Part I

So here are the books I’ve gathered. My initial criteria was that it was fiction and that it was written in another language and translated into English. I didn’t want to add books that have a non-English language setting, because I wasn’t sure if they counted or not. (ie John Burdett lives in France and Bangkok, and writes about Bangkok, but is British. So does that count? I decided no. Same for Pearl Buck.) But I added a couple, because the authors are not British / North American.

I also didn’t count any of Michael’s manga. Because it’s not my thing.

If I own a book, but have not yet read it, I stuck it at the end and marked it (NR). But I felt I should get partial points for possessing it.

So here’s the list:

So that’s 46 total on my shelves, of which I’ve read 40.

(And I KNOW I own a copy of The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini. But I have no idea where I put most of my fiction. So there are might be some other books I’m missing.)

I’ve been remiss. Translators of the above books:
Margaret Sayers Peden, Margaret Jull Costa, Sonia Soto, Andrew Hurley, Stephen Sartarelli, Andrew Bromfield, Reg Keeland, Andrew Brown

And then there’s folklore and mythology… Do they count? I think they should, but since you might have a different opinion, I separated them out.

That’s 38 more, if you think they count.

Do I have all the countries in the world? Of course I don’t. Could I read 174 books in a year? Probably. I’ve got 150 books this year, thought I’ve been slacking the past two months. But that seems… not fun.

So, readers: what non-British or non-North American authors I should read?

The radio just finished playing this story: One reader, 197 books, one year to finish them all.

How often do you read a book from an author who comes from a part of the world unknown to you?

So, my first thought was, that’s cool. My second was, my bookshelves are definitely not empty of foreign authors. Yes, American and British authors predominate, but I’m pretty sure I’ve read a lot of books by foreign authors.

So, I’ll look and report back.

And here’s a link to her website and list: A Year of Reading

Thank you, to those who have served, who are currently serving, and to their families.

Thank you.

No, I’m not telling you the news. Which makes today’s word: secret

I spent the day organizing (because that’s what I do when I’m anxious) and discovered that I have a huge pile of postcards from various places I’ve visited over the past five or six years.

If the place is somewhere I’m likely to go again in the near future, I’ve set those cards aside.

Which still leaves me with a large stack of cards.

So, if YOU would like to receive a piece of actual MAIL that is not a bill or junk, let me know, and I’ll send you something. (If I don’t have your address, you’ll need to email it to me.)

OR

If you would like me to send a card to someone you know, I can do that as well! (Again, you’ll just need to email me their name and address.)

I’ve been told that small people ESPECIALLY like getting mail, so if there are small people in your life who would love surprise mail, let me know!

Fantasy
The Thief (1996) Megan Whalen Turner
River of Stars (2013) Guy Gavriel Kay
Engraved on the Eye (2012) Saladin Ahmed
Jack The Giant-Killer (Jack of Kinrowan) (1987) Charles de Lint

Short Stories (fantasy)
Charmed I’m Sure (2013) Elliot James
Don’t Go Chasing Waterfalls (2013) Elliot James
Dog-Gone (2013) Elliot James

Mystery
Through a Glass Darkly (2006) Donna Leon

Audio
Night Watch (1998/2006/2010) Sergei Lukyanenko translated by Andrew Bromfield Narrated by Paul Michael

History
The Doctor Wore Petticoats: Women Physicians of the Old West (2006) Chris Enss
She-Wolves: The Women Who Ruled England Before Elizabeth (2011) Helen Castor

The books I really loved were:
The Thief – 10/10
River of Stars – 9/10
Jack The Giant-Killer – 8/10

And, for my usual geeking out…

I read 11 books, three of which were re-reads, and two of which are books I own in multiple formats.

eBook : 8
Paperback : 1
Trade Paperback : 1
Audio : 1

It was mostly fantasy this month.

Fantasy : 8
History : 2
Anthology : 1
Mystery : 1
YA : 1

As for the gender of authors I read…

Male : 5
Female : 2

But I’ll be honest, I really thought Elliot James was a woman working under a male pseudonym.

Lots of things!

A little girl dressed as all 11 Doctors. (not all at once)

 
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Actors reprise their roles.

I have no idea what it was, but I kept coming back and looking at these pictures.

(I’ll be honest, this was my favorite picture–Simon Pegg is so damned adorable!)

 
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As a huge fan of the Rose Bowl parade, I loved these flower sculptures.

 
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This one I have complicated feelings about.

To Flatten A Heroine: Artist Puts Disney Princess Filter On 10 Real Life Female Role Models

First, you should read everything the artist has to say. Here’s an excerpt:

“My experience of female role models both in culture and in life has shown me that there is no mold for what makes someone a role model, and the whole point of Merida was that she was a step in the right direction, providing girls with an alternative kind of princess. Then they took two steps back, and painted her with the same glossy brush as the rest. So I decided to take 10 real-life female role models, from diverse experiences and backgrounds, and filter them through the Disney princess assembly line.

First and foremost, I appreciate that the artist has created some gorgeous pictures.

Second, he makes good points about forcing female models into a single mold. It shouldn’t happen, yet it does.

Third, I now want a Justice Ginsburg action figure. Preferably one with a broadsword, so she can cut through the BS.

 
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No Ents betweehn Eryn Vorn and Fangorn forest
Free shuttle horses provide alternate service

Debunking ALL the flu vaccine myths

The Fug Girls now have a shoe line, with all their proceeds going to the Alzheimer’s Association