Saturday, December 20, 2008

BOOKS | 13 for 2009

I have been doing the 100 Books To Read list for the past few years. I have decided I shall skip the 100 Books To Read challenge in 2009 and work on something more manageable. Like 13.

Why 13? Because it's prime. (Really, what did you expect me to say?)

The List of 13 for 2009 (which is more like a guideline than a list set in stone):

  1. Arabian Sands, Wilfred Thesiger
  2. ~ Started on it. Hope to finish it this year.
  3. Drood, Dan Simmons
  4. ~ Started on the ARC sent by the publisher.
  5. My Fantoms,Théophile Gautier

  6. Victorine, Maude Hutchins
  7. ~ They claim she writes like an American Colette.
  8. The Travels of Ibn Battutah, edited by Tim Mackintosh-Smith

  9. Yemen, Tim Mackintosh-Smith

  10. The Great War for Civilisation, Robert Fisk
  11. ~ I need to read up on the politics and history of the Middle East.
  12. A Book of Silence, Sara Maitland

  13. The Eight, Katherine Neville
  14. ~ This is actually an old title. It was apparently The Da Vinci Code of its time, and it involves secret society and a chess set. It's the mysterious chess set that piqued my interest.
  15. The Girl Who Played with Fire, Stieg Larsson
  16. ~ I enjoyed the first book, which deserved all the publicity it garnered. Hope the second book will not disappoint.
  17. A Dance with Dragons (Song of Ice and Fire), George R.R. Martin
  18. ~ I was talking to one of my publishers last month about the book. Either of us are that hopeful that GRRM can produce the manuscript before the end of the year. But I have waited a long time for it. I hope it happens.
  19. Cyteen: Regenesis, C.J. Cherryh
  20. ~ The sequel to Cyteen, which I re-read in 2008. I wrote an email to C.J. Cherryh when I was 20. (It was the first time I ever wrote a letter to an author I admire. I was so geeky.) I asked if there will be a sequel to Cyteen, because the story ended on a spectacular cliff-hanger and I need to find out what happens next. I was absolutely thrilled when Cherryh wrote back to tell me it will happen. She just needs to write it.

    I have waited more than a decade for this sequel to be written, and come January 2009, the hardcover will be published.

    Have any of you ever waited this long for a book to be published?

  21. TBC

Other titles under consideration:

  1. Other Colours, Orhan Pamuk

  2. The Suspicions of Mr. Whicher, Kate Summerscale

  3. Acedia & Me, Kathleen Norris

  4. Child 44, Tom Rob Smith

  5. In the Woods, Tana French

  6. Revolutionary Road, Richard Yates

  7. 2666, Roberto Bolano

  8. Shadow Country, Peter Matthiessen

  9. A Fine and Private Place, Peter S. Beagle

7 comments:

Unknown said...

I have never read a single book that you have planned for 2009.

I don't know, it's just that looking at the titles and the sometimes unpronouncable author names makes me back off. Too difficult to comprehend.

I read pretty brainless crap, i got to admit that.

darkorpheus said...

Ah Leng - nothing is proved by reading any of these books. forget it lah.

Danielle said...

I'd like to read the Summerscale book, too, as well as the first Steig Larsson book (thus far the only one published in the US)and Dan Simmon's first. 13 does seem much more manageable than 100--but then I'm a slow reader! :)

darkorpheus said...

Danielle - You still read faster than me. ;) I'm not sure if I can even finish 13 next year. Things are a little hectic these days at work.

Let's compare notes when you finish The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. But I hope you like it.

Unknown said...

I always figured that smarter people / people who like to think, will read more intellectual books.

I'm knocking off work in 5 minutes, totally looking forward. My eyes are wonky from a whole day of staring at numbers.

darkorpheus said...

Ah Leng - actually, have met people who read intellectual books, but they behave like ill-bred bastards. So what if they have intelligence/like to think - what's the point if you behave like a barbarian anyway?

"The Girl Who Played With Fire" is a Swedish thriller. Very good. Very fun. :)

Anonymous said...

So many good books to look forward too! I have an ARC of Drood too. Looking forward to it very much.