Storytime for Lotus

Storytime for Lotus, originally uploaded by littlemiao.

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The Long Patrol by Brian Jacques. Begun while on a brief visit home... Now I'm back up to five books on the go at once.

It has been a long time since I've read a Redwall book. I've read (and re-read) most of the earlier ones, but this will be my first time reading The Long Patrol. It's already gotten off to a fun start, with the requisite menus of delicious food. I forgot how well those woodland critters eat.

Lotus was enjoying a sunbath with the book this morning and he wouldn't let me take it away from him.

Kemi enjoying a good book

Kemi, Dec. 2008, originally uploaded by littlemiao.

My 2009 Audio Books

January
1. The Hippopotamus Pool (Amelia Peabody) by Elizabeth Peters
2. Straight into Darkness by Faye Kellerman

February
3. Outlander by Diana Gabaldon

March
4. Malice Prepense (Barbara Holloway) by Kate Wilhelm
5. Milk and Honey (Peter Decker) by Faye Kellerman
6. Day of Atonement (Peter Decker) by Faye Kellerman
7. Change of Heart by Jodi Picoult

Audio books - 2008

Needs Focus

Lotus, originally uploaded by littlemiao.

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Five books on the go at once is too much for me. Maybe one fiction and one non-fiction at once would be sustainable. Otherwise, it is a symptom of my pathological inability to focus.

At least, of the five books I am currently reading, three are short-story type things: The Complete Saki, Young Men in Spats, and the Sandman Vol. 1.

It began with How the Other Half Lives, a very unpleasant book for more reason than one. I started avoiding the book, and in the process began four others. Now not only can't I focus on reading, I can't focus on my studies or even on cleaning my apartment.

Lotus Batcat tells me that a catnap is a sure cure for inability to focus.

I'm pretty sure I can finish my current Nero Wolfe mystery today, which will give me a sense of accomplishment even if I can't get anything else done. =P

Now I've got to get ready in 9 minutes or else be late for an appointment.

Books read in 2009

last updated 26 June 2009

January
1. The Master Plan: Himmler's Scholars and the Holocaust by Heather Pringle
2. Code of the Woosters by P. G. Wodehouse
3. So You Want To Be a Wizard by Diane Duane
4. Too Many Clients (Nero Wolfe) by Rex Stout

February
5. Weedflower by Cynthia Kadohata
6. I am Rosemarie by Marietta D. Moskin (re-read)
7. Drums, Girls and Dangerous Pie by Jordan Sonnenblick
8. The Red Box (Nero Wolfe) by Rex Stout
9. The Sandman, Vol. 1: Preludes & Nocturnes by Neil Gaiman, illustrated by Sam Keith, Mike Dringenberg, and Malcolm Jones III
10. The Earth, My Butt, and Other Big Round Things by Carolyn Mackler

March
11. Young Men in Spats by P. G. Wodehouse
12. The Long Patrol (Redwall) by Brian Jacques
13. The Sandman, Vol. 2: The Doll's House by Neil Gaiman et al
14. Summer of My German Soldier by Bette Greene
15. Alt Ed by Catherine Atkins
16. The Sandman, Vol. 3: Dream Country by Neil Gaiman et al
17. Louisa May & Mr. Thoreau's Flute by Julie Dunlap and Marybeth Lorbiecki, illustrated by Mary Azarian
18. The Order of the Poison Oak by Brent Hartinger
19. Jane on Her Own by Ursula K. Le Guin
20. Dodger and Me by Jordan Sonnenblick
21. Geography Club by Brent Hartinger
22. Acupuncture Patterns & Practice by Li Xuemei and Zhao Jingyi

April
23. The Wee Free Men by Terry Pratchett
24. The Laugh-Out-Loud Cats Sell Out by Adam Koford
25. House Made of Dawn by N. Scott Momaday
26. Number the Stars by Lois Lowry (re-read)
27. Upon the Head of the Goat by Aranka Siegal
28. The Sandman, Vol. 4: Season of Mists by Neil Gaiman et al
29. Ghost Cats by Susan Shreve
30. The Sandman, Vol. 5: A Game of You by Neil Gaiman et al
31. Something New by P. G. Wodehouse (re-read)
32. Dakota Dream by James Bennett

May
33. Treason by the Book by Jonathan D. Spence
34. The Sandman, Vol. 6: Fables & Reflections by Neil Gaiman et al
35. Wonderful Alexander and the Catwings by Ursula K. LeGuin
36. Hat Full of Sky by Terry Pratchett
37. The Sandman, Vol. 7: Brief Lives by Neil Gaiman et al
38. The Roller Birds of Rampur by Indi Rana
39. Wintersmith by Terry Pratchett

June
40. The Cats in Krasinski Square by Karen Hesse
41. I Never Promised You a Rose Garden by Joanne Greenberg
42. Blitzcat by Robert Westall
43. The Reluctant Fundamentalist by Mohsin Hamid
44. Finn's Going by Tom Kelly

new aquisitions

So far I've been remarkably faithful to my New Year's resolution: buy fewer books and patronize the local libraries more. I've only bought two books so far this year, and they are both for my health and well-being, and both come highly recommended. Together, I hope they'll help me start running again:

Healing Back Pain by John E. Sarno

and

Chi Running by Danny Dreyer

book meme!

From Quagmire Bibliophile:

One book you’re currently reading: The Red Box (Nero Wolfe) by Rex Stout

One book that changed your life: The Glass Bead Game by Hermann Hesse

One book you’d want on a deserted island: The Lord of the Rings (it counts as one book!)

One book you’ve read more than once: Anne of Green Gables

One book you’ve never been able to finish: I make a point of finishing any book I start... eventually. But I have so many books "in progress", "eventually" is a long time away.

One book that made you laugh: Code of the Woosters by P.G. Wodehouse

One book that made you cry: Godblog by Laurie Channer

One book you keep rereading: Lord of the Rings

One book you’ve been meaning to read: to pick at random, Pedagogy of the Oppressed by Paulo Freire

One book you believe everyone should read: I don't know if there is such a book. It would have to be widely translated.

Finally,
Grab the nearest book. Open it to page 56. Find the fifth sentence…

Wolfe reached out and rang for beer.

lol. What are the chances? From The Red Box by Rex Sout