75 Books...More or Less! discussion
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Jacob's 75+ in 2012
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Jacob
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Jan 02, 2012 08:58PM
I read 80 books in 2011, so I'm going to try for 100 this year. But I like this group, so I think I'll stick around.
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2012 Reading List 1-101) In Defense of Flogging by Peter Moskos (Review)
2) The Anniversary and Other Stories by Louis Auchincloss (Review)
3) The Ghost Child by Simeon Stoychev (Review)
4) they say the owl was a baker's daughter: four existential noirs by Pablo D'Stair (Review)
5) Pastoralia: Stories by George Saunders (Review
6) Walkabout by James Vance Marshall (Review)
7) 3 to Kill by Jean-Patrick Manchette (Review)
8) George Washington by James MacGregor Burns and Susan Dunn
9) A Voice from Old New York: A Memoir of My Youth by Louis Auchincloss
10) The Prone Gunman by Jean-Patrick Manchette (Review)
1) In Defense of Flogging by Peter Moskos (183 pages) Read 1/1/2012 (**)My internet was out yesterday, so I actually finished a book! But it was this book, which may have been a mistake. That title isn't a joke--Peter Moskos argues, very seriously, that one way to fix our broken prison system is to give criminals the option of being flogged instead of locked up--it's cheaper, and (according to Moskos) more humane. Interesting argument, but I'm not convinced it's The Solution To All Our Problems. Of course, I'm also pretty ignorant of the issues--so I should probably do more reading.
EDIT: On further reflecton, removed one star.
Jacob wrote: "I read 80 books in 2011, so I'm going to try for 100 this year. But I like this group, so I think I'll stick around."Glad to hear that!
I admire you for picking an interesting topic for your first read of the year. When I saw the title, I assumed at first it was an older book - then I was very surprised to see that it was published in 2011. Flogging is a form of punishment that I tend to associate either with ages past, or with countries that aren't so great when it comes to human rights. But I've never heard the concept of giving someone the option (vs. jail time). Did the author mention whether this choice is actually used somewhere in the world?
Kay wrote: "Flogging is a form of punishment that I tend to associate either with ages past, or with countries that aren't so great when it comes to human rights. But I've never heard the concept of giving someone the option (vs. jail time). Did the author mention whether this choice is actually used somewhere in the world? "Moskos mentioned Malaysia and Singapore as two examples, but it sounds like they employ flogging in addition to incarceration. Moskos wants to offer flogging for minor offenses in lieu of jail time.
Mod
2) The Anniversary and Other Stories by Louis Auchincloss (Short fiction: 9 stories) (192 pages) Read 1/1/2012 to 1/5/2012 (****)Auchincloss wrote over 60 books in his career, mostly about the lives of wealthy old-money East Coast families. I've been slowly working through his short stories--he's a bit dry and stuffy, but very good.
Mod
It is! Auchincloss was a great writer. I've only read his shorter fiction so far, but I'll probably try his novels soon. The others I've read are:The Young Apollo and Other Stories
Manhattan Monologues
The Atonement and Other Stories
The Friend of Women and Other Stories
Jacob wrote: "Moskos mentioned Malaysia and Singapore as two examples, but it sounds like they employ flogging in addition to incarceration. Moskos wants to offer flogging for minor offenses in lieu of jail time"Well, that is an interesting concept.
3) The Ghost Child by Simeon Stoychev (e-book/novella, 35 pages) Read 1/6/2012 (****) (Review)A short novella from a Goodreads friend. 35 pages, but I'm counting it anyway.
4) they say the owl was a baker's daughter: four existential noirs by Pablo D'Stair (Short fiction: 4 stories) (402 pages) Read 1/1/2012 to 1/7/2012 (*****)Four dark, bleak, paranoid, and very disturbing novellas. Very powerful, but not for the faint of heart.
5) Pastoralia: Stories by George Saunders (Short fiction: 6 stories) (188 pages) Read 1/8/2012 (***)Quirky stories about life in a very near-future America in which capitalism has gone haywire. Fun, but after reading Saunders' work in CivilWarLand in Bad Decline and In Persuasion Nation, this just feels like more of the same.
I was going to take a few days on this, but I took it with me to the airport yesterday, and I read the whole thing while waiting for a friend's plane. So, that's something.
6) Walkabout by James Vance Marshall (125 pages) Read 1/7/2012 to 1/9/2012 (***)Short novel about two American children who survive a plane crash in the Australian wilderness and survive with the help of an Aboriginal boy. Would be charming were it not for the casual racism.
7) 3 to Kill by Jean-Patrick Manchette (134 pages) Read 1/9/2012 to 1/10/2012 (*****)Short, violent, thrilling, and (occasionally) wickedly funny noir from French crime writer Jean-Patrick Manchette, who also wrote Fatale. Very good story.
8) George Washington by James MacGregor Burns and Susan Dunn (185 pages) Read 1/11/2012 to 1/14/2012 (***)A short biography of George Washington, with emphasis on his time in office. Part of Time Books' The American Presidents series; I plan on reading the entire series this year, to brush up on my history. It'll be easier (and faster) than reading an ordinary 500+ page biography on each...
9) A Voice from Old New York: A Memoir of My Youth by Louis Auchincloss (203 pages) Read 1/12/2012 to 1/15/2012 (****)Louis Auchincloss's last book, published after his death at age 92. It's as fascinating and clever as his stories, but much too short.
10) The Prone Gunman by Jean-Patrick Manchette (155 pages) Read 1/16/2012 to 1/17/2012 (****)Rather cliché noir/thriller, but very well written. Manchette only has three novels in English; his other work hasn't been translated yet. This might be a good excuse to re-learn French...
2012 Reading List 11-2011) Taft 2012 by Jason Heller (Review)
12) After the Apocalypse: Stories by Maureen F. McHugh
13) Women Who Did: Stories by Men and Women, 1890-1914, edited by Angélique Richardson
14) The Uncommon Reader by Alan Bennett (Review)
15) Demonology: Stories by Rick Moody (Review)
16) The Clothes They Stood Up In by Alan Bennett (Review)
17) Boats of the "Glen Carrig" and Other Nautical Adventures by William Hope Hodgson
18) The Laying On of Hands: Stories by Alan Bennett (Review)
19) Monstress: Stories by Lysley Tenorio (Review)
20) Smut: Two Unseemly Stories by Alan Bennett (Review)
11) Taft 2012 by Jason Heller (250 pages) Read 1/18/2012 to 1/19/2012 (***) (Review)President William Howard Taft lost his re-election bid in 1912, and disappeared. But now he's back, and everyone wants him to run again. It's a fun little read.
Jacob wrote: "President William Howard Taft lost his re-election bid in 1912, and disappeared. But now he's back, and everyone wants him to run again. It's a fun little read..."Jacob, I hadn't heard of this book. Enjoyed your review. Being a bit of a political junkie myself, I just had to add this to my "to read" list!
Kay wrote: "Jacob, I hadn't hadn't heard of this book. Enjoyed your review. Being a bit of a political junkie myself, I just had to add this to my "to read" list!"Yeah, it only just came out, and I wouldn't have heard about it either if it hadn't shown up on the Goodreads Giveaways page. But it's a fun read. Interesting that Heller chose Taft over better-known presidents, though that's part of the charm.
12, 15, 19: Stories, Part 1:12) After the Apocalypse: Stories by Maureen F. McHugh (Short fiction: 9 stories) (188 pages) Read 1/19/2012 to 1/21/2012 (***)
Stories regarding the end of the world and less devastating events. Zombies, plagues, bird flu, plus the emergence of not-too-bright artificial intelligence, worker rights in China, and Americans trying to survive in this economy. Rather thought-provoking, and a bit sad.
15) Demonology: Stories by Rick Moody (Short fiction: 13 stories) (306 pages) Read 1/28/2012 to 1/31/2012 (*)
Pretentious, horribly written, and just plain awful short stories. I've never read Moody before, but I hear the rest of his stuff is just as bad.
19) Monstress: Stories by Lysley Tenorio (Short fiction: 8 stories) (223 pages) Read 2/12/2012 to 2/14/2012 (*****)
Excellent stories about Filipinos and Filipino-Americans. Highly recommended.
13, 17: Stories, Part 2:13) Women Who Did: Stories by Men and Women, 1890-1914, edited by Angelique Richardson (Anthology: 40 stories) (526 pages) Read 1/9/2012 to 1/26/2012 (Unrated)
Stories about the "New Woman" and her struggles for equality at the turn of the (last) century, by multiple authors. Good, but I can't decide on a rating.
17) Boats of the "Glen Carrig" and Other Nautical Adventures: The Collected Fiction of William Hope Hodgson, Volume I by William Hope Hodgson (1 novel, 23 stories) (513 pages) Read 1/23/2012 to 2/11/2012 (***)
Hodgson was an early author of horror and fantastic fiction, and this collection brings together his sailing stories. Some horror and adventure tales, but I was mostly interested in "The Exploits of Captain Gault," a crafty smuggler and sea-captain who manages to outsmart the customs agents every time. Fun stuff.
14, 16, 18, 20: Alan Bennett14) The Uncommon Reader by Alan Bennett (120 pages) Read 1/27/2012 (*****)
Short and amusing (though sad) tale about the Queen's newfound love of reading, and the problems that ensue. So charming I decided to track down more of Bennett's fiction, including:
16) The Clothes They Stood Up In (161 pages) Read 2/1/2012 (***)
Another short (and tiny) book from Bennett, about a middle-aged couple who lose everything when their flat is burgled. Also charming.
18) The Laying On of Hands: Stories (Short fiction: 3 stories) (199 pages) Read 2/9/2012 to 2/11/2012 (***)
Stories, also charming.
20) Smut: Two Unseemly Stories (Short fiction: 2 stories) (152 pages) Read 2/15/2012 to 2/16/2012 (****)
Can you tell Bennett is charming?
Jacob wrote: "14, 16, 18, 20: Alan Bennett14) The Uncommon Reader by Alan Bennett (120 pages) Read 1/27/2012 (*****)
Short and amusing (though sad) tale about the Queen's newfound love of reading, and the pro..."
Totally charmed!
2012 Reading List 21-3021) Angel by Elizabeth Taylor
22) Tongue Party: Stories by Sarah Rose Etter (Review)
23) Unfamiliar Fishes by Sarah Vowell
24) The Yellow Wall-Paper and Other Stories by Charlotte Perkins Gilman
25) The Dispossessed: An Ambiguous Utopia by Ursula K. Le Guin
26) Amsterdam Stories by Nescio
27) The Postman Always Rings Twice by James M. Cain
28) Crucible of Gold by Naomi Novik (Review)
29) Stories for Nighttime and Some for the Day by Ben Loory
30) A Short Stay in Hell by Matthew M. Peck (Review)
2012 Reading List 31-4031) The Word for World Is Forest by Ursula K. Le Guin
32) The Unburied Man and The People Who Use Room Five by Pablo D'Stair
33) Murder on the Orient Express (A Hercule Poirot Mystery) by Agatha Christie (Review)
34) Short Dark Oracles by Sara Levine
35) The Taqwacores by Michael Muhammad Knight (Review)
36) Mr g: A Novel About the Creation by Alan Lightman (Review)
37) Cocaine Blues (Phryne Fisher #1) by Kerry Greenwood
38) The Collected Stories of Evan S. Connell
39) The Three Button Trick and Other Stories by Nicola Barker
40) Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides
Ack, I've been neglecting this group--but I'm halfway to 75, so that should count for something, eh? Some noteworthy titles read lately:26) Amsterdam Stories by Nescio (Short fiction, 9 stories and fragments) (176 pages) Read 3/2/2012 to 3/6/2012 (*****)
Short fiction from J.H.F. Grönloh, a Dutch writer who wrote under the pen name "Nescio." Popular in the Netherlands, pretty unknown everywhere else, this is the first publication of his work in English. Marvelous stories of youth. Look for it!
30) A Short Stay in Hell by Steven L. Peck (Novella) (104 pages) Read 3/14/2012 (*****)
A Mormon sent to hell for not practicing the true religion (Zoroastrianism) must navigate a library of infinite proportions and find the one book that contains the story of his life. Powerful, amazing, all the other good adjectives.
35) The Taqwacores by Michael Muhammad Knight (254 pages) Read 3/23/2012 to 3/28/2012 (*****)
A story about a group of Muslim punks. Muslim. Punks. That's all you need to know. Go on, it's awesome.
Mod
Andrea wrote: "I've also been neglecting, I'm not reading either though. My head just seem to be going in to many other directions. I guess I'm in a bit of a slump."Meanwhile, I've been blazing along, and I'll probably hit the goal in a month or two. 100 books shouldn't be too hard to reach!
Mod
I always love checking out your list! You read such different stuff from the norm! Great list so far!
2012 Reading List 41-5041) Three Lives by Louis Auchincloss
42) Some Rain Must Fall: And Other Stories by Michel Faber (Review)
43) Evil Under the Sun (A Hercule Poirot Mystery) by Agatha Christie
44) Little Infamies: Stories by Panos Karnezis (Review)
45) Blockade Billy and Morality by Stephen King (Review)
46) Flying Too High (Phryne Fisher #2) by Kerry Greenwood
47) House of Suns by Alastair Reynolds
48) The Dreaming Sex: Early Tales of Scientific Imagination by Women, edited by Mike Ashley
49) Confusion by Stefan Zweig
50) Railsea by China Miéville (Review)
2012 Reading List 51-6051) The Wind's Twelve Quarters by Ursula K. Le Guin
52) Dashing Diamond Dick and Other Classic Dime Novels, edited by J. Randolph Cox
53) Chess Story by Stefan Zweig
54) The Brief and Frightening Reign of Phil by George Saunders
55) This Letter to Norman Court (Trevor English #1) by Pablo D'Stair
56) Store of the Worlds: The Stories of Robert Sheckley
57) A Wizard of Earthsea (Earthsea #1) by Ursula K. Le Guin
58) Black Juice by Margo Lanagan
59) The Tombs of Atuan (Earthsea #2) by Ursula K. Le Guin
60) The Enchanted April by Elizabeth von Arnim (Review)
2012 Reading List 61-7061) Blood on the Forge by William Attaway (Review)
62) The Farthest Shore (Earthsea #3) by Ursula K. Le Guin
63) Cassandra at the Wedding by Dorothy Baker (Review)
64) Unsung Heroes of American Industry by Mark Jude Poirier (Review)
65) New and Collected Stories by Alan Sillitoe
66) The Practical Heart: Four Novellas by Allan Gurganus (Review)
67) Jonah Man by Christopher Narozny
68) The Darker Sex: Tales of the Supernatural and Macabre by Victorian Women Writers, edited by Mike Ashley
69) The Corrections by Jonathan Franzen (Review)
70) The Polysyllabic Spree by Nick Hornby
2012 Reading List, 71-8071) Old New York: Four Novellas by Edith Wharton
72) The Power of Darkness: Tales of Terror by E. Nesbit
73) Ethan Frome by Edith Wharton
74) Daughters of Earth: Feminist Science Fiction in the Twentieth Century, edited by Justine Larbalestier
75) Hygiene and the Assassin by Amélie Nothomb (Review)
76) A Month in the Country by J. L. Carr
77) The Ghost Stories of Edith Wharton
78) Moby-Dick; or, The Whale by Herman Melville
79) Young Man with a Horn by Dorothy Baker
80) Her Smoke Rose Up Forever by James Tiptree, Jr.
Wait, am I really the only one finished so far? That can't be right...
Jacob wrote: "Wait, am I really the only one finished so far? That can't be right..."I think there've been a couple.
Charleen wrote: "I think there've been a couple."I didn't look very hard, I guess. I just didn't see anyone else in the "2012 Challenges Completed" section.
Jacob wrote: "Charleen wrote: "I think there've been a couple."I didn't look very hard, I guess. I just didn't see anyone else in the "2012 Challenges Completed" section."
No, I just remember at least one other person hitting 75. There've probably been more than that.
But, thanks for calling my attention to it. I've posted a reminder -- along with instructions -- to move threads here when the challenge is met.
Mod
Andrea wrote: "Congrats on finishing, Jacob!!!"Thanks! I'm going for 100, but I really slowed down after hitting 75. Only finished 5 books in the last month and a half. But then, I did spend three weeks on Moby-Dick, so it's really my own fault...
2012 Reading List, 81-9081) Orlando by Virginia Woolf
82) The Marquise of O-- by Heinrich von Kleist
83) Collected Stories of Carol Shields (Review)
84) Darkness: Fiction by Dacia Maraini
85) Dr. Sam: Johnson, Detector (Dr. Sam: Johnson #1) by Lillian de la Torre
86) Ex Libris: Confessions of a Common Reader by Anne Fadiman (Review)
87) The Fur Hat by Vladimir Voinovich (Review)
88) The Sun King: Louis XIV at Versailles by Nancy Mitford
89) The Sundial by Shirley Jackson
90) I Look Divine by Christopher Coe
2012 Reading List, 91-10091) Don't Look Now: Stories by Daphne du Maurier
92) The Vet's Daughter by Barbara Comyns
93) At Large and At Small: Familiar Essays by Anne Fadiman
94) The Return of the Soldier by Rebecca West
95) The Stories of Richard Bausch
96) Who Was Changed and Who Was Dead by Barbara Comyns
97) Tokyo Fiancée by Amélie Nothomb
98) Shakespeare Wrote for Money by Nick Hornby
99) Alice, the Sausage by Sophie Jabes
100) Rogue Male by Geoffrey Household
100 books! I've never managed to read that many in under a year, and I can probably finish 5-10 more before 2013. It's a good feeling.
Next year, though, I think I'll stick with ten. Ten books. Fifteen, if I feel up to the challenge.
Jacob wrote: "2012 Reading List, 91-10091) Don't Look Now: Stories by Daphne du Maurier
92) The Vet's Daughter by Barbara Comyns
93) At Large and At Small: Familiar Essays by Anne Fadiman
94) The Return of the ..."
You rock! Really? you're really ONLY gonna read 10 books? Yeah, riiiight! And I'm the Queen of England! LOL I don't think you could ONLY read 10!!!
Joy wrote: "You rock! Really? you're really ONLY gonna read 10 books? Yeah, riiiight! And I'm the Queen of England! LOL I don't think you could ONLY read 10!!! "No, I'm going to COMMIT to reading ten books. That'll be my goal. Once I meet that, I'll be able to read as much or as little as I want, no pressure. I think it's a good plan, don't you?
Jacob wrote: "Joy wrote: "You rock! Really? you're really ONLY gonna read 10 books? Yeah, riiiight! And I'm the Queen of England! LOL I don't think you could ONLY read 10!!! "No, I'm going to COMMIT to reading..."
Yes! I think it's a great plan! =)
