2007 Book List

[gunslinger19]

okay here's my attempt

read:
The Golden Compass
The Subtle Knife
The Amber Spyglass
Watership Down
Monster
The Murder Book
Survival of the Fittest
Rage
Gone
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
Eye of the World
Cross
Brother Odd

Re-Read
The Gunslinger
The Drawing of the Three
The Waste Lands
Wizard and Glass
Wolves of the Calla
Song of Susannah
The Dark Tower
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
To Kill a Mockingbird
The Langoliers
Cell
The Stand
The Green Mile
The Talisman
Black House
The Clinic
Flesh and Blood
Desperation
Regulators
Odd Thomas
Forever Odd

I am sure there are a whole lot more, but that is all I can remember for the moment. I never really thought about it, but I guess I re-read more than I actually read

[sarajean]

Good one Maer - I think I'll keep a list in my diary next year, this has really made me think...I know I haven't got them all down.

blake got some of us started with "reading regattas" at another site. the goal is to read 50 books from Jan 1 through Dec 31. it's an easy way to make sure that you're keeping track of what you've read throughout the year...i think he got started on lj, but i'm not sure.

[Ruthful]

Did you buy a copy of Rage online, or borrow one from the library?

It's interesting, because I do see old copies of The Bachman Books in used bookstores when I travel to Park Slope sometimes.

The "reading regatta" idea is inspired, Sara. I've heard of that before, although this is the first time I've come across that particular phrase.



BTW, for other Livejournalers you can find mine if you click on my profile. I'm only friends with another Tower junkie, but anyone here is free to read my rarely-updated journal-I do browse through the LJs of others, including Bev Vincent's, occasionally.

-good times, G.

[sarajean]

The "reading regatta" idea is inspired, Sara. I've heard of that before, although this is the first time I've come across that particular phrase.

i take no credit for it whatsoever, but i appreciate the enthusiasm.

it's how i know my list is accurate, and that's about all i can say. there was a page goal, as well, but we focused more on the number of books. i think i missed some in the march/april months, though, so my number might be higher than that.

[Ruthful]

I think it's a matter of quality more than quantity. For example, the Paul Auster novelette I listed can't be more than thirty or forty pages long, but it's a charming read nevertheless. Of course, those types of books were balanced out by works such as the non-fiction examination of North Korean dynastic rule I referenced, which I think is close to nine hundred pages, including endnotes. A totaly different experience.

I like the premise behind this thread-it's giving me some good ideas as far as reading selections go. Plus, it's interesting to see when some people picked up certain King works. I'm glad that I'm not the only person who waited until now to read 'Salem's Lot and Insomnia.

[gunslinger19]

Did you buy a copy of Rage online, or borrow one from the library?

It's interesting, because I do see old copies of The Bachman Books in used bookstores when I travel to Park Slope sometimes.

The "reading regatta" idea is inspired, Sara. I've heard of that before, although this is the first time I've come across that particular phrase.



BTW, for other Livejournalers you can find mine if you click on my profile. I'm only friends with another Tower junkie, but anyone here is free to read my rarely-updated journal-I do browse through the LJs of others, including Bev Vincent's, occasionally.

-good times, G.

Actually the Rage on my list is by Jonathan Kellerman, but I do have a copy of Richard Bachman's Rage. I got it sometime in the nineties as a part of the collection The Bachman Books, that came with The Long Walk, The Running Man, and Road Work

[Patrick]

... I'm glad that I'm not the only person who waited until now to read 'Salem's Lot and Insomnia.

I just read 'Salem's Lot only two years ago and I still haven't read Insomnia.

[Storyslinger]

I highly recommend Insomnia, very, very, good

[Erin]

Patrick! You're a manager on a Dark Tower fansite. Go read Insomnia!

[Ruthful]

Hey, it's a reading assignment even Roland of Gilead blew off.

Cut 'im some slack.

[Erin]

Oh I'm just giving him a hard time.

[Patrick]

Hey, it's a reading assignment even Roland of Gilead blew off.

Cut 'im some slack.

Thanks, Ruthful.


Yeah, yeah, Erin, it's on my list. I own the book, so that's a start at least.

[sarah]

... I'm glad that I'm not the only person who waited until now to read 'Salem's Lot and Insomnia.

I just read 'Salem's Lot only two years ago and I still haven't read Insomnia.

**slaps patrick around with a large trout**

[Darkthoughts]

!!! *picks up similarly large trout, also slaps Patrick and performs the Ceremonial Trout Dance of Doom with Maer*

[Brice]

*sits on the sidelines with a big tub of popcorn and watches the show*


*points and laughs at Patrick*




Really you need to go read it like NOW man.

[BedOfRoses]

Great thread! We've kept a list of the books we've read for a few years now. Here's mine for this year:

1. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
2. Sunset Limited by James Lee Burke
3. Grave Markings by Michael A Arnzen
4. Wolves of the Calla by Stephen King
5. Redwall by Brian Jacques
6. The Feast of Love by Charles Baxter
7.The Final Face of Eve by Evelyn Lancaster
8.The Little Friend by Donna Tartt
9. Bite by Richard Laymon
10. Heart Shaped Box by Joe Hill
11. How Stella Got Her Groove Back by Terry McMillan
12. Jazz by Toni Morrison
13. Dragonfly in Amber by Diana Gabaldon
14. Song of Susannah by Stephen King
15. 1408 by Stephen King
16. The Dark Tower by Stephen King
17. Winona’s Pony Cart by Maud Hart Lovelace
18. Bleachers by John Grisham
19. The Secret History by Donna Tartt
20. Every Dead Thing by John Connolly
21. The Hottest State by Ethan Hawke
22. Good Bones and Simple Murders by Margaret Atwood
23. Lost in Translation by Nicole Mones
24. Bag of Bones by Stephen King
25. The English Patient by Michael Ondaatie
26. Sleeping Beauty by Phillip Margolin
27. The Garden of Eden by Ernest Hemingway
28. The Great Santini by Pat Conroy
29. Billy by Whitley Strieber
30. Can You Keep a Secret? by Sophie Kinsella
31. Bitten by Kelley Armstrong
32. Saving the World by Julia Alvarez

Currently reading The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini and Talk Before Sleep by Elizabeth Berg

[Patrick]

... I'm glad that I'm not the only person who waited until now to read 'Salem's Lot and Insomnia.

I just read 'Salem's Lot only two years ago and I still haven't read Insomnia.

**slaps patrick around with a large trout**

!!! *picks up similarly large trout, also slaps Patrick and performs the Ceremonial Trout Dance of Doom with Maer*

*sits on the sidelines with a big tub of popcorn and watches the show*


*points and laughs at Patrick*




Really you need to go read it like NOW man.

You're a tough crowd. And to think that I almost admitted to you people that I have not yet read the infamous IT... oops.

Hell, maybe I should just start a "To Read in 2008" thread.

[Patrick]

... Currently reading The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini ...

A great book, Jeanne. His follow-up A THOUSAND SPLENDID SUNS is excellent as well, although both books are pretty heartbreaking.

[Ruthful]

12. Jazz by Toni Morrison

You're definitely more ambitious in your reading habits than I am.

I've only read The Bluest Eye-which was actually pretty good-and Beloved.

To me reading Morrison is like reading Faulkner, only with more slavery and incest.

[Jean]

new:

Chuck Palahniuk: Survivor
Chuck Palahniuk: Haunted
Stephen King: Lisey's Story
Stephen King: Cell (didn't finish)
Stephen King/Richard Bachman: The Running Man
Clark, Mary Higgins: A Cry in the Night
Saul, John: Second Child
Masterton, Grahan: Mirror
Harris, Thomas: The Silence of the Lambs
Robert A. Heinlein: Expanded Universe (Stories)
Ramsey Campbell: Ancient Images
Shaun Hutson: Death Day
Kingsley Amis: Riverside Villas Murder
Ed McBain: Vespers
Ed McBain: Mischief
Ray Bradbury: By the pricking of my thumbs
J.K.Rowling: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

re-reads:

Kingsley Amis: Lucky Jim
Sylvia Plath: The Bell Jar
Aldous Huxley: Crome Yellow
Aldous Huxley: Antic Hay
Charles Dickens: Little Dorrit
G.K.Chesterton: Father Brown Stories (randomly)
Ed McBain: Cop Hater
Ed McBain: The Pusher
Ed McBain: The Empty Hours
Ed McBain: Like Love
Stephen King: Misery
Stephen King: The Talisman
Stephen King: Dreamcatcher
P.G.Wodehouse: Right Ho, Jeeves
P.G.Wodehouse: Leave It to Psmith
P.G.Wodehouse: Jeeves/Wooster Stories (randomly)
Evelyn Waugh: The Loved One
Lewis Carroll: Alice in Wonderland / Through the Looking Glass
Robert Shekley: Stories (randomly)
J.K.Rowling: Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone
J.K.Rowling: Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
J.K.Rowling: Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
J.K.Rowling: Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
J.K.Rowling: Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
J.K.Rowling: Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

I have listed only those in English; it's at least twice the number in Russian, plus a few in other languages, but I don't know how to list them.

There's a lot more re-reads in English than new books, because I am always limited to the books I already have at home: the ones I bring from abroad or my friends bring to me - books in foreign languages are too expensive here. I bought The Talisman, The Running Man, and By the pricking of my thumbs here, though, just couldn't help it.

[BedOfRoses]

... Currently reading The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini ...

A great book, Jeanne. His follow-up A THOUSAND SPLENDID SUNS is excellent as well, although both books are pretty heartbreaking.

Heartbreaking is the right word to use. I'm about halfway through Kite and there have already been several moments that have made my heart just break for the characters. The writing is so good, though, and I'm really enjoying it. I plan to read Thousand Splendid Suns soon as well.

[BedOfRoses]

12. Jazz by Toni Morrison

You're definitely more ambitious in your reading habits than I am.

I've only read The Bluest Eye-which was actually pretty good-and Beloved.

To me reading Morrison is like reading Faulkner, only with more slavery and incest.

OMG, the comparison between Morrison and Faulkner is so true!!! I like Morrison quite a lot...especially how she can build a mood in a scene so it feels like poetry. I still have to read Beloved!

Reading habits are interesting, too. I try to mix things up as much as I can...male authors, female authors, romance, horror, crime thriller, general fiction, plus I try to mix in 2-3 classics every year.

[BedOfRoses]

re-reads:

Sylvia Plath: The Bell Jar

I just picked up a paperback of this book, which I've never read. It's on my short list to read in 2008.

[Darkthoughts]

Thats uncanny, i was looking at that on Amazon just now.

[Ruthful]

re-reads:

Sylvia Plath: The Bell Jar

I just picked up a paperback of this book, which I've never read. It's on my short list to read in 2008.

I read it in my junior-or senior-year of high school. I think we had to choose between that and The Catcher in the Rye.

It's the female counterpart in the coming-of-age/angst-ridden youth going nuts in post-industrial America novel.