Thursday, March 8, 2012
Books Bought March 1st
65) The Unreal Life of Sergey Nabokov - Paul Russell (new, paperback)
Where? Kenny's
Irish online bookseller offering "free" delivery and a fair to good selection of books? I possible replacement for my beloved book depository? We shall see.
Why?
I've already mentioned this one.
Paul Russell's (presumably somewhat fictionalized) biography of Vladimir Nabokov's younger brother, who lived in Europe during WWII and died in a concentration camp. I wasn't totally aware of how fixated I'd become on this one til it arrived in the office today and I shrieked and jumped up and down a little.
I have assured myself of Russell's literary chops, read up on the facts of Sergey's life, and suffered through Vladimir Nabokov's own book about estranged brothers.
I have never been so prepared to read a book.
The Damage: €13.50
Monday, March 5, 2012
The Amazing Scott Lynch Read-Along
So, since I've got the outrageous book-buying addiction under control (sort of, I've cut my spending a little and my buying no longer out paces my reading) I'm going to do more interesting things with this blog*.
As a first step I'll be participating in the Scott Lynch read along that's been organized by some great bloggers
Little Red Reviewer
Dark Cargo
MyAwfulReviews
Dark Cargo Explorer
"This spring, I invite you to join Dark Cargo, My Awful Reviews, @OhthatAshley posting at SF Signal, and Dark Cargo Explorer and Yours Truly on an epic journey through the elderglass towers, the corrupt marketplaces, the shark infested waters beneath the pirate ship fortresses, and the thief prowling alleys and bridges of Camorr. I invite you to join us on what could be the reading experience of your life. I invite you to join us on our read along of Scott Lynch’s debut novel The Lies of Locke Lamora, the unassuming looking fantasy novel that started cults, inspired restraining order style behavior, and quite possibly changed everyone’s ideas of dark fantasy and antiheroes. Don’t worry, we’ll be reading Red Seas Under Red Skies as well. Can’t have a summer without pirates, now can we?" - from Little Red Reviewer
For those who want to join in the reading plan is as follows
The read along kicked off at the weekend (I'm late posting because I was at P-Con) and to mark the occasion Scott Lynch himself posted some great information about the genesis of The Lies of Locke Lamora over at his livejournal
*not a guarantee
As a first step I'll be participating in the Scott Lynch read along that's been organized by some great bloggers
Little Red Reviewer
Dark Cargo
MyAwfulReviews
Dark Cargo Explorer
@ohthatashley at SF Signal
For those who want to join in the reading plan is as follows
Week 1- Read prologue thru end of Interlude called “Locke Stays for Dinner”. Discussion questions go out on March 8, posts go up on Saturday March 10
Week 2 – Read Chapter three thru end of Interlude called “The Boy who Cried for a Corpse”, Discussion questions go out on March 15 , posts go up on Saturday March 17.
Week 3 – Read Chapter five thru end of Interlude called “The Half Crown War”. Discussion questions go out on March 22, posts go up on Saturday March 24.
Week 4 – Read Chapter nine thru Interlude called “Orchids and Assassins”. Discussion questions go out March 29, posts go up on March 31
Week 5 – Read chapter 14 thru end of the book. Discussion questions go out April 5th, posts go up April 7th.
The read along kicked off at the weekend (I'm late posting because I was at P-Con) and to mark the occasion Scott Lynch himself posted some great information about the genesis of The Lies of Locke Lamora over at his livejournal
*not a guarantee
Wednesday, February 29, 2012
Books Bought Feb 29th
63) The Real Life of Sebastian Knight - Vladimir Nabokov (new, paperback)
Where? Hodges Figgis
Why?
Okay, so, I really want to read Paul Russell's latest book, The Unreal Life of Sergey Nabokov.
About a month or so after deciding I wanted to read it, and checking if I could find it shelved locally (no), or digital w/out drm (no), I was working up to deciding who I'd order it from and realized that I already have a book by Paul Russell on shelf that I hadn't even started. So I made myself read it before I committed to buying any more books by him. In case I didn't like it. Save myself some money, savy?
So far so sensible. But while I was doing that I found the time to read the Lev Grossman article about Nabokov's younger brother, which inspired Russell to write The Unreal Life of Sergey Nabokov. (And it is really worth reading).
After that it became clear to me that to put it in the proper context I really ought to read Nabobov's own book about his brother first. It's just sensible.
Sensible, and illustrative of why I will never make it to the end of my reading list and will die a pauper, surrounded by paperbacks
The Damage: €15.10 (is that a sick price for a classic paperback or what?)
64) Grail - Elizabeth Bear (new, paperback)
Where? Hodges Figgis
I got HF to order this in for me. They send a text when the book comes in, which is better than being rung because I always miss the call and have to ring back.
Why?
Anyway, final book in Bear's Jacob Ladder series.
I think when I started reading Bear back in September I made some sort of deal with myself that I would not race through her backlist like some sort of demon bookslut but instead space them out slowly.
Aaaand in the intervening 6 months I have read 14 of her books. When I finish Grail I will only have one trilogy and her two stand alones left to finish her backlist and have to start waiting on her new publications (which, thank god, are frequent).
The Damage: €7.40
Total Spend: €584.79
Where? Hodges Figgis
Why?
Okay, so, I really want to read Paul Russell's latest book, The Unreal Life of Sergey Nabokov.
About a month or so after deciding I wanted to read it, and checking if I could find it shelved locally (no), or digital w/out drm (no), I was working up to deciding who I'd order it from and realized that I already have a book by Paul Russell on shelf that I hadn't even started. So I made myself read it before I committed to buying any more books by him. In case I didn't like it. Save myself some money, savy?
So far so sensible. But while I was doing that I found the time to read the Lev Grossman article about Nabokov's younger brother, which inspired Russell to write The Unreal Life of Sergey Nabokov. (And it is really worth reading).
After that it became clear to me that to put it in the proper context I really ought to read Nabobov's own book about his brother first. It's just sensible.
Sensible, and illustrative of why I will never make it to the end of my reading list and will die a pauper, surrounded by paperbacks
The Damage: €15.10 (is that a sick price for a classic paperback or what?)
64) Grail - Elizabeth Bear (new, paperback)
Where? Hodges Figgis
I got HF to order this in for me. They send a text when the book comes in, which is better than being rung because I always miss the call and have to ring back.
Why?
Anyway, final book in Bear's Jacob Ladder series.
I think when I started reading Bear back in September I made some sort of deal with myself that I would not race through her backlist like some sort of demon bookslut but instead space them out slowly.
Aaaand in the intervening 6 months I have read 14 of her books. When I finish Grail I will only have one trilogy and her two stand alones left to finish her backlist and have to start waiting on her new publications (which, thank god, are frequent).
The Damage: €7.40
Total Spend: €584.79
Books Bought Feb 17th
61) Embassytown - China Miéville (new, paperback)
Where? Chapters
Why?
I love China Miéville. He's intelligent and articulate, I'm always happy to read an interview with him, or watch a youtube video of him speaking. I just havn't actually read any of his books.
I'm trying to think of a less lazy sounding way to say that I haven't read any of his books because they seem like they'd be a lot of hard work. But, yeah, they do sort of scream hardwork.
Quite why I decided to finally start out with his first book that is straight up sf rather than fantasy when hard-work-sf is one of my least favourite sub genres is a little mystifying. But I read somewhere that Embassytown is partially a responce to The Sparrow, so that could hold my attention, right?
The Damage: €10.05
62) Children of God - Mary Doria Russell (used,paperback)
Where? Chapters
Why?
I did really love The Sparrow.
Sequel time.
The Damage: €4.99
Where? Chapters
Why?
I love China Miéville. He's intelligent and articulate, I'm always happy to read an interview with him, or watch a youtube video of him speaking. I just havn't actually read any of his books.
I'm trying to think of a less lazy sounding way to say that I haven't read any of his books because they seem like they'd be a lot of hard work. But, yeah, they do sort of scream hardwork.
Quite why I decided to finally start out with his first book that is straight up sf rather than fantasy when hard-work-sf is one of my least favourite sub genres is a little mystifying. But I read somewhere that Embassytown is partially a responce to The Sparrow, so that could hold my attention, right?
The Damage: €10.05
62) Children of God - Mary Doria Russell (used,paperback)
Where? Chapters
Why?
I did really love The Sparrow.
Sequel time.
The Damage: €4.99
Tuesday, February 28, 2012
Books Bought Feb 14th (cntd)
60) The Tough Guide to Fantasy Land - Diana Wynne Jones (used, hb)
Where? eBay
Why did I never think of buying used books on eBay before? It's so obvious,
Why?
I notionally writing a fantasy novel. By this what I of course mean is that I am not at all writing a fantasy novel, but am occasionally putting some mental work into making my fantasy world 'go.' That 'aha' moment I get when something clicks into place and another aspect of the geography/culture/politics goes from not making any sense to making a little bit of sense is very satisfying.
Diana Wynne Jones is another one of those writers who I should feel properly ashamed for never having read before.
Oh look, synergy.
The Damage: €7.27
Where? eBay
Why did I never think of buying used books on eBay before? It's so obvious,
Why?
I notionally writing a fantasy novel. By this what I of course mean is that I am not at all writing a fantasy novel, but am occasionally putting some mental work into making my fantasy world 'go.' That 'aha' moment I get when something clicks into place and another aspect of the geography/culture/politics goes from not making any sense to making a little bit of sense is very satisfying.
Diana Wynne Jones is another one of those writers who I should feel properly ashamed for never having read before.
Oh look, synergy.
The Damage: €7.27
Tuesday, February 14, 2012
Books Bought Feb 14th
59) The Magician King - Lev Grossman (new. trade paperback)
Where? Hodges Figgis
Why?
Uck, did I really just cave in to the madness and buy a large format papaerback. More fool me.
I really loved The Magicians, but I was totally intent on waiting for The Magician King in mass market paperback.
After two circuits of the bookshop and no sign of anything else I wanted I caved.
The Damage: €15.10 (Why do Hodges Figgis charge such strange prices? This is information I need).
Total Spend: €539.98
Where? Hodges Figgis
Why?
Uck, did I really just cave in to the madness and buy a large format papaerback. More fool me.
I really loved The Magicians, but I was totally intent on waiting for The Magician King in mass market paperback.
After two circuits of the bookshop and no sign of anything else I wanted I caved.
The Damage: €15.10 (Why do Hodges Figgis charge such strange prices? This is information I need).
Total Spend: €539.98
Books Bought Feb 11th
58) Tamburlaine must die - Louise Welsh (used, hardback)
Where? Chapters
Why?
This was a Saturday, and I was suffering under the notion that I was going to have to go into work eventually to do final prep for our audit on Monday. But at least being a Saturday I didn't have to be go in in the morning, I think I ended up working 4pm - 8pm, which is when I'm at my most awake and productive.
Anyway the audit hanging over me like a cloud raining anxiety and terror I needed a book to calm me down.
Most specifically, I need a short, junky, book I could read in one sitting before going to work.
This is also part of my slow progress through every modern fictionalized portrayal of Christopher Marlowe.
It was terrible.
The Damage: €4.99
Where? Chapters
Why?
This was a Saturday, and I was suffering under the notion that I was going to have to go into work eventually to do final prep for our audit on Monday. But at least being a Saturday I didn't have to be go in in the morning, I think I ended up working 4pm - 8pm, which is when I'm at my most awake and productive.
Anyway the audit hanging over me like a cloud raining anxiety and terror I needed a book to calm me down.
Most specifically, I need a short, junky, book I could read in one sitting before going to work.
This is also part of my slow progress through every modern fictionalized portrayal of Christopher Marlowe.
It was terrible.
The Damage: €4.99
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