Books 2010: I'm a bit behindhand on this here list

Books 2010: 92-98


92. Kate Grenville, The Lieutenant.

Lent to me by me roommate in Thes/iki. Late eighteenth century, young lieutenant-cum-astronomer serving in the British marines, establishment of a colony in Australia. Some very beautiful language and meditations on responsibility, humanity. On the whole, a little bit too stylised and not very uplifting. But interesting and quite moving.


93. Jane Feather, Almost a Bride.

Historical romance. Also a loan from the roomie. Every so often I read a romance, and it reconfirms to me exactly how little I understand them. Two people who barely know each other and can hardly stand each other, and they have perfect love in the end? Yeah. Right. People are much harder work than that.


94. Carrie Vaughn, Kitty Goes To War.

Another Kitty book. This time, everyone's favourite werewolf radio talkshow host has two problems at the same time. Mysterious events at a chain store, and military werewolves with PTSD. Fun all round.


95. Suzanne Collins, Mockingjay.

Damn.

This is a book which succeeds in being very honest - brutally so - about the costs and consequences of war. It breaks from the mode of the previous two books: there is no Arena. The violence is not so easily contained. I did not expect to find the costs and the hideousness of war so openly examined in a YA novel. Collins exceeds her previous heights in emotional realism, and fantastic characterisation. I find my reaction to it rather complex, since the climax is like a punch in the gut. Brilliantly done, but bloody painful.


non-fiction

96. Charles Darwin, The Voyage of the Beagle, Wordsworth World Classics.

Being an account of the travels of Charles Darwin as a naturalist attached to HMS Beagle between 1831 and 1836. An absolute fantastic travelogue, if appallingly racist. Darwin, as a naturalist, is interested in the minutinae of flora and fauna, and the geology: as a paean to landscape in parts it puts me in mind of T.E. Lawrence's Seven Pillars of Wisdom. The immense variety of landscapes is impressively well-described. Although Darwin's attitudes to indigenous peoples are illuminating, and not in a good way.


97. Cicero, The Nature of the Gods, Oxford University Press, Oxford, 1997. Translated by P.G. Walsh.

Cicero: great rhetorician, but oh dear, longwinded. Still. Readable translation, and interesting look at the ancient mind.


98. Seneca, Selected Letters, Oxford University Press, Oxford, 2010. Translated by Elaine Fantham.

The translation is very readable. And Seneca could grow on me: his attitude towards time, death and property is, well. There are some things there that are universally applicable. Reading him was an unexpectedly enjoyable experience.

Even if my roomie in Thes/iki refused to believe me on that.

Books 2010: I'm a bit behindhand on this here list

Books 2010: 92-98


92. Kate Grenville, The Lieutenant.

Lent to me by me roommate in Thes/iki. Late eighteenth century, young lieutenant-cum-astronomer serving in the British marines, establishment of a colony in Australia. Some very beautiful language and meditations on responsibility, humanity. On the whole, a little bit too stylised and not very uplifting. But interesting and quite moving.


93. Jane Feather, Almost a Bride.

Historical romance. Also a loan from the roomie. Every so often I read a romance, and it reconfirms to me exactly how little I understand them. Two people who barely know each other and can hardly stand each other, and they have perfect love in the end? Yeah. Right. People are much harder work than that.


94. Carrie Vaughn, Kitty Goes To War.

Another Kitty book. This time, everyone's favourite werewolf radio talkshow host has two problems at the same time. Mysterious events at a chain store, and military werewolves with PTSD. Fun all round.


95. Suzanne Collins, Mockingjay.

Damn.

This is a book which succeeds in being very honest - brutally so - about the costs and consequences of war. It breaks from the mode of the previous two books: there is no Arena. The violence is not so easily contained. I did not expect to find the costs and the hideousness of war so openly examined in a YA novel. Collins exceeds her previous heights in emotional realism, and fantastic characterisation. I find my reaction to it rather complex, since the climax is like a punch in the gut. Brilliantly done, but bloody painful.


non-fiction

96. Charles Darwin, The Voyage of the Beagle, Wordsworth World Classics.

Being an account of the travels of Charles Darwin as a naturalist attached to HMS Beagle between 1831 and 1836. An absolute fantastic travelogue, if appallingly racist. Darwin, as a naturalist, is interested in the minutinae of flora and fauna, and the geology: as a paean to landscape in parts it puts me in mind of T.E. Lawrence's Seven Pillars of Wisdom. The immense variety of landscapes is impressively well-described. Although Darwin's attitudes to indigenous peoples are illuminating, and not in a good way.


97. Cicero, The Nature of the Gods, Oxford University Press, Oxford, 1997. Translated by P.G. Walsh.

Cicero: great rhetorician, but oh dear, longwinded. Still. Readable translation, and interesting look at the ancient mind.


98. Seneca, Selected Letters, Oxford University Press, Oxford, 2010. Translated by Elaine Fantham.

The translation is very readable. And Seneca could grow on me: his attitude towards time, death and property is, well. There are some things there that are universally applicable. Reading him was an unexpectedly enjoyable experience.

Even if my roomie in Thes/iki refused to believe me on that.

you're too clever to be mentally ill

It's been a busy week.

You can tell the Irish autumn is gathering in. Bright flashes of sunlight occasionally break through the dark mass of cloud, but for the most part the grey sky is low, the twilight early, and rain spits - persistently and damply - at the most inconvenient moments.

Today, I attended my first postgraduate "Information Session," in which a very pleasant Director of Teaching and Learning (Postgraduate) explained The Rules. One is required not to exceed two years in the pursuit of an M.Litt, and four in the pursuit of a PhD. There are reporting requirements, and things to do. Depending on how things fall out this year - I had some very fruitful thinking time, for half an hour beforehand - I may need to talk to my supervisor about transferring to the PhD register next year. We'll see.

I have a timetable for my beginners' Classical Greek, which is good. I've also just taken my shiny new library borrowing privileges for a spin. I'm happier about this than any reasonable person should be.

And I've joined the college kayak club. matociquala, I blame you and your fabulous roomie for introducing me to this sport. I couldn't just walk past the stand.

Add this to climbing, karate, running, and getting enough Italian to read Il santuario di Aesclepius a Lebena -

Alas, in order to get everything done that I want to get done, and still be able to a)read a little fiction, and b)pretend I still mean to write fictions, I'm going to have to give up watching television and DVDs. No Criminal Minds, no Castle, no nothing. Not until I've written my first 8,000 word chapter, which will hopefully happen within twelve months.

Fruitful thoughts which I have had include the need to find or create a database of mentions of doctors and healing/healing deities in the non-medical texts, if I want to get a good grip on the social context. Anyone have any recommendations for free database software?

you're too clever to be mentally ill

It's been a busy week.

You can tell the Irish autumn is gathering in. Bright flashes of sunlight occasionally break through the dark mass of cloud, but for the most part the grey sky is low, the twilight early, and rain spits - persistently and damply - at the most inconvenient moments.

Today, I attended my first postgraduate "Information Session," in which a very pleasant Director of Teaching and Learning (Postgraduate) explained The Rules. One is required not to exceed two years in the pursuit of an M.Litt, and four in the pursuit of a PhD. There are reporting requirements, and things to do. Depending on how things fall out this year - I had some very fruitful thinking time, for half an hour beforehand - I may need to talk to my supervisor about transferring to the PhD register next year. We'll see.

I have a timetable for my beginners' Classical Greek, which is good. I've also just taken my shiny new library borrowing privileges for a spin. I'm happier about this than any reasonable person should be.

And I've joined the college kayak club. matociquala, I blame you and your fabulous roomie for introducing me to this sport. I couldn't just walk past the stand.

Add this to climbing, karate, running, and getting enough Italian to read Il santuario di Aesclepius a Lebena -

Alas, in order to get everything done that I want to get done, and still be able to a)read a little fiction, and b)pretend I still mean to write fictions, I'm going to have to give up watching television and DVDs. No Criminal Minds, no Castle, no nothing. Not until I've written my first 8,000 word chapter, which will hopefully happen within twelve months.

Fruitful thoughts which I have had include the need to find or create a database of mentions of doctors and healing/healing deities in the non-medical texts, if I want to get a good grip on the social context. Anyone have any recommendations for free database software?