arrianarose's 50 Book Challenge 2020

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arrianarose's 50 Book Challenge 2020

1arrianarose
Modificato: Gen 26, 2020, 1:09 pm

A new year and a new decade! I'm hoping to hoping to discover some great new books, and finish up some books and series that have have fallen behind in prior years. And, as always, I'd like to have a smaller tbr pile by the end of the year than I started with. :) Wish me luck!

2014: 49 Books
2015: 55 Books
2016: 46 Books
2017: 39 Books
2018: 69 Books
2019: 61 Books




2arrianarose
Modificato: Dic 26, 2020, 2:15 pm

Where have my books taken me this year?



AFRICA
Morocco: In Morocco
Nigeria (Biafra): Half of a Yellow Sun
Oman: The Sultan's Shadow
South Africa: Story of an African Farm
Sudan: The Red Pencil
Misc. Black Leopard Red Wolf

ASIA
China: Jade Dragon Mountain
Iran: The Stationery Shop
Israel: Joshua / The Bible
Japan: Ghosts of the Tsunami
Pakistan: I am Malala
Syria: The Map of Salt and Stars
Vietnam: The Best We Could Do
Unknown: The Empress of Salt and Fortune

EUROPE
Belgium: Villette
England: His Majesty's Dragon
Waking Gods
The Time Traveler's Guide to Medieval England
The Road to Little Dribbling
Gingerbread
The Tenant of Wildfell Hall
The Time Machine
H is for Hawk
My Real Children
Fanny
Fake
France: Proof! How the World Became Geometrical
All the Light We Cannot See
Italy: The Tigress of Forli
Scotland: Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine

NORTH AMERICA
Canada: Ayesha at Last
Moon of the Crusted Snow
The Caribbean: Saint X
Dominican Republic: In the Time of the Butterflies
USA:
Arizona - The Music of What Happens
California - The 57 Bus
Sisters Matsumoto
Connecticut - On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous
Illinois - The Bronte Plot
Kansas - Caroline
Massachusetts - Abigail Adams: Witness to a Revolution
New York - Ask Again, Yes
City of Girls
New York 2140
Like No Other
Ohio/California - At the Edge of the Orchard
Oklahoma - Killers of the Flower Moon
Pennsylvania - Fun Home
Misc. - American Moonshot
The Line Becomes a River
Buttermilk Graffiti

OCEANIA
Australia: A Town Like Alice
The Dry

SOUTH AMERICA
Trinidad & Tobago: The Story of the Little Axe
The Postman

Around the World
The Night Circus
Sailing Alone Around the World
The Hare with Amber Eyes

Fictional Elsewheres
Prydain: The Book of Three
Anarres/Urras: The Dispossessed
The Stillness: The Fifth Season
The Wheel of Time's world: The Eye of the World
The Great Hunt
The Dragon Reborn
The Shadow Rising
The Fires of Heaven
Lord of Chaos
A Crown of Swords
The Path of Daggers
Winter's Heart
Crossroads of Twilight
New Spring
Knife of Dreams
The Gathering Storm
Towers of Midnight
A Memory of Light
Ilyria: Twelfth Night

3arrianarose
Gen 26, 2020, 12:58 pm

1. The Book of Three by Lloyd Alexander Jan 2: Jan5
2. His Majesty's Dragon by Naomi Novik Jan 5: Jan 11
3. Ask Again, Yes by Mary Beth Keane Jan 8: Jan 26

And, I'm off! The first was a bit fun, as I have fond memories of playing The Black Cauldron with my Dad on the computer when I was a kid.

4arrianarose
Feb 2, 2020, 5:43 pm

4. Caroline by Sarah Miller Jan 20: Jan 30 (audiobook)

I hadn't heard of this Little House novel until I read the Laura Ingalls Wilder biography last year, but as that world was still fresh in my mind, and my prior OverDrive audiobook expired mid-listen, I thought I'd give it a try. It was interesting to have an adult perspective as the focus, and I think well done, though no major new ground was broken. I wasn't sure of the time frame it was going to cover until it ended with leaving Kansas. I think it could have been more powerful if it had been longer, covering more of the original series' time frame, from the Big Woods all the way to De Smet with adult children. As it stands, I think the major life events that would be more interesting and enlightening to show from an adult's perspective are for the most part in the future.

5arrianarose
Feb 9, 2020, 8:46 pm

5. Waking Gods by Sylvain Neuvel Feb 2: Feb 3

A decent second book to this series (trilogy?), though not as snappy as the first one. The author's certainly not afraid to kill off characters, though!

6arrianarose
Feb 11, 2020, 6:02 pm

6. The Time Traveler's Guide to Medieval England by Ian Mortimer Jan 12: Feb 9
7. The Road to Little Dribbling by Bill Bryson Jan 30: Feb 11 (audiobook)

Informative and entertaining for the former, and entertaining and informative for the latter. A good pairing, I'd say! I must say, though, Bryson is definitely becoming a curmudgeon, and I think he'd agree.

7arrianarose
Feb 22, 2020, 2:44 pm

8. City of Girls by Elizabeth Gilbert Feb 11: Feb 19 (audiobook)
9. The Dispossessed by Ursula K. Le Guin Feb 10: Feb 20
10. A Town Like Alice by Nevil Shute Jan 23: Feb 21

Fun, thought-provoking and interesting, in that order. I was going to say that, despite my enjoyment of the story-telling, many of the attitudes in the latter were cringe-inducing, but on further thought, all three had episodes of unease or disturbing social issues. The difference being that they were intentional and purposeful for all but the latter work. I did like A Town Like Alice, for the interesting glimpses of Malaya during WWII and the Australian outback post-WWII, it's just very uncomfortable to read such casual racism.

8arrianarose
Mar 1, 2020, 5:34 pm

11. Proof! How the World Became Geometrical by Amir Alexander Feb 8: Mar 1
12. Fun Home by Alison Bechdel Feb 23: Mar 1

Proof was thought-provoking, but a bit too repetitive. There was some very intriguing information, it just needed condensing a little.

I hadn't heard of Fun Home until it was added to my Broadway in Boston theater subscription two years ago, and I absolutely loved the show. It was amazing to me how funny and vibrant it was, considering that, in addition to a coming of age/coming out story, it was about her father committing suicide. Now that I've read the graphic memoir, however, I'm not sure why the show so insistently called his death a suicide. In the memoir, the car accident is much more ambiguous, with little other than the family's feelings to support their suicide speculation.

9arrianarose
Mar 3, 2020, 8:16 pm

13. The Fifth Season by N. K. Jemisin Feb 19: Mar 1 (audiobook)

I really, really enjoyed this one. I liked how we got to know the main character backwards, and as three distinct individuals, both a part of her and separate from one another. As I listened to it rather than having read it, I seem to have mostly bypassed the confusion some readers had with narrative structure. With a narrator's voice to guide me, I was nearly always clear on which character was being portrayed. I'd actually be interested now to read it too, to see how the author's way of writing changes how I process the tale. I get the impression it's rather like reading Wolf Hall for the first time - it takes some getting used to, but soon enough you don't even notice the unorthodox writing style, it becomes part of the flavor of the story.

10arrianarose
Mar 8, 2020, 12:52 pm

14. The Dry by Jane Harper Mar 2: Mar 5

Set in Australia, its a double mystery, regarding three deaths in the present and one from the protagonist's childhood. Some of the "surprises" were a rather obvious, though I did miss the clues to the main killer. Those were either more subtly done, or I was just oblivious to them.

11arrianarose
Mar 28, 2020, 6:05 pm

15. Gingerbread by Helen Oyeyemi Mar 3: Mar 10 (audiobook)
16. The Best We Could Do by Thi Bui Mar 2: Mar 11
17. In Morocco by Edith Wharton Mar 2: Mar 16 (audiobook)
18. Killers of the Flower Moon by David Grann Mar 13: Mar 23

Gingerbread was definitely very odd. Hard to describe, and hard to decide if I liked it or am just unsure about the whole thing. I definitely did not like In Morocco. I was expecting a travelogue and instead got Moroccan history and racism. Ugh. I'm not even sure why I finished listening to it, it wasn't in the least bit interesting or entertaining. My other two non-fictions were immense improvements, even though the subject matters weren't all roses. I'm not sure how I can still be surprised by the horrible things the US government and citizens have done and then swept under the rug, but hearing about the wanton and systemic killing of so many Osage across decades, just for their oil rights, was absolutely horrifying. Equally horrifying is that nothing is widely known about this horrible massacre. It's shameful that we don't teach the bad with the good in our history. How else can we stop it from happening again?

12arrianarose
Apr 3, 2020, 9:22 pm

19. Joshua / The Bible Feb 1: Mar 30
20. At the Edge of the Orchard by Tracy Chevalier Mar 28: Apr 3

13arrianarose
Modificato: Apr 15, 2020, 6:11 pm

21. Ayesha at Last by Uzma Jalaluddin Apr 4: Apr 7
22. The Tenant of Wildfell Hall by Anne Bronte Mar 17: Apr 10 (audiobook)
23. American Moonshot by Douglas Brinkley Jan 7: Apr 15 (audiobook)
24. The Time Machine by H. G. Wells Apr 8: Apr 14

A riff on Pride and Prejudice, Ayesha at Last is set in modern day Toronto, featuring romantic relationships in a Muslim neighborhood. It was lively and perfect for a quick, fun read. I didn't think the writing or characters were amazing, but it was a good escape book for stressful times.

I've wanted to read something by Anne, the third Bronte sister, and this was recommended as fitting a Read Harder 2020 challenge question, so off I went! The story is told as one friend writing a letter to another, something they really liked to do in this era. Full of mystery, struggles and romantic tension, this was another good escape book, though it made me immensely grateful to have been born in modern times, as I always do when reading any "leaving your awful husband would make you an impoverished social pariah, plus he'll probably steal your child too," stories.

I was listening to American Moonshot in January, but Overdrive pulled it back before I finished, and I was just able to lend it again to finish it up. I was surprised it focused mainly on JFK, as clearly the majority of the space race occurred after his assassination. Even so, it was interesting to hear how everything began, the founding of NASA, etc.

I'm not normally an ebook reader - I don't own a Kindle, I-pad, etc. - but I've lately been keeping one ebook going on my phone, for at night, when I want to turn off the lights and crawl into bed, but am not tired enough to sleep yet. Ayesha at Last was one, and The Time Machine another. I figure, while most popular titles will have a queue on Overdrive, classics should be pretty easy to get from Overdrive, Hoopla, etc. So, one down, from the list of classics I hadn't read yet!

14arrianarose
Apr 18, 2020, 4:51 pm

25. Abigail Adams: Witness to a Revolution by Natalie S. Bober Apr 9: Apr 18

I'm always a fan of strong, independent women, and Abigail Adams definitely fits the bill. She made it clear that being a woman should not mean being second class, under-educated or disregarded. Her view of women's primary role being in the home was not incompatible with female independence, education, being politically involved or business/financially savvy. She thought that men and women were complementary help meets, each necessary and vital to the other.

15PaperbackPirate
Apr 26, 2020, 1:18 pm

>13 arrianarose: It looks like you're off to a great start this year!

I read The Time Machine recently and was surprised by how much I liked it.

16arrianarose
Mag 11, 2020, 6:20 pm

>15 PaperbackPirate: Thanks! Yes, I was surprised to already be at 25 books already by mid-April. It's the power of audiobooks, I think. I'm addicted!

The Time Machine wasn't at all what I anticipated. I wasn't expecting a dystopian, cautionary view of the future. Glad I read it! I do think someone who's clever enough to build and use a time machine would have the sense to take at least a few useful items with them, though!

17arrianarose
Mag 11, 2020, 6:38 pm

26. The Tigress of Forli by Elizabeth Lev Apr 19: Apr 27
27. I am Malala by Malala Yousafzai Apr 16: Apr 29 (audiobook)
28. The Stationery Shop by Karjan Kamali Apr 29: May 11 (audiobook)

Two more stories of strong women, one from the past and the other from the present, acting or speaking out as they deemed necessary, despite societal strictures. I'd never heard of Caterina Sforza before this, and it's too bad, as her story was fascinating. I am glad not to live in Renaissance Italy, though - the seemingly continual violence was horrifying. I suppose I could say the same for current day Pakistan, as well, unfortunately.

The Stationery Shop was really enjoyable as well. Clearly violent political upheaval was an unanticipated theme for the 2nd half of April. I'm glad I listed to this one - I usually am for anything where the accent of the person reading or the proper pronunciation of foreign words, names and places adds a depth that I wouldn't have reading it on my own.

18arrianarose
Mag 24, 2020, 12:13 pm

29. H is for Hawk by Helen Macdonald Apr 17: May 17
30. Villette by Charlotte Bronte Apr 27: May 24

I wasn't sure what I was going to get with H is for Hawk, as I had no idea what it was about, save something about a hawk. Turns out, though hawks are a big part of the story, its actually about humanity, grief, depression and loneliness, and dealing with that in one's life. Though that sounds like uncomfortable and unemployable subject matter, it's actually not at all a depressing book, but very engaging.

Villette, on the other hand, I had a hard time with. It was long and slow and the characters either dull or unlikable. Lucy was so continuously passive, self-effacing and self-deprecating, with such low expectations of herself and life in general that I found it difficult to be terribly invested in her well-being. She starts off acting as though she dislikes Dr. John, avoiding him, being deliberately silent to the point of rudeness when he is around, etc. And then it turns out that, wait! she has known all along that he is Graham, and is in love with him. What?! Is he a complete idiot that he doesn't recognize her? I'm fairly sure the book said she was 23 when she moved overseas - he's forgotten his own family member, who lived with him just a few years ago? Please. And, if she really wants to be with him, maybe put a tad bit more effort into it. Then, when Polly shows up and she shifts to the 'suffering in silence during their blessed romance' martyrdom, it is revealed that she is now in love with M. Emmanuel, whom she also supposedly hasn't liked, and who has been nothing but harsh and rude to her. Despite the rather drear ending - clearly, despite the ambitiousness, he must have died - I actually liked the final few pages better than the hundreds I slogged through to get there. Despite their bizarreness, they were the only pages that seemed to have any life to them. They certainly weren't good enough to read it again, though.

19arrianarose
Giu 9, 2020, 7:06 pm

31. The Eye of the World by Robert Jordan - reread May 24: May 26
32. The Great Hunt by Robert Jordan - reread May 27: May 30
33. Milk and Honey by Rupi Kaur May 28: May 29 (audiobook)
34. The Proudest Blue by Ibtihaj Muhammad Jun 2
35. The Dragon Reborn by Robert Jordan - reread May 31: Jun 3
36. The Line Becomes a River by Francisco Cantu Jun 1: Jun 8 (audiobook)

Just a few weeks ago, I decided to set myself the task of finishing the Wheel of Time series by the end of the year. I started the series in high school, but never managed to finish the series after Jordan died. Since it's been so long since I read (or re-read) any of them, I decided there's no place to begin like the beginning, and started fresh from book one. I'm on the fourth now, and hoping my momentum will endure. I figure, if there's any time to do it, it's a summer when I'm stuck at home with little or no options to venture out of my house - always look for the silver linings, even during a pandemic!

Milk and Honey and The Proudest Blue were my choices for audiobook of poetry and picture book of a marginalized community for Read Harder 2020.

I've been wanting to read The Line Becomes a River for a while, since it was an option (not chosen) for my alumni book club. Yikes... I was honestly horrified at the casual indecency of the border patrol's actions while in the field. It was like a frat party with badges - inappropriate behavior somehow normalized within their own ranks and daily lives. The second half of the book, which focuses on his friend Jose, brought me to tears in the end, so heartbroken that this family, and so many like them, have had their lives broken apart because we can't come up with a better, more humane way to deal with our borders. I wish he had come up with the solution his young, idealistic self wanted to learn - we certainly need one.

20arrianarose
Giu 28, 2020, 12:03 pm

37. The Shadow Rising by Robert Jordan reread Jun 4: Jun 16
38. The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern Jun 9: Jun 25 (audiobook)
39. The Fires of Heaven by Robert Jordan reread Jun 17: Jun 21
40. Lord of Chaos by Robert Jordan reread Jun 21: Jun 27

I'm chugging along quite nicely on The Wheel of Time, though it has been more or less the only thing I've been reading. Having no where to go and not much to do while at home has made it rather easy. It was definitely a good match to our present circumstances.

I was very impressed with The Night Circus - really interesting story and characters. Definitely recommended!

21arrianarose
Lug 20, 2020, 9:16 pm

41. A Crown of Swords by Robert Jordan reread Jun 28: Jul 3
42. The 57 Bus by Dashka Slater Jun 26: Jul 7 (audiobook)
43. The Path of Daggers by Robert Jordan reread Jul 4: Jul 7
44. Saint X by Alexis Schaitkin Jul 2: Jul 16
45. Winter's Heart by Robert Jordan reread Jul 8: Jul 16
46. The Bronte Plot by Katherine Reay Jul 7: Jul 20 (audiobook)

A bit of a mix here, going through some of the YA Audiosync titles I've accumulated, and moving along with The Wheel of Time.

22arrianarose
Lug 23, 2020, 8:45 pm

47. Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman Jul 17: Jul 23
48. Sisters Matsumoto by Philip Kan Gotanda Jul 21: Jul 23 (audiobook)

The first was for my book club, I don't know if I would have chosen it otherwise. I'd heard of it, but had no idea what the story was about until I opened it up. Not at all what I was expecting! Laugh out loud funny in the beginning, followed by extremely serious and personal in the middle. I found it very heartwarming and thoughtful - introspective in a refreshing way. My audiobook was another from the YA Audiosync titles free this summer, and ended up unexpectedly ticking off a Read Harder 2020 challenge. I hadn't realized it was a play, initially. The panel discussion at the end was a good, also.

23PaperbackPirate
Lug 24, 2020, 11:10 am

>47 Eleanor is making my top 10 list this year for sure! I laughed too and also cried.

24arrianarose
Modificato: Lug 25, 2020, 2:17 pm

>23 PaperbackPirate: Yes, same here! My roommate wanted to know what I was cracking up about, then all of a sudden it wasn't even remotely funny, just hearbreaking. So well written!

25arrianarose
Lug 30, 2020, 10:21 am

49. Crossroads of Twilight by Robert Jordan reread Jul 18: Jul 26
50. New Spring by Robert Jordan reread Jul 26: Jul 28

50 books completed! I may have to start increasing my challenge starting next year. With audiobooks and corona virus, I'm flying through books lately!

Now that these two are finished, I'm finally on to new territory! The next in the series, Knife of Dreams had a bookmark in it, so clearly I did start it, goodness only knows how many years ago, but never finished it. If only George R. R. Martin were so diligent about finishing his series, despite all obstacles, as I'd love to know his idea of an ending also. I won't hold my breath on that one, though.

26arrianarose
Ago 2, 2020, 3:27 pm

51. Knife of Dreams by Robert Jordan Jul 28: Aug 1

And now it really begins for me!

27arrianarose
Ago 15, 2020, 4:59 pm

52. The Gathering Storm by Robert Jordan and Brandon Sanderson Aug 2: Aug 10
53. Buttermilk Graffiti by Edward Lee Jul 23: Aug 13
54. The Red Pencil by Andrea Davis Pinkney Aug 8: Aug 15

I was skeptical of reading a middle grade book for the Read Harder 2020 challenge. I'm an adult, after all, and I figured it's one thing to read YA books on occasion, or sentimentally re-read childhood favorites, but why would I read something for children for no real reason? Clearly the folks who come up with these lists have a purpose in mind when they choose these categories, though. As one commentator stated, when someone is writing for children, they tend to be more flexible and creative in their methods, presentations, themes, etc. than when writing for adults. The Red Pencil is done in verse and sketches, all from the point of view of a young girl. From the short descriptions, I thought it was going to be about a girl writing, but that's actually not it at all - it was about family, war, grief, self-discovery, and more. A really well done book, surprising and despite the subject matter, full of beauty, hope and strength.

28arrianarose
Set 2, 2020, 6:28 pm

55. New York 2140 by Kim Stanley Robinson Jul 24: Aug 27 (audiobook)

I'm a big fan of most apocalyptic, post-apocalyptic, dystopian, speculative fiction, or any other label you want to affix to it themed books. This one filled a Read Harder challenge prompt for climate change and I already had it on audiobook from YA Audiosync - what more could I ask for? It was longer than I expected, but not in a bad way. It think is could be summed up as a year in the life of a drowned building. Lots of characters, various large and small dramas, and a surprisingly positive outlook, considering the genre. Enjoyable.

29arrianarose
Set 10, 2020, 6:33 pm

56. Towers of Midnight by Robert Jordan and Brandon Sanderson Aug 26: Sep 4

Only one more left! Hard to believe I'm finally there, after all these years. First book read in 1998.

30arrianarose
Set 14, 2020, 8:00 pm

57. Fanny by Erica Jong Aug 16: Sep 12
58. On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous by Ocean Vuong Sep 2: Sep 14 (audiobook)

Two for one deal - my book club and a Read Harder 2020 prompt for Vuong. I'm not sure what all the fuss was about, though. I liked it, but some of it was too rambling and nonsensical for my taste. Good, but not gush-worthy.

31arrianarose
Modificato: Set 22, 2020, 8:05 pm

59. A Memory of Light by Robert Jordan and Brandon Sanderson Sep 4: Sep 19
60. The Empress of Salt and Fortune by Nghi Vo Sep 18: Sep 19

Wow. 20+ years later, and I've completed The Wheel of Time series. I remember very clearly that I read the first book the summer before my junior year of high school, because in our first English class, while talking about summer reads, Beth (new that year) started pulling what seemed like endless book after book (four? five? I'd have to look at publication dates to see how many had been written at that time) of this series out of her backpack, hardcover too, I think, and I knew right away she was a kindred spirit and new friend. Though to this day, I honestly have no idea why she was carrying them all with her that day. :) While Sanderson's writing style isn't the same (ack! the short sentences!) and I'm not fond of his characterizations of certain individuals, most of that seemed to even out as the final book drew to a close, and I think overall he did a decent job. I'm still uncertain of my thoughts on the ending. I have a few questions/thoughts/slight plot holes I'd like more info on, but I suppose now that there won't be any spoilers, I can peruse the internet and fan sites to see if any of my questions have been discussed by others.

I finally was able to return to my library - yay! - and found this tiny volume on the new sci fi/fantasy acquisitions shelf. It's really lovely. I was just looking over some reviews on it, as I wanted to know if anyone thought it reflected a specific Asian country, and saw someone describe it as a "quiet fantasy," which I think is a great description for it. I love how some authors can create a story that's quiet and still, where seemingly nothing happens, yet be so rich and vibrant and full of life. I'm happy to know there are more after this - I'll definitely seek them out.

32arrianarose
Ott 11, 2020, 9:07 am

61. Jade Dragon Mountain by Elsa Hart Sep 24: Sep 27
62. My Real Children by Jo Walton Sep 27
63. Like No Other by Una LaMarche Aug 31: Sep 28 (audiobook)
64. The Book of the Little Axe by Lauren Francis-Sharma Sep 17: Oct 8
65. The Music of What Happens by Bill Konigsberg Sep 28: Oct 8 (audiobook)
66. Sailing Alone Around the World by Joshua Slocum Aug 19: Oct 9

A bunch of items finished in two waves - more library books and AudioSync titles, plus a few extras. I absolutely loved My Real Children - I've been wanting to read it for a while now, and was not disappointed. Definitely an author to explore more of in the future. I wanted to enjoy Sailing Alone more than I did, though. I didn't not like it, but the racist/patriarchal attitudes that popped up jarred with the otherwise enjoyable travel narrative. I guess that's the downfall of reading an older travelogue.

33arrianarose
Ott 25, 2020, 11:43 am

67. The Sultan's Shadow by Christiane Bird Oct 8: Oct 16
68. Ghosts of the Tsunami by Richard Lloyd Parry Oct 16: 17
69. The Postman by Antonio Skarmeta Oct 18

I've been interested in Zanzibar and Seyyid Said since reading M.M. Kaye's Trade Wind a million years ago. I've read the Memoirs of an Arabian Princess and decided, with the library now open again, now was the time to read Bird's on the Omani royal family. The title is a bit misleading, as the focus isn't just on the family, but in large part about the east African slave trade and the beginnings of colonialism in east Africa.

Ghosts of the Tsunami was sad and excellent in equal measures, focusing mainly on one small town, devastated by the deaths of many of their children who were at school when the tsunami swept up the river to their inland school.

34arrianarose
Nov 11, 2020, 9:11 pm

70. Half of a Yellow Sun by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie Oct 17: Oct 29
71. In The Time of the Butterflies by Julia Alvarez Nov 4: Nov 10

Unintentionally, both of these are in a time of social upheaval/war/violence in countries whose histories I knew very little about prior to reading these stories. I would say both authors feel that, although you may learn more information by reading nonfiction accounts of history, by "living" it with the characters in a novel, you discover what that history really felt like to those who went through it.

35arrianarose
Nov 23, 2020, 6:22 pm

72. Black Leopard Red Wolf by Marlon James Oct 13: Nov 20 (audiobook)

On first starting this book, I was skeptical and not sure I was going to like it. It had been hyped up as the new Game of Thrones, but I found the opening odd, disjointed and not particularly likeable. However, I'm glad I pushed forward, as the characters and relationships ended up being very interesting, funny, exasperating, heartbreaking - name your adjective and it probably came up. Yes, the story line continued to be looping and confusing at times, and not everything seemed necessary or to make sense, but overall it was unique and enjoyable.

36arrianarose
Nov 28, 2020, 9:16 am

73. The Hare with Amber Eyes by Edmund de Waal Nov 12: 28

A fascinating and moving story of one family's journey across two centuries and over half a dozen countries, with a focus on art (music, artwork, opera), in particular a large collection of Japanese netsuke (small sculptures) and it's similar movement through time and space.

37arrianarose
Modificato: Dic 18, 2020, 9:50 pm

74. Moon of the Crusted Snow by Waubgeshig Rice Nov 23: Dec 3 (audiobook)
75. The Map of Salt and Stars by Jennifer Zaynab Joukhadar Nov 23: Dec 4
76. Twelfth Night by William Shakespeare Oct 12: Dec 9 (audiobook)
77. Fake by Eric Simonson Dec 10: Dec 14 (audiobook)
78. All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr Dec 6: Dec 17

I really wanted to like Moon of the Crusted Snow, and it's not that I disliked it really, it was just a bit of a dud. The premise was good - end of modern civilization on a remote First Nations reservation - but it never really went anywhere, and nothing new/memorable/interesting/etc. was really conveyed. I did like that the author included a lot of his language into the story.

My library had just started a "Book Concierge" free service right about when COVID struck, and was finally able to roll it out again just recently. The book that was chosen for me was The Map of Salt and Stars - a really interesting set up for a refugee story. Parallel stories are told from the point of view of a young Syrian-American girl grieving her father's recent death, then caught up in the Syrian refugee crisis, told alongside an adventure tale her father always told her, of a young girl who disguises herself as a boy to see the world.

I'm so glad I finally got around to reading All the Light We Cannot See. Not just another WWII historical fiction, the language and characters were so rich and well done, I just loved it.

38arrianarose
Dic 26, 2020, 2:15 pm

79. Creative Nonfiction: Winter 2021 Dec 19: Dec 22
80. The Story of an African Farm by Olive Schreiner Apr 18: Dec 26

A Read Harder 2020 prompt to read an edition of a literary magazine plus finishing up a book from the spring that's been languishing on my bedside table. I enjoyed the magazine - I'd never actually heard this term before, but it's definitely a type of nonfiction I really enjoy, though I'd have called it narrative non-fiction if pressed to be more precises than simply non-fiction. In that serendipitous way things often happen, a high school friend used this very term in a social media post just the other day, so it must be more prolific than I'd thought.

39PaperbackPirate
Dic 27, 2020, 10:20 am

>38 arrianarose: 80!!! Congratulations!!

40arrianarose
Dic 27, 2020, 8:36 pm

>39 PaperbackPirate: Thanks!! :) This crappy covid year was good for my reading life, at least! lol

41arrianarose
Dic 27, 2020, 8:38 pm

81. The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat by Oliver Sacks Mar 7: Dec 27

Finished up one more that was languishing on my bedside table!

42PaperbackPirate
Dic 28, 2020, 12:57 am

>40 arrianarose: Yes, me as well!
>41 arrianarose: I have that book waiting to be read. Did you like it?

43arrianarose
Gen 5, 2021, 8:39 pm

>42 PaperbackPirate: Eh, it was interesting, but not entirely what I had anticipated.