Read in 2007

Submitted by Nance on Tue, 01/30/2007 - 07:26
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  1. Marie-Antoinette, Simone Bertière (2007-01) [A well written biography about Marie-Antoinette. Not romanced or partial (not royalist or republican). Gives a good background of that era.]
  2. The City and the Pillar, Gore Vidal (2007-02) [Publish near the end of the 40s, the novel was a scandal because it was one of the first dealing openly with homosexuality. I was afraid that fifty years later that the book lost of his impact. I found it honest and not sensationalist. It's focus on the feeling of the main character. In the beginning, I had problem to be attach to him because he didn't accept himself and I don't understand him, but I finally immerge in the book and I couldn't stop reading.]
  3. Just In Case You Think You're Normal, Murray Banks (2007-02) [I had one hour to kill. I didn't like it. It's a philo-psy novel that try to teach you how to feel good. I would had feel better not to read that piece of...]
  4. Friendship, Francesco Alberoni (2007-02) [I don't always agree with him, but I find it interesting.]
  5. Angels and Demons, Dan Brown (2007-02) [True religious/historical/art/science references or not, I like the thriller, better than the Da Vinci Code. This is not usually my kind of book. The beginning is weak (too much scientific blabla I don't understand or I've no idea if this is true or not), but when they begin the race to find the murderer, I found it absorbing and tense, plenty of twists and turns. I'm glad the map of Rome and the Vatican was print in the book, so I've more visualized the chase.]
  6. The Vampire Lestat, Anne Rice (2007-03) [I've read Interview With A Vampire two years ago, Lestat was my favorite character, but I prefer the movie than the novel. I didn't want to continue the series. Lastly, I've decide to give it another chance. The Vampire Lestat is better than Interview With A Vampire. The characters are more in depth and answer a lot of questions about Rice's mythology of vampires. It's writing like an autobiography, that's make believe and connect to the main character faster. To read if you like fantasy novels.]
  7. The Murders in the Rue Morgue, Edgar Allan Poe (2007-03) [I'm in a Edgar Allan Poe spree. This is the first story I read from him. Nice. I found the introduction a bit complicated but when we enter in the action, it begins to be interesting. Sadly, I already know the ending punch because an author (Bernard Werber?) made a reference to this story, but this is still well written.]
  8. The Purloined Letter, Edgar Allan Poe (2007-03) [I was glad to see that Dupin is back. He remembers me Agatha Christie's famous character, Hercule Poirot, or Sherlock Holmes.]
  9. The Gold-Bug, Edgar Allan Poe (2007-03) [Maybe it's predecessor in his kind, but I think this is an average tale. I had difficulty of being attached to the characters. The best is the cryptography's part.]
  10. The Balloon-Hoax, Edgar Allan Poe (2007-03) [I think the story is good only when you know the context (an hoax, a century before Orson Welles' War of the Worlds). The story alone, a little bit too scientific and again, I have a problem with the characters.]
  11. The Unparalleled Adventure of One Hans Pfaall, Edgar Allan Poe (2007-03) [I didn't like it. Not really because of the nonsense of the story, now that we know that this is scientifically impossible, but the writing. Too serious, not enough fantasy. In the style, I will probably prefer From the Earth to the Moon by Jules Verne.]
  12. Tintin #1: Tintin in the Land of the Soviets, Hergé (2007-03) [At the beginning, I found the humour a bit childish, but I relaxed myself and I passed a good time. The chemistry between Tintin and Milou convinced me to read the remainder of the series.]
  13. Tintin #2: Tintin in the Congo, Hergé (2007-03) [Good adventure. I like it as the first one.]
  14. Tintin #3: Tintin in America, Hergé (2007-03) [Average.]
  15. MS. Found in a Bottle, Edgar Allan Poe (2007-03) [You can feel the inspiration from Samuel Taylor Coleridge's The Rime of the Ancient Mariner. It was a beautiful, dark and very haunting short story. Now, try to visualize the story with the Marche Funebre of Frederic Chopin.]
  16. A Descent into the Maelstrom, Edgar Allan Poe (2007-03) [Not really my style.]
  17. The Facts in the Case of M. Valdemar, Edgar Allan Poe (2007-03) [Goose bumps. Nice.]
  18. Mesmeric Revelation, Edgar Allan Poe (2007-03) [Indigestible divagation?]
  19. A Tale of the Ragged Mountains, Edgar Allan Poe (2007-03) [I'd not really immerse into the story.]
  20. Morella, Edgar Allan Poe (2007-03) [Poetic, interesting, but too short.]
  21. Ligeia, Edgar Allan Poe (2007-03) [I've problems to connect with the characters.]
  22. Metzengerstein, Edgar Allan Poe (2007-03) [One of his first tales been published. Gothic. Good.]
  23. The Exeter Text: Jewels, Secrets, Sex, Georges Perec (2007-03) [A text (a lipogram) where none of the words having any vowels other than "e". Then, no "a" "o" "i" "u". Creative and the story is not as bad as I thought. My kind of book.]
  24. (lit. To Understand Painting), Élizabeth Lièvre-Crasson (2007-03) [The book makes a modest chronology of painting about the great movements. Short, but I spent a good moment.]
  25. Germinal, Émile Zola (2007-04) [The beauty of this novel is the detailed descriptions that make the story very visual. You have the impression to live the events. Two thumps up! I've really been touch. I've cried like a river in some parts (the two horses story, ...) and frustrated in the others (the feeling that things are not going to get better, ...).]
  26. The Imp of the Perverse, Edgar Allan Poe (2007-04) [The level of language is quite too high for me, even with a dictionary. I didn't understand everything. I like the last part, but this was too short.]
  27. The Black Cat, Edgar Allan Poe (2007-04) [This is my favorite tale from him until now. My kind of weird.]
  28. William Wilson, Edgar Allan Poe (2007-04) [I love doppelgänger stories.]
  29. The Man of the Crowd, Edgar Allan Poe (2007-04) [I didn't found it interesting.]
  30. The Tell-Tale Heart, Edgar Allan Poe (2007-04) [Great, but in the same type, I prefer The Black Cat.]
  31. Berenice, Edgar Allan Poe (2007-04) [Suggesting is better than telling, this is one of the good thing of the story. The important is not what is described. I like it.]
  32. The Fall of the House of Usher, Edgar Allan Poe (2007-04) [Gothic atmosphere, mysterious and the doppelgänger theme again? Mostly good.]
  33. The Pit and the Pendulum, Edgar Allan Poe (2007-04) [A classic for sure.]
  34. A Home at the End of the World, Michael Cunningham (2007-04) [The psychology of the characters are well developed, exposed and natural. A nice change from the characters of Edgar Allan Poe. Jonathan and Alice are my favorite characters. It's a bit like me and my mother. What really does not reassure me. :P The story is timeless, the best novel I read this year until now.]
  35. The Long Dark Tea-Time of the Soul, Douglas Adams (2007-04) [I like sureal humour and since I feel a bit depressed, I was glad to read something funny. I found it better than Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency. The second novel is not as holistic as the first one, but I was happy to see Dirk Gently's back. I want an I Ching calculator for my birthday!]
  36. Hop-Frog, Edgar Allan Poe (2007-04) [Average.]
  37. The Cask of Amontillado, Edgar Allan Poe (2007-04) [A bit sensationalist, but I like it. Nemo me impune lacessit!]
  38. The Masque of the Red Death, Edgar Allan Poe (2007-04) [An archetype. You really need to visualize the story to find it good.]
  39. King Pest, Edgar Allan Poe (2007-04) [This wasn't really my style, but the tale is rich in details and is as disgusting as wishing.]
  40. The Devil in the Belfry, Edgar Allan Poe (2007-04) [Average.]
  41. Lionizing, Edgar Allan Poe (2007-04) [No. I didn't like it.]
  42. Four Beasts in One: The Homo-Cameleopard, Edgar Allan Poe (2007-04) [I didn't like again. I hope the next one will be better or I will give up. I want to finish his novel of short stories for the sake of finishing.]
  43. Some Words with a Mummy, Edgar Allan Poe (2007-04) [Average. I persevere.]
  44. The Power of Words, Edgar Allan Poe (2007-04) [Average.]
  45. The Colloquy of Monos and Una, Edgar Allan Poe (2007-04) [I didn't like.]
  46. The Conversation of Eiros and Charmion, Edgar Allan Poe (2007-04) [A rather good story.]
  47. Shadow: A Parable, Edgar Allan Poe (2007-04) [I didn't like.]
  48. Silence: A Fable, Edgar Allan Poe (2007-04) [I didn't like.]
  49. The Island of the Fay, Edgar Allan Poe (2007-04) [Average.]
  50. The Oval Portrait, Edgar Allan Poe (2007-04) [Good. Great. At last...]
  51. The Devil's Dictionary, Ambrose Bierce (2007-04) [Delightful. A must read. Cogito cogito ergo cogito sum!]
  52. Skinned Alive: Stories, Edmund White (2007-04) [Depressive.]
  53. (lit. Calligraphy), Véronique Sabard and Vincent Geneslay (2007-04) [Educative.]
  54. Side Effects, Woody Allen (2007-05) [This is not one of his better novels, but I lived a funny moment. It's hard to beat my favorite short story from him which is called The Gossage-Vardebedian Papers from Getting Even.]
  55. High Fidelity, Nick Hornby (2007-05) [I didn't like it. I had problem to connect with the main character that I found a little bit superficial. I can't relate with him, maybe this is because I'm a woman. And I'm not talking about the Hollywood ending...]
  56. Lives of the Twelve Caesars, Suetonius (2007-05) [This text is a good popularization of the reign of these twelve emperors: Julius Caesar, Augustus, Tiberius, Caligula, Claudius, Nero, Galba, Otho, Vitellius, Vespasian, Titus and Domitian. I had fun read them, especially for the less known emperors. My favorite is Nero, THAT man was crazy, like all those emperors, but this one was MORE crazy, only Caligula can beat him. We can find good informations, even if sometime we can question its reliability and impartiality. I've read diagonally the omens' parts... We have to take notes that this has been write around two thousands years ago and the people there was superstitious. A classic, but his way of writing is not fluid.]
  57. Maurice, Edward Morgan Forster (2007-05) [Written in 1913, only published in 1971 after Forster's death because of the homosexuality subject. I generally like and I read it all in one shot, but it misses a little bit of something to make it brilliant.]
  58. [The Lady or the Tiger?], Frank Richard Stockton (2007-05) [The tiger!]
  59. The Salmon of Doubt, Douglas Adams (2007-05) [I prefer the first part where you can read previous speeches, interviews and short stories. You can learn a lot about the late author. The last part, the unfinished novel, is a bit weaker. Which is understandable since it's unfinished and doesn't have an ending. I recommand it for the fans, but his others books are better.]
  60. In the Penal Colony, Franz Kafka (2007-05) [This is the first story I read from him. I feel frustrated, but it was good.]
  61. First Sorrow, Franz Kafka (2007-05) [Not interesting.]
  62. A Little Woman, Franz Kafka (2007-05) [It was ok.]
  63. A Hunger Artist, Franz Kafka (2007-05) [Touching.]
  64. Josephine the Singer, or The Mouse Folk, Franz Kafka (2007-05) [Average.]
  65. The Burrow, Franz Kafka (2007-05) [Succeeds.]
  66. The Village Schoolmaster, Franz Kafka (2007-05) [It's not my style.]
  67. The Scapegoat, Daniel Pennac (2007-05) [First novel of the Malaussene saga. A gem. I adore the smoothness of the writing, I devoured the book in one day. I hope the others are as good.]
  68. The Fairy Gunmother, Daniel Pennac (2007-06) [It's better than the first one, I was scare that the second volume of the Malaussene saga was not as good as his predecessor. Amazing. I like the style of the writing. It was a long time that I didn't laugh that much for a book! Definitely a favorite...]
  69. [The Lottery], Shirley Jackson (2007-06) [I was dazzled by the richness of the descriptions. Slow beginning. They take the time to prick the curiosity. I didn't see the end coming. Shocking!]
  70. Write to Kill, Daniel Pennac (2007-06) [Great and entertaining, but not as The Fairy Gunmother.]
  71. Possession, Antonia Susan Byatt (2007-06) [It was long and heavy, but never boring. The writing is complex, I love the incorporation of letters, diaries, poetry and fairy tales within the story. Don't skip them, be patient and you will be rewarded.]
  72. Matilda, Roald Dahl (2007-06) [I needed something softer after Possession, but it was too soft. Average.]
  73. Monsieur Malaussene, Daniel Pennac (2007-06) [The writing is refreshing, as all the novels from the Malaussene saga. Multiplication of characters, craziest than ever. The Fairy Gunmother is still my favorite novel, this one is coming in second position. I begin to adore Daniel Pennac! I would like to re-read The Rights of the Reader.]
  74. (lit. Christians and Moors), Daniel Pennac (2007-07) [Savorless.]
  75. Passion Fruit, Daniel Pennac (2007-07) [Borderline ok and this is because I really like the characters...]
  76. Confusion, Stefan Zweig (2007-07) [Predictable, but touching.]
  77. The Nightingale and the Rose, Oscar Wilde (2007-07) [Awesome and very frustrating! I wanted to kill the boy and the girl in the end... little motherf*cker brat losers... ?&!!#!]
  78. The Diary Of A Mad Man, Guy de Maupassant (2007-07) [Some good points, but sometimes boring.]
  79. The Horla (1886 version), Guy de Maupassant (2007-07) [Haunting, but miss of something.]
  80. The Horla (1887 version), Guy de Maupassant (2007-07) [Better than the 1886 version. More complete and deeper. Spooky.]
  81. The Flayed Hand, Guy de Maupassant (2007-07) [Ordinary.]
  82. Doctor Heraclius Gloss, Guy de Maupassant (2007-07) [A little bit slow, but it has some good parts and a good twist ending.]
  83. On The River, Guy de Maupassant (2007-07) [Visual, but too short. Not enough material.]
  84. Coco, Guy de Maupassant (2007-07) [Average.]
  85. Suicides, Guy de Maupassant (2007-07) [Sad and depressive. What do you expect with a title like this?]
  86. Magnetism, Guy de Maupassant (2007-07) [Average.]
  87. Dreams, Guy de Maupassant (2007-07) [I didn't like.]
  88. The Wolf, Guy de Maupassant (2007-07) [Not my kind.]
  89. (lit. A Christmas Story), Guy de Maupassant (2007-07) [Average.]
  90. Beside Schopenhauer's Corpse, Guy de Maupassant (2007-07) [Well narrated and visual. At least, I finish the book (a best friend's gift) with a good note. None of these short stories are as good as Ball of Fat. The second version of The Horla, published in 1887, is the best story of this collection of horror tales by Guy de Maupassant.]
  91. The Catcher in the Rye, Jerome David Salinger (2007-07) [I'm often reticent with the classics, I'm scare to be deceived. I'm glad that I've decided to plunge into it, this probably one of the best novel I've read. His character is so real... Brilliant!]
  92. The Lesson, Eugène Ionesco (2007-07) [Some genius parts, but this play is probably better see than read.]
  93. The Object of my Affection, Stephen McCauley (2007-07) [I needed to read something contemporary and not too depressive, but I can't relate myself to the characters. Average.]
  94. Sulphuric Acid, Amélie Nothomb (2007-07) [Amélie Nothomb publishes a book per year and it would has been the last read if I was deceived. The story is about a reality show that replicates concentration camps. At first, I was a bit scared that is was a just faded rip-off of Ball of Fat by Guy de Maupassant (I smiled when she made a direct reference to it), but it was a more than that. This is not my favorite novel by her, but it was better than I thought.]
  95. The Diary of a Young Girl, Anne Frank (2007-07) [I wanted to read that book since I've seen a parody in Family Guy. I've read the un-cut version and it was unforgettable. Maybe not the best written book about the World War II, but the most personal and one of the most known. The diary is not only about the war, but also about early adolescence.]
  96. A Boy's Own Story, Edmund White (2007-07) [The first-person narrative make it more intimate and easier to connect. The story is less depressive than Skinned Alive short stories. I like it.]
  97. Description of a Struggle, Franz Kafka (2007-07) [Weird. I don't know how to judge this.]
  98. An Ancient Sword, Franz Kafka (2007-07) [Huh?]
  99. Blumfeld, an Elderly Bachelor, Franz Kafka (2007-07) [I have the impression that I don't understand everything, but the atmosphere is good. Too sad that this is unfinished.]
  100. (lit. The Return), Franz Kafka (2007-07) [Too short. Not enough material.]
  101. The Bridge, Franz Kafka (2007-07) [Short, but interesting.]
  102. The Hunter Gracchus, Franz Kafka (2007-07) [Good descriptions. Average.]
  103. The Proclamation, Franz Kafka (2007-07) [Funny and strange.]
  104. The Great Wall of China, Franz Kafka (2007-07) [Great!]
  105. The Knock at the Manor Gate, Franz Kafka (2007-07) [Sad, but not long enough to really have strong feeling.]
  106. My Neighbor, Franz Kafka (2007-07) [Paranoid.]
  107. A Crossbreed, Franz Kafka (2007-07) [Touching.]
  108. New Lamps, Franz Kafka (2007-07) [I don't understand the meaning.]
  109. A Common Confusion, Franz Kafka (2007-07) [Interesting.]
  110. The Truth about Sancho Panza, Franz Kafka (2007-07) [Huuuuhhh... I don't understand again...]
  111. The Silence of the Sirens, Franz Kafka (2007-07) [The tale is good, but I thought that Odysseus didn't have ears stopped with beeswax in the mythology. This is why he was chained, so he can hear the sirens. Could Franz Kafka had done a mistake? I know this is not the point of the story, but I can't concentrate on anything else.]
  112. Prometheus, Franz Kafka (2007-07) [This is my style.]
  113. The City Coat of Arms, Franz Kafka (2007-07) [Great.]
  114. Poseidon, Franz Kafka (2007-07) [I like it. That makes me think of the geographer in The Little Prince by Antoine Saint-Exupéry.]
  115. Fellowship, Franz Kafka (2007-07) [Makes me think.]
  116. At Night, Franz Kafka (2007-07) [I don't know where it's going...]
  117. The Test, Franz Kafka (2007-07) [Help?]
  118. The Vulture, Franz Kafka (2007-07) [Hardcore!]
  119. The Helmsman, Franz Kafka (2007-07) [Interesting, but short.]
  120. The Top, Franz Kafka (2007-07) [I didn't like it.]
  121. The Departure, Franz Kafka (2007-07) [Ok?]
  122. A Little Fable, Franz Kafka (2007-07) [Depressive.]
  123. Advocates, Franz Kafka (2007-07) [I didn't like it.]
  124. The Animal in the Synagogue, Franz Kafka (2007-07) [Average.]
  125. (lit. The Burning Bush), Franz Kafka (2007-07) [I didn't like it.]
  126. The Refusal, Franz Kafka (2007-07) [Huh?]
  127. The Married Couple, Franz Kafka (2007-07) [Average.]
  128. Investigations of a Dog, Franz Kafka (2007-07) [Some good ideas.]
  129. On Parables, Franz Kafka (2007-07) [I didn't catch it.]
  130. Contemplation, Franz Kafka (2007-07) [Unequal appreciations. The stories I prefer are: Rejection, Passers-by, Reflections for Gentlemen-Jockeys, Bachelor's III Luck, The Tradesman and The Trees.]
  131. Great Noise, Franz Kafka (2007-07) [Average.]
  132. The Judgment, Franz Kafka (2007-07) [I didn't see it coming. All this is a misunderstanding... Sad. One of my favorites.]
  133. The Metamorphosis, Franz Kafka (2007-07) [Depressive and frustrating. The story hits the target.]
  134. The Stoker, Franz Kafka (2007-07) [I found it boring.]
  135. Prometheus, Franz Kafka (2007-08)* [Re-read for the fun of it.]
  136. Perfume, Patrick Süskind (2007-08) [Very well written. Every sentence screams to be an award contender for the Nobel prize. The only weakness, I found the story improbable and far-fetched. But I forgive because it's grandiose. Astounding!]
  137. The Holy Terrors, Jean Cocteau (2007-08) [Weird and cold, but this is desired. I wanted to read it since I have heard an opera by Philip Glass based on that tale. I like the story in general, but this is not my style.]
  138. (lit. Swallow's Diary), Amélie Nothomb (2007-08) [Easy to read. The better parts are the things not said. This is not one of my favorites of Amélie Nothomb. For the fans only. Average.]
  139. Young Törless, Robert Musil (2007-08) [God this book was acid and has given me a headache! Strong, but sick.]
  140. The Devil and Daniel Silverman, Theodore Roszak (2007-08) [It's a page turner. I got the same frustrating feelings that when I've read The Stepford Wives and Rosemary's Baby by Ira Levin. Sometimes I felt that this is caricatured, but the novel is pointing some good ideas. I like it. I found it also funny, even if the novel deals with important social issues (religions, homosexuality, women). The fanatics in the book creep me out, the scary part is when you know that this kind of people exists in real life (they are maybe a minority, but they EXIST), search on YouTube: "Trading Spouses God warrior" or "Shirley Phelps"... Spooky...]
  141. The Big Green Book, Robert Graves (2007-08) [A children's book from one of my favorite authors, the writer of The Greek Myths. I didn't see the story coming. It was fine, but maybe I'm too old for really like this one.]
  142. Antony and Cleopatra, William Shakespeare (2007-08) [Argh! I hate Shakespeare! I curse him in his grave! I hate Antony! I hate Cleopatra! They didn't die early enough for me! 100 pages too late! Shakespeare is not my style I guess. This is not the play which will make me fall in love with him! I would probably found it better to the theater. For the couple, I prefer Hortense Dufour.]
  143. [Sex], Madonna Louise Ciccone (2007-08) [This is not the best erotic book I have read. I didn't like, because I always have the impression that she wants to provoke just to grab the attention. Still, I was surprise to see pictures of Udo Kier (I always like that german freak), Isabella Rossellini (beautiful dressing as a male), Vanilla Ice (I recognized him because of the haircut! Kitschest than ever!) and Naomi Campbell (kissing Madonna and do other "stuffs"...).]
  144. To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee (2007-08) [One of the best books I've ever read. This year I'm lucky. Very human. Atticus Finch is my favorite hero, you don't need super powers to be great. Magnificent! Everyone should read this novel!]
  145. The Mint, Thomas Edward Lawrence (2007-08) [I'm disappointed. It was a pain to finish. I have finished it because it has been more than five years that I look for the book. It was dry, I don't know if this is because of the translator, but it was difficult to read and boring. Honest, but soporific.]
  146. (lit. Mixed Tales), Philippe Dumas and Boris Moissard (2007-08) [Classic fairy tales with a twist. Passable.]
  147. Alice in Wonderland, Lewis Carroll (2007-08)* [Re-read it before TTLG to keep the story in mind. Always a pleasure.]
  148. Through the Looking-Glass, Lewis Carroll (2007-08) [I prefer it than Alice in Wonderland! A classic. There are so much references about those two novels in the popular culture, it's a must to read them. Feed your head!]
  149. Tintin #4: Cigars of the Pharaoh, Hergé (2007-08) [It was ok, but this is not really my style. Anyway, I borrowed the series and I have to bring them back. So I will finish it, whether I like it or not.]
  150. Tintin #5: The Blue Lotus, Hergé (2007-08) [I don't understand the cult about this series. maybe I'm too old.]
  151. Tintin #6: The Broken Ear, Hergé (2007-08) [Sometimes funny, but too improbable.]
  152. Tintin #7: The Black Island, Hergé (2007-08) [Repetitive.]
  153. Tintin #8: King Ottokar's Sceptre, Hergé (2007-08) [I like this one.]
  154. Tintin #9: The Crab with the Golden Claws, Hergé (2007-08) [I didn't like.]
  155. Tintin #10: The Shooting Star, Hergé (2007-08) [It was alright.]
  156. Tintin #11: The Secret of the Unicorn, Hergé (2007-08) [Improbable.]
  157. Tintin #12: Red Rackham's Treasure, Hergé (2007-08) [It's ok.]
  158. Tintin #13: The Seven Crystal Balls, Hergé (2007-08) [I didn't like.]
  159. Tintin #14: Prisoners of the Sun, Hergé (2007-08) [Average.]
  160. Tintin #15: Land of Black Gold, Hergé (2007-08) [I didn't like.]
  161. Tintin #16: Destination Moon, Hergé (2007-08) [I like it.]
  162. Tintin #17: Explorers on the Moon, Hergé (2007-08) [I don't know if this is because it's on the moon, but I like it too.]
  163. Tintin #18: The Calculus Affair, Hergé (2007-08) [Average.]
  164. Tintin #19: The Red Sea Sharks, Hergé (2007-08) [Average.]
  165. Tintin #20: Tintin in Tibet, Hergé (2007-08) [I like.]
  166. Tintin #21: The Castafiore Emerald, Hergé (2007-08) [Bianca Castafiore is my favorite character.]
  167. Tintin #22: Flight 714, Hergé (2007-08) [Not my style.]
  168. Tintin #23: Tintin and the Picaros, Hergé (2007-08) [It was definitely my favorite of the bunch.]
  169. Tintin #24: Tintin and Alph-Art, Hergé (2007-08) [Well, the series is not my style in general. I prefer Asterix.]
  170. The Married Man, Edmund White (2007-08) [It deals properly with serious matters like AIDS and homosexuality of older people, but I found the characters (if not the author) snob. It's not easy to link with them, but I like the novel in overall. Depressive.]
  171. The Vulture, Franz Kafka (2007-08)* [Gory. Damn I would like to be a painter and paint this...]
  172. She, Henry Rider Haggard (2007-08) [An imposing adventure tale. An archetype.]
  173. Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, John Berendt (2007-09) [I don't really remember the movie, this is a good point so I didn't know all the twists. The book's plot is based on a true story and it's what it makes it interesting. Maybe not an impressively strong one, but it's decent.]
  174. The Yellow Wallpaper, Charlotte Perkins Gilman (2007-09) [I'm not sure this is my style.]
  175. (lit. Write or Crawl), Diane de Margerie (2007-09) [Frustrating!]
  176. The Story of the Youth Who Went Forth to Learn What Fear Was, Jacob Grimm and Wilhelm Grimm (2007-09) [Macabre.]
  177. Faithful John, Jacob Grimm and Wilhelm Grimm (2007-09) [What's the moral? I would never kill my own children for a guy. Not even for a god. Those tales are too hardcore for little kids.]
  178. The Twelve Brothers, Jacob Grimm and Wilhelm Grimm (2007-09) [Morbid.]
  179. The Three Little Men in the Forest, Jacob Grimm and Wilhelm Grimm (2007-09) [Average.]
  180. Hansel and Gretel, Jacob Grimm and Wilhelm Grimm (2007-09) [My favorite Grimm tale until now.]
  181. The Valiant Little Tailor, Jacob Grimm and Wilhelm Grimm (2007-09) [A favorite again. Funny and not dark.]
  182. Cinderella, Jacob Grimm and Wilhelm Grimm (2007-09) [This is not the Disney version!]
  183. The Seven Ravens, Jacob Grimm and Wilhelm Grimm (2007-09) [Average.]
  184. The Devil with the Three Golden Hairs, Jacob Grimm and Wilhelm Grimm (2007-09) [Ok.]
  185. The Girl without Hands, Jacob Grimm and Wilhelm Grimm (2007-09) [Urk!]
  186. The Six Swans, Jacob Grimm and Wilhelm Grimm (2007-09) [I didn't like.]
  187. Sleeping Beauty, Jacob Grimm and Wilhelm Grimm (2007-09) [Kitsch.]
  188. Little Snow-White, Jacob Grimm and Wilhelm Grimm (2007-09) [I like it.]
  189. The Golden Bird, Jacob Grimm and Wilhelm Grimm (2007-09) [It's ok.]
  190. The Two Brothers, Jacob Grimm and Wilhelm Grimm (2007-09) [Great.]
  191. All-Kinds-Of-Fur, Jacob Grimm and Wilhelm Grimm (2007-09) [Incest? WTF!!]
  192. Singing Soaring Lark, Jacob Grimm and Wilhelm Grimm (2007-09) [I didn't like.]
  193. Hans in Luck, Jacob Grimm and Wilhelm Grimm (2007-09) [Sad.]
  194. The Goose-Girl, Jacob Grimm and Wilhelm Grimm (2007-09) [Average.]
  195. The King of the Golden Mountain, Jacob Grimm and Wilhelm Grimm (2007-09) [Boring.]
  196. The Raven, Jacob Grimm and Wilhelm Grimm (2007-09) [I didn't like.]
  197. The Water of Life, Jacob Grimm and Wilhelm Grimm (2007-09) [Correct.]
  198. The Skilful Huntsman, Jacob Grimm and Wilhelm Grimm (2007-09) [Boring.]
  199. The Blue Light, Jacob Grimm and Wilhelm Grimm (2007-09) [Weird.]
  200. The Iron Stove, Jacob Grimm and Wilhelm Grimm (2007-09) [Boring.]
  201. Iron John, Jacob Grimm and Wilhelm Grimm (2007-09) [I didn't like.]
  202. Snow-White and Rose-Red, Jacob Grimm and Wilhelm Grimm (2007-09) [Boring.]
  203. The Glass Coffin, Jacob Grimm and Wilhelm Grimm (2007-09) [It was ok, but I prefer the Antonia Susan Byatt variant in her novel Possession, writing by the fictional character Christabel LaMotte. Her version was more haunting.]
  204. The Goose-Girl at the Well, Jacob Grimm and Wilhelm Grimm (2007-09) [I didn't like.]
  205. The True Bride, Jacob Grimm and Wilhelm Grimm (2007-09) [Cinderella is better.]
  206. The Nixie of the Mill-Pond, Jacob Grimm and Wilhelm Grimm (2007-09) [Ok.]
  207. The Drummer, Jacob Grimm and Wilhelm Grimm (2007-09) [I didn't like.]
  208. The Crystal Ball, Jacob Grimm and Wilhelm Grimm (2007-09) [Kitsch.]
  209. Maid Maleen, Jacob Grimm and Wilhelm Grimm (2007-09) [This is not my style.]
  210. The Golden Key, Jacob Grimm and Wilhelm Grimm (2007-09) [Arouse curiosity.]
  211. Othello, William Shakespeare (2007-09) [Iago is devilicious! Shakespeare scores some points, but he's still not my style. Well, with Othello, let us say that I don't execrate him anymore. I like it.]
  212. The Immoralist, André Gide (2007-09) [Honest.]
  213. Prometheus, Franz Kafka (2007-09)* [More I read it, more I like it.]
  214. The Master of Go, Yasunari Kawabata (2007-09) [Curiously, even if we know all the plot right in the beginning, this is still fascinating. His writing is light and airy.]
  215. The Shape of a Girl, Joan MacLeod (2007-09) [Bitter and touching.]
  216. The Paper House, Carlos María Domínguez (2007-09) [I recommend it for the bibliophiles and the bookworms.]
  217. The Book of Disquietude, Fernando Pessoa (Bernardo Soares) (2007-09) [You cannot read that book quietly! In overall, I found it too heavy, too abstract. Some memorable parts, but I don't always agree with him and I cannot connect myself with.]
  218. Frisk, Dennis Cooper (2007-09) [More violent than erotic... I don't remember how I end this, but this is worst than The Eleven Thousand Rods by Guillaume Apollinaire! More graphical. I thought I have a strong stomach, but I was wrong. At least, the tension in the final chapter drops to let to us breathe. This is too hardcore for me!]
  219. (lit. Sailor Moon #16: The Starlights), Naoko Takeuchi (2007-09) [Not the best, a lot of repetitions. It's for kids. I want to complete the series (18 volumes), my favorite of my childhood. The #18 is almost impossible to borrow from libraries here!]
  220. (lit. Sailor Moon #17: Sailor Galaxia), Naoko Takeuchi (2007-09) [One left, but I can't find it. Let me guess... Sailor Moon will save the galaxy and they live happily ever after, etc.]
  221. Hugh Pine and the Good Place, Janwillem van de Wetering (2007-09) [Sweet.]
  222. The Mystery of Marie Roget, Edgar Allan Poe (2007-09) [Very technical. Long.]
  223. Maelzel's Chess Player, Edgar Allan Poe (2007-09) [Interesting.]
  224. Eleonora, Edgar Allan Poe (2007-09) [Boring.]
  225. A Tale of Jerusalem, Edgar Allan Poe (2007-09) [My overall reaction can be summed up in three words: What. The. Fuck.]
  226. The Angel of the Odd, Edgar Allan Poe (2007-09) [Huh?]
  227. The System of Doctor Tarr and Professor Fether, Edgar Allan Poe (2007-09) [Average.]
  228. The Domain of Arnheim, Edgar Allan Poe (2007-09) [I didn't like.]
  229. Landor's Cottage, Edgar Allan Poe (2007-09) [Weak.]
  230. The Philosophy of Furniture, Edgar Allan Poe (2007-09) [Subjective.]
  231. The Philosophy of Composition, Edgar Allan Poe (2007-09) [Urk! I don't like the fixation of limits in writing.]
  232. Little Children, Tom Perrotta (2007-09) [Maybe not great, but his writing is refreshing.]
  233. Mr. Peabody's Apples, Madonna Louise Ciccone and Loren Long (2007-09) [Cute. I see myself tell this tale to my little goddaughter.]
  234. Yakov and the Seven Thieves, Madonna Louise Ciccone and Gennady Spirin (2007-09) [I didn't like.]
  235. The Adventures of Abdi, Madonna Louise Ciccone, Olga Dugina and Andrej Dugin (2007-09) [Good illustrations, I didn't like the story.]
  236. Lotsa De Casha, Madonna Louise Ciccone and Rui Paes (2007-09) [Wonderful illustrations!]
  237. The Dragon With Red Eyes, Astrid Lindgren (2007-09) [Strange.]
  238. The Fall, Albert Camus (2007-09) [The narrative perspective is brilliant. I'm not as pessimist as the main character, but this reading makes me think.]
  239. Boyhood, John Maxwell Coetzee (2007-09) [Nice portrayal. Easy to connect with.]
  240. Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, Joanne K. Rowling (2007-10)* [Finally, I will re-read all the series before the last opus is coming out in french. Please NO SPOILERS! I will take a closer look to Snape, my favorite character. Philosopher's Stone is fun, but it's the one that I like less as I remember.]
  241. Quidditch Through the Ages, Joanne K. Rowling (Kennilworthy Whisp) (2007-10)* [I've read worse. *quoting Rita Skeeter*]
  242. Story #2, Eugène Ionesco and Etienne Delessert (2007-10) [Psychedelic!]
  243. Annabel Lee, Edgar Allan Poe and Gilles Tibo (2007-10) [Translated into french by the poet Stéphane Mallarmé. The illustrations by Gilles Tibo are beautiful and the poem haunting.]
  244. [Annabel Lee], Edgar Allan Poe (2007-10) [I'm not sure if this is the best english poem ever (like they say), but I like it.]
  245. (lit. Darkness), Paul Claudel (2007-10)* [I'm not sure if should put poetry here, but since I put Annabel Lee, I don't see why I would not. This is my favorite poem when I was in high school.]
  246. (lit. Suicide Instructions), Olivier Cahuzac (2007-10) [Macabre humour.]
  247. [On Death], John Keats (2007-10) [I'm not really into poetry, but I like in overall.]
  248. [La Belle Dame Sans Merci], John Keats (2007-10) [I can understand why there are many references to it, but I prefer the paintings than the poem.]
  249. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, Joanne K. Rowling (2007-10)* [I WAS planning to read them all, but I'm too lazy. Order of the Phoenix is soooo huge! Even if this is my favorite, after Azkaban. I don't want to urge myself to re-read the series before the end of the month, I'm not a machine. So I have read Half-Blood Prince to be ready for Deathly Hallows. Snape rules!]
  250. The Lolitas, Humbert K. (2007-10)* [A series of extracts from novels and poetries of the lolitas before Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov. Ronsard, Casanova, Hugo, Zola, Mallarmé, Verlaine, Maupassant, Proust... Interesting. I re-read it to look for ideas of books to read in the future. I want to give a second chance to The Drunkard by Émile Zola.]
  251. (lit. To a Little Blonde Laundress), Stéphane Mallarmé (2007-10)* [Kitsch.]
  252. Berthe, Guy de Maupassant (2007-10)* [Ok.]
  253. The Pearl, John Steinbeck (2007-10) [A feeling of deja vu. Average.]
  254. The Pigeon, Patrick Süskind (2007-10) [I don't think people act the way the main character does, it jars me out of the story. It was not as good as The Perfume, but still, his writing has something special.]
  255. The Maltese Falcon, Dashiell Hammett (2007-10) [A predecessor in his kind. I have to admit that I'm not really into roman noir/hardboiled crime fiction, but it was fun. Maybe too caricatured for my taste.]
  256. Taste, Roald Dahl (2007-10)* [Intriguing.]
  257. Lamb to the Slaughter, Roald Dahl (2007-10) [Predictable.]
  258. Man from the South, Roald Dahl (2007-10) [Oh my god! I think this is on this short story that the segment The Man from Hollywood, from the movie Four Rooms, is based. This brings me back a lot of souvenirs. The tale is intense, but the movie was funnier. Tim Roth and Quentin Tarantino were brilliant.]
  259. The Soldier, Roald Dahl (2007-10) [Strange.]
  260. My Lady Love, My Dove, Roald Dahl (2007-10) [I didn't see the end coming. I think I'm a little bit impartial because the last name of one of the couples is Snape. Do I already say it? Snape RULES!!! One week remains before Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows is coming out in french. One loooong week!]
  261. Dip in the Pool, Roald Dahl (2007-10) [Good twist.]
  262. Galloping Foxley, Roald Dahl (2007-10) [Average.]
  263. Skin, Roald Dahl (2007-10) [Eeewwww!]
  264. Poison, Roald Dahl (2007-10) [Intense.]
  265. The Wish, Roald Dahl (2007-10) [I found it boring.]
  266. Neck, Roald Dahl (2007-10) [Very well.]
  267. The Sound Machine, Roald Dahl (2007-10) [Strange and touching. I like it.]
  268. Nunc Dimittis, Roald Dahl (2007-10) [It was ok. I like his writing.]
  269. The Great Automatic Grammatizator, Roald Dahl (2007-10) [Interesting.]
  270. The Ratcatcher, Roald Dahl (2007-10) [I didn't like.]
  271. Rummins, Roald Dahl (2007-10) [Boring.]
  272. Mr. Hoddy, Roald Dahl (2007-10) [Not good.]
  273. Mr. Feasey, Roald Dahl (2007-10) [The same here. I'm sick when I finish a collection of short stories on a bad note.]
  274. (lit. I Am The Strongest), Mario Ramos (2007-10) [Cute illustrations, funny references. I laughed so hard!]
  275. A Sound Like Someone Trying Not to Make a Sound, John Irving (2007-10) [I didn't like.]
  276. The Velveteen Rabbit, Margery Williams Bianco (2007-10) [A timeless classic. Touching.]
  277. Early Sorrows, Danilo Kis (2007-10) [I don't know how I passed through the entire book. Almost none of the stories have catched my attention. It doesn't touch me at all. There is only two stories I like: The Cats, The Boy and the Dog.]
  278. Siegfried the Mighty Warrior, Maria Luisa Gefaell de Vivanco (2007-10) [After see the movie Ring of the Nibelungs with Kristanna Loken and Alicia Witt, I wanted to read something related. An essay, not the epic poem. I really like this legend and the paintings inspired by (from Henry Fuseli and Arthur Rackham). It was easy to read. Maybe not the best, but faithful enough.]
  279. Exit the King, Eugène Ionesco (2007-10) [The end is more impressive than his other plays that I've read. The ending rules! Very visual.]
  280. The Spectacles, Edgar Allan Poe (2007-10) [Predictable, but strange.]
  281. (lit. Suicide Instructions), Olivier Cahuzac (2007-10)* [Re-read to keep it in mind.]
  282. The Finishing School, Muriel Spark (2007-10) [Mediocre. The characters act so extreme that I just can't believe it.]
  283. Who Moved My Cheese?, Spencer Johnson (2007-10) [Too moralizing and simplistic. I didn't like.]
  284. Respected Sir, Naguib Mahfouz (2007-10) [A novel that I loved, with a beautiful writing, but it misses something to be great.]
  285. Ball of Fat, Guy de Maupassant (2007-10)* [By far my favorite short story of Guy de Maupassant.]
  286. The Necklace, Guy de Maupassant (2007-10)* [Good end twist. I re-read it to remember it.]
  287. Mr. Jocasta, Guy de Maupassant (2007-10)* [I hate it!]
  288. The Hair, Guy de Maupassant (2007-10)* [Haunting.]
  289. Little Black Book of Stories, Antonia Susan Byatt (2007-10) [I don't like her personality in real life, she's bashing Joanne K. Rowling, but I have to admit that she's rather good in overall. I have an unequal appreciation of her short stories. The Thing in the Forest (B), Body Art (D-), A Stone Woman (B+), Raw Material (A-) and The Pink Ribbon (D-).]
  290. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Joanne K. Rowling (2007-10) [Finally, the end chapter of the series. I was avoiding for months some forums and fan sites to not catch spoilers! Now, I can navigate free over the Internet... This is my favorite HP book. I really immerged deep in the story and I felt a lot of tension in the last hundred page. The Snape part didn't deceive me! And when Harry decides to go to the forest... Joanne K. Rowling is really a storyteller and I hope she will write something else, not necessary related to Harry Potter.]
  291. Story #1, Eugène Ionesco and Etienne Delessert (2007-10) [Crazy. I like the word play. I prefer the #2, but this is still refreshing.]
  292. More Perfect than the Moon, Patricia MacLachlan (2007-10) [Predictable. But it makes me remember when I wrote a diary when I was little.]
  293. The Happy Prince, Oscar Wilde (2007-10) [Some good elements.]
  294. The Selfish Giant, Oscar Wilde (2007-10) [I don't understand the meaning of the story.]
  295. The Devoted Friend, Oscar Wilde (2007-11) [I like.]
  296. The Remarkable Rocket, Oscar Wilde (2007-11) [I don't know what to think.]
  297. [The Blindmen and the Elephant], John Godfrey Saxe (2007-11) [A classic poem. I will try to get my hand on the Ed Young variant, the fable Seven Blind Mice.]
  298. The Birds, Daphne du Maurier (2007-11) [Bird power! Very atmospheric.]
  299. The Apple Tree, Daphne du Maurier (2007-11) [Haunting.]
  300. A Mistake, Guy de Maupassant (2007-11) [Predictable.]
  301. The Father, Guy de Maupassant (2007-11) [Average.]
  302. Confessing, Guy de Maupassant (2007-11) [I didn't like it.]
  303. Happiness, Guy de Maupassant (2007-11) [Weak.]
  304. The Moribund, Guy de Maupassant (2007-11) [It sucks!]
  305. Coward, Guy de Maupassant (2007-11) [Special.]
  306. The Drunkard, Guy de Maupassant (2007-11) [Poor.]
  307. A Vendetta, Guy de Maupassant (2007-11) [Hardcore, but deja vu.]
  308. The Beggar, Guy de Maupassant (2007-11) [Fascinating.]
  309. A Parricide, Guy de Maupassant (2007-11) [Nice.]
  310. The Child, Guy de Maupassant (2007-11) [Not really good.]
  311. The Penguins' Rock, Guy de Maupassant (2007-11) [Boring.]
  312. Timbuctoo, Guy de Maupassant (2007-11) [I didn't like.]
  313. An Unreasonable Woman, Guy de Maupassant (2007-11) [I didn't like again.]
  314. Farewell, Guy de Maupassant (2007-11) [Average.]
  315. A Recollection, Guy de Maupassant (2007-11) [Zzzz.]
  316. The Confession, Guy de Maupassant (2007-11) [Touching.]
  317. Macbeth, William Shakespeare (2007-11) [When people die and you say "whatever", this is usually not a good sign. The story is ok, but I found the writing dry. I will probably prefer the Eugène Ionesco variant.]
  318. Hundred Thousand Billion Poems, Raymond Queneau (2007-11) [Funny and original. You can create your own poems. That makes me think of an exquisite corpse, it uses the same method. I really like the special touch that the verses are sonnets and have the same rhyme sounds. Interesting.]
  319. (lit. Thank You), Daniel Pennac (2007-11) [It was not his best. Weak.]
  320. Macbett, Eugène Ionesco (2007-11) [Style exercise partially successful. Pity...]
  321. Love in the Time of Cholera, Gabriel García Márquez (2007-11) [It wasn't bad, but not as striking as I thought. Ok.]
  322. Britannicus, Jean Racine (2007-11) [I like the theme, but I don't like how it's writing. In rhymes...]
  323. The Star-Apple Kingdom, Derek Walcott (2007-11) [Not my kind of poems. Maybe because the story didn't interest me enough. All that rest is the smell of the sea. Fastly read, fastly forgotten.]
  324. (lit. The Prompters), Cécile Ladjali (2007-11) [Usually, I like surrealism, but for this novel I was completely stalled. Too much is like not enough.]
  325. The Blindmen and the Elephant, John Godfrey Saxe (2007-11)* [I read the french translation, I prefer a bit more the original.]
  326. Seven Blind Mice, Ed Young (2007-11) [The morality is different than the poem. This tale has a more positive end. I like it, but I prefer even more the poem The Blindmen and the Elephant by John Godfrey Saxe.]
  327. Kamo and I, Daniel Pennac (2007-11) [Average. Problems to connect with the characters.]
  328. (lit. Messrs. The Children), Daniel Pennac (2007-11) [Adult version of Kamo and I. Better IMO.]
  329. (lit. Kamo, The Idea of the Century), Daniel Pennac (2007-11) [I guess this is not so bad for children.]
  330. Kamo's Escape, Daniel Pennac (2007-11) [It was ok.]
  331. Eye of the Wolf, Daniel Pennac (2007-11) [Poetic.]
  332. (lit. Kamo, Babel Agency), Daniel Pennac (2007-11) [For children.]
  333. (lit. At Peak), Frank Secka (2007-11) [Weak. For teenagers.]
  334. (lit. All Boys and Girls), Jérôme Lambert (2007-11) [Not only on homosexuality, but on teenagehood too. Ok.]
  335. The Man of the House, Stephen McCauley (2007-11) [I don't know what to think. Not bad, but the story has no intrigue.]
  336. The Bee-Man of Orn, Frank Richard Stockton (2007-11) [It has something of The Alchemist, but a trillion times better! The illustrations of Patrick James Lynch are imposing, atmospheric. A good tale.]
  337. The Griffin and the Minor Canon, Frank Richard Stockton (2007-11) [Not his best, but he is definitely a storyteller.]
  338. Diamonds and Toads, Charles Perrault (2007-11) [I don't like fairy tales that the goods are necessary beautiful and the villains ugly. And the thing with the prince in the end, sooo kitsch.]
  339. Little Red Riding Hood, Charles Perrault (2007-11) [A timeless classic for the kids. I prefer this ending than the end of the variant of the brothers Grimm, the most known one. For once, Perrault is darker than the Grimms.]
  340. The Ridiculous Wishes, Charles Perrault (2007-11) [I didn't like it. It's in rhymes and that makes the fairy tale heavy.]
  341. Bluebeard, Charles Perrault (2007-11) [Not my style.]
  342. Ricky of the Tuft, Charles Perrault (2007-11) [Average.]
  343. Puss in Boots, Charles Perrault (2007-11) [The cat rule!]
  344. Sleeping Beauty, Charles Perrault (2007-11) [Less kitsch than the Grimms version.]
  345. Cinderella, Charles Perrault (2007-11) [I prefer the bloodier Grimms version, but I will probably more telling this more Disney a-like tale to my little goddaughter.]
  346. Hop o' My Thumb, Charles Perrault (2007-11) [In the style, I prefer Hansel and Gretel by the Grimms.]
  347. Donkeyskin, Charles Perrault (2007-11) [Better than All-Kinds-Of-Fur by the Grimms, but this is still not my style.]
  348. Dear Mr. Henshaw, Beverly Cleary (2007-11) [I think this is a good for children that like to write or read.]
  349. My Shadow, Ted Rand (2007-12) [For children.]
  350. Aurora Montrealis: Stories, Monique Proulx (2007-12) [So true. Short stories about Montreal, but about universal theme too, like the loss of innocence, the immigration, the poverty, the despair, the lack of love and the fear of death.]
  351. (lit. A Page of History), Jules Barbey d'Aurevilly (2007-12) [Short, but mysterious. About incest, but not shocking.]
  352. Story #1, Eugène Ionesco and Etienne Delessert (2007-12)* [Crazy.]
  353. An Elderly Mistress, Jules Barbey d'Aurevilly (2007-12) [Not as good as I thought, but I like his writing.]
  354. Story #3, Eugène Ionesco and Philippe Corentin (2007-12) [Too repetitive and not so funny.]
  355. Story #4, Eugène Ionesco and Nicole Claveloux (2007-12) [Too much nudity for nothing. Is this suppose to be a children book? But the texts are ok, not his best.]
  356. (lit. The Perronisms), Michel Morin and Yvon Landry (2007-12) [Perronisms are lapsus in citing proverb. The true ones, by Jean Perron, are too amazing to be true and the others creating by Morin-Landry fabulous. To die from laughter!]
  357. (lit. Sleeping Ugly), Grégoire Solotareff (2007-12) [His writing was ok, but the pictures make me uncomfortable.]
  358. (lit. Thinking, It's To Die A Little, volume 1), Ghislain Taschereau (2007-12) [Inequal, but few good ones.]
  359. (lit. Thinking, It's To Die A Little, volume 2), Ghislain Taschereau (2007-12) [Same here, but worse.]
  360. I'll Be Your Mirror: The Selected Andy Warhol Interviews: 1962-1987, Kenneth Goldsmith (2007-12) [A little confuse in the first interviews, empty, but in the mid-70s, it's better. A good book for the Warhol fans, but I found a lot of repetitions.]
  361. SCUM Manifesto, Valerie Solanas (2007-12) [From the girl who shot Andy Warhol. Too extreme, even for the feminists extremist. I read it for the fun of it. I spent a strange moment. "The effect of fathers, in sum, has been to corrode the world with maleness. The male has a negative Midas tough - everything he touches turns to shit."]
  362. The Tooth, Shirley Jackson (2007-12) [Amazing ending, my kind. I don't understand everything, but the mirror part was great.]
  363. The Daemon Lover, Shirley Jackson (2007-12) [Not her best.]
  364. The Villager, Shirley Jackson (2007-12) [Average, but I like the atmosphere.]
  365. Charles, Shirley Jackson (2007-12) [Predictable.]
  366. My Life with R.H. Macy, Shirley Jackson (2007-12) [Weird.]
  367. The Witch, Shirley Jackson (2007-12) [Spooky.]
  368. Seven Types of Ambiguity, Shirley Jackson (2007-12) [It doesn't happen a lot of things. I feel sad for the boy.]
  369. The Renegade, Shirley Jackson (2007-12) [THAT ONE was great, in style of The Lottery and The Stepford Wives (Ira Levin).]
  370. The Intoxicted, Shirley Jackson (2007-12) [Average.]
  371. Pillar of Salt, Shirley Jackson (2007-12) [Paranoid.]
  372. Colloquy, Shirley Jackson (2007-12) [I don't understand.]
  373. The Dummy, Shirley Jackson (2007-12) [Weird again.]
  374. Trial by Combat, Shirley Jackson (2007-12) [Hum, the title is misleading.]
  375. Of Course, Shirley Jackson (2007-12) [My style, I had the same feeling than the main character.]
  376. Men with Their Big Shoes, Shirley Jackson (2007-12) [I'm not sure.]
  377. After You, My Dear Alphonse, Shirley Jackson (2007-12) [Not my style.]
  378. Like Mother Used to Make, Shirley Jackson (2007-12) [Poor.]
  379. Flower Garden, Shirley Jackson (2007-12) [Ok.]
  380. Come Dance with Me in Ireland, Shirley Jackson (2007-12) [Boring.]
  381. The Lottery, Shirley Jackson (2007-12)* [I read it in french this time. Always as good.]
Author Comments: 

Read in 2007. I've read all of these in french language, but I wrote the titles in engligh for a better understanding.
I hope I didn't forget anything.
(lit.) means literally.
[] are read in english language.
*re-read.

CaptMal04/20/2007

I love Anne Rice's Vampire Chronicles. I've only read the first four, but it's great.

After The Vampire Lestat, the next in the series, Queen of the Damned is nowhere near as good as the first two but still very good. However, the fourth one, The Body Thief, is the best so far. Simply fantastic stuff.

Nance04/20/2007

It's in the plan to read them all. I have almost all the books from Anne Rice. I have problems to read her series all in one shot. I will probably read Queen of the Damned and The Body Thief this year.

Nance05/19/2007

The Lady or the Tiger? is a gem. I recommand it for anyone.

Slothrop3305/25/2007

Kafka is great! I would highly suggest this really fun comic type of book done by Robert Crumb detailing Kafka's life and dramatizes his fiction. It really brings out the black humor found in Kafka.

Nance05/25/2007

I found too! In the Penal Colony, A Hunger Artist and The Burrow were amazing. I'm not sure about the others, maybe I didn't begin with the most known stories. I will probably read the rest of his work during the year. Do you have a personnal favorite?

I will try to put my hand on Robert Crumb's Kafka, but maybe I should read more Kafka to really appreciate it...

Slothrop3305/25/2007

I am glad you like! "Blumfeld the Elderly Batchelor" is completely insane and I love it. The Judegement is also another favorite of mine. Amerika is his weakest novel, but has some really funny parts. The Trial and The Castle are truly amazing and very funny as well.

Nance07/29/2007

I've just read Blumfeld, an Elderly Bachelor. I understand what you mean! It was crazy!!! I especially appreciate the two balls part and the repetition.
Lastly, I've read around thirty short stories of him, I will take a little break (sometime I feel I didn't catch everything...) and I will continue (I like the guy). The Judgment is in my other book of collection of short stories of him.

Nance07/31/2007

You're right about The Judgment. I like it too!

Slothrop3308/07/2007

The Holy Terrors, wasn't that totally over rated? I really did not enjoy that book at all. I read The Impostor a long time ago and remember liking it a little more. Did you read it in French? I read a translation and worry that is wasn't translated well.

Nance08/07/2007

Yes, I read the the book in french (Les Enfants Terribles). I cannot tell that I hate it or enjoy. Maybe because I have hurt my feet and I must remain in the bed, I can connect "vaguely" with Paul. Well, this is not enough. This is sad because I was waiting for a classic.
Maybe the story is better to the theater or into movie.

Beside Les Enfants Terribles, I have just read Orphée which I found soso either, but the movie is one of my favorite. Maybe Cocteau writing is just not my style, I will try something else from him later.

I hope my next read will be better. My next read are "probably" (I never know for sure in advance):
The Mint, T.E. Lawrence (more than 5y that I'd search for the french version, I have high hope on this)
Young Törless, Robert Musil
Journal d'Hirondelle, Amélie Nothomb
She/She-Who-Must-Be-Obeyed, Henry Rider Haggard
Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy, John Le Carré
The Devil and Daniel Silverman, Theodore Roszak

Slothrop3308/08/2007

I think Cocteau might be the jack of all trades but the master of none.
I would suggest Young Torless; it is a great novel, very dark.

Nance08/08/2007

I borrowed Young Törless from the library, so this is my next read. I'm supposed to read The Man Without Qualities from Musil too, but I feel a bit depressed by the length (~2000 pages). One day...

Nance08/10/2007

I’ve finished it. I don’t know how to judge this in my top 200 favourite books! The book is strong, but definitely not something I COULD read again. It was very harsh to continue until the end. I hate the passivity of Törless and I hate him (but less than the two other losers!!!)!

I need to read something not depressive now, I mean I’ve read lastly The Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka and this. I feel blue right now...

Slothrop3308/15/2007

Lol, I can't remember the last time I read a happy book!

Nance08/15/2007

I know what you mean! Mostly I search for something funny or smooth, not necessary happy, before read something dramatic again. I'm not in the mood to read an adventure or fantastic novel... I've just finished The Devil and Daniel Silverman and it has some humor, but the story was frustrating too, like The Stepford Wives. Today, I will probably read a children book by Robert Graves (I like this author for The Greek Myths) and Antony and Cleopatra (Shakespeare... I have to give him another chance). My cue is now (always changing depending on the mood):

The Big Green Book, Robert Graves
Antony and Cleopatra, William Shakespeare
To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee
The Mint, Thomas Edward Lawrence
Coriolanus, William Shakespeare
The Married Man, Edmund White
She, Henry Rider Haggard
Mrs. Dalloway, Virginia Woolf

Nance08/16/2007

See my "appreciation" of Antony and Cleopatra.
I prefer read something depressive... (^_~)

Slothrop3308/17/2007

I see that :) I started reading The Stranger again. Once he is able to reflect he achieves some sort of happiness... of course he is executed then.