Here’s the list of books finished in February:

1. TEAM OF RIVALS by Doris Kearns Goodwin. (754 p.) Incredibly good history book, about Abraham Lincoln and the four powerful, well-known men who were his main rivals for the Presidential nomination in 1860 . . . and who he convinced to be on his cabinet once he–a relative unknown–was elected. Great story, well-told, and just fascinating. Well worth the effort to carry it around the house while reading–it’s not a small book, but I really loved it.

2. SUMMERS AT CASTLE AUBURN by Sharon Shinn  (355 p.) Fantasy book. Coriel usually lives with her grandmother, learning herblore to be a wise woman, but she spends her summers with her half-sister, who is betrothed to the dashing Prince Bryan  . . but as the years go on, she becomes disillusioned . . . A nice, gentle, beautifully-written book by a favorite author.

3. SECRET HISTORY OF THE PINK CARNATION by Lauren Willig (449 p.) You have heard of the Secret Pimpernel, right? The fictional British hero who saved hundreds of Frenchmen from the guilliotine during the French Revolution? Well, apparently, there was also a (even-more fictional) hero named the Pink Carnation, and this is the story of a modern-day graduate student finding his true identity . . . This book falls closer to the “romance” genre than I usually read, but it was pretty entertaining and fun . . . and now I’m going to have to pick up the sequel….

4. WORLDLY GOODS by Lisa Jardine (436 p.) History book, a bit dry, about the new importance of the merchant class during the Renaissance. Interesting topic, and the writing was certainly capable enough, and yet . . . it read like a series of short, disjointed sections that seemed as if they should have been connected. This is the second of her books that I’ve read, and this seems to be just her writing style, but it was a little too disconnected for me to really be able to enjoy.

5. THE EYRE AFFAIR by Jasper Fforde (374 p.) Pure, fun nonsense set in an alternate world where literature is a national obsession. They have “Will-Speak” machines on the corner which spout great Shakespeare soliloquies for a coin. Riots over artistic styles. And, oh yes, a lot of weird, weird things like vampires, and arch-villains who are bulletproof, preternaturally convincing, and purely evil. Enter Thursday Next, a Special-Ops operative for literary offenses, whose uncle Mycroft has just invented a Prose Portal which allows anyone to enter the fictional world  . . . just at the same time that Acheron Hades steals the original manuscript of Jane Eyre . . . and kidnaps Jane! (Yes, it’s weird, but oh, it’s so much fun.)

6. LOST IN A GOOD BOOK by Jasper Fforde (399 p.) Thursday Next, book two–newly-married, and finishing up a publicity tour on her involvement in the Eyre Affair, the multi-national corporation Goliath is trying to convince her to rescue its employee, trapped in Edgar Allen Poe’s “The Raven.” And to convince her, they “eradicate” her husband–going back in time to have him die as a child, so nobody remembers him . . . except her. All while she’s discovered a way inside of fiction on her own . . . and becomes apprenticed to the Jurisfiction ranks, with Miss Havisham as her mentor….

7. WELL OF LOST PLOTS by Jasper Fforde (360 p.) My least favorite of the Thursday Next books, mostly because it entirely takes place inside of fiction, where Thursday is taking refuge from Goliath’s low-blow tactics. Thursday is not only on her way to becoming a full-fledged member of Jurisfiction, but helping vet the new “Ultra-Word” operating system, which will make old, ordinary books obsolete, all while fighting off a “mindworm” that threatens to steal away her memories of her husband . . .

8. SOMETHING ROTTEN by Jasper Fforde (393 p.) Thursday Next number four–two years later, Thursday emerges back into (her) real world with her two-year old son in tow, determined to do whatever it takes to get her husband back, her job back, her life back . . . except she’s brought along Hamlet, only to find that a crooked (and fictional) politician has declared that all Danes are the enemy . . . but of course, Shakespeare wouldn’t be the same without Hamlet. And then there’s the formidable assassin who’s been hired to kill her. On the plus side, she’s got her own, officially-registered stalker, Millon de Floss, who proves rather useful…. This series, as you can tell, is completely wacky, but it makes me laugh out loud every time.

9. FITTED KNITS by Stephanie Japel (137 p.) Exactly what it sounds like–a book of patterns for fitted knitwear.

10. PHOENIX AND ASHES by Mercedes Lackey (405 p.) A re-telling of Cinderella in a Victorian England that has magic–all part of the author’s “Elemental Mage” series. Eleanor is bespelled by her wicked stepmother to her house . . . until her own magical abilities awake . . .

11. SERPENT’S SHADOW by Mercedes Lackey (394 p.) The “Elemental Mage” version of Snow White–Maya is a half-English, half-Indian woman doctor trying to make a life for herself in England–not easy for a half-caste woman doctor–all while staying hidden from her mother’s evil sister, who has left India to try to find her . . .

12. WIZARD OF LONDON by Mercedes Lackey (377 p.) And this one is the story of the Snow Queen . . . although I think it’s the least recognizable of the series. This is told from the point of view of Sarah Jane and Nan–students of a London boarding school.

13. BLAME IT ON THE RAIN by Laura Lee (295 p.) A series of entertaining little anecdotes–each chapter is only 2-5 pages long–of how weather events have had major affects on history. Noah’s flood, the storm that blew away the Armada invading England, and, oh yes, the multiple attempts to invade Russia only to be defeated by the winter. (These chapters–scattered through the somewhat-chronological book–are titled “Gee, it’s Cold in Russia,” “Gee, it’s Cold in Russia, Part II,” and then parts three and four . . . which are separated by the chapter on Russia’s invasion of Finland, titled “Gee, it’s Cold in Finland.” Little touches like these amuse me, what can I say? Entertaining, informative, pleasantly-written, easy to pick up at a moment’s notice thanks to the short, breezy chapters…. nice.

14. AN ASSEMBLY SUCH AS THIS by Pamela Aidan (218 p.) The first book of her “Fitzwilliam Darcy” trilogy, which tells the story of Pride & Prejudice
from Mr. Darcy’s point of view. Hers isn’t the first to do this, by any
means, but I think it’s one of the best. I’ve read the entire trilogy
twice so far . . . um, give me a couple weeks and I can give you exact
counts . . . and think it’s entirely enjoyable. Definitely recommended.

15. KATZ ON DOGS by Jon Katz (228 p.) General guide to raising and training a dog–not so much about the training specifics as the mentality necessary–or at least helpful–to having a dog in your life. His “A Dog Year” is still my favorite, but this was generally enjoyable.

16. DUTY AND DESIRE by Pamela Aidan (238 p.) The second of the “Fitzwilliam Darcy” trilogy, and definitely the weakest of the three–this covers what he did between leaving Netherfield and seeing Elizabeth again at Rosings . . . but, frankly, it’s all just a little strange. A little too “occult” for Jane Austen, I think. Not horrible, and the scenes with his sister and friend Dy are charming, but . . . not the best of the series.

17. IMPOSSIBLE THINGS by Connie Willis (461 p.) Short stories by a wonderful sci-fi writer–some serious, some funny, some downright depressing. (I couldn’t even bring myself to read the first story about a not-too-distant future where all dogs have been wiped out by a fast-moving disease . . . unthinkable! Chappy thinks so, too.) Her writing is wonderful as always, but still . . . I’m ot really a short-story fan.

18. THESE THREE REMAIN by Pamela Aidan (335 p.) The grand finale of the Fitzwilliam Darcy trilogy and excellent. Not least because it contains some of my favorite scenes from the original–the infamous Proposal, the unexpected meeting at Pemberley–but plenty of other good, juicy stuff, too, like how he tracked down Wickham. You really can’t compare to the original because Jane Austen is too perfect in her own right, but still . . . these are excellent compliments.

19. PERFECT CAKES by Nick Malgieri (311 p.) A beautiful cookbook that I’ve had my eye on for a while . . . well, I do love cake. I haven’t made anything yet, but there are a number of things in here to tempt me!

• Tags: Monthly Reading List, Reading • Permalink:Reads from February //