Oh I loved this! I was looking forward to this post and I was not disappointed. The books I know and you now do too, the ones I have on my virtual TBR and, perhaps best of all, those I've never heard of. I've struggled with reading fiction recently, but I also know myself well enough now that I don't worry about that any more, understand I have seasons in my reading life, and let those seasons unfurl and ripen untroubled.
On the subject of fantasy and speculative ficiton, have you read Robert Holdstock? His Mythago Wood series? (Also, I was delighted to see Gormenghast, Gideon the Ninth, and Le Guin on your list, love those and very much agree with your words.)
Thanks again for sharing your reading, your list brought me much joy and interest.
What a great reading year! I aspire to have a similar one this year by being more conscious of what books I select. Mood reading is fun but it doesn’t often get you a list like this!
I was so happy to see "Gormenghast! "It's one I've read multiple times and am so surprised how few people have read it. I keep trying to tell people about it. I come back to it again and again. And Moby Dick and Till we all have Faces are also two of my favorites that have received multiple reads. I'm also reading "The Calculation of Volume I" right now. And am about half way through "Rivers are Alive" You've given me my next few reads. I think I'll start with the "Saint of Bright Doors" and "I Gave You Eyes and You Looked Toward Darkness". I've read 17 books on your list.
Excellent! I hadn't heard of Gormenghast until a year or two ago when a British reading friend (Simon Haisell who I mentioned) was evangelizing it. I have the next book in my library for when the time is right! Glad to hear about the other shared favorites too :) I hope the new ones hit the mark!
So glad you liked Till We Have Faces and Gaudy Night! I read The Tombs of Atuan this year too, and enjoyed it - I ended up reading all the Earthsea books, as I do when I enjoy one book in a series. I keep thinking I need to just sit down and read Moby Dick. I finally got to Tom Jones last year, so maybe I'll get to Moby Dick this year.
What did you think of the rest of the Earthsea books? I've read the trilogy and liked The Tombs of Atuan the best. The first was good also, but the last one left me a little cold. Yes, read Moby Dick! It's very fun. I have not read Tom Jones, do you recommend?
I agree the Tombs of Atuan was the best written of the first trilogy - I read the full 6 book cycle and Tehanu stands out because of the themes of dealing with abuse, it is really for a more mature audience than the YA target for the original trilogy (Le Guin pointed out that her original readers had grown up by the time Tehanu was written). Le Guin wrote another YA fantasy trilogy, The Westland Chronicles, which is also interesting.
I enjoyed Tom Jones a lot more than I thought I would - I'd read Samuel Richardson and Oliver Goldsmith, so I was expecting a similar storytelling approach since they wrote in the same era, but Fielding comes across a lot more, well, modern.
These reading round-ups are so much fun - and yours was just clogged with excellent books, Anne! I'm thinking of taking on Moby Dick and The Name of the Rose this year... maybe... And I'm also intending to do the Paradise Lost group-read (led by 'Glutenberg Bible'). I have Ronald Turnbull's book of short stories on my kindle and have read and immensely enjoyed the first few... Must get back to it. As usual, I have seventeen things on the go at once!!
Same, haha--I love the sense of possibility! But even better when I settle on something really good. Anyway sounds like a good lineup you have there :)
Great list. Lonesome Dove is one of my favourites
Great list of reads Anne!
Glad you enjoyed it!
Oh I loved this! I was looking forward to this post and I was not disappointed. The books I know and you now do too, the ones I have on my virtual TBR and, perhaps best of all, those I've never heard of. I've struggled with reading fiction recently, but I also know myself well enough now that I don't worry about that any more, understand I have seasons in my reading life, and let those seasons unfurl and ripen untroubled.
On the subject of fantasy and speculative ficiton, have you read Robert Holdstock? His Mythago Wood series? (Also, I was delighted to see Gormenghast, Gideon the Ninth, and Le Guin on your list, love those and very much agree with your words.)
Thanks again for sharing your reading, your list brought me much joy and interest.
(The amount of times I type ficiton makes me want to use it as the name of a village or something.)
I’m so glad you enjoyed this! I don’t know Robert Holdstock, will have to check it out. And so true about seasons in reading (and life in general).
What a great reading year! I aspire to have a similar one this year by being more conscious of what books I select. Mood reading is fun but it doesn’t often get you a list like this!
Thank you! I feel like I really hit the sweet spot between intentional and mood reading last year.
I just started Moby Dick as my first read for this year! I love a good reread. And I imagine it will also be one of my favorites for the year.
Sounds like a very solid start :)
I was so happy to see "Gormenghast! "It's one I've read multiple times and am so surprised how few people have read it. I keep trying to tell people about it. I come back to it again and again. And Moby Dick and Till we all have Faces are also two of my favorites that have received multiple reads. I'm also reading "The Calculation of Volume I" right now. And am about half way through "Rivers are Alive" You've given me my next few reads. I think I'll start with the "Saint of Bright Doors" and "I Gave You Eyes and You Looked Toward Darkness". I've read 17 books on your list.
Excellent! I hadn't heard of Gormenghast until a year or two ago when a British reading friend (Simon Haisell who I mentioned) was evangelizing it. I have the next book in my library for when the time is right! Glad to hear about the other shared favorites too :) I hope the new ones hit the mark!
So glad you liked Till We Have Faces and Gaudy Night! I read The Tombs of Atuan this year too, and enjoyed it - I ended up reading all the Earthsea books, as I do when I enjoy one book in a series. I keep thinking I need to just sit down and read Moby Dick. I finally got to Tom Jones last year, so maybe I'll get to Moby Dick this year.
What did you think of the rest of the Earthsea books? I've read the trilogy and liked The Tombs of Atuan the best. The first was good also, but the last one left me a little cold. Yes, read Moby Dick! It's very fun. I have not read Tom Jones, do you recommend?
I agree the Tombs of Atuan was the best written of the first trilogy - I read the full 6 book cycle and Tehanu stands out because of the themes of dealing with abuse, it is really for a more mature audience than the YA target for the original trilogy (Le Guin pointed out that her original readers had grown up by the time Tehanu was written). Le Guin wrote another YA fantasy trilogy, The Westland Chronicles, which is also interesting.
I enjoyed Tom Jones a lot more than I thought I would - I'd read Samuel Richardson and Oliver Goldsmith, so I was expecting a similar storytelling approach since they wrote in the same era, but Fielding comes across a lot more, well, modern.
Good to know :) Ill defintiely read at least Tehanu
Love the sound of Les Vieux Fourneaux!
If you have any interest in French culture, or even if not, it's worth seeing if you can find them!
Very interesting selection Anna. I really liked Intermezzo. Also loved The Blue Flower. I must read Keegan's Antartica.
These reading round-ups are so much fun - and yours was just clogged with excellent books, Anne! I'm thinking of taking on Moby Dick and The Name of the Rose this year... maybe... And I'm also intending to do the Paradise Lost group-read (led by 'Glutenberg Bible'). I have Ronald Turnbull's book of short stories on my kindle and have read and immensely enjoyed the first few... Must get back to it. As usual, I have seventeen things on the go at once!!
Same, haha--I love the sense of possibility! But even better when I settle on something really good. Anyway sounds like a good lineup you have there :)
Congratulations, Professor! I put the original Vanessa Bell cover on my 'Lighthouse' ebook.
Thank you!