SPRING BREAK AND EASTER: RAMBLING WITH CLAN CROWTHER
I think I'm going to award myself an honorary degree: HAP (Hypochondriacal Amateur Physician). Spring break was marred by the fact that I was in terrible pain from my jaw, which radiated out into my ear and then gave me a headache for my free gift. In addition, I've been having these weird pains when I brush against things or apply pressure in such activities as picking things up. When I say weird pains, it's because the contact involved is minimal, but the pain is excruciating, like someone grazed me with a sledgehammer. My care provider was away for the week, so I waited till yesterday to go to the doctor. The facial pain may be residual from Bell's palsy, although it's on opposite side of my face from the last bout. The headaches are not a symptom of the jaw pain, but a result of it, from scrunching my facial muscles when my jaw hurts. I'm on a course of steroids and painkillers, so I have to monitor my blood sugar closely, but after 24 hours, I'm delighted to be having my first pain-free day in over a week. I'll be having blood work done in a couple of weeks because my PCP thinks I might have neuralgia. The fun just never ends, where my health is concerned.
Spring break was too short this year. I knew I was off work when I took my watch off on Friday afternoon, even though I had to do my Little Debbie job on Saturday. Conversely, I knew it was time to go back to work when I strapped my watch on to go back to work on my Little Debbie route this past Saturday. I was kind of amused at my self-imposed rituals, which including returning my school lanyard to the rear-view mirror so I can find it every day when I get to work.
Easter Sunday flew by so quickly. We didn't color our Easter eggs because we got preoccupied painting birdhouses for the hummingbirds and finches that proliferate the trees and feeders in our front yard. My birdhouse was about as badly painted as it could be, but the activity made me happy, so it was a check in the win column.
We went for a family walk on Sunday afternoon. My intent was to net some minnows from the creek to put in the turtle tank. I recently read a book called Wesley the Owl (a book reference, to keep my blog on topic!) and the author wrote about how animals in captivity get bored if you don't change things up for them by hiding their food and giving them new things to play with. I thought the fish might be company for Viktor, or at least give him something new to look at. So, off we traipsed, me with a pink bucket and net for fishing, and Harold and the kids with walking sticks. Evan immediately went into ninja mode, attacking palmetto bushes with abandon. Kirby, our dog, was thrilled to be out with us and rolled in the grass in ecstasy. Hillary and Evan went into Hunger Games: The Blind Man's Bluff edition, hacking and slashing at each other as well as nearby trees and bushes while wearing huge dark sunglasses and shouting "Huzzah!" Harold and I just collapsed with laughter. Our greatest joy is the bond between our children, and it was as lovely as ever on Easter.
When we got to the creek, Harold was immediately captivated by the abundant crop of blackberries on the banks. Butterflies and dragonflies dotted the sunny sky, and squirrels made a huge racket in the trees. Evan had recently heard me use the word "milquetoast," and amused us all by repeating it and the many synonyms I'd given him for the word, much to Hillary's amusement. I scooped minnows into my bucket with my trusty net, evoking the Brave Little Tailor and his "seven with one blow." The kids were somehow not familiar with this tale (Mom failure there--apparently I never shared that story with them), so Harold and I filled them in on the basic details.
To my dismay, the minnows kept jumping out of the bucket, beaching themselves on the creek banks or sticking to the sides of the pink plastic. I kept tossing the escapees back into the creek, but viewed their determination to escape in a different light after my recent re-read of The Hunger Games trilogy. Wearing an ankle-length dress and thong sandals was not the best choice of sportswear, so I slipped out of my shoes and tried to hold my skirt up, but ended up pretty well soaked from the knees down. When I decided I had enough fish, we headed back home. Hillary took several very nice pictures (which I will try to post later), and Harold got some nice ones of the kids, so we walked back with quality family time warming our hearts.
The mood quickly changed when we dumped the fish into Viktor's tank. The water had not finished swirling before our mighty hunter cornered several minnows and chomped them right down. There he hovered, the tail of a shiny minnow dangling from his jaws as we looked on in stunned acknowledgment of the fate of the last batch of minnows. Harold had kept saying he thought they were dying from the trauma of the transfer to our tank, but now we had proof that their demise was no accident, but rather a tribute to our turtle's determination to supplement his diet with fresh fish. We were all a bit horrified, but we couldn't help laughing in admiration, too. Really, when you come right down to it, it's no different from putting mice or crickets into reptile tanks, and Viktor's disposition seems more sunny and animated than it's been in a while.
We were also (finally!) able to catch up with our DVRed episodes of Justified, which we've been watching together as a family since Season One. Now we're all pumped for the season finale tonight, although this will be the first episode we haven't watched together. The jury's still out on whether we'll watch it now or save it till we're all together again.
I bought myself one of those LED daisies that bob from side to side when placed in direct sunlight. It's the silliest thing on the planet, but it makes me laugh every time I look at it.
I've had to (temporarily) abandon reading A Storm of Swords, book three in the series that began with A Game of Thrones. Evan finished the first two Hunger Games books, and my only copy of Mockingjay, the third book, iw on my nook, so I've loaned him that for now. Harold had indicated interest in read the first book before the movie arrives at the on-post cinema, but we'll see if that actually happens, as he has several other books in a stack of titles he's promised to read. Meanwhile, I'm flipping through magazines and working my way through the (ambarrasingly) large stack of books I've started reading and tossed aside for various reasons.
Really, for a quiet week when I was debilitated by pain, could spring break have been any better?
Tuesday, April 10, 2012
Sunday, April 08, 2012
HUNGER PANGS AFTER FINISHING HUNGER GAMES? TRY THESE!
HUNGER PANGS AFTER FINISHING THE HUNGER GAMES? TRY THESE!
I had read The Hunger Games trilogy at least a couple of times before seeing the movie when it opened last month. Of course I then had to buy a copy of the first book and reread it, which led to buying the second book to reread it. In between, I saw the movie again. Luckily for my budget, the third book was archived on my Nook, so I read it again--twice. I had recommended the books to my kids and my friend Sue, resulting in the following oft-quoted exchange:
Sue (after hearing my synopsis of the first two books, prior to the publication of the third book): Well, that just sounds stupid. And you've read two of these? I wouldn't even read one of them.
Me: Sue, you would really like this. You love Survivor and The Amazing Race. These books are kind of like those shows.
Sue: I don't think so. I'm not going to read them.
I gave up, never thinking the subject would be up for discussion again. When the first movie trailers showed up on TV, I was so excited, and the movie itself exceeded my expectations. I couldn't resist teasing Sue about it, so I asked her if she was planning to see the movie. Imagine my surprise when she said the previews look pretty good. After seeing THG, she told me she'd really enjoyed the movie, but added darkly, "I'm still not going to read those books."
Well, you can't win them all.
In the meantime, having read the series again and seen the movie twice, I can't get the story out of my head. I would read the third book again, but my son is currently reading Catching Fire and will be ready for Mockingjay in the next day or so, if we don't get hijacked by the last few episodes of Season 3 of Justified on FX. I've given a lot of thought to what I would recommend to readers who are still hungry for some good post-apocalyptic, dystopian fiction to fill the void until the second movie arrives in November 2013. Here are my selections, in no particular order.
LIFE AS WE KNEW IT \
THE DEAD AND THE GONE--Susan Beth Pfeffer
THIS WORLD WE LIVE IN /
In this trilogy, a meteor knocks the moon out of its proper orbit, wreaking havoc on the earth with tidal waves and other natural disasters to add to the chaos. The first volume focuses on a family in Pennsylvania, the second on a family in New York City, and the third on both families as they struggle to deal with food shortages, lack of electricity and other amenities, and facing what passes for normal in the wake of disaster. I had minor issues with the books, which I will gladly discuss with anyone who cares to comment, but overall, I liked the trilogy and have read it a couple of times.
THE OTHER SIDE OF THE ISLAND--Allegra Goodman
Honor and her family move from the Polar North to Enclosed Island 365, where everything from the climate to children's names to people's jobs are dictated by the Colony. Differences are punished swiftly and harshly, and conformity is the rule of the day. Since Honor's parents act differently from their neighbors, it's only a matter of time until they draw attention in ways that cause Honor to question everything she believes.
THE GIVER \
GATHERING BLUE--Lois Lowry
MESSENGER /
I actually read MESSENGER first, after purchasing it at a school book fair, and then had to seek out the other two books, which my kids had recommended to me. THE GIVER in particular gives a chilling perspective on a world where political correctness is taken to the extreme and everything less than perfectly normal is made to disappear.
ENCHANTRESS FROM THE STARS
THE FAR SIDE OF EVIL--Sylvia Louise Engdahl
Yet again, I begin a series with the second book. Elana is a new graduate from a University very like Starfleet Academy. She is sent to the planet Toris as kind of an undercover social worker to help this "Youngling" planet negotiate the perilous time when its population will either succumb to nuclear war or unite to develop a space program and explore extraterrestrial life. This book shaped a lot of my attitudes about politics and war, and it didn't hurt that Elana had some pretty cool psi abilities. The first book dealt with a more primitive population, and Engdahl uses more of a fairy-tale style to tell her story, which is very effective at presenting the Younglings' point of view.
RUNNING OUT OF TIME--Margaret Peterson Haddix
All I need to say about this book is that it bears a remarkable resemblance to M. Night Shymalan's movie The Village, which it predates. There was some controversy when the movie came out, but the book is well worth a read.
FRIDAY--Robert A. Heinlein
In a world that seems remarkably like the Capitol of Panem, Friday, a genetically-enhanced Artificial Person, is a courier of top-secret information. She faces discrimination because of her not-human parts, even though, until she reveals her secret, she is completely accepted and popular in her social circle. What's remarkable about this book, to me, is what an amazing job Heinlein did of creating a futuristic world that is very like the world we currently live in.
RESTOREE--Anne McCaffrey
It's no surprise that this is one of my favorite Anne McCaffrey titles, since it is, at its core, a romance in science fiction clothing. Sara is kidnapped from Earth by aliens intent on devouring the human race. When she regains consciousness, she discovers that she has had a makeover that has turned her into a model of physical perfection, but she is working as a caretaker for a man who is being drugged to keep him out of his rightful role as Regent of the planet. She decides to wean him off the drugs, thus opening the door to intrigue and romance. McCaffrey once said she was surprised at how much fans loved this book, which she wrote in protest of the science fiction that was then being written by men, but it remains a huge favorite among her fans.
THE CITY OF EMBER
THE PEOPLE OF SPARKS
THE PROPHET OF YONWOOD--Jeanne duPrau
THE DIAMOND OF DARKHOLD
If your only exposure to this series was the less-than-satisfying film version that came out a few years ago, do yourself the favor of forgetting the movie and sink into the books. Lina and Doon live in the City of Ember, an underground community that was designed to be the last hope of mankind in a post-apocalyptic future. The electricity in Ember is failing, supplies are running out, and food is becoming scarce. When Lina and Doon find the pieces of an old map, they realize that there is a way out of Ember. The remaining books deal with the people from Ember trying to carve lives for themselves aboveground, where resources are nearly as scarce as they were in Ember and the people are not completely thrilled to welcome them into society. I've read this series a couple of times, and I can tell you, the filmmakers did duPrau a huge disservice with what they put onscreen.
THE HOST--Stephenie Meyer
This book was as unlike the Twilight series as it could possibly be, but I loved it. Yes, it does feature a love triangle, but the rivalry is not like any you've encountered before. Earth is being invaded by parasites, shiny silvery wormlike creatures which are implanted in the brains of humans and take over their minds, displacing the humans. When Wanderer is inserted into the body of Melanie Stryder, she is flummoxed to discover that Melanie's being refuses to be displaced from her body. As they share one body and get to know each other, Wanderer gets to know Jared, Melanie's beloved, who is a rebel in hiding from the aliens. This book is, pardon the pun, more cerebral than action-packed, but I enjoyed it as a cautionary tale against the arrogance of humans and the decline of social mores.
I'm certain there are lots more books I could add to this list. I'm equally certain that I am not finished with The Hunger Games. If, like me, you're suffering from Hunger pangs, perhaps this list will help you find something to keep them at bay. May the odds be ever in your favor!
I had read The Hunger Games trilogy at least a couple of times before seeing the movie when it opened last month. Of course I then had to buy a copy of the first book and reread it, which led to buying the second book to reread it. In between, I saw the movie again. Luckily for my budget, the third book was archived on my Nook, so I read it again--twice. I had recommended the books to my kids and my friend Sue, resulting in the following oft-quoted exchange:
Sue (after hearing my synopsis of the first two books, prior to the publication of the third book): Well, that just sounds stupid. And you've read two of these? I wouldn't even read one of them.
Me: Sue, you would really like this. You love Survivor and The Amazing Race. These books are kind of like those shows.
Sue: I don't think so. I'm not going to read them.
I gave up, never thinking the subject would be up for discussion again. When the first movie trailers showed up on TV, I was so excited, and the movie itself exceeded my expectations. I couldn't resist teasing Sue about it, so I asked her if she was planning to see the movie. Imagine my surprise when she said the previews look pretty good. After seeing THG, she told me she'd really enjoyed the movie, but added darkly, "I'm still not going to read those books."
Well, you can't win them all.
In the meantime, having read the series again and seen the movie twice, I can't get the story out of my head. I would read the third book again, but my son is currently reading Catching Fire and will be ready for Mockingjay in the next day or so, if we don't get hijacked by the last few episodes of Season 3 of Justified on FX. I've given a lot of thought to what I would recommend to readers who are still hungry for some good post-apocalyptic, dystopian fiction to fill the void until the second movie arrives in November 2013. Here are my selections, in no particular order.
LIFE AS WE KNEW IT \
THE DEAD AND THE GONE--Susan Beth Pfeffer
THIS WORLD WE LIVE IN /
In this trilogy, a meteor knocks the moon out of its proper orbit, wreaking havoc on the earth with tidal waves and other natural disasters to add to the chaos. The first volume focuses on a family in Pennsylvania, the second on a family in New York City, and the third on both families as they struggle to deal with food shortages, lack of electricity and other amenities, and facing what passes for normal in the wake of disaster. I had minor issues with the books, which I will gladly discuss with anyone who cares to comment, but overall, I liked the trilogy and have read it a couple of times.
THE OTHER SIDE OF THE ISLAND--Allegra Goodman
Honor and her family move from the Polar North to Enclosed Island 365, where everything from the climate to children's names to people's jobs are dictated by the Colony. Differences are punished swiftly and harshly, and conformity is the rule of the day. Since Honor's parents act differently from their neighbors, it's only a matter of time until they draw attention in ways that cause Honor to question everything she believes.
THE GIVER \
GATHERING BLUE--Lois Lowry
MESSENGER /
I actually read MESSENGER first, after purchasing it at a school book fair, and then had to seek out the other two books, which my kids had recommended to me. THE GIVER in particular gives a chilling perspective on a world where political correctness is taken to the extreme and everything less than perfectly normal is made to disappear.
ENCHANTRESS FROM THE STARS
THE FAR SIDE OF EVIL--Sylvia Louise Engdahl
Yet again, I begin a series with the second book. Elana is a new graduate from a University very like Starfleet Academy. She is sent to the planet Toris as kind of an undercover social worker to help this "Youngling" planet negotiate the perilous time when its population will either succumb to nuclear war or unite to develop a space program and explore extraterrestrial life. This book shaped a lot of my attitudes about politics and war, and it didn't hurt that Elana had some pretty cool psi abilities. The first book dealt with a more primitive population, and Engdahl uses more of a fairy-tale style to tell her story, which is very effective at presenting the Younglings' point of view.
RUNNING OUT OF TIME--Margaret Peterson Haddix
All I need to say about this book is that it bears a remarkable resemblance to M. Night Shymalan's movie The Village, which it predates. There was some controversy when the movie came out, but the book is well worth a read.
FRIDAY--Robert A. Heinlein
In a world that seems remarkably like the Capitol of Panem, Friday, a genetically-enhanced Artificial Person, is a courier of top-secret information. She faces discrimination because of her not-human parts, even though, until she reveals her secret, she is completely accepted and popular in her social circle. What's remarkable about this book, to me, is what an amazing job Heinlein did of creating a futuristic world that is very like the world we currently live in.
RESTOREE--Anne McCaffrey
It's no surprise that this is one of my favorite Anne McCaffrey titles, since it is, at its core, a romance in science fiction clothing. Sara is kidnapped from Earth by aliens intent on devouring the human race. When she regains consciousness, she discovers that she has had a makeover that has turned her into a model of physical perfection, but she is working as a caretaker for a man who is being drugged to keep him out of his rightful role as Regent of the planet. She decides to wean him off the drugs, thus opening the door to intrigue and romance. McCaffrey once said she was surprised at how much fans loved this book, which she wrote in protest of the science fiction that was then being written by men, but it remains a huge favorite among her fans.
THE CITY OF EMBER
THE PEOPLE OF SPARKS
THE PROPHET OF YONWOOD--Jeanne duPrau
THE DIAMOND OF DARKHOLD
If your only exposure to this series was the less-than-satisfying film version that came out a few years ago, do yourself the favor of forgetting the movie and sink into the books. Lina and Doon live in the City of Ember, an underground community that was designed to be the last hope of mankind in a post-apocalyptic future. The electricity in Ember is failing, supplies are running out, and food is becoming scarce. When Lina and Doon find the pieces of an old map, they realize that there is a way out of Ember. The remaining books deal with the people from Ember trying to carve lives for themselves aboveground, where resources are nearly as scarce as they were in Ember and the people are not completely thrilled to welcome them into society. I've read this series a couple of times, and I can tell you, the filmmakers did duPrau a huge disservice with what they put onscreen.
THE HOST--Stephenie Meyer
This book was as unlike the Twilight series as it could possibly be, but I loved it. Yes, it does feature a love triangle, but the rivalry is not like any you've encountered before. Earth is being invaded by parasites, shiny silvery wormlike creatures which are implanted in the brains of humans and take over their minds, displacing the humans. When Wanderer is inserted into the body of Melanie Stryder, she is flummoxed to discover that Melanie's being refuses to be displaced from her body. As they share one body and get to know each other, Wanderer gets to know Jared, Melanie's beloved, who is a rebel in hiding from the aliens. This book is, pardon the pun, more cerebral than action-packed, but I enjoyed it as a cautionary tale against the arrogance of humans and the decline of social mores.
I'm certain there are lots more books I could add to this list. I'm equally certain that I am not finished with The Hunger Games. If, like me, you're suffering from Hunger pangs, perhaps this list will help you find something to keep them at bay. May the odds be ever in your favor!
Sunday, February 12, 2012
A DREAM COME TRUE
My friend Sonia stopped in for a visit on Super Bowl Sunday. She was travelling from Florida to Massachusetts, and she wanted to come see some old familiar sites, as it's been a while since she left the area. It was really nice to see her, and we had a great time catching up with each other.
After the initial meet-and-greet in my kitchen, we moved into the living room by way of the dining room. Sonia noticed the three very full bookcases at the end of the dining room and asked about them.
"Those are the books I have listed for sale on amazon.com," I replied.
This huge grin lit up her face, and she said, "You finally got your bookstore!"
I was dumbfounded. All this time I've been picturing my dream of owning my own bookstore as a building with bricks and mortar, feeling sorry for myself for not having achieved it when it had already come true, and I simply never recognized it. I have got my bookstore, just not in the way I imagined it would be.
How many times has God answered my prayers or granted my wishes and I didn't see it because I was too focused on how I thought things should be? How many signs have I missed because my eyes were blind to anything other than my vision?
I'm trying to see the world with new eyes now, with an open heart and a listening spirit.
My dream has already come true.
After the initial meet-and-greet in my kitchen, we moved into the living room by way of the dining room. Sonia noticed the three very full bookcases at the end of the dining room and asked about them.
"Those are the books I have listed for sale on amazon.com," I replied.
This huge grin lit up her face, and she said, "You finally got your bookstore!"
I was dumbfounded. All this time I've been picturing my dream of owning my own bookstore as a building with bricks and mortar, feeling sorry for myself for not having achieved it when it had already come true, and I simply never recognized it. I have got my bookstore, just not in the way I imagined it would be.
How many times has God answered my prayers or granted my wishes and I didn't see it because I was too focused on how I thought things should be? How many signs have I missed because my eyes were blind to anything other than my vision?
I'm trying to see the world with new eyes now, with an open heart and a listening spirit.
My dream has already come true.
Sunday, January 01, 2012
THE BOOKS OF 2011
The Books of 2011
I'm quite disappointed in myself for the leanest reading year I've had in a long time. Confound that stupid Pioneer Trail, anyway! I read 146 books, totalling 40,885 pages, with an average page count of 280 pages per book. This is my worst finish since I began keeping track, and probably ever. I did get myself tangled up with 33oo+ pages of Louisa May Alcott's Works, which took nearly forever to read and neatly underlined why I have a tendency to avoid really long books--the more pages there are, the slower I read, despite any other mitigating factors such as how interested I am in the material, how big the print is, or how easy it is to read.
I could read a lot more if I stuck to shorter books, but I hate getting engrossed in a story only to have it end. That's probably why I'm so attached to series. My ideal book is about 300 pages. I try to keep my page average at 300, but it's hard when I read so many shorter books or listen to books on tape (where I count the book but not the page total for a number of reasons, such as how do you keep track of page total in an abridged edition? and because I listen to books almost exclusively when I'm driving--so I'm getting the benefit of listening to a book and keeping myself amused while doing something I don't especially enjoy). I also read a TON of storybooks in 2011, after spending the first half of the year in a second grade classroom and the last half of the year in an autism classroom. So there's a lot of reading that goes unaccounted for, except on my shelfari. I don't count magazines, either, and I do read a lot of those, but I'm not as OCD as I used to be about reading every article in every magazine I pick up.
Anyway, here's the list of what I read in 2011, with title, author, and page count. Feel free to comment!
JANUARY
New Chronicles of Rebecca--Kate Douglas Wiggin (277)
The Birds' Christmas Carol--Kate Douglas Wiggin (56)
Midnight Crystal--Jayne Ann Krentz (320)
The Maze Runner--James Dashner (393)
There and Now--Linda Lael Miller (248)
Weep Not, Child--Ngugi (136)
1st to Die--James Patterson (471)
Prayers for Sale--Sandra Dallas (305)
Promises to Keep--Karen Harper (376)
Kingdom Come--Gwen Davis (160)
The Witchcraft of Salem Village--Shirley Jackson (156)
The Darkest Edge of Dawn--Kelly Gay (374)
Lawn Boy--Gary Paulsen (89)
Gathering Blue--Lois Lowry (229)
FEBRUARY
Heart Change--Robin D. Owens (368)
Straight from the Hip--Susan Mallery (313)
Hot on Her Heels--Susan Mallery (376)
Blessed Is the Busybody--Emilie Richards (265)
The Undomestic Goddess--Sophie Kinsella, read by Katherine Kellgren (AUD)
Ecstasy in Darkness--Gena Showalter (502)
Cries from the Earth--Terry C. Johnston, read by Robert Foxworth (AUD)
The Young Oxford Book of Aliens--Dennis Pepper, editor (212)
Thunder Ice--Alison Acheson (145)
The Clockwork Three--Matthew J. Kirby (391)
Heart Journey--Robin D. Owens (354)
MARCH
A Time to Kill--John Grisham, read by Michael Beck (AUD)
Gods in Alabama--Joshilyn Jackson, read by Catherine Taber (AUD)
Matilda--Roald Dahl (240)
Fancy--Norah Hess (307)
Fancy Pants--Susan Elizabeth Phillips (497)
Billy Creekmore--Tracey Porter (311)
Singer in the Snow--Louise Marley (304)
Blue Dahlia--Nora Roberts, read by Susie Breck (AUD)
Danger Guys Hit the Beach--Tony Abbott (81)
Tornado--Betsy Byars (49)
Godzilla Ate My Homework--Marcia Thornton Jones (64)
Danger Guys Blast Off--Tony Abbott (78)
Dracula Is a Pain in the Neck--Elizabeth Levy (74)
Greetings from Nowhere--Barbara o'Connor (200)
The Diamond of Darkhold--Jeanne duPrau (285)
APRIL
Evermore--Alyson Noel, read by Katie Schorr (AUD)
Death Sentence--Jerry Bledsoe (419)
The Random House Book of Easy-to-Read Stories (251)
Ruthie's Gift--Kimberly Brubaker Bradley (164)
Stories to Tell a 5-Year-Old--Alice Low (147)
Wolves--Carolyn Otto (48)
The Worst Day of My Life--Bill Cosby (40)
The King of Torts--John Grisham, read by Dennis Boutsikaris (AUD)
Tomb with a View--Casey Daniels (292)
Speak--Laurie Halse Anderson (198)
Two Tickets to the Christmas Ball--Donita K. Paul (227)
Quest for a Maid--Frances Mary Hendry (273)
The Hundred Dresses--Eleanor Estes (79)
Presidential Pets--Laura Driscoll (64)
MAY
The Search--Nora Roberts (472)
Freckle Juice--Judy Blume (47)
The Gollywhopper Games--Jody Feldman (315)
The Doll in the Garden--Mary Downing Hahn (128)
A Veiled Deception--Annette Blair (246)
Larceny and Lace--Annette Blair (288)
The Bargain--Francis Ray (348)
Sarah Bishop--Scott O'Dell (231)
Water for Elephants--Sara Gruen (350)
Secondhand Spirits--Juliet Blackwell (325)
Listening for Leroy--Betsy Hearne (211)
What Child Is This?--Caroline B. Cooney (150)
Here to Stay--Catherine Anderson (422)
The Adventures of Captain Underpants--Dav Pilkey (123)
JUNE
19 Steps Up the Mountain--Joseph P. Blank (234)
The Searching Hearts--Dorothy Garlock (376)
Ralph S. Mouse--Beverly Cleary (160)
A Taste of Magic--Tracy Madison (292)
Big Trouble--Marianna Jameson (418)
The Girl Most Likely To...--Susan Donovan (340)
Ghost Liners: Exploring the World's Greatest Lost Ships--Robert D. Ballard (64)
A Game of Thrones--George R. R. Martin (854)
Illusions: The Adventures of a Reluctant Messiah--Richard Bach (192)
The Sugar Queen--Sarah Addison Allen (276)
The Persian Pickle Club--Sandra Dallas (196)
Bubbles Unbound--Sarah Strohmeyer (341)
I'm in No Mood for Love--Rachel Gibson (373)
Nowhere Near Respectable--Mary Jo Putney (390)
Horrible Harry in Room 2b--Suzy Kline (56)
Two Tickets to Freedom--Florence B. Freedman (96)
The Boy Trap--Nancy Matson (108)
Sweetheart, Indiana--Suzanne Simmons (324)
Phi Beta Bimbo--Trish Jensen (336)
JULY
Nothing But Trouble--Rachel Gibson (377)
The Bride's House--Sandra Dallas (374)
The Girl Who Chased the Moon--Sarah Addison Allen (292)
True Confessions--Rachel Gibson (376)
Promise Bridge--Eileen Clymer Schwab (418)
Full Dark, No Stars--Stephen King (368)
Becoming Georgia--Emily Carmichael (327)
Intertwined--Gena Showalter (442)
The Finishing Touches--Hester Browne (427)
Promises to the Dead--Mary Downing Hahn (202)
Semi-Homemade Slow Cooker Recipes--Sandra Lee (233)
The Divide--Nicholas Evans (499)
Roadside Prey--Alva Busch (306)
AUGUST
Sarah's Key--Tatiana de Rosnay (305)
The Host--Stephenie Meyer (619)
If You Lived at the Time of the Civil War--Kay Moore (64)
If You Lived in Colonial Times--Ann McGovern (80)
If You Sailed on the Mayflower in 1620--Ann McGovern (80)
Thunder from the Clear Sky--Marcia Sewall (56)
If You Grew Up with Abraham Lincoln--Ann McGovern (79)
Willie, the Frog Prince--C. S. Adler (163)
SEPTEMBER
Black Blade Blues--J. A. Pitts (369)
Smokin' Seventeen--Janet Evanovich (308)
The Anything Box--Zenna Henderson (191)
Life As We Knew It--Susan Pfeffer (337)
The Dead & the Gone--Susan Beth Pfeffer (326)
Out of This World--Jill Shalvis (298)
Timepiece--Richard Paul Evans (236)
Hundreds of Years to Reform a Rake--Laurie Brown (391)
Texas Rain--Jodi Thomas (374)
North American Racer Snakes--Adele D. Richardson (48)
Kindergarten Read-Aloud Anthology--Harcourt (144)
Surprise--Houghton Mifflin (220)
This World We Live In--Susan Beth Pfeffer (239)
OCTOBER
Ghost Cadet--Elaine Marie Alphin (182)
Heart Search--Robin D. Owens (351)
Christmas at Timberwoods--Fern Michaels (362)
Dark Moon, Lost Lady--Elsie Lee (173)
Works of Louisa May Alcott (3,355)
Life Sentences--Laura Lippman (457)
NOVEMBER
The Unquiet--J.D. Robb, Mary Blayney, Patricia Gaffney, Ruth Ryan Langan, and Mary Kay McComas (408)
The Comforts of Home--Jodi Thomas (328)
Parasyte 1--Hitoshi Iwaaki (281)
DECEMBER
Freckles--Gene Stratton-Porter (238)
The Things a Brother Knows--Dana Reinhardt (245)
The Lost Children--Carolyn Cohagan (313)
Jokelopedia--Ilana Weitzman, Eva Blank, Alison Benjamin, and Rosanne Green (278)
Gabriel's Angel--Nora Roberts (288)
Finding Noel--Richard Paul Evans (305)
The Christmas Hope--Donna Van Liere (213)
Dead Reckoning--Charlaine Harris (325)
Emmy and the Home for Troubled Girls--Lynne Jonell (377)
My Best Friend's Girl--Dorothy Koomson
Magyk--Angie Sage (431)
The Truth About Forever--Sarah Dessen (393)
Jingle Boy--Kieran Scott (230)
TOTAL: 146 books, 40,885 pages
I'm quite disappointed in myself for the leanest reading year I've had in a long time. Confound that stupid Pioneer Trail, anyway! I read 146 books, totalling 40,885 pages, with an average page count of 280 pages per book. This is my worst finish since I began keeping track, and probably ever. I did get myself tangled up with 33oo+ pages of Louisa May Alcott's Works, which took nearly forever to read and neatly underlined why I have a tendency to avoid really long books--the more pages there are, the slower I read, despite any other mitigating factors such as how interested I am in the material, how big the print is, or how easy it is to read.
I could read a lot more if I stuck to shorter books, but I hate getting engrossed in a story only to have it end. That's probably why I'm so attached to series. My ideal book is about 300 pages. I try to keep my page average at 300, but it's hard when I read so many shorter books or listen to books on tape (where I count the book but not the page total for a number of reasons, such as how do you keep track of page total in an abridged edition? and because I listen to books almost exclusively when I'm driving--so I'm getting the benefit of listening to a book and keeping myself amused while doing something I don't especially enjoy). I also read a TON of storybooks in 2011, after spending the first half of the year in a second grade classroom and the last half of the year in an autism classroom. So there's a lot of reading that goes unaccounted for, except on my shelfari. I don't count magazines, either, and I do read a lot of those, but I'm not as OCD as I used to be about reading every article in every magazine I pick up.
Anyway, here's the list of what I read in 2011, with title, author, and page count. Feel free to comment!
JANUARY
New Chronicles of Rebecca--Kate Douglas Wiggin (277)
The Birds' Christmas Carol--Kate Douglas Wiggin (56)
Midnight Crystal--Jayne Ann Krentz (320)
The Maze Runner--James Dashner (393)
There and Now--Linda Lael Miller (248)
Weep Not, Child--Ngugi (136)
1st to Die--James Patterson (471)
Prayers for Sale--Sandra Dallas (305)
Promises to Keep--Karen Harper (376)
Kingdom Come--Gwen Davis (160)
The Witchcraft of Salem Village--Shirley Jackson (156)
The Darkest Edge of Dawn--Kelly Gay (374)
Lawn Boy--Gary Paulsen (89)
Gathering Blue--Lois Lowry (229)
FEBRUARY
Heart Change--Robin D. Owens (368)
Straight from the Hip--Susan Mallery (313)
Hot on Her Heels--Susan Mallery (376)
Blessed Is the Busybody--Emilie Richards (265)
The Undomestic Goddess--Sophie Kinsella, read by Katherine Kellgren (AUD)
Ecstasy in Darkness--Gena Showalter (502)
Cries from the Earth--Terry C. Johnston, read by Robert Foxworth (AUD)
The Young Oxford Book of Aliens--Dennis Pepper, editor (212)
Thunder Ice--Alison Acheson (145)
The Clockwork Three--Matthew J. Kirby (391)
Heart Journey--Robin D. Owens (354)
MARCH
A Time to Kill--John Grisham, read by Michael Beck (AUD)
Gods in Alabama--Joshilyn Jackson, read by Catherine Taber (AUD)
Matilda--Roald Dahl (240)
Fancy--Norah Hess (307)
Fancy Pants--Susan Elizabeth Phillips (497)
Billy Creekmore--Tracey Porter (311)
Singer in the Snow--Louise Marley (304)
Blue Dahlia--Nora Roberts, read by Susie Breck (AUD)
Danger Guys Hit the Beach--Tony Abbott (81)
Tornado--Betsy Byars (49)
Godzilla Ate My Homework--Marcia Thornton Jones (64)
Danger Guys Blast Off--Tony Abbott (78)
Dracula Is a Pain in the Neck--Elizabeth Levy (74)
Greetings from Nowhere--Barbara o'Connor (200)
The Diamond of Darkhold--Jeanne duPrau (285)
APRIL
Evermore--Alyson Noel, read by Katie Schorr (AUD)
Death Sentence--Jerry Bledsoe (419)
The Random House Book of Easy-to-Read Stories (251)
Ruthie's Gift--Kimberly Brubaker Bradley (164)
Stories to Tell a 5-Year-Old--Alice Low (147)
Wolves--Carolyn Otto (48)
The Worst Day of My Life--Bill Cosby (40)
The King of Torts--John Grisham, read by Dennis Boutsikaris (AUD)
Tomb with a View--Casey Daniels (292)
Speak--Laurie Halse Anderson (198)
Two Tickets to the Christmas Ball--Donita K. Paul (227)
Quest for a Maid--Frances Mary Hendry (273)
The Hundred Dresses--Eleanor Estes (79)
Presidential Pets--Laura Driscoll (64)
MAY
The Search--Nora Roberts (472)
Freckle Juice--Judy Blume (47)
The Gollywhopper Games--Jody Feldman (315)
The Doll in the Garden--Mary Downing Hahn (128)
A Veiled Deception--Annette Blair (246)
Larceny and Lace--Annette Blair (288)
The Bargain--Francis Ray (348)
Sarah Bishop--Scott O'Dell (231)
Water for Elephants--Sara Gruen (350)
Secondhand Spirits--Juliet Blackwell (325)
Listening for Leroy--Betsy Hearne (211)
What Child Is This?--Caroline B. Cooney (150)
Here to Stay--Catherine Anderson (422)
The Adventures of Captain Underpants--Dav Pilkey (123)
JUNE
19 Steps Up the Mountain--Joseph P. Blank (234)
The Searching Hearts--Dorothy Garlock (376)
Ralph S. Mouse--Beverly Cleary (160)
A Taste of Magic--Tracy Madison (292)
Big Trouble--Marianna Jameson (418)
The Girl Most Likely To...--Susan Donovan (340)
Ghost Liners: Exploring the World's Greatest Lost Ships--Robert D. Ballard (64)
A Game of Thrones--George R. R. Martin (854)
Illusions: The Adventures of a Reluctant Messiah--Richard Bach (192)
The Sugar Queen--Sarah Addison Allen (276)
The Persian Pickle Club--Sandra Dallas (196)
Bubbles Unbound--Sarah Strohmeyer (341)
I'm in No Mood for Love--Rachel Gibson (373)
Nowhere Near Respectable--Mary Jo Putney (390)
Horrible Harry in Room 2b--Suzy Kline (56)
Two Tickets to Freedom--Florence B. Freedman (96)
The Boy Trap--Nancy Matson (108)
Sweetheart, Indiana--Suzanne Simmons (324)
Phi Beta Bimbo--Trish Jensen (336)
JULY
Nothing But Trouble--Rachel Gibson (377)
The Bride's House--Sandra Dallas (374)
The Girl Who Chased the Moon--Sarah Addison Allen (292)
True Confessions--Rachel Gibson (376)
Promise Bridge--Eileen Clymer Schwab (418)
Full Dark, No Stars--Stephen King (368)
Becoming Georgia--Emily Carmichael (327)
Intertwined--Gena Showalter (442)
The Finishing Touches--Hester Browne (427)
Promises to the Dead--Mary Downing Hahn (202)
Semi-Homemade Slow Cooker Recipes--Sandra Lee (233)
The Divide--Nicholas Evans (499)
Roadside Prey--Alva Busch (306)
AUGUST
Sarah's Key--Tatiana de Rosnay (305)
The Host--Stephenie Meyer (619)
If You Lived at the Time of the Civil War--Kay Moore (64)
If You Lived in Colonial Times--Ann McGovern (80)
If You Sailed on the Mayflower in 1620--Ann McGovern (80)
Thunder from the Clear Sky--Marcia Sewall (56)
If You Grew Up with Abraham Lincoln--Ann McGovern (79)
Willie, the Frog Prince--C. S. Adler (163)
SEPTEMBER
Black Blade Blues--J. A. Pitts (369)
Smokin' Seventeen--Janet Evanovich (308)
The Anything Box--Zenna Henderson (191)
Life As We Knew It--Susan Pfeffer (337)
The Dead & the Gone--Susan Beth Pfeffer (326)
Out of This World--Jill Shalvis (298)
Timepiece--Richard Paul Evans (236)
Hundreds of Years to Reform a Rake--Laurie Brown (391)
Texas Rain--Jodi Thomas (374)
North American Racer Snakes--Adele D. Richardson (48)
Kindergarten Read-Aloud Anthology--Harcourt (144)
Surprise--Houghton Mifflin (220)
This World We Live In--Susan Beth Pfeffer (239)
OCTOBER
Ghost Cadet--Elaine Marie Alphin (182)
Heart Search--Robin D. Owens (351)
Christmas at Timberwoods--Fern Michaels (362)
Dark Moon, Lost Lady--Elsie Lee (173)
Works of Louisa May Alcott (3,355)
Life Sentences--Laura Lippman (457)
NOVEMBER
The Unquiet--J.D. Robb, Mary Blayney, Patricia Gaffney, Ruth Ryan Langan, and Mary Kay McComas (408)
The Comforts of Home--Jodi Thomas (328)
Parasyte 1--Hitoshi Iwaaki (281)
DECEMBER
Freckles--Gene Stratton-Porter (238)
The Things a Brother Knows--Dana Reinhardt (245)
The Lost Children--Carolyn Cohagan (313)
Jokelopedia--Ilana Weitzman, Eva Blank, Alison Benjamin, and Rosanne Green (278)
Gabriel's Angel--Nora Roberts (288)
Finding Noel--Richard Paul Evans (305)
The Christmas Hope--Donna Van Liere (213)
Dead Reckoning--Charlaine Harris (325)
Emmy and the Home for Troubled Girls--Lynne Jonell (377)
My Best Friend's Girl--Dorothy Koomson
Magyk--Angie Sage (431)
The Truth About Forever--Sarah Dessen (393)
Jingle Boy--Kieran Scott (230)
TOTAL: 146 books, 40,885 pages
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