Full Version: What are you reading?
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At 1343 this afternoon, 07 Nov 2021, I concluded an initial read of Bram Stoker's Dracula. Other than those times that the book's protagonists seem too clueless and/or wrongheaded to be believed, I quite enjoyed it. I've seen a decent number of Dracula / vampire movies, though none make this century. I at first worried that this might spoil the book for me. Thankfully this was not the case.
At 0908 this morning I concluded an initial read of Richard Monaco's Parsival: The Lost Years, part 1 - The Quest for Avalon. Having read what I assumed to be all of Monaco's Parsival books in the past, I was pleasantly surprised to find this one on Amazon. It is indeed a late addition, published 2012. Those who enjoy the early books, I do, will find much to please here. Admitted, it can be a bit hard to follow at times, but that's par for the course. There are some text errors in the Kindle edition, but not enough to lessen the fun. For Monaco admirers, this is an easy recommendation. For those unfamiliar with the series, be aware that it is . . . likely different from what you're used to, and might not satisfy all tastes. In any case, the book to start with is Parsival, or a Knight's Tale, which as of mid-Nov 2021 is dirt cheap on Kindle.
In about as far a departure from my previous read as one could imagine (while staying within the confines of fantasy), at 1500 this afternoon I concluded an initial read of L. Frank Baum's The Marvelous Land of Oz, book two in his Oz series. Mine is a Kindle edition which includes the many illustrations drawn by John R. Neill in collaboration with Baum. This is my first literary exposure to Oz. I find this particular volume charming in all aspects. A fun, quick read. I will most definitely consider continuing the series.
At 2008 yesterday evening, 17 Nov 2021, I concluded an initial read of L. Frank Baum's The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, book 1 in his Oz series. As with The Marvelous Land of Oz (book 2), mine is a Kindle e-book edition, including the many illustrations created for the book's initial release. For this first volume, those illustrations are supplied by W.W. Denslow, rather than John R. Neill, who created illustrations for the remainder of the series. At the moment I favor book 2, but book 1 ain't bad at all. It doesn't help that book 1 must compete with the 1939 movie, an acknowledged cinematic masterpiece. Thankfully, movie and book differ enough, in ways big and small, to make each a rewarding experience.
I'll likely continue the series, but am now reading another Christian Cameron novel.
ADDENDUM:
Almost forgot to mention that I now own (for free) the complete works of Shakespeare on my Paperwhite. I've no great burning desire to begin reading them any time soon, but ya never know. Before you don't ask, so far as I recall I've read a grand total of one Shakespeare play in my life, back in my school days. I sometimes think I read an additional play at some point, but suspect that might be wishful thinking. Or confusing reading with having consumed a play by other means. (I've certainly experienced my share of Shakespeare via music, cinema, TV, home video, YouTube and in one case attending a live production (MacBeth).)
I'll likely continue the series, but am now reading another Christian Cameron novel.
ADDENDUM:
Almost forgot to mention that I now own (for free) the complete works of Shakespeare on my Paperwhite. I've no great burning desire to begin reading them any time soon, but ya never know. Before you don't ask, so far as I recall I've read a grand total of one Shakespeare play in my life, back in my school days. I sometimes think I read an additional play at some point, but suspect that might be wishful thinking. Or confusing reading with having consumed a play by other means. (I've certainly experienced my share of Shakespeare via music, cinema, TV, home video, YouTube and in one case attending a live production (MacBeth).)
Just finished returning my e-book of Wonderful Wizard of Oz, after finding that it's still within Amazon's refund window. Why? I've discovered that the company that publishes that edition lets us buy all 14 Baum Oz books as a bundle for a super low price, a little less than what it costs to buy three books separately. I'll wait until after Amazon deletes my current copy of WWoO off my Paperwhite before buying the bundle, to avoid possible confusion.
At 1506 this afternoon, 23 Nov 2021, I concluded an initial read of The Ill-Made Knight, book one of Christian Cameron's Chivalry series. Mr Cameron continues to impress, this time with a historical/military novel set during the Hundred Years War. Like the Classical Greece period series of his I'm reading, this one is well researched and contains numerous well-depicted group and individual combats. As before, I see a strong similarity between Cameron and Bernard Cornwell. I'm glad to have them both.
I don't currently own any further volumes in this series, so plan to resume L. Frank Baum's Oz series where I left off . . . book 3: Ozma of Oz (with its original illustrations).
I don't currently own any further volumes in this series, so plan to resume L. Frank Baum's Oz series where I left off . . . book 3: Ozma of Oz (with its original illustrations).
At 1318 this afternoon, Thanksgiving Day, 25 Nov 2018, I finished an initial read of L. Frank Baum's Ozma of Oz. Mine is a Kindle e-book that includes the original John R. Neill illustrations. The book's introduction states that Ozma set the tone for the remainder of the series. For me, that's a bit disappointing. While I like Ozma, I prefer both books one and especially two.
I also bought three more Kindle e-books, all inexpensive. One is a continuation of a Christian Cameron historical/military fiction series I'm invested in. The others form a two-book modern telling of Faust. (Modern meaning recently written, as opposed to the story being transplanted to modern day.)
I also bought three more Kindle e-books, all inexpensive. One is a continuation of a Christian Cameron historical/military fiction series I'm invested in. The others form a two-book modern telling of Faust. (Modern meaning recently written, as opposed to the story being transplanted to modern day.)
At 2044 yesterday evening, 27 Nov 2021, I concluded an initial read of L. Frank Baum's Dorothy and the Wizard of Oz, book 4 in his Oz series. As with previous Oz reads, mine includes the original art work of John R. Neill. In this particular book, much of the art is in color, which is seen only in black and white (grayscale) on my Paperwhite. It is also, for me, less interesting than the prior three books, more purely a children's adventure story. As of now, I rake the four as follows, most to least interesting:
...Book 2: The Marvelous Land of Oz
...Book 1: The Wizard of Oz
...Book 3: Ozma of Oz
...Book 4: Dorothy and the Wizard of Oz
It's interesting that, during the era in which these books were written, Baum never felt a need to question the reality of the various "fairy lands" his protagonists visit. They are all part of our earth, reachable by mundane, or semi mundane, means. The movies I've seen (Wizard of Oz, Return to Oz), being created in more advanced times, needed to tack on 'is it real or imagination?' subtexts. (I watched The Wiz long ago, but recall almost nothing of it other than that I wasn't impressed.)
...Book 2: The Marvelous Land of Oz
...Book 1: The Wizard of Oz
...Book 3: Ozma of Oz
...Book 4: Dorothy and the Wizard of Oz
It's interesting that, during the era in which these books were written, Baum never felt a need to question the reality of the various "fairy lands" his protagonists visit. They are all part of our earth, reachable by mundane, or semi mundane, means. The movies I've seen (Wizard of Oz, Return to Oz), being created in more advanced times, needed to tack on 'is it real or imagination?' subtexts. (I watched The Wiz long ago, but recall almost nothing of it other than that I wasn't impressed.)
At 0934 this morning, 1 Dec 2021, I concluded in initial read of L. Frank Baum's 1909 The Road to Oz, book five in his Oz series. As with most other Oz books I've read, this one includes John R. Neill's original drawings. This entry seems targeted specifically to younger children more so than previous entries. The story consists solely of a group of guests traveling to Ozma's birthday party (the bulk of the novel), the party itself (relatively short) and returning home (very brief). I enjoyed it, but admit having to force myself to not skim-read on occasion. I still consider books 1 & 2 the pick of the litter.
At 1319 this afternoon, 03 Dec 2021, I concluded an initial read of L. Frank Baum's The Emerald City of Oz, book six of his Oz series. As with previous entries from two on, my e-book includes John R. Neill's original artwork. I find it a marked improvement over book five, my least favorite thus far. Intended as the series final book, it is written as such, its ending providing convincing closure, had Baum stuck to his guns. He of course didn't.
At 1414 this afternoon, 5 Dec 2021, I concluded an initial read of L. Frank Baum's 1914 The Patchwork Girl of Oz, book seven in his Oz series. The original artwork of John R. Neill is included. It's a decent entry. Better than book four and, especially, five, which I consider the weakest series entries thus far. Not on par with six and the first three in my estimation.
I've added titles to my Kindle e-book library, three due to price drops rendering them super cheap at time of purchase, one because it is reasonably priced and interests me. They are as follows:
(link) Lavinia, by Ursula K. Le Guin ("In The Aeneid, Vergil’s hero fights to claim the king’s daughter, Lavinia, with whom he is destined to found an empire. Lavinia herself never speaks a word. Now, Ursula K. Le Guin gives Lavinia a voice in a novel that takes us to the half-wild world of ancient Italy, when Rome was a muddy village near seven hills.") (link)
(link) Poilu: The World War I Notebooks of Corporal Louis Barthas, Barrelmaker, 1914 – 1918 (link)
(link) The Cypria: Reconstructing the Lost Prequel to Homer's Iliad (Reconstructing the Lost Epics of the Trojan War Book 1) by D.M. Smith (link)
(link) The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich by William Shirer (link)
I've added titles to my Kindle e-book library, three due to price drops rendering them super cheap at time of purchase, one because it is reasonably priced and interests me. They are as follows:
(link) Lavinia, by Ursula K. Le Guin ("In The Aeneid, Vergil’s hero fights to claim the king’s daughter, Lavinia, with whom he is destined to found an empire. Lavinia herself never speaks a word. Now, Ursula K. Le Guin gives Lavinia a voice in a novel that takes us to the half-wild world of ancient Italy, when Rome was a muddy village near seven hills.") (link)
(link) Poilu: The World War I Notebooks of Corporal Louis Barthas, Barrelmaker, 1914 – 1918 (link)
(link) The Cypria: Reconstructing the Lost Prequel to Homer's Iliad (Reconstructing the Lost Epics of the Trojan War Book 1) by D.M. Smith (link)
(link) The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich by William Shirer (link)
At 2045 yesterday evening, Pearl Harbor Day 2021, I concluded an initial read of L. Frank Baum's seventh Oz novel, Tik-Tok of Oz. An okay entry, better in the second half than the first, imo. Late in the day as it was when I finished Tik-Tok, I've not yet decided what to read next. Most likely it'll be Oz book eight, but I'm more and more craving a change-of-pace. We shall see.
At 1603 this afternoon, 15 Dec 2021, I concluded an initial read of The Long Sword, book two of Christian Cameron's Chivalry series. Here we see Sir William Gold in his role as Hospitalier, first in Italy then the Holy Land, in events leading up to and culminating in the "Alexandria Crusade". As always with Cameron, this is well researched historical/military fiction. And as always, Cameron's is a master at bringing historic combat to life.
I currently have no further Cameron in my library. Tempted as I am to buy the next volume in either this series or The Long War, what I ought to do is tackle a book in my on-hand initial-read TBR pile.
ADDENDUM: Almost forgot to mention that, with only half-a-month to go, the year's few reading-slump has set in.
I currently have no further Cameron in my library. Tempted as I am to buy the next volume in either this series or The Long War, what I ought to do is tackle a book in my on-hand initial-read TBR pile.
ADDENDUM: Almost forgot to mention that, with only half-a-month to go, the year's few reading-slump has set in.
At 1027 today, 18 Dec 2021, I concluded an initial read of L. Frank Baum's The Scarecrow of Oz, book nine in his Oz series. It's an okay series entry. I had hoped to read something meatier, but an ongoing reading-slump kept me from maintaining focus on the several 'mature' titles I attempted. The Oz books are such easy reads that I have no trouble concentrating on them, even during a slump. (Or so it seems.)
I am in the midst of an initial read of the nonfiction book Poilu: The World War I Notebooks of Corporal Louis Barthas, Barrelmaker, 1914-1918. I'd normally not mention it until finished. But, with my reading drastically slowed after becoming ill this past Monday, and the book being quite lengthy, I do not expect to finish it until next year. Should that prove true, it will not count as a 2021 read, despite having read the vast bulk of it this year.
I like it quite a lot. What's more, I see similarities between myself and Barthas, something that almost never happens. Mind you, Barthas is the better man on all counts. But then I'm a pretty low bar. I certainly lack his courage under intense pressure. Nor do I have his physical strength/stamina. Not now. Not when I was his age. I can't see myself surviving what he went through. He seems to have been an extraordinarily lucky man, barely cheating death, or even wounding, on any number of occasions, while others in his immediately vicinity suffered all sort of unsavory ends.
(Barthas would list me among those he calls 'slackers', military personnel who are not frontline soldiers, but instead hold jobs that keep them out of harms way, barring the unexpected.)
It is a tale of great misery without end (except for occasional too-brief breaks), and is very good at depicting the war as seen by the common solder rather than those in high positions.
At any rate, it's a book I can easily recommend to anyone interested in "The Great War".
I like it quite a lot. What's more, I see similarities between myself and Barthas, something that almost never happens. Mind you, Barthas is the better man on all counts. But then I'm a pretty low bar. I certainly lack his courage under intense pressure. Nor do I have his physical strength/stamina. Not now. Not when I was his age. I can't see myself surviving what he went through. He seems to have been an extraordinarily lucky man, barely cheating death, or even wounding, on any number of occasions, while others in his immediately vicinity suffered all sort of unsavory ends.
(Barthas would list me among those he calls 'slackers', military personnel who are not frontline soldiers, but instead hold jobs that keep them out of harms way, barring the unexpected.)
It is a tale of great misery without end (except for occasional too-brief breaks), and is very good at depicting the war as seen by the common solder rather than those in high positions.
At any rate, it's a book I can easily recommend to anyone interested in "The Great War".
To my surprise, I finished an initial read of Poilu: The World War I Notebooks of Corporal Louis Barthas, Barrelmaker, 1914-1918 as translated by Edward M. Strauss, at 2247 yesterday evening. I hadn't expected to finish it this year. Turns out, the book proper ends at around 80-85% (as shown on my Paperwhite). There follows a relatively short afterward, which I read, and rather lengthy notes, which I skipped. (Had I intended to read those, I'd have done so by pressing their reference-markers as they appeared in the text.) My opinion has not changed, this is a very good book.
At 1115 this morning, 31 Dec 2021, I concluded an initial read of L. Frank Baum's RinkiTink in Oz, book 10 of his Oz series, illustrated by John R Neill. This entry began life as an unpublished 'fairy tale' unrelated to Oz. Baum later altered the ending so that several Oz characters 'come to the rescue' of the book's protagonists, concluding with a brief visit to Oz by said protagonists before they return to their homes. The Nome King (who also doesn't live in Oz) makes an appearance during the altered ending, the last of several antagonists. I'd like to someday read the original, unaltered story, assuming it's available for consumption.
Here it is, what everyone has been waiting for, my complete list of reads for 2021:
01. 01/02/2021: 1532 “All The Weyrs of Pern” by Anne McCaffrey (fourth read)
02. 01/13/2021: 2035 “The Breaking of Northwall” by Paul O. Williams (fourth read)
03. 01/21/2021: 2105 “The Ends of the Circle” by Paul O. Williams (fourth read)
04. 01/30/2021: 0417 “The Dome in the Forest” by Paul O. Williams (fourth read?)
05. 02/07/2021: 2155 “The Fall of the Shell” by Paul O. Williams (fourth read)
06. 02/14/2021: 1148 “An Ambush in Shadows” by Paul O. Williams (fourth read)
07. 02/17/2021: 1259 “The Song of the Axe” by Paul O. Williams (fourth read)
08. 02/20/2021: 1300 “The Sword of Forbearance” by Paul O. Williams (fourth read)
09. 02/23/2021: 1242 “The Mississippi Wrestling Territory, The Untold Story” by Gil Culkin
10. 02/25/2021: 1524 “Living the Dream, Memphis Wrestling, The Randy Hales Story” R. Hales
11. 02/27/2021: 1733 “Saxon Tales: The Pale Horseman” by Bernard Cornwell
12. 03/11/2021: 1152 “Sword of Fire” by Katharine Kerr
13. 03/15/2021: 1343 “Saxon Tales: Lords of the North” by Bernard Cornwell
14. 04/04/2021: 1230 “The Tower of Fools” by Andrzej Sapkowski
15. 04/09/2021: 0429 “Saxon Tales: Sword Song” by Bernard Cornwell
16. 04/12/2021: 2247 “Saxon Tales: The Burning Land” by Bernard Cornwell
17. 04/24/2021: 0813 “Agincourt” by Bernard Cornwell
18. 05/08/2021: 1650 “The Confederate Reader” by Richard B. Harwell
19. 05/xx/2021: ???? “The London, Brighton and South Coast Railway” by John Minnis
20. 05/26/2021: 1647 “Mossflower” by Brian Jacques (third read)
21. 06/11/2021: 1338 “Demonwar Saga: At the Gates of Darkness” by Raymond E. Feist
22. 06/16/2021: 1226 “Saxon Tales: Death of Kings” by Bernard Cornwell
23. 06/28/2021: 1700 “Shooters” by Jonathan Snowden
24. 07/04/2021: 0328 “Chaoswar Saga: A Kingdom Besieged” by Raymond E. Feist
25. 07/11/2021: 0418 “Saxon Tales: The Pagan Lord” by Bernard Cornwell
26. 07/23/2021: 2111 “Sarantine Mosaic: Sailing to Sarantium” by G.G. Kay (fourth read)
27. 08/04/2021: 2021 “Time Master Trilogy: The Initiate” by Louise Cooper (third read)
28. 08/09/2021: 1400 “Time Master Trilogy: The Outcast” by Louise Cooper (third read)
29. 08/12/2021: 2133 “Time Master Trilogy: The Master” by Louise Cooper (third read)
30. 08/26/2021: 1648 “The Firemane Saga: King of Ashes” by Raymond E. Feist
31. 09/02/2021: 1447 “Chaoswar Saga: A Crown Imperiled” by Raymond E. Feist
32. 09/09/2021: 1314 “Chaoswar Saga: Magician’s End” by Raymond E. Feist
33. 09/13/2021: 1309 “Riftwar Saga: Magician – Apprentice” by Raymond E. Feist (sixth read)
34. 09/17/2021: 2051 “Riftwar Saga: Magician – Master” by Raymond E. Feist (sixth read)
35. 10/01/2021: 2115 “Immortal” by Jessica Dunchen
36. 10/04/2021: 0001 “Heir to the Crown: Book One, Servant of the Crown” by Paul J Bennett
37. 10/09/2021: 1511 “The Long War: Book One, Killer of Men” by Christian Cameron
38. 10/16/2021: 1535 “The Long War: Book Two, Marathon” by Christian Cameron
39. 10/19/2021: 2127 “Saints of Steel: Book One, Paladin’s Grace” by T. Kingfisher
40. 10/21/2021: 0436 “Vlad the Impaler: A Life From Beginning to End” by Hourly History
41. 10/23/2021: 1347 “The Violinist of Auschwitz” by Ellie Midwood
42. 10/28/2021: 0204 “The Firemane Saga: Queen of Storms” by Raymond E. Feist
43. 11/01/2021: 1857 “The Long War: Book Three, Poseidon’s Spear” by Christian Cameron
44. 11/07/2021: 1343 “Dracula” by Bram Stoker
45. 11/14/2021: 0908 “Parsival: The Lost Years - The Quest for Avalon” by Richard Monaco
46. 11/16/2021: 1500 “Oz, book 2: The Marvelous Land of Oz” by L. Frank Baum / Illustrated by John R. Neill
47. 11/17/2021: 2008 “Oz, book 1: The Wonderful Wizard of Oz” by L. Frank Baum / Illustrated by W.W. Denslow
48. 11/23/2021: 1506 “Chivalry, book 1: The Ill-Made Knight” by Christian Cameron
49. 11/25/2021: 1318 “Oz, book 3: Ozma of Oz” by L. Frank Baum / Illustrated by John R. Neill
50. 11/27/2021: 2044 “Oz, book 4: Dorothy and the Wizard of Oz” by L. Frank Baum / Illustrated by John R. Neill
51. 12/01/2021: 0934 “Oz, book 5: The Road to Oz” by L. Frank Baum / Illustrated by John R. Neill
52. 12/03/2021: 1319 “Oz, book 6: The Emerald City of Oz” by L. Frank Baum / Illustrated by John R. Neill
53. 12/05/2021: 1414 “Oz, book 7: The Patchwork Girl of Oz” by L. Frank Baum / Illustrated by John R. Neill
54. 12/07/2021: 2045 “Oz, book 8: Tik-Tok of Oz” by L. Frank Baum / Illustrated by John R. Neill
55. 12/15/2021: 1603 “Chivalry, book 2: The Long Sword” by Christian Cameron
56. 12/18/2021: 1027 “Oz, book 9: The Scarecrow of Oz” by L. Frank Baum / Illustrated by John R. Neill
57. 12/28/2021: 2247 “Poilu: The World War I Notebooks of Corporal Louis Barthas, Barrelmaker, 1914-1918” by Louis Barthas / translated by Edward M. Strauss
58. 12/31/2021: 1115 “Oz, book 10: Rinkitink in Oz” by L. Frank Baum / Illustrated by John R. Neill
01. 01/02/2021: 1532 “All The Weyrs of Pern” by Anne McCaffrey (fourth read)
02. 01/13/2021: 2035 “The Breaking of Northwall” by Paul O. Williams (fourth read)
03. 01/21/2021: 2105 “The Ends of the Circle” by Paul O. Williams (fourth read)
04. 01/30/2021: 0417 “The Dome in the Forest” by Paul O. Williams (fourth read?)
05. 02/07/2021: 2155 “The Fall of the Shell” by Paul O. Williams (fourth read)
06. 02/14/2021: 1148 “An Ambush in Shadows” by Paul O. Williams (fourth read)
07. 02/17/2021: 1259 “The Song of the Axe” by Paul O. Williams (fourth read)
08. 02/20/2021: 1300 “The Sword of Forbearance” by Paul O. Williams (fourth read)
09. 02/23/2021: 1242 “The Mississippi Wrestling Territory, The Untold Story” by Gil Culkin
10. 02/25/2021: 1524 “Living the Dream, Memphis Wrestling, The Randy Hales Story” R. Hales
11. 02/27/2021: 1733 “Saxon Tales: The Pale Horseman” by Bernard Cornwell
12. 03/11/2021: 1152 “Sword of Fire” by Katharine Kerr
13. 03/15/2021: 1343 “Saxon Tales: Lords of the North” by Bernard Cornwell
14. 04/04/2021: 1230 “The Tower of Fools” by Andrzej Sapkowski
15. 04/09/2021: 0429 “Saxon Tales: Sword Song” by Bernard Cornwell
16. 04/12/2021: 2247 “Saxon Tales: The Burning Land” by Bernard Cornwell
17. 04/24/2021: 0813 “Agincourt” by Bernard Cornwell
18. 05/08/2021: 1650 “The Confederate Reader” by Richard B. Harwell
19. 05/xx/2021: ???? “The London, Brighton and South Coast Railway” by John Minnis
20. 05/26/2021: 1647 “Mossflower” by Brian Jacques (third read)
21. 06/11/2021: 1338 “Demonwar Saga: At the Gates of Darkness” by Raymond E. Feist
22. 06/16/2021: 1226 “Saxon Tales: Death of Kings” by Bernard Cornwell
23. 06/28/2021: 1700 “Shooters” by Jonathan Snowden
24. 07/04/2021: 0328 “Chaoswar Saga: A Kingdom Besieged” by Raymond E. Feist
25. 07/11/2021: 0418 “Saxon Tales: The Pagan Lord” by Bernard Cornwell
26. 07/23/2021: 2111 “Sarantine Mosaic: Sailing to Sarantium” by G.G. Kay (fourth read)
27. 08/04/2021: 2021 “Time Master Trilogy: The Initiate” by Louise Cooper (third read)
28. 08/09/2021: 1400 “Time Master Trilogy: The Outcast” by Louise Cooper (third read)
29. 08/12/2021: 2133 “Time Master Trilogy: The Master” by Louise Cooper (third read)
30. 08/26/2021: 1648 “The Firemane Saga: King of Ashes” by Raymond E. Feist
31. 09/02/2021: 1447 “Chaoswar Saga: A Crown Imperiled” by Raymond E. Feist
32. 09/09/2021: 1314 “Chaoswar Saga: Magician’s End” by Raymond E. Feist
33. 09/13/2021: 1309 “Riftwar Saga: Magician – Apprentice” by Raymond E. Feist (sixth read)
34. 09/17/2021: 2051 “Riftwar Saga: Magician – Master” by Raymond E. Feist (sixth read)
35. 10/01/2021: 2115 “Immortal” by Jessica Dunchen
36. 10/04/2021: 0001 “Heir to the Crown: Book One, Servant of the Crown” by Paul J Bennett
37. 10/09/2021: 1511 “The Long War: Book One, Killer of Men” by Christian Cameron
38. 10/16/2021: 1535 “The Long War: Book Two, Marathon” by Christian Cameron
39. 10/19/2021: 2127 “Saints of Steel: Book One, Paladin’s Grace” by T. Kingfisher
40. 10/21/2021: 0436 “Vlad the Impaler: A Life From Beginning to End” by Hourly History
41. 10/23/2021: 1347 “The Violinist of Auschwitz” by Ellie Midwood
42. 10/28/2021: 0204 “The Firemane Saga: Queen of Storms” by Raymond E. Feist
43. 11/01/2021: 1857 “The Long War: Book Three, Poseidon’s Spear” by Christian Cameron
44. 11/07/2021: 1343 “Dracula” by Bram Stoker
45. 11/14/2021: 0908 “Parsival: The Lost Years - The Quest for Avalon” by Richard Monaco
46. 11/16/2021: 1500 “Oz, book 2: The Marvelous Land of Oz” by L. Frank Baum / Illustrated by John R. Neill
47. 11/17/2021: 2008 “Oz, book 1: The Wonderful Wizard of Oz” by L. Frank Baum / Illustrated by W.W. Denslow
48. 11/23/2021: 1506 “Chivalry, book 1: The Ill-Made Knight” by Christian Cameron
49. 11/25/2021: 1318 “Oz, book 3: Ozma of Oz” by L. Frank Baum / Illustrated by John R. Neill
50. 11/27/2021: 2044 “Oz, book 4: Dorothy and the Wizard of Oz” by L. Frank Baum / Illustrated by John R. Neill
51. 12/01/2021: 0934 “Oz, book 5: The Road to Oz” by L. Frank Baum / Illustrated by John R. Neill
52. 12/03/2021: 1319 “Oz, book 6: The Emerald City of Oz” by L. Frank Baum / Illustrated by John R. Neill
53. 12/05/2021: 1414 “Oz, book 7: The Patchwork Girl of Oz” by L. Frank Baum / Illustrated by John R. Neill
54. 12/07/2021: 2045 “Oz, book 8: Tik-Tok of Oz” by L. Frank Baum / Illustrated by John R. Neill
55. 12/15/2021: 1603 “Chivalry, book 2: The Long Sword” by Christian Cameron
56. 12/18/2021: 1027 “Oz, book 9: The Scarecrow of Oz” by L. Frank Baum / Illustrated by John R. Neill
57. 12/28/2021: 2247 “Poilu: The World War I Notebooks of Corporal Louis Barthas, Barrelmaker, 1914-1918” by Louis Barthas / translated by Edward M. Strauss
58. 12/31/2021: 1115 “Oz, book 10: Rinkitink in Oz” by L. Frank Baum / Illustrated by John R. Neill
NOTE: See my preceding post for a detailed listing of every book read during 2021.
2021 was a pleasantly unconventional reading year. I set myself a soft, non-binding goal of reading 50 books within any given year once more in whatever time remains to me. Lo and behold, on 31 Dec I finished my 58th book! Admittedly, some of those fifty-eight are short, chiefly the L. Frank Baum Oz series, of which I’ve read ten titles, with four to go. But, I did not choose to read Oz, or any other book, when I did because of their length.
For decades the vast bulk of my reading has been within the fantasy genre. Some years see me read next to no non fantasy whatsoever. 2021 saw an exact 50/50 split between fantasy and non fantasy titles.
The majority of my reading is normally re-reads, and has been for a good many years. Some years I’m lucky to read five or six new-to-me titles, and rarely go much higher than that. Yet in 2021 forty-three of my reads were initial reads, with only fifteen re-reads!
2021 is the year I entered the world of digital reading, acquiring a 10th gen Kindle Paperwhite in Sep. My initial reason for getting it is that it is becoming increasingly difficult to read bulky paper books lying down, which is how to do almost the whole of my ‘serious’ reading. It is good that I bought it when I did, as I damaged my right hand in a fall one month later, and found it awkward to hold paper books of any size lying down. The Paperwhite, along with a case-with-holding-strap, solves that dilemma. The Kindle also takes much of the credit for my more diverse book consumption, since with many e-books either ultra cheap or free, I am more willing to take risks.
Best Reread of the Year:
This is an easy one; Paul O. Williams seven book Pelbar Cycle, receiving its fourth read. I’m not much of a Sci-Fi reader, but make an exception here. It likely helps that it is not ‘hard’ Sci-Fi. Whatever the case, it’s decidedly good reading.
Best Initial Read of the Year, a two-way tie:
One, Jessica Dunchen’s Immortal, the very first book read on my Paperwhite. It’s about as niche as it comes. To fully appreciate the work, it helps to be well versed in the life and times of Ludwig van Beethoven and the von Brunswick family, matters related to Beethoven’s ‘Immortal Beloved’, and how Josephine von Brunswick fits into the picture. I consider myself reasonably knowledgeable on these subjects. What’s more, I’ve long favored Josephine as the Immortal Beloved. (Of a certainty, she was Beethoven’s one long-term female love interest, whether she was the intended recipient of the letters or not.) My only real quibble with the book is one or two liberties Dunchen takes with the facts that I find detract from rather than enhance the story.
Two, Bram Stoker’s Dracula, another early Kindle read, a freebie to boot. Unlike Immortal, which once read I put behind me, I find myself sometimes revisiting (in my head) bits from Dracula. It has well earned its reputation, imo. During the read, I was occasionally put off by protagonists who are sometimes clueless or wrongheaded or both. Yet afterward I came to appreciate this aspect of the book, deciding that it is refreshing, if also frustrating, to encounter such fallible characters.
Happy Discovery of the Year:
The well researched military/historical fiction of Christian Cameron. I’m in the midst of two of his series, The Long War and Chivalry. I think anyone who enjoys Bernard Cornwell will feel right at home with Cameron.
Disappointing Read of the Year:
I consider Guy Gavriel Kay our best active writer whose output is published as fantasy. What’s more, I consider The Sarantine Mosaic top-notch Kay. I look forward to each read. Yet 2021’s reading of book one, Sailing to Sarantium, didn’t affect me as emotionally as have past reads. It was an enjoyable read, more so than some other books read during 2021, but Kay should be more than that. This time it wasn’t. I didn’t continue on to book two, Lord of Emperors.
2021 was a pleasantly unconventional reading year. I set myself a soft, non-binding goal of reading 50 books within any given year once more in whatever time remains to me. Lo and behold, on 31 Dec I finished my 58th book! Admittedly, some of those fifty-eight are short, chiefly the L. Frank Baum Oz series, of which I’ve read ten titles, with four to go. But, I did not choose to read Oz, or any other book, when I did because of their length.
For decades the vast bulk of my reading has been within the fantasy genre. Some years see me read next to no non fantasy whatsoever. 2021 saw an exact 50/50 split between fantasy and non fantasy titles.
The majority of my reading is normally re-reads, and has been for a good many years. Some years I’m lucky to read five or six new-to-me titles, and rarely go much higher than that. Yet in 2021 forty-three of my reads were initial reads, with only fifteen re-reads!
2021 is the year I entered the world of digital reading, acquiring a 10th gen Kindle Paperwhite in Sep. My initial reason for getting it is that it is becoming increasingly difficult to read bulky paper books lying down, which is how to do almost the whole of my ‘serious’ reading. It is good that I bought it when I did, as I damaged my right hand in a fall one month later, and found it awkward to hold paper books of any size lying down. The Paperwhite, along with a case-with-holding-strap, solves that dilemma. The Kindle also takes much of the credit for my more diverse book consumption, since with many e-books either ultra cheap or free, I am more willing to take risks.
Best Reread of the Year:
This is an easy one; Paul O. Williams seven book Pelbar Cycle, receiving its fourth read. I’m not much of a Sci-Fi reader, but make an exception here. It likely helps that it is not ‘hard’ Sci-Fi. Whatever the case, it’s decidedly good reading.
Best Initial Read of the Year, a two-way tie:
One, Jessica Dunchen’s Immortal, the very first book read on my Paperwhite. It’s about as niche as it comes. To fully appreciate the work, it helps to be well versed in the life and times of Ludwig van Beethoven and the von Brunswick family, matters related to Beethoven’s ‘Immortal Beloved’, and how Josephine von Brunswick fits into the picture. I consider myself reasonably knowledgeable on these subjects. What’s more, I’ve long favored Josephine as the Immortal Beloved. (Of a certainty, she was Beethoven’s one long-term female love interest, whether she was the intended recipient of the letters or not.) My only real quibble with the book is one or two liberties Dunchen takes with the facts that I find detract from rather than enhance the story.
Two, Bram Stoker’s Dracula, another early Kindle read, a freebie to boot. Unlike Immortal, which once read I put behind me, I find myself sometimes revisiting (in my head) bits from Dracula. It has well earned its reputation, imo. During the read, I was occasionally put off by protagonists who are sometimes clueless or wrongheaded or both. Yet afterward I came to appreciate this aspect of the book, deciding that it is refreshing, if also frustrating, to encounter such fallible characters.
Happy Discovery of the Year:
The well researched military/historical fiction of Christian Cameron. I’m in the midst of two of his series, The Long War and Chivalry. I think anyone who enjoys Bernard Cornwell will feel right at home with Cameron.
Disappointing Read of the Year:
I consider Guy Gavriel Kay our best active writer whose output is published as fantasy. What’s more, I consider The Sarantine Mosaic top-notch Kay. I look forward to each read. Yet 2021’s reading of book one, Sailing to Sarantium, didn’t affect me as emotionally as have past reads. It was an enjoyable read, more so than some other books read during 2021, but Kay should be more than that. This time it wasn’t. I didn’t continue on to book two, Lord of Emperors.
Decrepit, nice summary of 2021 as it relates to your voracious reading pace. 
Having read the first 3 of Lois McMaster Bujold's "Penric and the Demon" series, I decided to revisit the "Vorkosigan Saga."
That has been a grand treat, especially as there are now novels (and shorter) pieces I have not yet read.
That has been a grand treat, especially as there are now novels (and shorter) pieces I have not yet read.
At 1342 this afternoon, 8 Jan 2022, I concluded an initial read of The Master's Apprentice: A retelling of the Faust Legend, book 1 by Oliver Potzsch, as translated by Lisa Reinhardt. It is my first exposure to the writings of Mr Potzsch, and my first completed read of 2022. Continuing my lucky streak with Kindle/e-book purchases, I like it quite a lot.
I'll either plow on with book 2 or, more likely, take a short breather to read Oz book 11 before tackling the second volume.
This reminds me that I need to finish watching the silent film version of Faust. Come to think on it, maybe I better wait until finishing book 2 before returning the movie.
I'll either plow on with book 2 or, more likely, take a short breather to read Oz book 11 before tackling the second volume.
This reminds me that I need to finish watching the silent film version of Faust. Come to think on it, maybe I better wait until finishing book 2 before returning the movie.
At 1448 this afternoon, 9 Jan 2022, I concluded an initial read of L. Frank Baum's eleventh Oz book, The Lost Princess of Oz. It must be one of the series' shorter entries, considering that I finished it as quickly as I did. As previously mentioned, I have the Oz series as an omnibus e-book, which measures progress for the series as a whole, but not for individual books. I thus have no quick and easy way to know the length of any given book. I can of course look it up elsewhere, but why bother?
I now move on to book two of Oliver Potzsch's Faust retelling, The Devil's Pawn. I've assumed that book two is the series' finale. It might well be. But the name doesn't sound overly final. Combined with the fact that The Devil's Pawn was published only last year (2021), I now have room for doubt. As with individual Oz book lengths, I can easily look it up but have decided I'd rather not know until Potzsch wants me to.
I now move on to book two of Oliver Potzsch's Faust retelling, The Devil's Pawn. I've assumed that book two is the series' finale. It might well be. But the name doesn't sound overly final. Combined with the fact that The Devil's Pawn was published only last year (2021), I now have room for doubt. As with individual Oz book lengths, I can easily look it up but have decided I'd rather not know until Potzsch wants me to.
At 1921 this evening, 15 Jan 2022, I concluded an initial read of the second and final book of Oliver Potzsch's Faust retelling, The Devil's Pawn. For those interested in the subject matter, the series is an easy recommend. One thing I like about the two books is that their unfolding plots continually surprised me, certainly more often than most books I read. It helps that, going in, my memory of the Faust legend was sketchy at best. I've never read any of the several 'classic' Faust tellings, but was at one time passingly familiar with the gist of it.
At 1901 this evening, 16 Jan 2022, I concluded an initial read of L. Frank Baum's twelfth Oz book, The Tim Woodman of Oz. While Baum wrote a total of fourteen Oz books, this is the last to be published before his death. (The remaining two were published posthumously.) As has been the case with all Oz books in the omnibus edition I acquired via Amazon, the original artwork of John R Neill is included.
I enjoyed the 'plot' of this entry. The Woodman decides to find the girl he long-ago courted, first as a meat person then later as a tin man, and offer to marry her. Many interesting 'people' / creatures and perils are encountered along the way. The conclusion is satisfactory for all parties concerned, if not exactly as anticipated. (The Woodman's origin story is more fleshed-out and interesting in the books than in The Wizard of Oz movie.)
I've not yet decided what to tackle next. My paper-book initial-read TBR pile remains largely untouched since before I damaged my right hand last year. I hope to know how well it's healed by week's end. (I ought to have known 30 Dec 2021, but had to push back that appointment when I took sick earlier that week.)
Which reminds me that my brother gave me Forbidden Hollywood, The Pre-Code Era (1930-1934): When Sin Ruled the Movies as an Xmas present. It's a large-format hardback, with thick glossy pages and lots of high quality stills from the various movies it chronicles. I'm reading at the kitchen table during the meals I eat there, basically all suppers and some lunches, and am a bit over halfway done.
I enjoyed the 'plot' of this entry. The Woodman decides to find the girl he long-ago courted, first as a meat person then later as a tin man, and offer to marry her. Many interesting 'people' / creatures and perils are encountered along the way. The conclusion is satisfactory for all parties concerned, if not exactly as anticipated. (The Woodman's origin story is more fleshed-out and interesting in the books than in The Wizard of Oz movie.)
I've not yet decided what to tackle next. My paper-book initial-read TBR pile remains largely untouched since before I damaged my right hand last year. I hope to know how well it's healed by week's end. (I ought to have known 30 Dec 2021, but had to push back that appointment when I took sick earlier that week.)
Which reminds me that my brother gave me Forbidden Hollywood, The Pre-Code Era (1930-1934): When Sin Ruled the Movies as an Xmas present. It's a large-format hardback, with thick glossy pages and lots of high quality stills from the various movies it chronicles. I'm reading at the kitchen table during the meals I eat there, basically all suppers and some lunches, and am a bit over halfway done.
After a number of false starts, I might have settled on my next read. I really wanted it to be Jan Swafford's Mozart: The Reign of Love. Problem is, it's a hardback chunkster. Try as I might, my damaged right hand can't cope with it while lying on the sofa. (My hand's much better now, but not yet enough so to handle a book of that size and weight.) Back on the Paperwhite, I tested a couple of books that I'm apparently not in the mood for at the moment. What I settled on is Alexandre Dumas' The Count of Monte Cristo. It too is a chunkster, but that doesn't matter on the Paperwhite, so long as I'm willing to devote the time required to finish it. I almost went with William Shirer's The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich, ultimately deciding its 1,800-pages is a bit more than I want to tackle now.
The Count of Monte Cristo was a bit much for me. I think it was the style of the translation that I found difficult to read.
QUOTE(macole @ Jan 19 2022, 01:08 AM) 
The Count of Monte Cristo was a bit much for me. I think it was the style of the translation that I found difficult to read.
Speaking of translations, I'm thinking to buy Tolstoy's War and Peace as an ebook at some point. Here I did audition various translations. Sadly, my choice is the translation of Anthony Briggs. Why sadly? Well, Briggs costs money, while some other translations are free to DL. (I have a vague memory of owning W&P, but a thorough search of my 'library' doesn't find it.)
At 0004 this morning, 2 Feb 2022, I concluded an initial read of Mark A Vieira's Forbidden Hollywood, The Pre-Code Era (1930-1934) – When Sin Ruled the Movies. This is the book my brother gave me for Xmas. It's a premium quality large-format printing. Nice thick glossy images. Lots of high-quality photo reproductions. I've been reading it at the kitchen table during suppers since Xmas day. This worked to my advantage, as the book's too big and heavy to hold while lying on the sofa. Had I been able to read it on the sofa, I'd likely have finished it in two days, three tops.
That said, I 'did' finish it on the sofa. It was doable because I was only three pages from its end. This past night was 'interesting'. Despite having taken a powerful prescription sleeping pill at 2100, I simply could not fall asleep. Forbidden Hollywood was but one of several books used to pass time while waiting to nod off. That finally happened while looking at steam-loco photos in my LB&SCR (a pre-grouping British railway line) book. I doubt I slept more than 3.5 hours total, though I remained on the sofa long enough to rack up seven hours of CPAP usage.
That said, I 'did' finish it on the sofa. It was doable because I was only three pages from its end. This past night was 'interesting'. Despite having taken a powerful prescription sleeping pill at 2100, I simply could not fall asleep. Forbidden Hollywood was but one of several books used to pass time while waiting to nod off. That finally happened while looking at steam-loco photos in my LB&SCR (a pre-grouping British railway line) book. I doubt I slept more than 3.5 hours total, though I remained on the sofa long enough to rack up seven hours of CPAP usage.
At 1421 this afternoon, 12 Feb 2022, I concluded an initial read of L. Frank Baum's thirteenth Oz book, The Magic of Oz, in an e-book edition that includes original illustrations by John R. Neill. This entry interweaves two storylines. The Nome King returns to menace the Kingdom, aided by a Munchkin boy who acquires a magic word of transformation. Meanwhile, several series mainstays go in search of birthday presents for the land's ruler, Ozma. An enjoyable entry and a quick read. Rather, it should have been a quick read. This one took me far longer to finish that it had any rights to, simply because I've done little reading lately.
After being recommended by my favorite BookTuber, then reading its opening some pages at Amazon, I purchased the Kindle e-book edition of Camera Man: Buster Keaton, the Dawn of Cinema, and the Invention of the Twentieth Century by Dana Stevens. It will very likely be the book I tackle next.
After being recommended by my favorite BookTuber, then reading its opening some pages at Amazon, I purchased the Kindle e-book edition of Camera Man: Buster Keaton, the Dawn of Cinema, and the Invention of the Twentieth Century by Dana Stevens. It will very likely be the book I tackle next.
At 2027 this evening, 21 Feb 2022, I concluded an initial read of Glenda of Oz, fourteenth and last of L. Frank Baum's Oz series. As with previous Oz titles, my e-book edition includes illustrations from the original printing, in this case by John R. Neill. (The series was later re-illustrated with more "up-to-date" images. I've seen samples of these. They're good, but I prefer the originals.) Here, Ozma and Dorothy, on their own, leave the Emerald City to stop an impending war between two remote, isolated groups of Oz peoples, get in over their heads, and are eventually rescued by Glenda and assorted series-standbys as well as a few new additions.
The book's intro states that while all previous Oz entries are fantasies, Glenda crosses the line into Science-Fiction. I don't see it. Yeah, some mechanical apparatus are present, but they are controlled by magical means. As to the series as a whole, I enjoy and recommend it. All fourteen books combined are no longer than many a standalone single novel, and in e-book format can be had for a song, possibly free. I recommend getting an edition with the original artwork. It adds the fun to see how Baum envisioned his various creations.
I'm still in the midst of a reading slump, which is why I chose to read Glenda rather than continue the Buster Keaton bio began not that many days ago. I'll either return to it now, or another of the several books I'm partway through. Or something else all together.
The book's intro states that while all previous Oz entries are fantasies, Glenda crosses the line into Science-Fiction. I don't see it. Yeah, some mechanical apparatus are present, but they are controlled by magical means. As to the series as a whole, I enjoy and recommend it. All fourteen books combined are no longer than many a standalone single novel, and in e-book format can be had for a song, possibly free. I recommend getting an edition with the original artwork. It adds the fun to see how Baum envisioned his various creations.
I'm still in the midst of a reading slump, which is why I chose to read Glenda rather than continue the Buster Keaton bio began not that many days ago. I'll either return to it now, or another of the several books I'm partway through. Or something else all together.
I'm nearing the end of The Expanse books and I don't want it to end. Almost done Tiamat's Wrath, leaving only Leviathan Falls left.
Amazing series.
Amazing series.
At 1327 this afternoon, 23 Feb 2022, I concluded an initial read of L. Frank Baum's shortish fairy tale, Queen Zixi of Ix. Published by the company whose Oz editions I own, it includes original artwork by Frederick Richardson. A Fairy Queen has her maidens construct a magic cloak, which grants whoever dons it one wish, with a few restrictions tacked on, then set adrift in the moral world. It has a slight tie-in with the Oz series in that one of its characters attends a function in the Emerald City near the end of an early Oz book. It's a nice little tale, perfect to sandwich between more meaty material or while away a few hours during a reading slump.
At 2115 yesterday evening, 28 Feb 2022, I concluded an initial read of The Little White Bird, by J.M. Barrie; first of seven titles, their one commonality a relationship with Peter Pan, combined in one e-book as The Adventures of Peter Pan. I'm at a loss to describe it. I can say for certain that it is not a children's book. It is, on the whole, a tale narrated by a middle-age upper-class man of leisure, chronicling his often odd relationships with a small cast of (mostly) lower-class characters. The narrator at first comes off as prudish and petty. While he never wholly outgrows those traits, much is revealed to be bluster and 'humbug'. When all is said and done, I deem him kindly and eccentric. (He does his best to hide his kindness from the world.)
His interactions with children play a large role in the tale. It is during them that we get the chapters introducing Peter Pan to the world. It's a rather different Peter Pan from that depicted in Disney's adaptation. For one thing, Peter is seven months old in the book. For another, he lives with fairies (and other mythical creatures) in a large 'garden' in London. His chapters are only a small portion of the White Bird. Those chapters were later extracted and published on their own as Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens. Those who read The Little White Bird need not bother with Kensington. I plan to skip it during my reading of the Adventures.
As to the white bird, this refers to the narrator's premise that little white birds are children awaiting birth. (There's more to it than this, but I'll not spoil things.)
I like the book. It is well written with an intriguing story-line. It can be hard to follow at times, but in a good way. As a work of literature, it easily outclasses the various Baum Oz books. Those are, of course, much easier reads, and enjoyable in their own right.
His interactions with children play a large role in the tale. It is during them that we get the chapters introducing Peter Pan to the world. It's a rather different Peter Pan from that depicted in Disney's adaptation. For one thing, Peter is seven months old in the book. For another, he lives with fairies (and other mythical creatures) in a large 'garden' in London. His chapters are only a small portion of the White Bird. Those chapters were later extracted and published on their own as Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens. Those who read The Little White Bird need not bother with Kensington. I plan to skip it during my reading of the Adventures.
As to the white bird, this refers to the narrator's premise that little white birds are children awaiting birth. (There's more to it than this, but I'll not spoil things.)
I like the book. It is well written with an intriguing story-line. It can be hard to follow at times, but in a good way. As a work of literature, it easily outclasses the various Baum Oz books. Those are, of course, much easier reads, and enjoyable in their own right.
At 0338 this morning I concluded an initial read of J.M. Barrie's Peter Pan and Wendy. Unlike Little White Bird, this is more in line with what folks are likely to expect from a Peter Pan novel. It's not a sanitized as Disney's treatment, a plus for me. I enjoyed it, but easily prefer White Bird. An oddity. PP&W seemed a short read. Yet it took roughly as long to read as did White Bird, which I consider a full-length novel, roughly five days. This sort of thing is harder to keep straight on the Kindle than it is with conventional printed books. Or so it seems to me.
I finished reading The Expanse series last night, sans the novellas. If you enjoy sci-fi, the series is a must. Permanently cemented at the top of my favorites list.
Potential good news:
It looks as if my 10th Gen Paperwhite again functions properly, after several days of non use. My issue? Following a recent software update it was not able to open any of the several Kindle e-books I attempted to read. Project Gutenberg titles, transferred from my PC, continued to open without issue. I attempted several reasonably simple 'fixes' found on Amazon's Kindle forum. (I'm not the only one with this issue.) None worked. Then while ago, again visiting Kindle Forums, I noticed a new thread on this same topic. Its sole reply contains the fix. An easier fix by far than others found on the forum. So far as I can tell, all's well again save one casualty: The Project Gutenberg book I'm reading lost its bookmark during the fix. I spent more time than I cared to finding where I am.
The not so good news:
I'm in the thralls of a lengthy reading slump. I've completed on one title this month, and am nowhere near finishing any of the several books I've been pecking at.
For what it's worth, I recently purchased a collection of the complete short-stories of Ursula K. Le Guin, ultra cheap (as an e-book) on Amazon. Whether sale or normal price I know not.
It looks as if my 10th Gen Paperwhite again functions properly, after several days of non use. My issue? Following a recent software update it was not able to open any of the several Kindle e-books I attempted to read. Project Gutenberg titles, transferred from my PC, continued to open without issue. I attempted several reasonably simple 'fixes' found on Amazon's Kindle forum. (I'm not the only one with this issue.) None worked. Then while ago, again visiting Kindle Forums, I noticed a new thread on this same topic. Its sole reply contains the fix. An easier fix by far than others found on the forum. So far as I can tell, all's well again save one casualty: The Project Gutenberg book I'm reading lost its bookmark during the fix. I spent more time than I cared to finding where I am.
The not so good news:
I'm in the thralls of a lengthy reading slump. I've completed on one title this month, and am nowhere near finishing any of the several books I've been pecking at.
For what it's worth, I recently purchased a collection of the complete short-stories of Ursula K. Le Guin, ultra cheap (as an e-book) on Amazon. Whether sale or normal price I know not.
QUOTE(Decrepit @ Mar 24 2022, 01:38 PM)
For what it's worth, I recently purchased a collection of the complete short-stories of Ursula K. Le Guin, ultra cheap (as an e-book) on Amazon. Where sale or normal price I know not.
I've read a few Ursula Le Guin books. Left hand of Darkness and the Earthsea series come to mind.
At 0435 this morning I concluded an initial read of Dana Stevens' recently published Camera Man: Buster Keaton, the Dawn of Cinema, and the Invention of the Twentieth Century. An enjoyable read, despite occasionally covering topics only nebulously related to the submit matter. For instance, Stevens devotes much space to Alcoholics Anonymous, an organization Keaton, while alcoholic, had no connection with whatsoever. While the beginnings of AA are interesting in their own right, imo they deserve little more than passing mention here. Those pages might have been better spent discussing those of Keaton's early shorts and features that the author chooses to give short shrift. But again, it's a worthwhile read for anyone interested in the subject matter.
At 1946 yesterday evening, 12 Apr 2022, I concluded an initial read of Stephen Fry's Mythos: book 1, which covers the origin of the Greek gods, demigods, lesser immortals and so on, and eventfully mortal man. The stories or told with wit and humor, while remaining faithful to the overall gist of the sort material. The book does not include everything it might have, but doesn't short-sheet what it chooses to include. The series continues with two further books devoted to ancient Greek myths; Age of Heroes and Troy. A fourth book is in the works.
At 1909 this evening I concluded an initial read of Edward Marston's The Railway Detective, first in a long series of like-themed books. I've no idea how this compares with other Detective/Crime/Mystery novels, as it's a genre that doesn't normally tempt me. As you might suspect, what drew me to this particular title is its British Steam-era Railway connection. That's something I can sink my teeth into (though I rarely wear them while reading).
What shocks me is discovering, after-the-fact, that the book was not, as I had assumed, first published long ago, but is instead relatively recent, with a 2004 publication date!
A solid, enjoyable read, but not read-of-the-year material.
What shocks me is discovering, after-the-fact, that the book was not, as I had assumed, first published long ago, but is instead relatively recent, with a 2004 publication date!
A solid, enjoyable read, but not read-of-the-year material.
At 1955 this evening, I concluded Edward Marston's The Excursion Train, book two in his The Railway Detective series. Railways/trains play a less front-and-center role in this entry, a minus for me. Too, early on I felt that its mainstay protagonists were possibly becoming a bit typecast. However, as the story progressed this ceased to be a concern. Though the crime/detective genre is not one I am drawn to, I find this book, like its predecessor, a solid, entertaining read.
I've not yet decided what to tackle next. Possibly The Secret Life of Groceries, which sounded so intriguing to me when a BookTuber I sometimes watch discussed it that I purchased it for my Kindle on-the-fly as the episode continued to play in the background. Will I like it? We shall see. This sort of thing is right up my alley, though it's an alley I seldom venture down (in literature).
I've not yet decided what to tackle next. Possibly The Secret Life of Groceries, which sounded so intriguing to me when a BookTuber I sometimes watch discussed it that I purchased it for my Kindle on-the-fly as the episode continued to play in the background. Will I like it? We shall see. This sort of thing is right up my alley, though it's an alley I seldom venture down (in literature).
Catastrophe averted!
Decided to retire early and read more in The Railway Detective, book 3. Got comfy on the sofa. Fired up the Paperwhite. Rather, I pressed the POWER button. Nothing happened. Sleep-mode advert remained on screen, that was it.
My first thought was that maybe I'd allowed the Kindle's charge to dwindle too low during my last cession. Plugged it into my wall-charger adaptor. Pressed POWER. Eureka! The power light turned green. For about two seconds, then changed to orange. Sleep-mode advert remained on screen. Nothing else happened.
I left it plugged into the wall adaptor some time, then hit POWER. Same result as before.
Disconnected the adaptor. Fired up the PC. Visited Amazon to check the Paperwhite's warranty. I'm good, time wise, but might or might not be covered depending on the issue and cause.
Decided to do a little investigating online before contacting Amazon. Found an article on "simple" fixes to try when a Paperwhite won't turn on.
Tried fix one. Voilà, it rebooted itself to full functionality. Well, I assume it did. The battery was indeed low. It's now charging via a PC USB port.
The problem, according to the article, a frozen screen. The fix, press and hold POWER 40 seconds, release, press and hold another 3-5 seconds. That's the fix used a while back when the Paperwhite, following a software update, would no longer open Kindle e-books. (It continued to open Project Gutenberg e-books without issue.)
Decided to retire early and read more in The Railway Detective, book 3. Got comfy on the sofa. Fired up the Paperwhite. Rather, I pressed the POWER button. Nothing happened. Sleep-mode advert remained on screen, that was it.
My first thought was that maybe I'd allowed the Kindle's charge to dwindle too low during my last cession. Plugged it into my wall-charger adaptor. Pressed POWER. Eureka! The power light turned green. For about two seconds, then changed to orange. Sleep-mode advert remained on screen. Nothing else happened.
I left it plugged into the wall adaptor some time, then hit POWER. Same result as before.
Disconnected the adaptor. Fired up the PC. Visited Amazon to check the Paperwhite's warranty. I'm good, time wise, but might or might not be covered depending on the issue and cause.
Decided to do a little investigating online before contacting Amazon. Found an article on "simple" fixes to try when a Paperwhite won't turn on.
Tried fix one. Voilà, it rebooted itself to full functionality. Well, I assume it did. The battery was indeed low. It's now charging via a PC USB port.
The problem, according to the article, a frozen screen. The fix, press and hold POWER 40 seconds, release, press and hold another 3-5 seconds. That's the fix used a while back when the Paperwhite, following a software update, would no longer open Kindle e-books. (It continued to open Project Gutenberg e-books without issue.)
At 2047 yesterday evening, I concluded an initial read of The Railway Viaduct, book three of Edward Marston's The Railway Detective series. As before, a solid, entertaining read, but not something I'm going to insist everyone run out and buy.
Since rebooting the Paperwhite in an attempt to fix the SNAFU related in my previous post, it has operated without issue. What's more, a recent tendency to deplete the battery's charge at an abnormally fast rate has been corrected.
Since rebooting the Paperwhite in an attempt to fix the SNAFU related in my previous post, it has operated without issue. What's more, a recent tendency to deplete the battery's charge at an abnormally fast rate has been corrected.
Amongst yesterday's YouTube recommendations, I spied a video book-related video I'd seen a couple of months ago that you guys might find interesting:
(video) I, Libertine by Frederick R. Ewing (video)
Addendum:
At 1950 this evening, I concluded in initial read of Ursula K. Le Guin's Lavinia, a novel inspired by the last some books of Virgil's Aeneid, chronicling much of the life of one of the that work's insignificant characters, the women Aeneas takes as wife soon after he and his fellow Trojan refugees arrive in what is now Italy. A well written, solid read. I think my favorite part might be the portentous 'shade' Lavinia meets several times at around the 21-22% mark, just prior to the Trojan arrival. That was really well told, it seems to me.
A pointless aside (that has nothing to do with the above):
With paper/print material, my practice is to consider multiple novels/stories housed within a single cover as one 'book', and don't consider that book completed until having read everything it contains. Thus The Bounty Trilogy, comprised of three novel-length stories, Mutiny on the Bounty, Men Against the Sea, and Pitcairn's Island, always appears in my yearly read logs as one entry: The Bounty Trilogy.
With my switch to e-books, I automatically adopted the opposite approach. Thus, each Frank L. Baum Oz book appears in my log as a separate entry, though they are part of a single-purchase omnibus edition.
On the other hand, an e-book containing numerous short-stories will almost certainly continue to appear in the log as one entry.
(video) I, Libertine by Frederick R. Ewing (video)
Addendum:
At 1950 this evening, I concluded in initial read of Ursula K. Le Guin's Lavinia, a novel inspired by the last some books of Virgil's Aeneid, chronicling much of the life of one of the that work's insignificant characters, the women Aeneas takes as wife soon after he and his fellow Trojan refugees arrive in what is now Italy. A well written, solid read. I think my favorite part might be the portentous 'shade' Lavinia meets several times at around the 21-22% mark, just prior to the Trojan arrival. That was really well told, it seems to me.
A pointless aside (that has nothing to do with the above):
With paper/print material, my practice is to consider multiple novels/stories housed within a single cover as one 'book', and don't consider that book completed until having read everything it contains. Thus The Bounty Trilogy, comprised of three novel-length stories, Mutiny on the Bounty, Men Against the Sea, and Pitcairn's Island, always appears in my yearly read logs as one entry: The Bounty Trilogy.
With my switch to e-books, I automatically adopted the opposite approach. Thus, each Frank L. Baum Oz book appears in my log as a separate entry, though they are part of a single-purchase omnibus edition.
On the other hand, an e-book containing numerous short-stories will almost certainly continue to appear in the log as one entry.
Visited Project Gutenberg for the first time since downloading a few books there right after receiving my Paperwhite last September.
Settled on five titles, one of which, I suspect, I ought not mention. The remaining four are:
1) The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, by Mark Twain. I read either this or Tom Sawyer during my long-ago school days over half a century ago. I remember next to nothing of that prior reading, other than that the protagonist at one point travels a river (the Mississippi?) by raft, possibly in the company of a runaway slave.
2) Emma by Jane Austen. This will be my first Austen encounter. Whether Emma is the best Austen introduction remains to be seen.
3) Grimm's Fairy Tales. I'm somewhat familiar with a few of these, but not the source material.
4) The Communist Manifesto by Engels and Marx. Despite being a fan of the Marx Brothers, I somehow never got around to reading this.
Since rebooting the Kindle a while back, it has gone from depleting its battery in only a day of average reading to lasting a super long time between charges. Yesterday was its first recharge since the reboot. I didn't need to. It still had 34% power remaining. But . . . I had to connect it to the PC to transfer those Project Gutenberg downloads. Once plugged in, I might as well let it recharge itself.
Settled on five titles, one of which, I suspect, I ought not mention. The remaining four are:
1) The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, by Mark Twain. I read either this or Tom Sawyer during my long-ago school days over half a century ago. I remember next to nothing of that prior reading, other than that the protagonist at one point travels a river (the Mississippi?) by raft, possibly in the company of a runaway slave.
2) Emma by Jane Austen. This will be my first Austen encounter. Whether Emma is the best Austen introduction remains to be seen.
3) Grimm's Fairy Tales. I'm somewhat familiar with a few of these, but not the source material.
4) The Communist Manifesto by Engels and Marx. Despite being a fan of the Marx Brothers, I somehow never got around to reading this.
Since rebooting the Kindle a while back, it has gone from depleting its battery in only a day of average reading to lasting a super long time between charges. Yesterday was its first recharge since the reboot. I didn't need to. It still had 34% power remaining. But . . . I had to connect it to the PC to transfer those Project Gutenberg downloads. Once plugged in, I might as well let it recharge itself.
Mike Duncan of the Revolutions podcast gives a really basic rundown of Marxism in the Russian Revolution series. Let me go look... episode 10.3- The Three Pillars of Marxism is the one. It really gives a good breakdown of how the capitalistic system works, especially concerning how it exploits labor.
QUOTE(SubRosa @ May 13 2022, 04:40 PM)
Mike Duncan of the Revolutions podcast gives a really basic rundown of Marxism in the Russian Revolution series. Let me go look... episode 10.3- The Three Pillars of Marxism is the one. It really gives a good breakdown of how the capitalistic system works, especially concerning how it exploits labor.
An interesting podcast. My mind clouded a couple of times while listening, but that's how I am these elder days. Your comment concerning the capitalist system and its exploitation of labor was apt, my having recently finished watching the YouTube video, Money Killed Art. Here's How We Take it Back.
Started reading Adventures of Huckleberry Finn yesterday. In Twain's forward, he mentions that it is a followup to Adventures of Tom Sawyer, but that the earlier book isn't required to enjoy Finn. While that's all well and good, I visited Project Gutenberg again and downloaded Sawyer. I'll start with that. Having read a bit of both now, I'm still not sure which I read all those decades ago, but still lean toward it being Finn.
While at Project Gutenberg, I DL'd two other titled, Les Misérables and The Way We Live Now by Anthony Trollope. The small bit I read of Les Misérables earlier today is super interesting, but boy is it HUGE.
At 0329 this morning, I concluded a possibly initial read of Mark Twain's The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, a (free) Project Gutenberg e-book. I'm still not sure if this is the book I read during my long ago school days. I had foreknowledge Tom and his whitewashing of the picket fence, but this might be something well ingrained in the American Mythos when I was a lad, known even by those who had not read the book. I remembered the character Injun Jim, not in any great detail, but knew he is/was a 'bad guy'. I sorta / kinda remembered caves. None of this convinces me. My decrepit mind still says it was Huckleberry Finn I read back in the day. We shall see, as it's what begin reading later today.
At 0430 this morning, I concluded an initial read of Mark Twain's The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. As with Tom Sawyer before it, nothing during the read leads me to suspect that it was Finn I read back in the dark ages. Which begs the question: What did I read those many decades ago? Who knows? That's the best answer I can come up with. Be that as it may, I'm glad to have read it, hard-going as it was at times.
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