Reading Q1 2022

 In 2022, I continued my reading list. As I mentioned in my last post about reading, I have also started to read the plays of Shakespeare. That too was continued in the first quarter, but at a slower rate. Here is what I have been reading and my thoughts about each book or play.

Unbroken

Written by Laura Hillenbrand and published in 2010. It is a non-fiction biography of World War II veteran Louis Zamperini. I gave the book a 3.5 (Great to Excellent). It's a book I own for a while that I have been meaning to read. In 2014 it was made into a movie. This movie was recently on TV and is probably what inspired me to read the book. I have not seen the movie yet. The book spent four years on the New York Times best seller list, 5th longest ever for a non-fiction book. If you are interested in this type of book I highly recommend it.

La Belle Sauvage

The Secret Commonwealth

Both of these books were written by Philip Pullman. La Belle Sauvage was published in 2017 and The Secret Commonwealth was published in 2019. I give the first book a score of 3.0 (Great) and the second book a 3.5 (Great to Excellent). There will be a third book to The Book of Dust trilogy but it is not out yet.

I started out by reading the His Dark Materials Trilogy by Pullman and was so impressed I added this next trilogy to my must read book list. The list is at 211 books (or so) and growing. Reading these were #43 and #44 from the list. The first Trilogy was made into a mini-series on HBO which is also excellent to watch.

La Belle Sauvage is the first book of the Book of Dust Trilogy. This takes place following Lyra as a baby and her travels from one orphanage to the Jordan College.  The Secret Commonwealth takes place following Lyra as a young lady and her travels looking for her daemon Pan and the adventures along the way. I have enjoyed the ride and cannot wait for the third book to be published.

Season of Storms

Season of Storms was written by Andrzej Sapkowski and published in 2018. I give the book a 2.0 (Good). It was a book I bought on sale at Barnes & Noble, not a genre I usually read, but I was entertained by it. The author liked to make long lists when setting the scene. I got caught up with this, like an eyeworm, and was always looking for him to do it again. He never failed me.

The Chronicles of Narnia

This book, the Chronicles of Narnia, was on my original list of 100 books I needed to read. I saw a softcover version that was on sale at Barnes & Noble so I bought it. I did not realize that this book contains seven fantasy novels written by British author C.S. Lewis. The world is full of special cases, and in my reading world, I am only getting credit for one book in my must read bucket list. But to maintain my sanity, I am reading one novel at a time and taking credit for each one in my Goodreads account. So far, I have read the following three...

The Magician's Nephew which was published in 1955. I rated the book 2.5 (Good to Great). This is the first book  in the Chronicles of Narnia and the sixth one written. The book presents the novels in the order CS Lewis wanted them read, not in the order he wrote them. It is definitely a children's book but a good read. The Magician's Nephew serves as a prequel and presents Narnia's origin story: how Aslan created the world and how evil first entered it.

The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe which was published in 1950.  I rated the book 2.5 (Good to Great). This is the second book in the Chronicles and it was written first. It tells the story of four ordinary children: Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy, who discover a wardrobe in Professor Digory Kirke's house that leads to the magical land of Narnia. The children help Aslan, a talking lion, save Narnia from the evil White Witch.

The Horse and His Boy which was published in 1954. I rated the book 2.5 (Good to Great). This is the third book of seven in the Chronicles and the fifth one written. The story takes place during the reign of the four kids in Narnia, an era which begins and ends in the last chapter of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. The protagonists, a young boy named Shasta and a talking horse named Bree,  meet and plan their return to Narnia and freedom. Along the way they meet Aravis and her talking horse Hwin, who are also fleeing to Narnia.

Emma

Emma was written by Jane Austen and published in 1815. I give the book a score of 3.5 (Great to Excellent).  It is book #45 from my list. Classic and surprisingly, a very good read. I enjoyed the twists and turns of the story and it almost made me want to speak proper English. Not really. It is a classic.

Shakespeare Plays

First, I already had written about the first two plays I read in 2022. Second, they were the only plays I read in Quarter 1. A synopsis...

Twelfth Night (Comedy in Illyria - modern Albania & Montenegro)

I was not familiar with this play but I give it a 4.0 (Excellent). Written as a Twelfth Night Entertainment for the close of Christmas, it is a story about a set of twins Viola & Sebastian, who are separated after a shipwreck. Viola, disguised as a man named Cesario, causes a true comedy of errors and misrepresentations.

King Lear (Tragedy in Britain)

This is my favorite Shakespeare play so far and I give it a 4.5 (Excellent to Memorable). 

The Winters Tale (Comedy in Sicily, Bohemia)

Started in the first Quarter but did not finish yet...Wait for Q2.