Finally!
4. Middlemarch [1872] by George Eliot (aka Mary Anne or Marian Evans) [Kindle].
Why did I never read this book before? It seems odd at age 50 to be reading Middlemarch for the first time. And, of course, it took me a month, mostly reading at bedtime and occasionally on weekends. Books never take a month for me to read! However, even in its length it is satisfying. How could the full essence of Middlemarch, much less the complete understanding of its characters and their relationships and inter-relationships, be understood in a shorter work? Inconceivable!
Middlemarch includes characters to admire, to entertain, to repulse, and just about every other response. The relationships (romantic, familial, neighborly, business, etc.) are complex and interesting and, at times, infuriating. I will not be so cruel as to include spoilers here. Clearly, this book is a masterpiece.
When I began reading this book I was also reading The Dispossessed by Ursula LeGuin. Why would I even mention that? What could these books written a century apart and of very different genre have in common? Amazingly, some of the early statements made by male characters in Middlemarch are so very chauvinistic (much to be expected in the Victorian period perhaps) that their striking similarity to statements by male characters in The Dispossessed living on the planet Urras nearly bowled me over. Some themes, even profoundly negative themes, are ridiculously universal. No doubt George Eliot would have approved Ursula Le Guin completely, given opportunity for acquaintance.
But, I digress. If you have not read Middlemarch, you should. Although reading it in short bits in the evening as I mostly did is not the suggested method!
I am still reading several books but almost finished with the first listed.
11. The Knitting Book [2011] by Frederica Patmore and Vikki Haffenden [hardcover].
14. The Wreath [1920] by Sigrid Undset, translated by Tiina Nunnally [Kindle].
15. The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up [2010] by Marie Kondo [iBooks].
I have started another book, right on the tail of Middlemarch, for obvious reasons:
16. My Life in Middlemarch [2014] by Rebecca Mead [audiobook].
This is a memoir by a journalist about how her love of Middlemarch travels with her through life. She include copious amounts of information about George Eliot, her writing, her life, and how her characters were drawn, at times, from her acquaintances. It's quite interesting so far.
I have started another book, right on the tail of Middlemarch, for obvious reasons:
16. My Life in Middlemarch [2014] by Rebecca Mead [audiobook].
This is a memoir by a journalist about how her love of Middlemarch travels with her through life. She include copious amounts of information about George Eliot, her writing, her life, and how her characters were drawn, at times, from her acquaintances. It's quite interesting so far.
Open for Suggestions!
While I started compiling a potential 2015 reading list a couple of months ago, it is not written in stone and I am open for suggestions. Several of my friends have given me specific suggestions or links to lists of excellent books. Keep them coming!
I could use something light to read or something happy...?
Books Completed in 2015
I have read (or listened to) ten books so far in 2015!Here is a list of completed books with links to their info page on Goodreads and to the reviews I have written on Goodreads and Amazon (or Audible).
1. Among Others [2011] by Jo Walton [Kindle]. 5/5 stars [review: Goodreads; Amazon].
2. Knitting for Beginners [2014] by Susan Wilters [Kindle]. 2/5 stars [review: Goodreads; Amazon].
5. The Story of My Life [1902] by Helen Keller [Kindle] 4/5 stars [review: Goodreads; Amazon].
7. At Risk [2004] by Stella Rimington [audible.com audiobook] [review: Goodreads; Audible].
6. The Dispossessed [1974] by Ursula Le Guin [Kindle]. 5/5 stars [review: Goodreads; Amazon]
3. Interpreter of Maladies [1999], short stories by Jhumpa Lahiri [audiobook]. [review: Goodreads]
9. The Handmaid's Tale [1985] by Margaret Atwood [Kindle]. [review: Goodreads; Amazon]
8. The Lady Astronaut of Mars [2012] by Mary Robinette Kowal [Kindle]. [review: Goodreads; Amazon]
10. Americanah [2013] by Chimamanda Ngozi Adiche [audible.com audiobook] [review: Goodreads; Audible]
12. If Ever I Return, Pretty Peggy-O [1990] by Sharyn McCrumb [Audible Audio] [review: Goodreads; Audible]
13. The Riddle-Master of Hed [1976] by Patricia A. McKillip [Audible Audiobook] [review: Goodreads; Audible]
4. Middlemarch [1872] by George Eliot (aka Mary Anne or Marian Evans) [Kindle]. [review: Goodreads; Amazon]
I suppose I also have to decide whether to number these in the order finished or in the order started? Decisions, decisions... Numbers can be so confusing for me...
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