Let's see what books I've finished since August 28..

It's a good day to reflect and see what books I've finished. (Okay, so it's not that original, but I'm probably going to get dinner soon.) Keep in mind that I have a tendency (not necessarily good or bad, but typical of me) to switch between various books while reading them and I read before bed. Like a chapter or two. (Unless I get to the point where I have to finish it and then all bets are off.)

Have finished:
--The latest Thursday Next books which I love.
--a bunch of mystery stories which are a little too dysfunctional.
--A Wizard of Earthsea by Ursula Le Guin.
--Jane Austen and the Unpleasantness at Scargrave Mansion by Stephanie Burns which I am enjoying.

Verdict on the above. Loved the latest Thursday Next book and am waiting on the fourth as Fforde's good, but as I like them, I try and space them out. The mystery stories I ended up donating to the prison book drive and photocopying the three I liked. There was just oddness about the collection, like it was too funky for what I was looking for. I enjoyed the Jane Austen mystery and thanked the people who gave me it. It did a good job of being a decent mystery and capturing her style, which isn't easy; it did take me awhile to get into, though. Regarding LeGuin, I'm torn. I love some of her works, Left Hand of Darkness and Always Coming Home, a collection of short-stories that I've read twice and still like, and the "Ones who Walk Away from Omelas." However, with Wizard, it seems like too dense for a young adult book and her training as an anthropologist was coming through. Dialogue, I need some dialogue here. (Gasp) I will continue on with the trilogy and see how she develops it. But in the meantime, I'm taking a break from her style by re-reading Half Magic by Edward Eager, a book I've read many, many times and is lighter. He's one of my fav. children's authors. I've read all of his works, and if any of you are interested in checking him out, let me know and I can suggest which ones to definitely read and which ones you maybe good skip. He's part of the 'classic' magic stories' tradition and was heavily influenced by Evelyn Nesbit, whose works I've read some of, but a long time ago.

Am still reading
--a bunch of beat poetry.
--a beat memoir by Joyce Johnson and I would like pictures so I can visualize the people which is shallow, I know.
--The Adventures of Kavalier and Klay by Michael Chabon or my "serious" book.

Verdict: I'm liking all of the above, though it took awhile to get into Kavalier and Clay and sometimes I need a break from his style. It's also wicked long. The beat poetry has odd moments, but some of them are cool and some are just too dated. I'm liking Joyce's ruminations on growing up female right before the women's movement and it's an interesting glimpse into the beats, who I know something about, though not tons.

Have started:
--Where are you going, where have you been? Short Stories by Joyce Carol Oates. I've got a couple of her books and I figure I should start with the medium that she's the best in, which sounded very, very gradschoolease. Plus, as hers are usually unhappy, short story is less of an investment than a novel. I remember not getting "Where are you going, where have you been" in college and re-reading it's as disturbing as it's supposed to be.
--Three Men on a Bummel by Jerome K. Jerome, a follow up to Three Men on a Boat. Best way to describe him is a travel-logue that's just subtle English humor and filled with sly digressions. (Which really is an acquired taste.) He's in Germany in this one which has some fun digs on laws in Germany and other stuff. My sister gave it to me and it's a good just "humour" book.
--People of the Silence by Kathleen O'Neal Gear which is a historical novel on Native Indians in the Southwest and was a gift. Seems to be her gimmick. Haven't read enough to have enough of a sense of whether I like it or not.
--Dark Horse by Tami Hoag, which I picked up from my neighbor and it's more of a thriller with an emotionally wounded female with a past and is solving mysteries in Florida amongst the equestrian set. Am sensing I may read it and pass it off to someone else unless it gets massively better.

Any books I'm lusting after? Hmm, probably, but none that spring to mind immediately. At the moment, it's more dvds I'm a-wanting. That might change. Oh and a dark brown bookcase that could blend with my other one in my bedroom.

And sadly, I have more ideas for Xmas gifts for children than anyone else and I don't have that many kids I shop for. Well, I have "welcome to the world munchkin" gifties to buy, but those aren't going to be finished by Xmas. If anybody's drawing a blank for kids' stuff, let me know.

Ta, all. I think that delayed dinner is needed.