Misanthropy

Because it's the only hope (however benighted) of keeping me in check, here's my Big List of Shame for 2009. The BLoS is a list of all of the books I've acquired in the last few years that I haven't yet read (in theory anyway--I'm sure some have escaped listing). I seem to have developed a tradition of resetting it at the beginning of each year.

As of the date of this post, the BLoS stands at 39 books of fiction, 58 non-fiction (or 57--one is down). I eroded a lot of my progress in 2008 by going on a recent, huge book buying binge (I think I had 62 or so left on the 2008 list). If one were inclined, one might talk about a fear of success or self-sabotage; I do get anxious if there aren't piles of unread books collapsing in my living room.

We'll see how frightening this looks in another year (can you believe that'll be 2010?).

( 2009 Big List of Shame )

This is probably of little interest to anyone but me and my ongoing futile attempts to keep myself from buying a gazillion books, but here's a list of books I read this year. It is both somewhat impressive to me given my schedule, and yet also depressing given my grandiose appetites.

It's what I can figure out (did I really read nothing in January and February?), including some of the less than literary stuff that I don't usually bother to include in my shame lists (and most of which I've probably forgotten anyway). Except for some at the end, I think I've mentioned most of these somewhere in my journal, but if anyone wants commentary or recs, feel free to ask.

( What I read in 2007 )

Because, you know, procrastination:

The first line of the first fic posted each month this year (not including 100 word drabbles).

January
Morning saw Arthur bleary-eyed but alert as he arrived at the training yard to meet his new command.
(Field Trip, King Arthur fandom, part of Rites of Passage series)

February
Inventorying supplies was no one’s favorite task, but as Gareth was wont to say, it beat slogging through the mud and being shot at by people who painted themselves blue.
(Supply and Demand, King Arthur Fandom, part of Rites of Passage series)

March
None (Vacation to Austria!)

April
Wild rage followed hard on the heels of reeling shock when the arrow punched through his chest.
( Myths Legends and Lies, King Arthur fandom, part of Resurrection (crack) series)

May
The fighting is long over by the time Achilleus returns to the Myrmidon camp.
(Scars, Achilleus/Patroklos, remember my 100 fic thing?)

June
None (work, I hate you)

July
Arthur ran his fingers through damp curls, his hand sliding downward to cup the fragile base of Lancelot's skull.
(Dangerous Games, King Arthur fandom, part of Resurrection (crack) series)

August
Tristan crouched in the dirt by the stable's outer wall, watching Lancelot.
(Totem, King Arthur fandom, Tristan and Lancelot, written for darklyscarlett's birthday)

September
Arthur’s fingers tangled in dark curls as he struggled not to pull while holding his partner’s head against him.
(Quest, King Arthur fandom (and if you noticed the similarity to the first line of another story--hee!))

October
The battlefield was made of smoke and fire, the hellish sounds of the dying and wounded, the stink of blood and human butchery.
(Rude Awakenings, King Arthur fandom, part of Resurrection (crack) series)

November
When Arthur finally rose from his knees, it was only the ache in his joints that alerted him to the passage of time.
(Rituals and Observations, King Arthur, A/L, written for lessy37's b-day)

December
None (yet?)