read all the books I own but haven't read

finished all five books of The Once and Future King. Overall, I must admit to being disappointed. The Sword in the Stone has been butchered and nothing that comes after justifys the changes (apparently he swapped things around to adopt the first book to the series).

The Witch in the Wood (book II) has some very disturbing images – the cat being boiled alive, the children slaughtering a unicorn… and while they do create a mood and are quite unforgettable, the author seems to dwell on the details in a way quite un-necessary to the plot. Also a lot of smug racist comments about Celts and Gaels…. from the blurb at the end it seems this was a reaction to his life at the time of writing and he was indeed going through a period of hating all things Irish.

The Ill-Made Knight (book III) my favourite of the five. The standard list of Lancelots adventures and saving of various maidens was a little drawn out, but the developing relationship between Guinevere, Arthur and Lancealot is very nicely done.

The Candle in the Wind(book IV) Some really nice narrative bits, lots of good background history, and the gathering doom around the main protagonists kept me going through this book, but the philosophical struggle of Arthur and his might vs right arguements, which go on for entire chapters, made most of the story skipworthy!

The Book of Merlyn (book V) I have no idea what TH White was trying to do here. He has Merlin visit Arthur on the eve of his final battle, the king is old, weary and despairing, and Merlin promptly whisks him off to a conference of animals who all abuse humans, tell him his race is doomed and everything he struggled for during his life is pointless, transform him into a young man again and send him off to repeat almost word for word two episodes from book I – the visits to the ants and the geese (both additions to the first book in place of much better pieces), then he is turned back into an old man again and killed in battle the next day.

despite the fact that my shower is broken, so I can’t enjoy my usual read in there!!

Just finishing The Once and Future King which I bought two years ago, so I am that far down the TBR pile!!

I have the original Sword in the Stone version and I love it – was very puzzled to read his adapted version, which is the first of five books in this volume…. the bits he changed are of very poor quality and are glaring in the middle of the fine craftmanship of the rest of the story. The attack on Morgan’s castle doesn’t even make sense, and to cut the wonderful magical fight between Merlin and Madame Mim – the man is crazy!!!

I haven’t bought many books lately at all, as the metaphorical weight of the ones I have to read preys at the back of my mind. Which is great :-)

I am making an effort to read my “information” books… who knows, maybe I will turn out not to need to keep them all.

Just finished “Exploring the Book of Kells” which was a total joy – simple, informative and lovely pencil illustrations throughout.

1/3 way through “Early Medieval Ireland”... much heavier read but interesting. On the section dealing with marriage and inheritance now. Contrary to the impression often given by speakers who advocate a return to ‘traditional Irish values’ in matters of sexual and moral behaviour early Irish society was unequivocal in its recognition of and support for multiple marriage and divorce. An 8th century text clearly explains that such practises were unquestioningly acceptable in a Christian country despite instructions from Rome to the contrary….if the Hebrews in Old Testament times could have many wives, why should not the Irish? The pre-Christian marriage practices of the Irish were to survive right down to the end of the Gaelic world in the 17th century.

Ooops. I have been to London, and the bookshops of Oxford street were too much for me!

BUT I have come home with only 8 new books, which, compared with past years shows admirable restraint!

And one of those is a gift for Wiblick, so it doesn’t count!

Darn 3 for 2 offers…... I just couldn’t pass them!

But in the last couple of months, I have ‘inherited’ box fulls of books… I had intended to bookcross them, but so many of them are on my ‘would like to read’ list…..

At least I haven’t bought too many new books!

This week (week !)so far I have

bought No books

and finished reading:
(1)Brave New World
(2)Agincourt
(3)Empress Orchid

I have released
1 book via bookcrossings.

My aim will be to read 100 books, and decide what I want to do with them (i.e. keep or release)

And yes, I did wait until I had a week when I didn’t buy a book to start…........

Well, I need to be very, very specific with myself here.

(1) I will read all the books I currently own/have before buying any new ones.
(2) Research/info/coffeetable books, although not for ‘reading’, count, and also cannot be bought.
(3) I will not pick up any more books at bookcrossing meetings, until my current TBR piles are no more.

I think that covers everything.

Must stop buying books, must stop buying books…..

But there are SO MANY REALLY GOOD ONES!

Hmmmmm.

Maybe just read faster :-)

Seriously amazed at just how many piles of unread books there are in my house! I am counting that alone as progress!

the TBR pile is now a mountain instead of a range, and I have being very restrained in bookshops recently. Mostly, mentally, I am accepting that I don’t have to validate myself somehow through the possession of books. I change over the years. So should my shelf. I may have loved a particular book years ago, but if I don’t really love it still, it is okay to let it go and find a new home. Goodbye Shanarra books!!

Have done a big clear out of my library (or bookshelf, more accurately) and cleared out a lot of books I no longer need. But the unread ones are the problem. They aren’t really ‘mine’ until I have read every page, and exist in forlorn little stacks all over the place, waiting for their turn. The guilt. The clutter. The sheer madness of buying any more books before I have sorted out what I own.