Sunday, December 21, 2008

Christmas Wish Lists

What books do YOU want for Christmas?

15 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hmmm...the great thing is, I didn't need a list because my friends and family are keeping me supplied with awesome reading material. Vampires, more vampires that are not for teenagers, parrots that converse, African detectives...Thanks, everyone!

Anonymous said...

Well, I pretty much never get books for Christmas, because everyone knows that I work at a bookstore and can get books at a discount. I'm more likely to get a gift card to B&N, which everyone knows will go farther for me than for most people, :). But if I did ask for books for Christmas, I would ask for that Carrie Fisher one, and maybe something by Barbara Ehrenreich. That's all I can think of right now, although I'm sure there are more.

I haven't been much of a reader lately though. I'm still slogging through The Jungle, and there are even some magazine articles I want to read that I haven't gotten to yet. I need to get crackin'. What books do you want, Christine?

DRD said...

Same for me as Lisa, people don't buy me books. And since I have something of a one-track mind, this usually means my gifts are practical and tedious. But this year, there's a kid at the high school who's decided my knowledge of music is deplorable, and has been introducing me to a bunch of different music, and I'm loving it. I've asked for a ton of CDs, and I'm actually excited about having fun presents this year.

Christine said...

Don, did you know our little Danika was listening to MUSIC? I did not! Care to share any titles or band names with us here, DRD?

Lisa, I will put up some wish list books later. Must dig out torn piece of notebook paper from a drawer.

Sophia, glad you are enjoying Alex and Me (parrot book) and is your current vampire one a Charlaine Harris?

Ben said...

Here was my book list this year:
Blood Meridian By Cormac McCarthy,
Any of the Preacher graphic novels after #2, Lock and Key graphic novel by Joe Hill. I didnt really ask for a lot of books this year.

Christine said...

Is Joe Hill Stephen King's son?

Ben said...

yeah he is.

Anonymous said...

I don't have a book wish-list this year, but if I were to ask for books:

The White Road by Lynn Flewelling. (Santa's omnipotent; he could ninja his way into Flewelling's publishing house and steal a copy.)

Darkside Zodiac by Stella Hyde.

A Lion Among Men by Gregory Maguire.

The Fox Woman by Kij Johnson.

DRD said...

Although I'm probably opening myself to a world of mockery, I will share band names:
Nightwish, a Finnish band that classifies its style of music under the wonderfully pretentious phrase "symphonic power metal."
Celtic Woman (okay. I should have known about them before because they've been in-store plays, but apparently I needed to have them pointed out to me again).
Emma Shapplin--an impressive voice
E Nomine--German band, unavailable in the US as of now, so I have to listen on YouTube.
Loreena McKennitt--again, should have known; she was an in-store play as well.
Mediæval Bæbes--Christine showed me a Christmas album of theirs yesterday, and it reminded me that they did the soundtrack to Virgin Queen (also unavailable in the US), which I loved, so I've been listening to some of their other stuff. \
Tokio Hotel--a coworker at B&N recommended them, and they're good, even if it's hard to tell whether the lead singer is a guy or a girl.
Within Temptation--another "symphonic power metal" group. I love their vocalist, and some of their lyrics, but don't always like the way their songs sound as a whole.

Christine said...

Let's see. . .I want:

Collected Poems for Children by Ted Hughes with pictures by Raymond Briggs

The Anglo Files by Sarah Lyall (Insomniac, have you seen this? DRD, you might like it)

A Great Idea at the Time: The Rise, Fall, and Curious Afterlife of the Great Books by Alex Beam (this one's got Don's name written all over it)

Dorling Kindersley Great Wonders of the World by Ash and Bonson (out of print--beautiful!)

A Child's Introduction to Poetry: Listen While You Learn About the Magic Words That Have Moved Mountains, Won Battles, and Made Us Laugh and Cry (for homeschooling)

Kingfisher History Encyclopedia (for teaching history)

Don't Know Much About the Kings and Queens of England by Kenneth C. Davis (have checked this out so many times)

Nigel Slater’s Kitchen Diaries (have read twice in the last nine months)

But I only think I'm getting one book, this year's Best Non-Required Reading edited by Eggers, which I picked out for myself.

Good thing I just got back from the library. I like to feel well-stocked before a string of days when the library will be closed. Even more so in the winter. Even more so at Christmas. Like with food shopping at this time of year, I like to have my favorites in the house. Picked up Bella Tuscany just in case I need a fix of Italy and a very favorite book late Christmas Eve. Also took out a new memoir, Please Excuse My Daughter by Julie Klam. Don't know anything about it except that it's orange and Carrie Fisher has a blurb on the front cover. I like my books to lead me from one to another, you know. I don't call it Bookstep for nothin'.

Don said...

Danika- I am SO going to gift you something good from iTunes. That list was (mostly) deplorable. "Symphonic power metal", geez.

Christine said...

Thank you for handling this, Don.

Anonymous said...

It is a Charlaine Harris, and I finished it, and enjoyed every bit of it. I found the book light and funny, and the characters were great -
Christine, that was a great list you posted - and I think I own that Kingfisher encyclopedia and would be glad if you took it - its a big reddish book?.

I would like to see the collected poem book by Hughes

insomniac said...

Hmmmm, the Anglo Files? From the Amazon site's review by the Washington Post it appears that this book goes out of it's way to insult activities and lifestyles that differ from those in this country. Is the American way the ONLY way I have to ask? And Christine, you know I can take a quip about my origins and mother country.

I could be wrong (it happens frequently)and it could be a phenomenally funny book. Perhaps I should reserve judgment and read it someday.

Let me know if it turns up in your stocking Christine.

Christine said...

Oooh. I haven't read any reviews. Only know the scantest thing about it. Sounds like a bust.