Catch-up Book Meme
36 / 100 books. 36% done!
1. Bag of Bones, by Stephen King
2. The Golden Compass, of the His Dark Materials trilogy, by Philip Pullman
3. Cry to Heaven, by Anne Rice
4. The Good Guy, by Dean Koontz
5. The Sands of Mars by Arthur C. Clarke
6. Duma Key by Stephen King
7. Watership Down by Richard Adams
8. The Intelligence of Dogs: Canine Consciousness and Capabilities by Stanley Coren
9. I Sing the Body Electric, by Ray Bradbury
10. Last Dance, Last Chance by Ann Rule
11. Dogs Who Found Me, by Ken Foster
12. Wolf Hunting by Jane Lindskold
13. Through Wolf's Eyes by Jane Lindskold
14. Wolf's Head, Wolf's Heart by Jane Lindskold
15. The Dragon of Despair by Jane Lindskold
16. Cry Wolf by Patricia Briggs
17. Aerie by Mercedes Lackey
18. Wolf Captured by Jane Lindskold
19. Wolf's Blood by Jane Lindskold
I finished the series, and loved them. The main characters grow and change throughout the series, but never so much that they become unrecognizable. New characters and settings enhance interest. The books do get a little talky as time goes on, but that didn't significantly detract from my reading experience. I will definitely buy the next one if Lindskold continues the series, though I suspect she may not.
20. The Cat Who Dropped the Bomb by Lilian Jackson Braun
21. The Cat Who Had 60 Whiskers by Lilian Jackson Braun
This is a series I've followed since I discovered it in my youth (thank you, Mystery Book Club), and I've enjoyed almost all of the books. There are a LOT of them - I don't have a total number handy, but it's at least twenty. The last few books have gradually moved away from the original focus - Qwill and his smart cat, solving crimes (often murders). As Braun has expanded on her setting of Moose County and the secondary characters found there, the books have become more about the place than the events. These two both felt more like a visit with well-known (if eccentric) relatives than murder mysteries. I might have stuck with the series, but Braun does something in The Cat Who Had 60 Whiskers that infuriated me. Without going into details, I'll describe it as an act of character assassination, followed by one of the most ham-handed character substitutions I've ever read. I was shocked and appalled, and if this weren't a library book, I would've thrown it across the room.
22. Tommyknockers by Stephen King
King is a reliable favorite. This book is quite long, and contains a lot of information about Haven, Maine and its residents that isn't strictly necessary for the plot. Still, it's an enjoyable ramble - I never get bored, and for its anecdotes, it's an easy book to pick up on a rainy day and read just a couple chapters. Not your usual UFO story.
23. For Bea: The Story of the Beagle Who Changed My Life by Kristen von Kreisler
Did you know that the most common breed of dog used in research labs is the beagle? They're a convenient size and even-tempered - commercial breeders have developed specific lines of these dogs just for scientific use. This is the story of one of those beagles who escaped, and the family who took her in. While at times my inner dog trainer wanted to *headdesk*, and the story's message is delivered with the loud THUD of dropping anvils, it is still a moving, affectionate portrait of a dog and her people.
24. Dead Until Dark by Charlaine Harris
With all the fuss over True Blood, I had to check out the source material. The show failed to hold my attention - the accents? Anna Paquin's blonde hair? I dunno, something didn't click - but the book did. While not my favorite vampire story, this was a fun read. I'm undecided on whether to continue with the series or not - intrigued, but not willing to commit quite yet.
25. Falconry for Beginners by Lee Harris
Falconry is one of the oldest sports, and I've loved it ever since I saw my first Harris hawk fly to a lure at a Renaissance faire. I wandered down the right aisle at our Main Library and stumbled onto a treasure trove of books on the subject. This one I picked up just to give me the basics of the sport. It pertains mostly to falconry in the United Kingdom, but the terminology is the same world-wide, and the sport hasn't changed much in 4,000 or so years.
A word on me and hunting: done right, hunting is sacred. Hunting is not killing; the man who kills hundreds of steers at the slaughterhouse did not hunt them, but the man who spends the day in the woods, watching a promising trail but not succeeding in killing a deer, has hunted them nonetheless. Hunting can be a communion with the wild, a part of ourselves that so many of us have lost. Who, reading this, has seen a wild fox cross the trail ahead of you at sunset, or stepped gingerly past the warning buzz of a rattlesnake? Who has crept through thorny underbrush for a peek at a doe and her fawn, or watched the surface of a stream ripple where trout rise to catch mayflies? Very few of us, anymore - we're all focused on our 9-to-5 jobs under fluorescent lights, planning our 'activities' for maximum enrichment, and never just wandering in appreciation of nature. I believe that hunting can help bring us out of this disastrous mindset, remind us that we're part of a larger world where everything - from the tiniest microbes in the soil up to the biggest black bear or cougar - is interconnected and interdependent. Falconry is a form of hunting that all but forces you into that recognition; hawks have minds and moods of their own, and the falconer must pay attention to his bird and his surroundings if he wishes to succeed at all.
26. Equinox: Life, Love, and Birds of Prey by Dan O'Brien
READ THIS. No, really. This was bittersweet and beautiful, the story of man who almost fell into the trap of making hunting a numbers game - "how many can I catch?" instead of appreciating the day. He paid for that delusion, and tells his story unflinchingly. There's no happy ending, no sense that now that he's learned his lesson, his mistakes will be erased. He has a fantastic falcon, an ephemeral and wondrous connection to this bird, and when he begins to prostitute that in pursuit of more and more self-serving goals, he loses her. His loss, and his lesson, echo through the end of the book. O'Brien does not try to sugarcoat his mistake, and that makes his conclusions all the more powerful.
27. A Wing in the Door by Peri Philips McQuay
This is the story of Merak, a red-tailed hawk who was taken from the wild as a eyas (unfledged baby) and hand-reared by a would-be falconer. She was confiscated and released on government-protected land near the home of the author and her family, who quickly discovered that Merak is human-imprinted. That means she believes herself to be human, treats humans as her parents, and will never be able to be completely wild. The family allows her to live free on their property, offering her supplemental food as well as companionship. While the author draws some conclusions I disagree with, this is mostly a portrait of a remarkable raptor and the humans who became her family. The style is a little diskointed, but that did not detract from my overall enjoyment.
28. Eagle Dreams by Stephen Bodio
The last of the falconry books I checked out, this one details the author's fascination with Kazakh falconers who fly eagles. Fox, wolf, even antelope can be hunted with eagles, and these birds are unlike any other in the world of falconry. First, they're HUGE, and second, they can live for 30 or 40 years in the wild. More than just a story about falconry, this one also contains a portrait of a part of the world most Americans have never seen. Mongolia casts a spell on the author's heart, and reading this book, I fell in love with it too. My only complaint is that it should've been about twice as long - if Bodio makes another trip to Mongolia, I want a sequel! (P.S. to Lois: In Mongolia, Stolichnaya is CHEAP and American Smirnoff is the expensive brand everyone wants to be seen drinking. I LOLed.)
29. "Mom, Jason's Breathing on Me!": The Solution to Sibling Bickering by Anthony Wolf
With this title, I couldn't pass it up. Written in an easy, conversational style, it caught my attention. Some points are made redundantly, but apparently they differ so much from what parents expect to hear that they must be repeated. I was highly amused to discover that the gist of the author's advice on sibling rivalry parallels my own stance on squabbling among my dogs: don't get involved. I know from experience that if I get in the middle of my dogs' arguments, it only makes things worse. If I let them sort it out on their own, the situation usually resolves with no bloodshed. The only times I intervene are when I see blood or when I can't stand it anymore, and then I come down impartially to separate the offenders. Which is pretty much what Wolf says here. A thought-provoking read for anyone with kids.
30. Spoken in Whispers: The Autobiography of a Horse Whisperer by Nicci Mackay
I will not definitively say whether I believe the author communicates telepathically with horses. Let me just say that I believe there's a lot more going on in this world than I know about. Whether you accept the premise or not, the anecdotes in this book are worth reading. Mackay's life with horses is fascinating to someone who is wildly horse-obsessed, but unable to spend much time around them.
31. My Lead Dog Was A Lesbian: Mushing Across Alaska in the Iditarod--The World's Most Grueling Race by Brian Patrick O'Donoghue
This reporter began the 1991 Iditarod in first place, but finished last. Along the way, he learned a great deal about Alaska, dog sledding, the competition and cooperation between mushers, and how cold it can REALLY get. Plus, with a title like that, how could I resist? This book really brought the Iditarod to life for me. Like falconry, dog sledding is a sport where humans must develop a true partnership with animals in order to succeed.
32. Blue Diablo by Ann Aguirre
This novel was advertised by one of my favorite blogs, www.smartbitchestrashybooks.com. I don't read romance novels, but they do, with a witty style that's left me laughing til I weep. The Cover Snark is especially hilarious. Anyway, this book was advertised as being Patricia Briggs' favorite. Hmm, great blog plus awesome author? I had to check it out. This is an urban fantasy novel - the main character is a handler, who receives images from objects she touches. The narrative was well-written and engaging, and left me wanting more. While the main story arc is satisfyingly fulfilled at the end, there's definitely hints of a sequel, and room for more backstory on the main character and her love interest. I will buy the next one as soon as it comes out, and maybe even check out more of Aguirre's work.
33. Building the Perfect PC by Robert Thompson and Barbara Fritchman Thompson
This book inspired me to build my next PC. It gives a lot of useful information and boosted my confidence. If you're thinking about building a custom PC or just want to know more about the innards of the one you have, read this.
34. Hide This Spanish Book by Berlitz Publishing
An excellent research reference for Spanish slang. It reminds me of a lovely French book I own called Merde! which was written by Genevieve. Both have a no-holds-barred approach to the way the language is actually spoken, including (but not limited to) profanity. You may thank this volume for some of Sebast's insults and affectionate nicknames in Heirs.
35. Foundations by Mercedes Lackey
I think you all know I love this author. If I found myself stranded on a desert island, with the collected works of Mercedes Lackey, Stephen King, Dean Koontz, Patricia Cornwell, and Susan Conant, I could be content. Lackey has built a unique world in Valdemar and attained a well-deserved following. This novel is the beginning of another trilogy. It could be said to follow Lackey's Valdemar formula, seen in several trilogies and stand-alone novels: disadvantaged/abused kid meets OMG magical horse! *ahem* Companion, and gradually becomes very, very important to the kingdom while learning to control potentially dangerous powers and facing various threats. However, Foundations explores a new type of background (child miner), a new power (MindSpeech, which has never been covered in depth before), and a new time period (the founding of the Herald's Collegium). This first novel in the series was a satisfying read on its own, but left me hankering for more. Also, I felt that the supporting cast was not as well-developed as is usual in Lackey's work, but that may be because I normally read her series together, without the large span of time between publishing dates.
36. Moving Targets edited by Mercedes Lackey
When an author puts a lot of time and creativity into developing a world, it must be an interesting experience to let other people play in it. Lackey has edited four anthologies based in her Valdemar (and neighboring countries), so she must enjoy it. She's a coauthor on several stories in the past anthologies, and has a new story with her husband in this one. It's the title story, and I was annoyed halfway through to realize I was reading an homage to Scooby Doo, of all things, but on its own merits the story did well. The rest of the tales in the anthology were fascinating, taken from a cross section of time periods and cultures within Lackey's world.
Whew! Okay folks, I'm basically caught up now. I'm sure there are a few more books that I read and forgot to note here, but that'll be okay.