Looking for my Bloggiesta updates post? It’s the next post down.
Welcome to my weekly Saturday feature here at Erin Reads, where I highlight new books that have entered my life, what I’ve been reading, and what’s happened on Erin Reads over the past week.
New Acquisitions
Just a few Half Price Books acquisitions to share this week:
- The Secret Scripture by Sebastian Barry: I tried this novel on audio a few years ago, but though I liked the writing, the recording didn’t do much for me. It was, however, highly recommended by a customer at my old bookstore job, so I’m interested to read it.
- Netherland by Joseph O’Neill: I’m really not even sure what this one is about, only that, for a dollar, I would like to read it!
- The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls: I loved Walls’s memoir when I listened to it a couple of years back. I always like having a hard copy of books I enjoy on audio.
- The Treasury of English Short Stories, edited by Nancy Sullivan: My favorite clearance section find, this volume features short fiction from a ton of well-known authors.
TBR Additions
Here are the books I’ve added to my TBR list thanks to other bloggers:
- Black Swan Green by David Mitchell, reviewed on things mean a lot: I’ve only really ever heard about Cloud Atlas by Mitchell, so I was interested to read a review of one of his other books.
- The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde (audiobook), reviewed on my books. my life.: The first book in Fforde’s Thursday Next series, which I’ve always meant to read, is apparently good on audio!
- Lonely by Emily White, reviewed on Sophisticated Dorkiness: This one sounds like a nice balance between memoir and straight nonfiction, dealing with the topic of loneliness.
Read This Week
This week I finished Northanger Abbey, my first Jane Austen novel. I’m still slowly making my way through Reading Lolita in Tehran by Azar Nafisi, and I’ve begun The Notebooks of Malte Laurids Brigge by Ranier Maria Rilke for my book group. I need to pick up something quick!
On audio, I finished up Behemoth by Scott Westerfeld, then felt a little restless. I tried and abandoned a few books before settling on Peter and the Starcatchers by Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson, read by Jim Dale (so how can it be bad?). It’s good, but a little silly for my current mood. I’m looking forward to wrapping it up and starting something new.
Erin Reads Recap
- I started the week with a Sunday Salon post in which I shared the results of the previous week’s reader survey.
- On Monday I passed along the many blog subscription management tips I received from readers.
- On Tuesday, I announced the winner of my birthday giveaway and shard a list of Erin Reads readers’ favorite books.
- Wednesday’s Classics Reclamation Project post looked at Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen.
- Thursday I posted my thoughts on The Absent Traveler by Randall DeVallance.
- Finally, yesterday, I declared my intention to participate in Bloggiesta and posted my weekend goals, which I’ll be updating as the event continues. So far, so good!
Your Turn!
How was your reading week? Do tell!
Ooh I hope you love The Eyre Affair. I’ve read the first two books in that series and liked the second one even better than the first. I plan to listen to the third on audio!
I’ve thought it sounded like a book I’d like ever since I heard about it! I’m starting to think I might have to read the first book and then listen to the others so that I’m not confused. But either way, I’ll get to it!
I can’t wait to hear what you think about The Eyre Affair. I’ve had my eye on it for quite a while now.
Also, I just saw BBC’s Northanger Abbey. I definitely recommend it. 🙂
I’m thinking it’ll be my kind of book, but we’ll see!
I’ve heard the BBC’s Northanger Abbey is good! I’ll have to see if I can find it. I’m curious now!
I loved The Eyre Affair. I have to admit that I never finished the series; I got distracted and never went back to it. I’m excited to see what you think about Reading Lolita; I have it on the TBR shelves but I haven’t had a real desire to pick it up.
I’m hoping the Thursday Next books will be enjoyable, but not so good that I have to read them all immediately. My TBR list can take a book or two, but a whole must-read series would be a lot! As for Reading Lolita in Tehran, it’s been slow going (there’s a LOT to process), but I do like it!
The Secret Scripture is a favorite of mine despite a strangely pat ending. The language is just gorgeous, the points where you see Barry the poet stretching into his prose are numerous. I keep meaning to read more Barry but have not gotten around to it yet.
Good luck with Bloggiesta. Even though I am not an official participant, I have to admit that all the posts are motivating me to do a little blog housekeeping – like updating my blogroll. How many times have I meant to add you but forgot? Eeek. Off to correct now.
Oh, good to hear about The Secret Scripture! From the bits I’ve read while flipping through the book, the writing really is wonderful.
Regarding Bloggiesta: thanks! For the luck, and for the blogroll add…I appreciate both!
I tried to listen to the audio book version of The Eyre Affair but found myself COMPLETELY BAFFLED by the world/what was going on. I think I listened to the first twenty minutes about four times. I ended up reading it in print, really enjoying it, and then listened to the next few books on audio. Interested to see how it works out for you!
Uh oh. Ok, maybe I’ll read the first one. Bafflement is generally rather frustrating, and to be avoided! Thanks for the tip.
Netherland and The Glass Castle are both on my TBR list. I’ve read The Eyre Affair as well, but I think it would make much more sense to me now that I’ve read Jane Eyre. I was kind of confused the first time around I must admit.
I’m thinking I’ll wait until after I read Jane Eyre, which should be soon, to pick up The Eyre Affair, especially if the Bronte helps with understanding the Fforde! The Glass Castle is wonderful.
The Glass Castle and Reading Lolita in Tehran are both on my TBR. Are you liking Reading Lolita in Tehran so far? My sis-in-law who lent it to me didn’t like it very much, but it seems like it would be an amazing read so I’m still hoping.
I am liking Reading Lolita in Tehran, so far. I’m about half way through. It’s very slow going for me, as there is a ton of history and literary musing to digest. I’ve been slowly crawling through it for the past couple of weeks, reading other things at the same time. I’m not sure I will end up adoring it, but I do think I’ll be glad I read it!
I’ve wanted to read The Eyre Affair for awhile, but just never seem to get to it. I hope you like it! And I hope you like Lonely; I thought it was a really good book.
Lonely definitely sounds like a book I’d enjoy. Not sure when I’ll get to it thanks to the TBR Dare, but maybe after that!
I’ve never read “Netherland”, but am curious as it’s one of Mr. Obama’s favorite !
I bought this week Jeannette Walls “Half Broke Horses”, which has just been translated in french and seems to be very interesting.
I was intrigued by the Obama endorsement as well. It was amazing how many people read the book when his list of favorite books first came out! I listened to Half Broke Horses last year and enjoyed it! It’s based on Walls’s grandmother’s life, so The Glass Castle would fit right in as a followup read 🙂
Jasper Fforde is on my TBR list thanks for other bloggers. I’m starting with “The Big Overeasy.”
I love that title! I really need to read Fforde…he sounds so clever. I’ll look forward to hearing about The Big Overeasy.
‘Netherland’ is one of my favourite books! Joseph O’Neill’s prose is so beautiful! This book is about cricket and 9/11 and love lost and regained. I am also a big fan of Jeannette Walls and I love ‘The Glass Castle’. I haven’t read ‘Half broke Horses’ yet.
I liked your observation that audio books are very transitory. I think that is very true.
‘The Treasury of English short stories’ looks wonderful! I want to get a copy of that myself 🙂
Enjoy reading your new acquisitions 🙂
Oh, good to hear about Netherland, Vishy! I haven’t really heard much about it; I just know it sold really well when I worked at my bookstore job. Maybe my husband would like it, too, if it involves cricked 🙂 I liked Half Broke Horses, but not as much as The Glass Castle. Half Broke Horses is more fictionalized, though still based on Walls’s family. I think they make a good pair!