rocketjk's 2015 "Off the Shelf" Reading
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1rocketjk
In 2012, I read 22 off the shelfers. In 2013 I went for 23 but only got to 19. Last year I tried for 23 again and got to 24! But I must admit that I only reached the goal because I re-arranged my criteria mid-stream. You see, I own a used bookstore, and about halfway through the year I decided to start selecting a book off the store's shelves every four books or so and including those books in this challenge. I'm mean, it's "Books off the Shelf Challenge," right? It doesn't say which shelf. Anyway, let's see if I can add one and make it 25 this year.
As always, I'll just be including very short descriptions here, with more detailed write-ups on my 50-Book Challenge thread: http://www.librarything.com/topic/185977.
Master List (Touchstones included with individual listings below):
1: Under Western Eyes by Joseph Conrad
2: The Two Trillion Dollar Meltdown: Easy Money, High Rollers, and the Great Credit Crash by Charles R. Morris (store)
3: The Ciano Diaries 1939-1943: the Complete, Unabridged Diaries of Count Galeazzo Ciano, Italian Minister for Foreign Affairs, 1936-1943 by Conte Galeazzo Ciano
4: Time of Hope by C.P. Snow
5: Can't Anybody Here Play This Game? by Jimmy Breslin
6: Gulp: Adventures on the Alimentary Canal by Mary Roach
7: Our Times: The United States 1900-1925 - Part IV, The War Begins 1909-1914 by Mark Sullivan
8: Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore by Robin Sloan
9: Murderers' Row edited by Otto Penzler
10: The Chase by Clive Cussler
11: Continental Drift by Russell Banks
12: Before the Machine: the Story of the 1961 Pennant-Winning Cincinnati Reds by Mark J. Schmetzer
13: Why You Crying? My Hard Look at Life, Love and Laughter by George Lopez
14: A Star Called Henry by Roddy Doyle
15: The Cleaner by Brett Battles
16: The Gentle Bush by Barbara Giles
17: The One from the Other by Philip Kerr
18: Short Story International: Volume 3, Number 15 edited by Sylvia Tankel
19: The Fourth Protocol by Frederick Forsyth
As always, I'll just be including very short descriptions here, with more detailed write-ups on my 50-Book Challenge thread: http://www.librarything.com/topic/185977.
Master List (Touchstones included with individual listings below):
1: Under Western Eyes by Joseph Conrad
2: The Two Trillion Dollar Meltdown: Easy Money, High Rollers, and the Great Credit Crash by Charles R. Morris (store)
3: The Ciano Diaries 1939-1943: the Complete, Unabridged Diaries of Count Galeazzo Ciano, Italian Minister for Foreign Affairs, 1936-1943 by Conte Galeazzo Ciano
4: Time of Hope by C.P. Snow
5: Can't Anybody Here Play This Game? by Jimmy Breslin
6: Gulp: Adventures on the Alimentary Canal by Mary Roach
7: Our Times: The United States 1900-1925 - Part IV, The War Begins 1909-1914 by Mark Sullivan
8: Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore by Robin Sloan
9: Murderers' Row edited by Otto Penzler
10: The Chase by Clive Cussler
11: Continental Drift by Russell Banks
12: Before the Machine: the Story of the 1961 Pennant-Winning Cincinnati Reds by Mark J. Schmetzer
13: Why You Crying? My Hard Look at Life, Love and Laughter by George Lopez
14: A Star Called Henry by Roddy Doyle
15: The Cleaner by Brett Battles
16: The Gentle Bush by Barbara Giles
17: The One from the Other by Philip Kerr
18: Short Story International: Volume 3, Number 15 edited by Sylvia Tankel
19: The Fourth Protocol by Frederick Forsyth
2rocketjk
Book 1: Under Western Eyes by Joseph Conrad
This is a continuation of a long-standing personal tradition of beginning each calendar year with a re-read of a Joseph Conrad novel. Under Western Eyes is not considered one of Conrad's greatest, but it is Conrad, so that means rewarding reading, at least for me. Written in 1911, the book tells of a Russian university student, Rasumov, who is, against his well, drawn into after-the-fact involvement with an anti-Tsarist revolutionary bombing assassination. The plot twists and turns, as does Rasumov as he tries to wriggle free of the consequences this undesired event.
This is a continuation of a long-standing personal tradition of beginning each calendar year with a re-read of a Joseph Conrad novel. Under Western Eyes is not considered one of Conrad's greatest, but it is Conrad, so that means rewarding reading, at least for me. Written in 1911, the book tells of a Russian university student, Rasumov, who is, against his well, drawn into after-the-fact involvement with an anti-Tsarist revolutionary bombing assassination. The plot twists and turns, as does Rasumov as he tries to wriggle free of the consequences this undesired event.
3Peace2
Good luck with your off-the shelf challenge - I've made a list to choose from and am hoping to get through at least 24 of them (working on the theory of 2 a month)
I see no reason why you should be confined to any particular shelf - read and enjoy! Best wishes for 2015's reads.
I see no reason why you should be confined to any particular shelf - read and enjoy! Best wishes for 2015's reads.
5rocketjk
Book 2: The Two Trillion Dollar Meltdown: Easy Money, High Rollers, and the Great Credit Crash by Charles R. Morris
I consider this a very good explanation for the average 'layperson" about the subprime/credit-crunch economic debacle of that lead to the recent recession. This came from my store's World History section.
I consider this a very good explanation for the average 'layperson" about the subprime/credit-crunch economic debacle of that lead to the recent recession. This came from my store's World History section.
6rocketjk
Book 3: The Ciano Diaries 1939-1943: the Complete, Unabridged Diaries of Count Galeazzo Ciano, Italian Minister for Foreign Affairs, 1936-1943
Ciano was not only Mussolini's Foreign Minister, he was also his son-in-law. These diaries offer a very interesting look inside Mussolini's ill-conceived and delusional attempts to gain glory for himself and for Italy by fighting alongside Nazi Germany in World War Two.
Ciano was not only Mussolini's Foreign Minister, he was also his son-in-law. These diaries offer a very interesting look inside Mussolini's ill-conceived and delusional attempts to gain glory for himself and for Italy by fighting alongside Nazi Germany in World War Two.
7rocketjk
Book 4: Time of Hope by C.P. Snow
This is the first book in Snow's 14-novel cycle, "Brothers and Strangers." It is an insightful and sometimes painful coming-of-age story that also gives an interesting look at life in England in the period between 1917 and 1933. In particular Snow is concerned here with the ways that hope and ambition can either succeed or go on the rocks depending sometimes on determination or lack thereof, or on luck.
This is the first book in Snow's 14-novel cycle, "Brothers and Strangers." It is an insightful and sometimes painful coming-of-age story that also gives an interesting look at life in England in the period between 1917 and 1933. In particular Snow is concerned here with the ways that hope and ambition can either succeed or go on the rocks depending sometimes on determination or lack thereof, or on luck.
8rocketjk
Book 5: Can't Anybody Here Play This Game? by Jimmy Breslin
I celebrated the beginning of baseball season by pulling Jimmy Breslin's wonderful Can't Anybody Here Play This Game? down off my shelf, where it had been waiting patiently for my attention for many years. This is Breslin's look at the very first season of the New York Mets. Those 1962 Mets set a record for futility, losing 120 of their 162 games. But in the process, they created a sensation, becoming much beloved in New York City, which had been starved for National League baseball since the Giants and Dodgers had left for California in 1957. Breslin has a breezy, Runyonesque writing style, and since the book was written and published in 1963, before the team even began their second season, it really is a time-piece.
I celebrated the beginning of baseball season by pulling Jimmy Breslin's wonderful Can't Anybody Here Play This Game? down off my shelf, where it had been waiting patiently for my attention for many years. This is Breslin's look at the very first season of the New York Mets. Those 1962 Mets set a record for futility, losing 120 of their 162 games. But in the process, they created a sensation, becoming much beloved in New York City, which had been starved for National League baseball since the Giants and Dodgers had left for California in 1957. Breslin has a breezy, Runyonesque writing style, and since the book was written and published in 1963, before the team even began their second season, it really is a time-piece.
9rocketjk
Book 6: Gulp: Adventures on the Alimentary Canal by Mary Roach
I always enjoy Mary Roach's books. Her combination of insight, humor and thorough, unstinting research add up to fun and educational reading experiences. Perhaps Gulp is the most relevant of her books to date, as it is about something near and dear to all of us -- our digestive tracts.
I always enjoy Mary Roach's books. Her combination of insight, humor and thorough, unstinting research add up to fun and educational reading experiences. Perhaps Gulp is the most relevant of her books to date, as it is about something near and dear to all of us -- our digestive tracts.
10imyril
>6 rocketjk: that sounds really interesting.
11rocketjk
#10> It sure is, although it has more than its fair share of "ick" factor, so a challenge for the squeamish, perhaps.
12imyril
>11 rocketjk: ah, that's not a problem I have. I've always been cold-blooded ;)
13rocketjk
Book 7: Our Times: The United States 1900-1925 - Part IV, The War Begins 1909-1914 by Mark Sullivan
(Touchstones not working for this book). In 1930, journalist Mark Sullivan published a 6-volume history of the United States from 1900 through 1925. This, obviously, is the 4th volume. Sullivan was a confidante of Theodore Roosevelt and seems to have known Howard Taft, as well. So the final chapters of this volume, dealing with the end of Roosevelt's presidency, his strong friendship with Taft, and the events that brought about the end of that friendship and ultimate emnity, make the most detailed and interesting reading in the volume.
Otherwise, there are some interesting parts and some tedious sections. The profiles of Henry Ford and Andrew Carnegie are both very interesting, at first, but both drag on too long. The sections about changes in fashion, dance and music styles drone on to very little interest, indeed. Sullivan's casual racism comes through most strongly in the section about music, especially about ragtime, and his description of the evolution of jazz into a mainstream music is just flat out wrong. I'm glad I read this, but there are other books on the period, I'm sure, more focused and enjoyable over all.
(Touchstones not working for this book). In 1930, journalist Mark Sullivan published a 6-volume history of the United States from 1900 through 1925. This, obviously, is the 4th volume. Sullivan was a confidante of Theodore Roosevelt and seems to have known Howard Taft, as well. So the final chapters of this volume, dealing with the end of Roosevelt's presidency, his strong friendship with Taft, and the events that brought about the end of that friendship and ultimate emnity, make the most detailed and interesting reading in the volume.
Otherwise, there are some interesting parts and some tedious sections. The profiles of Henry Ford and Andrew Carnegie are both very interesting, at first, but both drag on too long. The sections about changes in fashion, dance and music styles drone on to very little interest, indeed. Sullivan's casual racism comes through most strongly in the section about music, especially about ragtime, and his description of the evolution of jazz into a mainstream music is just flat out wrong. I'm glad I read this, but there are other books on the period, I'm sure, more focused and enjoyable over all.
14rocketjk
Book 8: Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore by Robin Sloan
I enjoyed this book a lot. It's sense of whimsey and good-natured optimism was just the sort of reading experience I was looking for. Also, the fact that I own a used bookstore and lived in San Francisco for 22 years helped, as this tale centers around a mysterious bookstore in that city. This is a fun story about the intersection of an ancient reverence for the printed page, and for puzzles, and modern digital technology. The narrator is well done. The book is a clever fable, successfully rendered.
I enjoyed this book a lot. It's sense of whimsey and good-natured optimism was just the sort of reading experience I was looking for. Also, the fact that I own a used bookstore and lived in San Francisco for 22 years helped, as this tale centers around a mysterious bookstore in that city. This is a fun story about the intersection of an ancient reverence for the printed page, and for puzzles, and modern digital technology. The narrator is well done. The book is a clever fable, successfully rendered.
15rocketjk
Book 9: Murderers' Row edited by Otto Penzler
This is a fun short story collection of murder mysteries that all have a baseball theme. There are some big names, here, including Michael Connelly, Elmore Leonard, John Lescoart and Robert B. Parker. No big surprise that the Leonard and Parker stories were among the most enjoyable. This book came from the shelves of my bookstore.
This is a fun short story collection of murder mysteries that all have a baseball theme. There are some big names, here, including Michael Connelly, Elmore Leonard, John Lescoart and Robert B. Parker. No big surprise that the Leonard and Parker stories were among the most enjoyable. This book came from the shelves of my bookstore.
16rocketjk
Book 10: The Chase by Clive Cussler
This was my first Clive Cussler. I sell a lot of them in my used bookstore so thought I'd give one a try. The Chase is the first in Cussler's "Isaac Bell" series. Bell is a private investigator for an agency that seems to be modeled after the Pinkertons. The action takes place in the western U.S. in the first decade of the 20th century. Cussler has his share, but only a modest share, of the modern spy/thriller writers' consistent sins: stilted dialogue and overuse of empty adverbs and adjectives ("incredibly," "unfathomabe," etc.). But he's not anywhere as bad in this regard as other authors I've read recently. The story is fun and fast paced, the hero mostly infallible and the villain clever and dastardly. So all in all this was a mostly enjoyable reading vacation. I'll probably read a few more in the Bell series from time to time.
This was my first Clive Cussler. I sell a lot of them in my used bookstore so thought I'd give one a try. The Chase is the first in Cussler's "Isaac Bell" series. Bell is a private investigator for an agency that seems to be modeled after the Pinkertons. The action takes place in the western U.S. in the first decade of the 20th century. Cussler has his share, but only a modest share, of the modern spy/thriller writers' consistent sins: stilted dialogue and overuse of empty adverbs and adjectives ("incredibly," "unfathomabe," etc.). But he's not anywhere as bad in this regard as other authors I've read recently. The story is fun and fast paced, the hero mostly infallible and the villain clever and dastardly. So all in all this was a mostly enjoyable reading vacation. I'll probably read a few more in the Bell series from time to time.
17rocketjk
Book 11: Continental Drift by Russell Banks
There's a lot of good writing in this novel, and as a parable for the bleakness of life in 1980s America, it certainly rings true, but the book is too bleak, and the main character too self-pitying, to make reading Continental Drift a satisfying experience for me. Somewhere along the line I will probably try another Banks novel, though.
There's a lot of good writing in this novel, and as a parable for the bleakness of life in 1980s America, it certainly rings true, but the book is too bleak, and the main character too self-pitying, to make reading Continental Drift a satisfying experience for me. Somewhere along the line I will probably try another Banks novel, though.
18rocketjk
Book 13: Tevye's Daughters by Sholom Aleichem
I most highly recommend this collection of stories illumination Jewish village life in Russia during the last days of the csars. Not all of the stories in this collection deal with the experiences and tribulations of Tevye the dairyman, a character made familiar by the rendering in the musical, Fiddler on the Roof. The Tevye stories, six or seven in all, are scattered throughout the collection and certainly provide the collection's backbone.
I most highly recommend this collection of stories illumination Jewish village life in Russia during the last days of the csars. Not all of the stories in this collection deal with the experiences and tribulations of Tevye the dairyman, a character made familiar by the rendering in the musical, Fiddler on the Roof. The Tevye stories, six or seven in all, are scattered throughout the collection and certainly provide the collection's backbone.
19rocketjk
Book 12: Before the Machine: the Story of the 1961 Pennant-Winning Cincinnati Reds by Mark J. Schmetzer
For baseball fans only, this is a fun quick read about the 1961 Reds, a team of relative unknowns and over-the-hills who somehow found the team chemistry to win the National League pennant in 1961, several years before the Reds coalesced into the powerhouse known as the Big Red Machine.
For baseball fans only, this is a fun quick read about the 1961 Reds, a team of relative unknowns and over-the-hills who somehow found the team chemistry to win the National League pennant in 1961, several years before the Reds coalesced into the powerhouse known as the Big Red Machine.
20rocketjk
Book 13: Why You Crying?: My Long, Hard Look at Life, Love, and Laughter by George Lopez.
This is the memoir of comedian/actor/TV star George Lopez. I picked it up from my store's Memoir section more or less on a whim, and ended up finding it more interesting than I expected.
This is the memoir of comedian/actor/TV star George Lopez. I picked it up from my store's Memoir section more or less on a whim, and ended up finding it more interesting than I expected.
21rocketjk
Book 14: A Star Called Henry by Roddy Doyle
A Star Called Henry is a compelling, though often brutal, fictionalized account of the Irish rebellion against the English in the 20th century, told through the eyes of a somewhat larger than life protagonist and including just a touch of magical realism. I devoured it.
A Star Called Henry is a compelling, though often brutal, fictionalized account of the Irish rebellion against the English in the 20th century, told through the eyes of a somewhat larger than life protagonist and including just a touch of magical realism. I devoured it.
22rocketjk
Book 15: The Cleaner by Brett Battles
This is a fun and nicely written espionage thriller. I chose it from my store's Mystery section, and I'm glad I did. Not only did I enjoy reading it, but I realized that it was mis-shelved, as it will go now to the Spy/Adventure section.
This is a fun and nicely written espionage thriller. I chose it from my store's Mystery section, and I'm glad I did. Not only did I enjoy reading it, but I realized that it was mis-shelved, as it will go now to the Spy/Adventure section.
23rocketjk
Book 16: The Gentle Bush by Barbara Giles
This is a now-obscure novel of race, class and romance along Louisiana's Bayou Teche from the period just after Reconstruction through the first Teddy Roosevelt presidential campaign. Written in 1947, this novel explores Giles' leftist philosophies through a wordy but engaging examination of privilege, ennui, exploitation and cruelty on a sugar cane plantation.
This is a now-obscure novel of race, class and romance along Louisiana's Bayou Teche from the period just after Reconstruction through the first Teddy Roosevelt presidential campaign. Written in 1947, this novel explores Giles' leftist philosophies through a wordy but engaging examination of privilege, ennui, exploitation and cruelty on a sugar cane plantation.
24rocketjk
Book 17: The One from the Other by Philip Kerr
This is the fourth book in Kerr's excellent noir series featuring private investigator Bernie Gunther. The series takes place in Germany before, during and after World War Two and the rule of the Nazis. In book four, we are in 1949. Great stuff.
This is the fourth book in Kerr's excellent noir series featuring private investigator Bernie Gunther. The series takes place in Germany before, during and after World War Two and the rule of the Nazis. In book four, we are in 1949. Great stuff.
25rocketjk
Book 18: Short Story International: Volume 3, Number 15 edited by Sylvia Tankel
I don't know how long this monthly periodical of short stories from around the world was published. I have a bunch of them in my used bookstore, though. At any rate, this edition is from August, 1979. I found an article online from April 1979 that says the periodical was three years old at that point, but how long it lasted, I can't tell. Anyway, this edition was a lot of fun. It included stories by Leslie Norris, Ita Daly, Alan Sillitoe, Robert Granat and Tom Wolfe among its 16 stories. There were authors unknown to me from Egypt, Greece, India, Israel, Malaysia, Norway, Poland, Spain and Thailand.
I don't know how long this monthly periodical of short stories from around the world was published. I have a bunch of them in my used bookstore, though. At any rate, this edition is from August, 1979. I found an article online from April 1979 that says the periodical was three years old at that point, but how long it lasted, I can't tell. Anyway, this edition was a lot of fun. It included stories by Leslie Norris, Ita Daly, Alan Sillitoe, Robert Granat and Tom Wolfe among its 16 stories. There were authors unknown to me from Egypt, Greece, India, Israel, Malaysia, Norway, Poland, Spain and Thailand.
26rocketjk
Book 19: The Fourth Protocol by Frederick Forsyth
This is an enjoyable 1980s espionage thriller. The Cold War . . . good times!
This is an enjoyable 1980s espionage thriller. The Cold War . . . good times!
27rocketjk
So that's a wrap for my 2015 Off the Shelf challenge. I didn't finish Seven Pillars of Wisdom, which would have given me 20 off-the-shelfers, in calendar-year 2015, so that book will instead represent my first effort in 2016. At any rate, and either way, I fell significantly short of my stated goal of 25 for this year. But I read quite a few longer books this year, so even though I fell short titles-wise, I did fine page-wise. Any way you slice it, though, I had an interesting reading year. I'll try for 25 again in 2016. Cheers!
28imyril
>27 rocketjk: *cheers* well done - as long as it's interesting and enjoyable it's a good year, right?
