Books

I’ve tired of not knowing when (or whether) I’ve read a book so I’m going to start tracking them here. Yes, I know about Goodreads, but I don’t need yet another damn social network in my life.

The books are in reverse chronological order by date completed. The list only includes books I read for pleasure, not any of the innumerable books I read for professional reasons.

All ratings are out of five stars.

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2016

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Title: Mr. Penumbra’s 24-Hour Bookstore: A Novel Author: Robin Sloan ISBN: 978-1250037756 Completed on: 2016-03-08 Book source: Amazon Rating: Four stars Notes: Highly recommended by dear friends. Very enjoyable piece of work. My familiarity with software, book scanning, libraries, etc. made it difficult for me to suspend disbelief & sink into the story as much as I’d have preferred to.

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2015

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Title: The Art of Fermentation Author: Sandor Ellix Katz ISBN: 978-1603582865 Completed on: 2015-08-24 Book source: Birthday gift Rating: Five stars Notes: I loved this book and read it all the way through rather than just using it as a reference. Well-researched and approachably written.

Title: If You Want To Write Author: Brenda Ueland ISBN: 978-1614271352 Completed on: 2015-05-20 Book source: A writer friend Rating: Two and a half stars Notes: My friend recommended this book, so I slogged through it out of respect for them. I found it an idealistic, repetitive, dull work obviously written from a place of privilege.

Title: Blackout Author: Connie Willis ISBN: 9780345519832 Completed on: 2015-05-10 Book source: Unknown Rating: Three and a half stars Notes: It was aggravating to get to the last page and be told the resolution was in the next (700pp) book.

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2014

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Title: Eating Wildly: Foraging for Life, Love and the Perfect Meal Author: Ava Chin ISBN: 978-1451656190 Completed on: 2014-12-30 Book source: Xmas gift Rating: One and a half stars Notes: Expected a book on foraging. Got a memoir. Do not enjoy memoirs. Shame on me for not reading more reviews.

Title: Doomsday Book Author: Connie Willis ISBN: 978-0553562736 Completed on: 2014-12-28 Book source: unknown Rating: Four stars Notes: A surprisingly original and engaging story. I now feel the need to look up some of her other works.

Title: All New Square Foot Gardening, Second Edition Author: Mel Bartholomew ISBN: 978-1591865483 Completed on: 2014-12-27 Book source: Xmas gift Rating: Four stars Notes: Very repetitive in parts, but an interesting approach.

Title: Darwin’s Radio Author: Greg Bear ISBN: 978-0345435248 Completed on: 2014-10-11 Book source: unknown Rating: Four stars Notes: I was surprised at how interesting and engaging this book was. Looking forward to reading the sequel.

Title: The Left Hand of Darkness Author: Ursula K. Le Guin ISBN: 978-0441007318 Completed on: 2014-08-12 Book source: Unknown Rating: Two and a half stars Notes: I barely made it through this one. I just couldn’t get into it. It was exceedingly slow and uninteresting to me.

Title: The Fountains of Paradise Author: Arthur C. Clarke ISBN: 978-0151327737 Completed on: 2014-06-12 Book source: Unknown Rating: Two stars Notes: I couldn’t get into it. It didn’t feel like it flowed at all.

Title: Clarkeworld, Issue 91 Author: Various ISBN: Completed on: 2014-05-09 Book source: Clarkesworld ePub subscription Rating: Four stars Notes:

Title: Mammoth Book of Nebula Awards Author: Various; Editor: Kevin J. Anderson ISBN: 978-1780334295 Completed on: 2014-04-04 Book source: Unknown Rating: Three and a half stars Notes:

Title: The Golem and the Jinni Author: Helene Wecker ISBN: 978-0062110831 Completed on: 2014-02-14 Book source: Unknown. Recommended by Kris A. Rating: Four and a half stars Notes:

Title: Overdressed: The Shockingly High Cost of Cheap Fashion Author: Elizabeth L. Cline ISBN: 978-1591846543 Completed on: 2014-02-01 Book source: San Francisco Public Library Rating: Four stars Notes:

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2013

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Title: The Republic of Thieves Author: Scott Lynch ISBN: 978-0553804690 Completed on: 2013-12-30 Book source: Unknown. Recommended by Strobel Rating: Four stars Notes:

Title: Red Seas Under Red Skies Author: Scott Lynch ISBN: 978-0553588958 Completed on: 2013-12-20 Book source: Unknown. Recommended by Strobel Rating: Four stars Notes:

Title: Lies of Locke Lamora Author: Scott Lynch ISBN: 978-0553588941 Completed on: 2013-12-03 (again) Book source: Unknown. Recommended by Strobel Rating: Four stars Notes:

Title: The Jennifer Morgue Author: Charles Stross ISBN: 1-930846-45-2 Completed on: 2013-11-01 Book source: Unknown Rating: Three stars Notes:

Title: The Atrocity Archives Author: Charles Stross ISBN: 978-0441016686 Completed on: 2013-09-16 Book source: Unknown Rating: Three stars Notes:

Title: The Windup Girl Author: Paolo Bacigalupi ISBN: 978-1597801584 Completed on: 2013-09-12 Book source: Gift Rating: Three stars Notes:

Title: Lord of the Rings Author: J. R. R. Tolkien ISBN: Completed on: Summer Book source: Childhood Rating: Five stars Notes:

Title: Fellowship of the Ring Author: J. R. R. Tolkien ISBN: 978-0544003415 Completed on: 2013-04-28 Book source: Childhood Rating: Five stars (duh) Notes:

Title: Xenocide Author: Orson Scott Card ISBN: 978-0312861872 Completed on: 2013-03-21 Book source: Unknown Rating: Two stars (if that) Notes:

Title: The Hacker’s Diet Author: John Walker ISBN: Completed on: 2013-03-11 Book source: Unknown Rating: Three stars Notes:

Title: The Hobbit Author: J. R. R. Tolkien ISBN: 978-0547928227 Completed on: 2013-03-10 (again) Book source: Childhood Rating: Five stars Notes:

Title: Speaker for the Dead Author: Orson Scott Card ISBN: 978-0312853259 Completed on: 2013-02-21 Book source: Unknown Rating: Two and a half stars Notes:

Title: Confessions of a Public Speaker Author: Scott Berkun ISBN: 978-1449301958 Completed on: 2013-02-09 Book source: Unknown Rating: Three and a half stars Notes:

Title: Code of the Woosters Author: P.G. Wodehouse ISBN: 978-0393339819 Completed on: 2013-01-31 Book source: SFPL. Recommended by Skud. Rating: Three stars Notes:

Title: Bad Glass Author: Richard E. Gropp ISBN: 978-0345533937 Completed on: 2013-01-27 Book source: Humble Bundle Rating: Three stars Notes:

Title: Consider the Fork: A History of How We Cook and Eat Author: Bee Wilson ISBN: 978-0465056972 Completed on: 2013-01-18 Book source: SFPL Rating: Three stars Notes: