I have a list, of which I’m only going to share the first five, because the other things on it keep changing — also, alas, there’s a pretty good chance those are the only five I’ll get to.
Anyway, the way my particular low residency program works is on a schedule of six month semesters, with five packets. After you turn in packet five, you have however long you have until the 10-day residency that kicks off the next semester, and your next packet goes in to your new advisor at some point after that. One of the things that goes into my monthly packet is an annotated bibliography — a paragraph or so — on all the books I’ve read. (You can see more or less what I’ve annotated by looking in the column to the immediate right in Reading List 2007.) I’ll have a little over a month until the residency after I turn in, so I have a list of books for adults (a silly designation, I know) that I’ve been holding back on reading because they won’t count for the annotated bibliography and I can’t get essays out of them. (If a book like this has a young protagonist or cross-over appeal, then I can count it and have — I was able to justify going ahead and reading Stacey Richter’s fabbie new collection, Twin Study, in this manner.)
So, these are the five books for adults I plan to read during that little break:
And Now We Are Going to Have a Party: Liner Notes from a Writer’s Early Life by Nicola Griffith
Generation Loss by Elizabeth Hand
Spaceman Blues: A Love Song by Brian Francis Slattery
Jamestown by Matthew Sharpe (LBC pick)
Triangle by Katherine Weber (LBC pick)
My reason for posting is that Ysabeau just read and posted about Liz Hand’s book and Matt just read and posted about Slattery’s and both were very, very happy. I’m now filled with the best kind of reading anticipation.
For the record: I’m actually extremely happy with all the reading I’ve done this semester and amn’t complaining a bit. YA is where it’s at and I have an Extremely Long List of books I can’t wait to read for younger readers (or, at least, published for younger readers), but still, a girl likes free reign from time to time. That said, I can’t remember a half-year when my reading has made me more thoughtful or brought me greater pleasure.
I am really really tempted with Nicola’s book – it would be a huge treat for me, but then again we did get the IRS refund…tell me how wonderful it is so I justify buying it.
I requested the Slattery but it isn’t here yet (which is probably just as was well because Tor has already sent Emma Bull’s new book on the gunfight at the OK Corral and Will Shetterly’s new one as well. I need to read and review both of them first.)
And Liz Hand’s book is on my list of wants – I really was blown away by Saffron and Brimstone.
And Weber…I have had that book on my list for over a year. It’s the sort of history that really gets me excited.
Okay, I need to create an official break too (break from what, I don’t know) and get on these books!
I’ll be interested in what you think about JAMESTOWN. I’m not a huge fan of the post-apocalyptic farce. In fact, I’m not a huge fan of the P-A genre at all–except for THE STAND, of course. But JAMESTOWN does sound intriguing…Are you going to post your YA anno-biblio here? I’d love to see it when it’s done…
I want that Nicola Griffith SO BADLY!!!
I’ll be interested in what you think about JAMESTOWN. I’m not a huge fan of the post-apocalyptic farce. In fact, I’m not a huge fan of the P-A genre at all–except for THE STAND, of course. But JAMESTOWN does sound intriguing…Are you going to post your YA anno-biblio here? I’d love to see it when it’s done…
Okay, so the writing was sucking tonight and I broke into the Griffith early. Stealth Geek, if you want it, buy it. SERIOUSLY. I am listening to the CD right now. This is the coolest thing I’ve ever owned!
Ahem–
Some advisers let you use adult titles on your annotated biblio. Just sayin’.
Ahem–
Some advisers let you use adult titles on your annotated biblio. Just sayin’.
Cheater!
I really enjoyed Generation Loss, myself. It was just really well written, and I have been trying to get my friends to read it, with little success so far.