We're about to enter into the last quarter of the year! Starting in October, there will only be thirteen weeks left in 2009, thus, only thirteen weeks for me to reach 52. So where should I be right now? With fifteen weeks left in the year currently, I should have completed 37 books. As you can see, I've only read 36 -
01 A Clash of Kings, George R.R. Martin (01.05.09)
02 World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War, Max Brooks (01.18.09)
03 Eclipse, Stephenie Meyer (01.20.09)
04 The Road, Cormac McCarthy (01.22.09)
05 Y: The Last Man, Brian K. Vaughn (01.27.09)
06 Breaking Dawn, Stephenie Meyers (01.31.09)
07 Infinity Blues, Ryan Adams (02.12.09)
08 The Best American Magazine Writing 2008 (02.28.09)
09 First Love, Ivan S. Turgenev (03.08.09)
10 Fun Home, Alison Bechdel (03.15.09)
11 Anna Karenina, Leo Tolstoy (03.16.09)
12 The Unbearable Lightness of Being, Milan Kundera (03.24.09)
13 Never Let Me Go, Ishiguro Kazuo (03.29.09)
14 The Last Vampire, Christopher Pike (04.05.09)
15 Whisper of Death, Christopher Pike (04.13.09)
16 Monster, Christopher Pike (04.21.09)
17 A Storm of Swords, George R.R. Martin (04.30.09)
18 Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, Seth Grahame-Smith (05.15.09)
19 Crimson, Brian Augustyn (06.15.09)
20 2666, Roberto Bolaño (06.07.09)
21 The Devil in the White City, Erik Larson (06.17.09)
22 The Uncommon Reader, Alan Bennett (06.19.09)
23 The Lover, Marguerite Duras (06.22.09)
24 The Sound of My Voice, Ron Butlin (06.25.09)
25 Blood Meridian, Cormac McCarthy (07.07.09)
26 L.A. Confidential (Film Criticism), Manohla Dargis (07.10.09)
27 Are You There Vodka? It's Me Chelsea, Chelsea Handler (07.12.09)
28 Ender's Game, Orson Scott Card (07.18.09)
29 The Handmaid's Tale, Margaret Atwood (07.26.09)
30 Nine Stories, J.D. Salinger (08.05.09)
31 Slouching Towards Bethlehem, Joan Didion (08.09.09)
32 Seven (Film Criticism), Richard Dyer (08.15.09)
33 Delta of Venus, Anais Nin (08.17.09)
34 The House of the Spirits, Isabel Allende (08.23.09)
35 The Little Stranger, Sarah Waters (09.05.09)
36 To the Lighthouse, Virginia Woolf (09.10.09)
So I'm going to try a bit harder, fantasy football and Netflix be damned. Here's what the rest of my year looks like! (Hopefully!) -
37 A Study in Scarlet, Arthur Conan Doyle (Holmes Novel)* (CURRENTLY READING)
38 White Teeth, Zadie Smith (CURRENTLY READING)
39 The Sign of Four, Arthur Conan Doyle (Holmes Novel)
40 The Year of Magical Thinking, Joan Didion
41 Breakfast at Tiffany's, Truman Capote
42 The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, Stiegg Larsson
43 The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, Arthur Conan Doyle (Holmes Short Story Compilation)
44 Madame Bovary, Gustave Flaubert
45 Chronicle of a Death Foretold, Gabriel Garcia Marquez
46 The Memoirs, Arthur Conan Doyle (Holmes Short Story Compilation)
47 Jesus' Son, Denis Johnson
48 I, Lucifer, Glen Duncan
49 Perfect Fifths, Megan McCafferty
50 Night, Elie Wiesel
51 Travels, Michael Crichton
52 1984, George Orwell
Yes, this list is subject to infinite change. However, I'm hoping that the change reveals I've read more than 52 books! Perhaps? Maybe? Can I do it?
In related news, at the end of the year I'll also put together a recap of those books I enjoyed and whole-heartedly recommend, to those I enjoyed and maybe not everyone else would like, and to those novels which were slightly tortuous to finish. Not every classic is a favourite of mine...
My friend Sean - you may remember him as the one and only distinguished member of the only book club I've ever known when we read Anna Karenina together earlier this year - now wants us to read War and Peace, another SLIGHTLY THICK Tolstoy tome. Sean, I say let us start that challenge on the first day of 2010? How does that sound?
I'm not sure if you can tell by reading this, but I really am enjoying this challenge. I've read so many incredible books because I was motivated, but I'm increasingly disappointed in the fact that I can't read every single one! I have so many books on my to-read shelves that I'm desperate for a year-long sabbatical if only to read a book a day and fulfill my curiousity about all the books that line the shelves in my imagination.
*I have the complete Holmes works in a huge First Volume, so I'm splitting the novels and short story anthologies! I must prepare myself for RDJ's depiction in December!
Hey! Is that my 1984 that you borrowed when you visited Boston at number 52 ;)
ReplyDeleteChronicle of a Death Foretold, Gabriel Garcia Marquez. This book rules. But Marquez is the man so that is no surprise.
ReplyDeleteYES. Jan 1st. FSJBCB returns! It's a plan.
also, I just got the picture. At first I was all "that's a weird picture, I don't see what her face has to do with all those books"
ReplyDeletethen
"ohhhhhh, she's looking at her books"
HA.
Rick - Why, yes, yes it is! I know I've had it forever :/
ReplyDeleteSean - Marquez is my favourite! Stoked for the return of FSJBCB!
Sean - Phew. Didn't know my picture was going to be hard to get...
ReplyDeletemy observation prowess is unmatched.
ReplyDeleteYour love for books is inspiring! I wish I could get my head in a good book more often :]
ReplyDeleteYou are going to make one hell of a Jeopardy contestant one day.
ReplyDeleteI loved the Little Stranger. I'm still working on Anna Karenina.
ReplyDeleteI'm sure you'll reach at least 52
i love that picture of you! :) you have the whole 'sexy librarian' thing going on.
ReplyDeleteBearing in mind you've had other things on your mind, (ie getting married) AND are reading a lot of fairly intense literature, I think the number you are at is fairly impressive. I'm at about fifty but mine are really low-brow light reads that don't take that long. I should have done more.
ReplyDeleteNight is a really good read! I don't read much but i'm interested in the Holocaust and my sis had it laying around. I definitely enjoyed it.
ReplyDeleteGood luck on getting through 52
i am reading Never Let Me Go right now...almost done. so good i haven't been able to put it down.
ReplyDeleteThis list is just staggering. Most people don't read this much in a lifetime and you're doing it in a year. I found this blog from your tumblr account which I commented on a while ago. I have to say that your tumblr is simply outstanding, and I hope you continue the excellent postings. Take care.
ReplyDelete