Bloggiesta of Three: Update 2

Final bloggiesta update of the day so that I may cook and eat dinner. And maybe even watch Choke with my boyfriend.

• Organize GReader
• Add at least ten more people to my blog roll
• Add a blogroll to my page rather than just GReader
• Add an About Me page to my blog – half-way done!
  
• Catch up on reviews (Five down! One to go!)
  
• Fix my reading project pages
• Come up with giveaway list (Working on it…)
  
• Catch up on GReader commenting and reading

Alright. I’ve made a leaps of progress today. I’ve organized my Google Reader, added ten people to my blogroll, fixed my pages and reading log, caught up on commenting and reading and written FIVE reviews.

I still have to write one review, write an About me page and come up with a giveaway list. Just because I like hosting giveaways.

Thank you to J.S. Peyton of Who’s a BiblioAddict and Kay of the Infinite Shelf for bloggiestaing with me.

Filed under: Literature

Bloggiesta of Three: Update 1

Sunday generally seems like a bad day to try to get stuff done. It’s warmer than we like here in Seattle, and I keep feeling like I’m melting. But nevertheless, I’m trying to make progress.

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• Organize GReader
• Add at least ten more people to my blog roll
• Add a blogroll to my page rather than just GReader
• Add an About Me page to my blog (I’ve been trying to do this for over a year) – I’m begging my boyfriend to help me with this because I have absolutely no idea what to say about myself.
  
• Catch up on reviews (Don’t even ask me how many I’m behind on!)                  Four down! Two to go!
  
• Fix my reading project pages
• Come up with giveaway list
• Catch up on GReader commenting and reading

Four reviews down. One and a half to go.  One of my reviews I’ve been grappling with for about a month, but I’ve finally figured out a way to review it that explains just how amazing I think it is.

Filed under: Literature

Bloggiesta of Three! (BoT)

Of the eight things on my list, here’s where I’m at:

The crossed out tasks are done. The ones in red I’m workin’ on!

• Organize GReader
• Add at least ten more people to my blog roll
• Add a blogroll to my page rather than just GReader
• Add an About Me page to my blog (I’ve been trying to do this for over a year)
• Catch up on reviews (Don’t even ask me how many I’m behind on!)
• Fix my reading project pages
• Come up with giveaway list
• Catch up on GReader commenting and reading

Two out of eight. Not bad, so far!

Filed under: Literature

Fireworks and Bloggiesta, TSS

Sitting on the beach, watching three different firework shows across the lake marks probably my most ideal fourth of July. When one show ended, you could easily turn to watch the next. And of course, the people sitting around you were shooting off their own fireworks. It was an experiment in immersion. I hope everyone else had a great Independence Day!

Post-fireworks,  I’m joining into the Bloggiesta of one (more technically the Bloggiesta of Two). J.S. Peyton is taking a second Sunday to get through stuff and I also really need to get things done on the blog. So here is my list.

1. Organize GReader
2. Add at least ten more people to my blog roll
3. Add a blogroll to my page rather than just GReader
4. Add an About Me page to my blog (I’ve been trying to do this for over a year)
5. Catch up on reviews (Don’t even ask me how many I’m behind on!)
6. Fix my reading project pages
7. Come up with giveaway list
8. Catch up on GReader commenting and reading

Filed under: Literature, The Sunday Salon

Reading Beowulf on the Beach

Reading Beowulf on the Beach has re-inspired me to read some classics though I’m not very far in. And to join a book club that doesn’t take itself too seriously.

Briefly over-viewing each book, you believe Murnighan when we says it will be fun to re-read the classics for yourself. Thankfully, Murnighan has read the classics for us, multiple times. For each book there is a cheat-sheet, detailing the “Best Line”, “What’s Sexy” and “What to Skip” about each.

In Canterbury Tales he starts off with “Chaucer [who] gets a bad rap.” And he really does. University and grad degrees are all about Chaucer. He goes ahead and gives the reader tips on “muddling through Chaucer in Chaucerian.” Like go slowly, forget about spelling and sound out the words. It sounded a lot like learning how to read but Chaucer is 14th century writing, a far cry from the language we use. What Murnighan tells us about Chaucer is that flatulence plays a great role in his work. He also mentions the unfinished tales in Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales. Which you are advised to skip over.

Ann and Michael over at Books on the Nightstand have started a reading project challenging us to read at least one book this summer from Beowulf on the Beach. I’m waiting until I finish the book all the way before I decide on a book for the challenge but I have indeed joined.

Jack Murnighan only goes over 50 books in Beowulf on the Beach. I know we have more classics than that. Jack, I know you’re out there. Please write book two.

(He posts a video every week, I believe, reading a favorite passage from a classic. They’re really well done and can be found on Youtube.)

Filed under: Literature, Reading Notes

Midyear

With July marking the midyear, I thought it was time to see how far I’ve come with my reading projects and general reading.

I’ve read 31 books. I finished the thirty-first yesterday, just in the nick of time! I’m participating in two challenges that have a time limit and a few reading projects that do not.

January was my best month, marking ten books read. April, May and June were my worst reading months taking place during my last quarter at university. I average out to 5 books a month during the school year. I have high hopes that I will have more time to read now that I’ve got my job and nothing else.

I haven’t made as much progress on most of my challenges as I’d hoped to. It is the first time I’ve participated in any and I’m still getting a feel for how to keep myself on track. I also joined one a few days ago, fully knowing that I was behind on most of them.

Time-scheduled projects:

Lost in Translation: I’ve read four out of the six required books for this challenge. I’m half-way through the fifth book, Perfume by Patrick Suskind (translated from the German). This is the challenge I’m most confident about since I read mostly works by foreign and translated authors.

Art History Reading: I’ve read two of the required six books for this challenge. Thankfully, Tom of A Common Reader recommended one to me and I’ve never received a bad recommendation from Tom

Beowulf on the Beach: Jack Murnighan wrote an amazing book called Beowulf on the Beach which talks about 50 classics of literature and their merits. Michael & Ann of Books on the Nightstand are hosting this challenge which asks us to read at least one book mentioned in Beowulf on the Beach.

Ongoing Projects:

US Presidents Projects: I’m ashamed to say I’ve only read two books for this challenge. I became stuck on the book that I bought about the third president. The man just isn’t as interesting as I imagined he’d be. By the time I finish this project, Obama will have served his second term and we will be in the process of selecting a new hope for the nation.

Authors: I have a list of authors whose work I really like. It is my goal to get through everything they’ve written. I haven’t gotten nearly as much reading done for any of my lists. However, I have the purchased books for most of them on my shelf. It is just a matter of time.

Keeping a written record has been helpful; it marks progress. I would like to read at least thirty-one more books this year. Secretly though, I’m hoping for something closer to fifty books over the next six months. And of course, to catch up on my reviews.

Wish me luck and tell me, how you are faring with your reading projects? Are you happy with how many books you’ve read thus far?

Filed under: Literature, Reading Notes

The Autopsy of Trout Fishing in America by Richard Brautigan

This is the autopsy of Trout Fishing in America as if Trout Fishing in America had been Lord Byron and had died in Missolonghi, Greece, and afterward never saw the shores of Idaho again, never saw Carrie Creek, Worsewick Hot Springs, Paradise Creek, Salt Creek and Duck Lake again.

The Autopsy of Trout Fishing in America:

“The body was in excellent state and appeared as one that had died suddenly of asphyxiation. The bony cranial vault was opened and the bones of the cranium were found very hard without any trances of the sutures like the bones of a person 80 years, so much so that one would have said that the cranium was formed by one solitary bone… The meninges were attached to the internal walls of the cranium so firmly that while sawing the bone around the interior to detach the bone from the dura the strength of two robust men was not sufficient…. The cerebrum with cerebellum weighted about six medical pounds. The kidneys were very large but healthy and the urinary bladder was relatively small.”

On May 2nd, 1824, the body of Trout Fishing in America left Missolonghi by ship destined to arrive in England on the evening of June 29, 1824.

Trout Fishing in America’s body was preserved in a cask holding one hundred-eighty gallons of spirits: O, a long way from Idaho, a long way from Stanley Basin, Little Redfish Lake, the Big Lost River and from Lake Josephus and the Big Wood River.

It may not make sense out of context. But this collection of stories has been one of the best and toughest that I’ve encountered. “An Autopsy of Trout Fishing in America” is featured within his collection called Trout Fishing in America.

Filed under: Literature Reviews, Richard Brautigan

Google Reader and Young Adult Fiction, TSS

I’ve finally joined the world of the elite blogger – I updated to Google Reader this week! I have to tell you, if you haven’t yet switched over, stop reading this and go now. It is the most practical and time-saving thing I’ve ever encountered. As you post, it shows up like emails, and I can click on the post to the page and comment or whatnot. It’s amazing.

I feel like I’m, you know, a few years late to the Google Reader party. But better late than never.

This week also marks my intesive foray into young adult fiction. I currently work for a company whose books are mostly targeted for that audience… and I don’t actually read as much YA as I should. My boss gave me a few books to read, but I’m trying to seek out books on my own.

I found a copy of The Hunger Games. I’ve been hearing nothing but wonderful things about that series. I’ve also heard great things about the Mortal Instruments series by C. Clare.

Are there any others that I’ve missed out on? They don’t have to be series, but just, books for a YA audience that are splendid and superb?

Participate in the Sunday Salon here.

Filed under: Literature, The Sunday Salon

Pretending its June 19th

Save Ophelia had her first birthday on June 19th. A little late to celebrate is better than never and I wanted to mark the moment.

An amazing year it has been, filled with new books,  reading projects and new friends. I’m most thankful for the new friends and the support they provide. That way, I don’t feel alone in my bookish world.

Photo credit to Arthur Hughes.

Filed under: Diary

Exemplifying Summer, BTT

When I think of summer, I think of adventures with friends under the gleaming stars. I think of small towns and everybody knowing where you are, without telling your folks. I think of those small town heroes that push us to be daring.

Nothing exemplifies this more for me than the stories of adventure captured within Tom Wolfe’s

Kandy-Kolored Tangerine-Flake Streamline Baby

I may not make and illegally transport my own moonshine, or drive a sports car at god-knows how many miles per hour, but if I could have an ideal summer, that’s what I’d choose to do.

To participate in Booking Through Thursday, visit here.

Filed under: Literature