I found this draft for a previous iteration of the immediate book meme in the archive of unpublished blog posts. I guess I forgot to publish it back in May. Interesting to see where the overlap of books is between this and the one I just did.
Mrs Darwin is playing the Immediate Book Meme again. I’m always up for a discussion of what I’m reading now. This year I fell off the monthly book notes wagon. I only seem to be able to be accountable for what I read in odd numbered years.
1. What book are you reading now?
(aka books I’ve at least opened and read something from in the past couple of weeks.)
Children of Earth and Sky by Guy Gavriel Kay
I never have got around to writing up my thoughts on this one. But I think I’m going to have to re-read it before I can gather them. I’m not sure what I think and it deserves a more careful read.
Not just the libretto for the musical, but also a series of essays about the making of the musical. I love the insights into the creative process.
The Discoverers by Daniel Boorstin
I’ve been plodding through this massive tome for quite some time. It’s still in my currently reading pile; I’m not much closer to finishing, but making steady progress.
Teaching Particulars by Helaine L. Smith
Essays about teaching literature to high school students. Not immediately applicable to my teaching situation, but it’s nice to see pedagogy done well. I do wish there was a bit more detail in the chapters; but overall a solid book about how to have real conversations about literature.
Office Of Assertion: An Art Of Rhetoric For Academic Essay by Scott Crider
I don’t think I’ve made any progress on this one since May, which is a shame because it’s a great little book. I have never taken a rhetoric class and I sorely feel the lack. I wish Dr. Crider’s class had been up and running when I was at UD. I loved his Shakespeare and Romanic and Victorian Literature classes and I’m sure I’d have enjoyed him for rhetoric as well.
Pioneer Girl: The Annotated Autobiography by Laura Ingalls Wilder and Pamela Smith Hill
I haven’t made much progress here, either. I have to be in a particular mood to read a manuscript with footnotes. It’s not like reading a story nor like reading an essay or nonfiction book.
2. What book did you just finish?
Homesick: My Own Story by Jean Fritz
I really liked this novel which is a semi-autobiographical account of Fritz’s childhood in China. There’s one episode that I know I’d read before. I’m pretty sure it was included in some kind of anthology. I wish I could remember where I’d seen it.
The Great Little Madison by Jean Fritz
I love Jean Fritz’s historical biographies for kids and so read this one, which Bella had checked out for herself.
3. What do you plan to read next?
A Fugue in Time by Rumer Godden
I did indeed read this one after I’d written my answers to this meme. Not my favorite Godden novel, but interesting nonetheless. In this novel Godden uses setting in order to explore family relationships. The novel is set in one London house and moves backwards and forwards in time. The parts of the book set in the past are told in the present tense and those that are occurring now are told in the historical past tense, which sounds confusing, but works really well. As the title suggests, this is a piece that’s more about mood than plot, an interweaving of themes through time. I rather liked it and mean to read it again.
4. What book do you keep meaning to finish?
The same two books answered this question back in May as in October. Showing that I really do “keep meaning” to finish them.
Stripping of the Altars by Eamon Duffy
The Soul of Elizabeth Ann Seton: A Spiritual Portrait by Joseph I. Dirvin
5. What book do you keep meaning to start?
St Pius V by Prof. Robin Anderson
I did finally start this one, in September or October I think, but am still not very far. This is what happens when I think I should read a book, but am not actually excited about it.
6. What is your current reading trend?
Distracted by the new shiny thing over here.
Want to play along? Let me know in the comments.
