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Maps and Legends

A blog by Em-

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Analysis of 2007 reading

So, to start, I'm a little disappointed that I didn't reach 100 books. At some point, I thought I'd counted and was way ahead of 89 - 93 if you count the books I finished in 2007 that I'd started previously, 99, if you count books which I didn't finish in 2007 as well - I can get to 100 if you count the one book I read about 75 pages of then decided to abandon. Although I think I'd still have to go with 99, since I don't think I actually read anything of Ulysses last year. Braking down the 89 that I read entirely in 2007: * 78 were new to me, 11 were re-reads * 22 were children's/ya books * 6 were graphic novels + a 7th novelization based on a comic series * 3 were non-fiction (2 books of essays, 1 of literary criticism) * 41 were installments of fantasy/sci-fi/historical fantasy series * 35 were by authors which were new to me in 2007 * there are 42 unique authors represented

Em-

January 2, 2008

Book List 2008

Books read/started/finished/etc. in 2008. Read Entirely in 2008 1. Noisy Outlaws, Unfriendly Blobs, and Some Other Things That Aren't as Scary, Maybe, Depending on How You Feel About Lost Lands, Stray Cellphones, Creatures from the Sky, Parents Who Disappear in Peru, a Man Named Lars Farf, and One Other Story We Couldn't Quite Finish, So Maybe You Could Help Us Out - McSweeney's YA Short Story Collection 2. Lunatic Cafe - Laurel K. Hamilton 3. M is for Magic - Neil Gaiman 4. Dead as a Doornail - Charlene Harris 5. For a Few Demons More - Kim Harrison 6. The Cat's Pajamas - Ray Bradbury 7. The Revenge of the Wizard's Ghost - John Bellairs 8. The Thief of Always - Clive Barker 9. Burnt Offerings - Laurel K. Hamilton 10. Blue Moon - Laurel K. Hamilton 11. Obsidian Butterfly - Laurel K. Hamilton 12. Train Man v1 (manga) 13. The Innocent Man - John Grisham 14. 6th Target - James Patterson/Maxine Gross 15. Narcissus in Chains - Laurel K. Hamilton 16. The Dark Secret of Whetherend - John Bellairs 17. Definitely Dead - Charlene Harris 18. Cerilean Sins - Laurel K. Hamilton 19. The Bloody Chamber - Angela Carter 20. Kushiel's Scion - Jacqueline Carey 21. Incubus Dreams - Laurel K. Hamilton 22. Abarat: Days of Magic, Nights of War - Clive Barker 23. Yuki Huma Dream Shoppe (manga) 24. Wild Ones v.1 (manga) 25. Not Safe After Dark - Peter Robinson 26. Micah - Laurel K. Hamilton 27. Friend of the Devil - Peter Robinson 28. Farewell Summer - Ray Bradbury 29. Serenity Rose Vol. 1 (graphic novel) 30. Mistral's Kiss - Laurel K. Hamilton 31. Grave Sight - Charlene Harris 32. Shakespeare's Landlord - Charlene Harris 33. Danse Macabre - Laurel K. Hamilton 34. Killing Yourself to Live - Chuck Klosterman 35. Roomates - Emily Chase 36. My Roomate is Missing - Emily Chase 37. Kushiel's Justice - Jacqueline Carey 38. Strange Candy - Laurel K. Hamilton 39. The 13th of Never (graphic novel) 40. Hellboy - Seed of Destruction - Mike Mignola (v. 1 graphic novel) 41. Justice Denied - J.A. Jance 42. Emerald Magic, Tales of Irish Fantasy - Andrew Greeley Ed. 43. The Harlequin - Laurel K. Hamilton 44. Nature Girl - Carl Haissian 45. 7th Heaven - James Patterson 46. Grave Surprise - Charlene Harris 47. The Outlaw Demon Wails - Kim Harrison 48. Dead as a Doornail - Charlaine Harris 49. You're No Friend of Mine - Emily Chase 50. My Dead Girlfriend (graphic novel) 51. Kushiel's Mercy - Jacqueline Carey 52. Keeping Secrets - Emily Chase 53. Hellboy - The Chained Coffin and Others - Mike Mignola (v. 3 graphic novel) 54. Hellboy - The Right Hand of Doom - Mike Mignola (v. 4 graphic novel) 55. An Ice Cold Grave - Charlaine Harris 56. Shakespeare's Champion - Charlaine Harris 57. Hellboy - Conqueror Worm- Mike Mignola (v. 5 graphic novel) 58. Hellboy - Strange....- Mike Mignola (v. 6 graphic novel) 59. Rose - Jeff Smith & Charles Vess (graphic novel) 60. Dark Side of the Moon - John Sanford 61. Stardust - Neil Gaiman and Charles Vess (reread of text, first time w/illustrations) 62. Lady Friday - Garth Nix 63. Watchman - Alan Moore (graphic novel) 64. Parable of the Sewer - Octavia Butler 65. From Dead to Worse - Charlaine Harris 66. Persepolis - Marjane Satrapi 67. A Lick of Frost - Laurel K. Hamilton 68. Glasshouse - Charles Stross 69. Daughter of the Forest - Juliet Marillier 70. Hellboy - The Troll Witch and Other Stories - Mike Mignola (v. 7 graphic novel) 71. Son of the Shadows - Juliet Marillier 72. Persepolis 2 - Marjane Satrapi 73. Child of the Prophesy - Juliet Marillier 74. Storm Front - Jim Butcher 75. Maus I - Art Spiegelman 76. Maus II - Art Spiegelman 77. Kindred - Octavia Butler 78. Summer Blues - Emily Chase 79. Best Friends Forever - Emily Chase 80. Blood Noir - Laurel K. Hamilton 81. Wild Seed - Octavia Butler (in Seeds of Harvest) 82. Tale of Two Cities - Charles Dickens 83. Invisible Prey - John Sandford 84. Hellboy - Wake the Devil - Mike Mignola (v. 2 graphic novel) 85. Hellboy - Darkness Calls - Mike Mignola (v. 8 graphic novel) 86. Mind of My Mind - Octavia Butler (in Seeds of Harvest) 87. Clay's Ark - Octavia Butler (in Seeds of Harvest) 88. Patternmaster - Octavia Butler (in Seeds of Harvest) 89. Twilight - Stephanie Meyer 90. The Graveyard Book - Neil Gaiman 91. Parable of the Talents - Octavia Butler 92. The Host - Stephanie Meyer 93. Bloodchild and Other Stories - Octavia Butler 94. Lover Enshrined - J.R. Ward 95. Across the Wall - Garth Nix 96. Phantom Prey - John Sandford 97. Survivor - Octavia Butler 98. Winter Study - Nevada Barr 99. Bitten - Kelly Armstrong 100. Exit Wounds - J.A. Jance 101. Dead Wrong - J.A. Jance 102. Halting State - Charles Stross 103. Silver Screen - Justina Robson 104. Swallowing Darkness - Laurel K. Hamilton 105. Shakespeare's Trollop - Charlaine Harris 106. Scent of Shadows - Vicki Peterson 107. The Marriage of Sticks - Jonathan Carrol 108. Moon Called - Patricia Briggs 109. A Secret Rage - Charlaine Harris 110. Shakespeare's Counsler - Charlaine Harris 111. The Egypt Game - Zilpha Keatley Snyder 112. A Cristmas Carol - Charles Dickens (annual reread) 113. Angels and Other Strangers - Katherine Patterson (annual reread) 114. Outlaws of Sherwood - Robin McKinley 115. The Shining - Stephen King 116. The Final Death (Anita Blake Graphic Novel) 117. Tales of Beedle the Bard - J.K. Rowling (read stories to son as well) Chapter books read with Son 1. Charlotte's Web - E.B. White (reread with son) 2. Stuart Little - E.B. White (reread with son) 3. Matilda - Roald Dahl (with son) 4. Trumpet of the Swan - E.B. White (reread w/son) 5. George's Marvelous Medicine - Roald Dahl (w/son) 6 - 45. The Magic Treehouse series (v. 1-40) 46. From the Mixed Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankwiler - E.L. Koningsberg (reread with son) 47. The Jungle Book - Rudyard Kipling (abridged, w/son) 48. Who Really Killed Cock Robin - Jean Craighead George (reread w/son) 49-60. The Magic School Bus Chapter Books (v. 1-4, 6-9, 11-13, 17) 61. The Wizard of Oz - L. Frank Baum (w/R) 62. Cam Janson an the Mystery of the Missing Dinosaur Bones - David Adler 63. Transformers: The Search for the Allspark Started in 2007 or before, finished in 2008 Dead to the World - Charlene Harris (2007) Les Mis - Victor Hugo (via LJ) (2007) In progress (if not started in 2008, starting year in parens) Divine Horsemen, The Living Gods of Haiti - Myra Deren(2006) Ulysses - James Joyce (2005) Jambalaya - L. Tisch (2007) Who Let the Dogs In - Molly Ivins Blood Lite (anthology) Shakespeare's Christmas - Charlaine Harris In progress with R The Magic School Bus Chapter Books (v. 10, 14) Island of the Could Not Finish Death of a Darklord - Laurel K. Hamilton Hand of Evil - J.A. Jance Children of Chaos - John C. Wright Black House - Steven King/Peter Straub (2007) Artimis Fowl - Eoin Coifer Fool Moon - Jim Butcher Septimus Heap Book 1: Magyk - Angie Sage Mr. Monk in Outer Space - Lee Goldberg Inkspell - Cornelia Funke

Em-

January 2, 2008

To everything there is a season

After almost two decades of protests, my alma mater, the University of Illinois, has decided to retire its mascot "Chief Illiniwek". They will retain the name "Fighting Illini", desipite the fact that tribe that gives the state, and the Chief, and the sports teams their name, the Illiniwek tribe, were a peaceful tribe that didn't fight - which probably helped account for the fact that they were completely wiped out in earlier centuries. I'm taking the time to write about this because it is in part, the culmination of years of effort that I was a part of back in the early 1990s when I was a student at UofI. As a freshman and later I marched against the Chief, I met with the off-campus protesters. Somewhere I have the Daily Illini photo, not online, alas, of my sophomore year roomate and I holding up a banner bearing the admonishion - "What if the Pope were our mascot?", complete with little pope mugs and t-shirts. I think I still have the mug cut out somewhere as well. Robert Novak and his ilk are up in arms about the PC police and caving in to political pressure. But what this really should be about is basic respect. Respect for the people around you. Respect for Native Americans on campus and for the tribes who are portrayed in the Illiniwek dance. It's about time. And it's overdue.

Em-

February 23, 2007

2007 Book List

So, evidently I am going to primarily be using my blog for lists. This is a list of books I've read/started/finished/etc. in 2007. 'Cause, you know, it's the in thing. Read Entirely in 2007 1. The Trolley to Yesterday - John Bellairs 2. The Lamp from the Worlock's Tomb - John Bellairs 3. Vengence of the Witchfinder - John Bellairs 4. Doom of the Haunted Opera - John Bellairs 5. The Secret of the Underground Room - John Bellairs 6. The Great Snape Debate - Amy Berner, Orson Scott Card, Joyce Millman 7. Kushiel's Dart - Jacqueline Carey 8. Kushiel's Chosen - Jacqueline Carey 9. Kushiel's Avatar - Jacqueline Carey 10. Neverwhere - Mike Carey, Garth Ellis (graphic novel) 11. Alice in Wonderland - Louis Carroll (reread for forum Book Club) 12. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory - Roald Dahl (reread with son) 13. The Witches - Roald Dahl (reading with son) 14. A Christmas Carol and Other Stories - Charles Dickens (annual reread of ACC, first go round with "The Chimes" and "Cricket in the Hearth") 15. Geek Love - Katherine Dunn 16. Interworld - Neil Gaiman and Michael Reaves 17. Vanished - Tess Garretson 18. Hell to Pay - Simon Green 19. Guilty Pleasures - Laurel K. Hamilton 20. The Laughing Corpse - LKH 21. Circus of the Damned - LKH 22. Bloody Bones - LKH 23. The Killing Dance - LKH 24. A Kiss of Shadows - LKH 25. A Caress of Twilight - LKH 26. Seduced by Moonlight - LKH 27. A Stroke of Midnight - LKH 28. Dead Until Dark - Charlene Harris 29. Living Dead in Dallas - Charlene Harris 30. Club Dead - Charlene Harris 31. Dead Witch Walking - Kim Harrison 32. The Good, the Bad, the Undead - Kim Harrison 33. Every Which Way but Dead - Kim Harrison 34. Fistfull of Charms - Kim Harrison 35. Native Tongue - Carl Hasissian 36. Injustice for All - J.A. Jance 37. Trial by Fury - J.A. Jance 38. Taking the Fifth - J.A. Jance 39. Improbable Cause - J.A. Jance 40. A More Perfect Union - J.A. Jance 41. Dismissed With Prejudice - J.A. Jance 42. Payment in Kind - J.A. Jance 43. Without Due Process - J.A. Jance 44. Failure to Appear - J.A. Jance 45. Lying in Wait - J.A. Jance 46. Breach of Duty - J.A. Jance 47. Long Time Gone - J.A. Jance 48. Sex, Drugs and Cocoa Puffs - Chuck Klosterman 49. Swordpoint - Ellen Kushner 50. A Feast for Crows - George R.R. Martin 51. The Hedge Knight (graphic novel) - George RR Martin 52. Deerskin - Robyn McKinley 53. The Hero and the Crown - Robyn McKinley 54. Spindle's End - Robyn McKinley 55. Sunshine - Robyn McKinley 56. Moby Dick - Herman Melville (via LJ) 57. V for Vendetta (graphic novel) - Alan Moore 58. Sir Thursday (The Keys to the Kingdom) - Garth Nix 59. Island of the Blue Dolphins - Scott O'Dell (reread from childhood) 60. 3rd Degree - James Patterson 61. 4th of July - James Patterson 62. 5th Horseman - James Patterson 63. Angels and Other Strangers - Katherine Patterson (reread from childhood) 64. Clockwork - Phillip Pullman 65. The Firework Maker's Daughter - Phillip Pullman 66. The Antipope - Robert Rankin 67. Brightonomicon - Robert Rankin 68. Piece of My Heart - Peter Robinson 69. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone - J.K. Rowling (reread) 70. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets - J.K. Rowling (reread) 71. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Askaban - J.K. Rowling (reread) 72. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire - J.K. Rowling (reread) 73. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix - J.K. Rowling (reread) 74. Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince - J.K. Rowling (reread) 75. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - JK Rowling (x2) 76. Broken Prey - John Sandford 77. Subterranean (Hellblazer novel) - John Shirley 78. Perfume: Story of a Murderer - Patrick Suskind 79. The Secret History - Donna Tartt 80. Take the Cannoli - Sarah Vowell 81. Dark Lover - J.R. Ward 82. Lover Eternal - J.R. Ward 83. Lover Awakened - J.R. Ward 84. Lover Revealed - J.R. Ward 85. Lover Unbound - J.R. Ward 86. Fables: Arabian Nights (and Days) Graphic Novel v. 7 - Bill Willingham 87. Fables: Wolves Graphic Novel v. 8 - Bill Willingham 88. Fables: 1001 Nights of Snowfall Graphic Novel (prequel) - Bill Willingham 89. Lord of Light - Roger Zalany Started in 2006 or before, finished in 2007 Fragile Things - Neil Gaiman The Neverending Story - Michael Ende Cages - Dave McKeon (2005) Life of Pi (originally started in 2005, completely restarted because I lost the book and refound it!) In progress (if not started in 2007, starting year in parens) Divine Horsemen, The Living Gods of Haiti - Myra Deren(2006) Ulysses - James Joyce (2005) Les Mis - Victor Hugo (via LJ) Jambalaya - L. Tisch Black House - Steven King/Peter Straub Dead to the World - Charlene Harris The island of the just couldn't finish Haunted - Chuck Palonick

Em-

January 14, 2007