40. Four Ways to Forgiveness

By Ursula K. LeGuin (305 pgs)

In true LeGuin fashion, this is a marvelous exploration of social science fiction. In reality this is less a novel and more a collection of four interrelated novellas. A highly satisfying read that has much relevance for anyone interested in slavery and liberation.

39. Life, the Universe, and Everything

by Douglas Adams (227 pgs)

Continuation in the hitchhiker series. While this was still enjoyable, I feel this is where the series begins to pale somewhat. Arthur spends several years in prehistoric earth and somehow manages to learn to fly by a knack for missing the ground. He also meets a mysterious nemesis and learns of the Krikkets. Trillian exhibits a startling amount of intelligence for her species.

38. The Restaurant at the End of the Universe

by Douglas Adams (250 pgs)

Continuation of the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, in this volume the much beleaguered Arthur Dent finds himself one of two survivors of the planet earth and talking to his food. The surprising thing being that the food is actually talking back.

Amusing and enjoyable, I find I start using a similar sense of humor in my daily interactions. Not entirely sure, this is a good thing.

37. The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy

by Douglas Adams (215 pgs)

A classic in fictional...Something. I'm pretty sure it's a classic anyway. When the earth is demolished to make way for an interstellar bypass, Arthur Dent finds himself the last survivor of earth. His best friend doesn't count. He's, in fact, from Betelgeuse.

I enjoyed it. I got substantially more out of it this time round than when I read it in highschool.

36. The Lathe of Heaven

by Ursula K. Le Guin (175 pgs)

What would you do, if the things you dreamed became real? In fact, if your dreams changed the past? This is George Orr's problem. This is science fiction as an exploration and it's wonderful. It's well written and thoughtful. I would recommend it to people as an introduction to good science fiction.

35. The Sixteen Pleasures

by Robert Hellenga (369 pgs)

A 29 year old conservator finds her life aimless and dull. So when the banks of the Arno river are flooded and the countless treasures of Florence submerged, she packs up her life and heads to Florence to offer her assistance.

This is a fantastic story, although the blurb on the back of the book is pretty misleading. I have already recommended this book to a handful of friends and will probably continue to do so.

34. A Maze of Death

by Philip K. Dick (192 pgs)

A group of 13 strangers are all sent to a obscure planet to run an experimental colony. But when they get there, the instructions to the experiment are lost and everything starts going horribly wrong.

Much easier to read than A Scanner Darkly. This is sort of a convoluted murder mystery/conspiracy thriller with, as always, a surprise, and somewhat disjointed, ending. All the same I liked it and would recommend it to others.

33. Evenings at Five : A Novel

by Gail Godwin (114 pgs)

A slim volume which has every indication of being a depressing book about death, loss, and love. However, it's not depressing. It's actually quite warming, somewhat melancholy, but beautiful and hopeful. I just hope that I love as well as the main character does.

32. Cooking for Mr. Latte (NF 6)

by Amanda Hesser (324 pgs)

This is a delightful mix of vinettes and cookbook at about a 1 to 1 ratio. Hesser follows the story of her early relationship and marriage to her husband who she's dubbed Mr. Latte. Of course, because she's a food critique, the story is very much told through her culinary explorations.

It's good and enjoyable. Several of the recipes look like fun.

31. A Scanner Darkly

By Philip K. Dick (275 pgs.)

I was informed while reading this that they are making a movie of it. If so, it's going to end up a lot like Fear and Loathing in Los Vegas. It's not that the plot is like that so much but that there is so much in the way of drugs and drug use.

The plot is a bit difficult to work out actually. Mostly, it revolves around a conspiracy which only really becomes obvious towards the end. Paranoia in a style truly worthy of PKD.

30. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

By J.K. Rowling (870 pgs)

Ok, let's face it. In this book, Harry is a whiney, temper-tantrum throwing, self involved little prat. So I guess he's going through puberty. Maybe? I don't know. But he's definitely annoying for most of the book.

This isn't to say it's a bad book. Just expect to be annoyed with Harry most of the way through.

29. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

by J.K. Rowling (734 pgs)

What could be better than Quidditch? The triwizard competition, of course. Aimed to improve relations between international wizarding communities, The triwizard competition is set up between three wizarding schools and limited to players who are over 17. So how does 14 year old Harry end up getting chosen? Well that's the big question with a somewhat sinister set of implications.

Better than the third but still below the first two. Harry has some great moments but he's a bit whiney too.

28. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

by J.K. Rowling (435 pgs)

This book sees the introduction of Sirius Black, Harry's godfather. But is Black a benine force or an antagonistic force. There in lies the rub. In a world were the plots of others can end in your death, can anyone be sure of the truth?

This is a good book although not, perhaps, as good as the first two. I really love professor Lupin. One of those tragic hero types.

27. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

by J.K. Rowling (341 pgs)

This is the second in the series and, like the first, a re-read. Covering Harry's second year at Hogwarts, this volume starts out like the first at Privett drive with the Dursley's. Fortunately for Harry he's managed to convince the Dursley's that he can cast magic, which he isn't allowed to do over summer holidays. Unfortunately the Dursley's find out. Anyway, Harry is soon at school except that students have started turning up petrified and Harry's on the suspect list.

26. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

by J.K. Rowling (309 pgs)

I think what appeals to me most about this book is the sense that extraordinary things can happen to anyone. I remember, as a kid, wishing with all my might that there was something fantastic and magical about me. I don't think this is such an uncommon desire and this book plays right into that.

Harry Potter discovers on his 11th birthday that he's really a wizard. This alleviates some of the dreariness of having to live with the Dursley's, who are the most awful Muggles (non-magic users)imaginable. Soon, Harry is whisked off to Hogwarts School for wizards and Witches and begins his magical education. He soon makes friends (Ron and Hermione) and enemies (Malfoy and Snape.) But all is not as simple as it seems and Harry is soon embroiled in mystery or set of mysteries. Not least of which is the mystery of his own history.

25. The Two Towers

by J.R.R. Tolkien (pp 403-725)

Again, better than I remember it being. I didn't get stuck in it nearly as badly as I did Fellowship. The bits that slowed me down were the long tedious journey of Sam and Frodo towards Mount Doom. Which if you think about it are fairly appropriate for the action. All the same, the brain starts to feel a bit dusty after a while. The march of the Ents as told by Merry and Pipin was fantastic.

April List

So I'm now so behind that I'm officially having to read over 20 books a month, 22 exactly. To combat this and try to get back on track...I'm focusing on light reading and small books. We'll see how that goes. But here's to trying. I've also only put one non-fiction on here. We'll see how it goes and pray for my sanity.

1. Two Towers by J.R.R. Tolkien
2. Harry Potter and the sorcerer's Stone by Rowling
3. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by Rowling
4. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by Rowling
5. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by Rowling
6. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by Rowling
7. Return of the King By J.R.R. Tolkien
8. Four Ways to Forgiveness by Ursula K. LeGuin
9. Game-Players of Titan by Philip K. Dick
10. A Scanner Darkly by Philip K. Dick
11. A Maze of Death by Philip K. Dick
12. The Lathe of Heave by Ursula K. LeGuin
13. Amnesia Moon by Jonathan Lethem
14. Portrait of the Artist by James Joyce
15. Islam by Karen Armstrong (NF)
16. The Hitchhiker's Guide to the galaxy by Douglas Adams
17. The Restaurant at the End of the Universe by Douglas Adams
18. Life, the Universe and Everything by Douglas Adams
19. So Long, and Thanks For All the Fish by Douglas Adams
20. The Long Dark Tea-Time of the Soul by Douglas Adams
21. Monkey Bridge by Lan Cao
22. Possession: A Romance by A.S. Byatt

This time I am tackling these in no particular order and, while I'm obviously going to try to read more, I think I've been jinxing myself by putting extra reading up here. Weeeeeeeeeeeeee here we go.