os melhores de 2013 :: the best of 2013

O ano de 2013 foi um ano extraordinário no que toca a leituras, principalmente porque consegui não só atingir o meu objectivo de livros a ler (80) mas ultrapassei bastante esse número (num total de 123 livros !).  Aqui fica um breve resumo dos livros a destacar (lista detalhada no Goodreads) ...

Dei 5 estrelas a 12 livros :

- Este foi o ano da descoberta do Rafael Sabatini adorei o Captain Blood e o Scaramouche, ambos em audiobook.

- Trilogia Lumatere, Melina Marchetta

- High Wages da Dorothy Whipple - cada vez gosto mais dos livros dela (lentamente ando a aumentar a minha colecção de livros Persephone)

- The unlikely pilgrimage of Harold Fry, Rachel Joyce

- Bring up the bodies, Hillary Mantel

- Days of blood and starlight, Laini Taylor

- The scapegoat e Jamaica Inn, da Daphne du Maurier (este foi um grande ano para os audiobooks !)

- The glass lake (re-leitura do meu livro preferido da Maeve Binchy)

De 4 estrelas, destaco os seguintes:

- Trilogia Flora, da Ysabeau S. Wilce

- Mais 2 Daphne du Maurier: Frenchman's Creek e My cousin Rachel

- Seraphina, Rachel Hartman

- Wool Omnibus, Hugh Howey - não costumo ler muita ficção científica, mas este despertou-me a curiosidade e acabei por gostar bastante

- Me before you, Jo Jo Moyes - perfeito para comfort reading, e fiquei com vontade de ler outros desta autora

- Like this for ever (Lacey Flint #3), S. J. Bolton - também não leio muitos policiais, mas esta autora tem sido uma boa surpresa, e este último volume recomenda-se

- The snow child, Eowyn Ivey

- #2 e #4 da colecção Ashbury/Brookfield (young adult) da Jaclyn Moriarty

- The age of miracles, Karen Walker

- The light between oceans, M. L. Stedman

- Where'd you go Bernardette, Maria Semple (mais um audiobook)

- My most excellent year, Steve Kluger (young adult)

Em português:

- 3 livros da Alice Vieira: Ursula, a maior, e duas colecções de crónicas: Pezinhos de coentrada e O que se leva desta vida

- O Retorno, Dulce Cardoso

Não-ficção:

- Quiet, Susan Cain

- The solitary summer, Elizabeth Von Arnim

- The art and science of low carbohydrate living, Jeff S. Volek and S. Phinney

E que tal o vosso ano em termos de leituras ?

2013 was an extraordinary year when it comes to books, especially because not only did I reach my goal of books read (80) but surpassed it completely (123 books read in total !). Here's a brief summary of the best reads this year ...

I gave 5 stars to 12 books:

- The discovery of the year was Rafael Sabatini, I loved Captain Blood and Scaramouche, both in audiobook format.

- Lumatere Trilogy (fantasy), Melina Marchetta

- High Wages by Dorothy Whipple - I've been loving her books more and more, and slowly I've been adding to my collection of Persephone books.

- The unlikely pilgrimage of Harold Fry, Rachel Joyce

- Bring up the bodies, Hillary Mantel

- Days of blood and starlight, Laini Taylor

- The scapegoat and Jamaica Inn, Daphne du Maurier (also in audiobook format)

- The glass lake (re-read of my Maeve Binchy favourite)

With 4 star rating:

- Flora trilogy, Ysabeau S. Wilce

- Two more books by Daphne du Maurier: Frenchman's Creek and My cousin Rachel

- Seraphina, Rachel Hartman

- Wool Omnibus, Hugh Howey - I don't usually read a lot of SF, but this one made me curious as I kept reading good reviews and I really liked it

- Me before you, Jo Jo Moyes - perfect for comfort reading, and I'll probably try others by this author

- Like this for ever (Lacey Flint #3), S. J. Bolton - I also don't read a lot of crime/murder mysteries but this author has been a good surprise and this last volume was very good

- The snow child, Eowyn Ivey

- #2 e #4 of the Ashbury/Brookfield series (young adult), Jaclyn Moriarty

- The age of miracles, Karen Walker

- The light between oceans, M. L. Stedman

- Where'd you go Bernardette, Maria Semple (another audiobook)

- My most excellent year, Steve Kluger (young adult)

In Portuguese:

- Three books by Alice Vieira: Ursula, a maior, and two short story/chronicles collections: Pezinhos de coentrada and O que se leva desta vida

- O Retorno, Dulce Cardoso

Non-fiction:

- Quiet, Susan Cain

- The solitary summer, Elizabeth Von Arnim

- The art and science of low carbohydrate living, Jeff S. Volek and S. Phinney

And how was your year in terms of reading ?

Maeve Binchy:: a tribute

 
This morning I heard the news that one of my favorite writers passed away. Maeve Binchy's books have been at the top of my comfort reading list for over a decade now, so I was really sad to hear this news. I always looked forward to read her most recent book, usually saving it as a special treat to be savored slowly, as her stories and characters came to life and always left me with a smile long after I finished it.

The first book I read by her was The Glass Lake. I stumbled upon it totally by chance. Years ago a friend of mine was moving back to England and I went to her house to help with the packing. She had a stack of books she wasn't taking back and asked if I'd like to keep them. Among these was a really worn out copy of The Glass Lake. I can't remember if I read it immediately or if months later, but when I did it made me cry and laugh at the same time. It is still my favorite Maeve Binchy book, even now after I read all the others. I probably re-read it three or four times since then, and will likely read it again soon.

After the Glass Lake I slowly began reading all her other works. Her books are not about complicated plots, alternative universes or any kind of special characters, they're about ordinary people, their stories and daily lives. Usually they're set in Ireland, with the occasional leap to Italy (Evening Class), Greece (Nights of rain and stars) or the US (Tara Road). Also, I love the fact that several characters reappear later on different books, it's like being reunited with old friends over and over again.

Although sad I won't have more new books by Ms Binchy to look forward to, I'm glad she wrote as many novels as she did and that I was able to enjoy them all. And if you haven't read any, and are in need of a nice, feel-good novel this summer, then give it a try, I promise you won't be disappointed.

on audiobooks

My friend X. has been a fan of audiobooks for years now. And I've always dismissed it. Well, you know .... because why would I "listen" to a book when I could read it  ? It really didn't seem to hold any appeal to me.

However, it occurred to me that it might be interesting to have a few on hand when we went traveling, especially for particularly long car drives. So on our last trip I brought along a couple of Poirot mysteries (read by by the inimitable David Suchet himself) and very much enjoyed the experience.

And from then on I was hooked. 

Thankfully I don't spend much time commuting now as before, but I still spend 40 to 45 minutes each day either walking / on the subway / or driving, so listening to audiobooks is perfect for this.

So far I've loved every book I've listened to, but then these were all my friend's recommendations so I knew they couldn't be very wrong.

This is what I've listened to so far:

The capture of Cerebrus and the incident of the dog's ball, by Agatha Christie, and narrated by David Suchet

I've read all of Agatha Christie's mysteries, or at least all that have been published in Portuguese, and then a few more in the original version, but I can't remember having ever read these two short stories. These were perfect to start with, since they're both a little less than 45 min each. David Suchet is unmistakable as Poirot, but he's also amazing when he gives voice to the rest of the characters.

Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, by J.K. Rowling and narrated by Stephen Fry

I never re-read the first books of HP, so this was a good opportunity to relive the stories. Stephen Fry is excellent, and I think I actually enjoyed this more now after I've listened to it, than when I actually did read it years ago. And since I already know the story, I can listen to these even when I'm doing something else that might distract me a bit more (like some complicated piece of knitting)

The sweetness at the bottom of the pie, by Alan Bradley, and narrated by Jayne Entwistle

This is book #1 of the Flavia de Luce series. I'd never heard about it until X. suggested it, and at first Ms Entwistle's voice kind of bothered me. It's somewhat high-pitched and takes a while getting used to, but after the first couple of chapters I realized I didn't seem to mind it anymore, which just goes to show how good this was. Flavia de Luce is a very precocious 11 year old girl who loves chemistry and sets out to solve a murder mystery that happens in her own home. She can be very irritating at times (like 11 year olds tend to be) but the plot just keeps improving. I loved this, and can't wait to listen to the next of the series.

The ladies of Grace Adieu and other stories, by Susannah Clarke, narrated by Davina Porter and Simon Prebble

If, like me, you've read Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell, and thought it was a very well written book but maybe a bit tedious and too long, then you're certainly going to love The ladies of Grace Adieu as much as I did. Why ? Because they're just as well written but they're short stories, which means they don't drag out forever but although compact still do have interesting storylines and characters. Also, the world that Susannah Clarke has created is brilliantly conveyed by the two narrators, especially Davina Porter. They're all fairy stories, with a good deal of magic involved, and set in 18th/19th century England. I loved all of them, but especially "Mrs. Mabb" and "Mr. Simoneli or the Fairy widower". Since I didn't have the printed version I missed the fabulous accompanying illustrations to the stories, so I'm thinking about purchasing it just for them.

The immortal life of Henrietta Lacks, by Rebecca Skloot and narrated by Cassandra Campbell

I'm still listening to this one, in fact I just started it a few days ago but I can already tell it's going to be brilliant. This is a work of non-fiction, about the woman called Henrietta Lacks who died from cervical cancer in 1951 and from whose cancer cells came the HeLa cells, the first immortal human cells. The HeLa cells were invaluable to the progress of modern medicine, used for the research of cancer, AIDS, for testing vaccines and countless other scientific studies.

book review: the devil in the white city

My first read-along of the year, and a non-fiction book as well, so I thought I'd make a proper review. Also, this book was quite a surprise, in a good way, and deserves to be recommended.

The book is question is "The devil in the white city", by Erik Larson.

The book interested me at first because it was about the World's Columbian Exhibition, something I'd never heard about before. This was organized to commemorate the 400th anniversary of Columbus' arrival in the New World, and it took place in Chicago in 1893. Throughout the book there are several comparisons to the Paris Universal Exposition of 1889, where the Eiffel Tower was unveiled, and that one I knew about, of course, so it's really mystifying I'd never heard of this other so important world fair. It was called the White City due to the color of its buildings, and in contrast to the Black City, which was Chicago itself (and the pollution surrounding it). It was considered the grandest exhibition of its time, and it drew close to 26 million visitors, which is a staggering number for that period.

There are two parallel stories going on throughout the book, and although you'd expect them to intertwine later in the future, the fact is they never do, except for the fact that they take place in the same location and during the same period, and one can be considered a direct consequence of the other. The main story is about the construction of the exhibition, and later on its opening and daily operation till it closed down 6 months later (it ran from May to Oct. 1893). The parallel story is about H.H. Holmes, an alias for Herman Mudgett, later known to be one of America's first serial killers. He built a hotel which was very close to the exhibition's grounds, with certain singularities that made it easy for him to commit his murders. 

There's also a third story, although shorter, about the mayor Carter Harrison and his murder by a fanatic called Patrick Prendergast.

So, what I loved about this book: the whole architecture discussions and details, not only of the exhibition's buildings, but also of the architects involved. I was very sorry that there were no photographs accompanying this book (I read it the digital version, so maybe the printed version has them) because it would've made the reading even more interesting. And the way these buildings are discussed and described by the author, it really made me want to see them for myself. For a non fiction book it almost felt like reading a novel. Daniel Burnham and Olmsted, the exhibition main directors and central characters in the book (Burnham was responsible for the architecture, and Olmsted for the gardening and landscaping), were sympathetic enough and their stories interesting to read about, but didn't quite get my attention entirely. The description of their works were much more fascinating to me. Also, I loved the part about the Ferris Wheel.


On the other hand, the people on Holmes story made more of an impression on me. The victims' loneliness and vulnerability, all those young single women that arrived in Chicago hoping to build a better life, they were such an easy target for Holmes. He reminded me of a giant venomous spider, with the hotel as the center of his web. He's described as being an extremely charismatic man, full of personal charm and able to convince anyone that he was someone to be trusted. It did scare me a bit, since it makes me wonder how many Holmes might be out there, and are never found out.  

I was quite sorry to learn at the end that the much of exhibition's grounds were burnt in a fire that occurred a few months later. Although the architects decided earlier on (due to time constraints) that the main buildings were to be temporary and therefore not built to last, I think it would've been a wonderful sight to see, even by today's standards. 

on books :: the best of 2011

Somehow I don't think I'll make it this year, do you ? I guess I was little too ambitious (after all I read 71 last year, and will probably read about the same this year), but as in most things quality is better than quantity, so I'll leave you with my list of best reads for 2011.

Fiction/Historical:
- Major Pettigrew's last stand, by Helen Simonson
- Fall of Giants, by Ken Follett
- Clara and Mr. Tiffany, by Susan Vreeland
- The Priory, by Dorothy Whipple
- Mariana, by Monica Dickens
- The Shuttle, by Frances Hodgson Burnett
- The Diary of a provincial lady, by E.M. Delafield
- Cold comfort farm, by Stella Gibbons
- Between shades of gray, by Ruta Sepetys

Comfort reading:
- Daddy long legs, by  Jean Webster
- The girl who chased the moon, by Sarah Addion Allen

Young adult:
- The Penderwicks series, by Jeanne Birdsall
- What happened to goodbye, by Sarah Dessen

Fantasy:
- Twilight robbery, by Frances Hardinge
- Fire, by Kristin Cashore
- The Lies of Locke Lamora and Red Seas under red skies, by Scott Lynch
- The cloud roads and The serpent seas, by Martha Wells
- Troubled waters, by Sharon Shinn

Now, on a side note, 2011 was the year I converted to electronic reading. I never thought this would happen, but there you go ... out of the 68 books read, 51 were e-books.

What about you ? Any good reads this year you would like to share ?

(good) summer reading

by Persephone Books

check-in

You've probably imagined I'd never be showing any more craft related items on this blog ... but this week I've actually managed to finish not one but two handknit items - a cardigan for myself and another one for S. Of course I must say they are long overdue, since I started one last year and the other more than 2.5 years ago. They were properly blocked and dry this morning but I couldn't find any suitable buttons so any proper photos will only be taken when we come back from vacation.

We're taking a short holiday in North Wales this next week, and are staying in beautiful Snowdonia, with some quick stops along the way in Shrewsbury, Chester and York. We badly need a break, and since I'm starting a new job the week after I intend to make the most of it.

With little S. to take care of I doubt I'll have much reading time, but nevertheless I've picked a few titles I'm planning to read. I won't be carrying any books though (which is great, since S. needs a whole bag just for herself ...) - I've owned a Kindle since last Christmas and I must say it's been a lifesaver when it comes to traveling. Anyway, here's what I selected:

- Clara and Mr Tiffany, by Susan Vreeland. I've been a fan of Ms Vreeland since  Girl in Hyacinth Blue and Passion of Artemisia, but recently I read Life Studies which I enjoyed less.
- The invisible bridge, by Julie Orringer
- Girl in translation, by Jean Kwok
- Every last one, by Anna Quindlen

best reads of 2010

I know the year is not done yet, and I might still add a couple of books to this list, but since I was discussing this with my book loving friends yesterday at lunch, here goes my best reads list of 2010 (out of 68 read so far):

Fiction:
- Room, by Emma Donoghue
- Wolf Hall, by Hilary Mantel
- The Help, by Kathryn Stockett
- The Bronze Horseman, by Paulina Simmons
- Gone with the wind, by Margaret Mitchell (don't know how I never read this sooner)
- The Wind-up bird chronicle, by Haruki Murakami

Fantasy:
- The Hundred Thousad Kingdoms, by N.K. Jemisin
- A Conspiracy of Kings, by Megan Whalen Turner
- Gullstruck Island, by Frances Hardinge
- Under Heaven, by G. G. Kay
- Foxmask, by Juliet Marillier

Mystery:
- The Julian Kestrel Mysteries, by Kate Ross (especially #3 and #4)

Young Adult:
- The Exiles series, by Hilary MacKay

Comfort reads:
- Minding Frankie, by Maeve Binchy
- A Song for summer, by Eva Ibbotson

And my list of disappointments of the year (I so expected them to be much better):
- Mockingjay (The Hunger Games #3), by Suzanne Collins
- Wolfskin, by Juliet Marillier
- My name is red, by Orhan Pamuk

lazy sunday ...

Well, not exactly lazy. We actually went bike riding in the morning and managed but 20 km (the things we do for a a bagel down at Deli Delux) but this is how the rest of the day went by ....

:: banana and chocolate muffins


:: reading a very good book cuddled on the couch. I started it before breakfast and the bike ride, and finished it after lunch. It's unputdownable.


:: another type of reading. Alice Starmore's book on Fair Isle knitting was out of print for several years so when a new edition came out recently I had to get a copy. Plus one of my favorite magazines to browse every every month and a knitting magazine I bought because I actually liked 3 patterns on it.


:: hanging some new prints in the living room


:: a new wip


:: and an old one, recently restarted

this, that (and 3 new dresses)

It seems I've been enjoying summer too much and forgetting to post here altogether :)

Also, there's the fact that I don't really have much to report on, but since we're leaving on vacation this Friday I thought I'd post about a few things I've enjoyed lately ...

Summer reads have been quite enjoyable, particularly due to the recommendation of friends. My favorite this season was the fabulous The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society which I loved, loved, loved. Comparisons to 84 Charing Cross Road (another favorite) are a bit inevitable but this one was so much better. The story and the characters will stay with me for a long time, and already I'm itching to re-read it soon.
Others I've enjoyed were Wildwood dancing for a bit of old fashioned fairytale fantasy, and His majesty's dragon which I unexpectedly enjoyed (have never been a great fan of dragons and such). To go on my packing list for this next trip are Shantaram and a couple of Elizabeth Chadwick's books.



I've also been going through a craze of period drama watching. I had a few BBC titles on my shelf I hadn't seen yet so I went off on a binge. I watched (and loved) the second season of Lark Rise to Candleford, and although the first season was good this one was much, much better. And I'm happy to have found out there's a third season coming ...
Under the Greenwood Tree is based on a Thomas Hardy novel and I had bought this on a whim last year. Finally got round to watch it and found it adorable. True romance and a charming love story. Not sure if it's true to the novel (since I never read it) so I can't comment on that. I also have the most recent adaptation of Tess D'Ubervilles to watch and the first season of City of Vice which seems to have good reviews so I hope I won't be disappointed.



And now for some crafty news (which is the reason I started this blog in the first place) .. I finally managed to finish not one, but three dresses altogether. Here's a sneak peek but I'll try to post some decent photos very soon.



I'm also almost finished with Daisy. Finished sewing the body last night but I still have the sleeves and neckline to knit.

I hope that will go fast, since I can't wait to start on my Fall projects. I'm itching to start knitting with proper wool again, especially these below which just arrived and are ready to be transformed into some paper dolls and a hooded cloud