Now that the Summer Reading Challenge is over (I read, from a pool of 15, 11 of the books I committed to reading at the end of May, and I only had to read ten to finish the challenge successfully), I think I'll go back to selecting material on a monthly basis. I usually get sidetracked by something else, but I do enjoy having a stack of books that I'm supposed to be reading from.
August's selections are:
Lord Jim. I so enjoyed the two back-to-back Patrick O'Brians that I read last week, that I thought I'd trick myself into reading some Joseph Conrad. I don't know how much of this one takes place on a merchant vessel, but I'll be back at sea for a little while.
The Unvanquished. Okay, since The River Wife turned out to be Southern lit I technically don't need to read any more to finish the Southern Lit Challenge, but if there's a better month for reading Faulkner than August. . .
Tristram Shandy. I've been neglecting this one. It disappeared for several days, but then I found it again. Tristram isn't born yet.
The Used World. Haven Kimmel's latest! It'll be out in September! This ARC is what I currently have in progress.
Highway 12. Christian Probasco's guidebook about the part of Utah where we'll be horseback riding and camping in September.
The Looking Glass War and Seeing Red. I received an ARC of Frank Beddor's second-in-the-trilogy a couple weeks ago, but I need to read the first one first, don't I?
The Three Roosevelts. Already in progress, but not very. I've completed only the first chapter (59 pages).
I've had my eye on The Looking Glass War since it was first released in England. And then I forgot about it. I thank you for the reminder and look forward to reading your thoughts on it. It sounds like a fun read.
ReplyDeleteI read one of the books I chose for the summer reading challenge. I think I should give up on those. But they always sound so fun at the beginning.
ReplyDeleteTell me if you see a big doppleganger in the Conrad. I adore that book.
ReplyDeleteI got an arc of Seeing Red too and hope to get to it in August as well. Tristram Shandy seems to be taking you a long time. I am still hoping to read that sometime this year. Is it just a slow read?
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful to do list for August! Tristram is lurking amongst my goals for the fall, as is a Faulkner, but as soon as you mentioned reading Faulkner in August, I was filled with envy.
ReplyDeleteMaybe we could get an impromptu group together to read the Beddors? Sort them mid-month?
ReplyDeleteBrian, if it hadn't been for you mentioning Lord Jim a couple months back I'd have probably have selected Harry Thompson' This Thing of Darkness for my next "at sea" read.
Danielle, I try so hard to meet the challenges that I enter that it really messes up my "read at whim" preferences. If I go back to monthly lists I know I won't feel so bad when I deviate--there's always next month. But if I mess up several months worth of reading I wind up feeling so guilty. . . it just isn't worth it.
Tristram Shandy is slow moving, but it went missing for awhile on top of that, and then I ignored it while I finished books for the challenge. I need to work on it steadily instead of in fits and starts.
Pour of Tour---grab a Faulkner! The month is young! Tristram will read much better in the fall.
Of all the Faulkner I HAVE read you pick one I haven't! I can't wait to see what you think. (My personal favorites, however, are Light in August and The Wild Palms.)
ReplyDeleteI can remember you writing about them! I don't think I'd ever heard of The Wild Palms before. What do you think of Sanctuary? I started that one and hated it so much that I gave it away. My fav is As I Lay Dying--another dead mule book.
ReplyDeleteOoh I didn't know Haven Kimmel had a new book coming out. Looking forward to hearing your thoughts on that one!
ReplyDeleteThat's a great stack of books, and looks like August is set for you! It all looks really interesting--enjoy!
ReplyDeleteI was very impressed with The Looking Glass Wars. It was fun and clever. I'm looking forward to read the 2nd in the series.
ReplyDelete