Sunday, March 31, 2013

March reading roundup


Happy Easter to all; it's a lovely day here on Florida's Treasure Coast and as soon as I finish up here, I'll be out enjoying it.

With the exception of several ARCs (with still more to finish!) I've been just reading whatever the heck struck my fancy this month.  The truth is that through the winter up until the "spring forward" time change I suffer from serious depression, so I just didn't have the energy this month or last to spend a great deal of time on literature I have to give a lot of thought to.  In March, with a couple of exceptions, I tended toward easier books to get me over the hump until the days started staying sunnier longer.  So without further ado...

this month:

literature/fiction:
How To Get Filthy Rich in Rising Asia, by Mohsin Hamid (Pakistan)
The Death of Bees, by Lisa O'Donnell (Scotland)
Philida, by Andre Brink (South Africa)
crime fiction
The Golden Calfby Helene Tursten (Sweden)
The Dance of the Seagull, by Andrea Camilleri (Italy) 
The Burn Palace, by Stephen Dobyns (USA)
A Not So Perfect Crime, by Teresa Solana (Spain)
The Missing File, by D.A. Mishani (discussion posted tomorrow)


 odd/weird fiction
Lovecraft Unbound, Ellen Datlow, ed 
Prophet of Bones, by Ted Kosmatka (discussion to be posted April 2)
Last Days, Adam Nevill (actually read end of February)

nonfiction  


And now, the  other book-related stuff:
1) The book group read The Light Between Oceans, by M.L. Stedman in February; the March book group was moved to this coming Tuesday because of Passover.   It was pointed out a couple of times that this isn't our usual book club-type read, and the majority of us liked it but were put off by the ending.  Those who really enjoyed the book were wowed by it, and I'll have to remember to tell them it's currently on the Miles Franklin Literary Award longlist.  And as a sort of update to our Never Let Me Go group read, I watched the movie and decided that if you hadn't read the book, you'd be lost.

 2) Added to the  wishlist this month (as usual, a lot of obscure titles):
     crime fiction:
none -- can you believe it?


     general fiction:
Maya's Notebook, by Isabel Allende
     nonfiction:
Here I Am: The Story of Tim Hetherington, War Photographer, by Alan Huffman
The Longest Road: Overland in Search of America, From Key West to the Arctic Ocean, by Philip Caputo


 3) Books bought this month (also filled with obscure titles, I'm sure!)
All That Is, by James Salter
Z: A Novel of Zelda Fitzgerald, by Therese Ann Fowler
Odds Against Tomorrow, by Nathaniel Rich
Kite, by Dominique Edde
The Andalucian Friend, by Alexander Soderbergh
Moth Smoke, by Mohsin Hamid
Fanny and Stella, by Neil McKenna
Oil on Water, by Helon Habila

4) Currently reading: 
The Midwife, by Jennifer Worth
The Tragedy of Fidel Castro, by João Cerquiera
Black Wings II, ed. S.T. Joshi
 
****5) Books I'm giving away this month -- take one, some or all, I don't care. I want to send them to good homes.   (sorry, to US readers only)   -- Unlike many other things in life, for you, these are absolutely 100% totally free;  I'll even pay postage to whoever will give them a home. All you need to do if you want any of these is to let me know which book(s) you want, and then email me at oakesn@gmail.com with contact info. Taking the books does me a HUGE favor!


1. The Death of Bees, by Lisa O'Donnell 
2. ARC: How to Get Filthy Rich in Rising Asia, by Mohsin Hamid (I bought a copy so this one's available)
3. ARC: The Burn Palace, by Stephen Dobyns
4.  The Book About Blanche and Marie, by Per Olov Enquist (on the 1001 books list)

 This isn't a contest -- it's first come, first served.  After a week, what ever is left will be given away elsewhere.

I'm now off to enjoy a very warm and sunny day.

8 comments:

  1. I would love to read the Death fi Bees! I've heard nothing but good things about it!

    Thanks so much!!

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    Replies
    1. It's yours! If you wouldn't mind sending an email, I'll get it out to you next week. It's a signed edition in a gorgeous cover -- you lucked out!

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  2. Hello! Happy Easter! :) I am interested in all of your free books, or whichever ones are left, if any! :) Thank you!

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    1. Got it, Lisa! Sorry. They're all yours! Thanks for the address.

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    2. Thank you Nancy! :) I was afraid I was too late! You're awesome!! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! :)

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    3. No ... there was a lag issue with your post!

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  3. Hi Nancy,

    I was really hoping to get my hands on Mohsin Hamid's book. It seems like it has been given away. This is really generous of you, though! :)

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    Replies
    1. Oh, I'm so sorry, really! It's so good, too! Maybe next month there will be something else you'll like -- spring cleaning begins in earnest week after next!

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Say what you will, but at least try to be nice about it.