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December has flown by. So many things to do, both at home and at work. No time for reading, sadly.
Books
The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making by Catherynne M. Valente - lovely.
The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss (reread)
I'm almost almost through "The Wise Man's Fear", which explains why it looks like I've done almost no reading this month. The two Rothfuss novels alone are 1000 pages each, and weigh as much as a toddler. So really, I can't feel so bad... right?
Movies
Paragraph 175 (2000) - fascinating documentary on the persecution and imprisonment of gay men in concentration camps during World War II, put together by one of the lead researchers of the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum.
Cirque du Soleil: Worlds Away - visually stunning, but long.
I also got through about half of "Soldier" with Kurt Russell, but then I had to leave, so it doesn't really count.
2012 RECAP
I did pretty good, actually: 81 books read in total, 3 of which were in French, 12 of which were non-fiction. Very respectable, considering all the crazy things that I've gone through this year as well.
Picking my favorite books of the year is always difficult, but here they are, in no order:
* Deathless by Catherynne M. Valente
The yearly list is never complete without at least one Valente book on it. Deathless had more of a story than usual for Valente's novels, which was nice, while still retaining her trademark storybook style. There were myths and ravens and Russian folklore of all types, and Death was tender and cruel all at once. The Russian Revolution made itself felt in a visceral fashion and the characters had one foot in the real world while the rest of them was transported elsewhere, as always.
* Ashes of Honor by Seanan Mcguire
This series just keeps getting better. It is grim and harsh, but lovely and interesting all at once. I eagerly await the next volume every time, hoping against hope that it will live up the standards of the previous ones, and somehow, it always does.
* The Complete Maus by Art Spiegelman
For some reason, this book was far more affecting than any number of other Holocaust memoirs I've read over the last year. The story was human and affecting and interesting (and, of course, terrible), but it was the drawings that made it so deeply moving. The fact that it's told by the child of a survivor, about his own experiences with his father, as well as his father's experiences, makes it doubly poignant. It's about the Holocaust and survival, yes, but it's also about what comes after: aging, dealing with family who has survived, and how to make sense of it all.
* War & Genocide by Doris L. Bergen
This was the book that was recommended to me before I started my internship at the museum last year. It remains the best book I've found on the subject of the Holocaust. It is clear, concise, unbiased, and informative. I've gone back to it again and again, for tidbits of information and for quotations. I attended a conference a few months ago by the author; she is just as well-spoken and interesting in person, managing to make the subject matter immersive and approachable.
* The Wise Man's Fear by Patrick Rothfuss
I'm cheating a little by adding this to the list, since I haven't technically finished the book yet. But I'm over 2/3 done, and it's made up almost all of my December reading, so I say it counts, especially when taken as a whole with The Name of the Wind. Rothfuss' storytelling is comprehensive and complete, with each little detail filled in, each character rounded out, each flaw exposed as carefully as the strengths. Emotions run rampant, characters make mistakes, and suspense builds. The cuts between past and present are brilliantly executed, giving the reader a break and chopping the narrative into more manageable chunks; they always seem to appear when the attention starts to wane. And the small glimpses into the future we see in the present are tantalizing and serve to push the reader forward. Masterful.
And the highlights in movies are:
* Midnight in Paris
A quirky, fun run around Paris in both the modern day and the 1920s, one of my favorite time periods. A movie about taking chances and embracing the mystery of the world, of new places, new people, new experiences. I found it thoroughly enchanting.
* Arjun: the Warrior Prince
A fascinating look at the myths of India. Richly animated, beautifully laid out and produced, with Bollywood-style music and interesting plot twists. I'd love to see more like this.
* The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel
Another travel-type movie, featuring the marvelous Maggie Smith and Judi Dench. This one took me completely by surprise, with the rich landscape and culture, the beautiful scenery, and the charming characters. The culture clash was enlightening, the personalities real and properly flawed, and the ending perfect.
* Cloud Atlas
"Meeting again and again in different lives, different ages." While the plot of the movie is a little dull and definitely predictable, the imagery, characters and endlessly changing settings are marvelous. The soundtrack is possibly the best thing about the movie, which is saying something.
Books
The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making by Catherynne M. Valente - lovely.
The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss (reread)
I'm almost almost through "The Wise Man's Fear", which explains why it looks like I've done almost no reading this month. The two Rothfuss novels alone are 1000 pages each, and weigh as much as a toddler. So really, I can't feel so bad... right?
Movies
Paragraph 175 (2000) - fascinating documentary on the persecution and imprisonment of gay men in concentration camps during World War II, put together by one of the lead researchers of the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum.
Cirque du Soleil: Worlds Away - visually stunning, but long.
I also got through about half of "Soldier" with Kurt Russell, but then I had to leave, so it doesn't really count.
2012 RECAP
I did pretty good, actually: 81 books read in total, 3 of which were in French, 12 of which were non-fiction. Very respectable, considering all the crazy things that I've gone through this year as well.
Picking my favorite books of the year is always difficult, but here they are, in no order:
* Deathless by Catherynne M. Valente
The yearly list is never complete without at least one Valente book on it. Deathless had more of a story than usual for Valente's novels, which was nice, while still retaining her trademark storybook style. There were myths and ravens and Russian folklore of all types, and Death was tender and cruel all at once. The Russian Revolution made itself felt in a visceral fashion and the characters had one foot in the real world while the rest of them was transported elsewhere, as always.
* Ashes of Honor by Seanan Mcguire
This series just keeps getting better. It is grim and harsh, but lovely and interesting all at once. I eagerly await the next volume every time, hoping against hope that it will live up the standards of the previous ones, and somehow, it always does.
* The Complete Maus by Art Spiegelman
For some reason, this book was far more affecting than any number of other Holocaust memoirs I've read over the last year. The story was human and affecting and interesting (and, of course, terrible), but it was the drawings that made it so deeply moving. The fact that it's told by the child of a survivor, about his own experiences with his father, as well as his father's experiences, makes it doubly poignant. It's about the Holocaust and survival, yes, but it's also about what comes after: aging, dealing with family who has survived, and how to make sense of it all.
* War & Genocide by Doris L. Bergen
This was the book that was recommended to me before I started my internship at the museum last year. It remains the best book I've found on the subject of the Holocaust. It is clear, concise, unbiased, and informative. I've gone back to it again and again, for tidbits of information and for quotations. I attended a conference a few months ago by the author; she is just as well-spoken and interesting in person, managing to make the subject matter immersive and approachable.
* The Wise Man's Fear by Patrick Rothfuss
I'm cheating a little by adding this to the list, since I haven't technically finished the book yet. But I'm over 2/3 done, and it's made up almost all of my December reading, so I say it counts, especially when taken as a whole with The Name of the Wind. Rothfuss' storytelling is comprehensive and complete, with each little detail filled in, each character rounded out, each flaw exposed as carefully as the strengths. Emotions run rampant, characters make mistakes, and suspense builds. The cuts between past and present are brilliantly executed, giving the reader a break and chopping the narrative into more manageable chunks; they always seem to appear when the attention starts to wane. And the small glimpses into the future we see in the present are tantalizing and serve to push the reader forward. Masterful.
And the highlights in movies are:
* Midnight in Paris
A quirky, fun run around Paris in both the modern day and the 1920s, one of my favorite time periods. A movie about taking chances and embracing the mystery of the world, of new places, new people, new experiences. I found it thoroughly enchanting.
* Arjun: the Warrior Prince
A fascinating look at the myths of India. Richly animated, beautifully laid out and produced, with Bollywood-style music and interesting plot twists. I'd love to see more like this.
* The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel
Another travel-type movie, featuring the marvelous Maggie Smith and Judi Dench. This one took me completely by surprise, with the rich landscape and culture, the beautiful scenery, and the charming characters. The culture clash was enlightening, the personalities real and properly flawed, and the ending perfect.
* Cloud Atlas
"Meeting again and again in different lives, different ages." While the plot of the movie is a little dull and definitely predictable, the imagery, characters and endlessly changing settings are marvelous. The soundtrack is possibly the best thing about the movie, which is saying something.
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Date: 2012-12-30 07:47 pm (UTC)From: