My goal for the year is 48 books -- Mt. Ararat. So I am now at 58.33% of my goal. I will have to pay more attention to my reading choices in the next two quarters. The challenge is run by Bev at My Reader's Block.
B. Tell us about a book on the list that was new to you in some way--new author, about a place you've never been, a genre you don't usually read...etc.
The most unusual book in my list of TBR books this quarter was White Heat by M. J. McGrath. The setting is what makes it unique. The story is set on Ellesmere Island, a location in Canada that I did not know existed. Ellesmere Island is considered part of the Queen Elizabeth Islands. The protagonist is Edie Kiglatuk, half-Inuit and a hunting guide and school teacher. In the first few chapters, I was put off a lot by the descriptions of the food (igunaq, fermented walrus gut; seal- blood soup; fried blubber). By the end of the book, I was getting used to that.
18 comments:
Well done on keeping ahead of the game on the challenge. I'm fairly hopeless at updating mine, although it's not such an issue as I have removed the time constraints from them!
Col, I have not done well at all in keeping up with the USA Fiction Challenge; I need to go through what I have read and link them up and make a list. This one is much easier.
White Heat sounds interesting... I shall investigate.
You're nicely ahead of the game - well done!
Good Job! I'm so behind on my reading I'll never meet my challenges this year. Just in a slump I think. White Heat does sound quite different.
I have never heard of it either. Love the name.
It sounds interesting. I didn't know about that area either.
Ann
Well done, Tracy! You're making such great progress. And the setting/context for White Heat really does stand out, doesn't it? That's one reason I really like it.
Woo Hoo! Over half-up the mountain--you're doing great!
Thanks, Cath. White Heat is definitely worth a try. Like almost any book, it got mixed reaction, but many reviewers liked it especially for the depiction of the setting.
Peggy, I have decided not to worry about keeping up with challenges, but I really do want to make a small dent in my huge stacks of books that I have owned for years.
Patti, I am really lacking in knowledge of the countries of the world AND geography, and my reading points that out to me all the time.
Very interesting, Ann. I love it when a book entertains and educates.
I am happy with my progress, Margot, but I was hoping for more. White Heat was good on multiple levels, I am glad I read it.
Thanks, Bev, I will keep plugging away.
You are doing great, over half of your goal. I am falling down just because I haven't had much reading time the last four months. I am reading from my own books though as a priority.
I liked White Heat, the extraordinary setting on Ellesmere Island, the weather conditions, the customs, etc. It led me to read about the forced settlement of the island by the Canadian government, not a pretty sight.
The only thing I found hard to take is the food from marine animals. I am glad I stopped eating meat yaers ago -- or this book would have driven me to it.
I am trying to stick with books I already own also, Kathy, although I have read more new books this year than ever before. It was the food that initially put me off this book, but overall it tells you so much about the culture. A wonderful book.
Tracy, well done, indeed. The only way I can make a dent in my TBR pile is by not buying any more paper books, and I actually haven't bought any over the last three months. I hope to read the ones I have.
Prashant, you have much more restraint when buying books than I do. I am trying to cut back for a few months before the book sale in September, but so far not doing so well on that.
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