Progress: Notes From A Reading Life – November 28, 2010 [TSS]

Written by Nicole on November 28, 2010 · 16 Comments

Happy Sunday everyone!

One holiday down and one to go. It’s amazing how much these holidays are anticipated (or dreaded!) and then just like that, they are gone. I spent a wonderful day hanging out with my family. I love that we all got up around the same time and basically just ate all day. Things needed to be tasted, and I was always on hand to help out in that department.

I really didn’t get much reading done while I was hanging with the fam. This was as I suspected, despite the fact that I had weighted myself down with books. I did play the longest game of Uno ever. Everyone was relieved when my mom finally won, though I also suspect that we were playing all wrong. We just had the cards and not the box with the rules. So we were playing from vague recollections and questionable memories. Oh well. It was fun.

Saturday, after leaving the fam, I spent most of the day curled up with a book. I started and finished Blood of My Brother, by James LePore. I intended to read the first few pages to get a feel for the story, but found it extremely hard to put down for any length of time. I kept going back to read just a little bit more until finally I was at the last fifty pages, and I couldn’t leave them unfinished.

I also finished up with The Monstrumologist, by Rick Yancey. This was definitely a horror story, and the monsters were probably the least scary thing about the book. The relationship between Will Henry and Dr. Warthrop is fascinating and the prospect of seeing it further unfold will probably lead me to the next book, The Curse of the Wendigo, sooner rather than later.

I have seriously neglected my non-fiction reading this year. I don’t even think that a third of my reading this year falls into the non-fiction category, and I miss it! It has been an extremely busy year, and with the time that I could spend reading, I chose fiction as my vehicle of escape, but over the week I put a serious dent in Crossing the Heart of Africa: An Odyssey of Love and Adventure, by Julian Smith and Keep the Change: A Clueless Tipper’s Quest to Become the Guru of the Gratuity, by Steve Dublanica. So far I am loving Crossing the Heart of Africa. It’s got the right blend of history and information about the countries Smith is exploring in Africa, without being completely overwhelming. I am so far a bit disappointed in Keep the Change. While it bills itself as an exploration of tipping and its origins and evolution, it reads more like why you should tip and the horrible things service workers will do if you don’t. As a former waiter, etc, Dublanica’s bias is showing big time.

Continuing my study of Sherlock Holmes, I am reading The Sherlockian, by Graham Moore. I just started, but I am enjoying the writing and looking forward to discovering what the mystery will be, and seeing if I can tell whodunnit.

Rounding out my reading, is Finny: A Novel, by Justin Kramon. I have been trying to read this book since the summer, but have always had to put it off for one reason or another. I read the first fifty pages, and the story moves quickly and is easy to get into. Though the circumstances surrounding Finny being bundled off to boarding school broke my heart a little, I am looking forward to her further adventures.

Today I don’t have much of anything planned with the exception of brunch with Allie, and finishing up my shopping for my Secret Santa. After that I plan to come home and do a little reading. I feel like I will be juggling back and forth between The Sherlockian and Crossing the Heart of Africa.

How about you? What are you reading today?

16 Responses to “Progress: Notes From A Reading Life – November 28, 2010 [TSS]”

Read below or add a comment...

Trisha says:

November 28, 2010 at 11:11 AM

You are reading such a great group of books. This one post of yours has seriously increased my wish list!
Trisha´s last [type] ..Book Review- The Eumenides

- Nicole says:
  
  November 28, 2010 at 6:38 PM
  
  Glad to help Trisha!
  
Elisabeth says:

November 28, 2010 at 11:39 AM

Thanks for the lists. Many were already on the TBR pile but nice to know that I have read many.
I am trying to finish Wesley the Owl today. It is about a woman who raises a barn owl and what her life is like living with an owl. Something a little different.

- Nicole says:
  
  November 28, 2010 at 6:38 PM
  
  Sounds good. I love animal books in theory, but then they usually die in the end so I don’t read them much.
  
Staci says:

November 28, 2010 at 2:22 PM

That sounds like a serious UNO game!! I’m so glad to see that Lepore’s book really drew you in. I have that one to read in January!!
Staci´s last [type] ..Six Sentence Saturday – Movie Review Version

- Nicole says:
  
  November 28, 2010 at 6:32 PM
  
  It was! I really didn’t mean to read LePore’s books soon. It’s not out til the end of next month! But I got into it, so I just went with it.
  
Coffee and a Book Chick says:

November 28, 2010 at 2:25 PM

What a wonderful collection to choose from! Finny is one I’ve been interested in — I’ve read a number of glowing reviews about it, so am looking forward to your thoughts.
Coffee and a Book Chick´s last [type] ..And Then There Were None- by Agatha Christie

- Nicole says:
  
  November 28, 2010 at 6:30 PM
  
  It will probably be one of those where I regret that it took me so long to read it. I have heard nothing but good things as well.
  
  - Coffee and a Book Chick says:
    
    November 30, 2010 at 3:41 PM
    
    I experience those same things as well — I’ll sit there and kick myself for waiting so long to read certain books! Example — I still haven’t read either Room or The Passage! Can you believe it? Argh.
    Coffee and a Book Chick´s last [type] ..And Then There Were None- by Agatha Christie
    
bermudaonion (Kathy) says:

November 28, 2010 at 2:30 PM

It sounds like you’ve had a great weekend. I’m trying to read Cleopatra, but so far, it’s pretty slow for me.

- Nicole says:
  
  November 28, 2010 at 6:11 PM
  
  I am sorry to hear that about Cleo! I really don’t know anything about her, so I was looking forward to this one, but I don’t know how well I will do with a slow start.
  
Amy says:

November 28, 2010 at 7:07 PM

Some great books Nicole! I can’t wait to hear more about Crossing the Heart of Africa. It sounds intriguing but also I’m not sure if I would like it at all.
Amy´s last [type] ..Review- Jukebox by Gina Noelle Daggett

Sheila DeChantal says:

November 28, 2010 at 11:40 PM

Sounds like you had a fun holiday! The Sherlockian is one I hope to get a chance to read soon. Love the story about the endless UNO game…. LOL , that is like something my family would do!
Sheila DeChantal´s last [type] ..It’s Monday! What Are You Reading

Pam says:

November 29, 2010 at 5:33 AM

Finny is getting a lot of blogger hyper, right now,. I, need to check it out. I’m also really looking forward to reading The Sherlockian. I’m glad everyone seems to be enjoying it!

Beth F says:

November 29, 2010 at 7:02 AM

I’m really loving Cleopatra, but that’s just me. Nice group of books. I was hoping to get to the LePore book soon.
Beth F´s last [type] ..Thankfully Reading Weekend- Getting Started

Kathleen says:

December 8, 2010 at 3:35 PM

Glad to hear you enjoyed your holiday. The UNO game sounds fun. We used to play that years ago and I probably have a deck around my house somewhere. I might have to dig it up for Christmas!