Two of these books are about reading. One is about watching tv. One's about killing people. Actually two are about killing people. But that still only adds up to four books total.

.

123) His Right Hand by Mette Ivie Harrison, finished December 21

I haven't written about this yet (Christmas! busy!) but when I do, it'll be here.)

coupla weeks



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122) I Was a Child by Bruce Eric Kaplan, finished December 18

For most of the pages of this book, I couldn't decide if it was good or not. But I kept reading because it was made of bite-size pieces and littered with pictures so it was the perfect book for small moments.

In the end, I figured out what it was about. And now I like it. It was good.

Here's what this New Yorker cartoonist / tv writer's memoir of childhood is about:

It's about the impossibility of forgiving our parents. Not that we don't love them. Not that we can't empathize them. Not that we don't recognize that they did their best. Not that we've recognized it's unfair and unkind and unjust to wish they had done more or better or simply different. Just that parent-child relationships are fraught and lead inexorably to damage and love them or understand them or become them as we may, we never quite fully forgive them. And this is the damage we carry. And, I see looking down at the next generation, pass on.

For I too am damaging my children in ways they will never quite be able to forgive, not fully, not in this life, no matter how much we love each other or how good our relationship as adults turns out to be. The damage is too broad and too deep to ever uncover and release it all. Not in this life. Not in this life.

a week



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121) The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova, finished December 18

I have (had) a lot I want(ed) to say about this book, but I'm fighting a cold and I'm not sure I'm capable of piecing together anything intelligible. So here are some disjointed thoughts.

I've been wanting to read this book since it came out ten years ago. I've had a (huge) hardback since that time. So huge that I would always read a page or so and put it back on the shelf. So when I picked up a free paperback copy earlier this year, I knew what my Halloween book would be. (I'd already started 'Salem's Lot, so that needed to be finished first, but it was done before Halloween). I've been reading it as I walk to and from school since. Plus a little but more here and there, but mostly on my commute. Took a couple months, but I finished it.

I like how the intro is dated three years after the book came out, leaving room for things to become real as they progress. (I also write things in the near future. Byuck takes place in 2000. Of course, by the time I finished writing it, that wasn't the future anymore. Just Julie's Fine takes place in the future year of 2005. Ask me how that's going.)

The first section of the book weaves past and present with great efficacy. But once the past changes from stories being told vocally to stories being told through documents, it's a bit less smooth.

Still: it's a much better book than Dracula.

The characters are well formed. I grew quite fond of many of them, though, with one notable exception, she only kills characters we barely know.

The title obviously has layers, but one final layer added at the end makes for a nice little twist.

The book feels insanely real. If this is not impeccably researched then it is the dirtiest of literary lies.

Um.

>koff<
>koff<

I feel bad. I spent so much time with this book and I wish I could think of more and better to say.

two months plus or minus a couple days



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120) Why I Read: The Serious Pleasure of Books by Wendy Lesser, finished December 16

I'll admit I skimmed parts of the first few chapters. I wasn't sold on Lesser's bonafides as someone *I* was willing to let lead me through reading, and she kept talking about books I had not read---and sometimes had not heard of.

But as I kept reading, I bought more and more into her ethos and I began to care about even some of the books I'd never heard of. Almost, in fact, she has sold me on the virtues of rereading---something I'm theoretically in favor of but from which mortality has scared me off.

The book's chapter's focus on various "reasons" to read---or, perhaps, various gifts books bestow (or hide away for the those who would discover): novelty, authority, grandeur and intimacy...). Each chapter builds on the last, It's like a How to Read...http://thmazing.blogspot.com/2011/12/s.html#lit for grownups.

Lesser was a good companion, even if she didn't speak much of our common read-list.

I enjoyed spending time with her. And I've noted a few of her recommendations.

about three weeks





Previously in 2015 . . . . :


Book one hundred twenty-fourth to one hundred twenty-fifth

125) Beautiful Darkness by Fabien Vehlmann and Kerascoët, finished December 23
124) Miss Don't Touch Me, Vol. 2 by Hubert and Kerascoët, finished December 23

Book one hundred-twentieth to one hundred twenty-third

123) His Right Hand by Mette Ivie Harrison, finished December 21
122) I Was a Child by Bruce Eric Kaplan, finished December 18
121) The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova, finished December 18
120) Why I Read: The Serious Pleasure of Books by Wendy Lesser, finished December 16

Book one hundred-sixteenth to one hundred-nineteenth

119) This Is Portland: the city you've heard you should like by Alexander Barrett, finished December 10
118) Out on the Wire: The Storytelling Secrets of the New Masters of Radio by Jessica Able, finished December 9
117) Miss Don't Touch Me by Hubert & Kerascoet, finished December 8
116) Kids Say the Darndest Things! by Art Linkletter, finished November 29

Book one hundred-eleventh to one hundred-fifteenth

115) Men, Women & Dogs by James Thurber, finished November 21
114) Bunnicula Meets Edgar Allen Crow by James How, finished November 21
113) Oh The Moon by Charlyne Yi, finished November 15
112) Beauty by Hubert and Kerascoët, finished November 14
111) "E" Is for Evidence by Sue Grafton, finished November 13

Book one hundred-seventh to one hundred-tenth

110) The Complete Peanuts: 1993 to 1994 by Charles M. Schulz, finished November 10
109) Ball Peen Hammer by Adam Rapp and George O'Connor, finished November 7
108) Magic Trixie Sleeps Over by Jill Thompson, finished November 6
107) "D" Is for Deadbeat by Sue Grafton, finished November 5

Book one hundred-second to one hundred-sixth

106) The Secret of the Stone Frog by David Nytra, finished October 18
105) The Heart Goes Last by Margaret Atwood, finished October 27
104) Magic Trixie by Jill Thompson, finished October 18
103) Binky Under Pressure by Ashley Spires, finished October 17
102) Humor, Horror, and the Supernatural by Saki, finished October 15

Book ninety-eighth to one hundred-first

101) 'Salem's Lot by Stephen King, finished October 14
100) Warren the 13th and the All-Seeing Eye by Tania del Rio and Will Staehle, finished October 5
099) Wonderland by Tommy Kovac and Sonny Liew, finished September 29
098) Johnny Cash — I See a Darkness by Reinhard Kleist, finished September 26

Book ninety-seventh

097) Go Set a Watchman by Harper Lee, finished finished September 24

Books ninety-third through ninety-sixth

096) North 40 (volume one) by Aaron Williams and Fiona Staples, finished September 23
094) Fuzzy Mud by Louis Sachar, finished September 17
093) Castle Waiting Volume 2 by Linda Medley, finished September 15

Books ninetieth through ninety-second

092) Wesley the Owl: The Remarkable Love Story of an Owl and His Girl by Stacey O'Brien, finished September 5
091) The Wallcreeper by Nell Zink, finished September 5
090) The Animal Family by Randall Harrell, finished September 4

Books eighty-seventh through eighty-ninth

089) Zenith: Phase 1 by Grant Morrison and Steve Yeowell, finished September 4
088) The Last Dragon by Jane Yolen and Rebecca Guay, finished September 1
087) Anthem by Ayn Rand, finished September 2

Books eighty-second through eighty-sixth

086) A Wolf at the Door and Other Retold Fairy Tales edited by , Ellen Datlow and Terri Windling, finished August 31
085) Castle Waiting by Linda Medley, finished August 30
084) An Amorous Discourse in the Suburbs of Hell by Deborah Levy, finished August 30
083) Women at Church: Magnifying LDS Women's Local Impact by Neylan McBaine, finished August 30
082) The League of Outsider Baseball: An Illustrated History of Baseball's Forgotten Heroes by Gary Cieradkowski, finished August 25

Books seventy-fourth through seventy-seventh

081) Saint Cole by Noah Van Sciver, finished August 20
080) That A Guise, John? by Brace Pannier, finished August 19
079) A Blink of the Screen by Terry Pratchett, finished DATE
078) Revival Volume Four: Escape to Wisconsin by Tim Seely and Mike Norton, finished August 16

Books seventy-fourth through seventy-seventh

077) Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine, finished August 15
076) Happy Birthday, Wanda June by Kurt Vonnegut, finished August 6
075) The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain, finished August 4
074) The Erotic Spirit: An Anthology of Poems of Sensuality, Love, and Longing edited by Sam Hamill, finished July 28

Books seventieth through seventy-third

073) Dial H: Exchange by China Miéville et al, finished July 27
072) Sir Charlie: Chaplin, the Funniest Man in the World by Sid Fleischman, finished July 24
071) "C" is for Corpse by Sue Grafton, finished July 22
070) Isle of 100,000 Graves by Fabien Vehlmann and Jason, finished July 19

Books fifty-ninth through sixty-ninth

069) Guards! Guards! by Terry Pratchett, finished July 17
068) Dial H: Into You by China Miéville et al, finished July 15
067) Benny Breakiron: The Red Taxis by Peyo, finished July 15
066) Bossypants by Tina Fey, finished July 14
065) Liberating Form: Mormon Essays on Religion and Literature by Marden J. Clark, finished July 12
064) The Rise of Aurora West by Paul Pope and J. T. Petty and David Rubín, finished July 12
063) Battling Boy by Paul Pope, finished July 11
062) The Last Days of Video by Jeremy Hawkins, finished July 6
061) Arabel's Raven by Joan Aiken, finished July 3
060) Templar by Jordan Mechner and Alex Puvilland and LeUyen Pham, finished July 2
059) Heaven Knows Why! by Samuel W. Taylor, finished June 26

Books fifty-sixth through fifty-eighth

058) Itself by Rae Armantrout, finished June 21
057) Western Wind: An Introduction to Poetry by John Frederick Nims and David Mason, finished June 19
056) Matilda by Roald Dahl, finished June 15

Books fifty-second through fifty-fifth

055) Bad Houses by Sara Ryan and Carla Speed McNeil, finished June 14
054) Star Wars Underworld: The Yavin Vassilika by Mike Kennedy and Carlos Meglia and whoever, finished June 12
053) Batman Vol. 5: Zero Year - Dark City by by Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo (et al), finished June 11
052) Deadpool's Art of War by Peter David and Scott Koblish, finished June 10

Books forty-sixth through fifty-first

051) Men of Wrath by Jason Aaron and Ron Garney, finished June 10
050) X-Men: No More Humans by Mike Carey & Salvador Larroca & al., finished June 9
049) Alex + Ada by Jonathan Luna and Sarah Vaughn, finished June 9
048) Miracleman Book 2: The Red King Syndrome by Alan Moore (not credited by name) and a bunch of other people, finished June 6
047) Coffin Hill: Dark Endeavors by Caitlin Kittredge and Inaki Miranda, finished June 6
046) Coffin Hill: Forest of the Night by Caitlin Kittredge and Inaki Miranda, finished June 4

Books forty-second through forty-fifth

045) Castle Waiting: The Lucky Road by Linda Medley, finished at midnight so either June 2 or 3
044) The Strange Library by Haruki Murakami and translated by Ted Goossen, finished June 2
043) The Round House by Louise Erdich, finished June 1
042) Best American Comics 2014 edited by Scott McCloud, finished May 31

Books thirty-seventh through forty-first

041) The Brothers K by David James Duncan, finished May 18
040) Auntie Mame by Patrick Dennis, finished May 18
039) Skandalon by Julie Maron, finished May 1
038) The Final Story by Jeff Shaara, finished April 29
037) Shutter Volume 1: Wanderlost by Joe Keatinge and Leila Del Duca et al, finished April 29

Books thirty-second through thirty-sixth

036) The Motherless Oven by Rob Davis, finished April 27
035) Zero Volume 1: An Emergency by Ales Kot et al, finished April 22
034) Deadly Class Volume 1: Reagan Youth by Rick Remender, finished April 19
033) Animal Man Vol. 4: Splinter Species by Jeff Lemire et al, finished April 17
032) Swamp Thing Vol. 4: Seeder by Charles Soule et al, finished April 15

Books twenty-eighth through thirty-first

031) Small Gods by Terry Pratchett, finished April 6
030) The Frangipani Hotel by Violet Kupersmith, finished April 2
029) The Adventures of Rabbi Harvey: A Graphic Novel of Jewish Wisdom and Wit in the Wild West by Steve Sheinkin, finished March 29
028) Vivian Maier: Self-Portraits edited by John Maloof, finished March 23

Books twenty-sixth through twenty-seventh

027) Passing by Nella Larsen, finished March 18
026) Hangsaman by Shirley Jackson, finished March 17

Books twenty-second through twenty-fifth

025) Ghost World by Daniel Clowes and Terry Zwigoff, finished March 16
024) Hawkeye: L.A. Woman by Matt Fraction and some very talented artists, finished March 15
023) Hawkeye: Little Hits by Matt Fraction and a large number of artists, finished March 14
022) Hawkeye: My Life as a Weapon by Matt Fraction and David Aja and Javier Pulido, finished March 12

Books twentienth through twenty-first

021) Does Santa Exist?: A Philosophical Investigation by Eric Kaplan, finished March 11
020) Babymouse #8: Puppy Love by Jennifer L. Holm and Matthew Holm, finished March 11

Books sixteenth through ninteenth

019) The Book of Mormon, finished March 3
018) Cow Boy: A Boy and His Horse by Nate Cosby and Chris Eliopoulos, finished March 1
017) Wolf in White Van by John Darnielle, finished February 26
016) Drawings II by Jake Parker, finished February 19

Books twelfth through fifteenth

015) The PreHistory of The Far Side: A 10th Anniversary Exhibit by Gary Larson, finished February 18
014) Nation by Terry Pratchett, finished February 16
013) Fences by August Wilson, finished February 10
012) Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare, finished February 6

Books tenth through eleventh

011) Adverbs by Daniel Handler, finished February 4
010) Death by Chocolate: Redux by David Yurkovich, finished February 3

Books sixth through ninth

009) The End of the World by Don Hertzfeldt, finished January 31
008) Ms. Marvel: No Normal by G. Willow Wilson and Adrian Alphona, finished January 24
007) Drop Shot by Harlan Coben, finished January 18
006) Cardboard by Doug TenNaple, finished January 15

Books first through fifth

005) The Complete Peanuts: 1991-1992 by Charles M. Schulz, finished January 10
004) City of Brick and Shadow by Tim Wirkus, finished January 9
003) Harem Scarem in El Cerrito by Neva Calvert Carpenter, finished January 4
002) iPlates Volume II: Prophets, Priests, Rebels, and Kings by Stephen Carter and Jett Atwood, finished January 4
001) Breakfast of Champions by Kurt Vonnegut, finished January 3

final booky posts of

2014 = 2013 = 2012 = 2011 = 2010 = 2009 = 2008 = 2007

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