Masterpiece
Very good
Good
Just okay
Not for me
Definitely not for meArchive for June, 2008
« Previous Entries Monday, June 30th, 2008Canadian Challenge Complete!
I did it! This challenge was one of the most difficult to complete, but I feel such a sense of accomplishment for doing so. I read some great books along the way and will definitely participate in the second Canadian Challenge. Hosted by John at The Book Mine Set, the goal of this challenge was to read 13 books written by or about Canadians.
I read 2 books originally in French, and 12 different authors. Ten of the books were written by female authors. My favorites of the bunch were Cat’s Eye, The Road Past Altamont, Jacob Two-Two’s First Spy Case, and The Penelopiad. My least favorite by far was Bear by Marian Engel.
I’d really like to encourage participants of the next challenge to read Mad Shadows and The Road Past Altamont, the two French titles. Though obscure, Mad Shadows had a Wuthering Heights feel to it and The Road Past Altamont felt like a cross between Cather and Montgomery. Also, the Jacob Two-Two series is one to look into if you like children’s books. I loved Jacob Two-Two’s First Spy Case. And of course, it goes without saying that most books by Atwood would be great choices as well.
Thanks, John, for a wonderful challenge, and I look forward to the coming year of more Canadian books.
- Mad Shadows by Marie-Claire Blais
- The Shipping News by Annie Proulx
- Sitting Practice by Caroline Adderson
- Cat’s Eye by Margaret Atwood
- Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery
- Kanada by Eva Wiseman
- The Cellist of Sarajevo by Steven Galloway
- The Road Past Altamont by Gabrielle Roy
- Life of Pi by Yann Martel
- Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen
- Jacob Two-Two’s First Spy Case by Mordecai Richler
- Bear by Marian Engel
- The Penelopiad by Margaret Atwood
Popularity: 18% [?]
Monday, June 30th, 2008Review: The Penelopiad
I love mythology in general, and The Odyssey in particular, so I was hoping to love this book. I did. Margaret Atwood’s retelling of the famous myth from Penelope’s point of view is brilliant and quite humorous. As she tells the story from Hades, we get Penelope’s take on her father, Odysseus, Telemachus, and Helen among others. You probably have to know the story of The Odyssey fairly well to really get the full impact, though. If you’re familiar with the original myth, you must read this re-telling.
This was my fourth Atwood, and I’m looking forward to reading even more of her work during the second Canadian Book Challenge.
2005, 198 pp.
Rating: 
Popularity: 31% [?]
Monday, June 30th, 2008Banned Book Challenge Complete!
I chose my books from this list: Pelham Public Library’s List of Banned Books 2008
I committed to 8 titles. Here were the books I read:
- Beloved by Toni Morrison
- Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J.K. Rowling
- Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by J.K. Rowling
- Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by J.K. Rowling
- Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince by J.K. Rowling
- Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling
- The Chocolate War by Cormier
- Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov
Popularity: 15% [?]
Sunday, June 29th, 2008Review: Bear by Marian Engel
Ummm…..no. No, no, no, no, no. I don’t think I can recommend this title. That this book won the Governor General’s Award flabbergasts me. A librarian and a bear get kinky on a small Canadian island. That’s all you really need to know to realize why I didn’t like this book.
1976 Governor General’s Award
1976, 141 pp.
Rating: 
Popularity: 36% [?]
Sunday, June 29th, 2008Canadian Challenge II, Eh?
13 books about or by Canadians
July 1, 2008 through July 1, 2009
Click on the button for more info.
Miraculously, I just finished the first Canadian Reading Challenge when I read the last two books for it during the read-a-thon. Of the 13 books required, I actually read 6 for this challenge in June! Many of them were short, which is why I was able to finish. I’ll be posting a wrap-up post about it when I can sit down and write all the reviews.
Meanwhile, I’ve got a partial list going for the second challenge. I’m going for an all female line-up this time, with no more than 2-3 by a single author. Here’s the list so far; I’m sure some will be added to it.
- Oryx and Crake by Atwood
- Alias Grace by Atwood
- Collected Stories of Carol Shields
- Unless by Shields
- Larry’s Party by Shields
- Anne of Avonlea by Montgomery
- Anne of the Island by Montgomery
- Fall on Your Knees Ann-Marie MacDonald
- The Way the Crow Flies by MacDonald
- Goodnight Desdemona by MacDonald
- Shadow on the Rock by Cather
- Latitudes of Melt by Joan Clark
- ? by Alice Munro
- Crow Lake by Lawson
- Other Side of the Bridge by Lawson
- Sweetness in the Belly by Gibb
Thanks, John, for hosting again. I’ll probably participate each time until I get my fill of Atwood, Shields, Montgomery, and the many other fantastic female Canadian authors!
Popularity: 12% [?]
Sunday, June 29th, 2008Post Read-a-thon Survey TSS
Final Stats:
10 hours of reading
634 pages
3 books completed (see below)
1. Which hour was most daunting for you? I fell asleep at 1 am ET for five hours. I thought I was going to make it longer, but I just can’t stay up late any more!
2. Could you list a few high-interest books that you think could keep a Reader engaged for next year? Two of the books I read, The Penelopiad by Margaret Atwood and The Chocolate War by Cormier would be great choices.
3. Do you have any suggestions for how to improve the Read-a-thon next year? The only thing I can think of is to give a little leeway (maybe 3-6 hours) if we choose. For instance, the best times for me would have been 9 am ET to 9 am ET the next day. This would have been 3 hours earlier than everyone else started, but it would have given me 3 more hours of reading time during the readathon. Obviously, we can’t expect you to be there during these pre or extended hours, and we wouldn’t be eligible for mini-challenges or prizes during those hours if we chose a slightly different schedule, but it would give us more reading time if we have other commitments during part of the regular hours of the readathon. It’s not that big a deal if you don’t change it, though. I’ll still participate during the hours that I’m able.
4. What do you think worked really well in this year’s Read-a-thon? Just having it! It’s a fun way to read together and accomplish some much needed reading goals.
5. How many books did you read? I read three complete books and parts of two others.
6. What were the names of the books you read? I completed Bear by Marian Engle, The Penelopiad by Margaret Atwood, and The Chocolate War by Robert Cormier. I also read parts of the Bible and parts of Lolita by Nabokov.
7. Which book did you enjoy most? The Bible; also The Penelopiad by Margaret Atwood
8. Which did you enjoy least? Bear by Marian Engle and Lolita
9. If you were a Cheerleader, do you have any advice for next year’s Cheerleaders? N/A
10. How likely are you to participate in the Read-a-thon again? What role would you be likely to take next time? I would love to be a reader in the next Read-a-thon. It’s a fun way to knock some books off the TBR pile.
Popularity: 13% [?]
Sunday, June 29th, 2008Readathon Update #7 (9:30am ET) TSS
I just spent half an hour reading the Bible; I read James and I and II Peter for 11 pages.
I’m going to have to quit now so I can go to church. I’ve enjoyed participating again and accomplished many of of my reading goals. Can’t wait for the next one! I’ll have to do the end of readathon survey later this afternoon.
Stats:
Time spent reading: 10 hours
Pages read: 569 pages + 2 CD’s (65 pages)
Books completed: Bear by Marian Engel, The Penelopiad by Margaret Atwood, and The Chocolate War by Cormier
Other incomplete books read: Lolita by Nabokov and the Bible (what a combination!)
Popularity: 11% [?]
Sunday, June 29th, 2008Readathon Update #6 (8:30 am ET) TSS
I finished The Chocolate War, yay! It took about an hour to read the final 83 pages. That’s my third finished book for the readathon.
Stats:
Time spent reading: 9.5 hours
Pages read: 558 pages + 2 CD’s that I’ll figure out the pages later
Books completed: Bear by Marian Engel, The Penelopiad by Margaret Atwood, and The Chocolate War by Cormier
Popularity: 10% [?]
Sunday, June 29th, 2008Readathon Update #5 (6:45 am ET)
Well, I just woke up from sleeping for about 5 hours. Right after I said I was going strong, too! I had just eaten something, though, and that can definitely put me out. Plus, I hadn’t really slept much the night before, either, so that didn’t help.
Before I fell asleep, I read 60 more pages of The Chocolate War in 45 minutes.
Total time spent reading: 8.5 hours
Pages read: 475 pages + 2 CD’s that I’ll figure out the pages later
Popularity: 10% [?]
Sunday, June 29th, 2008Readathon Update #4 (Midnight ET)
Now I’m reading The Chocolate War, and in 60 minutes I read 78 pages. I also listened to another CD of Lolita, which took about 75 minutes.
Cumulative stats:
7.75 hours reading, 415 pages + 2 CD’s, in which I’ll calculate the pages later
2 books completed Bear and The Penelopiad
Mid-Readathon Survey
1. What are you reading right now? The Chocolate War and Lolita
2. How many books have you read so far? I’ve finished two.
3. What book are you most looking forward to for the second half of the Read-a-thon? Not sure yet.
4. Did you have to make any special arrangements to free up your whole day? Not really.
5. Have you had many interruptions? How did you deal with those? A few, but it was no problem.
6. What surprises you most about the Read-a-thon, so far? It feels a little easier this year. I haven’t participated in any mini-challenges yet, but it seems like I’ve got more reading done.
7. Do you have any suggestions for how to improve the Read-a-thon next year? None yet.
8. What would you do differently, as a Reader or a Cheerleader, if you were to do this again next year? Nothing. I learned from the first readathon to pick short books (which I’m successfully doing this time)!
9. Are you getting tired yet? A little, but I’m okay for now.
10. Do you have any tips for other Readers or Cheerleaders, something you think is working well for you that others may not have discovered? Well, as stated above, picking short books is key for me. Also, CDs work if you have to be in the car or when you’re too tired to read anymore.
Popularity: 10% [?]
« Previous Entries