The OF Blog: Jury duty to a reading milestone passed to new arrivals

Wednesday, June 08, 2011

Jury duty to a reading milestone passed to new arrivals

Just a bit exhausted over the past week's juggling of jury duty Tuesday (and Thursday, perhaps Friday), teaching, assessment testing, calling to make arrangements for emergency state exit exam arrangements for three students, and the usual travel back and forth.  Haven't had the desire to blog those days because of the hectic nature of the past three days, but I thought I'd share a few things.

First, I read my 200th book in 2011 yesterday.  It was a YA book, Cheryl Rainfield's Scars (you might recognize the title from that link I posted in my post Sunday).  I found it to be a fairly realistic depiction of the traumas associated with child rape and the resources provided at the back I believe would be of great interest (and hopefully, help) for the book's target readers.  I've already given the book to one of the therapists at work for her to review and to give to any of the female patients who might find the story beneficial to them.

I know I haven't posted either the April or May 2011 reading lists, but I can say that I read 51 books in April and 41 books in May.  Not that some of you will believe this, even when the rabid Serbian reading squirrels will be "paying you a visit."

I've received some interesting books, most of them purchases.  Among those are Library of America editions of H.L. Mencken's Prejudices and Eudora Welty's novels.  In addition, I purchased the hardcover of Karen Joy Fowler's 2010 collection, What I Didn't See, as this was an oversight until this weekend.  Also received the Spanish edition of Juan Francisco Ferré's Providence, which might have some connections to Providence, Rhode Island's most famous resident, some Lovecraft dude. 

Received a few review copies today, including a galley proof for David Anthony Durham's final novel in the Acacia trilogy, The Sacred Band (due out in stores in early October).  Since I have enjoyed all of David's novels to date, this one will be read in the very near future.  Undecided on when I'll get around to reading Daniel Polansky's Low Down, as the noir-meets-fantasy setting/mode could either be excellent or really, really annoying to read.

Oh, and one final line to amuse a few who know me somewhat, taken from the back of the Durham ARC:

  • Outreach to sci fi/fantasy gatekeepers

3 comments:

David Anthony Durham said...

Larry,

Here's hoping you let me in. I've been knocking at your gate for years now!

Booker said...

Just started Durham's "Otherland". Really like Acacia, and this one is starting off good too.
So I'm already looking forward to book 3.

Larry Nolen said...

David,

I might, I might! I do plan on reading The Sacred Band this weekend, so the gates might be open ;)

Derrick,

I think highly of both books in the trilogy, although I'll admit more fondness for David's first two novels.

 
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