Sorry for chocker blocking up your google readers feed with so many of my blog posts!
It is the end of the month. February is a short month, still I scored miserably with 3 books read and 2 more on tow with 3 quarters into Eat, Pray and Love, and I saw Ramallah by Palestinian author Mourid Barghouti.
On the London train, there are many free newspapers and magazines that vying for my attention. Recent offer by the company to get me a blackberry phone which also means I need to read up on the manuals and how to make full use of it. I also have to read up a lot of policies and procedures at work. Recently I have also bought a copy of the Economist’s the World in 2011, which I hope to read it. All these non-book reading of course eats into my reading time. With so much distraction, any wonder I finished only 3 books this month?
Books read for February are:
- The Accidental Billionaires by Ben Mezrich
- Lord of the Flies by William Golding
- Camus, A Romance by Elizabeth Hawes
2 for non-fiction challenge, 1 for both Animal Names Reading Challenge and TBR.
Did I buy any books this month?
Well, not many compared to my usual binging, but here’s what I’ve got in February:
This pile are from the Westminster Marylebone Library book sales.
I saw Ramallah and Butterfly Mosque are both library borrowing from the same library. From the book sale, I bought Everyman’s classic of Joseph Conrad’s Under Western Eyes, and Charles Dicken’s Bleak House which everyone seems to say it is the best of Dicken. Tim Winton’s Breath, loads of how-to books of Thailand, Operations Management and a book about taking better pictures. 😉
Last week, I bought a little white bookshelf to go with my bigger one and rescued two books from the rain in the furniture shop. Snow falling on Cedar Trees by David Gutterson was one of my all-time favourites in the 90’s and The Last Resort by Carmen Posadas is a Moroccan murder mystery with a Spaniard who attempts suicide only to stumble upon a murder intrigue. I also saw The Girl who Played with Fire and would like to relive some moments from Larsson’s famous heroine with book 2 which is my favourite.
Yesterday I found two brand new book at the charity book stores:
Super-cannes by JG Ballard – I long to read something from JG Ballard, besides Empire of the Sun. This book new and glossy came along and I thought I will pick it up.
The History of God by Karen Armstrong – I was first noticed this book 11 years ago when it first published. A lot of heavy reading going on in here, but Karen Armstrong has been revered as an authority in religion that it would be ashamed not to read one which discuss about 3 major religions, Judaism, Christianity and Islam.
Early in February I also bought a brand new collector’s volume on Tintin first two controversial adventures in Soviet Union and Congo. I have read all tintin’s adventure’s graphic novels and there are only 3 that I can’t get hold of it anywhere in the library. This two and Tintin and the alpha-art. Tintin in Soviet Union was actually in black and white, and the outline of the cartoon then was less refined.
The weather has turned a little milder, although it is still all gloomy and wet for now. For next month, I am going to wrap-up discussion on Eat, Pray and Love perhaps get a chance to watch the movie as well. I am still two minds about joining the big read-along with Leeswammes’ 2666 read-along starting 5th March, mostly likely I would. I also like to plough through my recent library loot which all looks very yummy to read, a few books from my own shelf… now if only I could make myself stay awake on the train to (early morning brain muddle) and from (late evening brain death after a full day’s work) London, and get used to reading on a vigorous swaying train!
So that’s what I have been up to this month what about you? and what is your plan for next month?
JoV's Book Pyramid 
Oh, you got loads of nice books there! Now you have to increase your reading speed. 🙂
Great bookshelves. I like it how you order everything by colour. Of course you are going to join the 2666 readalong. It’s just 70-ish pages per week! Saturday is the first discussion so start reading now – if it’s no good, then you send in a polemic comment and be done with it. How about that?
Posted by Leeswammes | February 28, 2011, 12:47 pmLeeswamme, oooooh ok!! I will lug the big book back and forth 60km one way from home to work and try to read it on the train! 😉
Posted by JoV | February 28, 2011, 8:25 pmIdeal train fodder, I bet! And good exercise, carrying the book around.
Posted by Leeswammes | February 28, 2011, 8:48 pmLeeswammes, LOL 😀 I will develop biceps by the end of the 2666 reading. 😉
Posted by JoV | February 28, 2011, 9:36 pmhmmm “last week I bought a little white bookshelf”…and this week it is already filled! Definitely a sign of a book addict 🙂
Posted by Bernadette | February 28, 2011, 11:31 pmBernadette, LOL 😀 I double stacked my big shelf, so when I had the small shelf, I moved those hidden books from behind and brought them to the fore on the little shelf. 😉 Still, you are right on that account, I am an addict. Since my other half kind of like how the shelves ‘light’ up the place, he is encouraging my addiction! 🙂
Posted by JoV | March 1, 2011, 5:07 pmI hope you enjoy Armstrong’s History of God. It’s one of my favorites and I hope you enjoy it too. Years ago she came to a speaking engagement just up the street from my old place and she was kind enough to autograph my copy.
Posted by maphead | March 1, 2011, 3:06 amMaphead, I haven’t google her up, I wonder how she looks like. WOW, it’s great you have her autograph! I would be over the moon too!! Thanks, I will enjoy the book, love all things about religions. 😉
Posted by JoV | March 1, 2011, 5:08 pmI loved i saw ramallah when I read it also breath is wonderful strory ,all the best stu
Posted by winstonsdad | March 1, 2011, 11:16 amStu, I know. Mourid writes wonderfully. Always poetic, melancholic, heartbreaking. but beautiful book. 😉
Posted by JoV | March 1, 2011, 5:13 pmOh wow, what a wonderful pile of books! And I love the photos, they make me drool, I wish my library’s shelves would look that inviting 🙂
Posted by Bina | March 3, 2011, 10:46 pmBina, really should stop buying books. There is no more space to store. 😦 Thanks for drooling over my pile of books though. 🙂
Posted by JoV | March 7, 2011, 12:15 pmI was going to say the same thing as Leeswammes, love how your sorted your books by color! Now one of these days I’ll have to tackle my overspilling bookcase as well :s
I had no idea you were a fan of Tintin 🙂 With the slow month of February behind you, I am guessing your tbr pile is now something you’ll have to tackle next (or it will topple over)? 😉
Posted by Chinoiseries | March 8, 2011, 9:48 pmChinoiseries, Yes the TBR pile is mounting, weak resolve while visiting the libraries mostly, hopefully get to read some easy reading book and my own TBR (minus library books) can be reduced soon! 🙂
I am a great fan of Tintin and got my first Tintin comic of Black Island when I was 7, but lost it overnight in school. 😦
Posted by JoV | March 13, 2011, 3:30 pmI too had a slow Febraury and only managed to red two books 😦 I spent far too much time watching television….there was just so much new/interesting dramas on!! Hehe
Oh my I used to love Tintin…thank you for reminding me of him I think I might have to try and rekindly that love sometime this year. Haven’t read any of these adventures in forever!
Posted by jessicabookworm | March 15, 2011, 9:26 amJessica, ahh… TV programmes. I do love watching good travel documentaries though on “Dave” or “Yesterday”. I used to love Tintin as a child and still do now. So hopefully my boys will get to know tintin as well.
Posted by JoV | March 15, 2011, 9:51 amMy fav for travel docs has got to be Michael Palin, he makes me laugh and he seems to give everything a go!
Posted by jessicabookworm | March 15, 2011, 6:16 pmJessica,
Michael Palin is my favourite indeed! Yesterday I watched Joanna Lumley’s Nile and I think she is my new favourite now. She is so gentle and refined, every little thing amazes her and she goes to a new place with a childlike wonder. She slept rough and all smile, at one time waded through the Nubian desert’s river which is most famous for its 4 – 6 metres Nubian supercroc! Truly amazing woman! 🙂
Posted by JoV | March 15, 2011, 7:59 pm