After finishing my first book of the year last week, I now am stuck on what will be my second book of the year…that I finish. I already have abandoned two:
- one that I thought might be my first book of the year.
- another a friend recommended that I just was/am not “feeling.”
However, because of a telephone conversation with that friend last week, I am refocusing much of my reading on what I know I love: older murder mysteries along the lines of Agatha Christie and the like.
So now I am thinking the second book that I will finish this year might be Over My Dead Body, the seventh in the Nero Wolfe series, by Rex Stout. I restarted reading/rereading the series in 2017 and now am returning to doing that. When I was a teenager, I read many of them, although I’m not sure if I read all of them. That’s why I wanted to restart them especially when I learned that the Free Library of Philadelphia had all 33 of the novels available on ebook.
Beyond Over My Dead Body…
I have several other books on the radar, including those in this stack (that also includes DVDs) I picked up after getting a community patron card at a local state university:
Among the books in the stack are a couple books by Haruki Murakami. When I posted the photo, Monika (lovelybookshelf on Instagram) mentioned a new Murakami Book Club on discord with the first book being Norwegian Wood. Even though I didn’t know what discord is, I decided to join. The group begins discussing the first four chapters tomorrow and all this week on discord, which I know is a free voice and text chat for gamers. Then the group will discuss subsequent chapters through the week of Feb. 16 to Feb. 22. The only thing my book is due back Feb. 12. I guess I hope no one puts a hold on it between now and then. Otherwise, I might have to find it elsewhere…or…GASP! buy it!
Also in the stack are a few collections of poetry, which I thought might count toward a poetry reading challenge for this year that I only recently learned about: Poetry Reading Challenge 2020, hosted by Serena from the blog Savvy Verse & Wit. Then tonight I actually read (imagine that!) the options for the challenge and realized that a couple of options for the challenge is not just reading, but reviewing (gah!) books of poetry and realized I’m not much (er, at all) a reviewer. I think I am going to try another one of the options:
- Signing up to read a poem-a-day through the Academy of American Poets Poem-a-Day service, then reading a poem-a-day for a week once per month and writing about which poems were your favorite and why on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or your blog.
Since I’m getting to this party late in the month, that means that I will be reading a poem-a-day for this week and then writing about which ones are my favorite and why on my blog at the end of the week. No pressure or anything. 😉
In other news…
This past week:
- Christine at Bride of the Book God celebrated her 13th blogiversary!
- Chris Wolak celebrated her 10th blogiversary!
Please go congratulate them both and add them to blogs to read, and if you haven’t listened to Chris Wolak and her friend Emily Fine’s podcast Book Cougars, definitely go give it a listen. They just did their 94th show!
Author’s Note: *facepalm* I don’t know why I titled this “My Second Book of the Year?” because at this point I already had read my second book of the year: A Call To Conscience: The Landmark Speeches of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., edited by Clayborne Carson and Kris Shepard. I actually should have titled this “And For My Third Book of the Year?” Duh.
Still an unfinished person... 
I’ve not heard of Discord. Where do I find info about that?
I’m a novice with Murakami, just read only my second by him and have loved both of them but they are a) two of his shortest and b) don’t have any magical realism elements which I don’t like……
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Did you read Norwegian Wood, because it’s not magical realism at all? And this is another post where things have changed since I posted. 🙂 I bowed out of the book club because I’ve read all the Murakami I want for now. Myself, I like the magical realism and what I missed in Norwegian Wood.
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Norwegian Wood was my first outing with Murakami and I loved it…
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I’ll try it again, but I really do like the magical realism/the surrealism of his other books.
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Not one, but TWO Murakami books. My eyes got all crazy for a moment in anticipation.
My reading is going really well. I am on book 9 of the year. Unheard of for me.
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Don’t get too excited. I’m bowing out of the online reading book club to focus on older detective fiction. I think I’ve read all the Murakami I want at this point: much of which I did enjoy, including A Wild Sheep Chase, Hard-Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World, and Kafka on the Shore to name a few. I am reading slowly and deliberately and now have a plan on for February and maybe the rest of the year. More on that on Sunday’s blog.
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Good luck deciding what to read! And good luck with the Murakami book club. I have yet to read anything by him, but it appears to me that people either love him or hate him. As for poetry, you are a better person than I, Bryan. I avoid poetry as much as I avoid short stories and any Christian fiction. My brain simply does not work when it comes to poetry, but I admire anyone who voluntarily goes out and reads it for fun.
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I love his early work. Some of his later… Way too long.
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I am intrigued by this poetry challenge and may have to consider it for myself. However, like you, I am not so great at the reviewing. So, we’ll see.
Joining new libraries is so fun and exciting. Love the stack! I hope you enjoy your mystery choice.
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I think it’s a great idea to refocus on some older favorites. There aren’t many new books I’m excited about at the moment and will likely turn to the many books already on my kindle. Have yet to try anything by Murakami, but he’s been on my radar forever. Discord is new to me – enjoy the discussion and I hope nobody puts a hold on “your” book!
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I’m not excited either about any books either, but trying to get there.
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I like Murakami’s work. I haven’t read the two you have on hand. My weekly update
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Poetry… I am not usually so good with it so I am impressed that you are going to tackle so much of it. I wish you well! Returning to old, comfortable favorite genres like mysteries is always a good idea.
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I recently joined Discord too. I haven’t looked at it in a few days because I spend way too much time on social media. I hope you have a good week!
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Ah yes, I need to launch in to the Rex Stout series!
I use Discord for the #pondathon. Do you mind giving me the name of the channel for the Murakami readings? And talking about Murakami and Norwegian Wood, I have something nice to offer to you. I was trying to send you a private message on goodreads, but you don’t accept any, and I can’t find any email address. Can you send me an email to emmacazabonne at gmail [dot} com?
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The group is Murakami Book Club. As for no private messages, that might be because I don’t want private messages from authors or publishers. I’ll send you an e-mail. 🙂 I’ve e-mailed you before too. 🙂
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