Friday Update 9/10 & Giveaway Winner

Most Fridays, I update my library and share what new books I bought or received during the past week.

Last weekend (a holiday weekend here in the US), husband and I went through our shelves. We got rid of handful of books and put over 250 books in storage. It was a huge task, so on Monday we decided to reward ourselves ... by buying books! Addicts, I know.

We have decided to try to confine ourselves to buying fewer but better books - like nicer hard copy versions of the falling-apart paperbacks and other well-loved books we have - and buying e-books for things we know we'll only read once. For example, we got a nice hardcover set of The Lord of the Rings trilogy, and I got a hardcover of my favorite Stephen King book, The Eyes of the Dragon.

I also received Persona Non Grata: A Novel of the Roman Empire by Ruth Downie, from LibraryThing Early Reviewers. This is the third book in her Medicus series, after Medicus and Terra Incognita (links go to my reviews).

In other news, I've picked the winner of my 2nd Blogoversary Giveaway! Using random.org, I've picked entry number 3.

Congratulations to Mary!

She chose Dead in the Family, which was one of the first e-books we got for my new nook this summer.

Review: Dissolution

Dissolution by C.J. Sansom is the first book in a new (rather, new to me, but published several years back) historical mystery series set during the reign of King Henry VIII.

The year is 1537 and England is divided between those faithful to the Catholic Church and those loyal to the king and the newly established Church of England. When a royal commissioner is murdered in the monastery of Scarnsea on the south coast of England, Thomas Cromwell, Henry VIII's feared vicar general, summons fellow reformer Matthew Shardlake to lead the inquiry. Shardlake and his young protégé, Mark Poer, uncover evidence of sexual misconduct, embezzlement, and treason, but when two other murders are committed, they must move quickly to prevent the killer from striking again.

I really got a lot out of this book. There was an almost equal mix of politics and history in with the mystery and I think I learned a lot about the politics of the Anglican Reformation. This is not to say that I "liked" it the whole way through - the politics were dirty and it could be uncomfortable to read about attacks on the church that left the common people bloodied. But Dissolution is well-written and has an excellent story. I think it will appeal to mystery readers and those who like their historical fiction a little on the brainier side (brainier than, say, The Other Boleyn Girl by Philippa Gregory).

Buy Dissolution on Amazon.

Thanks to Laura at The Infusion for bringing Dissolution by C.J. Sansom to my attention with her review.

Contest Ends tonight!

Today is the last day to enter my blogoversary giveaway! It's a free book - what do you have to lose? =)

Friday Update 9/3

Most Fridays, I update my library and share what new books I bought or received during the past week.

Actually, it's been a really long time since I've done a real Friday Update. It's been so long, in fact, that I've already reviewed or otherwise posted about a lot of the books I've gotten since my last one. So I will just be sharing some of my newest acquisitions here today.

The Children of Men by P.D. James: This is one of those books I've meant to read many times. I've read one other book by James (Devices and Desires) and enjoyed it. But that was a mystery and this is sci-fi, so I imagine it will be quite different.

Mockingjay (The Hunger Games Trilogy #3) by Suzanne Collins: OF COURSE I bought this the day it came out. And of course I've already read it. I'd be fired from being a book blogger otherwise, right? Someday maybe I'll even think of something to say about it that hasn't already been said.

Great Wine Made Simple: Straight Talk from a Master Sommelier by Andrea Robinson: Husband bought this but I think it looks good.

Universal Principles of Design by William Lidwell, et al.: Husband also bought this but I was already familiar with it and encouraged him to do so. It's just fantastic. Highly recommended for graphic designers and anyone else with an interest in design.

Reminder, the deadline for entering my anniversary giveaway is approaching. Don't forget to sign up by 9/8!

Happy Labor Day to everyone in the USA - and happy weekend to all!

Let's read some Science Fiction

I was poking about and found this great post from io9's Sci-Fi University: A syllabus and book list for novice students of science fiction literature. I love reading lists. I'm terrible at using them, as I never want to feel like I have to read a book and it always seems like I've read barely a fraction of the books listed, but I love them anyway.

(On a related note, they also have 25 Classic SF Movies of which I've seen most. I find it suspicious, though, that several of the movies are form the last few years. Doesn't something have to be older to be classic?)

Anyway, this reminded me that the Hugo Awards are due to be handed out and I have read none - none! - of this year's nominees for Best Novel.

2010 Hugo Nominees for Best Novel

• Boneshaker by Cherie Priest
• The City & The City by China Miéville
• Julian Comstock: A Story of 22nd-Century America by Robert Charles Wilson
• Palimpsest by Catherynne M. Valente
• WWW: Wake by Robert J. Sawyer
• The Windup Girl by Paolo Bacigalupi

I think Boneshaker and The Windup Girl look the most intriguing. Anyone have a recommendation for where to start on this list?

Book Links 9/02/10

Just read a great appreciation of Robert Heinlein by author Jo Walton: “Out far, and onward yet!” Heinlein’s future history stories of the thirties and forties. It's part of Tor.com's celebration of all things Heinlein, in honor of his new biography. [Via Whatever]

I quote from my friend and fellow blogger Laura: If you were a superhero, you'd need to have this as your fortress of solitude. Of course you might not come out to fight crime. She is referring to The Giant Fort Of Books.

From Shelf Awareness: a cool bookcase/sculpture. As they put it, this makes on "look at the square states in the middle of the country with new appreciation."

On a non-book related note: those of you who are the right age/demographic, you might get as big a kick out of today's date as I did. In which case, you should check out Go Fug Yourself today and their celebration of all things Brenda, Brandon, Kelly, Steve, Donna, and David.

Waiting Wednesday 9/1: Life from Scratch

For my installment this week of eagerly anticipated books, I'd like to share one that's not even listed on Amazon yet!

Nine months after Rachel Goldman's divorce, she gives birth to a cooking project as well as a blog that helps her find her voice that was missing during her married years. Life from Scratch is about not only learning how to grab your own happiness, but also, how to fry your own egg.

Life From Scratch by Melissa Ford will be released December 1, 2010.

I do have to say that the title of this one sounds a lot like another book I've seen out on the shelves recently: Simply from Scratch by Alicia Bessette. From the descriptions, though, the books sound totally different.

Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine.