| 65. A Murder is Announced by Agatha Christie (2009 books) |
[06 Jan 2010|01:54pm] |
<img height="128" border="1" align="left" width="80" src="http://pics.librarything.com/picsizes/47/24/4724f16eda194d0597762505677434d414f4541.jpg" alt="" />
Title: <strong>A Murder is Announced</strong>
Author: Agatha Christie
Year: 1990 (original: 1950)
# of pages: 237
Date read: 12/29/2009
Rating: 3*/5 = good
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Description:</span>
"A murder is announced, and will take place on Friday, October 29th, at Little Paddocks, at 6:30 pm. . .
The ad in the local paper is a joke, of course. In bad taste, of course.
But none of Miss Blacklock's friends can resist calling on her at the appointed hour. Certainly not Miss Marple. . .
At 6:30 precisely, the lights go out. . ." -- <span style="font-style: italic;">from the back cover</span>
<span style="font-weight: bold;">My thoughts:</span>
This was a good mystery with lots of twists. I liked how Miss Marple and the Detective Inspector Craddock gradually put together the truth surrounding the murder announcement.
<strong>Progress:</strong>
<a href="http://www.languageisavirus.com/nanowrimo/word-meter.html" target="_blank" title="NaNoWriMo writing toys games & gadgets"><div style="width:200px;height:15px;background:#FFFFFF;border:1px solid #000000;"><div style="width:65%;height:15px;background:#0033FF;font-size:8px;line-height:8px;"><br></div></div></a>65 / 100 books. 65% done!
<a href="http://www.languageisavirus.com/nanowrimo/word-meter.html" target="_blank" title="NaNoWriMo writing toys games & gadgets"><div style="width:200px;height:15px;background:#FFFFFF;border:1px solid #000000;"><div style="width:68%;height:15px;background:#006600;font-size:8px;line-height:8px;"><br></div></div></a>20485 / 30000 pages. 68% done!
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| Book #1: Ellen Foster |
[06 Jan 2010|11:50am] |
I thought my first book of the year was going to be Northanger Abbey as I'm halfway through it on audiobook. However, I picked up Ellen Foster by Kaye Gibbons yesterday and finished it up last night. My review from goodreads:
The almost stream-of-consciousness style of this novel allows phrases of perfect veracity to be slipped into the narrative, which, when noticed, offer striking revelations straight from the jumbled mind of an abused child (who is but more clever for it). Infused with this authenticity, the narrative follows her brief first-person account of two eventful years of her early life. Compared in the cover blurb to Holden Caulfield, I find Ellen to be more reminiscent of her contemporary, Lily Owens (The Secret Life of Bees), and the atmosphere of racial tension often adds to this. Ellen, like Lily, is matter-of-fact and somewhat brash, yet she remains unceremoniously likable. Her candid reflections turn what would be a run-of-the-mill story into a sturdy, resounding narrative.
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| Books 1 and 2 |
[06 Jan 2010|12:35pm] |
Book 1
There Is No Freedom Without Bread - Constantine Pleshakov
In the fall of 1989, I had just started a class that was to look at the politics of the Cold War. As turmoil in the Eastern European countries began to boil over, the professor told us to all take back our books and instead buy subscriptions to national newspapers. We would watch history unfold, and he would fill in the back story on his own.
This historian's take on the collapse of communism for the 20th anniversary of the Berlin Wall falling is to some revisionist. The chestnut that somehow President Reagan brought about the transformative change with his strong stance is the one best served when looking through American politics.
But to have paid attention to each country, and its unique history, is to see that the each place had internal struggles that were bound to erupt and put pressure on an economic system that was quickly running out of resources.
Pleshakov attributes the entire fall to a long uprising in Poland that mixes nationalism with Catholicism. In his mind, the elevation of Pope John Paul II did more to kill communism than any political speech made by either the east or the west.
That is not to say that he doesn't give credit to leaders like Reagan, for inspiring many, or even to Gorbachev, whose insistence that each Soviet country had to handle its own affairs he credits with freeing the GDR.
In the newspapers of the day, each incremental change was viewed as momentous. But looking back, it's easy to see why Pleshakov titled his book with wordplay from the Solidarity movement (There is no bread without freedom).
For as much as the Eastern Europeans wanted the freedom provided by capitalism, they did not want to jettison the security offered by communism. That those two cannot be easily reconciled is clear enough to see when not looking through the prism of politics.
In the end, throwing off communism was not an action but a process that continues today.
Book 2
Closing Time - Joe Queenan
Joe Queenan, whose acerbic wit can sometimes be simply described as bluntly cruel, came about his cynicism the old-fasioned way. He earned it.
His memoir could be seen as explaining those years earning it, in the shadow of a vicious drunk of a father and wraithlike absent mother who moved him and his three sisters in and out of public housing and rough neighborhoods in 1950s and 1960s Philadelphia.
But this is also a coming-of-age tale, an homage to two blue-collar men who stepped in and helped when Queenan needed them most in his bid to escape poverty, the underclass and, most of all, his brutal father.
Sadly, for as much as he shares, there are many gaps in the telling of his story. Near the end of the book, he mentions that his mother has a wonderful sense of humor. This aside runs counter to the book's entirity, wherein she is seen as someone who doesn't love her husband, never wanted children and hides whenever the man she married savages his children with belts, hands, bottles or whatever might be lying around.
Similarly, for all the tale of moving from various Catholic parishes and details of his time in a junior seminary, Queenan drops on his reader,w tihout explanation, that he does not believe in God. Again, this comes near the end of the book, set up in a dependent clause with no additional information.
Queenan is at his best, though, when he is in rant mode. He rails against poverty and those who find redemption in it. He rants against his family and hose who could have helped but did not.
And, like in the essay that made him famous, he attacks the notion of substance abuse as a disease in general and the AA 12-step program in particular. The most angry he ever was at his father, he writes, is when he attempts a scripted apology from the 12-step program.
Compared to the mundane lives that pass for fodder in memoirs these days, this one stands out. it is not Queenan's best work, but it will do.
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| # 2 Kindred |
[06 Jan 2010|07:56am] |
Kindred
Octavia E. Butler
Dana is a "modern" young black woman living with her husband, Kevin, in Los Angeles, 1976. Suddenly, she finds herself in Maryland, 1819, where slavery is a way of life. She sees a young, white, red-headed boy struggling in a river, and realizes that she must save his life.
She figures out that he is her ancestor, Rufus Weylin, and she must keep him from danger until he has children with her other ancestor, the slave, Alice; thus ensuring her own existence.
Life is, of course, extremely dangerous for a black woman in the South of the 1800's, and Dana finds that when her life is threatened she is sent back to 1976. Yet, any time that Rufus is in danger, she is called back to the past.
Gosh, where to begin? This was an amazing book! Butler was such a talented writer! She never once lost the voice of any of the dichotomous characters, whether Dana or Rufus; it was as if the characters were speaking directly, telling their stories, while the author retreated into the background. Even among great writers, it is a rare talent for the author to completely disappear, IMO.
What a powerful novel! It was painful to read, and...important.
The symbiotic relationship between Dana and Rufus seemed to stand for the relationship, in general between slave and master. The way that Dana acclimated herself to the 1800's and the realities of slavery, and the other methods she found to cope were all very telling.
This book leaves the reader with so many thoughts and ideas; has so many points for discussion, that it would be the perfect read for a book club.
I urge not just book clubs, but everyone, to read this important work!
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| Book 1 |
[06 Jan 2010|08:17am] |
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Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling
Pages: 608 B&N Synopsis Readers beware. The brilliant, breathtaking conclusion to J.K. Rowling's spellbinding series is not for the faint of heart--such revelations, battles, and betrayals await in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows that no fan will make it to the end unscathed. Luckily, Rowling has prepped loyal readers for the end of her series by doling out increasingly dark and dangerous tales of magic and mystery, shot through with lessons about honor and contempt, love and loss, and right and wrong. Fear not, you will find no spoilers in our review--to tell the plot would ruin the journey, and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows is an odyssey the likes of which Rowling's fans have not yet seen, and are not likely to forget. But we would be remiss if we did not offer one small suggestion before you embark on your final adventure with Harry--bring plenty of tissues. The heart of Book 7 is a hero's mission--not just in Harry's quest for the Horcruxes, but in his journey from boy to man--and Harry faces more danger than that found in all six books combined, from the direct threat of the Death Eaters and you-know-who, to the subtle perils of losing faith in himself. Attentive readers would do well to remember Dumbledore's warning about making the choice between "what is right and what is easy," and know that Rowling applies the same difficult principle to the conclusion of her series. While fans will find the answers to hotly speculated questions about Dumbledore, Snape, and you-know-who, it is a testament to Rowling's skill as a storyteller that even the most astute and careful reader will be taken by surprise. A spectacular finish to a phenomenal series, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows is a bittersweet read for fans. The journey is hard, filled with events both tragic and triumphant, the battlefield littered with the bodies of the dearest and despised, but the final chapter is as brilliant and blinding as a phoenix's flame, and fans and skeptics alike will emerge from the confines of the story with full but heavy hearts, giddy and grateful for the experience. It’s been a few years since I read this, and I remember it being so dark and heavy, that I thought it would be a while before I came back to reread it. But after two years, I was ready to give it a go, and I’m glad I did. It’s just as good as I remember, and because it’d been a while, there were several things I’d forgotten. Definitely one of the better books of the series, even if it is horrifically sad. Books completed: 1/50 Pages completed: 608/15,000
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| new decade, new challenge! |
[06 Jan 2010|02:46am] |
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DJ Keri, "Ocean Blue" |
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so i failed miserably to keep track of my books read here. this year, i hope to do better. for me, i'd like to read 100 NEW books (not counting re-reads, though i will mention notable/favorite rereads from time to time).
kicking off....
#1 - Jake by Leigh Greenwood [Cowboys series]
#2 - Pete by Leigh Greenwood [Cowboys series]
i cannot say enough praise-wise about Mr. Greenwood and his novels. Seven Brides is by far my favorite series of his, but the Cowboys is trying to surpass that.
the premise of the series (copied from author's website--the words are his)
( premise/my opinions )
working on:
The Wise Woman by Philippa Gregory - Alys, young apprentice to a rumored witch, flees and joins an order of Catholic nuns. when the abbey is ransacked, leaving Alys the sole survivor, her life takes a very different turn. very enjoyable thus far.
Alexander the Great: Murder in Babylon by Graham Phillips - historical mystery study....was one of ancient history's most famous rulers, who dropped dead at the young age of thirty-two, possibly the victim of foul play? author explores the events leading up to the day Alexander died and presents eight people that he considers could be suspects. slow reading in some spots, but very interesting idea. recommended for students, as each chapter has at its end a section that seems to be of use for study guides, research/book reports and the like.
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| Book 1 - The Ravenmaster's Secret |
[05 Jan 2010|06:18pm] |
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Watching Coupling |
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Once again last year I failed in my personal goal to read 50 books that did not include plays. I only made it through 21 novels, bu with plays I did top 50. So my goal this year is, once again, to read 50 books not including plays.
Book 1 - The Ravenmaster's Secret: Escape From The Tower Of London
by Elvira Woodruff
Fast, easy youth-oriented story about the son of the Tower of London's Ravenmaster and a young Scottish girl who becomes imprisoned. It paints a semi-realistically grim picture of the conditions of Hanoverian England and the social system which divided even the lower classes from one another.
Obviously being a 'kids' book the language was fairly simplistic and there's very little conflict that isn't ultimately resolved well, at least for the main children in the story.
Currently Reading:
Peter Straub - Ghost Story
Upcoming:
No bloody idea.
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| 2010 Book 1: Too Close to Home by Linwood Barclay |
[05 Jan 2010|11:30pm] |
Book 1: Too Close to Home
Author: Linwood Barclay. 2008.
Genre: Thriller
Other Details: Hardback, 342 pages.
What's more frightening than your neighbours being murdered?
Finding the killers went to the wrong house...
Jim Cutter, his wife, Ellen, and their son, Derek have a fairly settled existence on the outskirts of Promise Falls in upstate New York. Then one hot July night their next door neighbours, the Langleys, are gunned down in their home and the Cutters' quiet lives are shattered. Albert Langley had been a prominent criminal lawyer and so it is natural for the police to consider that these murders might have been linked to one of his cases. However, there are factors that don't add up and these begin to prey on Jim's mind suggesting that the killers had gone to the wrong house. The idea seems crazy but then Jim begins a disturbing journey of discovery that uncovers secrets left, right and centre.
This was the January selection for one of my reading groups and I wasn't the only one that found themselves glued to the settee for the duration finding it almost impossible to put down. It was the subject of quite lively discussion last night from the observation that the cover blurb, quoted above, rather gave the game away to a discussion of its various red herrings and whether it counted as a whodunit, deconstruction of various characters' personalities and motivations, and finally some comparison to his first work, No Time for Goodbye (my 2008 Book 117), which we had all read in 2008.
Overall it received 'thumbs up' with only a couple of members in between liking and loathing and no 'thumbs down'. Collectively it was considered an easy read, perfect for the beach or as we had done, over the holidays.
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[05 Jan 2010|06:29pm] |
( 1-2 )
3. The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis - So I've never read this book or seen this movie before but I've heard good things so I read it and I liked it. I thought it was going to be longer but it was very simple and to the point which for its readers (kids young and old) fits. I liked it and I plan on reading the rest of the books and I'm tivo'ing the movie that's coming on this weekend, haha.
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| 50 in 2010 for me. |
[05 Jan 2010|04:28pm] |
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Hi all. I joined the 50bookchallenge community in 2008. At the time, I was fostering an infant with lots of time on my hands. Our circumstances changed and I, well, simply FORGOT about livejournal in general. However, I have continued to be a bookworm and made my way back to this community to challenge myself for 2010 - my year of self improvement. My year will run from 1/1/2010 to 12/31/2010.
My first read of the year was The Host by Stephenie Meyer</b>, which I just finished yesterday. Like many others, I fell down the Twilight series rabbit hole last year. The Host is Meyer's first "adult" novel. It was yet another page turner and steeped with sci-fi, lovable characters, and impossible romances. I heard a fair amount of criticism about the adult nature of the relationships in Twilight, so I was surprised to find that most of the "adult" content in this book was mostly related to death, not sex.
Long and short of it... it's a long read, but you'll plow through it, just like the Twilight series.
I've now moved on to Smart vs. Pretty</b> by Valerie Frankel</b> (contributing editor to Mademoiselle). So far, it's a cute "chick lit" mystery novel, but nothing profound. A nice, short paperback to recover from the sheer volume of The Host.
I'm planning on book #3 being a P.G. Wodehouse book! Love them!
Read on!
♥,
Amy Lee
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| Best of 2009 |
[05 Jan 2010|03:21pm] |
I didn't post as I went along in 2009, and I only made it to ~30 books, but I thought I'd at least give a round up of my favorites of 2009, 2009 was a year of audiobooks Only #4 on my list was actually read in hard copy.
1. Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro
*Amazing, heartbreaking audio performance. My SO and I both read it, and it fueled us with conversation for days.
2. Frankenstein by Mary Shelley
*Another one I'm glad to have listened to. Simon Vance is definitely on my top audiobook readers list, and his narration on this one brought all of the characters to life. I've resisted watching any adaptations of Frankenstein before reading it, though I thought I knew the basic gist. If you've not read it, do. It isn't what you're expecting, though it's much more tragic.
3. Blindness by Jose Saramago
*One of the first books I read in 2009, and one that I think back to quite frequently. I'm beginning to see a theme. My top 3 books deal greatly with human cruelty. This one also has some amazing examples of human kindness.
4. Inversions by Iain Banks
Sort of sci-fi that feels like historical fiction. Besides being a page-turner, it's also brilliantly written.
I'm attempting the challenge again in 2010, with my first book being Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen.
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| Four more books |
[05 Jan 2010|12:10pm] |
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Saint Lucy (Catie Curtis) |
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#4: Jenny's Birthday Book by Esther Averill
I read and loved The Hotel Cat two years ago. I thought it was the only Esther Averill book my library had (having looked many times) but my daughter ended up finding Jenny's Birthday Book. She loves cats and was instantly drawn to Averill's illustrations. As soon as I saw the little black cat with the red scarf I knew she had found a gem of a book. It's a much shorter book than Hotel Cat but just as charming.
#5 Lizzi & Fredl: A Perilous Journey of Love and Faith by William B. Stanford
I was sent this book for review on my blog. On GoodReads it's gotten good ratings (4s and 5s) but I just couldn't get into it. It switches between dramatic passages written in novel form with lots of dialogue and action scenes and then long passages of over written description. Yes, this four people had a traumatic experience during WWII (just like most people in Europe) and thankfully they survived. The presentation of their stories though doesn't work for me.
#6 Thanksgiving on Thursday (Magic Tree House #27) by Mary Pope Osborne
Why do series authors feel compelled to write holiday themed books? They're rarely as good as their other books. Thanksgiving on Thursday is no different. Jack and Annie go back to the first Thanksgiving feast with the Pilgrims. This book was so bad it's put my son off the series for now.
#7 High Tide in Hawaii (Magic Tree House #28) by Mary Pope Osborne
I read this one by myself because my son has declared himself done for now with the Magic Tree House books. Jack and Annie go to Hawaii to pre-colonization days where they learn to hula and surf. They also manage to survive a tsunami. For a better book with similar themes, I recommend Nation by Terry Pratchett.
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| First 3 books of the year. |
[05 Jan 2010|09:09pm] |
Book 01: The Picture Of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde - Retold by Kieran McGovern.
My stupid library gave me the level 4 book of Penguin Readers instead of the real The Picture Of Dorian Gray book. They tend to do that a lot, unfortunately. I did read it, because it was very short. I've placed an order for the real book once again, which probably means I have to wait for it for another few weeks. Good thing I have many good books at home right now.
So I'm counting this one, since I did read it, but I'll post about it when I've read the whole book. :)
~ ~ ~
Book 02: Candide by Voltaire. || 3 out of 5 stars.
Candide is the story of a gentle man who, though pummeled and slapped in every direction by fate, clings desperately to the belief that he lives in "the best of all possible worlds." On the surface a witty, bantering tale, this eighteenth-century classic is actually a savage, satiric thrust at the philosophical optimism that proclaims that all disaster and human suffering is part of a benevolent cosmic plan. Fast, funny, often outrageous, the French philosopher's immortal narrative takes Candide around the world to discover that -- contrary to the teachings of his distringuished tutor Dr. Pangloss -- all is not always for the best.
~ ~ ~
Book 03: 1984 by George Orwell. || 4 out of 5 stars.
Hidden away in the Record Department of the sprawling Ministry of Truth, Winston Smith skilfully rewrites the past to suit the needs of the Party. Yet he inwardly rebels against the totalitarian world he lives in, which demands absolute obedience and controls him through the all-seeing telescreens and the watchful eye of Big Brother, symbolic head of the Party. In his longing for truth and liberty, Smith begins a secret love affair with a fellow-worker Julia, but soon discovers the true price of freedom is betrayal.
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| Frost Wolves |
[05 Jan 2010|12:50pm] |
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KMRB is offering up Lucinda Williams, "Broken Things" |
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Odd and the Frost Giants, by Neil Gaiman
Perfect book for being sick. So much like my childhood experience of reading and rereading and re-rereading Roger Lancelyn Green's Myths of the Norsemen that I fell asleep in the middle. Soothing (er, the experience, not the storyline) and gorgeously told.
(3/200, 1/100)
Living with Wolves, by Jim and Jamie Dutcher
I gave this as a Christmas gift and was so intrigued that I had to get myself a copy to read. The text is fairly basic but the pictures are absolutely stunning. Also I am a bad bad pet owner because I played the CD of wolf sounds even though I knew that my cats would probably freak out. Sure enough, the youngest one STILL hasn't come out of hiding, an hour later. I will definitely be reading Wolves at the Door, the more-story-fewer-pictures version of this. (Though if you were picking just one, I'd be inclined to go with the pictorial. They really are beautiful pictures.)
(4/200)
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| 1st book for the new year |
[05 Jan 2010|10:45am] |
Title: Truly, Madly
Author: Heather Webber
Genre: Mystery/Romance
Truly, Madly is a cute and engaging book. Ms. Webber hooks you in early with a likeable heroine. Lucy is trying to make her own way in the world without the benefit of her trust fund, or her family’s fortune. Unfortunately her father ropes her into taking care of the family business while he goes for a little R & R. Lucy is apprehensive of her ability. Unlike the rest of her family, Lucy isn't a matchmaker, but a finder of lost inanimate objects. With all worries and the support of the family chauffer Lucy makes her debut in the office immediately getting caught up in the plight of one of their clients who really just wants his lost love back. This leads Lucy to the vision of his family's heirloom engagement ring on the finger of a skeleton. She asks the P.I. upstairs for help.
The characterizations weren't too in depth, but there's enough there to become enchanted by the quirky characters in Lucy's life. This is a great for when you want a light read to pass the time. There's a nice twist to solving the culprit of the crime, that isn't telegraphed too early to spoil the mystery.
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| #1 |
[05 Jan 2010|09:03am] |
It's a new year, and it's time to start another 50 book challenge.
Yesterday, I finished the latest Doonesbury book by G. D. Trudeau, called Tee Time in Berzerkistan, which gets the world up to the early days of the Obama Administration. Once again, it gives an odd viewpoint to the news of the day. If you like Trudeau, then this is a must; if you don't, don't bother with it.
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| Continuation |
[05 Jan 2010|12:03pm] |
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Rent "Without You" |
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4. Without You by Anthony Rapp 
Summary: This is a memoir written by Anthony Rapp, one of the original cast members of the Broadway rock opera, Rent. He starts off with the New York Theatre Workshop production to start off the play and continues on telling the story of his life as the play progressed. It's a story of love, loss, friends, family and work, but most of all it's about life. He tells of his struggles of dealing with the loss of the plays creator, his own family members and his boyfriends. It's a story of growing up and dealing with the events no one expects to deal with.
Review: I enjoyed the book. I'm a huge Renthead so that's probably why I enjoyed it so much. There were a lot of times I felt it drag a little or it jumped around too much, but all in all the point was made and you could see a change in Anthony over time. It was also a very sad story and I had to put the book down once and let the sadness and grief wash over me before I could continue on.
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| Book #1 |
[05 Jan 2010|11:30am] |
I'm doing the book challenge again. I hope to get to at least 50 this year, but I'd love to beat last year's total (101). We'll see how that goes! I'll try to post them a handful at a time, but I'm going to post just one now.
Title: The Mozart Forgeries
Author: Daniel N. Leeson
Year published: 2004
Genre: Fiction, mystery
Pages: 332
Rating: 3/5 (good)
Description: The idea of creating a counterfeit of a genuine Mozart manuscript is outrageous, but to attempt the forging of two such compositions for the purpose of a technical/musical swindle is an order of magnitude more aggressive. Yet that is exactly what Forger, a counterfeiting genius, and Librarian, an eighteenth century document specialist, decide to do, their motivation being a $20,000,000 price tag. They are faced with incredible impediments not the least of which is the authentication of both documents by some of the world's leading Mozart scholars.
My thoughts: There were things I liked about this book and things I didn't like. I found the descriptions of the process the two characters (named Librarian and Forger in the book -- you never do find out their names) went through to create a credible story and two Mozart manuscripts that can pass authentication by scholars fascinating. Leeson delves into the making of the paper, ink, the watermarks, Mozart's handwriting, and other elements that made the forgery seem real. Some might think this whole section a bit too detailed, and perhaps it was, but for a music geek like me it was perhaps the most interesting part of the whole book. Leeson, a Mozart scholar himself, really knows his stuff and it shows with his intermingling of reality (the two Mozart manuscripts in question really did disappear and have not been seen again since shortly after they were written) with his fictional elements.
The pacing of the book is somewhat off, however. Leeson spends much time on the set up: the background of the characters, the creation of the forged manuscripts, and then everything moves too fast at the end, too many new things get introduced, and the end feels a bit rushed and forced after the fairly slow pace of the first 2/3 of the novel. He throws in some plot twists at the end which are somewhat unbelievable and yet not entirely surprising at the same time. One plot twist at the end almost seemed like it was thrown in to force the book into a quicker conclusion.
Leeson's writing does not flow very well and it's obvious he spends more time writing academic work than fiction. Sometimes I wanted to take a pen to the work and edit the writing to make it flow in a more natural way.
Overall, I thought this was a good book and one I was happy I read, but the writing could use a bit of editing and some flow issues could be addressed.
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| Info about DGM: Noche Artbook |
[05 Jan 2010|10:36am] |
TitaniumChloride has summarized some information tidbits about Noche, DGM artbook, from a fanblog.
The first illustration collection specially comes in a case!
More than 80 pieces of "D.Gray-man" centric colour illustrations compiled! Furthermore, there'll be some with splendid dialogue with fellow Weekly Jump authors, illustration explanations, etc.; those who are following the project will be fully satisfied!! There's also a pleasant surprise at the bottom of the sleeve case!!
★ "Noche", a decorated group of grand plans will be meticulously released!
● A completely new poster!!An illustration that's different from the cover picture makes it's debut! A collector's edition three-fold poster!! ● 2 premium talks collected only in this book![Hoshino Katsura x Akimoto Asamu] [Hoshino Katsura x Obata Takeshi]
A new dialogue with Akimoto Asamu and Obata Takeshi, both whom Hoshino hold in high esteem! Also, the "Autograph in Commemoration of the dialogue" done by Hoshino and the two authors is also included!! ● A peek into Hoshino's daily life!Katsura Photo
Pictures from Hoshino's digital camera and mobile phone are specially made public!
Following Hoshino's point of view, it's a premium gallery!! Noche will be released on Feb. 4th.
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| almost last books from 2009 |
[05 Jan 2010|10:43am] |
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"BOOK 42" - BRUNO BOSTEELS: RADICAL ANTIPHILOSOPHY
essay
language: English
pages: 32
Something my bf recommend me to read, so that I would understand his philosophical thinking better. I remember it said something negative about women, and there was also something about Paul, but no, I cannot tell anyone know what is radical antiphilosophy. I don't think that's because I wouldn't have found this interesting, but because I haven't really read philosophical texts and thus found it difficult to put this new information into any context. Maybe I ought to read it again in some years.... ^^;;;
BOOK 43 - ALAN HOLLINGHURST: THE SWIMMING-POOL LIBRARY
a novel
language: English
pages: 288
I started reading this novel many months ago, and thought the language was very difficult. Well, I guess it was. For a non-native speaker like at least. I could've picked many new words from almost any page, but luckily this didn't ruin the reading experience. I'm happy to have read this book: it was a very nice read, always when reading it, I felt like I was reading proper, respectable modern literature, and that is not something I can say about all of the books I spend my time reading. An interesting depiction of the London homosexual society, and the relationships between the characters well established and developed. I would recommend to anyone who's not afraid of a bit of demanding language and some gay sex. Definitely worth reading!
"BOOK 44" - OTTO BRUNNER: CHAPTERS FROM "LAND AND LORDSHIP"
scientific, history
language: English
pages: 71
Land und Herrschaft von Otto Brunner is a historical classic at least here in Vienna. So, not surprising my history studying boyfriend made me read some chapters from the English edition. That's cool, now I have a bit better grasp of the Middle Ages, of which I cannot say to have known anything real before reading this.
BOOK 45 - JOSEPH CONRAD: THE HEART OF DARKNESS
a novel/short-story
language: English
pages: 111
Did I like it? Yes, absolutely. Style and language were easy to read, but still high level, many metaphors and symbols gave good colour to the story. We will be studying HoD on our English literature class, I'm looking forward to that. So, a well, well written piece of art. But; there were some things that bothered me (but which I wouldn't have expected to be any different, taking into account the time when the book was written) - the depiction of women and the black natives of Africa. As a woman I was naturally more touched by the unfairness towards women: it bothered me, because the red line, or the theme, or the teachings of this book CLAIM to be about whole of humanity, to tell the readers something universal. But there were no female characters whatsoever until the end, and then the woman had only one purpose to love and to adore his fiance. I'll not swallow it, that the problems white colonialist men face would be the problems of women/blacks/etc as well. Sure, greed and the dark side of humans is something we all agree, but I feel that if a work really wants to be universal in what it says, it will have to use more universal reprsenters than white colonialist men. But, yes, I know, this book like any other, is a child of its time.
BOOK 46 - E.T.A. HOFFMANN: DER SANDMANN
a short-story
language: German
pages: 42 (+ das Nachwort)
So, I guess this is the beginning of my project of reading German literature in German (initated by my German-speaking boyfriend - I wish I could give him back in the same way, but his Finnish consists of about 50 words, so not yet). I liked this short-story (Reklam-print<3) a lot. The best thing about it was, that even at the end the you didn't really know was it true or just inside Nathanael's head, the identity of the antagonists etc. left it open for many possible interpretations, and that is just great in half-fantasy books such as this. I was naturally learning a lot of new German words when reading this, and I liked the language and style generally very much; so of it was very Romantic as the protagonist was wavering between Clara, his fiancee, and new crush of his (who turned out to be a delicately built machine...). So yup yup, recommendable, and will not mind reading more Hoffmann in the future.
BOOK 47 - ALEKSIS KIVI: SEITSEMÄN VELJESTÄ
a novel
language: Finnish
pages: 367
This is _the Finnish novel_, and as embarassing it is, I hadn't read it before this. I got this copy from my grandmother when I was 12, and tried reading it, but it was booring; dude, there's seven imbecillic men sitting on a big stone, what's the point? Well, I knew I'd read The Seven Brothers at some point - how otherwise could I claim to be any sort of a literary person... Now it was the time and, god, it was funny! The silly things and their stupidities made me laugh many time, aloud, and there were also many small literary treasures hidden in the text, and even some wisdom from the brothers' mouths. And; no women characters (OK, reference to their religious mother and the nice, plum wife-like girl nextdoor), but it didn't bother me. Obviously the novel was a tribute/jape for/about the Finnish _men_! Funny recognising the archetypes, they're still alive...
Would recommend The Seven Brothers for anybody, who is interested in Finland and its people and literature, but: do reserve along some of black, sarcastic humour, and keep in mind that the book was ment humoristic.
BOOK 48 - PETER SINGER: ANIMAL LIBERATION
scientific, philosophy, animal rights
language: English
pages: 248
Singer's book from 1973 has acquired the status of being the Bible of the animal rights activists, and rightly so. My own activism runs on the same line as his, and followingly I could find nothing to criticise in the book and theories he proposed. I can't really make up my mind on the illegal direct activism, but most often I think that it might be more harmful than promoting to the movement. I would like to make Animal Liberation a compulsory reading for everyone. In 99 cases of 100, when I'm asked about veganism or animal activism, people react to everything I say so stupidly... You give them a list of facts and scientific study, they don't even hear you, then they laugh and say that "but meat's swell". There's a lot of good literature on animals out there, but only the marginalised activists read it, and that's a pity. I like a good argument, but the usual responses in this topic can in no way be called "good"... My boyfriend (a Nietzschean) once told me that no everyone has the right to an opinion. This probably sounds bad to you, I guess many of you are Americans, but I'm really starting to agree with him. Why should I give any attention or value to an opinion that is not argued for in any rational way?
Krhmmhh.. back to the book. Well, it's not a nice read. And it's not even quick, because there are a lot of names and dates and numbers etc. But this something that concerns each one of us - our most frequent contact with an animal is when we eat it; that's daily, happens many times a day even, but do we think beyond that beef? Like I said, everyone should read Animal Liberation. And then come and argue with me.
BOOK 49 - JOSTEIN GAARDER: SOFIAN MAAILMA
novel, philosophy
language: Finnish
pages: 585
I had the book for a long time, but it took me a long time to start it; and a couple of days to finish it. I absolutely loved Sophie's World. The parts on philosophy were interesting and very educative, and they connected well with the plot of the novel, which succeeded in keeping me in suspense until the end, and even surprising me some times. A perfect start for anyone who enjoys a good book and want to fall in love with philosophy. I know I did.
BOOK 50 - WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE: KING LEAR
a play
language: English
pages: 86
Yup, reading on with Shakespeare's master pieces. I read King Lear together with my boyfriend; we started it in Vicenza, Italy, on our summer holiday, and well, it took some time. I guess only because we both read a lot of other things as well, because the play was really good and enjoyable (well, surprise surprise, a Shakespeare). I liked the Fool. Again, a play I would definitely like to see on the stage, something is after all wrong with Vienna if they don't yearly have a Shakespeare play, we'll see, last year they had Macbeth I think. But evil people told me I shouldn't go and see it (expensive, and I wouldn't understand a lot). But - I went to see a piece with a kid that I'm taking care of, and understood everything (sure, children's play, but if I could understand 100%, and knowing the text of a Shakespeare piece, I'm sure I can get away with 70% in "the adult theatre" and that's good enough). Yes yes, read King Lear, and anything by Shakespeare, it might make you a better person.
(These plus 2 (or 3) other books I read it 2009. I'll add an account for them later, now I have no time.)
Read this year:
52/50 = 104 %
year 2009
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