Wednesday, December 02, 2020

BOOKS READ IN NOVEMBER

 


I had a good month. For once I can say I did Nonfiction November with two books by and/or about Ruth Bader Ginsburg. A first for me was reading the Prix Goncourt (French) winner from 1965: The Bond. Having read so much Simone de Beauvoir and Camus, it wasn't too strange for me but was a long and challenging read.

Stats: 10 books read. 8 fiction. 7 written by women. 1 sci fi. 2 nonfiction. 4 for My Big Fat Reading Project. 1 YA. 1 fantasy. 2 historical fiction. 1 thriller.

Countries I visited: United States, Great Britain, Russia, France, Portugal.

Authors new to me: Jacques Borel, Jeffrey Rosen, Ruth Bader Ginsburg

Favorites: I liked and mostly loved everything I read but top favorites would have to be Piranesi, Transcendent Kingdom and Hamnet.












I hope your November reading brought you distraction and joy. What did you like the most?

Have you read any of these books?

27 comments:

  1. Hi. You are now an authority on RBG! I really enjoyed the documentary movie of her. I still want to get to Hamnet and Gyasi's new book. I'm still getting used to my freelance gig (which is solely nonfiction memoirs) taking up all my reading time ... I'm starting to miss novels. sigh. but I'm enjoying Migrations now on audio. pretty good book so far.

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    1. Yes, I feel pretty fully expert on RBG! Nonfiction memoirs? Wow, that is a change for you. Will we be able to see what you write about them? Hope you can squeeze in a novel now and then.

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  2. I love Hamnet and Piranesi (and The Arm of The Starfish when I was 12). Madeleine L’Engle had a huge impact on me, and my life; I was even blessed enough to see her in person and have her sign my copy of The Love Letters when I was 26. Anyway, it was great how you said you’d visited all those countries, and read the Prix Goncourt. It is so fun, in my opinion, to read the prize winners of other countries. Looks like you had a great November!

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    1. Very cool about Madeleine L'Engle. She is continuing to have an impact on me. I have been reading all her books in publication order. I have added some prize winners from other countries to my reading lists. It is fun and eyeopening!

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  3. I'm looking forward to Piranesi which I hope to get to sometime this month.

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    1. I loved Piranesi and it is so short, almost a novella. A big change from her first book in length but no less wonderful.

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  4. I think I will be able to read my waiting RBG books soon. You had a great month, looks good!

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    1. There was something very empowering learning so much about our courts and the Supreme Court and how they work. I truly was never taught that in school. And of course, RBG was so brilliant.

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  5. I haven't read any of them but am very interested in the RBG ones, of course.

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    1. I had no idea there were so many books about her until two of my reading groups put them in my hands!

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    2. Well, she was a fantastic woman, no wonder there are so many books about her.

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  6. Enjoy reading about RBG, and regret her passing and especially the despicable choice to replace her.

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    1. We indeed lost an American treasure.

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  7. Wow, nice month Judy and so diverse. I read a few RBG books (love her and what she has done for so many). I have another RBG audio I just got from library as well. I do want to read Transcendent Kingdom and and currently enjoying Hamnet - especially the parts about him.

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    1. I am so glad to know you are finding Hamnet good after all! Some parallels in our reading lately!

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  8. An excellent month! I read several RBG books last year and thoroughly enjoyed learning about her life and work. My Own Words was on audio, expertly narrated by Linda Lavin. I was delighted by clips featuring RBG's voice ... and Marty's, too!

    Homegoing was a favorite a few years ago, so I'm looking forward to Transcendent Kingdom.

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    1. Oh, I bet it was great to hear RBG's and Marty's voices! If you liked Homegoing, as did I, you will be happy with Transcendent Kingdom.

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  9. Nice diversity!
    No, I haven't even read Borel! I didn't realize this book was 600pages long...
    Talking about Goncourt, I'm looking forward to reading the newest one, L'Anomalie, by Le Tellier, who is part of the Oulipo!! I find it refreshing that they would still give this award to that type of original writing.

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    1. Thanks, Emma. It was an interesting read though a bit long. I just learned about the Le Tellier book winning yesterday. I am not always pleased with Oulipo stuff but I will check out the book when it is published in English, next year I see.

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  10. Judy, I haven't read any of these, but I am interested in Piranesi. The read I enjoyed the most in November was the brilliant Golden-Age mystery, Crooked House by Agatha Christie. Happy festive December reading! 🎄🙂

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  11. Oooo, I would love to read your reviews of RBG's books and Susanna Clarke's newest book.

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    1. And you will. I am a bit behind but I will post those reviews before too long.

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  12. I really must learn more about RBG, I don’t know much about her, she sounds a fascinating, amazing woman!

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    1. She is all that. Supreme Court Justice by the end, for many years. All us liberals over here really miss her!

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