Books for July, 2002

[pegkerr]

Hallowed Murder by Ellen Hart

Vital Lies by Ellen Hart

Stage Fright by Ellen Hart

A Killing Cure by Ellen Hart

A Small Sacrifice by Ellen Hart

This was my first exposure to Ellen's work, and all these books focus on her heroine Jane Lawless. I found the last one the most memorable, with a somewhat above-average twist at the end. I finally decided I had sated myself on her work for the time being and didn't pick up her other series, about the food critic Sophie Greenway.

Contact by Carl Sagan. Re-read. This held up pretty well my second time through

Love is Eternal by Irving Stone. This is a biographical novel from the point of view of Mary Todd Lincoln. Quite interesting, more sympathetic to Mary than other accounts of their marriage I've read. What struck me the most about this was the account of the twenty month period that Lincoln went through when he seemed to be operating in a stupor due to clinical depression. At forty-three, he felt as though he was all washed up–and yet look at what he went on to accomplish.

The Unstrung Harp or, Mr. Earbrass Writes a Novel by Edward Gorey. Re-read. Lois McMaster Bujold gave this book to me right after I finished writing The Wild Swans. It is really priceless, and the cartoons truly add to the deliciousness. If you have ever considered writing novel-length fiction, you really must read The Unstrung Harp. IT'S ALL TRUE!

Here are three little excerpts about the finishing process of writing a novel:

Even more harrowing than the first chapters of a novel are the last, for Mr. Earbrass anyway. The characters have one and all become thoroughly tiresome, as though he had been trapped at the same party with them since the day before; neglected sections of the plot loom on every hand, waiting to be disposed of; his verbs seem to have withered away and his adjectives are proliferating out of control. Even rereading The Truffle Plantation (his first novel) does not induce sleep. In the blue horror of dawn the vines in the carpet appear likely to begin twining up his ankles.

And this:

In that brief moment between day and night when everything seems to have stopped for good and all, Mr. Earbrass has written the last sentence of The Unstrung Harp. The room's appearance of tidiness and Mr. Earbrass's of calm are alike deceptive. The MS is stuffed all anyhow in the lower right-hand drawer of his desk, and Mr. Earbrass himself is wildly distrait. His feet went to sleep some time ago, there is a dull throbbing behind his left ear, and his moustache feels as uncomfortable as if it were false, or belonged to someone else.

And this:

The next day Mr. Earbrass is conscious but very little else. He wanders through the house, leaving doors open and empty tea-cups on the floor. From time to time the thought occurs to him that he really ought to go and dress, and he gets up several minutes later, only to sit down again in the first chair he comes to. The better part of a week will have elapsed before he has recovered enough to do anything more helpful.

The Subtle Knife by Philip Pullman. I have kijjohnson to thank for introducing me this series, because she wanted me to read it so badly that she sent me her paperback copies–she went out and bought hardback copies for herself. It's been several months since I read the first, The Golden Compass. This is equally as good, but I know, from remarks that people have told me, that All Will Not End Well. Today I picked up a copy of the third in the series, The Amber Spyglass but will hold off reading it until I first read that novel I've been asked to blurb.

I am also partway through What If Our World Is Their Heaven? The Final Conversations of Philip K. Dick, edited by Gwen Lee and Doris Elaine Sauter (with a foreword by one of my Clarion teachers, Tim Powers), which Bruce minnehaha kindly lent to me. I will undoubtedly have this finished for the next month's report.

I note with approval that only two of this month's books are re-reads. I find I'm enjoying this process of reporting in my LiveJournal what I read each month, an idea I picked up from kijjohnson. I've noticed an interesting side effect: I find that I am being a little more willing to try new directions, and to read books that I've always felt I should read but have been lazily putting off cracking open. There's definitely an observer effect at work here when I know that I'm reporting my choices for comment by others!

Cheer

Comments

[rhiannon333.livejournal.com]

I am impressed by the range and quantity of your July reading - *applauds*. Especially at the number of new books you are reading - me, I am an inveterate re-reader, and have to make a real effort to read new books. (Time being a big constraint in any case). While travelling 26 hours each way to the UK earlier this month I read all three Phillip Pullman books, and found that a very worthwhile investment of time, and definitely look forward to a re-read sometime - I think you will find The Amber Spyglass quite thought-provoking. When buying it, I was advised by the bookstore attendant with some disdain that it was in the children's section (when I asked in the regular section) and I wondered if they had read it - I know we have debated at length on HPFGU about HP as children's books, but it is even less appropriate in my view with regard to the Pullman books, especially The Amber Spyglass. I would be interested in your thoughts on it when you have had time to read it. BTW that is a wonderful Helen Hayes quote about books; and I would like to send a cyber-owl with what you might call an Anti-Howler - a kind of Cheering Charm in parchment form - with a cyber-hug. Hope you are feeling a little better now,

Megan

[peacockharpy.livejournal.com]

Note to self: must acquire The Unstrung Harp. "The better part of a week will have elapsed before he has recovered enough to do anything more helpful." hee! :)

My husband and I both read His Dark Materials, and enjoyed the series greatly. We both liked that Pullman's characters, whether good or bad, are rounded and reasoned -- you might not like what they do, but you understand the reasons they're doing it! Be prepared for a lot of edge-of-the-seat reading in Amber Spyglass.

- Darice

[lcohen]

here's a second request for thoughts after you finish the amber spyglass. i've recommended these books to a lot of people. IME, not everyone likes them, but none of them have found them wastes of time--the ones who did not like them still enjoyed discussing them.

[corinnethewise.livejournal.com]

I read The Unstrung Harp, it was interesting. My friend Shannon and I discovered The Golden Compass and The Subtle Knife in seventh grade. Then after gobbling those up, we waited for three years for The Amber Spyglass to come out. It was definately worth it. Read with tissues. It's a book that needs to be read more than once, there are so many ideas in it that need thought out. The first time you read it you'll focus on plot. I hope you enjoy it.

[plasticity.livejournal.com]

I don't usually post random comments in journals of people I don't know, but I have to applaud your reading list. I absolutely adored Contact, since I'm a bit of a SF junkie but can't seem to find much intelligent work. I'm just now getting into Orson Scott Card--have you read any of his stuff? A little like Contact in that he isn't afraid to really investigate ethical and philosophical problems, but perhaps easier to read. Out of curiosity, is SF a genre you've read a lot in? and if so, do you have any other suggestions?

I wish I were a writer, but alas, I lack the all-consuming creativity to really lose myself in a world of my own creating. But your excerpts made me yearn for the talent I don't possess.

Sorry for the post from an unknown. I enjoyed what I read of your journal, mainly the fact that it WAS readable. I suppose it shouldn't come as a surprise that it's so well-written, though. Note to self: find more journals of authors. :-)