zondag 15 december 2013

Wish List: Books


With so many books sitting on my shelves unread, I try not to give in immediately every time I see a book I like. However, that doesn't stop my wish list from growing to considerable lengths. Here are five books, new and old, that I wouldn't mind having sitting-pretty on my bookshelf.

MaddAddam (2013) by Margaret Atwood
I had to read the first part of this trilogy, Oryx and Crake, for a course, and I was immediately intrigued by the apocalyptic world Atwood created. She magnifies the materialistic aspects of today's society and the way computers and the internet seem to take over the world. Until Crake releases a virus in the world, to wipe out all of humanity so an improved type of people can live on the world instead. However, not everyone dies and those who survive have a hard time trying to surive in this crazy world. The first book tells how the 'apocalypse' came about, whilst the second book, The Year of the Flood, describes the lives of people in a sort of commune against the materialism in the world and how they survive after the apocalypse. I can't wait to read the final installment and see how all the gaps in the story are filled up.

Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore (2012) by Robin Sloan
There are a couple of reasons why I'd like to read this book. 1) It's about a bookstore. 2) There should be lots of mystery and adventure. 3) It's often described as a love letter to books. And apparentlly there are also lots of type settings. I've read nothing but good things about this book, and I always love books about the love for books. So whilst it's still a long way away, I've already made it quite clear that I wouldn't mind receiving this book for my birthday.

Ella Minnow Pea: a novel in letters (2001) by Mark Dunn
A book about letters. Or rather on disappearing letters. When I read the description of Ella Minnow Pea I couldn't help but think of Ik Mik Loreland, a Dutch children's tv program we always used to watch in primary school. (For those who don't know, it was about a world where all the letters disappeared, and Mik needs to find them again. All my friends are still traumatised by the character Karbonkel ;-)) With fond childhood memories of the show, I'm certain I'll love Ella Minnow Pea as much as I adored Ik Mik Loreland.

The Republic of Thieves (2013) by Scott Lynch
The Republic of Thieves is the third book in the Gentleman Bastard series, one of my favourite! Set in a fantasy realm very similar to late medieval Italy, the series focuses on the character of Locke Lamora, a very skilled con man. Since it's been quite a while since I read this series (book I, The Lies of Locke Lamora was published in 2006, and book II, Red Seas under Red Skies in 2007), I'd almost forgotten about it. That was until I was browsing in my local bookstore and saw The Republic of Thieves on the shelf. The first two books were filled with lots of adventure, exciting crime and marvellous magic, and I have high hopes for this third installment.

Vampires in the Lemon Grove (2013) by Karen Russell
Vampires in the Lemon Grove is a short story collection by Karen Russell. Russell's writing style is fantastic realism and her stories read like modern fairy tales. Having previously read and loved her first short story collection St. Lucy's Home for Girls Raised by Wolves (which I've even used for my dissertation) and her novel based on one of those stories Swamplandia!, I'm very excited to see what this second collection has in store.

Have you read any of these books? What's on your book wish list?

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