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July Reads | 52 Books 2015

08.16.2015 by Nicola //

valley-fever
33. Valley Fever by Katherine Taylor
★★★★★ – A fairly mediocre novel about a country-turned-city girl who returns to her farming family in Central California and gradually finds a place. It’s engaging enough but lacks a drama, though I did enjoy reading about all the familiar places.

 
 
spinster
34. Spinster by Kate Bolick
★★★★★ – This was a total right-place right-time kind of book. I loved the rich historical context she gives to place the writers she admires and describe the society and the issues they faced. I loved her personal insights into writing, her descriptions of languid and frenetic days as a reader and aspiring writer. I even put up with the really cheesy self-assessments. I loved it, unabashedly. In fact it’s the kind of book I think I would write – though perhaps with a little less self-obsession.

 
 

7 in 7 Readathon

marco-polo
35. Travels in the Land of Serpents and Pearls by Marco Polo (Little Black Classic)
★★★★★ – This is a bizarre read. Prose style, totally straight. Stories told, utterly bonkers.

 
 
microscope
36. A Slip Under the Microscope by H.G. Wells (Little Black Classic)
★★★★★ – An excellent pair of short stories. I think maybe I need to read more H.G. Wells! The first story is a mystery told through a man’s reminisces on the past, which was heavy with possible readings. The title story was set at a university full of posh kids and focused, as such stories often do, around the poor boy and his romance and academic aspirations. Great sense of suspense – loved it.

 

 

oranges
37. Oranges are Not the Only Fruit by Jeanette Winterson
★★★★★ – A bit of a shielded memoir, this novel focuses on the coming-of-age of a young woman brought up in a religious household who comes do discover she’s gay and how the community reacts. It swings between hilarious and heartbreaking. It also features some forays into fairytale, which I wasn’t particularly gripped by. But it’s a great book overall.

 
 
walking
38. Walking by Henry David Thoreau
★★★★★ – What a pretentious willy this guy was.

 
 
the-reckoning
39. The Reckoning by Edith Wharton (Little Black Classic)
★★★★★ – Edith Wharton always seemed like a certain type of readers’ kind of book. I didn’t believe that kind of reader was me, but now I’m wholly convinced.

 
 
circe-cyclops
40. Circe and the Cyclops by Homer (Little Black Classic)
★★★★★ – Excerpts from Homer’s The Odyssey. Some stunning scenes here, though not the most readable translation. I couldn’t quite get the rhythm right in my mind. I think my copy of the full text is a more readable translation, so I’m keener to get to that now.

 
 

Categories // Books Tags // 52 books 2015, 7 in 7 readathon, capsule reviews, july reads, reading wrap-up

Reading Week #64 – A Reading Marathon

07.31.2015 by Nicola //

7in7

Happy Friday!

How are things in your world? Summer still hasn’t arrived up here, but it’s been a good week regardless. Listening to this cover of Here Comes the Sun on loop has helped.

It’s Evan‘s birthweek – a tongue-in-cheek tradition that’s gradually become more reality than sarcasm. After an evening with friends, and a big meal out last night, tonight we’re going to see Limmy tonight and going for drinks with more friends tomorrow. I hope your weekend is packed with fun plans too.

Enough about me – here are some links.

 

–– ON ROBOTNIC.CO ––

Yesterday I posted a Book Haul! – because I haven’t made one for like 6 months.

As if these weren’t going to be enough, my business blog has July Links covering social media, content, and microbusiness interests.

ICYMI last week, we talked about book to film adaptations on Bookish Blether Episode 14. Next episode drops on Wednesday!

 
 

–– ARTS & CULTURE ––

We’re witnessing Oliver Sacks’ final writings in real time, and they’re gorgeous, heartbreaking and life-affirming. Here’s his latest: My Periodic Table.

Kate Bolick whose book, Spinster, I really enjoyed, recommends 5 books. I suddenly realised The Long-Winded Lady was already on my wishlist when I saw the cover. I’m so psyched to read it now.

Novels About Real-Life Women Are Saving Forgotten History. There’s a bit of tricky subtext about fiction as a women’s medium here, but I hope this sparks more biography publishing about the actual women behind the stories.

And the Oscar for Best Torso Goes To… [spoiler alert] Channing Tatum, who is, apparently, the one guy in the film industry who gets that sexual objectification of men does not mean feminism is over! Props to Robbie Collin on this one overall, but his thesis is off.

In related: Do You Think My Muscles Are Sexy?

Speaking of male objectification: here’s one for teh swoonz: Disney Princes Reimagined In Real Life.

 
 

–– DIGITAL / THE FUTURE ––

Alana Massey questions The Cult of Work; nails it.

Twitter’s not backing down on its chat about rejigging the beloved timeline. I’ve just passed my 8-year Twitterversary and I’m 99% certain this would ruin it for me.

How the way you type can shatter anonymity. Troubling news about user profiling techniques.

 
 

–– ON PAPER ––

Funny story: in the past month I’ve read 3 books in which the main character panic-reads Middlemarch. Is the universe trying to tell me something?

This week I’ve been participating in the 7 in 7 Readathon. The goal? Finish 7 books in 7 days.

I’ve finished 4 so far so am on track. They were:
1. Travels in the Land of Serpents & Pearls by Marco Polo (Penguin Little Black Classic) – totally bonkers.
2. A Slip Under the Microscope by H.G. Wells (Penguin Little Black Classic) – two fantastic short stories.
3. Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit by Jeanette Winterson – almost as tragic as I previously stated it was funny.
4. Walking by Henry David Thoreau – what a wank.

I made a video covering my TBR (To Be Read) for the readathon – so click over to see what else is on my nightstand.

What are you currently reading? Hit reply and let me know!
 
 

–– &c. ––

Radiation. Government conspiracy. Mass hysteria. There are plenty of theories as to why the residents of a tiny Kazakh mining region keep falling asleep for days at a time, but no answers. – A fascinating longform piece that I’ve not quite finished yet, but reckon you’ll love.

Meanwhile, in Manhattan: A McDonald’s With Many Off-the-Menu Sales.

A couple more bookish videos for you! Holly shared her stunning Book Design Portfolio. If you’re in publishing you ought to snap her up.

And finally, Jean recommended 10 Books Under 150 Pages – many of which I’ve read and loved.

 

––

Read anything good this week? Hit reply or tweet me with a link.

​Have a lovely weekend!

 

Categories // Reading Week Tags // 7 in 7 readathon, link list, reading week

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