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Lots of newspapers and magazines this week, at the expense of book reading. Here's what I did get around to:
What I Just Finished Reading
Jane Steele – Lyndsay Faye
This novel has made me a fan of Faye for life. It's just so well executed, excellently written, and really, just go read it. I'd say more, but I really don't want to spoil anything for people who haven't read it yet. So trust me, and go. Read. This. Book.
ルードヴィヒII世 1 - 氷栗優 (Ludwig II vol. 1 – Higuri You)
It's dated by 21st century sensibilities, but Higuri did her research (which, if I did not know how stupid dedicated Japanese people were to such things I would assume was just a thinly veiled excuse for a junket). The art is charmingly mid-90's, but remarkably sensual in its fade-to-blacks.
終点Unknown 1 - 杉浦 志保 – (Shuten Unknown vol. 1 – Sugiura Shiho)
I had mixed feelings about this volume the first time through. It struck me then like the manga equivalent of Serenity: a two-hour film short-handing what should have been multiple seasons of world-building and character development. It was only on my second, hindsight-enriched reading that I saw
What I Am Currently Reading
Build Your Own Gaming PC – Russell Barnes & Adam Barnes
A lot of good advice that could nonetheless have benefited from the attentions of an editor focused on clarity and brevity.
Uneasy Warriors – Sabine Fruhstuck
About gender and the Japanese military/self-defense forces. I'm only half a chapter in, but Fruhstuck's writing thus far is crisp and readable. Would that all academic writing read like this.
The Tarot – Robert M. Place
Separated as I am from my go-to books on this subject (both by Cynthia Giles), I decided to give this one a whirl. Thus far I've found it well-written and delightfully free of new age crap, but Place also says he's going to explain the Tarot absent Kabbalah, astrology, and 19th century English ritual magic...which are more or less what make up the Tarot. I'm interested to see where he takes this.
Indonesian: A Comprehensive Grammar – James Sneddon, K. Alexander Adelaar, Dwi Djenar
Having complete the first section on verbs, I now proceed to nouns and noun phrases. I am currently absorbing the many functions of yang, dari, and -nya in these constructions.
Cut the Clutter – Cynthia Townley Ewer
This book is concise and well-written, with a lovely layout chock full of bright, attractive photographs. And therein lies the problem: Fifty-three pictures of human beings tidying things, of which 48 are smiling women mopping, scrubbing, and washing in full evening make-up and five are prepubescent boys. Now, yes, I know all adult men are so naturally clean they poop laundry detergent and floral centerpieces and thus have no business being portrayed in a book about cleaning, but would it have killed the publishers to pretend otherwise?
沈黙入門 - 小池 龍之介 (Chinmoku Nyumon – Koike Ryunosuke)
We are now into the nitty-gritty of basic zazen techniques. It's good stuff.
What I'm Reading Next
Necklace of Kisses – Francesca Lia Block
Gonna start this one any day now.
これで以上です。
What I Just Finished Reading
Jane Steele – Lyndsay Faye
This novel has made me a fan of Faye for life. It's just so well executed, excellently written, and really, just go read it. I'd say more, but I really don't want to spoil anything for people who haven't read it yet. So trust me, and go. Read. This. Book.
ルードヴィヒII世 1 - 氷栗優 (Ludwig II vol. 1 – Higuri You)
It's dated by 21st century sensibilities, but Higuri did her research (which, if I did not know how stupid dedicated Japanese people were to such things I would assume was just a thinly veiled excuse for a junket). The art is charmingly mid-90's, but remarkably sensual in its fade-to-blacks.
終点Unknown 1 - 杉浦 志保 – (Shuten Unknown vol. 1 – Sugiura Shiho)
I had mixed feelings about this volume the first time through. It struck me then like the manga equivalent of Serenity: a two-hour film short-handing what should have been multiple seasons of world-building and character development. It was only on my second, hindsight-enriched reading that I saw
What I Am Currently Reading
Build Your Own Gaming PC – Russell Barnes & Adam Barnes
A lot of good advice that could nonetheless have benefited from the attentions of an editor focused on clarity and brevity.
Uneasy Warriors – Sabine Fruhstuck
About gender and the Japanese military/self-defense forces. I'm only half a chapter in, but Fruhstuck's writing thus far is crisp and readable. Would that all academic writing read like this.
The Tarot – Robert M. Place
Separated as I am from my go-to books on this subject (both by Cynthia Giles), I decided to give this one a whirl. Thus far I've found it well-written and delightfully free of new age crap, but Place also says he's going to explain the Tarot absent Kabbalah, astrology, and 19th century English ritual magic...which are more or less what make up the Tarot. I'm interested to see where he takes this.
Indonesian: A Comprehensive Grammar – James Sneddon, K. Alexander Adelaar, Dwi Djenar
Having complete the first section on verbs, I now proceed to nouns and noun phrases. I am currently absorbing the many functions of yang, dari, and -nya in these constructions.
Cut the Clutter – Cynthia Townley Ewer
This book is concise and well-written, with a lovely layout chock full of bright, attractive photographs. And therein lies the problem: Fifty-three pictures of human beings tidying things, of which 48 are smiling women mopping, scrubbing, and washing in full evening make-up and five are prepubescent boys. Now, yes, I know all adult men are so naturally clean they poop laundry detergent and floral centerpieces and thus have no business being portrayed in a book about cleaning, but would it have killed the publishers to pretend otherwise?
沈黙入門 - 小池 龍之介 (Chinmoku Nyumon – Koike Ryunosuke)
We are now into the nitty-gritty of basic zazen techniques. It's good stuff.
What I'm Reading Next
Necklace of Kisses – Francesca Lia Block
Gonna start this one any day now.
これで以上です。
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