20 Books of Summer: Wrapup
It's the last day of August, and I'm supposed to have read 20 books for Cathy's annual event. Let's see how it went, shall we?
I accidentally put 22 books on the pile, and figured that would give me some room to dislike a couple of titles. And indeed, although I'd been looking forward to both Limonov and Inherent Vice, once I started them, I didn't like them. So that leaves 20 titles, and I managed to read 18 of them. I think that's pretty good! I read 12 other books too, so that leaves me with 30 for the summer.
One thing I figured out about this list is that is was too fiction-heavy. I wish I'd put more non-fiction in, and now I'm going to indulge in one or two non-fiction titles before getting into more of the world literature stuff I've been reading. I need more balance! I especially wish I'd put Voices From Chernobyl on, because it could have been a WIT August title too. But that is no matter, really. I'll just start it now.
I accidentally put 22 books on the pile, and figured that would give me some room to dislike a couple of titles. And indeed, although I'd been looking forward to both Limonov and Inherent Vice, once I started them, I didn't like them. So that leaves 20 titles, and I managed to read 18 of them. I think that's pretty good! I read 12 other books too, so that leaves me with 30 for the summer.
Limonov, by Emmanuel Carrere- Half a Crown, by Jo Walton
- Bai Ganyo, Konstantinov
- Rashomon, by Ryünosuke Akutagawa
- Marie Grubbe, by Jens Peter Jacobsen
Inherent Vice, by Thomas Pynchon- At the Pulpit: 185 Years of Discourses by Latter-day Saint Women
- The Dybbuk and Other Writings, by Ansky
- The Book of Memory, by Petina Gappah
- Bad News, by Anjan Sundaram
- Train to Pakistan, by Khushwant Singh
- To Destroy You Is No Loss / Bamboo and Butterflies, by Joan Criddle
- The Foundation Pit, by Platonov
- Alamut, by Vladimir Bartol
- The Blue Sky, by Tshinag
- A Golden Age, by Tahmima Anam
- Untouchable, by Mulk Raj Anand
- The Towers of Trebizond, by Rose Macaulay
- The Go-between, by L. P. Hartley
- The Story of My Teeth, by Luiselli
- Lyrics Alley, by Leila Aboulela
- This Earth of Mankind, by Toer
One thing I figured out about this list is that is was too fiction-heavy. I wish I'd put more non-fiction in, and now I'm going to indulge in one or two non-fiction titles before getting into more of the world literature stuff I've been reading. I need more balance! I especially wish I'd put Voices From Chernobyl on, because it could have been a WIT August title too. But that is no matter, really. I'll just start it now.
Recommendations from the list?
ReplyDeleteOh gosh, you're right! I should have said what I liked best!
ReplyDeleteBad News was really good, and I think an important book. I enjoyed most of the fiction, especially Rashomon, Blue Sky, Untouchable, and This Earth of Mankind. The Go-Between was pretty much a stinker, and I didn't really love Marie Grubbe.
Well done! :) I had to change mine in July, knocked 5 off and replaced them - that's the only reason I managed to complete my list this year! Next year, hopefully, I can do it without cheating :)
ReplyDelete