Or so it feels! But first, a couple of quick notes. If you haven’t seen the book drive Amy and Lenore are having for Nothing But Ghosts by Beth Kephart, go check it out. This is a fantastic way to show our support for authors while having a chance to win some prizes. The book is only $12.23 on Amazon!
Secondly, I wanted to show off my progress in my new quest to read my oldest books while also getting through my library books and review copies. I started two weeks ago, and here’s how the pile looked then:
Today, this is how it looks:
I’m a little absurdly pleased with myself! I’m still trying to read my older review copies as well. I’m going home in 2 weeks and will have an avalanche of them to read very quickly, so I have to get these out of the way first. Stone’s Fall has been on the top for a while now because I’m still trying to read 30 books in June. So I’ve pretty much abandoned the pile this week because I actually fell behind and had to try to read 4 books in 2 days. I managed it, but only because I got an order of mainly YA books that I could race through. I have 2 1/2 books to go, but after that I’m going to go right for all of these chunksters.
Right now I’m reading Possession by A.S. Byatt. Jennifer at The Literate Housewife and I are reading and reviewing this together, about which I’m very excited, so I’m attempting to go a little more slowly and actually think more about what I’m reading. It’s not hard with this book, though, because I feel like it was written just for me. Obviously, it wasn’t, as I was probably not even born when Byatt came up with the idea and I was four years old when it won the Booker Prize. I’ve only read 100 pages but already it’s tapping deep into so many things I love. I don’t talk about it much on this blog, but if I’d chosen literature rather than history I’d have gone straight for 19th century British authors. There is something about this century in England that entrances me. To make it even better, the book in the modern day is about two academics researching the lives of two (fictional) 19th century British poets and their possession of their biographical subjects. I’m writing my own essentially biographical study and could completely see myself remaining in this vein in academics should I choose to continue. It’s amazing how you form a bond with people long dead, becoming fond of them despite their faults and feeling that you know them, only to discover someone else probably feels exactly the same way as you with a slightly different opinion that makes you angry. It’s so fascinating. Of course the book is a romance as well, and although I haven’t gotten to that part yet, I can already see who the players are. As I said, it’s like the book was written with me in mind! I adore it already and I can’t wait to read more later on.
Have you ever felt like a book was written just for you?
I’m definitely moving Possession up in the TBR pile. I keep hearing such good things.
Chris@bookarama’s last blog post..My Lord John by Georgette Heyer: Review
Isn’t it a wonderful feeling when you find a book that is such a perfect fit? Of course, I’m always let down when I’m through with the book then.
Kathy’s last blog post..The State of Mt. TBR
Great you liked the book. A S Byatt is a great writer!
TSS: A World I never Made
gautami tripathy’s last blog post..TSS: The World I Never Made by James Lepore
I pretty much feel like all of A.S. Byatt’s books were written just for me. Possession is one of my favorite books. Check out the movie too. It is flawed but fun especially if you are in love with the book.
Today I am reading Infinite Jest by David Foster Wallace. Happy reading!
I don’t think I’ve read anything by A.S. Byatt. Sounds like I may have to remedy that.
Beth F’s last blog post..The Importance of Buying Books
My awe about all of this and all of you continues to overwhelm.
Soon I will cry.
Thank you.
Beth Kephart’s last blog post..This is Me (and the books I should be reading)
I’ve got Shadow of Colossus on my ARC-alanche pile, hopefully I’ll get to it sometime this year.
The Kool-Aid Mom’s last blog post..Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen
POSSESSION is wonderful! I’ve got to admit, I wasn’t too thrilled with the faux-19th century poetry Byatt included, but I loved the story and the academic focus.
I just read a book that gave me the exact same feeling: CARTER BEATS THE DEVIL by Glen David Gold. It was like the author took a wide selection of my favourite things and blended them together. I adored it.
Memory’s last blog post..The Sunday Salon: Literacy, pt. 2
I love those perfect fit books! I read one of those recently.
Good luck with your reading goals! I’m surrounded by my immediate TBR piles right now and wondering if I will be able to get to them all this year. LOL Have a great week, Meghan!
Literary Feline’s last blog post..Sunday Salon: A Reading Retrospective, June 2004
I can’t think of any specific books right now that were “perfect fit” for me, but I do know there have been a few.
Yvonne’s last blog post..Sunday Salon – De-Stressing with Chick Lit!
You’ve done great with your pile of books! I should probably challenge myself in a similar way, I tend to go for the smaller, lighter books first and the chunksters stay in the pile :/
Kay’s last blog post..Sunday Salon : Some Whining and Some Books
I don’t think I’ve ever read a book I felt was written just for me. What an interesting question, though!
Amy @ My Friend Amy’s last blog post..Review: The Body of Christopher Creed by Carol Plum-Ucci
Oooo Possession is one of my all-time favorite books. I think I’ve read it three times in the last six years. Come to think of it, I think I’m due for a reread! I am so glad you are enjoying it!
Heather’s last blog post..Sunday Coveting
That is really cool! I have felt like a book was written just for me before (although I can’t think of a specific example at the moment).
I tried reading this book when I was in high school, but I didn’t finish it. It was just so… dense. Also, I didn’t get the obsession the academics had with dead people. At the time I remember thinking that academics sounded like the worst field evar to go into (how’s that for irony? -_~).
I have thought about trying to read it again, though, because now I do understand the whole excitement over those letters and how you start to feel like you know a historical figure after you’ve studied them a lot.
heidenkind’s last blog post..Sunday Salon-Weregin Edition
Now that I’m thinking about it, I realize that I’m lucky to have found several books that I felt were written just for me: Of Mice and Men; Stones from the River; What’s Eating Gilbert Grape; East of Eden, and more. Happy reading.
Vasilly’s last blog post..Sunday Salon
Your post makes me REALLY want to pick up Possession. I absolutely adore the movie, which I feel like was filmed just for me! Can’t imagine how much better the book is!
S. Krishna’s last blog post..The Devlin Diary – Christi Phillips
I love that feeling. I can’t remember the last time I had it, actually, but it’s lovely. Can’t wait to hear your final thoughts on Possession. Your recent tweets really made me want to re-read it!
Nymeth’s last blog post..Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine
I can really see why you think this book was written just for you, Meghan. I’m trying to get through it. Really, I am.
I should be ready for a discussion at the half-way point tomorrow or Wednesday, but I wouldn’t be shocked if you’ve zoomed on without me by this point. LOL!
Literate Housewife’s last blog post..#178 ~ First Comes Love, Then Comes Malaria