tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3264914780516321436.post7214044077804735855..comments2023-10-21T21:54:39.121+13:00Comments on Tim Jones: Books in the Trees: A Book A Week: What I Read In 2009Tim Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14856414700019368658noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3264914780516321436.post-36019139499772865972010-01-18T10:51:08.952+13:002010-01-18T10:51:08.952+13:00I hope 2010 is a poetry-writing year for you, Kay,...I hope 2010 is a poetry-writing year for you, Kay, because then, in due course, I will get the chance to read more of your poetry! And, in any case, I hope it's a good year for you.<br /><br />Once I got over the delusion that I would review every book I read in 2009, keeping track of my year's reading proved to be quite easy, so I'm planning to do it again in 2010.Tim Joneshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14856414700019368658noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3264914780516321436.post-26341470538490628712010-01-18T01:20:12.716+13:002010-01-18T01:20:12.716+13:00Tim - thanks for the lovely comments about my poet...Tim - thanks for the lovely comments about my poetry collections. It's so very encouraging ... I think 2010 may be a poetry-making year for me, so it's particularly warming and motivating to get such positive feedback. <br />I must keep tabs on my reading this year - I'm sure it would prove helpful and surprising.Kay Cookehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01791873464409271216noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3264914780516321436.post-72340467911489562282010-01-08T14:47:03.257+13:002010-01-08T14:47:03.257+13:00Thanks for these further comments, Helen and Tim. ...Thanks for these further comments, Helen and Tim. I started "The Turn of the Screw" expecting to enjoy it, but I found James's prose style maddening, and the characters' reactions unconvincing - the ontological intrigue of the "reality" or otherwise of the narrative wasn't enough to rescue it for me.<br /><br />Despite this disappointment, I read David Lodge's book "The Year of Henry James" a few weeks ago. It contains the story of how Lodge's novel "Author, Author" and Colm Toibin's novel "The Master", both centering on the same incident in James's life, appeared within a few months of each other, and how this affected the reception of Lodge's novel, but also includes other criticism: and one of these pieces showed that James had a much less ornate prose style when he began writing. I far prefer James' earlier and less cluttered style, which, based on our previous discussions, probably won't surprise you!Tim Joneshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14856414700019368658noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3264914780516321436.post-48362398296267432522010-01-08T09:05:17.388+13:002010-01-08T09:05:17.388+13:00I have to disagree with you about James's &quo...I have to disagree with you about James's "The Turn of the Screw", Tim. The one ghost story ever that made the hairs on my neck prickle. The possibility that it's all in the head of the governess makes it all the more scary, I think. <br />Like Helen L, I've enjoyed the <i>Voyagers</i> anthology - interesting and revealing to read some poems I know well in a different context. Happy New Year.Tim Uppertonnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3264914780516321436.post-22349172180035438272010-01-07T23:15:20.103+13:002010-01-07T23:15:20.103+13:00Hot off the press in 2010, I recommend Max Brooks&...Hot off the press in 2010, I recommend Max Brooks' "World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie Apocalypse". I saw it recommended by a poster on Rachael King's blog at the end of last year and I have to say, I found it compelling reading. You have to take the zombies as read, of course, but I thought it was a very authentic imagining of human response to mass trauma. <br /><br />Poetry-wise I have the NZPS anthology, "moments in the whirlwind" (edited by Barbara Strang), next up to read and then Robynanne Milford's "Songcatcher"--but first up, "Wolf Hall".Helen Lowenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3264914780516321436.post-9016583687201534582010-01-07T22:34:48.200+13:002010-01-07T22:34:48.200+13:00I've never been that much of an Angel fan - an...I've never been that much of an Angel fan - an episode here and there, but not the whole series - so I hadn't tried the Angel comic series. I shall have to do so!<br /><br />Of the five-issue Buffy Season 8 volumes, Volume 1 was so-so, Volumes 2 and 3 were very good in my opinion, and Volumes 4 and 5 have been bags of a distinctly mixed sort.<br /><br />I read much more literary fiction than SF last year, but it looks as though the balance may reverse this year in terms of what's on my TBR pile- there is plenty of poetry there was well, starting with collections by Emma Neale and Sue Wootton. I'm also lined up to do a couple more reviews for Belletrista - one of which I need to start on soon (<a href="http://www.belletrista.com" rel="nofollow">http://www.belletrista.com</a>Tim Joneshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14856414700019368658noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3264914780516321436.post-18446494916882403452010-01-07T22:21:21.130+13:002010-01-07T22:21:21.130+13:00I meant to add, I too have found it hard to get in...I meant to add, I too have found it hard to get into the new Buffy, but so far the new Angel series (Angel After the Fall, I think) is rocking along.<br /><br />Next up to read on my list is Hilary Mantell's "Wolf Hall"--I am very keen to see whether it lives up to recommendations.Helen Lowenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3264914780516321436.post-42835976898425921432010-01-07T22:02:03.478+13:002010-01-07T22:02:03.478+13:00Thanks, Helen. That is exciting news for 2010! And...Thanks, Helen. That is exciting news for 2010! And thanks also for the shout-out for Voyagers.<br /><br />I have never kept track of my reading for the a year before now - LibraryThing comes through again!<br /><br />I am currently reading Kim Stanley Robinson's "Galileo's Dream". It is two books which would each be very interesting in its own right smooshed up together - I'm not (yet) convinced it works as a whole, but nevertheless, it still has many of KSR's virtues as a writer.Tim Joneshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14856414700019368658noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3264914780516321436.post-8710295223217813822010-01-07T21:49:00.156+13:002010-01-07T21:49:00.156+13:00Happy New Year, Tim! And thank you for the positi...Happy New Year, Tim! And thank you for the positive feedback on "Thornspell", which had a good year with both the Storylines Notable Book award/citation and the Sir Julius Vogel Award for Best Novel: Young Adult. I am looking forward to seeing the paperback out in May and of course "The Heir of Night", the first book in The Wall of Night quartet, will be published in September, so some excitmeent ahead.<br /><br />I also read a huge number of books this last year but failed to keep such good track of them. Like you, I very much enjoyed Irene Nemirovsky's "Suite Francaise" and my last book for 2009 was her "Dogs and Wolves"--interesting, but I enjoyed "Suite Francaise" more. <br /><br />Other books that really stood out for me in 2009 were Christos Tsiolkas's "The Slap" and Suzanne Collins' "The Hunger Games", although the sequel (Catching Fire) was probably my greatest disappointment of the year. <br /><br />Poetry-wise, I was also very impressed by Joanna Preston's debut collection, "The Summer King", while Michele Leggott's "Mirabile Dictu" was my top read from an established poet. And of course my favourite anthology was Voyagers--a well deserved placing in The Listener's Top 100 list. <br /><br />I will have to try and keep a better record for 2010. :-)Helen Lowenoreply@blogger.com