Challenge: 50 Books discussion

I started this in November 2009 with the intention of going through November 2010, but since the New Year is upon us, I decided to "archive" the books I read in November and December (fewer than I would have liked, certainly) and start fresh for 2010. The "archived books" are:

Sum Forty Tales from the Afterlives by David M. Eagleman
Sharp Teeth by Toby Barlow
The Elephant Vanishes Stories by Haruki Murakami
Saffron and Brimstone: Strange Stories by Elizabeth Hand
The Stupidest Angel: A Heartwarming Tale of Christmas Terror, Version 2.0 by Christopher Moore
Remnant Population by Elizabeth Moon

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On to 2010!

1. Way Station by Clifford D. Simak

2. To Reign in Hell by Steven Brust

3. The South Beach Diet Supercharged: Faster Weight Loss and Better Health for Life by Arthur Agatston

4. The Turn of the Screw by Henry James

5. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

6. Magic for Beginners by Kelly Link

7. Perfume: The Story of a Murderer by Patrick Süskind

Did you like this book?

Perfume? I am not quite finished with it yet. I put them up as they become my current read. I'll let you know as soon as I'm done, though. So far I'm liking it very much. I previously saw the film and liked it, and I'd heard that the book was much better. So far, although it's grim, the language is beautiful and has a quality similar to that in William Goldman's The Princess Bride and similar works - a bit satirical, sly, and comical in a dry/wry sort of way. I didn't expect humor in a book with such dark themes as Suskind's.

Candiss wrote: "Perfume? I am not quite finished with it yet. I put them up as they become my current read. I'll let you know as soon as I'm done, though. So far I'm liking it very much. I previously saw the ..."

Thank you! I've been thinking of adding it to my list. I look forward to your review when you are done with it.
Best!

I got sidetracked from finishing Perfume by picking up another book from my pile.

8. Bottomfeeder: A Novel by Bob Fingerman

It was over before I knew it. Now I'm back to Perfume again.

(Stephanie: I finished Perfume and will update this post in the next day or so with my thoughts on the book. I liked it very much!)

9. A Man Without a Country by Kurt Vonnegut

Candiss wrote: "(Stephanie: I finished Perfume and will update this post in the next day or so with my thoughts on the book. I liked it very much!)

9. A Man Without a Country by [author:Kurt Vonnegu..."

Thank you! I look forward to it!

Regarding Perfume: The Story of a Murderer - Stephanie, I'm sorry it took me so long to get around to reviewing this. It's been one of those weeks, as they say. Here's the review I'm posting:

Perfume: The Story of a Murderer isn't the sort of book that will be everyone's cup of tea. What book is? But this book is likely to polarize its readership into the "loved it completely" camp and the "ugh...no thanks" group. I fall firmly into the former, as I found the story wonderful in so many ways.

I read a lot of unconventional fiction, including a lot of things that some folks might find disturbing or overly bizarre. I love it when an author surprises me, and it doesn't happen nearly often enough. Perfume was surprising, but not so much for the plot or characterization as for the language. The language of Perfume is unabashedly sensual. There isn't a single sexual situation in the book (barring one very strange event near the end which is not described in any sort of explicit detail but is only suggested), but nearly every line is verily dripping with descriptors, with wording so florid and visceral you can almost (pardon the wordplay) smell it. Clearly this is intentional, and Süskind has really done a bang-up job.

The story, at its heart, is something of a cross between a murder mystery (mainly from the perspective of the murderer, but with details coming in from outside his experience, as well, to fill in the gaps and bring the story to life) and a coming of age story, in that we follow Jean-Baptiste Grenouille from birth through formation to fruition. The sensuality comes through in the language used to convey two realities: (1) the intricacies and arcana of the perfumer's trade and (2) the strange yet rich and vast inner world of Grenouille, which is almost entirely built of scent - experiences of scent, memories of scent, fantasies of scent, dreams of scent...an olfactory landscape foreign to most humans, yet so completely familiar and intimate to Grenouille, a master alchemist truly in his element. It is also an unusual character study and something of a satire on several aspects of society.

With the caveat of stating that I am neither monstrous nor murderous, I can say that on some levels I relate to Grenouille. I have always related very strongly to scent, and I've always been a bit unusual in my ways of relating to the world. As such, it is hard not to like this fellow. But tragically, he knows nothing of conscience, little of human feeling, and there is something of the animal about him. He is ruled by his whims and compulsions, even as he is patient and resilient and devoted to his aims. He is not a good person...but neither is he a bad person, although he does some very bad things. He is a tragic figure for whom conventional societal mores simply have little application, other than as camouflage. He is horrifying. He is exemplary. He is shocking, and he is sad. There is something of the "noble savage" about him, as well. I envied his detachment from all that we define as "necessary" in life, even as I was miserable for his plight and disgusted by his actions.

The author has a near-magical ability to translate sensory data into written word. He also has a subtle sense of humor and a sly knack for satire. Although I did enjoy the movie adaptation, I feel it is these authorial strengths that the film was not able to fully convey, and thus the book is superior. Furthermore, the movie was less adept at illustrating Grenouille's inner world. (Although the film is still very good.)

I would highly recommend Perfume to anyone who loves language, as well as to those who enjoy mystery or crime fiction, subtle horror, mature fantasy (as the story does venture to the fantastical, especially in the end), or the esoteric jargon of specialty fields (such as wine connoisseurs and the like)...assuming one is not easily unsettled, as there are certainly parts some might consider "over-the-top". I consider this book a classic of modern literature and will surely read it again.

10. The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman

Candiss - thank you so much. This is a wonderful review. You obviously put a lot of thought and time into it and it makes me want to do a much better job on my book reviews! Thanks again. I'm putting Perfume on my list!

11. The Mysterious Stranger by Mark Twain (read 2/23)

12. Witchcraze: A New History of the European Witch Hunts by Anne L. Barstow (re-read)

Stephanie - I hope you enjoy the book!

13. Paint It Black by Nancy A. Collins (re-read) (I read this over a week ago and forgot to list it here.)

14. Roadside Picnic by Arkady Strugatsky

15. A Night in the Lonesome October by Roger Zelazny

16. Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins

17. Fight Club by Chuck Palahniuk

18. Agyar by Steven Brust

19. Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro

20. The Magicians by Lev Grossman

21. Altered Carbon by Richard K. Morgan

(preceded by several books I started and abandoned because I could not get into them)

22. Arsenic and Old Lace by Joseph Kesselring

23. Soulless by Gail Carriger

24. Bridge of Birds: A Novel of an Ancient China That Never Was by Barry Hughart (re-read)

25. Arkfall - Nebula Nominee 2009 by Carolyn Ives Gilman

26. Great Work of Time by John Crowley

27. Palimpsest by Catherynne M. Valente

28. The Hell Screens by Alvin Lu

29. Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury (re-read...first read some 25 years ago)

30. Through Violet Eyes by Stephen Woodworth

31. Snow Flower and the Secret Fan: A Novel by Lisa See

32. Doctor Strange: Into Shamballa by J.M. DeMatteis

33. A Contract With God by Will Eisner

34. With Red Hands by Stephen Woodworth

35. Preludes and Nocturnes by Neil Gaiman

36. Embroideries by Marjane Satrapi

37. The Man Who Was Thursday: A Nightmare by G.K. Chesterton

38. Girl Genius Vol. 1: Agatha Heterodyne & the Beetleburg Clank by Phil and Kaja Foglio

39. Rex Libris Volume One: I, Librarian by James Turner

40. Tea With the Black Dragon by R.A. MacAvoy

41. In Golden Blood by Stephen Woodworth

42. The Penelopiad: The Myth of Penelope and Odysseus by Margaret Atwood

43. Not Wanted on the Voyage by Timothy Findley

44. Yume No Hon: The Book of Dreams by Catherynne M. Valente