Why Fish Don’t Exist is a short but fascinating and well-written book which combines biography, memoir, science (particularly taxonomy), and philosophy. Written by Lulu Miller, who cohosts both RadioLab and NPR’s Invisibilia podcast, the book recounts Miller’s fascination and subsequent disillusionment with David Starr Jordan, a prominent scientist and scholar during the late 19th and early 20th century.
My Bookish Resolutions for 2024: I looked at last year’s resolutions, and I was dismayed at how little I accomplished. One suggestion I have seen in several places is that it works better to set specific, concrete, achievable goals, rather than broad, sweeping resolutions. So I’m incorporating that concept into my resolutions this year. And in another bid to keep myself from feeling overwhelmed, I am limiting myself to five bookish resolutions.
I had fun at my fiber guild meeting on Saturday, and bought more yarn than I should have at the sale afterward. And I finally got everything unpacked from our month-long vacation in December, and put most of it away. I still have to find room for the books and the yarn and fiber, but I want to photograph and catalog them first.
This week’s links include: lots of book banning and library news; ChatGPT and copyrighted materials; Tor.com rebrands; indie bookstore given to new owner; the ethics of biofiction; Ranger’s Apprentice series to get TV adaptation; plus reading challenges to check out, and more
Jennifer Arden, younger sister of the Duke of Whilby, was crippled after a childhood disease left her with a twisted, shortened leg and foot. Deeply loved by her family, she is nonetheless an outsider rather than a participant in the ton, forced by her disability to sit quietly on the sidelines. She has cultivated a cheerful acceptance of her fate, but in her heart, she longs for romance, marriage, children… or simply to walk and dance like other young women.
As a lifelong Star Trek fan, I found Phasers on Stun!: How the Making (and Remaking) of Star Trek Changed the World both very informative and highly entertaining.
This week’s topic is Most Anticipated Books Releasing in the First Half of 2024.
Fast-paced, high-octane paranormal romantic suspense I’ve been a fan of Jayne Ann Krentz’s fast-paced, high-octane romantic suspense thrillers for years now, so I always look forward to the next one. The Night Island did not disappoint. In fact, the pacing is smoother than in the previous book in this series (Sleep No More), and the plot is easier to follow.
We drove home over three days (Monday–Wednesday.) It was hard to leave, but also good to get home. I spent what was left of the week unpacking, doing laundry, catching up on email, and trying to bring some sort of organization to my various plans and goals for the next few months.
My Favorite Books of 2023: I had very few 5-star books this year, but quite a few 4.5-star and 4-star books. I limited this list to books I read for the first time this year. I also decided not to base the list entirely on the number of stars I gave each book at the time I read it. Instead, the books on this list are the ones that shine brightest in my memory at the end of the year.
