I finished 21 books this year (one more than last year) — 12 fiction (including one book of poetry), 9 non-fiction.
Fiction Fave: The Raw Shark Texts
Upon finishing The Raw Shark Texts, I seriously thought about just starting back at the beginning and rereading the whole thing. It’s mysterious, ambiguous, hopeful, heartbreaking, and lots of fun.
Non-fiction Fave: Talking to the Dead: Kate and Maggie Fox and the Rise of Spiritualism
Talking to the Dead chronicles the lives of Kate, Maggie, and Leah Fox, and their rapid rise to fame as 19th-century mediums. It’s part paranormal activity, part family drama, part how to cope with sudden fame, part women’s role in Victorian society. Their story is fascinating.
Biggest Disappointment: Perdido Street Station
I find there’s only so much of this sort of writing one can take:
…like a dirty smear, like a slab of carrion thronging with maggots…houses which dribble pale mucus…
Currently Reading: Cloud Atlas has been highly recommended by quite a few people, so I thought I’d give it a try.
What have you been reading?
21 books in so impressive! I’ll have to check out Talking to the Dead — it sounds really interesting. I’d love to hear some of your other book recommendations. I really need to put some more “fun” reading on my nightstand (it’s on my 30 before 30 list).
“I find there’s only so much of this sort of writing one can take:”
Well, that made me laugh….
I still have to get my list together! I am intrigued by the Raw Sharks Text….
As to Mieville, you have to let yourself be engulfed by the mad world, don’t question, just flow with the gurgitated words — kinda like meditation, but with a whacked-out weirdness at the end, rather than stillness. ;-)