Meredith reads her own books

My dad was working for a university library that was paring down it's collection and gave me loads of interesting books, adding more from his own collection when he moved. I usually only buy books I've already read and loved, so I really want to read these and decide whether or not to keep them.

The hesitant low-end goal is one book from my shelves per month (I have chronic pain and it's difficult for me to hold books for so long, which complicates things).

I've decided to do a photo-counter, so as I finish my books I'll take a new picture with them all stacked up.



Also decided to make a full list of the books I own but haven't read (minus things like books of mythology and researchy things). Here's the list, and let me know if there are any I should move up the queue or skip altogether! My mom's moving so I've added about ten or so. Sigh.

Finished in 2013:
War Underground by Alexander Barrie
Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm by Kate Douglas Wiggin
Goodbye to All That by Robert Graves
American Nations by Colin Woodard
Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman

Man's Search For Meaning by Victor Frankl
Tennis Shoes by Noel Streatfeild
Last Voyage of Columbus by Martin Dugard
The Eye of Jade by Diane Wei Liang
Last Ditch by Ngaio Marsh

Dealing with Dragons by Patricia C. Wrede
Candide by Voltaire
Gun Thugs, Rednecks, and Radicals by David Alan Corbin
The Painted Garden by Noel Streatfeild
Trouping: How the Show Came to Town by Philip C. Lewis

Searching for Dragons by Patricia C. Wrede
Five Little Peppers and How They Grew by Margaret Sidney
Calling on Dragons by Patricia C. Wrede

We're very happy that you are joining us in the effort to read those books that havebeen waiting their turn. Hope you find hidden treasures!

I've just baaarely started War Underground which should be a good read. I'm out of town, so my reading habits are a little skewed at the moment in favor of watching old movies and eating too much cheese (which is always how the new year should be celebrated!).

War Underground sounds excellent. Good luck with the challenge! (and the cheese :-) )

Mmmmmm cheese! Sounds like a great New Year's celebration :D And good luck with the challenge!

01 - War Underground by Alexander Barrie

This book was excellent. It follows the British tunneling efforts by first covering the formation of the units and men behind that, and then focusing on individuals and specific events. Throughout the book it breaks away to talk about how these units were run or were getting along with the regular army, etc...

The writing is good and interesting, if a tiny bit dated in style, the stories are all generally amazing, I didn't notice any anti-German feeling, and the book is ordered chronologically. It ends with the Messines Ridge attack. The basic moral is "Pretty much every mine blown resulted in extra British losses and the effort generally only served to make the infantry feel slightly less paranoid." It really is staggering how utterly useless it was, apart from the Messines Ridge attack, and of course that was the idea that it took the leaders the longest to come around to.

I do recommend this, if you can find it! If you enjoyed Sebastian Faulks' Birdsong and want the real story on the mining then this is the book for you.

Yay for your first finish! It sounds like a great book. Which one on your list is next?

Thanks, it was definitely a good one. Next I picked a random shelf book - Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm, which is absolutely wonderful. I'm alternating it with my current audiobook, a rather serious and long non-fiction title, so it makes a nice break.

What a great idea to make a photo of your growing stack of books. Looking forward to watch it grow and grow!

2 - Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm by Kate Douglas Wiggin

This is such a lovely, wonderful book! It bears pretty much no resemblance to the Shirley Temple movie, other than a young girl being sent to a crotchety old aunt. However, after one page you can see why someone thought of Shirley Temple. Rebecca is basically the archetype of Temple's movie and public persona.

The book follows Rebecca from age 11 or so to about 17. It's nice because she doesn't really change as she gets older, in terms of suddenly being perfect or suddenly having a host of beaux. She also doesn't have some super huge profound effect on the other characters. She has small effects on people, but there's no sudden rehabilitation. It's a lovely, generally realistic book in that sense.

Highly recommended!

Going up to view the new picture!

What a lovely vintage edition of that book!

12 - It is a nice one, from 1931, with a mixture of full color and black and white illustrations (by Helen Mason Grose). I actually have the dust jacket for it too, but I have a lovely row of old children's books, none of which have dust jackets. So it's been removed for aesthetic reasons. :)

Sorry that Rebecca OSBF didn't compare to te movie - Shirley Temple's version was one of my favorite movies as a child. I could still sit and watch it. :-(

14 - Oh no, I was perfectly happy that it wasn't like the movie. It's a really wonderful book (much better story than the movie). The differences between book and movie don't make you enjoy one less than the other, I don't think, especially since the stories are completely different animals (versus, 'oh they took out my favorite parts of one or the other').

I can happily sit and watch most Shirley Temple movies still (and I do!), and Rebecca is certainly in my top 3 (along with Just Around the Corner and The Little Princess).

Edited the first entry to include this:
Decided to make a full list of the books I own but haven't read (minus things like books of mythology and researchy things). Here's the list, and let me know if there are any I should move up the queue or skip altogether!

3 - Goodbye to All That by Robert Graves

This is the book that's been on my "I really have to get back to that..." list for the longest. I read the first few chapters about 4 1/2 years ago, and then set it down on my bookshelf.

It was pretty much what I expected, very much a product of that time and his upbringing. I enjoyed it, especially the parts focusing on the the war in France, but I didn't love it. I find it a little odd that I don't have more to say about the book, but that experience/life/style is so ... not cliche, but it's become a trope that I'm very used to reading about.

When he's in Egypt at the end, I found more difficult to read that, having read a fair bit (fiction and non-fiction) about Egypt during WWI and after. Particularly the "Well how ungallant of the Egyptians to be nattering about independence, they'd be asking us back to fix things if we left" lines. Luckily it wasn't much of the book.

Even though I didn't absolutely adore this book, I'm going to keep it in my library. I really like the edition (which I horked from my mom's bookshelves), and it is a classic.

4 - American Nations: A History of the Eleven Rival Cultures of North America by Colin Woodard

This was one of my books from my LT Santa and she couldn't have picked better! It was really fascinating, and everything rang true. You read going "Oh yeah, X part of this state does have more in common with X part of another state..." For me especially it made sense because I spend my life trying to explain that West Virginia is not a southern state in a cultural sense (except maybe Beckley where I can't have a two-second conversation without someone saying "Well bless yer heart").

Woodard brings us all the way up to the present day, in terms of how elections play out, etc... Most interesting for many of us, I think, will be the sections about the Civil War and the real, cultural divisions during that conflict.

My only quibble was in the beginning where Woodard says that Appalachian's fighting nature is what makes them join the military in high rates. Sorry, but it's a combination of poverty, isolation, and lack of jobs. The military is the only path to college for many people in WV, and the only way to get out of their small, stifling, rural area for others. I grew up with tons of people who'd never been out of WV even when I lived in a town on the Ohio river, where you could walk to Ohio in about fifteen minutes.

I most heartily recommend this book. It was excellent.

5 - Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman

I didn't dislike this book, but I didn't really enjoy it either. I can't pinpoint exactly why, only that I'm not really a huge fantasy person. The fantasy I do really enjoy tends to be based in reality (most of Juliet Marillier's books, for instance). This one was well-written, of course, and the basic concept of the world was interesting, it just wasn't quite my style.

I'm a great fan of Juliet Marillier. Looking forward to her newest book to be translated somewhere in march.

I have that same edition of Neverwhere and am planning to read it soon. Really hoping to like it! At least there will be nice writing to look forward to :)

I think you'll probably like it! It's just me and my tastes for fantasy that kept me from loving it (my friend Kate says it's her favorite book by Gaiman).

I'll have to wait to update the picture, as I loaned one of the books to my dad. Also, my mom's in the process of moving, which is a terrible thing as I keep coming home with more books when I go to give nominal help or just keep her company.

6 - Man's Search for Meaning by Victor Frankl

This is an excellent and important book that I'd put off reading for far too long. Luckily, my LT Santa got it for me and prodded me along. It hits two of my main reading interests - the Holocaust and psychology.

Most of the book focuses on Frankl's personal experiences in the concentration camps, albeit through a lens of what pushed most prisoners to keep living and the general psychological experience of the prisoner. He chooses incidents that highlight his reflections on psychology and exemplify his points about human nature and the value of suffering when there's no other choice.

The last bit of the book talks about the basic principles of logotherapy, Frankl's far more reasonable progression from traditional psychotherapy and his work with patients in that field. Again, focusing in large part on what makes life worth living for people in bad situations.

I related to the book personally at numerous points, because I've had severe chronic pain for the last eight years. It's very difficult to find a focus for my life, because I'm no longer able to work or do the things that really spoke to me, but I keep living and find various things to give my life more meaning.

Highly recommended, of course.

Meredith, I know exactly what you mean about real fantasy vs books like Juliet Marillier's, which I would call "historical with fantasy elements". I'm a big Marillier fan!

7 - Tennis Shoes by Noel Streatfeild

Oh my god, I've been spelling the author's name wrong for years. Just realized it today.

This is part of the Shoes 'series,' which really isn't a series at all, but I think all have the theme of children working towards some sort of goal related to a skill or hobby. It's an excellent set of books, and Streatfeild writes children (and parents) amazingly well. They all have flaws but are all basically good at heart. Often they are orphans, but not always. Most of the books have male and female main characters and will be enjoyed by boys and girls. They were all written from the 1930s to the 1950s.

My mom grew up with these books, and my sister read them when she was a kid, but I didn't. The 1980s covers looked girly (though the few that are in print in the US still have even girlier covers) so I avoided them. I read comics and John Bellairs books after all, so I certainly wasn't going to read something called Ballet Shoes! Big mistake, and shows the importance of children's book covers (re-issues of older books tending to be AWFUL, don't get me started on Betsy-Tacy).

I highly recommend them. The children never achieve their goals without a lot of hard work, nothing just magically comes together and the children/families are usually poor. The children have to earn money to keep up with their hobbies. It's honestly some of the best children's/YA writing out there.

8 - The Last Voyage of Columbus: Being the Epic Tale of the Great Captain's Fourth Expedition by Martin Dugard

There are possibly a number of reasons I didn't love this book. It wasn't bad, particularly, but I'm extra cranky due to the mole removal and still can't do anything, so my usual audiobook routine was off. There's also the fact that it either glosses over or doesn't really cover the really evil stuff in regards to native populations.

It was an interesting story, but it didn't really seem like an "epic tale." Shipwreck and mutiny should be exciting but either the writing or the audiobook reader made it seem dull. Or, after reading Caroline Alexander's excellent book about the Bounty, every other tale of shipwreck and mutiny seems passe.

I feel a distinct sense of guilt over this, as my dad loved the book and is the one that gave it to me. Oh well.

Finally updated my picture!

Yes! A nice one.

9 - The Eye of Jade by Diane Wei Liang

(My dad gave this as an ARC four or five years ago, so it's on my shelf, but when I found the audiobook I knew that would get it off the shelf more quickly!)

I had high hopes for this book, particularly as the audiobook reader was SO good. The book starts out interestingly enough, but I think Liang wanted to tell too many stories and tried to give her protagonist, detective Mei Wang, too much dimension for one book.

The ending and conclusion were only half there, and didn't make a ton of sense/weren't that compelling. Things seemed a little too easier for Wang, and the focus of the book really isn't on detection/mystery.

10 - Last Ditch by Ngaio Marsh

This was one of the last Alleyn books, written in 1977. I don't think the book is set quite that late, but it's close. There's a lot of about marijuana and heroin smuggling, which I found a bit jarring.

It's Marsh, so it's still enjoyable, but definitely not a favorite. I need to go back and pick up where I left off with the early ones (my mom had this one around her house, and I took a ton of the books she was getting rid of).

11 - Dealing with Dragons by Patricia C. Wrede

This is a short, sweet, children's fantasy book about an unconventional princess. Instead of being abducted by a dragon in the usual way, she volunteers to work for one in order to escape an arranged marriage.

It's quite a bit of fun, though the audio edition does it's best to ruin it. I can see through it enough to know I would have loved it in print (and I'll read the other books in the series in print).

Definitely recommend this for the children's/YA readers any kids 9 and up.

12 - Candide by Voltaire

An amusing little read! I'll have to read it again in print soon, as I think I'll enjoy it even more that way (versus listening to the audiobook).

It's such a well-known classic that I don't feel there's much point in going into specifics.

Meredith, you are coming along very nicely with this challenge. It feels so good to read from your own shelves, doesn't it? I know it gives me a feeling of accomplishment.
Off your list I have only read four. Keep up the good work.

Belva, thanks! I purposefully set myself a low goal that I'd definitely be able to meet. It's certainly a great feeling to knock these books off - particularly since then I might be able to force myself to part with a few!

13 - Gun Thugs, Rednecks, and Radicals: A Documentary History of the West Virginia Mine Wars by David Alan Corbin

The WV mine wars are my specialist subject, so this wasn't new information. It is always interesting to see the period documents and reporting though. Some of the interviews with a senate committee were also hilarious. One senator from NJ, Martine, was so appalled by the whole situation, which was reassuring.

There was an amusing zinger from a coal baron to Senator Martine though, when Martine was condemning him for the appalling sanitation in company towns:
"West Virginia does not need to go to the mosquito-ridden swamps of New Jersey to learn sanitation." (said in 1913)

My quibble is just that this is such a small selection. I would prefer to see separate books with documents corresponding to specific periods and events. I also think Corbin fell behind a bit on dating everything. I think every article and interview should list the the year it was published, but most do not. You can figure it out mostly, but that's really a basic thing.

The mine wars are an incredibly interesting part of labour history, but often overlooked. If you're interested in the subject I'd recommend Corbin's book Life, Work, and Rebellion in the Coal Fields. It's well written and covers the the entire relevant period.

14 - The Painted Garden by Noel Streatfeild

This was apparently slightly abridged and published as Movie Shoes in the US, though my mom says she doesn't think there was anything left out.

Streatfeild is just so brilliant at writing children. They are cranky and nice and jealous and just REAL. Even the extra nice ones aren't just selfless. She lets children be full-fledged people. The Shoes books are some of the most well-written children's books ever.

This one also had an extra bit of interest for me, as she came to the US to observe the filming of The Secret Garden that had Dean Stockwell playing Colin (which I so want to see, though I'm sure it's far inferior to the 1975 mini-series).

15 - Trouping: How the Show Came to Town by Philip C. Lewis

A really interesting book about the history of traveling theatre in the US. The stories are interesting, a lot of detailed is covered, and it's generally well-written.

My main quibble is the lack of dates when dates were known. Obviously now I can easily look up when Adah Menken lived and died, but that doesn't mean I should have to and it was a rather harder task in 1973 when the book was written.

I just don't understand why editors let this happen. Just one date would have helped, either when she was born or died or when she started acting or whichever. This was a somewhat recurring issue in the book. Mostly there are dates but then they just get left off certain things and the book isn't in precise chronological order.

My dad will be SO happy I finished this.

16 - Searching for Dragons by Patricia C. Wrede

This is the second in the Enchanted Forest Chronicles. I listened to a dreadful audiobook production of the first book, but read this one in print. SO much more enjoyable this way.

These are such fun books, great for your grade school reader after they've soaked up all the fairy tales and Disney movies and such, and are ready for some longer fantasy stores.

17 - Five Little Peppers and How They Grew by Margaret Sidney

Okay, so technically I was read this when I was quite little, but I didn't really remember it, and I did buy a copy for myself a couple years back.

This is one of those family books which I can't actually dislike, even though I don't think it's one of the really quality old children's books. Then again, I haven't read as many from the 1880s as say, 1900-1916, so maybe it was a step ahead. My great-grandmothers both read this as girls, and at least on my mom's side they passed it down to their daughters. More and more I see how much my maternal grandmother focused on books where the children are all constantly planning surprises and presents for their mothers...

It follows a very poor family called Pepper. There are five children and it focuses most, I think, on Polly, the oldest daughter who does an immense amount of work and who everyone loves. I can't seem to find anything concrete about the author (real name Harriett Mulford Stone Lothrop) but I would hazard a guess that she did NOT grow up poor.

All in all, it's a sweet little story, just very twee and everyone ends as they started (no one grows, no one changes). I will try to make sure my nieces and nephews hear it still. Just don't read it expecting the true quality of Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm or Understood Betsy.

You are doing very well, mabith!

Thanks, Connie! I did set a super low goal on purpose, so now my new, still low goal is 20 books.

18 - Calling on Dragons by Patricia C. Wrede

These are such fun books. So great for kids who love fantasy but also know the tropes and want to poke fun at them a bit. This is the only one that's ended with a cliffhanger, really.

This is the third book, and the fourth one was actually written first and then later edited a bit so it's more in line with the ones written later. So I'm curious to see how it will feel in contrast.

I'm pretty happy with what I've done on the ROOTs this year. I've got a ways to go, but I add so few unread books to my library each year, that 20 out of 60 unread isn't bad.