my reading adventures, 2010

2010 was a bit of a slow year for reading. Well, for reading novels, anyhow.
There are two main reasons for this:
1) I took a graduate music research class from Jan-May. This class required that I heavily skim or completely read somewhere between 30 and 50 books. My research topic was how clarinet construction and design impacts the intonation of the horn, and on general intonation tendencies of the horn. So, I really did read a LOT this year, but I would wager none of you are interested in any of those books or articles!! (if you are...hi music nerd!!!)
2) The evil vice (aka...knitting) retains its tight grip on my life and habits. I read lots of knitting books this year. Most of them contain lots of patterns, so while they are fun to read, they aren't really like novels.

So, here is my short little list of reading for 2010:

1-I finished "That Hideous Strength" by C.S. Lewis, which I had started in 2009
2-"Shanghai Girls" by Lisa See
3-"The Voyage of the Dawn Treader" by C.S. Lewis
4-"Mr. Langshaw's Square Piano" by Madeline Gould
5-"The Piano Shop on the Left Bank" by Thad Carhart
6-"Cold Comfort Farm" by Stella Gibbons
7-I began "Mansfield Park" by Jane Austen. Out of her six main novels, this is my fifth. After I finish this one, I need to read Northanger Abbey.
8-I'm not sure it's worth listing, but...I tried to read "The Great Divorce" by C.S. Lewis. It didn't really grab me like his other works, so I set it aside for now. I'll try again later.
9-I started "The Cricket on the Hearth" by Charles Dickens. It's a short little book. I didn't finish it yet because I was seduced by Mansfield Park. I'll get back to that cricket book later!

My favorite book of 2010:
I don't think this is a very easy question this year. I love "That Hideous Strength" (though not as much as the rest of that trilogy), loved "Voyage of the Dawn Treader", and I loved LOVED LOVED Cold Comfort Farm!!! It's absolutely 100% as enjoyable as the movie, if not more so!

I am a bit piano-booked out. After reading the two piano books, I swore I wouldn't attempt another for a while. They were both excellent books, but since I am practically married to a piano, much of the content of both books was already common knowledge to me...the history of the piano, its construction, blah blah blah....

my least favorite book of 2010:
I love the writing style of Lisa See. She writes so beautifully. I find I don't like her books, though. I have read two, in hopes that the story will someday be as wonderful as the writing. But it never is, and life is just too short!!

What I hope to read this year:
-finish "Mansfield Park"
-just started "The Silver Chair" by C.S. Lewis, then I'm going to finish out the Chronicles of Narnia with "The Last Battle"
-I want to read a few composer biographies. I think Beethoven or Mendelssohn will top that list!
-I'm attempting (and I'm practically hushing my fingers, because I'm reluctant to say (type)it) to read the Daily Bible. Last time I tried to read the chronological Bible. I'm not doing that version again because I have major Donald Duck fits somewhere in Deuteronomy and tank out. This happened when I was much younger (though honestly I was mostly bored when I was younger. Now it's more Donald Duck fits), and it happened last time. So, I'm doing the vanilla one year Bible (O.T., N.T., Psalms, and Proverbs each day). And you know what...If I don't feel like reading every single word of Deuteronomy, I'm not going to!! So there. I've discovered that I like the O.T. less and less each time I read it. All I can say is...Thank God for Jesus!!!!
-I'm sure there will be more and more books about knitting and spinning!! =)
-I just watched the tv miniseries "Pillars of the Earth", and I really liked it. I hear the book is even better, so I might try it!!


Do any of you have any book recommendations???