So my progress has been snail-like. So in order to achieve my now fleeting goal the 2 books in the currently reading list must be finished by this weekend.

The other thing I’m doing is using a short stories collection by Mexican master storyteller Carlos Fuentes as  a palate cleanser, a book to read while I wait for my coffee to brew.

So far I have read 3 stories and all of them have a special eerie feel to them.

Happy Readings and I’ll post with my progress.

azr

So I finished with the part of American Gods of the B & N Leatherbound edition and I’m on the Anansi Boys part. 

This is the 3rd time I have read American Gods and let me tell you it holds a very special place in my heart. As always it remains my favorite book. 

So let’s take this part down and on to the next challenge.

Happy Readings!!!

azr

Well it has been a slow progress, now I’m 94 days out of the final day of this year of reading and a lot of books still stand in my path.

Right now I’m working on three books and hope to finish at least two of them before or during the weekend.

On the other hand I’m impressed with how a little water can revive my precious desert, the cenizos that lead-up to my front door are blooming like crazy with the scarce rain that has fallen in the last week.

So there isn’t any progress to report, at least the number haven’t move from the last post.

Happy Readings!!!

azr

I have 100 days to go on this the eight year of my crazy project.

So, it’s time to put the pedal to the metal and reach that coveted goal of 52 books in one year.

The good news is that I’m past the half-way point, the bad news is that just barely.

Here are the books that have been check-off my list, including the time period it took me.

That’s 27 of 52. Here are the 25 remaining

With the amount of books and days left, I’ll need to knock-out a book every 4 days. So wish me luck and caffeine, don’t fail me now.

This is one of the books I’m working on right now (which,happens to be my favorite book ever).

This is the third different edition I read of this book and it never fails to amaze me.

So here are the number for this period:

• Total pages for  the eight year : 11,849 pages
• Days left for the eight year: 100 days
• Books left for the eight year: 25 books
• Pages left to read in my goal for the eight year: 8,881 pages
• Total pages of Lost in a million pages: 178,994 pages

Happy Readings!!!

azr

So I finally finished reading Unfinished Tales of Númenor and Middle-Earth. It’s more history book than novel. Here you can witness the genius behind the creation of one of the most complex world in literature.

The book is divided into four parts: The First, Second an Third Age (in which the events of The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings) and fourth part that explore mainly the Istari, the Druedain and the Palantari.

If your looking for the founding mythology and history of Middle-Earth this is a great place to start, but I only recommend this book to Tolkien buffs.The casual reader might find it a bit tedious.

For those who want to get lost in the vast territories of Middle-Earth I recommend to visit http://www.lotrproject.com

And to see detail maps and sections of buildings you can check this book out.

Also I started reading a book that can be considered a grandchild of Tolkien’s work, I’m obviously talking about Harry Potter. Right now I’m reading year 4 Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, from which I have read quite a chunk, 521 pages to be exact.

In my nook I started reading another by one of my favorite authors, Haruki Murakami, this time I choose The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle. So far all the genius you can expect from this prolific author.

I also had some time off work and it gave me the opportunity to do a little work in my desert oasis.

I put some new decorative gravel and give the plants a mayor trim. It’s looking quite nice and with the huge shade from the ash tree I think is going to be the perfect reading spot for those warm desert nights.

Almost forgot to mention that I also finish reading Mort by the late great Terry Pratchett. The story focus mainly in Death and his newly acquired apprentice Mort, who takes over Death’s duties while he or she or it, whatever Death is, takes on the “human experience” which in his mind involves petting a huge amount of cats and working as a line cook in a shady tavern. As with all of Sir Terry Pratchett books highly recommended.

So here are the number for this period:

• Total pages for  the eight year : 6,930 pages
• Days left for the eight year: 187 days
• Books left for the eight year: 36 books
• Pages left to read in my goal for the eight year: 14,361 pages
• Total pages of Lost in a million pages: 174,075 pages

Happy Readings

azr

Some signs of spring have pop-up in my little desert oasis. And with it brings my ever present desire to spend some time outside and read.

Some flowers in my plum tree

New Leafs on my Ash tree

In the book front I have just finish reading the longest book in this year list. 1Q84 Libro 1 y 2 by famous japanese author Haruki Murakami. The book is amazing, in starts pretty normal, you know a Murakami normal, but it  gets pretty weird pretty fast, the story is view from two perspectives :Tengo, a quiet math teacher with a tremendous talent for writting and Aomame, a personal trainer/assassin. I won’t spoil much of the story because this book should be read by everyone, but at some point of the story there is “little people” coming out of a death blind goat. Yeah!!!!!

 Also, I hope to finish reading Mort this evening and get deeply into Unfinished Tales, which I have neglected.

The next book up is Viaje a Portugal by the Nobel Prize Winner José Saramago.

I think the my pace has gone up, things are looking better. Here is the numbers so far this year.

• Total pages for  the eight year : 6,160 pages
• Days left for the eight year: 215 days
• Books left for the eight year: 38 books
• Pages left to read in my goal for the eight year: 15,131 pages
• Total pages of Lost in a million pages: 173,305 pages

And finally on the subject of hoarding new things for my ever growing demand of pages I just got some Star Wars comics. They look great and where really cheap, which is always welcome.

For now back to reading.

azr

The next book I’m starting to read is a collection of stories and essays by legendary author of Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit, J.R.R. Tolkien. I’m sucker for anything Tolkien, it was the author that got me obsessed with books and writers. This book is a glimpse of the fabric that created Middle-Earth, part of it’s myths and legends.

So let’s see how my wonderings back in a fictional place, that feels so much like home, goes.

Happy Readings

azr