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Diary
By TheophileEscargot (Sun Oct 02, 2005 at 02:43:25 AM EST) (all tags)
It's that time again. See also 2002, 2003, 2004.

Breakdown:
Non-fiction 29
SF 32
Non-SF fiction 12
Comics 41


Non-fiction
  1. Stalingrad by Antony Beevor
  2. Berlin by Antony Beevor
  3. Accustomed as I am by Basil Boothroyd
  4. Dancing With Mister D: Notes on Life and Death by Bert Keizer
  5. But Is It Art?: An Introduction to Art Theory by Cynthia Freeland
  6. Electric Dreams: Designing for the Digital Age by David Redhead
  7. Aeneid Audiobook lecture series by Elizabeth Vandiver
  8. The Anglo-Saxons: How They Lived and Worked by G.A. Lester
  9. How to Read and Why by Harold Bloom
  10. Raw Spirit by Iain Banks
  11. The Great Rebellion. by Ivan Roots
  12. Virgil by Jasper Griffin
  13. Skating to Antarctica by Jenny Diski
  14. Stranger on a Train by Jenny Diski.
  15. In Defence of Global Capitalism by Johann Norberg
  16. The Men Who Stare at Goats by Jon Ronson
  17. Clubbed Class by Jon Ronson
  18. The Peter Principle by Laurence J. Peter
  19. How to Travel Incognito by Ludwig Bemelmans
  20. How to Read a Painting: Decoding, Understanding and Enjoying the Old Masters by Patrick de Rynck
  21. (Teach Yourself) Roman Civilization by Paula James
  22. By the Sword by Richard Cohen
  23. The Shock of the New. by Robert Hughes
  24. Defying Hitler: a Memoir. by Sebastian Haffner
  25. The Perfect Storm by Sebastian Junger
  26. If Symptoms Persist by Theodore Dalrymple
  27. Blockbuster by Tom Shone
  28. One Hit Wonderland by Tony Hawks,
  29. Warped Factors: A Neurotic's Guide to the Universe by Walter Koenig
SF
  1. The Well of Stars by Robert Reed
  2. The Snow by Adam Roberts.
  3. Century Rain by Alastair Reynolds
  4. Iron Council by China Mieville
  5. Down and out in the magic kingdom by Cory Doctorow
  6. Ilium by Dan Simmons
  7. Olympos by Dan Simmons
  8. The Merlin Conspiracy by Diana Wynne Jones
  9. The Spellcoats by Diana Wynne Jones
  10. Wilkin's Tooth by Diana Wynne Jones
  11. Leningrad Nights/How the other half lives by Graham Joyce/ James Lovegrove
  12. The Algebraist by Iain M. Banks
  13. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince by J.K. Rowling
  14. Worldstorm by James Lovegrove
  15. Memory by Linda Nagata
  16. Pel and the Pirates by Mark Hebden
  17. Thraxas by Martin Scott
  18. Thraxas and the Dance of Death by Martin Scott
  19. Thraxas and the Elvish Isles: by Martin Scott
  20. Thraxas and the Warrior Monks by Martin Scott
  21. Thraxas at the Races by Martin Scott
  22. Jennifer Government by Max Barry
  23. Star Dragon by Mike Brotherton
  24. Predator's Gold by Philip Reeve
  25. Down the Bright Way by Robert Reed
  26. Sister Alice by Robert Reed.
  27. The Dream Master by Roger Zelazny
  28. Babel 17 by Samuel R. Delany
  29. Exultant by Stephen Baxter.
  30. The Runes of the Earth by Stephen R. Donaldson
  31. A Hat Full of Sky by Terry Pratchett
  32. Going Postal by Terry Pratchett
Other fiction
  1. Cecil Day Lewis translation of Aeneid by Cecil Day Lewis, Virgil
  2. Cold Mountain by Charles Frazier
  3. Vernon God Little by DBC Pierre
  4. From Russia With Love by Ian Fleming
  5. John Dryden translation of the Aeneid by John Dryden, Virgil
  6. The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay: by Michael Chabon
  7. Democracy by Michael Frayn
  8. Brick Lane by Monica Ali
  9. A Long Way Down by Nick Hornby
  10. The Plot Against America by Philip Roth
  11. Pompeii by Robert Harris
  12. Always outnumbered, always outgunned by Walter Mosley
Comics
  1. Promethea 1 by Alan Moore
  2. Promethea 2 by Alan Moore
  3. Promethea 3 by Alan Moore
  4. Promethea 4 by Alan Moore
  5. Promethea 5 by Alan Moore
  6. Smax by Alan Moore
  7. Supreme: The Return, by Alan Moore
  8. Supreme: The Story of the Year by Alan Moore
  9. Swamp Thing (Alan Moore run) by Alan Moore
  10. The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen vol 2 by Alan Moore
  11. Tom Strong 3 by Alan Moore
  12. Tom Strong 4 by Alan Moore
  13. Top Ten 1 by Alan Moore
  14. Top Ten 2 by Alan Moore
  15. Maus by Art Spiegelman
  16. Batman: War Drums by Bill Willingham, Andersen Gabrych
  17. American Splendor by Harvey Pekar
  18. Son of Superman by Howard Chaykin,
  19. Life and Death of Spiders by J.Michael Straczynski:
  20. Hellblazer 1-20 by Jamie Delano, John Ridgway
  21. Superman: No Limits! by Jeph Loeb, Joe Kelly
  22. Superman for All Seasons by Jeph Loeb
  23. Astro City: Life in the Big City by Kurt Busiek
  24. Batgirl: fists of fury by Kelley Puckett, Damion Scott,
  25. Superman: red son by Mark Millar
  26. Spider-man: Coming Home, by Michael Straczynski.
  27. Endless Nights by Neil Gaiman
  28. The Last Man: One Small Step by Pia Guerra, Brian K. Vaughan
  29. Asterix and Son by René Goscinny, Albert Uderzo
  30. Asterix and the Actress by René Goscinny, Albert Uderzo
  31. Asterix and the Cauldron. by René Goscinny, Albert Uderzo
  32. Asterix and the Chieftain's Shield by René Goscinny, Albert Uderzo
  33. Asterix and the Goths by René Goscinny, Albert Uderzo
  34. Asterix and the Laurel Wreath by René Goscinny, Albert Uderzo
  35. Asterix in Belgium by René Goscinny, Albert Uderzo
  36. Asterix the Gladiator by René Goscinny, Albert Uderzo
  37. Asterix the Legionary by René Goscinny, Albert Uderzo
  38. Obelix and Co. by René Goscinny, Albert Uderzo
  39. The Mansions of the Gods by René Goscinny, Albert Uderzo
  40. Superman: Last Son of Earth by Steve Gerber
  41. Batman black and white by Various
Unfinished
  1. Hy Brasil [unfinished] by Margaret Elphinstone
  2. Kafka on the Shore [unfinished] by Haruki Murakami
  3. History of the Rebellion [unstarted] by Clarendon
Highlights
Non-fiction: easy choice. "In Defence of Global Capitalism" by Johann Norberg is the most passionate, fact-packed and informative polemic I've read in years. Whether you agree or disagree, if you haven't read this you have no right to hold an opinion on the subject.

Mainstream fiction: small field this year, but "The Plot Against America" by Philip Roth would have won by a mile anyway. Beautifully balanced book that works brilliantly on every level: personal, political, historical, satirical.

SF: harder choice without anything really outstanding this year. Sequelitis and repetition are the problem: there are good books there, but they mostly recapitulate earlier books by the authors. "The Well of Stars" is good but not as good as its predecessor "Marrow"; "The Runes of the Earth" was the event of the year but mostly just a bridge between the Second and Third chronicles; "Iron Council" doesn't add that much to "Perdido Street Station" or "The Scar". I suppose "Worldstorm" by James Lovegrove has to take it, for good characterization, a bleak vision, and an original, high-concept world.

Comics: can't really give it to "Maus" since I covered volume 1 beforehand. "Smax" was the one I enjoyed most: even though it's light, small-scale stuff it's just very well done. Not much point reading it if you haven't read Top Ten vols 1 & 2 though.

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Poll
Next year I should read more...
- Non-fiction 50%
- SF 25%
- Non-SF fiction 0%
- Comics 25%
- ...no, less. 0%

Votes: 4
Results | Other Polls
Related Links
- 2002
- 2003
- 2004
- Aeneid Audiobook lecture series
- Swamp Thing (Alan Moore run)
- TheophileEscargot's Diary

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Books I've Read This Year 2005 | 22 comments (22 topical, 0 hidden)
WIPO by Kellnerin (4.00 / 1) #1 Sun Oct 02, 2005 at 03:58:38 AM EST
- whatever the hell you want.

Suggestion for future wrapup diaries -- link to the diary in which you talked about the book, instead of Amazon (unless it didn't appear in an earlier diary). More information for less page-lengthening.

--
Its becoming increasing difficult to believe, in the modern world, that anything outside of reality television, media trials, Medieval Total War and grapefruit are actually real. --coillte

I can't remember offhand by ambrosen (4.00 / 1) #2 Sun Oct 02, 2005 at 04:34:45 AM EST
whether it's easy, but it'd be nice if the Amazon box could grow up to a maximum size, then get a scrollbar.

I've got a books I haven't read this year diary to write, though. I think there's about 20 unread books on my shelves. Maybe I'll wait till this phone line gets its DSL connected, though. Then I can get all the references written.

[ Parent ]
But I wanna see the covers! by TheophileEscargot (2.00 / 0) #3 Sun Oct 02, 2005 at 05:01:09 AM EST
And this way, you can usually click through the sidebar and see the diary I mentioned it in in the "related links" box.
--
It is unlikely that the good of a snail should reside in its shell: so is it likely that the good of a man should?
[ Parent ]
Poor hulver. by Tonatiuh (2.00 / 0) #18 Mon Oct 03, 2005 at 11:39:53 PM EST
You are suggesting to deprive his children from daily sustenance.

They will starve without the Amazon derived income.

[ Parent ]
dude, by infinitera (2.50 / 2) #4 Sun Oct 02, 2005 at 07:19:53 AM EST
"In Defence of Global Capitalism" adds absolutely nothing new. It's well known that capitalism is the most productive/resource efficient system, Marx said it over a century ago, new numbers aren't necessary. Yes, I've read the book. Yes, maybe some moronic liberals/college-aged anti-globalization activists might benefit from it. However, the socialist critique has never been about material well-being but about two linked features of capitalism, alienation and exploitation. And exploitation, despite the afore-mentioned liberals, means simply the amount of surplus value that goes to the capitalist instead of the worker. It is an intrinsic characteristic of private profits.

[…] a professional layabout. Which I aspire to be, but am not yet. — CheeseburgerBrown

that's arguable. by aphrael (2.00 / 0) #5 Sun Oct 02, 2005 at 08:10:18 AM EST
In a properly functioning competitive market for a good with elastic demand, there isn't any surplus value or profit.
If television is a babysitter, the internet is a drunk librarian who won't shut up.
[ Parent ]
if there is no surplus value, by infinitera (2.00 / 0) #6 Sun Oct 02, 2005 at 08:23:45 AM EST
There is no reason to stay in business for the owner, who is only recovering labor cost/capital investment for each cycle.

[…] a professional layabout. Which I aspire to be, but am not yet. — CheeseburgerBrown

[ Parent ]
Idiot [nt] by TheophileEscargot (2.00 / 2) #7 Sun Oct 02, 2005 at 09:00:07 AM EST

--
It is unlikely that the good of a snail should reside in its shell: so is it likely that the good of a man should?
[ Parent ]
To the uninitiated by Dr H0ffm4n (2.00 / 0) #12 Mon Oct 03, 2005 at 12:43:29 AM EST
can you explain why?

[ Parent ]
Because nothing is more fun by R Mutt (2.00 / 0) #13 Mon Oct 03, 2005 at 12:56:47 AM EST
Than Yet Another giant offtopic comment thread on capitalism versus socialism, repeating exactly the same arguments as last time, every time the magic words Capitalism or Trade or Economy are used and the resident anarcho-communist leaps in to evangelize.

[ Parent ]
Thankyou by Dr H0ffm4n (2.00 / 0) #14 Mon Oct 03, 2005 at 01:24:30 AM EST


[ Parent ]
how is it offtopic? by infinitera (2.00 / 0) #16 Mon Oct 03, 2005 at 03:56:50 PM EST
"In Defence of Global Capitalism" by Johann Norberg is the most passionate, fact-packed and informative polemic I've read in years.

I took issue with informative.

[…] a professional layabout. Which I aspire to be, but am not yet. — CheeseburgerBrown

[ Parent ]
I'm finally tired of smacking down wackjobs by TheophileEscargot (2.00 / 0) #17 Mon Oct 03, 2005 at 11:03:30 PM EST
How many times have we been through the same arguments.

1. When an informed amateur explains the academic consensus on a subject, he is usually broadly correct.
2. When an amateur explains that the professional consensus on a subject he hasn't studied is wrong and a fringe theory is true instead, he's usually a wackjob.

Every time I mention economics, globalization, capitalism or trade a wackjob crawls out of the woodwork to whine, based on a some nutty fringe theory or other.

It's just as if any time I used the word "dinosaur" or "fossil" or "hominid" a creationist popped up to loftily inform me that I'm an idiot for believing in evolution, and carry out an ideological crapflood.

From now on nutters in my diaries will be rated and replied to appropriately, you spaced-out fruitcake.
--
It is unlikely that the good of a snail should reside in its shell: so is it likely that the good of a man should?

[ Parent ]
Be careful. by Tonatiuh (2.00 / 0) #19 Mon Oct 03, 2005 at 11:44:32 PM EST
You are sounding like a fundamentalist.

[ Parent ]
he is [nt] by infinitera (2.00 / 0) #20 Tue Oct 04, 2005 at 03:12:12 AM EST

[…] a professional layabout. Which I aspire to be, but am not yet. — CheeseburgerBrown

[ Parent ]
right, so by infinitera (2.00 / 0) #21 Tue Oct 04, 2005 at 03:16:08 AM EST
Socialists (or anyone who disagrees with your professionaly supported politics) are not right in the head. I think I've heard that one before.

[…] a professional layabout. Which I aspire to be, but am not yet. — CheeseburgerBrown

[ Parent ]
re: the dismal science by infinitera (2.00 / 0) #22 Tue Oct 04, 2005 at 03:21:00 AM EST
It's just as if any time I used the word "dinosaur" or "fossil" or "hominid" a creationist popped up to loftily inform me that I'm an idiot for believing in evolution, and carry out an ideological crapflood.

Economics is a proper Popper-friendly science now? That's news to me. If you could maybe explain that part of its Truth, I could stop posting.

[…] a professional layabout. Which I aspire to be, but am not yet. — CheeseburgerBrown

[ Parent ]
damn you read a lot. by dev trash (4.00 / 1) #8 Sun Oct 02, 2005 at 11:38:40 AM EST
Are you human?

--
I DON'T CARE ABOUT YOUR BALLS! ->clock
Cyberdyne systems model T-900 by TheophileEscargot (2.00 / 0) #9 Sun Oct 02, 2005 at 11:42:18 AM EST
Actually, I think Merekat, spiralx and Christopher Robin Was Murdered read more than I do now. I used to read more when I was commuting by train every day.
--
It is unlikely that the good of a snail should reside in its shell: so is it likely that the good of a man should?
[ Parent ]
that's my problem... by dev trash (4.00 / 1) #10 Sun Oct 02, 2005 at 01:07:33 PM EST
I need a hour long rail commute.

--
I DON'T CARE ABOUT YOUR BALLS! ->clock
[ Parent ]
Hell, you are some reader. by cajunchicken (4.00 / 1) #11 Sun Oct 02, 2005 at 11:28:25 PM EST
Dont think Ive read that many in a lifetime!

Read Grant Morrison by MMcP (2.00 / 0) #15 Mon Oct 03, 2005 at 08:43:09 AM EST
Start with the Invisibles.

Do it now.

Books I've Read This Year 2005 | 22 comments (22 topical, 0 hidden)

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