Moving is tiring

We just moved and an update is in the works. Until then, go listen to the new Dirty Projectors album, then sip some lemonade and curl up with a good book.

Fletch = Junk

Just gave up on my mystery book. Anyone know of a good one? One where the characters aren't all hideous... even the "good guy."

The Genre Challenge

I have mentioned before that my challenge to myself this year, literaturally (word?)... bibliophilically?... was to read books from all different genres and to try not to overlap nor to break away from my goal. I have only once with the release of the last book in the Percy Jackson series from Rick Riordan. However, as of this writing I have read through 13 different genres and am in the middle of two more.

Genres are an interesting thing too. As I've researched lists of genres to build my reading plan, I've noticed that people are completely subjective in their classifications. One person calls genres as fiction, non-fiction... which seems more like broad classification. Another goes on for pages listing everything from political horror to "food and history"... these seem more like subgenres and nitpicking. However, in an attempt to vary my reading, I've had to call upon subgenres to fill out my list and allow me to read more fiction. Also, one of the books I'm reading now I have classified, willfully, completely wrong. It is a history book involving animals, but because I have another history book on my list, it has been labeled as my "animal" book.

The list of what Jake's reading on the sidebar will be updated to reflect genre very soon. But below is a list of what I've read so far and what category, genre, subgenre I've put it in. Comments? Suggestions? I hope so.

Graphic Novel - The Watchmen - by Alan Moore (Gave up on this one and flipped through to get the basic storyline. Visual reading is disturbing because I can't edit what I want to, mentally. Plus it's a downer. I might try another graphic novel later, but with more discernment.)

Juvenile Fairy Tales - The Tales of Beedle the Bard - J.K. Rowling (I know this isn't true fairy tale, but I was interested in reading it and would rather read a few light morality tales about wizards and stuff than dabble in Aesop. At least this go around)

Autobiography - My Boyhood and Youth - John Muir (Brilliant outdoorsman, on par with John J. Audoban)

Greek Myth - Random House Book of Greek Myths - by Vinge and Sherman (They're just too fun. Rick Riordan got me all interested with them and goodness, they're great stories. I need to find out more about the titans though. Interesting bunch.)

Sports - Moneyball - Michael Lewis (One of the best books I've read so far this year. Oakland A's, stats, and a new form of baseball)

Money - The Treasure Principle - Randy Alcorn (Read this one for a church study. A little too Christianese for me, but good "principles." God's money, not mine.)

Classic - Treasure Island - R.L. Stevenson (Never read it before. I'd only seen the Disney movie and the Muppets version. The book is much more dark and disturbing. The Cap'n is brilliant, evil, and so much more devious than Tim Curry ever could have made him. But when your co-stars are puppets, how evil can you get?)

Food - How to Pick a Peach - Russ Parsons (It walks you through the seasons. Not only do you get a partial list of seasonal fruits and veggies, but also some history and recipes. It was a timely read, since we've joined a CSA for the first time this year.)

Christian Fantasy - On the Edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness - Andrew Peterson (I know... one of my favorite Christian musicians wrote a book. It's silly and wants to be like a mix between Tolkien, Lewis, and some of the slapstick humor of Douglas Adams. Part of a series that will be continued with North! Or Be Eaten. Can't wait.)

Music - Songbook - by Nick Hornby (Talented writer opining on his own taste in music. Some of it funny, some slightly touching, some wrong (my own opining), and some brilliant.)

Juvenile Adventure - The Maze of Bones - Rick Riordan (Part of the series "The 39 Clues." You can't go wrong with an international mystery surrounding all of the famous families of history, 39 clues, a race, and 2 kids who have to outwit all the others to win.)

Christian Living - Enter the Worship Circle - by Ben Pasley (I forgot how much I loved this book. It's a little on the mystical side, but a telling reminder of the breadth of worship and how vital it is for spiritual development.)

Microfiction - Microfiction: An Anthology of Really Short Stories - edited by Jerome Stern (I wasn't so sure about this one when my brother handed it to me. It seems plausible, but perhaps not possible to write 250 words or less and accomplish a legitimate story. I was wrong.)

READING:
Animals - The Zookeeper's Wife - by Diane Ackerman (Here's the controversial category. I want to read Guns, Germs, and Steel as my history book and Ackerman's book does have animals in it, so why not call it the animal book. I don't want to subdivide even further and call it WWII history. It's a brilliant read so far and fascinating. Terrible... but fascinating.)

Mystery - Fletch - Gregory McDonald (I only can place Chevy Chase on the movie poster for this book. I assumed Chevy Chase would be all about comedy and so the book must be a funny little caper. So far, the main character is a jerk, it's all dialogue and very little setting, and about a man who wants to be murdered and a reporter who agrees to do it. Weird)

TO READ NEXT:
Conspiracy - The Men Who Stare At Goats - by Jon Ronson (One of my favorite contributors from This American Life)

Nonfiction Adventure - The Lost City of Z - by David Grann (If he really inspired Indiana Jones, why would I not read about him?)

If you want to suggest something leave a post, but make sure to classify your suggestion and leave the author's name.