Seriously Reading.

Persephone Secret Santa

2011-11-30T22:34:00.001-05:00

Wanted to post to say that I have received my Persephone Secret Santa gift. I am not opening it yet, as we are not supposed to reveal until the 16th, but I wanted my Santa to know that it got here. Also, it is so pretty! Can't wait to open it in a couple of weeks. :)

Tomorrow my husband and I are off to Italy! We are spending a week in Rome and Florence, looking forward to taking in the culture, the food (!), and getting into the Christmas spirit.

Today the Rockefeller Christmas tree was lit and it was insane trying to get out of my office, I work at 30Rock, and there was a sea of people trying to stop me from getting home after work. The tree is beautiful, but I cannot imagine standing outside all day just to see it lit!

me.

2011-11-16T20:37:00.000-05:00

Verity did this earlier today and I thought it looked fun, I know I need to be better at blogging!

Age: 27... 28 in January.

Book Size: Kindle or paperback.

Chore that you hate: Putting away dishes.

Dogs: I love them and wish we could have one. Two cats suffice for now.

Essential start to your day: Shower and Coffee.

Favorite colour: Blue.

Gold or Silver: Silver.

Height: 5' 4"

Instruments you play: I took clarinet, piano and drums, but play none of these now.

Job Title: Senior Graphic Designer

Kids: none for us yet.

Live: New York City

Milk: Skim, Almond Milk, or Soy

Nicknames: Em

Oldest living relative: I have a few great-aunt and uncles in their 90s

Pet Peeves: Golf umbrellas in Manhattan - unnecessary!

Quote from a movie: ...I am not good at this.

Right or Left handed: right.

Siblings: 2. 1 brother and 1 sister.

Time you wake up: Alarm is set for 5:15, a good portion of my days I am not up until 6:30 though... shameful.

Underwear: Always.

Vegetable you hate: None.

What makes you run late: My lack of organization.

X-Rays you’ve had: Mouth, shoulder and wrist.

Yummy food that you make: I like to think I make lots of good food, I really enjoy baking.

Zoo animal: All mammals, especially the big cats.

readathon, the end

2011-10-23T08:14:00.000-04:00

I woke up about an hour ago and tried to read but between making breakfast for everyone and two cats that hadn't received any attention in over 6 hours, it was pretty hard.

Which hour was most daunting for you? Hours 16-23 in which I was sleeping.
Could you list a few high-interest books that you think could keep a Reader engaged for next year? I read The House of Paper and really enjoyed it, it is a book about people who love books - what could be better for the readathon?
Do you have any suggestions for how to improve the Read-a-thon next year? Nope, I wish I had a different start time, but that would involve me moving, so chances are it will be 8am again.
What do you think worked really well in this year’s Read-a-thon? My fellow cheerleaders were great, and the hosts made everything so organized and easy!
How many books did you read? About one and a half.
What were the names of the books you read? The House of Paper & French Lessons
Which book did you enjoy most? I actually think I enjoyed them equally.
Which did you enjoy least? Neither.
If you were a Cheerleader, do you have any advice for next year’s Cheerleaders? This was my first time cheering, my advice is to not set too high of a goal for yourself. I didn't realize how long it would take to read posts and cheer people on, so I set a goal of 100 and I only got to 70. It also takes a while in the beginning when you have to weed out the people that aren't actually participating. Overall though it was really fun!
How likely are you to participate in the Read-a-thon again? What role would you be likely to take next time? I will definitely participate, probably reading and cheering again.

readathon, hour 16

2011-10-22T23:09:00.000-04:00

I think I am near the end, after this post I plan on grabbing my book and reading in the extra bedroom for as long as I can stay awake. Hopefully I will be up early enough to keep reading tomorrow though, Mr. Serious needs to be at work by 8am (closing time here) so I will probably be up too. Either way, today was a great and productive day for me!

Books Finished: The House of Paper
Currently Reading: French Lessons
Time Read: 2 hour, 40 minutes
Pages Read: 185
Cheers Left: 66 (I doubt I will make my goal of 100, but I am happy that I at least got this far!)

readathon, hour 14

2011-10-22T21:03:00.001-04:00

Hour 14 and I am back! I have read about 2 pages since the last time I checked in but Mr. Serious is in bed now and I am going to try to stay awake a bit longer.

Mid-Event Survey:
1. What are you reading right now?
French Lessons by Ellen Sussman
2. How many books have you read so far?
1.2
3. What book are you most looking forward to for the second half of the Read-a-thon?
French Lessons and possibly getting into more of The Hangman's Daughter
4. Did you have to make any special arrangements to free up your whole day?
My entire day wasn't free as there was a lot of housework to do, but from now on I should be better.
5. Have you had many interruptions? How did you deal with those?
Cleaning, vet, movie, dinner, and on and on6. What surprises you most about the Read-a-thon, so far?
I am really enjoying my Cheerleading duties - I'm not surprised I enjoy them, just surprised by how much!
7. Do you have any suggestions for how to improve the Read-a-thon next year?
nope, well done!
8. What would you do differently, as a Reader or a Cheerleader, if you were to do this again next year?
Clean my house the day before so that I can focus.
9. Are you getting tired yet?
A little, might have to have some coffee or tea soon.
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?
For me, I just keep switching between things to keep from getting too tired.

readathon, hour 10

2011-10-22T17:29:00.000-04:00

I am almost half way to my cheering goal! Go Team Froot Loops! I have tried to keep up with the readathon on twitter (@SeriousEmily) but I cannot keep up with it, I do not have the focus for twitter. I started reading an ARC of French Lessons by Ellen Sussman that I have had for a while and at about 40 pages in I am really enjoying it so far.

My productivity level has also been pretty high! Since my last post, I have done the dishes, taken a shower and made a cheesecake! Mr. Serious is home now so things might slow down for a while as he will probably turn the TV on which always distracts me. Hope everyone else is staying strong!

Books Finished: The House of Paper
Currently Reading: French Lessons
Time Read: 1 hour, 50 minutes
Pages Read: 143
Cheers Left: 46

readathon, hour 7

2011-10-22T14:14:00.000-04:00

I can't believe that it is hour 7 already! Luckily, I accomplished one of my goals which was to finish a book, I happily finished The House of Paper a few minutes ago -- as you can tell it is avery short book, but good nonetheless. I have also cheered on 30 fellow readers so far! AND.. vacuumed both the living and dining rooms, hung up a shoe organizer, put all of my shoes away, shredded months worth of documents and removed all the stray cat hairs from the furniture. I'm on a roll!

Books Finished: The House of Paper
Currently Reading: Haven't decided yet - maybe Kitchen?
Time Read: 1 hour, 20 minutes
Pages Read: 103
Cheers Left: 30

readathon, hour 4

2011-10-22T11:08:00.000-04:00

Stewie and I have returned from the vet, where we found out that he is up to 17.6lbs. Luckily the vet said he is still not fat, just a beefy boy. As you can see below, he is quite the lounge lizard.

Reading: The House of Paper
Time Read: 20 minutes
Pages Read: 32
Cheers Left: 15

So far I'd say I am doing pretty well with cheering, just not so great in the actual reading part of the readathon, I am going to try to get some cleaning done and take breaks with my book. Thanks to everyone who has stopped by so far and left comments - they are appreciated! :)

readathon, hour 1

2011-10-22T08:15:00.000-04:00

Today is Dewey's Read-a-thon, and I will be participating as a reader and a cheerleader this year (Go Team Froot Loops!). I have a lot of stuff to take care of today so I am going to try reading/cheering every other hour, probably not checking in again until hour 4 or so. I also have to take my cat to the vet and organize a few closets.

Introduction Meme...
1)Where are you reading from today?
Today I am reading from my living room in Queens, NY

2)Three random facts about me…
When I was younger, I was really into horseback riding.
One of my cats has his own bedroom... don't ask.
I am hoping to start a greeting card business soon.

3)How many books do you have in your TBR pile for the next 24 hours?
I pulled 4 off my shelf today (picture below) but I am also reading one on my kindle and might borrow a few from the library on my kindle as well.

4)Do you have any goals for the read-a-thon (i.e. number of books, number of pages, number of hours, or number of comments on blogs)?
Hadn't really thought about it, but I guess I would like to read at least one book and cheer on at least 100 people. Hopefully that is manageable!

5)If you’re a veteran read-a-thoner, any advice for people doing this for the first time?
This is my third or fourth, my advice is to have a few short books on hand so that you can read them quickly and keep motivated!

My readathon stack includes Lucinella (Lore Segal), Kitchen (Banana Yoshimoto), The House of Paper (Carlos Maria Dominguez) and French Lessons (Ellen Sussman)

Good luck to everyone reading!

readathon, the end

2011-04-10T08:47:00.000-04:00

TOTAL TIME READ: 6 hours, 40 minutes

1. Which hour was most daunting for you?
I didnt find any to be particularly easy, I was distracted all day. Next time I might have to lock myself in the extra bedroom.

2. Could you list a few high-interest books that you think could keep a Reader engaged for next year?
I enjoy the Flavia de Luce novels because they are light and entertaining.

3. Do you have any suggestions for how to improve the Read-a-thon next year?
Nope. Job well done as always.

4. What do you think worked really well in this year’s Read-a-thon?
Cheerleaders, mini-challenges, the whole thing!

5. How many books did you read?
Half of two - does that make one whole?

6. What were the names of the books you read?
The Weed That Strings the Hangman's Bag - Alan Bradley
One of Our Thursdays is Missing - Jasper Fforde

7. Which book did you enjoy most?
Flavia!

8. Which did you enjoy least?
I guess that would be Thursday, but I am still enjoying it.

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?
Most definitely. I think that next time I will be try to be a cheerleader as well as a reader in order to be more involved.

readathon, hour 11

2011-04-09T18:15:00.000-04:00

CURRENTLY READING: One of Our Thursdays is Missing, Jasper Fforde

TOTAL TIME READING: 4 hours, 15 minutes

NOURISHMENT: go-go vitamin water zero

FINISHED: The Weed that Strings the Hangman's Bag

Baked a cake and finished The Weed that Strings the Hangman's Bag in the past few hours. I've also begun reading Jasper Fforde's latest One of Our Thursdays is Missing which I cannot wait to get into.

Dinner soon which will slow me down again, but hopefully with a little chocolate cake high I will be able to stay up and read into the night.

readathon, hour 6

2011-04-09T13:08:00.000-04:00

CURRENTLY READING: The Weed That Strings the Hangman's Bag, Alan Bradley

TOTAL TIME READING: 1 hour, 30 minutes

NOURISHMENT: coffee, mimosa, toast, omelette

Definitely slowed down, M came home from running errands and we made brunch, then we put Adventures in Babysitting on, which is really slowing me down. What memories this movie brings back!

This morning M stopped at a yard sale and picked up a leopard print Snuggie for me for $3! I can't say I ever really wanted a Snuggie but it is proving perfect for the readathon!

readathon, hour 3

2011-04-09T10:10:00.000-04:00

CURRENTLY READING: The Weed That Strings the Hangman's Bag, Alan Bradley
TOTAL TIME READING: 50 minutes
NOURISHMENT: coffee

So far so good - sitting on the couch under a quilt being flattened by Stewie (16lb. cat). According to the Kindle I am 60% through The Weed That Strings the Hangman's Bag, I am in love with Flavia de Luce and might have to read the third book in the series this week.

Hope everyone is enjoying the readathon so far!

readathon, hour 1

2011-04-09T08:38:00.000-04:00

Post Numero Uno for the Readathon...

1)Where are you reading from today?
Queens, New York City

2)Three random facts about me…
I just bought a Kindle two weeks ago
Last night I had breakfast for dinner
I am not a big fan of Sex and the City

3)How many books do you have in your TBR pile for the next 24 hours?
I don't have a set number, I am currently in the middle of two books, so getting through both of them would be great.

4)Do you have any goals for the read-a-thon (i.e. number of books, number of pages, number of hours, or number of comments on blogs)?
Finish one of the books that I am reading, read for a total of at least 6 hours.

5)If you’re a veteran read-a-thoner, any advice for people doing this for the first time?
I think this is my third or fourth readathon, no real advice, other than to keep it fun.

Happy Reading everyone!

readathon

2011-04-08T18:49:00.000-04:00

What better way to get back into the blog than with Dewey's 24 hour readathon? It starts tomorrow at 8am if I've done my math correctly, and it has come on the perfect weekend!

Last weekend I participated in my first half-marathon so this weekend I am ready for some rest and relaxation. I also think I might have sprained my ankle either in or after the race and am trying to stay off of it so that I don't feel like crying every time I walk.

Hope everyone is excited for tomorrow! Happy Reading!

[4] on chesil beach : ian mcewan

2011-01-27T21:26:00.000-05:00

I picked up this book a week or so ago because it looked small and like I might be able to finish it in an afternoon. Previously, I had tried reading McEwan's Atonement but failed miserably. I didn't end up loving On Chesil Beach, but I also didn't hate it. The story of a couple on their wedding night, I found it to be horribly sad.

It did get me in the mood to read more literature set in England, so I followed it up with The Tea Rose.

disclosure: I purchased my copy of 'ON CHESIL BEACH' from a yard sale.

[3] a gate at the stairs : lorrie moore

2011-01-09T16:11:00.000-05:00

So far this year my reading choices have been pretty great. Lorrie Moore's A Gate at the Stairs which I finished yesterday, is definitely my favorite of the three I have read this year.

I've never read anything by Moore before though I know that I have been recommended books that she has written - something about a Frog Hospital rings a bell, I will definitely have to look it up later.

This book follows one character, Tassie, from December of her freshman year in college when she is trying to look for a babysitting job for her Spring semester, through the next December. I don't want to give anything away about this book, other than I loved it! Topics throughout the novel include race, war and infidelity. Quite the page-turner!

I've had this book since 2009 when I picked up an ARC at a book sale in Flushing - so I have not yet fallen off the wagon for the TBR dare!

[2] the house on mango street : sandra cisneros

2011-01-02T19:30:00.000-05:00

Two books and posts in one day seems like a miracle around here but I am really trying this year!

I can't believe that I have never read this book! The House on Mango Street seems like something that everyone would have had to read in middle/high school but somehow I missed it. Immediately I loved Esperanza and her story-telling. Being as short as it is, I finished this little gem in about an hour and change, and I think that this was the perfect length for it, fitting with the narrator's style perfectly.

[disclosure] I purchased this book at a rummage sale for $1.50 -- Since I forgot to mention, I received my copy of Howards End is on the Landing from paperbackswap.

[1] howards end is on the landing : susan hill

2011-01-02T19:25:00.000-05:00

Only two days into 2011 and I have already read my first book, Susan Hill's Howards End is on the Landing was a great way to start off my reading. The main reason I wanted to begin with this book was to be motivated not only for the TBR dare but for the entire year to read mainly books that I already own. It sounds like Ms. Hill has quite a few more books around her house than I do, but we are quickly running out of room in our apartment for bookcases so I need to work with what I have.

I enjoyed how each chapter she moved onto a different type of book or author that she would like to re-read or read for the first time. Also, I found the people she has met in her life to be extraordinary if only EM Forster could have dropped a book on my foot in a library!

This was a great light read and has a beautiful cover, highly recommend.

chunkster challenge (02.01.11-01.31.12)

2011-01-01T17:08:00.000-05:00

This year I am signing up for the Chunkster Challenge hosted by Caribousmom, in order to read some of those hefty looking books on my shelves. Here are the rules:

Definition of a Chunkster:

A chunkster is 450 pages or more of ADULT literature (fiction or nonfiction) ... A chunkster should be a challenge.
If you read large type books your book will need to be 525 pages or more ... The average large type book is 10-15% longer or more so I think that was a fair estimate.

The Rules:

No Audio books in the chunkster. It just doesn't seem right. Words on paper for this one folks.
No e-Books allowed - we are reading traditional, fat books for this challenge.
Short Stories and Essay collections will not be counted.
Books may crossover with other challenges
Anyone may join. If you don't have a blog, just leave me a comment on this post with your progress (and to let me know you are playing)
You don't need to list your books ahead of time.
Once you pick a level, that's it...you're committed to that level!

I am going to sign up at the Plump Primer level which involves reading six chunksters, which I am sure I will be able to wrangle up.

Possible Reads include...

Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrel, Women in Love, The Adventures of Augie March, Sea of Poppies...

1.1.11

2011-01-01T16:32:00.000-05:00

happy new year!

I am looking forward to a clean slate to not only my reading this year but also to blogging! 2010 didn't yield the results I was hoping for in the literary section of my life, overall it was a tough year with a few nice parts.

Looking at 2010's reading goals, I found that I really only had one, which was to not buy any books, I did make it about half way through the year but then failed miserably. Last year I started with 123 books in my TBR pile - and this year I have 144! How did this happen? I read a total of 51 books in 2010, not too shabby.

In 2011 I am hoping to read more of my own books. I have even started off this year with the book Howard's End is on the Landing by Susan Hill to motivate me. I am going to participate in The TBR Dare and go from January 1st to April 1st reading only books that I have previously on my shelf. I have plenty to choose from so I don't think it will be a problem!

Hope everyone had a wonderful holiday season and a great new year!

thankfully reading

2010-11-28T15:36:00.000-05:00

Well, this has been a wonderful four days off with lots of food, relaxation and reading. Yesterday, M & I successfully made our first Thanksgiving dinner together as Mr. & Mrs. R which was a lot of fun for us and now we'll be eating leftovers for days!

I managed to finish Jasper Fforde's The Big Over Easy and am about a quarter of the way through my ARC of Alice Hoffman's The Red Garden, which I like so far all due to my Thankfully Reading Weekend. I was also able to decorate our Christmas tree, clean the living room and watch the new Alice in Wonderland. All I have left is to design some Christmas cards and search for some envelopes to mail them in.

Hopefully everyone else who participated in the Thankfully Reading Weekend had a successful one!

thankfully reading weekend.

2010-11-26T12:27:00.001-05:00

First off, a happy belated Thanksgiving to all! Thanksgiving is my absolute favorite holiday - family, food and time off, what is not to love?

This weekend I am going to be participating in Thankfully Reading Weekend that Jenn from Jenn's Bookshelf is hosting. It is a no-rule, no-stress weekend devoted to getting some reading done. I am going to start off by answering the suggested questions that she has on her site, then I am going to get reading.

How did you celebrate Thanksgiving?
M and I went out to the very end of Long Island (practically in the Atlantic Ocean) and celebrated two Thanksgivings - one with his Dad and family, the second with his Mom and family. We are also celebrating at our house tomorrow since we have a turkey that we won at a raffle last weekend, so we're not done yet!

What's in your TBR pile for the weekend?
I am about 2/3 of the way through Jasper Fforde's The Big Over Easy - I love the Thursday Next series so I thought I would give this one a try. I also just received three books to review for Elle magazine, I don't remember the titles at the moment, but they are on my list also.

How much time do you think you'll have for reading?
Good question - I have a lot of cooking to do, and both the cats are going to the vet tomorrow, but M is working tonight and Sunday evening so I should have a few hours then and when things are in the oven. I might even decorate the Christmas tree today.

What book are you starting out with?
The Big Over Easy - Jasper Fforde

Are you reading print, ebooks or audio?
print

What books did you discuss at Thanksgiving?
Sadly none.

Have fun reading everyone!

sunny sunday.

2010-11-07T11:03:00.000-05:00

I can't believe it is already November, where has the time gone? This past week has been insanely busy work-wise for me, I was out for jury duty for two weeks so I have been playing a lot of catch-up. I've also been doing very little reading, I'm still working my way through Andrew Winer's The Marriage Artist but I am thinking about giving up on it at this point since it is taking so long and I just don't feel too invested.

Some of M's family was visiting this week and he cleaned up the place in preparation - he did such a good job that I really don't have any housework to do today! I'll just make some chili later and maybe run the vacuum around, other than that I am going to read and write some thank-you notes.

Yesterday M and I went into Manhattan, we started in Little Italy for lunch at our favorite place, Da Nico Ristorante on Mulberry Street, then headed up to McNally Jackson on Prince, HousingWorks Books on Crosby and of course, The Strand. I only picked up three books - Rebecca, They Came Like Swallows and The Leavenworth Case. I find I am obsessed with classics as soon as the temperature drops below 50º, but I have to keep reminding myself that I haven't been reading much lately and have a lot at home that already need to be read. Sometime soon I am going to have to motivate myself to read a lot and get through some of these.

Hope everyone enjoys their Sundays - here it is bright and sunny but chilly, it is finally fall!

slump

2010-10-30T11:06:00.000-04:00

I have yet to post about the third part of Madame Bovary, even though I finished it a week ago and I am in the midst of a reading slump. Part of me feels as though this entire year has been a reading slump but I attribute that to the fact that last year I was unemployed for a good portion and therefore devoted myself to books.

Yesterday I finally finished my time with jury duty - 8 days! It feels as though I have been on a vacation, but I'm not well rested and delivering a verdict actually made me feel quite stressed.

I have been reading an ARC of Andrew Winer's The Marriage Artist for about two weeks now and there is something about it that just slows me down. The novel alternates between two plots at the moment, I find myself interested in one and not the other, so I just put it down. I had planned on reading a In The Woods for a Halloween read but I don't think I will manage it, so I might pick up Christie's The Man in the Brown Suit today to get a nice mystery in this weekend.

My dear husband asked me attend a Halloween Costume Party this evening, I dislike dressing in a costume, I have for a very long time, but I said I would go. Luckily we have quite the nun outfit on hand (very strange thing to just have) so I will be going as Sister Emily, the designated driver. Maybe I will bring a book with me. :)

madame bovary, part two.

2010-10-21T06:14:00.000-04:00

Madame Bovary, translated by Lydia Davis

I was lucky enough to read all of Part Two in one sitting due to good old Jury Duty, nothing like spending 8 hours in a room with 300 people and no windows.

Part Two, in my opinion was much more engaging than Part One. I finally got to understand (as much as one can) Emma Bovary. After settling in Yonville, Emma is just as depressed and bored as she was in Tostes and seems as though she will never be happy. I am not sure if I feel sorry for Emma or not, she seems to live in complete ignorance of responsibility, but is that her fault? She has been protected from the real world since the beginning, first there was the convent, followed by her father and in the end, Charles.

Charles, oh Charles - Emma finds him to be a weak and pathetic man, while that may be going a bit far, I can't say that I find him to be likable either. The man has no gumption! While he really has no chance to survive as a doctor in Yonville, I doubt he has much chance anywhere. Plus, with a mother like that, he is lucky to have found a wife at all -- I would have run for the hills!

I felt like this was just the beginning of the end for Madame B., how can anyone have a long fulfilled life living in such opulence? We will see.

Next Thursday I will be posting my thoughts on Part Three, which due to Jury Duty Day Two, I have already finished.

Disclosure: I purchased my copy of Madame Bovary from Amazon.com

madame bovary, part one.

2010-10-17T11:36:00.000-04:00

After a hectic work week, I am a little late in posting about the first part of Lydia Davis' new translation of Madame Bovary, but here it is.

I have never read Madame Bovary before, or anything else by Gustave Flaubert for that matter. I was expecting it to be a much more difficult read than I found it. While it did take me a while to get through the 58 pages that made up the first part, it held so much information that I didn't feel like it was going slowly.

We meet three Madame Bovarys, the first being Dr. Charles Bovary's mother, what I would refer to as a meddling mother-in-law. The second is Charles' first wife, a middle-aged widow who seemed cold and desperate. And the last, Emma Bovary, THE Madame Bovary.

After Charles and Emma are married, she feels trapped, which was probably a common scenario in that day and age. While Charles adores her, she tolerates him. I am interested in seeing where their relationship takes them. I don't know how I have avoided knowing what actually happens in this story, but I am lucky enough to be reading it with very little information.

Check out Nonsuch Book for other perspectives of Part One, Part Two will be posted on Thursday if I can manage to read it on time!

a bunch of reviews

2010-09-26T16:49:00.000-04:00

Here are a few quick reviews of the books I've been reading...

Red Hook Road - Ayelet Waldman

(read for review on goodreads)

A novel about the tragic death of a couple just married and how their families cope with it. I liked the writing but never found myself immersed in the story. Possibly because I was about to get married and didn't want to hear about dying minutes after the ceremony?

The Kalahari Typing School for Men - Alexander McCall Smith

(received via Bookmooch)

This is the fourth book in the No.1 Ladies Detective Agency series. These are nice, quick reads, perfect for summer or if you are just in the mood for a mystery. Once I've read them all I am definitely going to watch the HBO Series.

The Girl Who Played With Fire - Stieg Larsson

(received via Paperbackswap)

I can't decide if I liked this one or The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo better. I'm also probably the last person in America to have read this book, but I am waiting for them all to be out in paperback (I like them better), so I have to spread my reading out a bit.

Proust's Overcoat - Lorenza Foschini

(read for review on LibraryThing)

This story was about a man who collects all things Proust, bedroom furniture, clothes, etc. I didn't particularly enjoy this one as I didn't relate to him, the only thing I collect are books, and even those usually end up leaving my house after a while. (I'm always afraid the weight of our books will make our third story apartment fall into the second story, a bit irrational)

The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie - Alan Bradley

(received via Paperbackswap)

The first Flavia de Luce mystery and I am already anticipating the second. Flavia, a chemist/detective, is one of the most lovable and entertaining characteres I have ever come across, mixed with Bradley's writing style made for a nice weekend read. The Weed That Strings the Hangman's Bag, the second book, is released in paperback in December, and the third A Red Herring Without Mustard is released in the US in February.

Valeria's Last Stand - Marc Fitten

(read for review on LibraryThing)

Valeria, the town's old maid, finds herself falling for the town potter. I finished this book since I was supposed to be reading it for review, but I never particularly enjoyed the story, it was a bit too far onto the silly side for me.

One Day - David Nicholls

(read for review on Goodreads)

I liked the general premise of this one but still found it rather predictable when I was reading it. Should make for a good movie though. Em & Dex find each other on their last day of college and become lifelong friends --e very chapter is July 15th, throughout the years, 1988 - 200?. You'll follow them through the years and see how their lives intersect and how they grow up.

More Tales of the City - Armistead Maupin

(received via Bookmooch)

Michael and Mary Ann are at it again, this is another one of my favorite series. For a while I thought I wasn't much of a series reader and then I realized that I actually am into a few of them. Maupin writes about characters in San Francisco in the 70s. With the short chapters and conversational style these books are easily read in a few hours.

Further Tales of the City - Armistead Maupin

(received via Bookmooch)

After reading the second one in the Tales of the City series, I went straight to the third (If I had had the fourth on hand, I probably would have gone straight to that one.

The Stone Diaries - Carol Shields

(purchaed at The Strand)

I found this to be a very sad and depressing book, but also a lovely one. Every character is flawed in this novel, just as in life. The relationships throughout the story were odd and had slight hint of desperation. While I found it a bit slow going at first, I really loved it in the end.

Cold Comfort Farm - Stella Gibbons

(received via Paperbackswap)

Utterly lovable and hysterical at times, I did not want this book to end, I can't believe I hadn't been pushed towards this book at an earlier age. Can't wait to see the movie with Kate Beckinsdale!

To Siberia - Per Pettersen

(received via Paperbackswap)

I had to read a Norwegian on the way to Norway! I loved Out Stealing Horses and this one did not disappoint. Themes of overcoming struggle seem to be popular with Petterson, I was immersed in this from beginning to end and it made my flight seem much shorter than it was.

triumphant return.

2010-09-19T19:27:00.000-04:00

Nothing like a tornado and the lack of cable and internet for three days to bring me back to the blog!

That, and the fact that M. and I eloped! On September 3rd we headed down to the Manhattan Marriage Bureau with three of our best friends and tied the knot. Afterwards we hopped on a plane for our honeymoon in Oslo, Norway! It was all very romantic.

Now we have been married for a little over two weeks, I am no longer Emily H, but Emily R (that has been the most difficult adjustment for me) and we are getting back into our lovely routine.

Lots of reading has been done this summer, hopefully at some point I can write a few mini-reviews to be caught up. The cool weather has made my second favorite hobby, cooking, a lot easier to do in our third story apartment. This weekend I made a Lemon Garlic Roast Chicken, Apple Upside Down Cake and Squash & Apple Turnovers. Hello Fall!

Back to school season always brings out my ambition and energy, hopefully I can keep it up for a while!

news!

2010-07-06T16:38:00.000-04:00

Well, M and I just got back from a weekend at my mom's house and in Buffalo for my friend's wedding. On Friday though, he proposed! Of course, I said yes! We don't have anything planned yet, just enjoying life for the moment.

how to paint a dead man

2010-06-29T19:49:00.001-04:00

While this was not one of my most favorite recent reads, I still enjoyed it. Sarah Hall's most recent release caught my attention when it was shortlisted for 2009's Man Booker Prize. Its chapters alternate between four different narrators - a dying painter, a landscape artist, a photographer/curator and a blind flower vendor. As you read you discover how the four people's lives are intertwined, and some background explanations since each character is in a different time than the others.

As a woman is dealing with the loss of her twin brother, you will see their father's character before he loses a son, and so on. Interesting concept and well executed but for some reason didn't have the it factor that to me would make it a favorite. I do recommend it though as it was different and interesting.

source: I received this book from paperbackswap.com

ms. chelsea handler.

2010-06-29T19:29:00.001-04:00

Just as I expected, I adored both of these Chelsea Handler memoirs, this woman is hysterical! Out of the two of them, I think I enjoyed Chelsea Chelsea Bang Bang more as it has a lot of recent stories in it and if you watch her show, Chelsea Lately, you know who a lot of the other people in the stories are.

While reading either of these books you can't help but wonder how she made it to adulthood. Even though both of these books are broken into chapters, it is more like reading a bunch of short true stories, sometimes relating to each other but not always.

In the end, I'd say I was thrilled for the semi-normal family that I have and anticipating Handler's next book!

source: Both of these books came through Paperback Swap

broken glass park

2010-06-13T20:32:00.001-04:00

Another fantastic book! Broken Glass Park is Alina Bronsky's debut novel and I cannot wait for her to publish another. I read all 221 pages in less than 24 hours, I can't remember the last time this happened.

The basics are that Sascha's mother was murdered in front of her and her two younger siblings by her stepfather. We follow Sascha's life two years later as she vows to do two things - write a book about her mother and murder her stepfather. Sascha, born in Russia and living in Germany, is courageous and a bit crazy, though I am sure any witness to murder would be. I couldn't wait to find out what would happen to her next and if she was actually going to avenge her mother's death.

After reading this book, I checked out Europa Editions website, realized that they also published The Elegance of the Hedgehog and Gourmet Rhapsody (no wonder the cover looked familiar), and saw tons of other books that I want to read. The internet is a dangerous game!

disclosure : I received this book from the publisher for review

sweet sunday...

2010-06-13T10:03:00.000-04:00

Mark Rothko painting at the MoMA, taken by me when my dad and I went a few weeks ago

Sundays and I have a love/hate relationship. Its all "Yay, weekend!" and also, "Where did Saturday go?" Plus, M usually works on Sunday nights so I end up hanging out around the house and pretty much doing nothing when I should be productive.

Last night I started Broken Glass Park by Alina Bronsky, I am about 70 pages in, I really love this book so far. The author has used a pseudonym, which I find interesting, especially since it says it is one on the book. When it comes to novels, I always want to know why the author is choosing to use a pseudonym. For example, DBC Pierre, who wrote Vernon God Little is the pseudonym of Peter Finlay, it even says that on the book. What is the point of the pseudonym? I would really like someone's insight here.

Another thing I have been thinking about lately are book reviews. I find I am very impatient when reading people's book reviews and want to know if they liked the book immediately. So I have decided from now on the very first thing I am going to say about a book is if I liked it or didn't like it. Really for my own good and nobody else, but I thought I'd let you know. :)

I hope everyone has a restful Sunday. Enjoy it!

the mambo kings play songs of love & beautiful maria of my soul

2010-06-12T14:14:00.001-04:00

I had The Mambo Kings Play Songs of Love on my shelf for a while, the 1990 Pulitzer Prize Winner drew my attention but not enough for me to be chomping at the bit to read it.

When I saw Beautiful Maria of My Soul on LibraryThing Early Reviewers, I figured I'd like to read it so I entered to win, and that I did. BMoMS is the sequel of sorts to The Mambo Kings, so I read both almost back to back.

TMKPSoL is the story of two musicians, the Castillo brothers, Cesar and Nestor, who move to New York from Cuba the late 40's in the hopes of making it big. Before they leave Cuba, Nestor is left by the woman he considers the love of his life, Maria, throughout the rest of his life he is tormented by thoughts of her. I found this book to be just okay. I never really got into the story, partly because of the way it was told. By no means would I consider myself a prude, but the sex scenes in this book were a bit over the top for me. Cesar was described as well-endowed in ways that were strangely graphic -- a tree trunk with branches, really?? So, overall I found the first book to be okay, not great, but interesting.

On to the second book, Beautiful Maria of My Soul. This one I liked less than the first, but for pretty much the same reason as the first. This story is told from Maria's point of view (the woman who left Nestor before he came to the USA). I never felt like this story was being told from a woman's point of view, you could tell that it had been written by a man, mainly from the way that sex, etc. was described. On top of that, I disliked Maria as a character immensely, she seemed to be an extremely vain and selfish person.

I'd be interested to hear from people that read these books and loved them, so if you have please let me know. I wanted to like both of these, and was disappointed when I didn't.

disclosure: I purchased TMKPSoL last year at The Strand and received BMoMS from the publisher after I won it on LibraryThing Early Reviewers

the particular sadness of lemon cake

2010-06-11T20:33:00.001-04:00

or what I would call - The Book that Made Me Want to Read Again.

I. LOVED. THIS. BOOK.

Aimee Bender, who I have never read before, sucked me in from the very beginning in The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake, she didn't disappoint me either. The premise is that Ruth, at the tender age of 9, begins to taste people's feelings in the food that they make. While this sounds like an entirely unbelievable plot line, it works!

I don't really read anything Sci-Fi-ish or too far out there because I am constantly sitting there wondering how on Earth anyone would believe that these things could happen. I guess that makes me a skeptic. On the other hand, I was so scared while watching the movie I Am Legend, I cried. I guess it must just be something that pertains to reading for me.

So, Ruth can taste feelings, which causes a problem for her in her unhappy household. She ends up trying to live off of processed food and the occasional baked good that her mother, a miserably selfish woman, forces down her throat.

That was a horrible synopsis, but you get the gist, right? I now am on the lookout for any other books Bender has written, though I should probably wait until my TBR list dies down a bit.

disclosure: I won this ARC from the Goodreads First Reads program.

5 months, 28 days

2010-05-28T16:32:00.000-04:00

That is how long I lasted. Today, alas, I bought a book, well, I actually bought two. For the record, I felt really guilty and that I needed to but either way, I did it.

The only bookstore we have near us is a Barnes & Noble, which I don't hate, but I don't love it either. Yesterday, M told me they had just opened up a little used bookstore between a pizza place and a tapas bar right around the corner! So today, since my office closed at 1:30, why not spend some time over there? It is a very very small little spot, and it is run by a non-profit organization that helps handicapped adults. They have a pretty good collection of fiction, mysteries and crime, not so much non-fiction (not that I care, but M will be disappointed.)

So, in the name of charity of course I purchased When Will There Be Good News? by Kate Atkinson for $5 and The Line of Beauty by Alan Hollinghurst for $1.50. Not bad!

In all honesty, I have not been hurting for books in any way, shape or form. In just the last week the following have found their way into my home either from PaperbackSwap or BookMooch. I really need an intervention!

Are You There, Vodka? It's Me, Chelsea : Chelsea Handler

Kafka on the Shore : Haruki Murakami

The Sunday Philosophy Club : Alexander McCall Smith

Gilead : Marilynne Robinson

The Kalahari Typing School for Men : Alexander McCall Smith

Lottery : Patricia Wood

On that note, I should really go get some reading done. Hope everyone has a lovely Memorial Day Weekend!

catch up...

2010-05-25T20:19:00.006-04:00

I have been pretty bad at blogging lately, though I can't say that I have ever been good at it, I also haven't been doing very well in the reading department. Elle Magazine asked if I wanted to be a Reader Juror again for the month of August so I was consumed with three non-fiction books for a couple of weeks. One of them I really enjoyed, another was okay and the last I couldn't even finish.

The one that I enjoyed the most was The Woman Who Fell From the Sky by Jennifer Steil. It is a memoir about Steil's time in Yemen as the editor of a biweekly English newspaper there, the culture differences, etc. were fairly interesting to read about and she has a writing style that while informative never put me to sleep. (Always a plus!)

The first of the group, The Butterfly Mosque, a memoir by G. Willow Wilson I struggled through a bit but overall I enjoyed it. After college, Wilson moves to Egypt to teach with a friend, converts to Islam and meets the love of her life. Of course, my summary is a bit more dramatic sounding than it actually was, or maybe not, but I found her tone to be a bit condescending in parts. I guess that could just be how I interpreted it though.

The last of the group was Every Man in this Village is a Liar by Megan K. Stack, a war correspondent. She writes of her time reporting from Jerusalem, Afghanistan and other war-torn countries and somehow I found it to be utterly slow and boring. I didn't even finish it, which for me is almost impossible. I think the last book I didn't finish was written by R.L. Stine... I was young.

Currently I am still in the process of reading Wolf Hall though it is a bit slow, especially when I have a ton of other books staring me in the face. Today I received a new book in the mail that seemed to catch the interest of one of my feline friends. The Other Press sent me Mr. Toppit by Charles Elton....

After putting my feet up for a minute Stewie decided that this book looked tasty, or the kibble he has been eating isn't very satisfying, I'm not sure. Has anyone else ever had their cat or dog want to eat a book? I actually had to put it on a really high shelf so that he would leave it alone!

i am now an Amazon Affiliate because I hate having to search for links!

wolf hall...

2010-05-01T01:30:00.002-04:00

A while ago I started reading Wolf Hall for the readalong that some people are having on Twitter (which I still can barely figure out). To be honest, the only thing I really know about England during this time period is what I learned from The Tudors on Showtime, which I have watched about one season of. (Pretty sad, I know.)

I am fascinated by Cromwell and his role in English history, I'd like to say that this book will motivate me to learn more about him - but who am I kidding?! I just started Part 4, up until now I have had a hard time staying focused on what I am reading and following the dialogue. There is a lot of pronoun usage that doesn't seem to assigned to anyone in particular so I have to go back a few sentences and reread a lot. Once I get into the zone though, I seem to be able to read about 10 pages and then get lost again.

We'll see how it goes from here. Monday's discussion on Twitter will be about Part 4, I am hoping I will be able to finish it this weekend so I am ready for it.

2666.

2010-04-22T20:15:00.002-04:00

Roberto Bolaño's masterpiece 2666, a novel, or group of five novels depending on how you look at it, was highly interesting but also took me FOREVER to read. The five different parts were very different but somehow managed to flow for me. The stories surrounding the murders of hundreds of women in Santa Teresa, Mexico and a quiet German author intertwining seemed as though it would never work, but it did.

I found that the first section seemed to be the odd man out. The following four all had the same tone to them in my opinion, but the first one seemed more familiar, like I was listening to a friend. I finished this book about a week ago and I still am not sure whether I liked it or not. Bolaño deserves all of the credit that he has received, the fact that he was able to write a story of such complexity is amazing. I would have confused myself!

disclosure: M bought this book for me for Christmas.

chef

2010-04-18T20:00:00.002-04:00

Jaspreet Singh has written a beautiful story about a boy coming-of-age in war-torn Kashmir. Kip is first brought to General Sahib's house after his father's death, as an apprentice to the Chef in the General's home. In the center of Kashmir with the enemy so close, Kip has to learn quickly the ways of the world and how to remain on the "right" side of the government.

Singh writes with purpose and the words seemed to flow, transporting me to Kashmir. I would say having a basic knowledge of Indian food helped, as I knew what he was making or talking about. I think once my book-buying ban is up I might have to go out and pick up his previous short story collection Seventeen Tomatoes

disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher via a win at LibraryThing Early Reviewers

- - -

On a side note, it is April 18th and I have still not purchased a book for myself! I'm not going to lie, I have horrid self-control and am really surprised with myself, but proud. Here's to another 7 and a half months!

readathon wrap up

2010-04-11T18:05:00.003-04:00

end of the event meme...

1. Which hour was most daunting for you?
Hmmm... tough choice!

2. Could you list a few high-interest books that you think could keep a Reader engaged for next year?
I definitely agree with everyone that has said novellas and graphic novels, a short book that you can finish will keep you motivated throughout the day.

3. Do you have any suggestions for how to improve the Read-a-thon next year?
Not really, I think it runs pretty smoothly. I did read somewhere somebody suggesting that we possibly have North America start at night and I think that would be an interesting idea to try. I might make it through the 24 hours if that were the case and I'd have a chance at it not messing up my sleeping pattern.

4. What do you think worked really well in this year’s Read-a-thon?
The cheerleaders are always great!

5. How many books did you read?
Just part of one.

6. What were the names of the books you read?
2666 by Roberto Bolano

10. How likely are you to participate in the Read-a-thon again? What role would you be likely to take next time?
I definitely will participate next time, I'd like to be a better reader!

In the end...
Thank you so much to the cheerleaders and other bloggers who stopped by to cheer me on yesterday! I don't know if I would have gotten any reading done without you. I managed to finish 110 pages of 2666 which took me more time than I would like to admit. I also ended up with a lovely sunburn on part of my face and neck from being at the game, but it was worth it ( and at least I had put sunscreen on before I left or I would look like a lobster right now!)

I can't wait for the next readathon, I can only get better at it after this one!

hour 12...

2010-04-10T19:26:00.002-04:00

Mid-Event Survey:
1. What are you reading right now?
2666 by Roberto Bolano

2. How many books have you read so far?
a very small portion of one

3. What book are you most looking forward to for the second half of the Read-a-thon?
2666 - I have 199 pages left, which will probably take me all 12 hours! If I can finish it, I'm not really sure what I will move on to - maybe How To Paint a Dead Man

4. Did you have to make any special arrangements to free up your whole day?
I did, and then it was ruined - fortunately my next 12 hours are free as can be.

5. Have you had many interruptions? How did you deal with those?
We went to a Mets game and I had to clean my house to prepare for visitors

6. What surprises you most about the Read-a-thon, so far?
The small amount of reading that I have actually done.

7. Do you have any suggestions for how to improve the Read-a-thon next year?
Nope. Unless we can come up with a coinciding 24 hour project that my boyfriend and all of his friends would enjoy so I could guarantee free time!

8. What would you do differently, as a Reader or a Cheerleader, if you were to do this again next year?
Book myself a hotel room. That might be a fun idea for next year.

9. Are you getting tired yet?
A little bit, I might have to lay off the wine in the next few hours

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?
No tips from me.

SO FAR...
I have read 41 pages of 2666, a rather pathetic amount in the past two hours but this book has been taking me an extremely long time to read! Fortunately, I have 199 pages left and I am hoping that with coffee on my side I'll be able to make it through.

Snacks so far - 2 slices of pizza, butterfinger easter egg
Drinks so far - glass of red wine

Onward I read!

hour 10

2010-04-10T17:32:00.002-04:00

Thank you everyone for your encouragement to read!

We are home from the game (the Mets lost... oh well) and now I am hoping that I can get M and his friend to get out of here for a bit so that I can read without seeming rude. Or I might just read and not care what they think.

I am so impressed with how much reading some people have been able to get done so far, I really need to step up my game these next few hours!

Happy Reading!

hours 1 & 2

2010-04-10T09:31:00.003-04:00

hour 1 meme...

Where are you reading from today? my apartment in beautiful Queens, NYC... and later today CitiField to watch the Mets

3 facts about me …
I have 2 cats.
I am the oldest of three children. ( I have a little sister & a little brother )
My favorite artist is Mark Rothko

How many books do you have in your TBR pile for the next 24 hours?
Just one at this point. I'd like to finish 2666 today.

Do you have any goals for the read-a-thon (i.e. number of books, number of pages, number of hours, or number of comments on blogs)?
My only goal is to read. Work has been so stressful for me the past month and a half that I haven't had any reading leisure time and all I want is to have some today!

SO FAR...
I have gotten very little reading done. M's friend decided he wanted to come into the city today from the East End so we are going to be hosting a few visitors. When M told me this I tried very had to not have a tantrum, I think I did pretty well. We're going to the Mets game at 1:00 which will be fun, but not what I was planning on for the day. Hopefully M and his visitors will entertain themselves and I can huddle in the corner with my book.

Good luck to everyone today!

readathon!

2010-04-06T21:17:00.002-04:00

Saturday is Dewey's Readathon, and M and I have decided that we are both going to participate. We've been out of town the last two weekends and it will be nice to spend a weekend at home reading. I'm sure plenty of Saturday things like errands and cleaning will get in the way but I'm hoping to get some done.

I'm going to attempt to finish Bolano's 2666 and I think that M is reading book called True North.

hello again.

2010-03-26T18:44:00.002-04:00

Well, it has been almost exactly 2 months since my post. I'm not sure where I have been, home and work were both extremely chaotic there for a while.

I have not made much headway in my reading this year, for the past three weeks or so I have been reading Bolano's 2666 and am still only 400 pages through it. The fact that we were doing a market analysis of a certain bank branch for which I had to create over 120 maps might have been making my eyes a bit too tired to read though.

Previous to all of that though I finished The Angel's Game (Zafon), The Uncommon Reader (Bennett), Major Pettigrew's Last Stand (Simonson), Rabbit, Run (Updike) and The Door (Atwood). I'd really love to say that I will post a review of each of these, but with the way my blogging has been going so far, I doubt it. Of those five, the only one that I didn't absolutely love was the Updike, it took me a while to get into and I never liked the main character (Rabbit), so I am not sure if I will read the other four books featuring him.

The weather here in NYC has been pretty awesome. Last weekend it was in the 70s so M and I went to Sagamore Hill, Theodore Roosevelt's home. M loves history, so he was eating it up; they decided to make it a museum-y type place only three years after he died, meaning everything is in the exact place that he actually kept it --- Even the bed he died in!

This weekend M and I are going to the North Fork, deciding when to put our boat in the water and hopefully I will get some reading done, but with so many wineries around there, odds are I won't.

golden birthday!

2010-01-27T21:07:00.004-05:00

Yesterday was my golden birthday... 26 on the 26th! M invited four of our close friends over and made Chicken Parmesan, Caesar Salad and a cake. It was so great and so much fun!

I am a real stickler about not opening any of my presents until after cake, so I didn't end up doing it until 2am (making today a particularly rough one!), and received some really wonderful gifts. M got me two more books from the Penguin Great Books of the 20th Century.

My job is so crazy right now as we are re-branding all of the company's flyers, emails, etc., and that job falls to me. Unfortunately this is taking a real toll on my reading... I have been reading Mary Karr's The Liar's Club for two weeks and still have about 100 pages left - it is only 300 pages to begin with!

Hopefully this weekend will bring some rest!

one ten ten.

2010-01-10T15:19:00.003-05:00

I can't believe we are already 10 days into the new decade. I have been good so far and not purchased any new books, I haven't even looked at any! On paperbackswap I am only receiving wishlist books as they come up, and when I run out of credits I am not going to buy any, but so far this year I have received three books that way. Of course, I didn't get any from there for about three months before the new year and now they are coming my way!

This week in the mail came The Book Thief by Zuzak, Yesterday's Weather by Enright and The Things they Carried from O'Brien. I finished my second book of the year yesterday, Eric Clapton's autobiography, Clapton, I have mixed feelings about it at the moment and am trying to figure out if I was bored by the book or irritated by the man.

Currently I am reading The Puttermesser Papers by Cynthia Ozrick (spelling?) and have found it to be not something that I would have picked up if it weren't $1 but still very enjoyable.

Work has been absolutely crazy this past week with some firing going on in my department which is a bit awkward for me as I am the new person. Plus, this Friday is M's 27th birthday (I can't believe it!) and my brother sister are coming down on Thursday to visit for the weekend. Happy reading everyone!

lady chatterley's lover

2010-01-03T16:59:00.004-05:00

I love reading classics on a cold winter day, and what better way to ring in the new year but with a classic from a new-to-me author. It did take me a while to get into Lady Chatterley's lover but once I was in I was up to my neck.

Lady Chatterley is in a loveless marriage with Sir Clifford Chatterley who was paralyzed from the waste down in the war. As Clifford's main caregiver she feels soulless and ventures out into the woods surrounding their home. Enter Oliver Mellors, the Chatterley's gamekeeper and former army officer, the two enter a love affair that disrupts both of their lives and the town in which they live.

On the back of my copy of the book it said that it was thought that D.H. Lawrence based Mellors & Chatterley's affair on his German wife's affair with their gardener. I'd be interested in reading more about this as in the novel I found the gamekeeper to be portrayed as the initial aggressor. As the relationship between the two evolved I enjoyed watching the two of them change and grow into each other, making it feel very lifelike.

This was my first Lawrence but it definitely won't be my last, I already have Women in Lovewaiting in the wings.

*disclosure - I purchased a new copy of this book.

shades of grey

2010-01-03T12:05:00.004-05:00

I was lucky enough to receive this book in the mail from Viking. As I have read Fforde's five Thursday Next books and loved them, I was eager to jump into this one.

The premise of this book is that there are different classes of people based on the colors they are able to see. For example, people that can see Purple are considered upper class while “the Greys” are the lower working class. Our main character, Eddie Russett, a Red, travels to East Carmine with his father, a holiday swatchman (their version of a doctor), where his curiosity begins to get the best of him and he asks questions in a place that questions are not asked. This is all pretty hard to describe, so if you are interested I do recommend that you read a better synopsis.

There is so much going on within this book and as this is the first book in the new series a lot of the beginning is setting up for the future. At first I found it painfully slow and wasn’t getting into my usual Jasper Fforde groove, which was killing me. After about 100 pages though (I almost always keep on trucking, hardly ever putting down a book) the story really picked up and at the end I was wishing that there were more.

In general, I wouldn’t say that I am usually a big fan of fantasy but Fforde delivers it in a way that makes everything seem almost believable.

*disclosure - I received this book from Viking for Review.

day 2

2010-01-02T22:13:00.003-05:00

I have made it a whole 2 days without buying a book! It wouldn't have been too difficult if it weren't for M saying that B&N just put a whole bunch of new bargain books out and he wanted to go look, but I politely declined.

We've had to wait for our new bookcases as well, we got the dressers but they were out of the bookcases at IKEA. Later this week I am hoping to pick them up. I haven't gotten much reading done yet in 2010 either. I have been working my way through D.H. Lawrence's Lady Chatterley's Lover but it is taking a bit of time.

I hope everyone is having a wonderful 2010 so far!

looking to 2010.

2009-12-26T23:10:00.008-05:00

This is a monumental post - number 100! Plus, this is my New Year's Resolution Post.

I'd like to say I have a great excuse as to why my TBR stack became a morbidly obese pile, going from 23 to a whopping 113, but I have no excuse other than a severe lack of self control when it comes to $1 books.

I've spent today cleaning up the apartment from the remnants of Hurricane Christmas and getting ready for our New Year's Eve Bash. I'm lucky enough to have New Year's Eve off of work - only because my office is two blocks from Times Square, making it virtually impossible to walk around. I am NOT looking forward to it.

So as I have been collecting TBR books around my house and realizing the monster I have created, I've been thinking of what my New Year's Resolution will be. M was shocked when I told him... are you ready... I am not going to purchase any new books in 2010. I have plenty of books to read next year, I am creating a fire hazard, and I think there is going to be something in my future that I will need to be saving for, you know, church bells and all that jazz.

M's wonderful grandparents gave us each AMEX gift cards for Christmas, so we are going to be cashing those in for two new IKEA Billy bookcases tomorrow for our Living Room/Dining Room area to try to alleviate some of the problem. We're also going to get two new dressers that are on sale - i adore sales at IKEA - and hope to clean up our bedroom. His grandmother puts my reading to shame as she finishes about three books a week, but she was really excited that we are going to be getting more shelves with our gifts.

So, that is my New Year's Resolution. No buying of books in 2010.

Warm wishes to you in the New Year!

rainy rainy sunday.

2009-12-13T18:59:00.004-05:00

At first we had snow forecasted for today, but it has turned out to be just rain, which we have had a lot of this past week. I've barely gotten any reading done in the past few days as I just began my new job which has kept me fairly stressed and busy, on my daily commute I've been reading Jasper Fforde's new book Shades of Grey and while it is interesting, it is rather slow going.

On the bright side - it is almost Christmas! This morning M and I hit up Crate and Barrel for a few gifts, somehow I walked out of there without buying anything for myself, and then to Michael's to get some cookie boxes. Next weekend will be the Christmas Cookie Baking Extravaganza at this house. Now I have to get everything wrapped and ready to mail to my family before its too late. I can't believe how quickly December has already flown by!

readathon giveaway winner

2009-12-06T10:50:00.003-05:00

I used Random.org to draw a winner,

AND THE WINNER IS...

PERPETUALSPIRAL, you can check out her favorite book covers here.

Thank you to everyone who participated in my very first giveaway! PerpetualSpiral just won a copy of Paula Butturini's new memoir Keeping the Feast.

readathon memes

2009-12-06T01:54:00.004-05:00

And you thought that I was done posting for the night! HA!

Chick Loves Lit meme answers are here...

Today I am reading from my gigantic chair in the living room, which I would like to say is usually not so crowded in the corner with the bookshelves but since we have the Christmas tree up there is limited space. Also, you can see the lovely view I have of the train station outside, currently there are what sounds to be 100 screaming drunk girls there, very pleasant!

Name of the book you're currently reading: Revolutionary Road by Richard Yates

Wanting Most: The entire borough of Queens to go to sleep so that I can read in peace. :)

Something you like to do besides read: Bake... bread, cookies, cake, pie, muffins... you name it.

Fact about yourself: I have a younger sister and much younger brother.

Activity you would be doing today if it weren't for the read-a-thon: I'm not sure. Probably at the mall doing some Christmas shopping, so I am definitely not complaining about missing out on that!

---

The second meme is hosted by Tif Talks Books... its a mad lib, remember those?!

Once upon a time in the land of Empty Auditorium, there lived April Wheeler and Krebs happily ever after. Is that not how the story always goes?!? On the night before Frank's 30th Birthday , April Wheeler was sleeping peacefully when all of a sudden there was a handshaking. She jumped out of bed to awaken Krebs.

As both stood there, looking at the sanatorium in their front room, they felt charming. How could it be? Was it true? To be face to face with a sanatorium was not possible. What were they to do?

With quick thinking, April Wheeler and Krebs exchanged a knowing glance and skittered.

From there, we may never know what happened in this story. It could be bleary. Or, it could be awkward. It truly is a mystery! However what we do know is this . . . . he had turned off his hearing aid.

the end.

readathon update

2009-12-06T01:35:00.001-05:00

We are into Hour 16 already and I feel as though I haven't gotten that much reading done, though definitely more than if there was no readathon at all today. I am working my way through Revolutionary Road and I have truly fallen in love with Yates and the way that he writes. Once M lifts my newly imposed book-buying ban, I am definitely going to have to pick up some more of his work!

I am hoping that I can get some more reading done here before I go to sleep as it is 01:30 EST right now, M went to bed and the little kitties are finally done tackling each other. Peace and quiet!

Good luck to everyone with the rest of the readathon! (Especially in case I fall asleep)

readathon update

2009-12-05T19:59:00.002-05:00

It seems as though I have spent the last 10 hours attempting to read while somehow my plans are put on hold. I am about halfway through Revolutionary Road and hope to finish it today and then move on to either Holidays on Ice or Shades of Grey.

I finally had M settled and understanding that I might not want to be disturbed - funny to think that I am talking about an almost-27-year-old guy, right? - and then I realized that the Sabres are playing the Rangers right now so they are on TV! This is a very rare thing around here!

Earlier, M and I did do something book-ish though... we went to the book sale! I have to say I have never been around so many crazed book buyers, they were mainly rare book dealers from Manhattan, and others who sell on ebay, but they were ruthless! One man started swearing when he thought someone had stolen his bag of books, only to realize that he had put it down in a different place. At $1.50/book this is what I came home with:

Minus Shades of Grey of course. But I will say when I picked up that copy of Lorrie Moore's new book, A Gate at the Stairs, I got several dirty looks!

Thank you to everyone who has participated in my giveaway so far! Good luck to everyone in the next thirteen hours!

eye-catching book cover & giveaway!

2009-12-05T14:07:00.005-05:00

As some people may know, I am a graphic designer, which is something that I can't just "turn off" when I want to, no matter how much M would like me to. So, a lot of my purchases are based on cover alone even though we've always been told "don't judge a book by its cover." I usually have a flavor of the week when it comes to my favorite book cover, but I want to know yours dear readathoners!

So, as an example, here are two of my favorite book covers...

Revolutionary Road by Richard Yates - UK Vintage Classics Edition

I am reading this book right now, and bought this edition solely because of the cover. I LOVE the design, and the "Vintage Yates" up in the right hand corner - which is what they do with all of their author's names in the Vintage Classics editions. Also, the cover goes really well with the feel of the book.

Londonstani by Gautam Malkani - US Penguin Paperback Edition

I picked up this book a few years ago when I was working at Borders, I saw it on the 'new paperbacks' table and instantly decided I had to have it - so original! Plus, the story was actually really good, so I didn't have to be mad at myself for being so superficial when buying a book.

On your blog, show and tell us what your favorite book cover of the moment is and why, and then come comment here so we can all take a look.

After the readathon ends I will use random.org to draw a winner of the prize for this meme - an ARC of Paula Butturini's upcoming memoir Keeping the Feast.

Good luck with the rest of your reading! As for my reading so far it has been dismal - M isn't working today so he is constantly interrupting me! :)

read read readathon!

2009-12-05T09:14:00.003-05:00

Today is the readathon hosted by Bethany @ Dreadlock Girl and I am looking forward to working my way through some books! Plus, during the 3:00 EST hour I will be hosting my very first giveaway/meme!

I am about 60 pages into Revolutionary Road, so I will be working on that today, and yesterday in the mail I received Jasper Fforde's new book Shades of Grey from Viking, I can't wait to start that one!

At 5:00 the biggest book sale in our area starts, M and I are definitely planning on attending that! Last year I think I got 12 books, but I think I am going to try to be a bit better this year, because if I get that many again my TBR list will be hovering around 100 and then I might have a real panic attack!

Have fun reading today everyone!

comfort me with apples

2009-12-02T19:56:00.002-05:00

Previously I have read both Tender at the Bone and Garlic and Sapphires by Ruth Reichl, but for some reason had skipped over this little gem. Reichl's voice shines through in her memoirs, making the book feel more like a conversation than anything else. Sprinkled throughout are recipes which Reichl describes making, they sound so good while reading about them that you will thank your lucky stars when you have the ability to make it at home. I am already planning when I can make her brussel sprouts - I think I have about 100 in the fridge [long story!]

I am really excited to read her latest Not Becoming My Mother, and anything else that she publishes in the future!

Source : I received this book via PaperbackSwap

the road

2009-12-02T19:52:00.003-05:00

After finishing Olive Kitteridge, M said he wanted me to read The Road so that we can go see the movie some night -- though I doubt that is going to happen since we go see a movie in theaters about once a year ($13/person? I think not.) So I picked this off his bookshelf and had it read within a couple of hours, but as I am not one for anything scary or tense, this book had me on the edge of my seat sometimes.

I find it amazing that a book can make you scared, it seems like a true accomplishment to me, especially the fact that the reader has to continue on with it and just get themselves more scared. This book wasn't a thriller or anything, but there were some moments that were tense, and that qualifies as a scary book in my mind. When I told my dad I read this, he thought I must have been thinking of something else since I couldn't have handled it -- that is how much of a wimp I am! :)

This was my first book by Cormac McCarthy, though I hope to read more soon, and I really enjoyed it. Everything about the situation was so mysterious that it made it seem more like a possibility, and the lack of chapters, quotation marks, etc. kept the book moving at a quick pace -- making it even more tense! McCarthy displays the strong bond between father and son beautifully even through such a horrific tragedy. I can't wait to see this flick, and pick up some more McCarthys!

Source : M's Bookshelf, I think he got it at a used book store.

olive kitteridge

2009-12-02T19:50:00.001-05:00

A while back I read Strout's Amy and Isabelle, and didn't like it at all -- while I enjoyed her writing style, the story never got my full attention and I found it to be a bit too predictable for my taste. That being said, I was a bit hesitant to start reading Olive, but it won the Pulitzer, so I decided to give it a shot. Told in short stories, I am not sure if this book should be called a novel, but I'm not one for terms really anyway, Strout gives a stunningly real character life. Olive is my kind of lady, at times she is painfully honest, and throughout the stories, it is a bit difficult to like her.

One of my favorite things about this book were the stories that only had Olive mentioned for a second, even this brief glimpse of the title character said volumes about who she was. The relationships that Olive has are often complex, especially the one with her son, Christopher, who I never really understood. Nevertheless, this was a good and quick read!

Source: I received this book via BookMooch

december...

2009-12-01T18:02:00.002-05:00

Having grown up in the Finger Lakes (western NY) and then spending six years in Buffalo (which I miss dearly!) I am not used to there being NO SNOW on December 1st. I have to say, I really miss it, and I just don't love Christmas lights as much without it.

Oh well, on to other things. This Saturday [december 5th], Bethany @ Dreadlock Girl is going to be hosting a readathon. Since M has been working 10-10 on Saturdays, I thought this would be a great day for me to participate. I am also going to be hosting my very first giveaway that day for readathoners, so make sure to check back if you are participating!

Over this past weekend I finished reading Olive Kitteridge and I read The Road in one long afternoon -- I guess I was dedicating this Thanksgiving to the Pulitzers. I really liked both books, and am looking forward to seeing the latter of the two's movie.

ready for the holidays...

2009-11-22T21:43:00.002-05:00

This last week was absolutely crazy -- on Thursday I had an interview at a company that I was really interested in working for and they offered me the job on the spot! So, after everything was finalized I had to let the publisher I am working for currently know that I would be freelancing for two more weeks, the end. My job right now consists of being very busy for a one day and then doing nothing for three, which is SO boring.

Luckily though I finished two books this week. The Red Tent by Anita Diamont which I really liked, and I think it deserves more than just a shout out but we'll see if I can get my act together enough to take care of that. I also finished Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress by D. Sijie, which was also really good, I think I read it in three days worth of train rides. It also deserves its own post but, again, I doubt that will happen.

----

My favorite holiday EVER is Thanksgiving, it is the kick-off to the entire Holiday Season! This year I am not hosting (thank god!), I am spending it for the first time with M's family, or families I guess I should say. This is the one day of the year that I really dislike the fact that my parents and his parents are divorced, because multiple Thanksgiving meals makes you exhausted and in need of the treadmill!

So this week I need to pick out another book to read, make a cake for house numero uno on thursday and rolls or bread for house numero dos. I hope you all have a great Thanksgiving (if you celebrate it), and be thankful for all those books!

Anonyponymous.

2009-11-17T18:46:00.006-05:00

This fun little book details the origin of generally anonymous eponymous words -- words that have gained their origin from people's names. I really enjoyed learning where these words came from and found myself wanting to tell whomever happened to be within shouting distance where the words 'boycott', 'masochism' (a truly strange one, just like the word itself) and 'leotard' came from. To the point where M actually told me he will read the book on his own and I don't need to read it in its entirety to him. Smarty pants!

I was a little disappointed with the drawings because I felt like they were quick sketches that could have had more detail, and possibly a few were created just to fill space, but overall they were a nice addition to the book and gave it a bit more depth. Marciano has a nice narrative flow and his sense of humor shines throughout the book.

This book made me more interested in The Lexicographer's Dilemma which while it looks really interesting, I am a bit afraid it might be like text book reading. We'll see.

SOURCE: I received this book from the publisher via Goodreads' First Reads Program.

new books!

2009-11-14T14:23:00.007-05:00

Again. More new books. This really needs to stop, as I have more books than I can read in a year right now and it is giving me serious reader's anxiety. Luckily, today in the NYC area we are getting remnants of Ida so I have a good excuse to stay inside and read. This weeks haul includes ---

Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress : Dai Sijie -- I really can't believe that I haven't read this yet, I picked it up from BookMooch.

Autobiography of a Face : Lucy Grealy -- I have read two books by Ann Patchett and just picked up her memoir Truth and Beauty a few weeks ago which is about her friendship with Grealy. I've heard that there is a lot of drama between Grealy's family and Patchett, I've been wanting to read this one for a while. Also picked it up from BookMooch.

Starting Out in the Evening : Brian Morton -- I don't really know anything about this book, but it was only 75¢ at Amazon so I threw it into my cart.

Alone in the Kitchen with an Eggplant : Jenni Ferrari-Adler -- I don't remember where I read about this, but I love all books about food, when it came up on BookMooch I figured I might as well.

The Lexicographer's Dilemma : Jack Lynch -- I won this from the LibraryThing Early Reviewers program

The Mistress's Daughter : A.M. Homes -- I've never read anything by Homes and this memoir sounded a tad bit juicy, I picked it up on BookMooch.

Major Pettigrew's Last Stand : Helen Simonson -- ARC that I picked up from Shelf Awareness. It looks pretty interesting and I can't wait to start reading it.

----

Currently I'm reading The Red Tent, I'm pretty sure that my stepmother gave this to me to read when I was like 15, but I think I gave it back unread. It was a little slow in the beginning but it is picking up a bit and an interesting story so far.

I've pretty much thrown out any idea of actually reading 50% of my oldest books for the 'Clear off Your Shelves' Challenge, I was doing well at the beginning, but working has really screwed up the amount I can read now. Oh well.

pumpkin cookies...

2009-11-08T21:07:00.004-05:00

I did some major house cleaning today and then started looking through the fridge to see what in there needed to be thrown out or used. I opened a can of pumpkin earlier this week for some Pumpkin Bread Pudding and today decided to make some Pumpkin Cookies. I found the recipe online from Libby and instead of glazing them added 1/2 of a bag of mini chocolate chips. Delish!

The recipe can be found here. As you can see, Stewie loves anything that he is not supposed to have.

new books!

2009-11-07T13:41:00.004-05:00

I really need to stop acquiring new books, but I just can't help myself. My new office is right near a TON of bookstores, there is a bookstore downstairs for crying out loud! Luckily, I managed to stay away from them, but the mailman could not be stopped and he delivered these beauties to me.

The Liar's Club : Mary Karr -- I read Cherry a long time ago and remember loving it, so I thought I would give this one a shot.

Olive Kitteridge : Elizabeth Strout -- I blame other bloggers for this one!

Oryx and Crake : Margaret Atwood -- I've read 3 others by Atwood and enjoyed them all, so it was on my wishlist at Paperbackswap, and I was thrilled when it showed up at my door.

Winterton Blue: Trezza Azzopardi -- I don't know much about this book or the author, but I was looking through some notes and I had written it down, then I went onto Amazon to order a gift and saw this was only $2, so I couldn't just leave it there!

The Elegance of the Hedgehog : Muriel Barbery -- I'd like to blame other bloggers again, but I also am intrigued by the title.

Fire in the Blood : Irene Némirovsky -- I read Suite Francaisé when it first came out and thought it was just okay, but I wanted to give the author another shot.

The Tea Rose : Jennifer Donnelly -- I have no idea why I chose this, it isn't anything like what I normally read, but for some reason I was drawn to it.

----

Now, I finished all my work, so I need to read as my TBR shelf just hit 80 and it is making me panic!

busy busy.

2009-11-07T09:59:00.001-05:00

Well, it has been a crazy week here. I had to go back to work on Monday and the company is having me start as temporary for 6-8 weeks and then they will decide if they want to make me permanent, so of course I am stressed out over that.

I have barely been able to read at all, luckily though I get to ride the train again - my favorite place to read. From where I live to Penn Station is about 20 - 30 minutes, depending if it is an express train or not, and then I have another 10 minutes on the subway. Prime reading time. This week I was trying to finish up my last book for Elle - Paula Butturini's Keeping The Feast. Easy to read in general but not extremely engrossing.

Today I have a lot of freelance work to finish up, fortunately, M has to work all day so I should be able to get it all done with ample reading time left. Since The Road is coming out in theaters later this month I was thinking about picking that up at some point. But I've gotten quite a few new books lately so I might have to take a look at one of those.

happy halloween!

2009-10-31T16:52:00.007-04:00

This is a really bad picture of the two pumpkins that I carved. M was reading Dracula to me while I did this in the hopes that we might miraculously finish it, which we came nowhere close to.

Tonight we are going to the Islanders/Sabres game - we have second row seats! I am not into the whole costume thing so this was a great excuse to not have to go to any parties. I am a HUGE Sabres fan and M is an Islanders fan, hopefully my team will come out on top! (they should.) Plus, we don't get any Trick-or-treaters since we live on the top floor of a small apartment house, our neighbor came over earlier to show us her costume and that was that.

Everyone have a safe and happy Halloween!

wow.

2009-10-27T12:16:00.003-04:00

So, I have been interviewing like a madwoman the past three months. I started interviewing at a certain publisher in the first week of August, I had to take massive design tests, meet with a bunch of different people and then they never told me anything about the position again. Weeks later, their HR person called and asked if I would come in and interview for a different position, which I gladly did, and the interviewer never showed up, which caused me to have to go back the next week.

Yesterday the HR person called me again, and I got the job that I originally applied for! I haven't had a full-time job in 6 months and I literally thought I was going to die soon, but now I don't have to! Unfortunately, this is really going to cut into my reading time!

As a celebration gift to myself I think that I might go to the Strand tomorrow night and see A.S. Byatt - also get a copy of The Children's Book to get signed.

- - -

Other great news - last night M took me to see The Toxic Avenger, a musical about New Jersey's superhero (based on the cult classic movie that came out in 1984) off Broadway. His friend's mom had won tickets but didn't want to come into Manhattan to see it so she gave them to her son, who in turn gave them to us. It was hysterical! M and I both decided that we would love to go see it again. We had third row seats that I think run about $60, so it was a great treat for us.

These are my very first NYC playbills!

another readathon?!

2009-10-25T17:49:00.005-04:00

Yep. Within a mere 10 hours of finishing my first readathon, I am already signing up for another. Bethany @ Dreadlock Girl is going to be hosting her very own readathon on December 5th. Which, if my memory serves me correctly, is the first day of the very best book sale here in Queens. How better to devote a day to my love of books?

Plus, M said that he was quite jealous of all of the reading I got done yesterday and that he might participate with me as long as I hide his xbox controllers. Now I will have to start putting together a pile of more readathon books, what a shame.

reading hangover.

2009-10-25T13:56:00.004-04:00

Good Afternoon!

It is 2:00pm here and I woke up about half an hour ago, my eyes sting from my reading hangover and my mouth is parched. But I had so much fun! On Sundays I always just get up and read, a little hair of the dog that bit you I guess but at the moment I am wondering if my eyes might revolt and leave.

I'm so impressed by all of the people that read so many books! Eight? Nine? Ten? ELEVEN?! How do you do it?! Next time I am definitely going to have to grab a bunch of shorter lighter reads, but right now I feel like I just cleared off space for four new books!

the finish line.

2009-10-25T07:35:00.003-04:00

book[s] & pages read: The Butcher and the Vegetarian, 18 pages
reading time: 30 minutes
TOTAL TIME READING: 14 hours 15 minutes
TOTAL PAGES READ: 780 pages

fuel: none
minichallenges participated in: 4

completed books: 4
Lunch in Paris, Elizabeth Bard
Runaway, Alice Munro
The Alchemist, Paulo Coehlo
The Beach of Falesa, Robert Louis Stevenson

thoughts:
I did it! I can't believe that I stayed awake for the full 24 hours and read for more than 14 hours... time for bed.

END OF THE EVENT MEME

1. Which hour was most daunting for you? Around hour 19-21 I was pretty tired.

2. Could you list a few high-interest books that you think could keep a Reader engaged for next year? None of the ones that I read!

3. Do you have any suggestions for how to improve the Read-a-thon next year? Nope, I thought it was great.

4. What do you think worked really well in this year’s Read-a-thon? Great and organized hosts! Awesome job!

5. How many books did you read? I completed 4

6. What were the names of the books you read? listed above

7. Which book did you enjoy most? I really liked Runaway, though I don't think that it was a great choice for the readathon.

8. Which did you enjoy least? The Alchemist, it was a bit too preachy for my taste.

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? 100% likely - if I could read 4 books every Saturday, M wouldn't be able to complain about all the books I bring into this house! Next time I will probably just be a reader again, but after that possibly a cheerleader.

hour 23!

2009-10-25T06:56:00.003-04:00

book[s] & pages read:
The Beach of Falesa, 23 pages
The Butcher and the Vegetarian, 10 pages
reading time: 45 minutes
TOTAL TIME READING: 13 hours 45 minutes
TOTAL PAGES READ: 762 pages

fuel: none
minichallenges participated in: 4

completed books: 4
Lunch in Paris, Elizabeth Bard
Runaway, Alice Munro
The Alchemist, Paulo Coehlo
The Beach of Falesa, Robert Louis Stevenson

thoughts:
Only 60 minutes left, and for some reason I just got my second wind - probably more like my fifth wind actually. The birds are chirping, the trains are running, it's morning!

Thanks so much to all you awesome cheerleaders for stopping by, you know how to keep a girl motivated!

hour 22

2009-10-25T06:01:00.003-04:00

book[s] & pages read: The Beach of Falesa, 40 pages
reading time: 55 minutes
TOTAL TIME READING: 13 hours 0 minutes
TOTAL PAGES READ: 739 pages

fuel: none
minichallenges participated in: 4

completed books: 3
Lunch in Paris, Elizabeth Bard
Runaway, Alice Munro
The Alchemist, Paulo Coehlo

thoughts:
only 2 more hours - I think i can handle that. At this point I have to look at the computer every hour just to keep my eyes functioning though. I have about 25 more pages in The Beach of Falesa then I am going to have to find something else to read for the last little bit.

hour 21

2009-10-25T04:57:00.003-04:00

book[s] & pages read: The Beach of Falesa, 32 pages
reading time: 38 minutes
TOTAL TIME READING: 12 hours 5 minutes
TOTAL PAGES READ: 699 pages

fuel: none
minichallenges participated in: 4

completed books: 3
Lunch in Paris, Elizabeth Bard
Runaway, Alice Munro
The Alchemist, Paulo Coehlo

thoughts:
I don't know if it is because I am tired or because I am reading Robert Louis Stevenson but this is taking me forever to read! I did reach my 12 hour mark though, and somehow I managed to end up 1 page away from 700.

hour 20

2009-10-25T03:46:00.002-04:00

book[s] & pages read: The Beach of Falesa, 20 pages
reading time: 22 minutes
TOTAL TIME READING: 11 hours 27 minutes
TOTAL PAGES READ: 667 pages

fuel: coffee
minichallenges participated in: 4

completed books: 3
Lunch in Paris, Elizabeth Bard
Runaway, Alice Munro
The Alchemist, Paulo Coehlo

thoughts:
M has finally gone to sleep and now I am just waiting for all of the bars around the corner of my house to close so it will finally quiet down around here. It took me forever to figure out what I was going to read next and then I remembered that I had 2 books from Melville House's Art of the Novella series, so I figured I would try out one of them.

hour 19

2009-10-25T03:01:00.002-04:00

book[s] & pages read: The Alchemist, 57 pages
reading time: 55 minutes
TOTAL TIME READING: 11 hours 9 minutes
TOTAL PAGES READ: 647 pages

fuel: coffee
minichallenges participated in: 4

completed books: 3
Lunch in Paris, Elizabeth Bard
Runaway, Alice Munro
The Alchemist, Paulo Coehlo

thoughts:
I finished my third book of the day and have almost read for a total of 12 hours which was my own personal goal for the day. I'm hoping that I will be able to stay awake for another 5 hours, I'll have to find a pretty engrossing read.

hours 17 & 18

2009-10-25T01:49:00.001-04:00

book[s] & pages read: The Alchemist, 110 pages
reading time: 1 hour 45 minutes
TOTAL TIME READING: 10 hours 14 minutes
TOTAL PAGES READ: 590 pages

fuel: nada
minichallenges participated in: 4

completed books: 2
Lunch in Paris, Elizabeth Bard
Runaway, Alice Munro

thoughts:
I think my reading is slowing down a bit, but I am about to brew myself a nice strong cup of coffee and try to sit down and finish The Alchemist within the next hour!

hours 15 & 16

2009-10-24T23:29:00.002-04:00

book[s] & pages read: Runaway, 65 pages
reading time: 1 hour 30 minutes
TOTAL TIME READING: 8 hours 29 minutes
TOTAL PAGES READ: 480 pages

fuel: nada
minichallenges participated in: 4

completed books: 2
Lunch in Paris, Elizabeth Bard
Runaway, Alice Munro

thoughts:
I can't believe that we are halfway through hour 16 already! I am going to take the next half hour off to hang out with M a bit - he has been obsessed with his xbox for the past 4 hours, and see what else is going on in the non-reading world. Then back to start a new book!

hours 13 & 14

2009-10-24T21:37:00.003-04:00

book[s] & pages read: Runaway, 70 pages
reading time: 1 hour 30 minutes
TOTAL TIME READING: 6 hours 59 minutes
TOTAL PAGES READ: 415 pages

fuel: water
minichallenges participated in: 2

completed books:
Lunch in Paris, Elizabeth Bard

thoughts:
I'm on a pretty good roll now, I have more left of Runaway than I thought but I am really liking it so it doesn't matter much to me.

Mid-Event Survey:
1. What are you reading right now?
Runaway by Alice Munro

2. How many books have you read so far?
1 and 3/4

3. What book are you most looking forward to for the second half of the Read-a-thon?
The Alchemist by Paulo Coehlo because I think it will pick my pace up

4. Did you have to make any special arrangements to free up your whole day?
Not particularly, but the rain did pretty much cancel any plans for going out this evening, so that was nice.

5. Have you had many interruptions? How did you deal with those?
In the first 12 hours I had constant interruptions from my boyfriend, but I still love him.

6. What surprises you most about the Read-a-thon, so far?
The number of people that participate! I am honored to be a part of it!

7. Do you have any suggestions for how to improve the Read-a-thon next year?
none!

8. What would you do differently, as a Reader or a Cheerleader, if you were to do this again next year?
Next year I am going to try to get a bunch of short novellas for it, so that I can feel better about completing books

9. Are you getting tired yet?
Not too bad, I'll probably have to make another pot of coffee around hour 20

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?
No tips, just thanks to everyone who has stopped by, your kind words are really keeping me going!

hour 12

2009-10-24T19:33:00.003-04:00

book[s] & pages read: Runaway, 10 pages
reading time: 9 minutes
TOTAL TIME READING: 5 hours 29 minutes
TOTAL PAGES READ: 345 pages

fuel: dinner - grilled portobello with leek and mushroom barley risotto, and a salad
minichallenges participated in: 2

completed books:
Lunch in Paris, Elizabeth Bard

thoughts:
The barley risotto I made for dinner took me FOREVER to make - I mean FOREVER! So I am figuring I will start fresh with the halfway point being here. I am disappointed that I have spent only 5.5 hours reading so far and not 6 or more, so I might try to at least get that high in the second half. M will be going to sleep so that will probably help! :)

I'm psyched that I finished Lunch in Paris, I have about 100 pages left in Runaway and then I might move on to The Alchemist because I know that Coehlo is a quick easy read. Good luck to everyone!

hours 8&9

2009-10-24T16:28:00.003-04:00

book[s] & pages read: Lunch in Paris, 61 pages - FINISHED
reading time: 54 minutes
TOTAL TIME READING: 5 hours 20 minutes
TOTAL PAGES READ: 335 pages

fuel:
minichallenges participated in: 2
completed books:

thoughts:
Finally finished Lunch In Paris, I liked it but I had a lot of distractions this past hour. Our neighbors downstairs were having a yelling match between mother and daughter - fun. Plus, Rupert has been trying to get into everything, he's also very talkative for a cat, so he's been wandering around grunting and meowing. At first it is endearing, but after a while I would like to make him an outdoor cat.

M says he's "starving" so we're going to make dinner which will take a while, I am always overambitious when it comes to Saturday dinner and then I will either continue reading Runaway or start a new book.

hour 7

2009-10-24T15:09:00.002-04:00

book[s] & pages read:Lunch in Paris, 35 pages
reading time: 30 minutes
TOTAL TIME READING: 4 hours 26 minutes
TOTAL PAGES READ: 274 pages

fuel:diet snapple peach iced tea
minichallenges participated in: 2

thoughts:
Slowly making it through this book, in the mail today came The Tea Rose a nice surprise on a rainy day filled with reading. The weather has made sitting and reading a lot easier, it is really dark and gloomy outside, and the leaves are finally starting to fall.

Thanks to all of you who have been stopping by!

hours 5&6

2009-10-24T14:01:00.001-04:00

book[s] & pages read:Lunch in Paris, 74 pages
reading time: 1 hour 5 minutes
TOTAL TIME READING: 3 hours 56 minutes
TOTAL PAGES READ: 239 pages

fuel: turkey sandwich
minichallenges participated in: 2

thoughts: I should be able to finish Lunch in Paris within the next hour or so, then I will probably continue on with Runaway which I think has about 130 pages to go in. M. came home with a new xbox360, I bought him one for christmas off of ebay but it already broke. I guess I will have to find a new place to read while he is entertaining himself with that - at least he will be busy! :)

hour 4

2009-10-24T12:01:00.002-04:00

book[s] & pages read:Lunch in Paris, 65 pages
reading time: 58 minutes
TOTAL TIME READING: 2 hours 51 minutes
TOTAL PAGES READ: 165 pages

fuel:1 glass of water
minichallenges participated in: 2

thoughts:
I spent this hour reading from Elizabeth Bard's upcoming memoir Lunch in Paris, which was sent to me for review. Pretty good so far, at the end of each chapter there are a few recipes and it is making me want to cook.

I'm going to spend hour 5 doing a bit of reading but also cleaning, making lunch, etc.

Rupert sat next to me on the end table while I was reading for a bit...

hour 3

2009-10-24T10:52:00.002-04:00

book[s] & pages read:Runaway, 38 pages
reading time: 40 minutes
TOTAL TIME READING: 1 hour 53 minutes
TOTAL PAGES READ: 100 pages

fuel:1 cup of coffee
minichallenges participated in: 2

thoughts:
So, M. needed some help around the house which caused me to lose out on some of my reading time, oh well. I finished another story from Alice Munro's Runaway, now I am more than halfway through it. Now M has gone out shopping, I am not sure what for as he usually doesn't do any Christmas shopping until December 24th and my birthday is still months away - he has been acting very suspicious lately though.

Hope that everyone is having a great time! Happy Reading!

Hours 1 & 2

2009-10-24T09:13:00.003-04:00

hour[s]: 1 & 2
book[s] & pages read:
Runaway, 32 pages
Lunch in Paris, 30 pages
reading time: 1 hour, 13 minutes
blogging time: 30 minutes
TOTAL TIME READING: 1 hour, 13 minutes
TOTAL PAGES READ: 62

fuel: 2 cups of coffee

first mini-challenge:
Where are you reading from today?
Bayside (Queens), New York

3 facts about me …
1. I live in Queens (New York City)
2. I have 2 cats that have been running around like little lunatics
3. I grew up in the Finger Lakes (Western New York)

How many books do you have in your TBR pile for the next 24 hours?
5

Do you have any goals for the read-a-thon?
I'd like to finish 2 of the books that I am reading

good morning readathoners!

2009-10-24T07:35:00.003-04:00

I got up on time thanks to my little gray and white tuxedoed alarm clock [stewie], have a huge pot of coffee on and am ready to start reading! This is pretty much my normal Saturday morning routine, so now I'll just have to adjust my stamina!

Good luck to everyone participating!

readathon reads

2009-10-23T12:07:00.003-04:00

Tomorrow is the read-a-thon and it couldn’t have come sooner, somehow I am in the midst of 5 books, which is extremely unusual for me! I started reading Atlas Shrugged months ago – hopefully I can spend sometime getting back into that tomorrow, but I kind of doubt it. I also started reading The Electric Acid Kool-Aid Test for the Clear Off Your Shelves Challenge, but it was taking me some time to get into so I started reading Munro’s collection of short stories titled Runaway for the Fall Into Reading Challenge. Then to top it all off I was chosen to be a non-fiction juror for Elle Magazine’s Feb 2010 issue, so I have three books that I need to read and review in the next three weeks for that. Plus M and I are still reading Dracula together, but we’re only around 100 pages in, so we will probably try to read some of that tomorrow as well if we want to finish it by Halloween.

Maybe if I am lucky I will be able to finish at least one of them tomorrow. I am going to attempt to get up at 7am and start a little early since I know that I will be heading out around 10pm for a birthday party in Astoria (Queens). I am not really much of a morning person, though Stewie has had me up and out of bed by 7:30 everyday this week – annoying cat!
To all other read-a-thon participants – good luck!

readathon!

2009-10-21T19:31:00.002-04:00

Well, I have decided to commit to this read-a-thon finally, I am reader numero 313 - unlucky, I think not! I know that I won't be able to commit to the entire day as I have a birthday party to go to that evening, but I am still pretty pumped to even spend three hours of the day reading, though I hope it will be more!

I'm not sure what I am going to put in my read-a-thon stack, but I do have a few shorties lying around the house that might finally get read. Hopefully I will be able to post a picture later this week - for now I am just hoping that I will finish my current read before then.

my horizontal life.

2009-10-20T23:09:00.004-04:00

I finally got the motivation I needed to finish Sweeney Todd when this arrived in my mail today. I started it around 5:00 and finished it a few hours later. As an avid watcher of Chelsea Handler's late night television show, Chelsea Lately, I thought this would be a fun read and snatched it up quick when it became available on BookMooch. I'd like to say that it did not disappoint, but in a way it did a bit. I wanted this book to make me laugh, which it did, but only twice, and they were actually more of a chuckle than a laugh. I don't really like the word 'chuckle' though.

Handler does have a writing style that flows nicely though, I felt as though she was actually reading the book to me. So, even those this wasn't an amazingly hysterical book, I will be looking forward to reading her follow-up books.

rainy rainy sunday.

2009-10-18T09:27:00.004-04:00

Actually it has been raining pretty much straight through since Thursday, and this is NOT a warm rain! The average temperature has been only about 45º, but I am trying to enjoy it since all summer my apartment's temperature hovered around 95º.

My reading has been pretty slow as of late, currently I am working on Sweeney Todd, it is not a long book at all but it is taking me forever to get through - I also can't tell if this version was written for the movie, which will disappoint me if it was, so I haven't really been trying to find out. M and I are reading Dracula together, its the first book we have ever read together and my attention span is not meant for listening to someone read I have discovered. He is constantly looking over at me and saying, "What is the last sentence I just read?" I answer correctly about 70% of the time.

I finished The Remains of the Day last Saturday and immediately watched the movie (thanks to Netflix!), I definitely liked the book better than the film. I will say that it was pretty true to the book, but the subtle changes that they did made I found were making me irrationally upset, so from now on I think I am going to have to A, wait longer than 20 minutes to watch the movie and B, not drink wine during my viewing.

I've been fairly busy lately, I went into Manhattan on Thursday and didn't go to the Strand, what self-control I have! It was probably only because I had to come home and do a lot of work. Personally, I am really tired of doing freelance design work, I need a full-time job! And the read-a-thon is next weekend, I am thinking that I will have to wait until the next on to participate as next weekend looks a bit hectic for me. Oh well. Good luck to anyone who is participating though!

Sorry for the long-winded post!

the girl with the dragon tattoo...

2009-10-12T21:11:00.002-04:00

Last week I finished Stieg Larsson's The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo and I really loved it. Normally I am not much of a thriller/mystery reader but I flew through this one, once I got past all of the financial information in the beginning that is. I am the type of person that closes their eyes throughout most of a scary movie - I literally cried during I Am Legend because I was so tense and terrified. (it was embarrassing)

Blomkvist's (sp?) story kept me interested throughout and I really enjoyed Lisbeth Salander's character and her interaction with the other characters. One thing I found interesting was the amount of coffee that these Swedes were drinking! I mean, wow! Just about every other page they were brewing another pot. Larsson set this one up pretty well for the next book in the series, unfortunately it doesn't come out in paperback here until mid-2010, so I will have to wait a bit for it.

After reading about Larsson a bit, I wondered if he was basing Blomkvist on himself, or his fantasy self. I might have to do a bit more research into that.

retail therapy...

2009-10-09T16:36:00.002-04:00

Alright, I really need to stop purchasing/swapping/acquiring more books. I had to go into Manhattan today for a portfolio review at a publisher's magazine and my reviewer never showed up, so to end my woes I went to the Strand - it was only a few blocks away!

from the strand -
Strawberry Fields - Marina lewycka
Shadow Country - Peter Matthissen
Tales of the City - Armistead Maupin
Tess of d'Ubervilles - Thomas Hardy

from paperbackswap -
The Beach of Falesa - Robert Louis Stevenson
The Dead - James Joyce

And M. brought me back a paperback copy of The Angel's Game from Amsterdam since he knows it doesn't come out in paperback here until mid 2010.

- - -

I have spectated the Read-a-thon before and am seriously considering joining in all of the fun this year. I will have to see what that weekend looks like for me work-wise, and if I can get M. to go visit his family without me. It would help me make a dent in this TBR pile though!

man booker list...

2009-10-07T15:25:00.005-04:00

Slowly I have been attempting to read all of the winners of the Man Booker prize and with yesterday's announcement of the 2009 winner, I figured now would be as good of time as ever to post it. Bold means that I have read it, and italics are books that are currently waiting in the wings.

2009 - Wolf Hall, Hilary Mantel
2008 – The White Tiger, Aravind Adiga
2007 – The Gathering, Anne Enright
2006 – The Inheritance of Loss, Kiran Desai
2005 – The Sea, John Banville
2004 – The Line of Beauty, Alan Hollinghurst
2003 – Vernon God Little, DBC Pierre
2002 – Life of Pi, Yann Martel
2001 – True History of the Kelley Gang, Peter Carey
2000 – The Blind Assassin, Margaret Atwood
1999 – Disgrace, J.M. Coetzee
1998 – Amsterdam, Ian McEwan
1997 – The God of Small Things, Arundhati Roy
1996 – Last Orders, Graham Swift
1995 – The Ghost Road, Pat Barker
1994 – How Late It Was, How Late, James Kelman
1993 – Paddy Clarke Ha Ha Ha, Roddy Doyle
1992 – The English Patient, Michael Ondaatje
Sacred Hunger, Barry Unsworth
1991 – The Famished Road, Ben Okri
1990 – Possession, A.S. Byatt
1989 – The Remains of the Day, Kazuo Ishiguro
1988 – Oscar and Lucinda, Peter Carey
1987 – Moon Tiger, Penelope Lively
1986 – The Old Devils, Kingsley Amis
1985 – The Bone People, Keri Hulme
1984 – Hotel du Lac, Anita Brookner
1983 – Life and Times of Michael K, J.M. Coetzee
1982 – Schindler’s Ark, Thomas Keneally
1981 – Midnight’s Children, Salman Rushdie
1980 – Rites of Passage, William Golding
1979 – Offshore, Penelope Fitzgerald
1978 – The Sea, The Sea, Iris Murdoch
1977 – Staying On, Paul Scott
1976 – Saville, David Storey
1975 – Heat and Dust, Ruth Prawer Jhabvala
1974 – The Conservationist, Nadine Gordimer
Holiday, Stanley Middleton
1973 – The Siege of Krishnapur, J.G. Farrell
1972 – G, John Berger
1971 – In A Free State, V.S. Naipaul
1970 – The Elected Member, Bernice Rubens
1969 – Something to Answer For, P.H. Newby

Some of the older ones seem to be a bit harder to come by, so I'll have to start scouring the shelves at the Strand when I go!

currently reading.

2009-10-01T23:39:00.003-04:00

At the moment I am "reading" two books - the first being Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand and the second is The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson. I say "reading" because I finished the first part of Atlas Shrugged about three weeks ago and since then it has been sitting on my coffee table.

I am stuck. Stalled. Unmotivated. I actually am really liking the book, but it is so overwhelming and the text is so so so small. I am anything but stuck on the Larsson though, I love it, and it is making me feel like a speed reader! Woo!

Ah, well. I just made a mushroom-spinach quiche and am waiting for it to cool before I head off to bed. Today has been a bit crazy, it is my dad's birthday (51) and his dad's birthday (79) and tomorrow is my little brother's birthday (19). According to my grandmother, New Year's Eve is QUITE the night for my family, to which my father and I both said, Ew. And I am picking my mom up at JFK in the morning!

new books & projects

2009-10-01T19:04:00.004-04:00

These are my latest acquisitions - love! I now have 12 of the 20 Penguin Great Books of the 20th Century. This past week from paperbackswap I received -

The Age of Innocence : Edith Wharton
My Antonia : Willa Cather
Bookworms : Laura Furman & Elinore Standard
The Alchemist : Paulo Coehlo

from the publisher:
Get Cooking : Mollie Katzen

I already looked through the cookbook and found some recipes I am going to make pretty soon.

- - - -

Today I was touching up the paint in the hallway/dining room and found that I had about 80% of a can left so I decided to paint one wall in the living room (its attached to the hallway). I got it all done in an hour!