Sunday, January 15, 2012

Week in Review (2)

Random Thoughts

This was almost a day late, too. I am not really sure where the time is going so far this year but I never seem to have enough of it. I only read 4 books last week, too. It is better than my November and December reading, but it is not what I was hoping for.  I am hoping things will get better as the week goes on. I suppose it will depend on whether or not I find some more time. On the plus side the house is rather clean now.

I am going to hopefully have a new template very soon. I am very excited about it. One of the things I plan to do at the same time is switch to a personalized URL. Unfortunately 'The Written World' is rather common, so that URL is not taken. I decided not to change my blog name; so I just need to decide on something close.

Challenge News

The Time Machine by H.G. Wells is a book off the 1001 Books to Read Before you Die list, but it also counts for the Science-Fiction Experience.
I also finished Foundation by Isaac Asimov. I all ready mentioned in last weeks post that it was part of the 1001 Books to Read Before you Die, but it also counts for the Science-Fiction Experience. You can see my thoughts on the first part of the book here.
The Scrapbook of Frankie Pratt by Caroline Preston counts for the Historical Fiction Reading Challenge.
I watched 16 Blocks, The Invasion, 28 Days, Mercury Rising, and Gothika for The Movie Madness Challenge

Weekly Reads

This was one of the books I read with my holiday gift cards. I read the first 3 books last year, although book 1 was a reread, and I really enjoyed the different elements that the books possessed. It is very hard to talk about a random book in the midst of a series. I will just have to say that this book made me want to read Moby Dick. There were lots of other bookish connections to make through the course of the book. I enjoyed the artwork and characters, too. I look forward to Volume 5. (Personal Copy)





I discovered H.G. Wells in 2011 and read a couple of his books back then. I am looking forward to exploring more from him in 2012. I decided that just like last year I was going to start the early part of the year with another read by him. It works many ways because it is a Classic, and I always want to read more classics, and because it counts for the Science-Fiction Experience. This is one of Wells more popular novellas, I don't think it is long enough to be considered a novel, and I enjoyed it overall. I think The Invisible Man, my first read by him, will stick with me longer, though. (Personal E-book)




This book is for the read-along that Carl is hosting as part of the Science-Fiction Experience. You can see the first part of my review here and the second part will be posted tomorrow. (Personal E-book)









This is a book that I have been hearing lots about and wanted to experience for myself. I decided it was not something that I wanted to just get from the library, so I was happy to read my own copy and be able to enjoy it for many years to come. This is a buddy read with Amy from My Friend Amy that will we be posting about at some point. (Personal Copy)







Currently Reading:
1Q84 by Haruki Murakami
Noisy Outlaws, Unfriendly Blobs, and Some Other Things by Various Authors
Naked by David Sedaris
A Midsummer Night's Dream by William Shakespeare
Moonwalking with Einstein by Joshua Foer

Currently Listening To:
Ready Player One by Ernest Cline

Weekly Posts

Foundation by Isaac Asimov (Foundation Trilogy, Book 1) - A Group Discussion Part 1
Review: MWF seeking BFF: My Yearlong Search for a New Best Friend by Rachel Bertsche
What Are You Listening Wednesday - Week 8
Tuning in on Thursday - Week 9
Friday Reads - 2nd Edition

New Additions

Bought:
The History of History by Ida Hattemer-Higgins
Little, Big by John Crowley
Cinder by Marissa Meyer
Half-Blood Blues by Esi Edugyan

Borrowed:
The Informationist by Taylor Stevens
Moonwalking with Einstein: The Art and Science of Remembering Everything by Joshua Foer
Breadcrumbs by Anne Ursu
First Day on Earth by Cecil Castellucci
The Cat's Table by Michael Ondaatje

Received:
The One Dish Collection by the Canadian Living Test Kitchen (Random House)

Used Credit to Acquire:
Killbox by Ann Aguirre
Grimspace by Ann Aguirre
White Tiger by Kylie Chan
The Pretty Details of So-and-so's Life by Camilla Gibb
Baba Yaga Laid an Egg by Dubravka Ugresic
Indulgence in Death by J.D. Robb
The Collected Stories by Carol Shields

24 comments:

  1. Anonymous11:19 PM

    A Midsummer Night's Dream is one of my favourite Shakespeare plays. And surprisingly, one of the only ones I didn't have to read in either high school or uni. Maybe that's why I like it so much ;) Happy reading!

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    1. Yes, I was never forced to read 'A Midsummer Night's Dream' either. We will see how my reading of it goes!

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  2. I really enjoyed The Time Machine, though I was surprised at the political leanings and discussions in the book. I need to get a hold of more Wells novels; The Island of Dr Moreau intrigues me.

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    1. Yes, that was interesting. I had heard that Wells attempts to put many of his personal opinions into his books, though.

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  3. The intertextual references are one of my favourite things about The Unwritten. It makes me want to read all the books it mentions, too!

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    1. It's a lot of fun! There were many in the recent one... Another book I wish you had bought. *cries* (Just kidding... Mostly...)

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  4. You have SUCH exciting books on the go. I have 1Q84 in my near future and the size is somewhat intimidating. :D

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    1. I just am not getting the time to read anything lately. I did finish Shakespeare today, so yay!

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  5. I don't think I've read Naked, but I do enjoy Sedaris's work. I hope you have a great week!

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    1. This is my first Sedaris. I picked it up at the second-hand store because I had heard good things about him. I hope you have a good week, too!

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  6. I'd love to re-read Wells someday. I had a huge tome as a young teenager The Complete Works of.... Obviously it was just his fiction: novels, novellas, short stories but I gobbled it up. Boy was the print tiny and the pages were like onion skin!

    I got Cinder last week, too! Looks good, but I didn't know it was the first of a quartet when I got it. So much for not starting any new series :-0

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    1. Well, I am just reading the free downloads that came with my eReader... I look forward to exploring him a bit more.

      Yes, I didn't know Cinder was part of a series either. Everything is a series nowadays!

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  7. Enjoy all your new additions.

    I don't know if I've ever read anything by H. G. Wells, aside from a short story. I feel like I should though.

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    1. I had heard of H.G. Wells before, but never really paid a lot of attention. There was books by him on my new ereader, though, so I decided to give him a try last year. I have to say I still prefer print, but there are some advantages to paper. I found that without my ereader, though, I wouldn't have read many classics.

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  8. I'm excited to see your new blog layout and name!

    I should read some more H.G. Wells, too. I enjoyed both THE TIME MACHINE and THE WAR OF THE WORLDS, but somehow I've never gotten around to the rest of his books.

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    1. I am excited about my up-coming changes. :)

      I really need to read The War of the Worlds. I have it on my ereader so hopefully I will get to it soon!

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  9. Kelly, Kelly, Kelly...I swear you make me feel like such an underachiever!!! How the hell do you fit so much into a week?!! Seriously! How. Do. You. Do. It?!!!

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    1. I don't really feel that I do... I spend a lot of time on the computer and such, you know. And it is not like my house is immaculate or anything.

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  10. Yea. What Debi says/asks.

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    1. haha, I really don't feel like I accomplish that much. I want to accomplish so much more!

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  11. Good luck with your goal to read more books by HG Wells this year. He always seem to be a hit-and-miss for me. What titles do you intend to pick up this year?

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    1. I know for sure I have War of the Worlds, but otherwise I am not entirely sure what to read next. I will have to do some research after that one.

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  12. We read AMND in school and I enjoyed it so much that I read it again for my A Levels - I wrote a paper comparing it to Much Ado About Nothing.

    I picked up a gorgeous book last year with all of Shakespeare's plays in - perhaps I should pick it up off the shelf and have a read.

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    1. That's a great idea!

      I have the collected works of Shakespeare, too. I am glad to finally be cracking it open!

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