I hope everyone had fun reading from the 1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die list in the last challenge. Are you ready to try it again? This time, since the editors have a 2010 edition out and have added even more titles to the list, the challenge only has one option: read 13 books from the 1294 titles that have ever been on any list (2006, 2008, or 2010).
The challenge runs from April 1, 2010 through April 30, 2011.
Click the pic at the right to sign-up.
My tentative choices, with 1001 editions in parentheses:
The Elegance of the Hedgehog by Barbery(2010)
Home by Marilynne Robinson (2010)
The Children’s Book by Byatt (2010)
Disgrace by J.M. Coetzee (2006, 2008, 2010)
On Beauty by Zadie Smith (2006)
What I Loved by Siri Hustvedt (2006, 2008, 2010)
Kafka on the Shore by Murakami (2006, 2008, 2010)
Possession by A.S. Byatt (2006)
Watchmen by Alan Moore (2006, 2008, 2010)
A Confederacy of Dunces by John Kennedy Toole (2006, 2008, 2010)
The Summer Book by Tove Jansson (2006, 2008, 2010)
Sorry, I didn’t realize that my Mr. Linkys weren’t working for the last week or so, but everything’s fixed now on the challenge blogs. Let me know if you find one that isn’t, though!
He first came to the Iris one day just before the beginning of the summer season.
I was really excited when I received Hotel Iris from Picador in the mail. I hadn’t requested it, but because I loved The Housekeeper and the Professor so much last year, I knew I would want to read this one. The problem was, though, that I didn’t know what it was about. It has a very different ‘love story’ — one that didn’t appeal to me at all.
Mari is a seventeen year old girl working at the front desk of her mother’s hotel when she meets a middle aged man whose voice and manner intrigue her. As they get to know each other, it leads to a sexual relationship involving SM. It wasn’t extremely graphic, but still just not my cup of tea nonetheless.
I still enjoy Ogawa’s writing style and the translation was great, but I just didn’t like the subject matter so unfortunately I was extremely disappointed. However, I’d still read another Ogawa novel — I just would learn more about the storyline first.
Stephen King is a ‘radio DJ’ on a new rock album that really rocks IMHO. How did I hear about this album? I sometimes listen to one of the best indie radio programs in Omaha, 89.7 the river’s New Day Rising. I heard a song that I really liked called “Don’t Feed the Animals,” and I had to find out more. Turns out, the song was from Shooter Jennings’ (son of Waylon Jennings and Jessi Colter) new album called Black Ribbons. Although Shooter has done country albums before, this is NOT a country album, but it’s genre is definitely hard to define. You’d have to say it’s a rock album with elements of Pink Floyd and NIN ( and maybe some southern rock elements), all of which I love. I’d actually been listening to a lot of Pink Floyd lately anyway, and when I went to Amazon to listen to the samples, I was immediately hooked. Shooter’s album is definitely a ‘concept album,’ which I always find hard to resist.
Shooter Jennings
The first song on the album, Wake Up!, is available as a free download on Amazon. It starts out sort of Pink Floyd-y and then really rocks halfway through. I love some of the lyrics of this song — “Life is a movie. We are all actors. Don’t let them edit you out.” After this first song, we get to hear the radio DJ, Will o’ the Wisp (Stephen King) talk about government control and how this is the last night of radio broadcast freedom. King has several interludes during the album that are all excellent, and then he meets with an expected end if you’re following the concept of the album and listening to it all the way through. I loved it!
The second song is “Triskaidekaphobia,” which means the fear of 13. The lyrics of that song start out
When I check in to 1410
I know what room I’m really in tonight.
Screams from the room coming down the hall
Take me back to a place that I can’t recall in my mind.
Has anybody else watched 1408 with John Cusack (excellent movie, btw)? The story was written, of course, by Stephen King and the rest of the lyrics allude to happenings in the story/movie as well. It’s a great song and one of my favorites from the album.
Another favorite is “God Bless Alabama,” which is a tribute to his 2 year old daughter, Alabama Gypsy Rose. As to the other songs of the album, some have punk elements, some psychedelic rock, some country, and there are even some modern pop elements with Auto-Tune (which I normally hate) if you can believe it. Very eclectic, very different, and very good.
As this album was produced out of his home (and another producer’s home) after Shooter separated from his label and management, I imagine this album is a statement to them and to the music industry as to how generic and bland some of the radio play is today. In fact, I found out after doing some research that some stations refuse to play Shooter’s music or that of Hank III’s (son of Hank Williams, Jr.). Heck, they don’t even play their dads’ music anymore, let alone theirs. All this was sort of new to me and it was definitely intriguing to be made more aware of ‘the powers that be’ in the music industry.
Anyway, yes, the album has some bad language and is a little ‘out there’, but I’m a somewhat conservative 42 year old female, and I loved it. It’s just good music and a very relevant concept. Period.
(If you’ve watched Walk the Lineand thought the guy that played Waylon Jennings was a dead ringer, you’re right, it was Shooter Jennings!)
I’m so far behind in reading blogs and in my own reading this year. Life definitely has gotten in the way. I haven’t read half of what I usually do, but I have read a few young adult books so far and enjoyed them. Among others, I’ve read the first two books in the Percy Jacksonseries, and the first three books in the Ugliesseries by Scott Westerfeld, but my favorite book of the year so far is Unwind by Neal Shusterman. Truly outstanding — I highly recommend it.
But, now I need some recommendations as I’ve been so far out of the loop. They don’t have to be young adult books, though of course I enjoy them. If you can recommend 2-3 titles that are your top reads of the year so far, I’d really appreciate it. After a few stressful months, I’m ready to get back in the reading and review writing groove.
On the personal front, we finally sold our house in Kentucky after nearly 3 years. It has been stressful to say the least to have two house payments for that long. I’ve also been job hunting for the past 6 months or so with no luck at all, so that only added to the stress level. However, things now are looking up, so bring on the books!
Thanks in advance for the recommendations, and I can’t wait to start reading your blogs again!
I really enjoy reading from the Orange Prize lists. The longlist for 2010 was announced March 17th. Unfortunately, I’ve only read the bottom two titles** on this list. While I enjoyed both of them very much (4 1/2 stars each), I’m wondering if any of the others are even better. Have you read any on the longlist that you would recommend? Or do you have a prediction for the winner? I’d love to hear your thoughts!
The Once Upon a Time Challenge is one of my favorite challenges every year. It’s always fun coming up with a list and this year is no different. I’m going for Quest the First, in which the goal is to read 5 books in any qualifying category. These are my possible reads for the challenge:
My first post in awhile really should be book related, but…many of you know I’m into Idol as well, and I have to start again somewhere, so here goes!
The group number was MUCH better last week.
Ryan announces the theme for next week will be The Rolling Stones. I don’t like the Stones much, but it should be interesting.
First up is Didi. I LOVE her.
Yay, she’s made it!
Next is Siobhan. I love her, too. Very unique and a great voice.
She’s made it, too, No surprise there. I would have been upset if she didn’t!
Katelyn and Paige are both up and one is going home. I really would like Katelyn to stay. I loved her Coldplay song. Oh, no, Katelyn’s gone!! I’m so sad. I really don’t like Paige at all. She doesn’t hold a candle to LaKisha or Melinda Dolittle.
I’m not loving Katelyn’s singing right now, but it’s probably difficult to sing after hearing the news. Oh, did Crystal just mouth what I thought she did? Yikes.
Tim, Todrick, Lee, and Casey are up. I like the latter two much better than the first. Glad to see Casey’s made it. Tim’s made it, too. A bit of a surprise there, but I thought he did much better last night.
Rodrick and Lee are up and one is going home. I hope it’s not Lee! Oh, good, he’s made it! Wow, Crystal still looks upset that Katelyn went home.
Rodrick was entertaining, but I don’t think he had one of the better voices. I did l like his Queen song, though. Oh, that little boy (maybe his brother) looks so sad! The girls are crying, too.
(Commercial: Clash of the Titans looks like it’ll be great)
Yay, a Matt Giraud/Scott McIntrye piano duel. I loved Matt Giraud last year — he was one of my favorites. I’m not really loving this, though. I do love Matt’s piano playing, AWESOME! The song was just a little too… frenetic I guess is the word.
Crystal is up — I LOVE her and would be shocked if she doesn’t make it. Yay! Big Mike — same thing. He should sail through. Ryan asks if he can fit on one stool. Great!
Now Lacey. I love her hair and her eyes. I really like her but the women are competitive this year…
She’s made it. That means Lilly or Katie are going home. It has to be Katie. She was so strong the first week, and Tuesday she was just awful!
Aaron is up. I really think he’ll be going home, but NOPE he made it. Ummmm…. no. I guess that means Andrew is going home?
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!! I love Alex’s voice. I truly can’t believe it. He was one of my favorites. This makes me mad — he had such a unique voice. Argh! Ridiculous! I really hope he sticks with music and gets more experience and records an album someday.
Ryan says you could hear a pin drop during the commercial break. Everyone there has to know that America made the wrong decision.
It’s now between Katie and Lilly. Lilly is going home? What?!!!!!!!!!!!! I can’t believe this either. Wow. I thought she was third best of the girls and I’m TOTALLY shocked.
Not really happy with these results at all. Crystal still looks upset at these eliminations, too.
. It starts out sort of Pink Floyd-y and then really rocks halfway through. I love some of the lyrics of this song — “Life is a movie. We are all actors. Don’t let them edit you out.” After this first song, we get to hear the radio DJ, Will o’ the Wisp (Stephen King) talk about government control and how this is the last night of radio broadcast freedom. King has several interludes during the album that are all excellent, and then he meets with an expected end if you’re following the concept of the album and listening to it all the way through. I loved it!
and thought the guy that played Waylon Jennings was a dead ringer, you’re right, it was Shooter Jennings!)
series, and the first three books in the 
series by Scott Westerfeld, but my favorite book of the year so far is 
by Neal Shusterman. Truly outstanding — I highly recommend it.
Rosie Alison The Very Thought of You
