Thursday, January 1, 2009

2009 Book List

I've been thinking about my helter-skelter way of reading (usually a few but sometimes several at a time, finishing some and not others, etc. etc.) and decided I needed to come up with a list to work towards. I'm not saying I have to finish this during the year, but it's a goal list I want to work through. I actually hope it's these and more, especially since I'll also be reading with the kids and the book group, not to mention all the wonderful book review bloggers that add more to my list and those impulsive library and book store finds. I plan on marking then off as I go, maybe more will sneak in.

I think there's a good variety. Here you have it, in no particular order (except Daisy Chain since I already started it):

FICTION
Daisy Chain by Charlotte Mary Yonge (working on it)
Narnia Series by C.S. Lewis (0, 1, and 3 done)
Phantasies by George MacDonald
The Wise Woman by George MacDonald
At the Back of the North Wind by George MacDonald
DONE Life of Pi by Yann Martel
DONE Laddie by Gene Stratton-Porter
Friendly Persuasion by Jessamyn West
The Twenty-One Balloons by William Pene Du Bois
Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens
DONE I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith
Les Miserables (this is scary, I mean the BIG one) by Victor Huge
Bronze Bow by Elizabeth George Speare
Witch of Blackbird Pond by Elizabeth George Speare
My One Hundred Adventures by Polly Horvath
Eight Cousins by Louise May Alcott
Wives and Daughters by Elizabeth Gaskell
DONE Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card
DONE Silas Marner by George Elliot
The Chosen by Chaim Potok
Lonesome Gods by Louis L'Amour
Hound of the Baskervilles by Arthur Conan Doyle
O Pioneers! by Willa Cather
DONE Peter Pan by J.M. Barrie
DONE The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Perilous Journey by Trenton Lee Stewart

NONFICTION
21 Laws of Leadership by John C. Maxwell
Bonds that Make Us Free by C. Terry Warner
DONE Leadership and Self-Deception by The Arbinger Institute
Ravens in Winter by Bernd Heinrich

A few maybes because I love them so much and it's been a couple of years since we spent time together (I'm giddy thinking about reading them again):
Tess of the D'Urbervilles by Thomas Hardy
Watership Down by Richard Adams
Song of the Lark by Willa Cather (working on this)

All are new to me except The Chosen (read it years ago) and the Narnia series (read them for the first time a couple years ago). And one I've been halfway through for at least 6 months, but am ashamed to say which.

"You are the same today as you will be five years from now except for two things...the people you meet and the books you read." --Charles E. Jones

Here's to a year of GREAT READING!

Added Feb. 2, 2009 - 2009 BOOK CLUB LIST
DONE January - The Last Lecture by Randy Pausch
DONE February - WORK: Wonderful Opportunities for Raising Responsible Kids by Debbie Bowen
DONE March - The Princess and the Goblin by George MacDonald
DONE April - The Scarlet Pimpernel by Baroness Orczy
DONE May - Walk Two Moons by Susan Creech
June - Sara by Orson Scott Card
DONE July - A Little Princess by Francis Hodgson Burnett
August - All is Swell by Robert F. Smith
DONE September - Leadership and Self-Deception by the Arbinger Institute
DONE October - Legend of Sleepy Hollow by Washington Irving
DONE November - Tuesdays with Morrie by Mitch Albom
December - Gift of the Magi and Other Stories by O. Henry

2 comments:

  1. I thought you might be up to something like this when I saw your recent updates on Goodreads!

    What a list!

    Isn't it funny how Tess of the D'Urbervilles does that to you? There's a new movie coming out this month too! Joseph said, "What it wasn't depressing enough? They needed to make it again?" But, as for me I want to read it again soon! Thanks for introducing her to me.

    We watched the whole movie of Wives and Daughters last night. I really want to read that one too!

    Come on! Which book are you half way through???

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  2. I like your list.

    Life of Pi was a really cool book. It has a neat twist at the end which I enjoyed, and the whole story is fun to discuss with people. I read it for a book group a few years back.

    Enders Game is amazing, and one of my favorite books. I read the short story the book was based off of too, and it was actually pretty different. And there's another series which is everything in the Ender books from another characters point of view. It's neat as well, but Card changes some plot points when ever he feels like it.

    I Capture the Castle was really good too. I haven't seen the movie version, but I may someday.

    I have a wonderfully illustrated version of Peter Pan, which is a large part of why I read it so many times as a kid. It's a surprisingly adult book, like many older children's stories.

    I also think that Leadership and Self Deception is a wonderful book. I first found it at http://www.readhowyouwant.com/pcsWebUI/BookDetail.aspx?BookId=13226, which carries the large print version. I think it can really help one to be more self aware.

    Hope are enjoying your reading!

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