Tag: Miscellany Page 168 of 175

Odds ‘n ends over the week about books and reading that caught my eye. You’ve probably seen some/most/all of them, but just in case:

• Unpublished Raymond Chandler work discovered in Library of Congress — and, naturally, it’s “a witty, Gilbert-and-Sullivan-inflected libretto for a fantasy-tinged romance”? Say what?
• Don DeLillo’s Annotated “Underworld” — oh man, would love to spend a few days with this.
• What Kids Want to Read: An Infographic — sure, you could spend a lot of money on a survey, or…I don’t know. Talk to just one kid. Really these the least counter-intuitive survey results ever.
• It’s that time of the year, when people are looking for gift ideas, here’s a few:
  • Literary Aces Playing Cards
  • Some favorite gifts for book lovers that aren’t books — nifty ideas, but…wouldn’t books be easier?
  • 16 Fantastic Gifts For Lit Lovers Who Have Enough Books — similar, but not the same list. And I’ve got the same substitute suggestion.
• 10 Reasons to Shop at Your Local Indie Bookstores This Holiday Season — keep this in mind this season — and all year long
• It’s also that time of year for the making of lists. I imagine I’ll be posting a few more of these (and, I hope, making one of my own).
  • 2014 Goodreads Choice Awards — Not all my choices won — actually, only two did. But I did okay, and am really only confused/annoyed by a couple of the wins.
  • Best science fiction books of 2014 — According to The Guardian, anyway. There’s a distinct national accent to this list — which is understandable, and maybe deserved.
  • The 22 Best Lines of 2014 — Familiar with the source or not, this is a fun list of lines
  • Was 2014 the Year of the Debut? — a bunch of great debut novels
• Four Things My Family Learned From The Boxcar Children Books — I dug these books so much when I was a kid — most of my kids dabbled in them, but they never were as grabbed as I was. Glad to see there are still some big fans of the Aldens out there.

Only one New Release caught my eye this week — in what looks to be a slow month. But it should be a good one:
• Bryant and May and the Bleeding Heart by Christopher Fowler — the eleventh installment in the series featuring the weirdest batch of detectives you’ll run across in fiction.

First off, on this week of Thanks — I wanted to say thanks for everyone who has read, followed, and liked this blog. And to those who’s commented, retweeted, interacted with me about this here blog. Those authors/publicists who’ve made contact with me because of this? Mind blowing and I cannot thank you enough. Seriously, I am grateful.

Anyway, on to the small list of odds ‘n ends over the week about books and reading that caught my eye. You’ve probably seen some/most/all of them, but just in case:

• title — Ursula K. Le Guin won the National Book Foundation’s Medal for Distinguished Contribution to American Letters at the 65th National Book Awards last week, and gave this thought-provoking speech.
• Why has the imagination been sidelined in literature? are some of the thoughts it provoked in Damien G.
• Reading Together Even While Reading Alone — Bryan VanDyke gives us a look at his development as a reader and more.
• 8 Books To Read Before They Become Movies In 2015 — I’ve read one of these (The Martian), quit another one (American Sniper), and am undecided on the rest. Nevertheless, a handy list.
• “Wisp of a Thing” — based on the wonderful novel by Alex Bledsoe, this song might as well have been written by one of the Tufa.

This Week’s New Release that I’m Excited About:
• Endsinger by Jay Kristoff — Book 3 of The Lotus War — the YA Japanese Steampunk/Mythology mix. I’m looking forward to this, but something tells me there’s a lot of pain and suffering ahead for the characters (and country!).

A pretty light load this week, it’s like there’s a holiday around the corner or something. Bet things pick up next month.

Still, there were a few odds ‘n ends over the week about books and reading that caught my eye. You’ve probably seen some/most/all of them, but just in case:

• James Patterson: “Amazon could actually dedicate itself to saving books and literature in this country” — I’m not Patterson’s biggest fan. But his pro-bookstore, pro-reading campaign is pretty appealing.
• Michael Connelly Takes Detective Harry Bosch From Page to Screen — a nice interview with Connelly about Bosch on “TV” and in print.
• Authors Give Advice to Younger Selves — Over on Suvudu this week, several SF/Fantasy writers shared the advice they’d want to give to themselves years ago. Fun stuff.
• 23 Things I’d Rather Read Than Another Think Piece On What’s “Wrong” With Children’s Literature — This list would work for many thing, not just “what’s wrong with Kid Lit”, but it’s pretty good in that respect, too.

This Week’s New Releases I’m Excited About and/or You’ll Probably See Here Soon:
• Agatha H. and the Voice of the Castle by Kaja Foglio and Phil Foglio — the third novelization of the webcomic. I’ve only read the comics up through the 2nd novel (no, there’s no good reason for this), so this will be all new material for me. Looking forward to it.
• The Job by Janet Evanovich and Lee Goldberg — Evanovich. Goldberg. Fox. O’Hare. That’s all I need to know.
• Superheroes Anonymous by Lexie Dunne — looks to be an entertaining take on Superheroes

Odds ‘n ends over the week about books and reading that caught my eye. You’ve probably seen some/most/all of them, but just in case:

• Some great news for Jim Butcher fans. This is enough for me for the week. The rest is just bonus.
• ‘Choose Your Own Adventure’ author R.A. Montgomery dies — And then some sad news. Yeah, the Choose Your Own Adventure books weren’t the greatest things I read — but growing up I didn’t know anyone, including all those kids who only read when forced to by a teacher, who hadn’t read a handful. I’m sure his cultural impact (for good or ill) is much more wide-reaching than any of us realize.
• Goodreads Doesn’t Care If You Read the Book You Reviewed — from the “Things that Make You Go ‘Hmmm'” file.
• 33 thoughts on reading — One Reader’s Manifesto. Some good stuff here, things I should remember. #8’s a bit controversial, “I will not finish books I don’t like.” As seen here:
• Reading Is Not A Chore: On Quitting Books — I’ve read a lot of people talking about this lately — quitting books they don’t enjoy — enough so that I know I’m not alone in feeling compelled to finish every book they start. I see their point.
• I see their point, however, you’ve got things like Why I Finish Books — blah
• or, the more developed: Finish That Book! — and for the moment, I can’t help agree.
• One Man’s Diary of a Month-Long Library Closure — my local library is gearing up for a month-long closure as it moves into a new building. This one resonated with me. And no, I don’t know what I’m going to do for that month.
• Rex Stout on You Bet your Life — haven’t had a chance to listen to this yet, but the NPR show “Tuned To Yesterday” features Rex Stout.
• The Official Bosch Trailer — thought the pilot was great, love the source material…can’t wait for this one.

This Week’s New Release I’m Mostly Interested In (next week looks like a strong/wallet killing week):
• Sons of Anarchy: Bratva by Christopher Golden — I’m mostly over this show, but I’m curious about the tie-in idea, and this one features Trinity and Opie, so I’ll end up giving it a shot.

Odds ‘n ends over the week about books and reading that caught my eye. You’ve probably seen some/most/all of them, but just in case:

• A Better Way to Think About the Genre Debate — despite the not-so-humble title, Joshua Rothman has some interesting things to say about genre.
• Patrick Rothfuss Responds to Academic Snobbery — Rothfuss has a more colorful and succinct take on the genre debate as we see here, in his video response to a University professor not accepting his work as befitting a paper in their class.
• Speaking of Rothfuss, in For Love and Sass — one blogger responds to many one-star reviews of Rothfuss’ new book. It’s pretty funny even if you’ve never read Rothfuss.
• Dear Grimdark… — Sam Sykes writes a letter to Grimdark fantasy.

This Week’s New Releases I’m Excited About and/or You’ll Probably See Here Soon:
• The Burning Room by Michael Connelly — Harry Bosch back in action!
• So, Anyway… by John Cleese — the great comic actor’s memoirs.
• Harry Harrison! Harry Harrison!
  by Harry Harrison — the SF giant’s memoirs
• Texts from Jane Eyre by Mallory Ortberg — this looks great.

Odds ‘n ends over the week about books and reading that caught my eye. You’ve probably seen some/most/all of them, but just in case:

• One of the best first novels in a UF series I’ve ever read, Rivers of London is the 2015 pick for Cityread London (published here as Midnight Riot. Ben Aaronovitch, the writer, responds ever so humbly.

http://temporarilysignificant.blogspot.co.uk/2014/10/my-ego-has-become-co-terminus-with.html

• Get More Out of the Books You Read With an Idea Index — this handy tip from Lifehacker would work best for nonfiction, but looks clever enough I’m going to give it a try with a novel or three.
• Also, via Lifehacker, What is Literature for? is very nice. If you don’t want to spend 4 minutes on it (c’mon, it’s just 4 minutes!), you can just read the summary there.
• Here’s Patrick Rothfuss rambling, fretting, and writing about what went through his mind the day his new book came out.
• George R.R. Martin, Amy Poehler and Seth Play Game of Thrones Trivia — Martin was on Late Night with Seth Meyers not promoting the next installment of The Song of Ice and Fire (nor writing it). He has a fun laugh, though.

This Week’s New Releases I’m Excited About and/or You’ll Probably See Here Soon:
• The Peripheral by William Gibson — if you need more than the author’s name to get you interested in this one, here’s Cory Doctorow’s review
• The Slow Regard of Silent Things by Patrick Rothfuss was a little slice of wonderful. Review forthcoming, but in short: beautiful, strange, strangely beautiful.
• Drawn Blades by Kelly McCullough — the only reason I’m not more excited about the latest in the Fallen Blade series is because it reminds me that I didn’t read the previous one yet. Gah!

Wow. A very light week for this column. (more time to spend catching up for the slow weeks lately?)

Only four things to share this week in the odds ‘n ends from over the week about books and reading that caught my eye. You’ve probably seen some/most/all of them, but just in case:

• Maureen Corrigan On Why ‘The Great Gatsby’ Endures — After reading this interview, not sure I’ll get around to reading Corrigan’s book about Gatsby, but I’d probably like it.
• Rothfuss on The Slow Regard of Silent Things — Rothfuss talks about his nervousness before the release of his new novel, stressing it’s not book 3 in his series. Which I thought was obvious due to the lack of hype from his fans. But clearly, I’m alone there.
• Confessions of an Intense Thinker: On Reading the Shopaholic Novels — I initially clicked this link thinking a relative might like the article, but there’s actually a little lesson for all of us here
• I’m with the Band: 8 of Your Favorite Authors’ Musical Side Projects — I can only speak to #8 (and am not that familiar with most of the other authors listed) — but it’s great, I listen to this album frequently.

This Week’s New Release That I’m Excited About and/or You’ll Probably See Here Soon:
• The Younger Gods by Michael R. Underwood — I’ve said it before, I’m a fan of Underwood. Even if I wasn’t, the premise of an Urban Fantasy featuring an ex-cultist turned NYC college student battling his family to save the world would probably get my attention. Put the two together? You know I’m reading this one soon.

Odds ‘n ends over the week about books and reading that caught my eye. You’ve probably seen some/most/all of them, but just in case:

• When Writers Outnumber Readers — Heidi Pitlor talks about the need for communities of readers.
• How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love a Mystery — Lee Goodman describes his transition from failed literary novelist to published mystery author.
• From Book Accumulator to Book Collector: A How To — at the end of the day, I think I’m more of an accumulator (and am happy that way). Still, food for thought.
• Total Damage Caused by Calvin from ‘Calvin & Hobbes’ Calculated — Wow. I knew Calvin had to be an expensive kid, but still.

This Week’s New Releases I’m Excited About and/or You’ll Probably See Here Soon:
• Broken Soul by Faith Hunter — Jane Yellowrock #8? Already?
• The Blood of Olympus by Rick Riordan — The last of the Heroes of Olympus series — and the last book to feature Percy Jackson. I bet Riordan takes both out with a bang. Looking forward to this one.
• Poison Fruit by Jacqueline Carey — the third (and final?) Agent of Hel book. Such a fun series/hero. This should be good.
• Run by Andrew Grant — this is a very different kind of hero for Grant, but I bet this’ll be a taut thriller.
• Pennyroyal Academy by M. A. Larson — another twisted Grimm type tale for the YA crowd. Bet my daughter thinks this is fun. I likely will, too.

It’s one thing to know that you haven’t posted in a week, it’s another to see that reflected in my WordPress Dashboard. Next week will be better, I hope — lots of good books to share with you.

Anyway, here are the odds ‘n ends over the week about books and reading that caught my eye. You’ve probably seen some/most/all of them, but just in case:

• Lifehack blog had a couple of neat pieces about reading lately: 12 Compelling Reasons to Read More Books and to take advantage of these reasons, here are 11 Ways Busy People Make Time To Read — blah

http://www.lifehack.org/articles/productivity/11-ways-busy-people-make-time-read.html

• Ace Atkins, Reed Coleman and Robert B. Parker — Oline Cogdill intereviews both authors helming Parker’s mystery series. The ways these two aren’t approaching things the same way is fascinating. And, so far, their differences are working really well.
• David Nicholls: ‘I didn’t want to write a dodgy disappointment’ — Nicholls talks about the daunting task of writing the book after One Day. I’m looking forward to getting my hands on this one.
• The Once and Future Podcast — is back folks, give it a listen. Next week’s episode features Jim Butcher interviewing Anton Strout about his new book (see below). Can’t wait.

This Week’s New Releases I’m Excited About and/or You’ll Probably See Here Soon:
• Incarnate by Anton Strout — really don’t want The Spellmason Chronicles to end, but I’m looking forward to seeing how Strout does it.
• Sleepy Hollow: Children of the Revolution by Keith DeCandido — I’m a little nervous about this one — not sure the craziness of the show can translate to print. But hey, it’s DeCandido. If anyone can do it, it’ll be him.