Stacked-Up Book Thoughts: Year-End Musings & 4 Short Reviews

Hope you had a lovely weekend with friends and family. If you were celebrating a gift-giving holiday, hope you received or gave some bookish gifts, or at least has some time to read.

Books in 2017

Now that we're entering the final week of the year, I've been thinking about my book goals for 2017 -- that is, those besides the general idea of reading all the books.

I don't actually have any specific resolutions, but I know I'd like to read more short stories and perhaps more books in translation. I also want to get back to reviewing books here on the blog. I purposely took some time off writing long reviews because I wanted to find a fresh perspective and to regain my enthusiasm. I think my review mojo is back.

Every year I start off determined to keep better statistics on my reading, especially in the area of diversity. My thought is this: I want to read as usual for the first half the year to see where my normal reading habits take me. Then, based on what I discover about my reading life, make some goals for the rest of the year. Maybe by summer I'll have a clearer idea of what diversity means to me.

What I've Read/Listened To

• Secrets of the Flesh: A Life of Colette by Judith Thurman & read by Cassandra Campbell (Random House Audio; 25 hr, 10 min): I love Colette's writing and this well-written and detailed biography was an eye-opener. Although I learned some disturbing things about her, I also learned there was still much to admire about Colette. Although Campbell's narration was engaging and her accents seemed authentic to me, I ended up switching to print to finish the book. Thurman provides so much information, some of it tangential to Colette's life, that I was happy to have the option to do a bit of skimming. Still, the biography is worth the read.
• Falling over Sideways by Jordan Sonnenblick & read by Miriam Volle (Scholastic Audio; 5 hr, 46 min): This is the story of 13-year-old Claire who must learn how to reconnect with her father after he suffers a stroke, although he is still a young man. At the same time, Claire is finding a way to survive eighth grade -- frenemies and all. Volle brought out the emotional core of this novel, though sometimes her voice sounded a little young for a middle school student. Highly recommended.
• Bellevue by David Oshinsky & read by Fred Sanders (Random House Audio; 14 hr 41 min): This is so much more than the history of one of the oldest hospitals in the United States; it's really the story of the country, of New York City, of the medical profession, of specific diseases, and more. If you watched the HBO series The Knick, you'll recognize some of the personalities and events. Sanders kept my interest throughout, reading with expression and enthusiasm. This book is absolutely fascinating and hard to stop listening to.
• Warren the 13th and the All-Seeing Eye by Tania del Rio (Quirk Books): This beautifully designed book with lots of fun graphics was joy to read. You don't have to be a middle grade reader to fall for Warren and his desire to save his beloved family hotel (and home) from the clutches of his evil step-aunt. Fun and creepy creatures and people, great art, and a good adventure and mystery. I can't wait to read the second book.

What's Up This Week

Yikes! I don't know. I hope to take it easy this week. The plan is to work in the mornings and to read for pleasure in the afternoons, but we'll see if my workload will allow that. In any case, I'll have a photograph on Wednesday and a Weekend Cooking post on Saturday. Other than that, I'm not promising anything.