Reading List is Posted!

So, version 1 of my Reading/Book List project is now up!

At the top left-hand column, you'll see Links to Reading List Project. Underneath that heading are two links: one is the list sorted by rank (according to the various lists I pulled from to create the list) and the other is by author (sorted by author, then rank, then title). Both links are to actual Excel documents that have to be downloaded to be viewed. I use Excel 2007 so they are in .docx format.

In the list are a multitude of books. They are mostly fiction, but not all. This is primarily due to the fact that I've included all the books I own (either the real thing or in epub format on my Nook). Another reason is the first few lists I used when I began this list years ago included non-fiction works and I didn't weed them out at that time. I may in the future, but for now they will remain.

The list is a living thing and will be updated on a regular basis. When I think significant changes have been made, I'll upload the altered version and notify you in a post.

If you have any book suggestions in the meantime, please let me know so I can add them. Also, if you read something off the list and love it, please let me know!

The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis

Finished: 3.23.10

While The Magician's Nephew was quite lovely and definitely recommended, this volume (which, consequently, was written first though it is meant to be read 2nd) was even lovelier. This could partially be due to the fact that I already knew the story (even before the movie, which is odd because I don't recall having read it before), but also because...it's just lovely. What's better than a fantastical story about a land of talking animals that include centaurs and unicorns? In my book, not much.

Definitely a high recommend. :)

The Project

I've mentioned in at least one previous post that I am working on a book project. What is this crazy project? Explanation to follow!

In previous years, I started keeping track of all the books I owned (in Excel). Then I added books I read whether I owned them or not (in Excel). Then I gave myself a reading goal to ensure I spent more time doing it (10,000 pages, which I failed the first year), and have been doing so for three years now (having succeeded in year 2 with 15,840 pages, I increased my goal this year to 17,520). During that time, I have begun adding books I'd like to read (out of general interest), and books from a few lists (Nobel Prize for Literature, etc.), and moved it all over to Access (hello, this is what a database is for!).

Recently, I decided to expand my list by combing the web for various lists of recommended reads. They didn't have to be fancy or well-known. The lists could be favorites of some random blogger that I ran across or it could be that year's New York Times bestsellers. The point was to get as many lists as possible, enter all the books, and tally by most recommended. This would then be merged with my existing list of owned, read, and to be read for a final and ginormous list of books, mostly falling under the category of to be read. Crazy right?

Initially I started with over 100 lists of 100 or more favorites from various sources and all fiction genres (I don't do non-fiction generally speaking). So far, I've made my way through a little over 30 lists and am in the final stages of combining those books with my previous list. It is a HUGE compilation of books already, and because it seemed there was no end to the project, I'm going to do it in chunks. The remaining unadded lists will be added as I feel the urge to do so. For now, I believe my compilation consists of at least 3000 entries, and that feels quite sufficient!

So, that is the book project in somewhat of a nutshell. Any questions? Think, I'm crazy? Yeah, me too.

Currently in Hand: Update

Most of the books I picked up at the library last time have been returned unread. I'm afraid the book list project has dominated a lot of my time and I'm currently in danger of getting behind on my reading goal. That said, here is what I have on hand at the moment:

1. The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis (currently reading, nearly done)
2. Obsidian Butterfly by Laurell K. Hamilton
3. Narcissus in Chains by Laurell K. Hamilton
4. A Wind in the Door by Madeleine L'engle
5. The Horse and His Boy by C.S. Lewis

It is my goal to get through these without having to renew any of them at the library, but as they are all due by March 31st (with the exception of #2 which I own), it is looking likely that I will have to renew them to get them read (or return some of them unread, like the last batch).

At the moment, I am so obsessed with the book list project, and have made such great headway with it, that I can focus on little else. Perhaps, if it's possible to do so, I will post a download for the list when it is somewhat complete. :)

Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier

Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier
Finished: 3.14.10

Because I delayed in writing this review, it won't be very indepth because well, my mind isn't what it used to be. :)

This was a wonderful, wonderful, wonderful read! Although the opening of the book gave some hints as to the ending (there are several things I figured out towards the end), it was still an amazing read. The writing is stellar, and I am particularly fond of the writing. There is something in older works that current works are missing and a lot of it I believe has to do with richness of language and depth of description. Rebecca has both, as well as a very interesting plot line. It is a beautifully told story and an interesting window into the nature of relationships earlier in the 20th century.

Highly recommend!!

The Magician's Nephew by C.S. Lewis

The Magician's Nephew by C.S. Lewis
Finished: 3.9.10

Many of my favorite books have been made into films and more often than not, I've either read the book long before the idea of putting it to film was even considered, or upon hearing of the intent of making a book into a movie, I read it in advance. This book has not yet been made into a major motion picture (I can't speak to whether an obscure film or t.v. movie have been made of it), but two of the books in the series have. I have seen them both and read neither. Both movies were so wonderful that it shamed me never to have read the series.

This book is the first in The Chronicles of Narnia and having finally finished it, I can see why movies were made. The first book is a magical story about a boy and a land not of our world. As I've noticed in more recent reads, there is a definite religious undertone. No, undertone intimates that it is subtle, a suggestion, but that understates it. It is clearly religious in content, but not in a manner that is stifling.

What I love most about the book is that religion and magic are allowed to exist in the same plane. Also that it is wrought with unexpected heroes, and points out that being good isn't an easy thing to do, even for those who are mostly innocent and mostly good at heart. For me, that makes the religious bit palatable, almost inviting. The story is well written, the language is rather wonderful, and the imagery quite fantastic. I'm eager to start the next in the series, to find out what the rest of the story is. And it would really be something if they made this one into a film as well.

The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster

The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster

Finished: 3/4/10

This is another book I read when I was younger and was crazy about and having read it again, I understand why. It is full of little educational tidbits presented in a way that makes learning fun, but more than that, it has some wonderful lessons about life and learning and human behavior that any person of any age could benefit from. Reading it as a mother and someone who is trying to have more children, I am convinced this book belongs in the must read category for children of all ages.