Since I have lived in California, March has become a favorite month. Trees begin to leaf out, daffodils and flowering trees seem to change overnight, birds sing in the early mornings and sometimes I can take one quilt off the bed. The increasing number of people receiving their vaccinations gave us hope.
My reading was all over the place in genre and style and location. I visited 6 countries other than America, I was introduced to 6 authors new to me, and I read books translated from the Dutch, the French and the Spanish.
Stats: 9 books read. 8 fiction. 3 by women; low for me; 2 for My Big Fat Reading Project. 1 thriller. 2 historical fiction. 3 translated. 1 memoir.
Places I went: Jamaica, Hong Kong, Wales, Pakistan, Netherlands, Tunisia.
Authors new to me: Sharon Kay Penman, Malala Yousafzai, Jorge Luis Borges, Gebrand Bakker, Daniel A Hoyt, Yamen Manai.
I had many favorites: My Year Abroad, Here Be Dragons, Annie and the Wolves, The Twin, The Ardent Swarm.
Have you read any of these books? What were your favorite reads in March?
You were quite well-traveled this month! I do a similar evaluation annually, but it might be fun to try chronicling all the places I've "traveled" each month!
ReplyDeleteI was! It was inevitable, since I have been at home for over a year. I got the idea of noting where I went in my reading each month from Helen at She Reads Novels (https://shereadsnovels.com) Have you visited her blog? All historical fiction.
DeleteOnly 'Dr No' - MANY years ago! I remember it as being pretty good.
ReplyDeleteYes, I thought Dr No was one of the better ones I have read so far.
DeleteCool diversity! I have seen Borges on several blogs recently. I used to love him a lot as a teen. I definitely need to revisit him
ReplyDeleteThanks, Emma. It took me a while to get used to Borges; my first time reading him. I am initiated!
DeleteMarch is indeed a very pretty month in California. When I was there in early March plants were blooming. I have not read these. But perhaps my favorite book for March was A Burning by Megha Majumdar. Enjoy your Easter.
ReplyDeleteIt just keeps getting prettier, day by day, now that it is April. OK, I will take another look at A Burning.
Deletelately it seems like the days are getting shorter but the months are getting longer... i know March seemed like it was about 6 weeks; maybe it's because taxes are due pretty quick... nice collection of books. i like Borges even tho i don't get a lot of what he says...
ReplyDeleteOMG, I could not understand anything in Borges at first. Stay tuned for my review/memoir of reading that book. Coming soon.
DeleteI love March too! I can totally relate on things starting to grow, but I also love hearing birds early in the morning. We actually have 2 ducks living in our shed, since there is water on the roof. We feed them sometimes and we have a spark of hope they will make their nest close.
ReplyDeleteI'm so curious about your opinion on the Dutch book!
I await the rest of the duck story!
DeleteCount me among the enthusiastic fans of Borges ... your list has piqued my interest: Penman awaits ....
ReplyDeleteGood to know about Borges. Penman has captured my heart and my interest.
DeleteCongratulations on another great month of reading.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Dorothy.
DeleteI haven't read any of these books, however I have Jorge Luis Borges' Labyrinth (I think it's called) collection for when I was at uni. My March wasn't quite as successful as yours, as I only finished three books, although they were all really good. My favourite of them was the sparkling turn-of-the-century classic A Room With a View by E.M. Forster.
ReplyDeleteTake care and happy reading in April, Judy! 🙂
I have always meant to read A Room With A View. I have read Passage to India by Forster. Thanks for letting us know your favorite, Jessica.
DeleteAnother excellent month, Judy! I haven't read any of theses books, but would like to try My Year Abroad. My March favorites were Writers & Lovers and Code Girls.
ReplyDeleteI wonder how you might like My Year Abroad. It is unusual but a great story. Thanks for listing your favorites. I want to get to Writers & Lovers ASAP.
DeleteLove how varied your reads were. I don't think I've ever read a book set in Tunisia. Can't wait to read your April reviews.
ReplyDeleteBecause I am easily bored, I need to range wide. What is wondrous is that there are so many different kinds of books and places to read about, I never get bored of reading.
DeleteI am so glad you liked Malala so much. She is truly remarkable.
ReplyDeleteYou had commented and I found it in the moderations list. Now it is here!
DeleteAh, thanks, now I commented twice.
DeleteI love how varied your reading taste is! I've been trying to branch out more and more and you're my inspiration for that!
ReplyDeleteI am glad to hear of your efforts to branch out and of course I love hearing I am your inspiration. That is the main reason I keep working on this blog!
DeleteI love that you consistently travel widely and indiscriminately in your reading. I keep taking notes during your month-end posts but don't get to the books yet. Oops, but at least I have some book ideas. :) Enjoy your April!
ReplyDeleteOne of the best things about blogging is how we share our reading. I get plenty of ideas from other sources but reading each others's reviews and reactions to books seems to linger more for me. It is like a big merry go round of books and ideas!
DeleteSorry, I thought I'd commented here already. I'm glad you liked Malala. I think she is a fantastic person.
ReplyDeleteNo problem. In fact, you might have. I am convinced that sometimes blogger eats comments.
DeleteTrue. Modern technic!
DeleteI really enjoyed reading I Am Malala a few years ago!
ReplyDeleteYou and many, many others!
DeleteI've still got Malala's book on my TBR. Penman is fantastic and one of the only historical fiction authors I will ever read, because her research is so top-notch.
ReplyDeleteI did really get the sense that Penman's book was based on careful research and that brought much life to the story.
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