Polysyllabic Spree - November 2008
Books Purchased:
Writing Home by Alan Bennett
The Uncommon Reader by Alan Bennett
The Dud Avocado by Elaine Dundy
Dreams from My Father by Barack Obama
Last Night at the Lobster by Stewart O'Nan
The Last Lecture by Randy Pausch
The World of Jeeves by P. G. Wodehouse
Ukridge by P. G. Wodehouse
Uncle Fred in the Springtime by P. G. Wodehouse
Thank You, Jeeves by P. G. Wodehouse
The Mating Season by P. G. Wodehouse
Untold Stories by Alan Bennett
The Gold Bat and Other School Stories by P. G. Wodehouse
I was doing relatively well with not buying many books in November. And then I went to Strand and they had a lot of P. G. Wodehouse books for $5 to $7.50. Oh well - so far I’m of the opinion that one can never own too much Wodehouse.
Also, as I look back over this list, I realized I got a lot of great bargains this month. Most of these were purchased at Strand for 50-75% off the list price, and the few that weren’t were about 50% off from other places.
Books Read:
The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid by Bill Bryson (re-read)
Ellen Foster by Kaye Gibbons
Anne of the Island by L. M. Montgomery
How Right You Are, Jeeves by P. G. Wodehouse
Dreams From My Father by Barack Obama
The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid was a hangover from last month’s re-reading challenge. I love this book - it’s a lot of fun growing up vicariously in the 50s and 60s through Bill Bryson.
Ellen Foster was given to me for my birthday by my friend Jenn. It’s an excellent book - it’s a quick fun read and Ellen Foster is a charming and spunky narrator. There’s a sequel which she also got for me, The World All Around Me by Ellen Foster, which I’m looking forward to reading.
Anne of the Island - I’m continuing to read the Anne series by L. M. Montgomery and I’ve enjoyed every one. This one has major Gilbert Blythe payoff. I love reading the Anne books on a cold winter night - they are very cozy. It seems as time goes on I crave cozy more and more. Especially around the holidays.
How Right You Are, Jeeves - I’ve read several Jeeves and Wooster books by P. G. Wodehouse now. There’s not much to say anymore - just that I love being transported into their world. They always make me laugh and just reading about Jeeves making a restorative breakfast seems to restore me too. The next Jeeves and Wooster book I want to read is one I purchased this month - Thank You, Jeeves. Apparently it’s the first full length Jeeves/Wooster novel, so that should be cool. After that I’m going to venture out and read some of Wodehouse’s other characters.
I’m glad I read Dreams From My Father. It’s a great memoir, and it was fascinating to discover Barack Obama’s story. There’s a lot more I want to say about this book, but I keep typing sentences and deleting them, thinking they sound funny. I’ll leave it at this for now: I recommend this book.
I also started a few books in November that I couldn’t get into, and put aside for now. I’ve also now read half of David Copperfield, and hope to have it finished by the end of the year.
My complete Polysyllabic Spree lists can be found here.
Comments
That's a lot of Wodehouse you bought! :o)
I feel like I didn't read anything in November. I know I did, but it doesn't feel like it. November just slipped by me :o(
Based on my limited knowledge of your literary likes and dislikes from reading your posts, I have no idea how much you'd like P. G. Wodehouse. It would be interesting to find out.
His novels and plots are not profound or deeply meaningful in any way. But he has this amazing prose and way with words that is a complete treat to read. And he's funny. There's no one else like him, really.
His Jeeves and Wooster books are his most popular recurring characters. Jeeves is a Valet to Wooster - a bachelor who is always getting himself into delicate situations that Jeeves has to solve.
If you ever want to give Wodehouse a try, I recommend starting with Code of the Woosters. It's his most popular, and well deserving of that status.
Even though I finished 5 books this month, which is pretty good for me, I read a lot that I didn't finish. I kept jumping around from book to book and it was very unproductive. I didn't finish most of them, either.