Autumn is starting (here in the US, anyway), and kids are heading back to school–does the changing season change your reading habits? Less time? More? Are you just in the mood for different kinds of books than you were over the summer?
Here in Malaysia, it is 'summer' all the way where the sun shines gloriously and rain comes once in a while. To be fair, I would not be able to answer this question 100% because I am sure that if I were given the opportunity to experience different seasons, my heart would probably yearn for different types of books. With that, my reading habits may be affected. For now, everything and anything goes, in favour of my mood. I think I'm in the mood for classics at this moment, as evident in my latest pile of books below.
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MORE Latest Acquisition! Most of the items listed below were highlighted in my recent book review post of Michael Dirda's Book by Book. Here's an excerpt of what I wrote: Dirda recommends the works of Homer (The Iliad and The Odyssey), Jane Austen (Pride and Prejudice), Arthur Conan Doyle (The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes), Vladimir Nabokov (Pnin and Lolita), Gustave Flaubert (Madame Bovary) and a whole load of other classic goodies. For fans of science fiction and fantasy, he suggests reading Ursula Le Guin's The Left Hand of Darkness, Gene Wolfe's Book of the New Sun, Jack Vance's The Dying Earth, or Jonathan Carroll's The Land of Laughs.
Another 'happy box' received from Kinokuniya today
Pile 1 from the box:
1) Tales of the Dying Earth by Jack Vance
2) The Land of Laughs by Jonathan Carroll
3) The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K. Le Guin
Pile 2, The Book of the New Sun - A tetralogy by Gene Wolfe broken down in two volumes:
1) Volume 1: Shadow and Claw
2) Volume 2: Sword and Citadel
Pile 3: The Complete Sherlock Holmes
And finally, the following:
1) Madame Bovary by Gustave Flaubert
2) Journey to the Centre of the Earth by Jules Verne
3) The Hound of Baskervilles by Arthur Conan Doyle
These books will be my own advance birthday presents. *GRIN*
Related Post: Book by Book
I love those beautiful Fantasy Masterworks editions. And I really want to read some of those books, especially The Land of Laughs. I loved everything by Caroll that I've read so far.
ReplyDeleteUrsula Le Guin is one of my favourite authors, but The Left Hand of Darkness is a difficult book to go through. I abandoned it once and I really had to force myself through it the second time. In the end, it was worth it. It's a very complex and thought-provoking book. But I hope you don't give up on her altogether if you end up not enjoying it. Her other books are much more readable!
Ah yes, Nymeth. I've heard too that Ursula's The Left Hand of Darkness is quite a challenging read. I'm more than willing to give it a shot and see what it does for me. I have in mind to try out her other books too. Thanks for your feedback! :)
ReplyDeleteI live in South Florida and it's usually lovely weather--spring/summer, but the world changes with school starting. So, I change a bit.
ReplyDeletethose look like some great reads! :-)
ReplyDeleteChange is good, Sally!
ReplyDeleteHi Marie, thanks! I can't wait to get started on them and again, faced with the dilemma of what to read first. LOL.
I didn't do this BTT because the short answer is no, my reading doesn't change with the seasons. At least not my books reading. I like to look up seasonal poems and quotes, though.
ReplyDeleteHi, Alice! The seasons don't really impact me reading either. It might slow down around the winter holidays, but that's more so because I am so busy with planning and other activities.
ReplyDeleteYou have some great books there! I look forward to reading your thoughts on each of them once you've read them. Of those you bought, I have read Madame Bovary and the Arthur Conan Doyle book. :-)
I love the collection that you have picked out for yourself.
ReplyDeleteI can't say that I choose to read different things based on the season, but some seasons I seem to have more time for reading than others.
My mood definitely dictates the choice of books I read, Alice. ;) How's the weather there by the way? We've some showers over here...
ReplyDeleteWhat a great haul! I'm looking forward to reading your reviews on them soon. I'd love to read Madame Bovary one day!
Hi Barbara, that's all right. I still enjoy reading your short answer. Poems and quotes are some of my favourite things too.
ReplyDeleteHi Wendy, I think it's wonderful to be able to experience the different seasons where you live. I'm not sure if I'll enjoy winter... I'm going to go look up your blog to see if I could find reviews of Madame Bovary there.
Hi Nicole, thanks! Like you, I may be reading less due to certain seasons (mostly holiday seasons). Although I may read less, but I certainly buy more wherever I happen to be or vacationing. LOL.
Hi Melody, aren't we two moody persons when it comes to reading? Hahaaa! Same here - it's be raining a fair bit and I hope the weather would be good on Saturday because I really hope to visit the bird park... Will definitely share my thoughts when I'm done with them.
Great! Will be looking forward to reading all the details (and viewing the pics too!).
ReplyDeleteI tend to go by the moods for my reading too. But am so glad I'm able to read more books this summer. And I'm also sure that when the holidays come around (Thanksgiving, Christmas) it'll be a real slow reading. So I should start reading more now before those two months hit me - hard.
ReplyDeleteAwesome books you have there! Enjoy all the goodies and let us know once you posted your reviews on them *grin*
And as always, thanks for commenting my BTTs this week :)
Hi Melody, looking forward to sharing with you too. I can't wait to go to the bird park! LOL.
ReplyDeleteYes, Julia. Better start reading intensely now before the holiday seasons arrive! I'm now faced with reading dilemma because there are so many great books and I want to read them all!...
I must say I practically slobbered while reading this post. I haven't gotten any new books as of late, which is really sad, considering that there's a new slew of books shipped in by a local shop just recently.
ReplyDeleteOh Kat, now be a good girl and go get 'em books! LOL.
ReplyDeleteHi Alice! Nice to meet another Malaysian who reads. I'm in China though and have a humble TBR list coz English books are hard to find here (or rather expensive).
ReplyDeleteLove the pretty pile you've got there, esp Madame Bovary because I'd just read the brief version, which has me hankering for the real one. Let me know how it turns out, will you?
Hi Kittycat, thanks for popping by and I'm excited to meet with another fellow Malaysian too. Totally understandable about the availability and pricing of books. It is also quite expensive here... Will definitely let you know how I like Madame Bovary. Do come back to visit. Cheers!
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