Amysue's Read-o-rama

I've read more books.

Two more.  Which makes that umm.........57 books, maybe 58.  I seem to be losing steam on the whole counting thing since I made my goal of 52.

Bad book blogger!

A few more.

Yellow 4 (yum), yaoi manga heaven.

The Value of X, by Poppy Brite.  The story of the beginning of Ricky and G-man's relationship.  Soul Kitchen is out today!

Dead in the Sand, Paul Craig

I know there's another book in there but I think that brings me to 55.  Oh yeah, another manga: Fake 1.

52!!!

Well, I wish I could tell you that book 52 of 2006 was some high lit masterpiece or a well crafted gem of a novel.  Or perhaps a historical tome of great import.  Nope.  52 was pure indulgence.  Manga.  And folks I don't read just any manga-I read Yaoi.  This latest was Yellow 3 by Makoto Takeno .  They're fun and frivolous and totally without any higher purpose.  I wouldn't have my manga any other way.

50 & 51

Crusader's Cross., James Lee Burke

Louisiania.

Det. David Robicheaux.

Bayous.

Clete Purcel.

Still loving this series.

(and 51 is Frommer's 2006 Guide to Alaskan Cruising)

Prime

Book 49.  By Poppy Z.Brite.  Another New Orleans chef book.  Great just like the previous one.

47 and 48.

Still reading.

Laurell Hamilton has a new Anita Blake novel out, Danse Macabre.  Look, I enjoyed it and all and certainly read it in a hurry but let's be honest, these books no longer have any plots to speak of.  They're all about Anita having sex with as many werecritters, vamps and other stunningly handsome males as she can.  I don't think she spent 10 minutes fully dressed in this novel.  Not that that's a bad thing...

I also read Poppy Z. Brite's novel, Liquor.   This had come highly recommended by Theresa on the Making Light blog she and her husband keep.  It was worth the endorsement, it's a kick ass novel of the food business in New Orleans, it nails kitchen life and is also just sweet.  I couldn't put it down and loved every word.

I don't include books I don't finish in this blog and there have been a few lately.  Sometimes this is because the book really is horrendous, but sometimes I'm just not in the right place to read it.  I'm lucky that there's been so much great stuff out there this summer.

Fun Home!

How did I forget to mention reading this beautiful graphic memoir (by Alison Bechdel) last week.  It's one of the most honest looks at one's family that I've read in a long time.  And yes, this family has flaws, not least of which is her father's closeted existence and it's complicity in his seeming inability to connect with members of his own family.  And yet..the last panel of this memoir brought tears to my eyes, it is such an embodiment of love.

Book 46.

44 and 45.

12 Sharp, the new Stephanie Plum from Janet Evanavich (and I have to say I wish Steph would just sleep with Ranger and do us all a favor!) is out, read and passed on to it's next reader (Hi Ellen!) already.  It was definitely a "jump to the head of the line" book (and a quick read).

I also had a chance to savor yet another Charles de Lint novel, Medicine Road, which takes place in the Southwest and was lovely.  I enjoy his novels that introduce us to Native culture and the spirits that have been around always and forever.  As always it calms and quiets me to read one of his novels.  This one is quite short and very contained but lovely none the less.

de Lint wrote a poem that tells the central tale that triggers the events in the novel:

Red Dog chasing, Jackalope
out in the badlands, that's the way it can go
driven by hunger, looking for something
deep in the desert, deep in the soul

medicine wheel, dreams in the moonlight
from each direction, the four winds blow
Coyote Woman, she has a vision
sets them to travel, on the Medicine Road

they're on the Medicine Road, out in the desert
thunder is talking, rumbling low
bound by a promise, laid upon them
to help each other, on the Medicine Road

in the flight of the hawk, there is a mystery
in the sound of a flute, hear a raven's cry
in the beat of a drum, there is a heartbeat
in the eyes of a lover, is a medicine sky

smoke is rising, sage and sweetgrass
smoke is rising, like an eagle's flight
smoke is rising, tobacco burning
smoke is rising, from a medicine pipe

brothers and sisters, are guided by spirits
some follow the Ghost Dance, some the buffalo
los peyoteros, are guided by Mescal
Coyote's children, take the Medicine Road

they're on the Medicine Road, out in the desert
thunder is talking, rumbling low
bound by a promise, laid upon them
to help each other, on the Medicine Road

Charles de Lint
Ottawa, May 5, 2002

43.

The Last Witchfinder by James Morrow.  The review I linked to is not wrong.  This is a superbly written novel, just beautiful.  I was riveted and charmed by it and yet...I didn't develop much of an interest in any of the characters.  What I mean is that I simply didn't like them much.  A failing on my part I'm sure and I hate mentioning it because this really is an amazing novel.

The theme of state sanctioned intolerance and self righteousness that runs through it is frighteningly with us today.  This book was worth every moment I spent with it and deserves every accolade it has received-I just couldn't get into the actual characters a great deal.

Megillat Esther:Book 42

OK, This graphic novelization of the Megillat Esther, by Waldman is amazing and trippy and if you want to blow away yourchildhood Hebrew School image of the Purim story go pick it up and read it.  We're only talking $18 bucks here and it's worth every penny!