Below is what I read on the first half of the year, starting from the most recent. A total of 39 books, or an average 6.5 books per month. I was able to shave off around half from my projected reading list. The six graphic volumes skew the statistics. But here are the numbers:
39 books read -- 33 fiction (24 novels, 6 graphic, 3 short stories), 5 poetry, 1 nonfiction
31 books by male writers, 8 by female writers
27 translations -- 16 from Japanese, 9 Spanish, 2 German
12 original language -- 7 English, 4 Filipino, 1 English and Filipino
Books read (January-June 2012)
Black Rain by Ibuse Masuji, trans. John Bester
Augustus by John Williams
Bartleby & Co. by Enrique Vila-Matas, trans. Jonathan Dunne
Threesome and Engkantado by Mark Angeles
Lover's Lane by Axel Pinpin
Vertigo [post 1; post 2; post 3; post 4; post 5] by W. G. Sebald, trans. Michael Hulse
The Box Man by Abé Kobo, trans. E. Dale Saunders
The Goalie's Anxiety at the Penalty Kick by Peter Handke, trans. Michael Roloff
Snow Country by Kawabata Yasunari, trans. Edward G. Seidensticker
Ficciones by Jorge Luis Borges, ed. Anthony Kerrigan
Almost Transparent Blue by Murakami Ryū, trans. Nancy Andrew
The Woman in the Dunes by Abé Kobo, trans. E. Dale Saunders
Six Not-So-Easy Pieces by Richard P. Feynman
Trilce by César Vallejo, trans. Michael Smith and Valentino Gianuzzi
Ariel: The Restored Edition by Sylvia Plath
Never Any End to Paris by Enrique Vila-Matas, trans. Anne McLean
Elizabeth Costello by J. M. Coetzee
Our Lady of the Assassins by Fernando Vallejo, trans. Paul Hammond
Monsignor Quixote by Graham Greene
Responde by Norman Wilwayco
Mandarins, stories by Akutagawa Ryūnosuke, trans. Charles De Wolf
1Q84 [post 1; post 2; post 3] by Murakami Haruki, trans. Jay Rubin and Philip Gabriel
Maoh: Juvenile Remix, volumes 4-9, by Megumi Osuga and Kotaro Isaka, trans. Stephen Paul
Mondomanila by Norman Wilwayco
Nowaki by Natsume Sōseki, trans. William N. Ridgeway
Varamo by César Aira, trans. Chris Andrews
Laughing Wolf by Tsushima Yūko, trans. Dennis Washburn
The Wild Goose by Mori Ōgai, trans. Burton Watson
Alphabetical Africa by Walter Abish
Voyage Along the Horizon by Javier Marías, trans. Kristina Cordero
Stoner by John Williams
The Athenian Murders by José Carlos Somoza, trans. Sonia Soto
The Savage Detectives by Roberto Bolaño, trans. Natasha Wimmer
Also reviewed (read at the end of 2011):
Twelve stories by Machado de Assis, from Oxford Anthology of the Brazilian Short Story, ed. K. David Jackson
The Castle by Franz Kafka, trans. Mark Harman
Insomnia by Kristine Ong Muslim
Things to look forward to in July and beyond:
Spanish Lit Month by Stu and Richard (July)
Literature and War Readalong by Caroline (July selection is Black Rain by Ibuse Masuji)
Japanese Literature Challenge 6 by Bellezza
You've read about twice as many books as I have so far this year, Rise, although I might have started and then interrupted something close to a similar amount! Glad you're participating in Span Lit Mo and look forward to seeing what you make of Black Rain and Vallejo's Trilce among many others on this list. Cheers!
ReplyDeletewonderful list of books read Rise ,looking forward to your Spanish lit choices ,all the best stu
ReplyDeleteMasuji, Plath, Bolano, Ryūnosuke & my favourite book by Murakami Ryū, Have you some device that has plugged straight into my dream library. I could easily copy this page & title it Favourite Books & TBRs, this is a wonderful list .
ReplyDeleteA good few here that I'd like to read - obviously it's quality, not quantity that's important :)
ReplyDeleteGreat Vila-Matas: Dublinesque
ReplyDeleteRichard and Stu, advance thanks for coming up with this event. Some readers (like me) always need the extra push. I may be able to post on 2 or 3 books.
ReplyDeleteGary, thanks. Glad you mention our shared favorites. They're safely stored in one of the hexagons in the Library of Babel.
Tony, indeed. Though I couldn't help but wish for a large quantity of quality books. :D
Ana, I've heard that. It's a most anticipated to-be-read title for me.
have to agree with Tony! your reading list is impressive, Rise. so enjoy! (i've shaved my goal to 30 books a year but looks like i may just break that, but no pressure :P)
ReplyDeleteThanks, aloi! Great to hear about your impending target completion. No pressure at all.
ReplyDeletewasak!
ReplyDeleteOh yeah, XL. Wasted!
ReplyDeleteOn books!