated with the creator of Dick Tracy, the result might read like this…” The cover alone was enough to tempt me: a yellow fedora whirling through the canyons of what could be a black & white Manhattan.

Sima’s Undergarments for Women: Ilana Stanger-Ross – three stars
While surfing Bookmooch for my next title, I stumbled on this little gem. In a basement lingerie shop in Brooklyn, you meet a determined (and conflicted) woman and her new hire. Through the trappings of silk stockings and the tricks of fitting, the author breathes life into a saleswoman, wife, Jewess and woman with a lot to give.

Chocolat: Joanne Harris – four stars (followed later by sequel The Girl With No Shadow). After many years of stalking this book, I finally came across a copy and devoured it, as it’s title required. This was not my first brush with Joanne Harris, as she debuted in my Spanish apartment with Gentleman & Players. She paints a beautiful story, with food and it’s accoutrements, and a wee bit of magic. Shortly after finishing the book, I rented the movie. Let’s be honest, Johnny Depp also added a little something to the story. (The sequel is equally enjoyable, in a different way).

The Time in Between: Maria Dueñas – five stars
This is the book of the summer, and possibly the book of a lifetime. Set in yet another wicked time period – the Spanish Civil War – the book is lightning fast and full of intrigue and emotion. I’ve recommended it to friends left and right saying, “It’s like reading a movie.” I originally thought she was writing in her second language (English) and was blown away. I’ve since discovered it was originally authored in her first language (Spanish) and I’m still blown away. Often times translated books struggle to get their point across, but this one is a grand exception. (El Tiempo Entre Costuras is high on my list of Spanish novels). As opposed to my brush with Forster, I was re-reading paragraphs in this book for sheer joy. Por favor, Doctora Dueñas, write us another.

McCarthy’s Bar: Pete McCarthy - three stars
Inspired by my upcoming trip to Ireland, I picked up what I thought would be an intriguing memoir about the country. And it is, in it’s own way. One of McCarthy’s cardinal rules: Never walk past a bar with your name on it. You can imagine his success with this rule on the Emerald Isle. Spurred on by questions about his heritage (half English, half Irish), he circles around the country with a wry sense of humor and a taste for Guinness.

The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks: Rebecca Skloot – three stars
This was the freshmen reading selection at my university this summer, so I was surprised to find a copy at the local public library. Knowing at least half of the story, I hopped right into the complicated plot of cells, cancer, family, and privacy. It’s clear a significant amount of research went into the novel, although sometimes I question the delivery. I would have loved to be a fly on the wall for the breakdown of this book.

Any good reads (or bad ones) for you this summer?

#books: The Other Way Out

I spent the weekend in three different places: New York, Springfield, and Boston. Only one of these (Springfield) involved actual physical space. I went to New York thanks to Suzanne Collins “Gregor the Overlander” series, where a young boy does battle for good and evil under the Big Apple. I managed a side trip to Boston with Tess Gerritsen, as her lead character investigated a murder from the 1800′s. This may also qualify as time travel, but let’s not split hairs.

Reading has always provided an escape for me. I inherited my mother’s love of books, and it has brought me endless joy. I am the kid who reached for a book, not the TV remote. I continue to be that kid. My pop culture knowledge is extremely limited, as any of my friends will tell you. They have long since stopped trying to explain jokes to me that involve the latest episode of The Office or a long ago viewing of The Goonies (which I finally saw my freshman year).

I am embarrassed to say that I have watched more TV in these past 5 months than I probably have in my entire life. And I don’t even have a TV! Hulu, abc.com and espn3 are highly regarded in my one bedroom apartment, and bookmarked on my mac. It’s disgusting. After being on the computer all day at work, opening my laptop is very low on my priority list.

Luckily, our local public library recently had a sale. As all good thrifters know, Sunday is always the day to go. Why? Bag sale. Fill a bag with as many books as you can stuff in it for $5. I came home with 16. That was two weeks ago and I’ve already read 3. There are also 2 used bookstores within 10 miles of me which will take your used books, and offer you credit for copies from their inventory. If I just so happen to finish a book en route to a destination, I will likely leave it behind for another reader. Paperback where your safety card is supposed to be on the airplane? From me, with love!

Two websites to plug here: 1) Bookmooch, and 2) Goodreads.

Bookmooch is a place where you can list an inventory of books, wishlist ones you’d like to read, and swap with other people. For instance, I recently inventoried Slammerkin and The Enchantress of Florence. Both were requested within a day. So then what? Then it’s off to the post office, sending two books across the US for a mere $2 each. Each posting, sending and receiving earns you points. I send one book, I earn one point. Receiving books costs nothing, and sending books via media mail rarely exceeds $3 for a paperback, even if it goes from PA to CA.

Goodreads is keeping track of everything I’m reading. It also helps me keep track of books I’d like to read, and review books I have read. I’ve read 392 books since I opened my account, and have another 100+ on my To-Read shelf. There are discussion boards, although I don’t use them. There are also First Reads which are giveaways by authors. Authors themselves can keep profiles on Goodreads, and interact with their readers. I’m really just using it as a listing mechanism, but I love it.

So where else am I escaping to? Here are some other titles I’ve read in 2012:

• Dead Time – Stephen White
• The Enchantress of Florence – Salman Rushdie
• Balzac & the Chinese Seamstress – Dai Sijie
• The Art of Racing in the Rain – Garth Stein *
• Mockingjay – Suzanne Collins # $
• Kitchen Confidential – Anthony Bourdain *
• Eight Keys – Suzanne LaFleur $
• Tears of the Giraffe – Alexander McCall Smith #
• Gregor & the Overlander (4 of 5 books) – Suzanne Collins # $
• The Bone Garden – Tess Gerritsen
• The Perks of Being a Wallflower – Stephen Chbosky
• Tales from Nowhere – Lonely Planet *

* = recommend
# = series
$ = children’s / YA literature