In my post for last month's selection, you may recall, I noted that I would be choosing only one book from the back burner for October; well, here it is:
The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down, by Anne Fadiman.
Congratulations to May for your recommendation having been selected!
Showing posts with label reader input. Show all posts
Showing posts with label reader input. Show all posts
Sunday
Tuesday
September Selections and Update
Beginning in September I am starting a second unit of clinical pastoral education (CPE) at the Ottawa Hospital - Civic campus.
Between this programme, work, and my other commitments, greater limits shall be set upon my time to read and write for The Marginal Virtues.
For the next three months, then, I will be choosing only one book from the 'back burner' to read and write a marginal commentary for. In December I'll choose two more books from the 'back burner', and, starting in the new year, shall once again ask for new recommendations.
So, without further ado, here is the selection for September!
Dune, by Frank Herbert.
Congratulations to Matt for his recommendation having been selected. I'm looking forward to reading Dune, which is widely regarded as a classic of the science-fiction genre.
Between this programme, work, and my other commitments, greater limits shall be set upon my time to read and write for The Marginal Virtues.
For the next three months, then, I will be choosing only one book from the 'back burner' to read and write a marginal commentary for. In December I'll choose two more books from the 'back burner', and, starting in the new year, shall once again ask for new recommendations.
So, without further ado, here is the selection for September!
Dune, by Frank Herbert.
Congratulations to Matt for his recommendation having been selected. I'm looking forward to reading Dune, which is widely regarded as a classic of the science-fiction genre.
August Selections
I am once again selecting three books from the list of books 'on the back burner' recommended to me by readers to read and write marginal commentaries for. I'll try to get my hands on these books to read and comment upon them for August.
The books selected are:
The Guns of August, by Barbara Tuchman
Quicksilver, by Neal Stephenson.
An Unquiet Mind, by Kay Redfield Jamison.
My congratulations and thanks to those whose previous selections were chosen this time: Sarah, Graham, and Deborah!
I'm looking forward to reading them.
The books selected are:
The Guns of August, by Barbara Tuchman
Quicksilver, by Neal Stephenson.
An Unquiet Mind, by Kay Redfield Jamison.
My congratulations and thanks to those whose previous selections were chosen this time: Sarah, Graham, and Deborah!
I'm looking forward to reading them.
Reader Recommendations: April
March is going to be a busy month for me in terms of reading (I am reading about one hundred pages a day of a number of different books as part of my Lenten discipline), and I still have The China Study to work on, so I have decided to forego taking recommendations for this month.
Another problem is the issue of availability. Sometimes the books I select end up - through no one's fault, of course - being very popular at the OPL, and so I have to wait to get my hands on them. It was something like four, or maybe even as many as six, months before I got my hands on Ender's Game, for example.
With that lengthy preamble out of the way, let me say that I am opening the floor to your recommendations for the month of April. I'll collect recommendations for about a week, and then post the selections early in March.
As always, the suggested guidelines for making recommendations are here, and the list of books I have already read for The Marginal Virtues is here. Of course, you can also find the links at the top of the sidebar on the right-hand side.
For April, I am looking for recommendations about choice. This is a bit of a broad category: strictly speaking every book has to do with choice, somehow. What I am looking for, for lack of a better way to put it, are books that you've read that had an impression on you with respect to making choices, decisions, or changes in your life. Such books need not have Changed Your Life; but if they did, so much the better. Feel free to recommend works of fiction or non-fiction. Maybe the book changed your convictions about something, or caused you take up a new activity or way of life, or made you reflect philosophically on the nature of choice, or else brought you into a world in which the choices of the characters were made to matter to you.
As always, I look forward to receiving your recommendations!
Another problem is the issue of availability. Sometimes the books I select end up - through no one's fault, of course - being very popular at the OPL, and so I have to wait to get my hands on them. It was something like four, or maybe even as many as six, months before I got my hands on Ender's Game, for example.
With that lengthy preamble out of the way, let me say that I am opening the floor to your recommendations for the month of April. I'll collect recommendations for about a week, and then post the selections early in March.
As always, the suggested guidelines for making recommendations are here, and the list of books I have already read for The Marginal Virtues is here. Of course, you can also find the links at the top of the sidebar on the right-hand side.
For April, I am looking for recommendations about choice. This is a bit of a broad category: strictly speaking every book has to do with choice, somehow. What I am looking for, for lack of a better way to put it, are books that you've read that had an impression on you with respect to making choices, decisions, or changes in your life. Such books need not have Changed Your Life; but if they did, so much the better. Feel free to recommend works of fiction or non-fiction. Maybe the book changed your convictions about something, or caused you take up a new activity or way of life, or made you reflect philosophically on the nature of choice, or else brought you into a world in which the choices of the characters were made to matter to you.
As always, I look forward to receiving your recommendations!
December Selections
Here are the three books I have chosen at random to read and comment upon in December. Congratulations to those of you whose books I selected!
You may recall that I asked for recommendations of non-fiction books that you had read within the last five years which you found inspiring, or thought-provoking, or otherwise interesting. Hopefully my commentary on the selected books will contribute to their inspirational or thought-provoking quality.
I am still (still!) waiting for Room to become available at the library, so my marginal commentary on it will be postponed until whenever I get my hands on it. I am going to honour having selected it in order to write a marginal commentary on it, but it looks like I will have to think of an ad hoc rule to apply in situations in which I cannot hope to reasonably acquire a book in the timeframe in which I hope to write for it.
The books chosen are:
The China Study, by T. Colin Campbell & Thomas M. Campbell.
The Glass Castle, by Jeanette Walls.
The Rebel Sell, by Joseph Heath & Andrew Potter.
My thanks to all of you who made recommendations for December: Alison, Christopher, Deborah, Jen, Kathy, and May!
The books recommended that weren't selected have been put on the back burner, and at some point I'll be choosing books from that list, so if your recommendation wasn't selected this time, never fear! It will have at least one more opportunity to be chosen.
You may recall that I asked for recommendations of non-fiction books that you had read within the last five years which you found inspiring, or thought-provoking, or otherwise interesting. Hopefully my commentary on the selected books will contribute to their inspirational or thought-provoking quality.
I am still (still!) waiting for Room to become available at the library, so my marginal commentary on it will be postponed until whenever I get my hands on it. I am going to honour having selected it in order to write a marginal commentary on it, but it looks like I will have to think of an ad hoc rule to apply in situations in which I cannot hope to reasonably acquire a book in the timeframe in which I hope to write for it.
The books chosen are:
The China Study, by T. Colin Campbell & Thomas M. Campbell.
The Glass Castle, by Jeanette Walls.
The Rebel Sell, by Joseph Heath & Andrew Potter.
My thanks to all of you who made recommendations for December: Alison, Christopher, Deborah, Jen, Kathy, and May!
The books recommended that weren't selected have been put on the back burner, and at some point I'll be choosing books from that list, so if your recommendation wasn't selected this time, never fear! It will have at least one more opportunity to be chosen.
Monday
Reader Recommendations: December
With my marginal commentary on Cryptonomicon in progress, and waiting for Room to become available, I am ready to receive recommendations for books to read in December!
The guidelines for recommending books may be found here. The list of books I have completed for The Marginal Virtues may be found here; you can also see both pages listed on the sidebar on the right-hand side of the page.
As always, I'll open the floor for suggestions for about a week, and then choose three recommended books at random to read for December - or, if my experience with trying to get my hands on some of the books is any indication, whenever I have the chance to finish them. Oh, well.
For December, please recommend a non-fiction book you've read in the past five years, or so, that affected you. Perhaps it was inspiring, informative, or funny. Perhaps it was disturbing, calling into question things you thought were true. In any case, I want to have the chance to read it.
I am, as always, looking forward to receiving your recommendations!
The guidelines for recommending books may be found here. The list of books I have completed for The Marginal Virtues may be found here; you can also see both pages listed on the sidebar on the right-hand side of the page.
As always, I'll open the floor for suggestions for about a week, and then choose three recommended books at random to read for December - or, if my experience with trying to get my hands on some of the books is any indication, whenever I have the chance to finish them. Oh, well.
For December, please recommend a non-fiction book you've read in the past five years, or so, that affected you. Perhaps it was inspiring, informative, or funny. Perhaps it was disturbing, calling into question things you thought were true. In any case, I want to have the chance to read it.
I am, as always, looking forward to receiving your recommendations!
Sunday
October Selections
Here are the three books I have chosen at random to read and comment upon in October. Congratulations to those of you whose recommendations were selected!
The books chosen are:
Cryptonomicon, by Neal Stephenson.
Room, by Emma Donoghue.
Shantaram, by Gregory David Roberts.
My thanks to those of you who made recommendations for October: Dan, Deborah, Flo, Graham, Martha, Matt, May, and Sarah!
Sadly, Dan's recommendation, a Choose Your Own Adventure book, was not available at the library, so I wasn't able to select it at random in any case. Incidentally, I don't remember any of the Choose Your Own Adventure gamebooks, save one in which you (as the protagonist) are shrunk so that you can explore a sandcastle in which a pair of magical children have been trapped.
As is customary, the books which weren't picked for October are being put on the back burner for future reference. I am looking forward to having the opportunity to read and comment upon at least some of those books, too.
Meanwhile, I am still waiting for the last book I selected for September, Lamb, to become available from the library, so it is likely to be late getting out. I should also mention that two of the books selected, Cryptonomicon and Shantaram, are over 900 pages apiece, so any commentary on them will be of necessity incomplete and, to a certain extent, superficial.
The books chosen are:
Cryptonomicon, by Neal Stephenson.
Room, by Emma Donoghue.
Shantaram, by Gregory David Roberts.
My thanks to those of you who made recommendations for October: Dan, Deborah, Flo, Graham, Martha, Matt, May, and Sarah!
Sadly, Dan's recommendation, a Choose Your Own Adventure book, was not available at the library, so I wasn't able to select it at random in any case. Incidentally, I don't remember any of the Choose Your Own Adventure gamebooks, save one in which you (as the protagonist) are shrunk so that you can explore a sandcastle in which a pair of magical children have been trapped.
As is customary, the books which weren't picked for October are being put on the back burner for future reference. I am looking forward to having the opportunity to read and comment upon at least some of those books, too.
Meanwhile, I am still waiting for the last book I selected for September, Lamb, to become available from the library, so it is likely to be late getting out. I should also mention that two of the books selected, Cryptonomicon and Shantaram, are over 900 pages apiece, so any commentary on them will be of necessity incomplete and, to a certain extent, superficial.
Saturday
Reader Recommendations: October
Now that I've completed a summer of choosing books from the back burner (as of writing this post with one book left for September), it's time to get back to getting fresh recommendations from you! I've cleared the list of books that were on the back burner, as I mentioned which I listed the books chosen from it for September, but feel free to recommend them again.
It's been a while since I last asked for recommendations, so just to refresh your memory and mine, I'll be asking for recommendations for books to read and comment upon in October as of the publication of this post. After about a week, I'll close recommendations for October and then select at random from the recommendations three books for the month.
Please check out the page listing the books I've already read, so that you don't choose something from there, and the guidelines on recommending books.
I am looking forward to receiving your recommendations!
It's been a while since I last asked for recommendations, so just to refresh your memory and mine, I'll be asking for recommendations for books to read and comment upon in October as of the publication of this post. After about a week, I'll close recommendations for October and then select at random from the recommendations three books for the month.
Please check out the page listing the books I've already read, so that you don't choose something from there, and the guidelines on recommending books.
I am looking forward to receiving your recommendations!
Monday
September Selections
You may not remember, but as I noted in my post when I announced the books selected from reader recommendations for August, I chose at random three books from the list of books 'on the back burner' for September, which is why I didn't canvass for recommendations this month.
So, without more ado, the books selected for September:
The Apprentice: My Life in the Kitchen, by Jacques Pepin.
Genesis: The Movie, by Robert Farrar Capon.
Urban Meltdown, by Clive Doucet.
My congratulations and thanks to those whose previous recommendations were selected: Elizabeth, Emily, & Lauren!
Following this selection of books from the back burner, I will be back to requesting recommendations starting in October. I will be shortly clearing the list of books from the back burner, so thank you to everyone who recommended books, and I am sorry if your recommendation wasn't chosen! Just keep recommending books and, with any luck, one of your recommendations will be selected sooner or later.
So, without more ado, the books selected for September:
The Apprentice: My Life in the Kitchen, by Jacques Pepin.
Genesis: The Movie, by Robert Farrar Capon.
Urban Meltdown, by Clive Doucet.
My congratulations and thanks to those whose previous recommendations were selected: Elizabeth, Emily, & Lauren!
Following this selection of books from the back burner, I will be back to requesting recommendations starting in October. I will be shortly clearing the list of books from the back burner, so thank you to everyone who recommended books, and I am sorry if your recommendation wasn't chosen! Just keep recommending books and, with any luck, one of your recommendations will be selected sooner or later.
Sunday
August Selections
For the month of August, I have chosen at random three books from among those listed as 'On the Back Burner'. I have not forgotten my selections for July; they are in progress.
First, my congratulations to those whose previous recommendations were selected for the month of August!
The books selected are:
Hitman, by Bret Hart.
Lamb, by Christopher Moore.
The Mistress of Nothing, by Kate Pullinger.
A big thank-you to Chris, dee (two months in a row! lucky), and Peter, whose recommendations on previous occasions were selected for August.
I will select three books at random from the list of those 'on the back burner' for September; those will be the last I choose from that list for 2011. Beginning in October I will once again be canvassing for recommendations!
First, my congratulations to those whose previous recommendations were selected for the month of August!
The books selected are:
Hitman, by Bret Hart.
Lamb, by Christopher Moore.
The Mistress of Nothing, by Kate Pullinger.
A big thank-you to Chris, dee (two months in a row! lucky), and Peter, whose recommendations on previous occasions were selected for August.
I will select three books at random from the list of those 'on the back burner' for September; those will be the last I choose from that list for 2011. Beginning in October I will once again be canvassing for recommendations!
Thursday
July Selections
As I noted in my recent update, the selections for July would be from the books listed 'on the back burner', so to speak.
And here they are: the three books I have selected at random to read and comment upon in July. I was lazy and chose from only those books which I happen to have immediate access to, but that still gave me a fair number of books to choose from.
Congratulations to those of you whose recommendations were selected this time!
Dark Night of the Soul, by John of the Cross.
The Golden Compass, by Philip Pullman.
One Simple Act, by Debbie Macomber.
Thanks to Matt, dee, and Nanci for your recommendations on previous occasions which have finally been selected.
For those of you whose recommendations are still on the waiting list, don't worry; I will be choosing from a wider selection in August.
And here they are: the three books I have selected at random to read and comment upon in July. I was lazy and chose from only those books which I happen to have immediate access to, but that still gave me a fair number of books to choose from.
Congratulations to those of you whose recommendations were selected this time!
Dark Night of the Soul, by John of the Cross.
The Golden Compass, by Philip Pullman.
One Simple Act, by Debbie Macomber.
Thanks to Matt, dee, and Nanci for your recommendations on previous occasions which have finally been selected.
For those of you whose recommendations are still on the waiting list, don't worry; I will be choosing from a wider selection in August.
Monday
June Selections
Here are the three books I have selected at random to read and comment upon in June. Congratulations to those of you whose recommendations were selected!
The books chosen are:
Shades of Grey by Jasper Fforde.
A Strange Manuscript Found in a Copper Cylinder by James De Mille.
The Wednesday Letters by Jason F. Wright.
A big thank those of you who made recommendations for June: Chris, Graham, Jen, Lauren, & Nanci!
Keep your fingers crossed that, this time, I will in fact be able to read and comment upon these books in the month for which they were selected.
The books chosen are:
Shades of Grey by Jasper Fforde.
A Strange Manuscript Found in a Copper Cylinder by James De Mille.
The Wednesday Letters by Jason F. Wright.
A big thank those of you who made recommendations for June: Chris, Graham, Jen, Lauren, & Nanci!
Keep your fingers crossed that, this time, I will in fact be able to read and comment upon these books in the month for which they were selected.
Reader Recommendations: June
It's that time of month, for you out there to recommend books for me to read and comment upon for next month. I've enjoyed the recommended books for January, which, thanks to CPE and other delays, waited until May for completion. In my last update, I stated that I thought I would select only two books, but having finished all of the posts for books previously recommended to me, I will be choosing three after all.
Before making a recommendation, I suggest you read the guidelines on the page, 'How to Recommend Books'. Just select the hyperlink here, or you can click on the link of the same name on the right-hand side under the heading 'Pages'.
Don't forget to make your recommendations in the comments section of this post!
For June, it can be any sort of books you have in mind. The three books will be randomly chosen (I shall draw them from out of a hat) from the list of recommendations. I will be selecting the books on Sunday, May 15.
I'm looking forward to seeing your recommendations!
Before making a recommendation, I suggest you read the guidelines on the page, 'How to Recommend Books'. Just select the hyperlink here, or you can click on the link of the same name on the right-hand side under the heading 'Pages'.
Don't forget to make your recommendations in the comments section of this post!
For June, it can be any sort of books you have in mind. The three books will be randomly chosen (I shall draw them from out of a hat) from the list of recommendations. I will be selecting the books on Sunday, May 15.
I'm looking forward to seeing your recommendations!
January Selections
Here are the three books I have selected at random to read and comment upon in January. Congratulations to those of you whose recommendations were selected!
The books chosen are:
Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card
World Made by Hand by James Howard Kunstler
Bringing Down the House by Ben Mezrich
I would also like to thank those of you who made recommendations for January: Alyson, Dan, dee, Elizabeth, Emily, Matt, Paul, & Peter!
With any luck, having chosen the books in mid-December will allow me to get my hands on them in good time.
I'm looking forward to reading them; look for my marginal commentary on them, beginning in January.
The books chosen are:
Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card
World Made by Hand by James Howard Kunstler
Bringing Down the House by Ben Mezrich
I would also like to thank those of you who made recommendations for January: Alyson, Dan, dee, Elizabeth, Emily, Matt, Paul, & Peter!
With any luck, having chosen the books in mid-December will allow me to get my hands on them in good time.
I'm looking forward to reading them; look for my marginal commentary on them, beginning in January.
Reader Recommendations: January
It's that time of month, for you out there to recommend books for me to read and comment upon for next month. I've enjoyed the recommended books for November (some of which due to various circumstances I have, ahem, not yet finished reading and writing about).
Before making a recommendation, I suggest you read the guidelines on the page, 'How to Recommend Books'. Just select the hyperlink here, or you can click on the link of the same name on the right-hand side under the heading 'Pages'.
Don't forget to make your recommendations in the comments section of this post!
For January, it can be any sort of books you have in mind. The three books will be randomly chosen (I shall draw them from out of a hat) from the list of recommendations. I will be selecting the books on Thursday (December 16).
I'm looking forward to seeing your recommendations!
Before making a recommendation, I suggest you read the guidelines on the page, 'How to Recommend Books'. Just select the hyperlink here, or you can click on the link of the same name on the right-hand side under the heading 'Pages'.
Don't forget to make your recommendations in the comments section of this post!
For January, it can be any sort of books you have in mind. The three books will be randomly chosen (I shall draw them from out of a hat) from the list of recommendations. I will be selecting the books on Thursday (December 16).
I'm looking forward to seeing your recommendations!
Thursday
November Selections
I decided upon reflection to randomly choose three books for November, instead of two as I stated when I asked for recommendations.
Thus I've selected at random the three books to read (and comment upon) for November!
The selected books are:
The Mother Tongue by Bill Bryson
The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss
On the Beach by Nevil Shute
I am also reading a 'bonus' book, The Letter, by Richard Paul Evans (thanks Mom!).
Thank you to everyone who submitted recommendations: Dan, Taylor, Jeff, Keith, and Lauren!
Depending on how swiftly I am able to finish some of these, I may be able to read one or both of the other suggestions.
Keep your eyes peeled for commentary on these books, as well as my ongoing marginalia about the Harry Potter books.
Thus I've selected at random the three books to read (and comment upon) for November!
The selected books are:
The Mother Tongue by Bill Bryson
The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss
On the Beach by Nevil Shute
I am also reading a 'bonus' book, The Letter, by Richard Paul Evans (thanks Mom!).
Thank you to everyone who submitted recommendations: Dan, Taylor, Jeff, Keith, and Lauren!
Depending on how swiftly I am able to finish some of these, I may be able to read one or both of the other suggestions.
Keep your eyes peeled for commentary on these books, as well as my ongoing marginalia about the Harry Potter books.
Monday
Reader Recommendations: November
Here's the first opportunity for you, my readers, to recommend books for me to read and comment upon this month.
Before making a recommendation, I suggest you read the guidelines on the page, 'How to Recommend Books'. Just select the hyperlink here, or you can click on the link of the same name on the right-hand side under the heading 'Pages'.
Don't forget to make your recommendations in the comments section of this post!
I'm looking forward to seeing some interesting suggestions. Throw them out there, I want lots to choose from. This month, it can be any sort of books you have in mind. The three books will be randomly chosen from the list of recommendations; I will draw them out of a hat or something.
Update! The number of books I will accept for recommendations this month has gone down to two. The reason for this is that I have already accepted a recommendation for a book to read this month from my mother. It's the least I can do for someone who feeds me and puts a roof over my head. When I make a post announcing which books, randomly selected, I am going to read, I'll include this one and you can all try to guess which book it was she asked me to read.
Before making a recommendation, I suggest you read the guidelines on the page, 'How to Recommend Books'. Just select the hyperlink here, or you can click on the link of the same name on the right-hand side under the heading 'Pages'.
Don't forget to make your recommendations in the comments section of this post!
I'm looking forward to seeing some interesting suggestions. Throw them out there, I want lots to choose from. This month, it can be any sort of books you have in mind. The three books will be randomly chosen from the list of recommendations; I will draw them out of a hat or something.
Update! The number of books I will accept for recommendations this month has gone down to two. The reason for this is that I have already accepted a recommendation for a book to read this month from my mother. It's the least I can do for someone who feeds me and puts a roof over my head. When I make a post announcing which books, randomly selected, I am going to read, I'll include this one and you can all try to guess which book it was she asked me to read.
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