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FLJustice's 2011 reading log

Keep track of your reading for 2011 here! One thread per member, please.
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fljustice
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FLJustice's 2011 reading log

Post by fljustice » Tue January 18th, 2011, 4:36 pm

January:

1. The Infinite Plan by Isabel Allende (interesting, but not my favorite of hers)
2. Maniford Time by Stephen Baxter (hardcore SF; relentlessly depressing about the future of humans with a last minute optimistic ending--I think!)
3. Murder in the Dark by Margaret Atwood (a very small book of flash fiction and prose poems; lyrical and thought provoking)
4. Catherine de Medici: Renaissance Queen of France by Leonie Freida (excellent biography of a fascinating woman)--review here
Last edited by fljustice on Wed April 27th, 2011, 4:49 pm, edited 2 times in total.
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fljustice
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February

Post by fljustice » Mon February 7th, 2011, 4:40 pm

5. At Home: A Short History of Private Life by Bill Bryson (usual quirky fare, enjoyed it)--review here.
6. Portrait in Sepia by Isabel Allende (her usual character-driven fare, but not as compelling as the prequel Daughter of Fortune)--review here.
7. 3rd Degree by James Patterson (a perfectly competent thriller, kept me turning the pages)
8. Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card (classic SF that got promoted from commuting book to fireside book, because it grabbed me)





Did Not Finish:
1. Nicolas and Alexandra by Robert K. Massie (after 100 pages, didn't sustain my interest. What I read is well written and researched, but it's not a time period I'm particularly interested in and I know the tragic ending.)
Last edited by fljustice on Tue April 5th, 2011, 3:12 pm, edited 3 times in total.
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fljustice
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March

Post by fljustice » Fri March 11th, 2011, 4:59 pm

9. Cleopatra: A Life by Stacy Schiff (interesting, well-researched)--review here
10. Eromenos by Melanie McDonald (literary take on Antinous and Emperor Hadrian)
11. Outlaw by Angus Donald (active tale with Robin Hood as mafia don)--review here
12. Hypatia of Alexandria by Maria Dzielska (reread for review on blog; well written biography of famous Lady Philosopher)--review here
13. Hypatia of Alexandria: Mathematician and Martyr by Michael A. B. Deakin (reread for review on blog; well written biography of famous Lady Philosopher with emphasis on mathematical work)--review here
Last edited by fljustice on Wed April 27th, 2011, 4:54 pm, edited 5 times in total.
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April

Post by fljustice » Tue April 5th, 2011, 3:23 pm

14. She Captains: Heroines and Hellions of the Sea by Joan Druett (misleading title, but fascinating non-fiction survey of women's participation in seafaring and shipping)--review here.
15. Alexandria: A Marcus Didius Falco Novel by Lindsey Davis (sprightly historical murder mystery, fun read)
16. The Triumph of Caesar by Steven Saylor (disappointingly dull)--review here.
17. Coalescent by Stephen Baxter (interesting mix of SF and HF)--review here.
18. Island Beneath the Sea by Isabel Allende (she's back!)


DNF:
2. Mr. Monk Is Cleaned Out by Lee Goldberg (loved the series, hated this book)
Last edited by fljustice on Sun May 15th, 2011, 3:02 pm, edited 8 times in total.
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May

Post by fljustice » Sun May 15th, 2011, 3:00 pm

19. Goethe's Faust (beautiful poetry!)
20. The Forgotten Legion by Ben Kane (sprawling adventure with compelling characters)
21. Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting By in America by Barbara Ehrenreich (compelling look at the "working poor" and the problems with our low-wage economy)
22. Burning Bright by Tracy Chevalier (quite enjoyable story featuring poet William Blake in a supporting role)
Last edited by fljustice on Sun May 29th, 2011, 2:48 pm, edited 3 times in total.
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June

Post by fljustice » Thu June 9th, 2011, 4:42 pm

23. A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini (a relentlessly sad story of two women in Afghanistan with an upbeat ending)
24. The Stories of Eva Luna by Isabel Allende (love her stuff!)
25. A Game of Thrones by George R. R. Martin (oh no, hooked on another fat book series!)
26. Tinkers by Paul Harding (Pulitzer Prize winner, recommended by my sister...good literary effort, not my normal cup of tea)
27. Noah's Wife by T. K. Thorne (from the HNS goodie bag, interesting read)
Last edited by fljustice on Wed July 20th, 2011, 7:20 pm, edited 2 times in total.
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Vanessa
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Currently reading: The Farm at the Edge of the World by Sarah Vaughan
Interest in HF: The first historical novel I read was Katherine by Anya Seton and this sparked off my interest in this genre.
Favourite HF book: Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell!
Preferred HF: Any
Location: North Yorkshire, UK

Post by Vanessa » Thu June 9th, 2011, 5:07 pm

That's an excellent book, Faith.
currently reading: My Books on Goodreads

Books are mirrors, you only see in them what you already have inside you ~ The Shadow of the Wind

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Post by fljustice » Fri June 10th, 2011, 6:12 pm

[quote=""Vanessa""]That's an excellent book, Faith.[/quote]

I truly enjoyed The Kite Runner, as well. This one sat on my TBR shelf for well over a year because I knew it would make me sad and just didn't want to go there. Certainly cried. Fascinating story though. I'm always surprised when a male author gets the female friendship thing right.
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July

Post by fljustice » Mon July 11th, 2011, 4:28 pm

28. Don't Stand Too Close to a Naked Man by Tim Allen (mildly funny)
29. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J. K. Rowling (a reread)
30. You Got to Dance With Them What Brung You by Molly Ivins (collection of her editorials from the 90's deja vu all over again!)
31. Bossypants by Tina Fey (funnier than Allen's book!)
Last edited by fljustice on Wed July 27th, 2011, 2:49 pm, edited 5 times in total.
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August

Post by fljustice » Sun August 14th, 2011, 6:03 pm

32. The Hardest Thing to Do by Penelope Wilcox (a quiet, uplifting piece of Christian fiction--not my normal reading; acquired through the Early Reader program at LibraryThing)
33. Alcestis and Other Plays by Euripides, translated by Philip Vellacott (classic!)
34. The Elegance of the Hedgehog by Muriel Barbery (literary with a slow start, but good finish)
35. Queen by Right by Anne Easter Smith (interesting time period, plodding story)


DNF - Fools of Fortune by William Trevor (literary book that didn't catch my fancy at this moment)
Last edited by fljustice on Mon October 31st, 2011, 3:43 pm, edited 2 times in total.
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