I've read only one of these (Indians), but many more are in queue. Which points to one of my approaches: scour lists like yours. I also find a lot by falling down rabbit holes on Amazon. Then I have a must-read list of authors including Charles de Lint, Kim Stanley Robinson, John Irving, and newer additions like Sylvain Neuvel and Neal Stephenson.
Currently underway; Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel, KSR's Ministry of the Future (which is a bit of a slog at the end), and Stephenson's Snow Crash audio.
Most memorable last year were books one and two of the Dandelion Dynasty. Book three cannot come soon enough.
Station Eleven is a wonderful read — I really enjoyed that one. I'm reading Ministry For the Future, and I'm enjoying it, but I am also listening to it on audio, which is working well for me. Lots of interesting ideas in there.
I just finished reading Ulysses S. Grant’s memoirs. (Being a student of US history, I feel a bit ashamed not ever having reading it before.) I found it difficult to follow at times but got better towards the latter part of the writing. It could be because it was more about battles and names that were familiar or that I was just more into it by that point?
I am currently reading a Star Wars novel titled Labyrinth of Evil by J. Luceno and I am enjoying it so far mainly due to the reoccurrence of beloved characters and references that I have grown to know so well! Still entertaining but only quarter through it.
I have preordered the new Star Wars High Republic novel and will dig into that when it is released or shortly thereafter.
I really do want to do more reading this year and I believe I will as all of my projects I have been needing to get done were completed in 2020! How I will see this done I am unsure of as I really need to focus and I often have a hard time doing that with many projects in the fire and my brain not stopping to take a break!
I want to say that my dad read Grant's memoirs. I got my MA in Military History and didn't read them, but don't really feel that bad about not doing so.
I remember picking up Labyrinth of Evil way back in the day. Luceno has had a good share of Star Wars books, and IIRC, it's one of his better stories. If you haven't, check out Matthew Stover's Revenge of the Sith novelization, which is probably one of the best books out there. (All of his Star Wars novels are fantastic.) I've got High Republic, and I'm planning on starting that at some point today (whenever I can find my copy.)
That's great. I'm excited to read your thoughts. If you don't mind me asking, what's the companion book? I'm curious because I'm working on a journal paper right now on Anthropocene fiction and literary realism, and I was planning to use Ministry of the Future along with James Powell's The 2084 Report.
For at least the beginning of 2021, I'll be picking novels that I expect to be fun, probably mostly science fiction and fantasy. Later in the year, I may get more ambitious. Currently I'm re-reading C. J. Cherryh's Chanur series. Books high up on the to-read list include Becky Chambers's "Record of a Spaceborn Few," Michael Mammay's "Colonyside," T. Frohock's "A Song With Teeth," and Martha Wells's "Fugitive Telemetry."
I'll also be reading some non-fiction, starting with astronomy books. Plus I routinely read short stories and poetry.
I think a lot of people underestimate the need for a book to be "fun". I've certainly read no shortage of important books that are, well, brilliant, but which are really dreary to read. Especially now, as things feel so grim. I've got a couple of books on my to-read list right now that I'm reading because they're just enjoyable, and I've got a bunch of others that I've got that I want to read that I want to read because of that.
Becky Chambers' books are fantastic and a good book for now. I have Wells' on my to-read later this spring!
Series. Large fantasy. I've missed out on that in my reading for the past few years. So far this year, I've read the Temeraire series (Naomi Novik), the Shadows of the Apt series (Adrian Tchaikovsky).
Happy new year Andrew.
I've read only one of these (Indians), but many more are in queue. Which points to one of my approaches: scour lists like yours. I also find a lot by falling down rabbit holes on Amazon. Then I have a must-read list of authors including Charles de Lint, Kim Stanley Robinson, John Irving, and newer additions like Sylvain Neuvel and Neal Stephenson.
Currently underway; Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel, KSR's Ministry of the Future (which is a bit of a slog at the end), and Stephenson's Snow Crash audio.
Most memorable last year were books one and two of the Dandelion Dynasty. Book three cannot come soon enough.
Station Eleven is a wonderful read — I really enjoyed that one. I'm reading Ministry For the Future, and I'm enjoying it, but I am also listening to it on audio, which is working well for me. Lots of interesting ideas in there.
Hi and Happy New Year.
I just finished reading Ulysses S. Grant’s memoirs. (Being a student of US history, I feel a bit ashamed not ever having reading it before.) I found it difficult to follow at times but got better towards the latter part of the writing. It could be because it was more about battles and names that were familiar or that I was just more into it by that point?
I am currently reading a Star Wars novel titled Labyrinth of Evil by J. Luceno and I am enjoying it so far mainly due to the reoccurrence of beloved characters and references that I have grown to know so well! Still entertaining but only quarter through it.
I have preordered the new Star Wars High Republic novel and will dig into that when it is released or shortly thereafter.
I really do want to do more reading this year and I believe I will as all of my projects I have been needing to get done were completed in 2020! How I will see this done I am unsure of as I really need to focus and I often have a hard time doing that with many projects in the fire and my brain not stopping to take a break!
Happy reading?!
I want to say that my dad read Grant's memoirs. I got my MA in Military History and didn't read them, but don't really feel that bad about not doing so.
I remember picking up Labyrinth of Evil way back in the day. Luceno has had a good share of Star Wars books, and IIRC, it's one of his better stories. If you haven't, check out Matthew Stover's Revenge of the Sith novelization, which is probably one of the best books out there. (All of his Star Wars novels are fantastic.) I've got High Republic, and I'm planning on starting that at some point today (whenever I can find my copy.)
Question for you: Did you end up finishing KSR's Ministry for the Future? And if so, thoughts?
I did, and yes! My plan is to have some thoughts out soonish. (Need to read another book for that piece).
That's great. I'm excited to read your thoughts. If you don't mind me asking, what's the companion book? I'm curious because I'm working on a journal paper right now on Anthropocene fiction and literary realism, and I was planning to use Ministry of the Future along with James Powell's The 2084 Report.
Thank you for sharing the books you read in 2020!
For at least the beginning of 2021, I'll be picking novels that I expect to be fun, probably mostly science fiction and fantasy. Later in the year, I may get more ambitious. Currently I'm re-reading C. J. Cherryh's Chanur series. Books high up on the to-read list include Becky Chambers's "Record of a Spaceborn Few," Michael Mammay's "Colonyside," T. Frohock's "A Song With Teeth," and Martha Wells's "Fugitive Telemetry."
I'll also be reading some non-fiction, starting with astronomy books. Plus I routinely read short stories and poetry.
I think a lot of people underestimate the need for a book to be "fun". I've certainly read no shortage of important books that are, well, brilliant, but which are really dreary to read. Especially now, as things feel so grim. I've got a couple of books on my to-read list right now that I'm reading because they're just enjoyable, and I've got a bunch of others that I've got that I want to read that I want to read because of that.
Becky Chambers' books are fantastic and a good book for now. I have Wells' on my to-read later this spring!
Series. Large fantasy. I've missed out on that in my reading for the past few years. So far this year, I've read the Temeraire series (Naomi Novik), the Shadows of the Apt series (Adrian Tchaikovsky).