admnaismith

2017 is my tenth year of writing monthly book posts, and my seventh in going through Great Books Through History. This year will focus on the first part of the 19th century, with literature by Jane austen, the Brontes and Balzac; the philosophy of Schopenhauer and Hegel (both out-consumed by hume); the history of Guizot and Tocqueville; science by Faraday and Lobachevsky (the greatest who ever got chalk on his coat); economics of Ricardo and Saint-Simon; and enrichment in the form of period whodunnits by Barbara Hambly, Emily Brightwell and Anne Perry, and other historical novels by Patrick O'Brien and George MacDonald Fraser. It's the year the Durants finally peter out as historical guides and the Harvard Classics and Great Books sets start to thin out.

This is also the year I realize I'm going to be at this project beyond 2020. The books agreed on by scholars as "great" may diminish, but the volume of output just keeps growing with every year covered. I figure it will take me three more years to get to around 1920, and at least three more before I'm close enough to the end of the 20th Century to have crossed the line from "historical books" into just "reading books". Are Norman Mailer, Kurt Vonnegut and Margaret Atwood considered "historical"? I'll figure that out l;ater...anyhow, here are the books for January 2017.

( Dancing with the Devil: Faust, Part 1, by JW von Goethe Collapse )

( Truth Universally Acknowledged: Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen Collapse )

( Threes Rev. 4898: The Science of Logic, by Georg WTF Hegel Collapse )
( The Regency Murders: A Free Man of Color, by Barbara Hambly; Mrs Jeffries Learns the Trade, by Emily Brightwell; The Face of a Stranger, by Anne Perry Collapse )

( Trading Spouses: Couples, by John Updike Collapse )

(  Sturm und Emo: The Sorrows of Young Werther, by JW von Goethe Collapse )

( If i's nae Scottish, i's CRAP! Rob Roy, by Sir Walter Scott Collapse )

( Irish Twits: The Absentee, by Maria Edgeworth Collapse )

( Poldark: Warleggan and The Black Moon, by Winston Graham Collapse )

( Gothic Awful: The Albigenses, by Charles Robert Maturin Collapse )


Find all of my previous Bookposts here: http://admnaismith.livejournal.com/tag/bookposts

( HAMILTON: THE BOOK! The Federalist Papers, by Alexander Hamilton feat. James Madison & John Jay Collapse )

(  Frexit: Rousseau and Revolution, by Will and Ariel Durant Collapse )

( The 18th Century Murders: Written in My Own heart's Blood, by Diana Gabaldon; The High Constable, by Maan Meyers; The Prince Lost to Time, by Anne Dukthas Collapse )

( Rantin Rovin Robin: Poems and Songs of Robert Burns Collapse )

( Pop'nfresh Gender Roles: On the Black Hill, by Bruce Chatwin Collapse )

( Dead Poetess Society: The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie, by Muriel Spark Collapse )

( Point/Counterpoint: Reflections on the Revolution in France, by Edmund Burke; The Rights of Man, by Thomas Paine Collapse )

( What am I doing here? The Vocation of Man, by Johann Gottlieb Fichte Collapse )

( Curmudgeon's Guide to Europe: A Tramp Abroad, by Mark Twain Collapse )

( We're All Fucked: On Population, by Thomas Malthus Collapse )

( The Handgentleman's Tale: The Gate to Womens' Country, by Sherri S. Tepper Collapse )

( The Saga Continues: Jeremy Poldark, by Winston Graham Collapse )

(  Guns Don't Kill---Trolls Do! Men At Arms, by Terry Pratchett Collapse )

( Kant Touch This: The Critique of Judgment, by Immanuel Kant Collapse )

( Epic Epicures: The Physiology of Taste (or, Transcendental Gastronomy, by Jean Anthelme Brillat-Savarin Collapse )

( Poor William Says: Fruits of Solitude, by William Penn Collapse )

*pause*

Well...that's my year in books, I guess. Join me next year for Jane Austen, Balzac, Schopenhauer, Tocqueville, Faraday, Kierkegaard, the Brontes, Patrick O'Brien, Flashman, and a whole lot of others centered around the next era.
Find all of my previous Bookposts here: http://admnaismith.livejournal.com/tag/bookposts

Abbreviated language
Bad hombre
Basket of Deplorables
Bernie Bro, Hillary Ho, Donald D'ohh, etc.
Boaty McBoatface
Boneless wings
Brexit
Bye Felicia
Can still win with Superdelegates
Cuck
Delightion
Fiscal cliff
Friends with breadefits
Garage Mahal
Grocerant
Growtivation
Hail Hydra
Hot mess
How to talk to a woman who [anything]
I can't even.
Just give [the microfisted boogermandrill] a chance, see how he does
Keep Calm And [anything]
Locker room banter
Macktivist
Millennials so over-entitled
Nasty woman
Nephson
Participation trophy
Phase-out (applied to any government program that works and that people need)
President Trump
Pumpkin spice [anything]
River of debt
Sources say
Taco trucks on every corner
THANKS HILLARY
THANKS OBAMA
Thoughts and prayers
Thrillary
Throuple
Totchos
Trending
Vagenda of Manocide
Walked back his earlier statements
Well, at least he didn't kill them like the Clintons
Why the [anything] story will not go away
Yuge
2016

Copying a trick I learned from hsifyppah, on New Year's Day 2016 I wrote down all my New Year resolutions and sealed them in an envelope to be opened at the end of the year. And now it's time to open the envelope and remind myself what lofty goals I set for myself back then...

---Rip! Tear! Flot! ---

...and---yes, once again, I somehow managed to achieve EVERY ONE of my New Year Resolutions...

( Holy crap, WHAT was I thinking? Collapse )

Microwave my own cheesy bread

Climb trees with Daddy.

Watch all the episodes of Beat Bugs. Correct people when they try to sing Beatles lyrics in any other way.

Turn five.

Then turn 43 because I'll be taller that way.

Talk about butts every chance I get. Butts are the funniest thing ever.

Be a pirate ninja and fight Donald Trump. He is a bad guy.

Hash browns and Kwossums for every brefkust!

Make sure no one is allowed to be on the computer when I am playing spore

This has been my third year with a goal of writing 52 (parody lyric) songs in 52 weeks, for an average of one song a week, and once again I made it. I am not constant. I wrote nine in one 3-week period, and zero in the 30 days after the election.

I'm glad I do this,because it keeps me connected to a part of my mind that I love when work, children and political shit threaten to take me away entirely. As usual, a majority of these were crap, several were pretty good, and a couple turned out to be jewels.

All of these got posted to my FaceBook page, some made it into XenoFilkia, a few into my performance sets.

( Here is a re-cap with snippets from 52 new songs, with my evaluation of each. Collapse )

( Shit Happens: Bellwether, by Connie Willis Collapse )

( Bye Bye Love: Bonjour, Tristesse, by Francoise Sagan Collapse )

( Harvard Classics: Minor works of Edmund Burke Collapse )

( Kant Get No Satisfaction: The Critique of Practical Reason, by Immanuel Kant Collapse )

( I'm old! Gimme, Gimme, Gimme! How to Make Your Money Last, by Jane Bryant Quinn Collapse )

( Weighty Problems: The Rubber Band and The Red Box, by Rex Stout Collapse )

( Crime and Punishment: Introduction to the Principles of Morals & Legislation, by Jeremy Bentham Collapse )

( Bechdel's Test: Fun Home (A Family Tragicomic) by Alison Bechdel Collapse )

( Duckling Into Swan: Demelza, by Winston Graham Collapse )

( The 18th Century Murders: The Eight, by Katherine Neville; The Scottish Prisoner, by Diana Gabaldon; The Master Puppeteer and Of Nightingales that Weep, by Katherine Paterson Collapse )

( Why They Built Guillotines: Les Liaisons Dangereuses, by Choderlos De Laclos Collapse )

( More of the Same Old Garbage: A View on the Evidences of Christianity, by William Paley Collapse )

( Dollars and Sense: The Wealth of Nations, by Adam Smith Collapse )
Find all of my previous Bookposts here: http://admnaismith.livejournal.com/tag/bookposts

( Shit White Guys Say: The Life of Samuel Johnson, by James Boswell Collapse )

( Precursor to Austen: Camilla, by Fanny BurneyCollapse )

( Big Fat Geek Wording: Shrill (Notes from a Loud Woman), by Lindy WestCollapse )

( Past the Use-By Date: Staying On, by Paul Scott Collapse )

( The 18th Century Murders: The Exile, by Diana Gabaldon; The Blooding, by James McGee; The Exploits of Dr. Sam Johnson, Detector, by Lillian de la Torre Collapse )

( Rambling: Works by Dr. Samuel Johnson Collapse )

( Cornwallish: Ross Poldark, by Winston Graham Collapse )

( The Blood of Angry Men: Citizens (A Chronicle of the French Revolution), by Simon Schama Collapse )

( Overthinking: Theory of Fictions, by Jeremy Bentham Collapse )

( I Kant Even: The Critique of Pure Reason, by Immanuel Kant Collapse )

Find all of my previous Bookposts here: http://admnaismith.livejournal.com/tag/bookposts

"Dear Miss Demeanor: Status please---State v. Andrea Smith?"

"Miles Vorkosigan with Ms. Smith, Your Honor. That's for Settlement Conference with Deputy District Attorney Quibble."

"Smith goes to Judge Mental. State v. Mark Snow?"

"Helen Vorvolk with Mr. Snow, Your Honor. Request a setover to November 21. Deputy District Attorney Icecrotch doesn't oppose."

"Make it so. State v. Constantine Spampa--Spompanandu...Mr. Vorkutchen?"

"Harold Vorkutchen with --with the defendant, Your Honor. Settlement..."

(laughter from courtroom)

"....settlement conference with Deputy District Attorney Bumblecase."

*pause*

"Mr. Vorkoojer?"

"Excuse me?"

(utter silence in court)

"You're very helpful, Mr. Vorkoojer. You and Mr. Spabbiddybeebo can go see Judge McSurley."

"Yes, Your Honor."

"Judge McSurley is an Indians fan, just so you know."

"Thank you for telling me, Your Honor."

"Anyone else got a smart mouth?" (silence) "I thought so. State v. Julia Sparling?".....

( Farewell to Rousseau: Reveries of a Solitary Walker, by Jean-Jacques Rousseau Collapse )

( First Feminist Rant: A Vindication of the Rights of Woman, by Mary Wollstonecraft Collapse )

( The 18th Century Murders: Lord John and the Brotherhood of the Blade, by Diana Gabaldon; Rebellion, by James McGee Collapse )

( Exit The Dame: The Wycherly Woman, by Ross MacDonald Collapse )

( Avenue of the Americas: Southern Cross to Pole Star, by Aime Tschiffely Collapse )

( Blackstone the Great: Comment on the Commentaries, by Jeremy Bentham Collapse )

( The Rogue Levels Up: The Magician of Ludlum, by Isaac Bashevis Singer Collapse )

( The Ultimate Curse, and Other Nonsense: Tristram Shandy, by Laurence Sterne Collapse )

Find all of my previous Bookposts here: http://admnaismith.livejournal.com/tag/bookposts

( Run, Forest, Run! Uprooted, by Naomi Novik Collapse )

( Sweet, Nourishing Mantears: The Women's History of the World, by Rosalind Miles Collapse )

( Village of the Dead: Pedro Paramo, by Juan Rulfo Collapse )

( Very Rarely Stable: Ethical writings, by Immanuel Kant Collapse )

( The 18th century Murders: An Echo in the Bone, by Diana Gabaldon; Rapscallion, by James McGee Collapse )

( YES, WE ARE ALL INDIVIDUALS (I'm not!): The Social Contract, by Jean-Jacques Rousseau Collapse )

( Infinite Catharsis: Poets Are Not useful, by Gwyndyn T. Alexander Collapse )

( A Romp Through the Country: Humphrey Clinker, by Tobias Smollett Collapse )

( WYSIWYG: Essays on the Intellectual Powers of Man, by Thomas Reid Collapse )

( Quaker Against the Slavers: The Journal of John Woolman Collapse )

( Ship from Shinola: Ancillary Mercy, by Ann Leckie Collapse )

(  Women Level Up: The Geek Feminist Revolution, by Kameron Hurley Collapse )

( Little Dickens: Amelia, by Henry Fielding Collapse )

( Wit as Thick as Tewksbury Mustard: An Essay on the Dramatic Character of Sir John Falstaff., by Maurice Morgann Collapse )

Find all of my previous Bookposts here: http://admnaismith.livejournal.com/tag/bookposts

( Going Overbard: Fool, by Christopher Moore Collapse )

( And I, Milords, Embody the Law: Commentaries on the Laws of England, by William Blackstone Collapse )

( The 18th Century Murders: A Breath of Snow and Ashes, by Diana Gabaldon; Perfume, by Patrick Suskind; Resurrectionist, by James McGee; The Kingsbridge Plot, by Maan Meyers Collapse )

( The Rent Is Too Damn High: Evicted, by Matthew Desmond Collapse )

( Steampunk Tropes: The Aeronaut's Windlass, by Jim Butcher Collapse )

( Philosophy of The Feels: Theory of Moral Sentiments, by Adam Smith Collapse )

( Don't Be That Guy: Men Explain Things To Me, by Rebecca Solnit Collapse )

( The Emo Letters: Julie, or the New Heloise, by Jean-Jacques Rousseau Collapse )

( Antimony, Arsenic, Aluminum, Selenium....Elements of Chemistry, by Antoine Lavoisier Collapse )

( Introduction to Kant: Fundamental Principles of the Metaphysick of Morals, and Prolegomena to Any Future Metaphysics, by Immanuel Kant Collapse )

Find all of my previous Bookposts here: http://admnaismith.livejournal.com/tag/bookposts

( Geek SuperGoddess You're Never Weird on the Internet (Almost), by Felicia Day Collapse )

( Beasts, Human and Otherwise: The Complete Short Stories of Saki, by H.H. Munro Collapse )


( Wax Fruit for a Starving World: Freedom of the Will, by Jonathan Edwards Collapse )

( I am the 99%: Discourse on Political Economy, by Jean Jacques Rousseau Collapse )

( The 18th Century Murders: The Return of Dr. Sam Johnson, Detector, by Lillian de la Torre; Hawkwood, by James McGee; The Fiery Cross, by Diana Gabaldon Collapse )

( Run-On Dreamscape: Austerlitz, by W.G. Sebald Collapse )

( Eating People is Wrong: On Fiji Islands, by Ronald Wright Collapse )

( Dark Voyage: The Adventures of Roderick Random, by Tobias Smollett Collapse )

( Memoirs of a Douche-Tweazle: The Confessions of Jean-Jacques Roussseau Collapse )

( Good Bye to Hume: The History of England, by David Hume Collapse )
Find all of my previous Bookposts here: http://admnaismith.livejournal.com/tag/bookposts

( Restraint of Passion: An Enquiry Concerning the Principles of Morals, by David Hume Collapse )

( Voltaire Lite: The Diderot Reader Collapse )

(  Pinning the Tail on Your Inner Donkey: The Places That Scare You (A Guide to Fearlessness in Difficult Times), by Pema Chodron Collapse )
( She-lock: A Study in Charlotte, by Brittany Cavallaro Collapse )

( Body Politics: Flesh in the Age of Reason, by Roy Porter Collapse )

( Thinking with your Heart: First and Second Discourses, by Jean-Jacques Rousseau Collapse )

( The 18th Century Murders: The Devil in the Marshalsea, by Antonia Hodgson; Lord John and the Hand of Devils, by Diana Gabaldon Collapse )

( Redshirts Around the Perimeter: A Dance with Dragons, by George R. R. Martin Collapse )

( Slumming in the City: Last exit to Brooklyn, by Hubert Selby, Jr. Collapse )

(  Cultivating the Great Garden: The Age of Voltaire, by Will and Ariel Durant Collapse )

( The Original Delightful Romp: Tom Jones, by Henry Fielding Collapse )
Find all of my previous Bookposts here: http://admnaismith.livejournal.com/tag/bookposts

( The Skeptical Scotsman: An Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding, by David Hume Collapse )

(  Making Sausage: The Spirit of the Laws, by Charles de Secondat, Baron de Montesquieu Collapse )

( 4 weddings and 30,000 Funerals: A Feast For Crows, by George R. R. Martin Collapse )

(  Small Wit: Rameau's Nephew, and Thoughts on the Interpretation of Nature, by Denis Diderot Collapse )

( The 18th Century Murders: Man's Illegal Life; Man's Storm, by Keith Heller; Drums of Autumn, by Diana Gabaldon Collapse )

( Unhappy in a Way All Its Own: The Man Who Loved Children, by Christina Stead Collapse )


( Farewell to Voltaire: The Portable Voltaire Collapse )

( Detachment Parenting: Emile, by Jean Jacques Rousseau Collapse )

( As American as Rhubarb Pie: The autobiography of Benjamin Franklin Collapse )


Find all of my previous Bookposts here: http://admnaismith.livejournal.com/tag/bookposts

Bernie came to my area. And there was much rejoicing. I got some work done early and decided to go. I'm glad I did.

( And this is what happened there... Collapse )

( Comforting Lies: Dialogues Concerning Natural Religion, by David Hume Collapse )

( The 18th Century Murders: Dragonfly in Amber; Voyager, by Diana Gabaldon; The Dutchman's Dilemma, by Maan Meyers Collapse )

( Nonsense and Stuff: Jacques the Fatalist and his Master, by Denis Diderot Collapse )

( Critics Rave! The Satanic Verses, by Salman Rushdie Collapse )

( Mr. Manners Approves! Letters to His son, by Lord Chesterfield Collapse )

( Mr. Roboto: Man a Machine, by Julien Offray de la Mettrie Collapse )

( Strangers on a Train: The Great Railway Bazaar, by Paul Theroux Collapse )

(  Large Wit: Letters on the English, and Philosophical Dictionary, by Voltaire Collapse )

(  Feel the Burn: Analytical Theory of Heat, by Joseph Fourier Collapse )

Find all of my previous Bookposts here: http://admnaismith.livejournal.com/tag/bookposts

( Wanton with Sex Noises: Moll Flanders, by Daniel Defoe Collapse )

( Theology as reasonable ethics: Fifteen Sermons Preached at the Rolls Chapel, by Joseph Butler Collapse )

( Slow and Ponderous: Treatise of Human Nature, by David Hume Collapse )

( Noir x2: A Rage in Harlem, by Chester Himes Collapse )

( Cultivating Our Garden: Candide, by Voltaire Collapse )

( The 18th Century Murders: Lord John and the Private Matter, by Diana Gabaldon; The Dutchman, by Maan Meyers Collapse )

( Vico, vico Vecause Vico: The New Science, by Giovanni Battista Vico Collapse )

( Tacky Tourists and Culture Shock: the Persian Letters, by Charles de Secondat, Baron de Montesquieu Collapse )

( Oops: The Story of a New Name, by Elena Ferrante Collapse )

( A Heartwarming Story About Children: Sophie's Choice, by William Styron Collapse )

Find all of my previous Bookposts here: http://admnaismith.livejournal.com/tag/bookposts

For the first half of the decade, I tried to read pretty much All The Things that were fit to come out of Western Civilization from the earliest times until the death of Louis XIV. I was also struck by the number of books claiming to have marked the transition into the "modern era" at the start of each year I was reading: Augustine in 2013; Machiavelli in 2014; Descartes in 2015 and Jonathan Swift as I begin the present year's plan.

A lot of this included plenty of second and third tier writing that even I didn't care much for, especially during the years (centuries) when most of the stuff presented as nonfiction was about churchy stuff.

As we get into the era of the white wigs, the good news is that the church is losing it's power to kill people for heresy (which might change if, say, Ben Carson or Ted Cruz became President) and so, beginning with Swift and Voltaire, I'm reading a lot more wit and a lot less preaching. the bad news is, with the advances in printing, there are more books covering the last 300 years than any one person could read in five, even by giving up all other activity. So, my reading this year from the rest of the 18th Century should include The Biggest Stuff and some of the "of-interest" stuff, it's going to leave out a lot. If there's something written between 1714 and 1800 that you either think I'd really enjoy or want to hear my opinions about it, please do comment with a recommendation.

And away we go...

( The 18th Century Murders: Outlander, by Diana Gabaldon; The Shogun's Daughter; the Iris Fan, by Laura Joh Rowland Collapse )

( It Just Doesn't Matter: Works of George Berkely Collapse )

( Horse Sense: Gulliver's Travels, by Jonathan Swift Collapse )

( East Meets West: The Engineer of Human Souls, by Josef Skvorecky Collapse )

( Familiar Guy In a Strange Land: The Martian, by Andy Weir Collapse )

( Cultural Introduction: The Pleasures of the Imagination (English culture in the Eighteenth Century), by john Brewer Collapse )

( The Great Full-Stop Shortage of 1662: Robinson Crusoe, by Daniel Defoe Collapse )

Find all of my previous Bookposts here: http://admnaismith.livejournal.com/tag/bookposts

(  Gods as Suspects: City of Stairs, by Robert Jackson Bennett Collapse )

( Oh the Thinks You Can Think: Essay Concerning Human Understanding, by John Locke Collapse )

( The Restoration Murders: Murder on High Holburn; The Cheapside Corpse, by Susana Gregory; The Ronin's Mistress; The Incense Game, by Laura Joh Rowland Collapse )

( In Yo Face Chick Lit: Department of Speculation, by Jenny Offill Collapse )

( Flights of Fancy: The Messiah of Stockholm, by Cynthia Ozick Collapse )

( The Racing Game: Blood Sport, by Dick Francis Collapse )

( High DEX/low WIS: Gifted Hands, by Dr. Ben Carson Collapse )

( Shakespeare In Hate: Love Lies Bleeding, by Edmund Crispin Collapse )

(  Mundane Child Abuse: A Kestrel for a Knave, by Barry Hines Collapse )

( Taming of the Vole: Lords and Ladies, by Terry Pratchett Collapse )

(  Who peed in YOUR cucumber sandwiches? De Profundis, by Oscar Wilde Collapse )

( How'd you like THEM Apples? Mathematical Principles of Natural Philosophy, by Sir Isaac Newton Collapse )

( Gateway to the Enlightenment: The Historical and Critical Dictionary, by Pierre Bayle Collapse )

( Worldly Philosophy: Characteristics, by Anthony Ashley Cooper, Third Earl of Shaftesbury Collapse )

( Clean All The Things: My Boyfriend Barfed in my Handbag, and Other Questions You Can't Ask martha, by Jolie Kerr Collapse )

And there's one more year of Bookposts done, and my quixotic decade of classics half done, covering over 2,000 years from the earliest times to 1714. The other half has just 300 years and will need much more triaging of lesser works than the first half. In 2016, I cover the era of the white powdered wigs, as far as at least the start of the French Revolution, and hopefully completing the 18th Century. Exciting times are ahead.

If anyone has some favorite historical fiction set in the era, especially mysteries and books not set in Europe (Laura Joh Rowland's Japan has been a godsend in not limiting my reading to the west, but non European historical mysteries are proving hard to come by), please share your recommendations. I intend to read the Outlander books, and am familiar with Keith Heller, Maan Meyers, James McGee, and the ones by Lillian de la Torre featuring Johnson and Boswell as Holmes/Watson. At least one Anne Dukthas time travelling book is set in the 18th century as well. What else? And what books do you want to make sure I don't leave out?

Thank you for reading. Always.

Find all of my previous Bookposts here: http://admnaismith.livejournal.com/tag/bookposts

(  Gods as Suspects: City of Stairs, by Robert Jackson Bennett Collapse )

( Oh the Thinks You Can Think: Essay Concerning Human Understanding, by John Locke Collapse )

( The Restoration Murders: Murder on High Holburn; The Cheapside Corpse, by Susana Gregory; The Ronin's Mistress; The Incense Game, by Laura Joh Rowland Collapse )

( In Yo Face Chick Lit: Department of Speculation, by Jenny Offill Collapse )

( Flights of Fancy: The Messiah of Stockholm, by Cynthia Ozick Collapse )

( The Racing Game: Blood Sport, by Dick Francis Collapse )

( High DEX/low WIS: Gifted Hands, by Dr. Ben Carson Collapse )

( Shakespeare In Hate: Love Lies Bleeding, by Edmund Crispin Collapse )

(  Mundane Child Abuse: A Kestrel for a Knave, by Barry Hines Collapse )

( Taming of the Vole: Lords and Ladies, by Terry Pratchett Collapse )

(  Who peed in YOUR cucumber sandwiches? De Profundis, by Oscar Wilde Collapse )

( How'd you like THEM Apples? Mathematical Principles of Natural Philosophy, by Sir Isaac Newton Collapse )

( Gateway to the Enlightenment: The Historical and Critical Dictionary, by Pierre Bayle Collapse )

( Worldly Philosophy: Characteristics, by Anthony Ashley Cooper, Third Earl of Shaftesbury Collapse )

( Clean All The Things: My Boyfriend Barfed in my Handbag, and Other Questions You Can't Ask martha, by Jolie Kerr Collapse )

And there's one more year of Bookposts done, and my quixotic decade of classics half done, covering over 2,000 years from the earliest times to 1714. The other half has just 300 years and will need much more triaging of lesser works than the first half. In 2016, I cover the era of the white powdered wigs, as far as at least the start of the French Revolution, and hopefully completing the 18th Century. Exciting times are ahead.

If anyone has some favorite historical fiction set in the era, especially mysteries and books not set in Europe (Laura Joh Rowland's Japan has been a godsend in not limiting my reading to the west, but non European historical mysteries are proving hard to come by), please share your recommendations. I intend to read the Outlander books, and am familiar with Keith Heller, Maan Meyers, James McGee, and the ones by Lillian de la Torre featuring Johnson and Boswell as Holmes/Watson. At least one Anne Dukthas time travelling book is set in the 18th century as well. What else? And what books do you want to make sure I don't leave out?

Thank you for reading. Always.

Find all of my previous Bookposts here: http://admnaismith.livejournal.com/tag/bookposts

For the second year in a row, I managed to write 52 songs in 52 weeks, an average of a song every week. Some people try to write one every two days in February, but this is more my style.

Of course, if anyone who isn't named Coulton tries to write so much, it's expected that over half of it is going to be crap, several will be worth hearing once, and some few will become staples of one's performance repertoire. The point is to keep the creative muse toned and buff through constant workouts, so that the overall quality will go up the more you do it. Looking back, it's like a year in review. Several of these were genuine song-o-matics, scribbled down in just a few minutes in response to some viral meme of the week or a few phrases someone put together that made me go NOW YOU'VE DONE IT.

( Here's a re-cap with snippets from 52 new songs, with my evaluation of each. Collapse )

In keeping with a tradition I learned from my friend hsifyppah , one year ago I wrote down some New Year Resolutions, sealed them in an envelope, and forgot all about them until today. Time to open the envelope and see how I did.

*rip---rip---rip...*

And----YES! Once again, I have miraculously managed to achieve EVERY ONE of my New Year goals for 2015! (And once again, I am dumbfounded at some of my odd choices of things to do).

( Here followeth my 2015 resolutions... Collapse )

All Lives Matter
Ambitchious
America has lost its moral compass
America's Muslim problem
Artisinal [anything]
Blasian
Bleeding from her wherever
Can't Even
LITERALLY can't even
CHECKMATE, ATHEISTS
Cheeky Nandos
Dad Bod
Dear fat people
Dear person who (just did a minor douche-move in my presence and now I'm gonna tell the whole world about it)
Double down (except when actually playing blackjack)
Fetty Wap
Fifty shades of [anything]
Fuck your breath.
Gifting
Growtivation
Healthy food choices (applied to food stamp cuts)
If only I'd been there, that guy'd be dead before he got off a shot
If only the victim(s) had been carrying, this wouldn't have happened
Incentivize
Incog-negro
___is a thing.
___ is the new black
It's simple. Just don't break the law.
It's simple. Just don't run from the cops.
It's simple. Just stop looking like, you know, that.
Jade Helm 15
Keep calm and [ANYTHING. God, give this one a rest, guys!]
Literally
Mantenna
Melanie's Marvelous Measles
Mic drop
Moose knuckle
Muslim no-go zone
Nae Nae
Nutscaping
Opening up to your abundance
Perks of bullying
Pumpkin spice [anything]
Religious freedom (applied to bullying, oppressing, or taking away rights from others)
Sad Puppy slate
Schlonged
Seems legit
Sending our hopes and prayers
Should be flattered
Solutions provider
____splain
Still does his/her job
Taking the Red Pill
Tauntable deniability
This.
Thighbrow
Thug
Trumpmentum
Upskirting
Uptown funk you up
Vagmoji
Vocal fry
YOLO
You won't believe what happens next!!!
Youniverse
Your call is very important
Your ilk