Greetings and Salutations!
I have not completed any books recently so no books to review. Nor do I have any photos of pie to share; so sad. But I do have stuff I can chat about so allow me to ramble and chit-chat about nonsense and gallimaufries… (At least, I hope I am allowed to pluralize ‘gallimaufry’.)
I own this paperback version with the ODD knees(?!) on the cover, translated by Pevear and Volokhonsky .
I am one-third of the way through Anna Karenina. I purchased this heavy tome back in 2007 and have attempted it at least three times. Attempted meaning ‘and thus abandoned’. I was even a bit discombobulated when I went to search for me copy and couldn’t find it!
I am listening to the Kate Lock narration, published by Naxos and translated by ??? (not sure)
You see, I used my Audible credit for October on Anna K hoping that listening to it would be the ticket to success. I think I might finally be getting into it! I have been going back and forth between text and audio and even comparing the translations – both seem fine to me. Kate Lock is an admirable narrator, too. I am giving myself permission to skip over boring chapters and/or skimming the text if I don’t want to listen to Levin mow his yard.
And crazy Russian language; the many names for one person could drive me batty but I’m choosing to be apathetic. And just how would I have ever known that “LEVIN” has three syllables??? cuh-razy. She says lee-AY-vin.
And another thing to rant about… I just entered ‘anna k’ into the goodreads search and you would THINK that Anna Karenina would be the FIRST thing on the list?! no, nope. Little Women is. And then Hamlet. And then To the Lighthouse (which I LOOOOVED, by the way.) But, um, WHY wouldn’t ANNA KARENINA be FIRST!? I do not understand the goodreads search. It can be such a hunt to find obvious titles, sometimes.
I thought I was going to do a readalong with someone this month for AK but can’t remember who it is. I’m SORRY! Feel free to join in if you want… I intend to use my November credit on Bleak House – there’s a readalong for that, too.
(the button above when clicked on for a link will actually take you to Jenny’s blog and her announcement post; I think it is Trish of LoveLaughterInsanity who is calling it the #Bleakalong.)
What else? Oh, I’m reading A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius and I am just not in the mood. This is a book that you must have the right mindset to ‘get’, I think. Maybe I am wrong but it is just too long for all this style and ‘thinking’. It’s truly a mind-dump of “thoughts in the moment” and though he is most eloquent and would be a hoot to chat with over a beer, methinks, I would prefer to just not read anymore of it. It’s for bookclub. Thursday. I hope to read the last chapter and say FINI.
It’s that time of year when I begin to wonder how I am doing with challenges. I didn’t sign up for many official ones — I completed the What’s in a Name early, thank goodness. And RIP VII is done and Readalongs have been fantastic. The #ITalong has to be a highlight for my 2012 reading. But as to my own Tracy Kidder goal to read everything – I have only read one when I have two more on my shelves to read. I also have not read anything this year (nor last year) for my John Cusack challenge. WAIT! I take that back. I’ve read some 20 pages or so of Tropic of Cancer (eBook). I have no comment.
As to all the books LOANED to me that I have on my shelves? Yep, need to get a move on that. I think I have taken in more books than I read/returned.
Attempts to read from the 1001 Books To Read Before Dying without really trying (meaning I do not seek out books on this list but love to find out that I read something and it happens to be on the list), I am doing quite well! Cloud Atlas, Cranford, American Psycho and Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day! Am I right to assume AK is on the list, too? YAY ME.
What are YOU up to this week, readingwise?
HIdeinWhitetoSkipLine
Care's Books and Pie 
When I first saw that cover of Anna Karenina, I thought the photo was of a part of the anatomy that’s higher than the knees. lol
I thought the same thing, Kathy! I have this very edition, and I still have to concentrate to see the knees.
Maybe that’s why it’s still unread?
I love the visual joke of the knees with the “birth control” in between (the old joke I used to hear is that an aspirin held that way would be effective).
I’m reading a book of short stories, At the Mouth of the River of Bees, and just finished a volume of poetry (posted about it today; it’s GLORIOUS).
My daughter is home for an October break at her college, so I have no big reading ambitions. I have to write a review of the new Barbara Kingsolver novel, which I enjoyed.
Congratulations on completing your challenges! I am considering forgoing the goodreads book challenge in 2013 and just concentrate on personal challenges, like reading stuff that has been on my shelves for over a year. Right now I am reading “Depth Takes a Holiday” by Sandra Tsing Loh and “Promiscuities” by Naomi Wolf, both published in the mid 1990’s. I don’t know how these got on my shelves. I am fairly certain someone gave them to me circa 1997…but who?
Oh, and I hope you will enjoy the Bleakalong. Bleak House is one of my favorite Dickens’ novel and the audio-version of it that I listened to was fabulous. I think Dickens’ books lend themselves to be read aloud. Also, when you have finished, you could watch the miniseries with Gillian Anderson. I thought it was very well done and hewed closely to the book.
“hewed closely”; I like how that sounds. Will do.
I’m curious WHY American Psycho is on the list of 1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die.
And I agree about the Eggers book. It must be undertaken with the correct mindset. He’s gotten better since then.
Ah see now, I was thinking I needed to read Hearbreaking Work but now I think it’ll have to be one I buy and then sit on the shelves until it speaks to me.
I love your random musings, Care! I haven’t been reading much – dealing with lots of deadlines and am also finally writing every day (yay!). I find when I’m busy, I start requesting art books from the library. So much easier to sit and soak in beautiful pictures, because my mind is a bit numb from all the deadlines 🙂 It has been a while since I read Bleak House. Perhaps i should join you on the readalong next month.
I did the Kindle-audiobook 1-2 punch on Middlemarch earlier this year and it helped IMMENSELY. Glad to see it’s good for Anna Karenina, too.
The 1-2 punch is a fun way to ‘read’ a book. I have heard of a new app/pgm/? with Kindle and Audible but I am finding that I really don’t like ebooks as much as ‘real’ books so I don’t think I will try it.
Anna Karenina is a good one if you can get past the boring farming and political bits. I loved the Kitty and Levin story, and had little sympathy for Anna and Vronsky. Do you think you’ll see the movie? I’m glad the audio’s working out for you.
I’m finally in the groove and caught up in the storylines. Actually, I am not minding the economics discussions that pop up. And I really enjoyed the bird hunting with Levin, or rather the dog’s thoughts, since I have two bird dogs who LOVE to hunt.
I’m glad you’re listening and/or reading Anna K. because I’m hosting Anna Karenina Read-Along at Ripple Effects. I’ve divided the book into two main sections. First section (Parts 1-4) post appeared Sept. 30, and the second post (Parts 5-8) will come out Nov. 15 It’s supposed to be a leisurely journey, encouraging camaraderie, knowing how hard it is to get thru 800+ pages.
You and anyone are most welcome to join in. You may have missed the first posting, but you can catch up with the concluding Nov. 15 post and discussion. Here’s the open invite. And here’s my first post. If you write a post Nov. 15, do let me know so I can link it to my blog so others can visit yours. Hope to hear from you then. 🙂
Thanks, I will let you know.
I’ve listened to the Naxos audiobook of Bleak House more than once and it’s excellent, but then Bleak House is my absolute FAVORITE DICKENS OF ALL TIME. (Did you get how much I love that book?)
Dickens throws a lot of characters and storylines at you in the beginning, so don’t freak out, it all ties up together. If you like it helps to keep a running list because there are A LOT. It’s absolutely worth it though. Can’t wait to read what you think of it!
I am hoping to check out a copy of Bleak House from the library so I can follow along. I like the 1-2 punch at Aarti likes to call it. I really on some STRANGE big chunkster book trip! SO ODD.