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Dec. 24th, 2011 12:22 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
here_inmyheadWhile I wait for my creative journals to back up from LJ, I'm gonna do a book meme~ :)
What's the best book you read this year?
Maurice by E.M. Forster. Considering a lot of gay literature I keep running into keeps falling into the Bury Your Guys territory (it's that, or poorly written yaoi manga), it's so refreshing to read a book like this. And imagine that! Gayngst that's presented believably without being anvilicious or driving me up the wall with self-pity. And the main character *gasp* grows and earns his happy ending!
The movie is awesome too, btw. ;;
Any other reading highlights?
~The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie. I don't remember laughing out loud for a lot of books, but this is seriously the most hysterical thing I've read in aeons. It's also heartwarming and serious, and I got a lot more than I expected from it. I motherfucking approve. 8)
~Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson. I'll probably not read this again, considering how emotionally drained it left me (I usually feel alienated when I read about anything taking place in high school. Doesn't help I have a hard time relating to most YA), but I'm humongously glad I read this book and it rolls my eyes when people deliberately whine and misunderstand the story, then ban the hell out of it. The protagonist shares my dark sense of humor, and I like that.
~Raggedy Ann & Andy & The Camel With the Wrinkled Knees by Johnny Gruelle. To be honest, I wasn't expecting much out of this book. But holy crap, it's imaginative. :o Whereas Raggedy Ann Stories and Raggedy Andy Stories are more slice-of-life domestic tales, here they go with the titular Camel, a talking horse, and two lost kids into a motherfucking fantasy world, including fairies, pirates (or are they?), a lost kingdom, and even Looney Land (no, NOT the same Looney Land as the one in the trippy Richard Williams movie). Hell, I'll go right ahead and say that Studio Ghibli should do an adaptation of this. It really brings out the best in Gruelle and his illustrations are gorgeous, and the other Raggedy Ann books haven't gotten close to the same magic and energy since. (There's still a couple interesting ones imo, but CWtWK. GODDAMN)
If you see a copy (I know there's a pop-up book version, but it might be an abridged version of the story), pick it up sometime. If you have to read one Raggedy Ann book, let this one be it. ;;
What's the most challenging book you read this year?
American Psycho by Bret Easton Ellis. And I'm not finished yet. X( Two reasons:
A. It's a satire, so Patrick Bateman goes on and on and on about other people's outfits to the point where you blot him out, like a "yuppie" that doesn't pay too much attention to him. So if I'm not careful, I'll overlook something horrific he says mid-narration. Which still makes it a pain to read through.
B. The violence. Yeeeeeeeah. I was squicked out by the dog's death (and in earlier chapters, the hobo's death. WAAAAAAAAY worse than the movie) so I had to take a break from reading when I got halfway done. Yes, I know the "rat scene" is coming up. I'm not looking forward to it. :(
What's the worst book you read this year?
My Sweet Audrina by V.C. Andrews. I started it for the lulz since I heard it was one of those "so bad/trashy/outrageous it's good" but it just... ugh. It got too much for me. Not only do I hate family drama sagas, nobody (except maybe Audrina) is the least bit sympathetic and I couldn't stand reading about them. And it's... too creepy for me. Which is saying a lot. Considering what I heard happens later in the book? Yeah, I'm not gonna bother finishing this one.
Same with Flowers in the Attic. Nobody is likable in this one. Ugh.
Which authors featured most prominently for you in 2011?
Johnny Gruelle dominated this year, nomnomnom. Then the last months of the year? OSCAR WILDE FUCK YEAH.
Were you part of a reading challenge? Did you meet it?
"Read 100 or more books in a year!" Though I think I lowered it to 50 to be more realistic. I thought it'd be nice to keep track of my reading habits. Sure enough, I completely bombed the challenge, since I finished 14 books this year (not counting poetry/short stories/teeny children's books). Nine of them are Raggedy Ann books. *hangs head in shame*
Are you signed up for any in 2012?
"Read 10 or more books" will be my personal challenge. 'Cause wow. XD
Which books are you most looking forward to reading in 2012? Everything by Oscar Wilde ever~ ♥♥♥ Ash by Melinda Lo, To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee, One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest by Ken Kesey, Howl's Moving Castle by Diane Wynne Jones, Peter Pan by J.M. Barrie... just a few in mind. <.<;;;
What's the best book you read this year?
Maurice by E.M. Forster. Considering a lot of gay literature I keep running into keeps falling into the Bury Your Guys territory (it's that, or poorly written yaoi manga), it's so refreshing to read a book like this. And imagine that! Gayngst that's presented believably without being anvilicious or driving me up the wall with self-pity. And the main character *gasp* grows and earns his happy ending!
The movie is awesome too, btw. ;;
Any other reading highlights?
~The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie. I don't remember laughing out loud for a lot of books, but this is seriously the most hysterical thing I've read in aeons. It's also heartwarming and serious, and I got a lot more than I expected from it. I motherfucking approve. 8)
~Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson. I'll probably not read this again, considering how emotionally drained it left me (I usually feel alienated when I read about anything taking place in high school. Doesn't help I have a hard time relating to most YA), but I'm humongously glad I read this book and it rolls my eyes when people deliberately whine and misunderstand the story, then ban the hell out of it. The protagonist shares my dark sense of humor, and I like that.
~Raggedy Ann & Andy & The Camel With the Wrinkled Knees by Johnny Gruelle. To be honest, I wasn't expecting much out of this book. But holy crap, it's imaginative. :o Whereas Raggedy Ann Stories and Raggedy Andy Stories are more slice-of-life domestic tales, here they go with the titular Camel, a talking horse, and two lost kids into a motherfucking fantasy world, including fairies, pirates (or are they?), a lost kingdom, and even Looney Land (no, NOT the same Looney Land as the one in the trippy Richard Williams movie). Hell, I'll go right ahead and say that Studio Ghibli should do an adaptation of this. It really brings out the best in Gruelle and his illustrations are gorgeous, and the other Raggedy Ann books haven't gotten close to the same magic and energy since. (There's still a couple interesting ones imo, but CWtWK. GODDAMN)
If you see a copy (I know there's a pop-up book version, but it might be an abridged version of the story), pick it up sometime. If you have to read one Raggedy Ann book, let this one be it. ;;
What's the most challenging book you read this year?
American Psycho by Bret Easton Ellis. And I'm not finished yet. X( Two reasons:
A. It's a satire, so Patrick Bateman goes on and on and on about other people's outfits to the point where you blot him out, like a "yuppie" that doesn't pay too much attention to him. So if I'm not careful, I'll overlook something horrific he says mid-narration. Which still makes it a pain to read through.
B. The violence. Yeeeeeeeah. I was squicked out by the dog's death (and in earlier chapters, the hobo's death. WAAAAAAAAY worse than the movie) so I had to take a break from reading when I got halfway done. Yes, I know the "rat scene" is coming up. I'm not looking forward to it. :(
What's the worst book you read this year?
My Sweet Audrina by V.C. Andrews. I started it for the lulz since I heard it was one of those "so bad/trashy/outrageous it's good" but it just... ugh. It got too much for me. Not only do I hate family drama sagas, nobody (except maybe Audrina) is the least bit sympathetic and I couldn't stand reading about them. And it's... too creepy for me. Which is saying a lot. Considering what I heard happens later in the book? Yeah, I'm not gonna bother finishing this one.
Same with Flowers in the Attic. Nobody is likable in this one. Ugh.
Which authors featured most prominently for you in 2011?
Johnny Gruelle dominated this year, nomnomnom. Then the last months of the year? OSCAR WILDE FUCK YEAH.
Were you part of a reading challenge? Did you meet it?
"Read 100 or more books in a year!" Though I think I lowered it to 50 to be more realistic. I thought it'd be nice to keep track of my reading habits. Sure enough, I completely bombed the challenge, since I finished 14 books this year (not counting poetry/short stories/teeny children's books). Nine of them are Raggedy Ann books. *hangs head in shame*
Are you signed up for any in 2012?
"Read 10 or more books" will be my personal challenge. 'Cause wow. XD
Which books are you most looking forward to reading in 2012? Everything by Oscar Wilde ever~ ♥♥♥ Ash by Melinda Lo, To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee, One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest by Ken Kesey, Howl's Moving Castle by Diane Wynne Jones, Peter Pan by J.M. Barrie... just a few in mind. <.<;;;
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Date: 2011-12-24 07:40 am (UTC)Especially To Kill a Mockingbird, I have a paperback edition of it!
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Date: 2011-12-24 11:45 am (UTC)I need to read To Kill a Mockingbird again. That book completely blew me away: it didn't sound like my type of story in the very least, but I wound up enraptured regardless. Too bad everyone else in my english class hated it. Wha?
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Date: 2011-12-24 05:29 pm (UTC)As far as American Psycho goes, I finished it this year. Like you said, it's a challenging read for the reasons listed. Deep down, the fact that I squirm at the detail makes me feel good since it confirms that I'm not a sick bastard. I found "Glamorama" at a book sale this year. Going to dive into that one soon.
Also would pay stupid money for a Studio Ghibli adaptation of Raggedy Ann & Andy.
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Date: 2011-12-24 05:37 pm (UTC)