One way that I have thought of to celebrate books that I want to get my hands on is to post about them here. Maybe you will take a liking to them, too, and think about getting yourself a copy? Either way, it will solidify in my mind the books that I am really excited about, and separate out the ones that maybe I was just 'caught up in the moment' about, and would be fine to get another way, or not read at all.
Anyway, this is the first trial of this style of blog, so let's get started!
1. Miles, Mutants & Microbes by Lois McMaster Bujold
This is a continuation of the Vorkosigan Saga by LMB that I have been reading for a few years, on and off. I have been reading them in the chronological order, mostly following the omnibuses (this is one of them), and I am actually currently reading Miles in Love, the omnibus that comes before this one. I love Miles's character - he has his flaws, which he acknowledges, and he has chronic health problems that alternately accepts and ignores (to his own detriment). It feels like a real and familiar portrayal of chronic health issues, and all the related mindsets that come with them. (To me, at least. Though I don't have the advantage of Miles' brain.) I would eventually like to have all of the books, in either omnibus or standalone formats, in physical editions on my shelf, but for now I am collecting them as and when I can. This one has been a temptation for some time, and the omnibus editions are just so cheap!
2. Memoirs of a Polar Bear by Yoko Tawada
This one has popped onto my radar a few times in the past few weeks, and it just sounds amazing. Yoko Tawada is Japanese, but lives in Germany, and writes in both Japanese and German, so this has been translated into English by Susan Bernofsky. The book follows three generations of polar bears (a grandmother, mother, and son) through their experiences of writing, and circus performance, and zoos. I have read small samples of the writing here and there and it is just beautiful so, despite knowing only a little about this book, I feel like I am going to enjoy it a lot.
3. Swimming Lessons by Claire Fuller
Look at that cover! Oh man, I love everything about it. The water motions, the font of the title and author name, just everything. This one just sounds so intriguing, and my hands are itching to stroke this cover and peruse the pages. The story follows a man, Gil, whose wife, Ingrid, has been missing, presumed dead by drowning, for 12 years. But then he sees her suddenly, outside the house. Their two children return home to try and find the truth about their mother. Around the same time, they begin to discover letters hidden in the books of Gil's library, that begins to paint a picture of what might have been going on before her disappearance. Doesn't that sound so intriguing?! And apparently this book comes with little letters and notes tucked into its pages, too. O___O
4. The Original Folk and Fairy Tales of the Brothers Grimm by Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm, translated and edited by Jack Zipes
This is also illustrated by Andrea Dezso - and look at that cover! Oh man. This one is a recommendation from Jen Campbell, one of my favourite booktubers, and she says it is one of the only editions of the Grimm Fairy Tales where the original gruesomeness is kept intact during translation. I love Disney stuff, to be honest, but I also want to read the original stories properly. This edition seems like the best one to do that.
What do you think? Are there any books here that sparked your interest? Would you like to see more posts like this? Let me know!
Love to all who read.
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