The downside to this is that I can't bring my computer to work with me. The upside is that I get to catch up on my reading! I've always marveled at/been jealous of the people around me who seem to be so ridiculously well-read, so the not having a laptop has given me the chance to remedy that. With the massive amounts of downtime at the office, I usually can get through one book in a day or two. Here's the list of what I've read in the year 2012:
- The Graveyard Book (Neil Gaiman)
- Howl's Moving Castle (Diana Wynn Jones)
- Shakespeare Plays: Othello, King Lear, Macbeth, The Tempest, A Midsummer Night's Dream, The Taming of the Shrew, Twelfth Night
- The Mysterious Benedict Society (Trenton Lee Stewart)
- The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Perilous Journey (Trenton Lee Stewart)
- Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (J. K. Rowling)
- Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (J. K. Rowling)
- Austenland (Shannon Hale)
- The Hero and the Crown (Robin McKinley)
The thing all of these books/plays have in common is that I had never read any of them before ("What??? You've never read the Harry Potter books? How are you a human!?!?"). My favorites so far have been The Graveyard Book, the Mysterious Benedict Society books, and yes, I am actually quite liking the Harry Potter books (although it's kind of depressing that I'm getting attached to these characters when I know that some of them are going to die). I think that Robin McKinley might be a little too "high fantasy**" for me, but at least I can say that I've read a Robin McKinley book!
My journey through the literary world is likely to continue for quite some time. I have five(?) more Harry Potters to get through, at any rate. Also, I'm open to recommendations! Comment below!
*"in a more stable financial place" = "accepted into a PhD program that will fund me"
**"High Fantasy" = in a magical world as opposed to magical stuff happening in the regular world. I can't really get into this type of fiction which is one of the reasons why I won't read/watch/think I'll enjoy The Lord of the Rings.
Congrats on all your reading! Check my blog for recommendations: sninny.blogspot.com
ReplyDeleteWhat did you think of Howl's Moving Castle? I've almost watched the movie but if the book's good I'd rather read it first.
Also, I definitely think you should read more of Shannon Hale's books, starting with "The Goose Girl". There are 4 in the series and they're all fabulous, though I think the first is my favorite. :)
Carly Weggland recently extolled the virtues of Austenland, and now with your reading of it, perhaps I should also take a looksee. I'm not too big on the Austen/Bronte world of lit, but I don't think that is a requirement, is it?
ReplyDeleteCindy--The book and the movie of "Howl's Moving Castle" are two very different animals. I think they're both good, but I was a little traumatized because I watched the movie the same day that I finished the book. So probably don't do that.
ReplyDeleteKiersten--Austenland is very much chick-lit, so be prepared for that, but it's fun and entertaining and a good way to kill a few hours.
You have a book by Neil Gaiman on your list? You also have Shakespeare plays. Hummmmm....
ReplyDeleteAny chance you've ever read the Sandman series? It's a comic series Gaiman wrote. Lasted 75 issues - and is collected in 8 TPB Volumes. I've read all 8 -- he's probably one of the most gifted writers in comics, as he brought new literary respect to the medium.
Through the stories and tales, about and weaved around the Sandman and the Dreaming - the series delved into so many facets of literature and mythology. Sandman (also known as Dream), his older sister Death, along with other siblings Delirium, Desire, Despair, Destiny and Destruction round out the cast - and made up the building blocks of one of the most impressive literary achievements of the last century. (It's very adult in nature, though. But never without a purpose.)
The series had numerous in-roads into Shakespeare. The issue "Midsummer Night's Dream" won the World Fantasy Award (which they promptly changed the rules, after seeing a comic book win). It detailed how Shakespeare gained his inspiration from the Sandman - in exchange for two plays. Midsummer Night's Dream is performed by the acting troupe - to an audience of Dream, Alberon, Titania, and the farie realm.
If I just repeated stuff you already know -- forgive me. But if you like Gaiman as a writer, the Sandman is pretty much his definitive work.