I Made A Written Commitment!!!

I made a written commitment to Lizann--the only confirmed reader of this blog-- that I would update it this week. So here I go. I read a total of 17 books in September and October which, for those of you keeping score, means that I surpassed the 100 book mark. I know, you all stand in awe of my Evelyn Woods-like ability. Here are some highlights:

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson

I think it would be nearly impossible for me to read this book before the Internet. I'm kind of wary about reading translated books because, no matter how good the story is, if the translator sucks it ruins the whole book. Thankfully, whoever translated these books did a wonderful job. The reason I needed the Internet is that I have no frame of reference for the Swedish monetary system. I looked up the exchange rate between the Swedish kroner and the US dollar multiple times.

The book follows two main characters--a discredited financial reporter and an anti-social computer hacker (the title character) as they work to solve a 40 year old mystery. We follow their lives separately until they finally meet in the last section of the book. Larsson slowly builds the action and tension until you do not want to put the book down.

The movie came out in Europe earlier this year. No word on when it will be available in the states or if Hollywood is going to do their own version.

Outlander by Diana Gabaldon

Big thanks to Lynn for giving me this book. It's very hard to explain and it would take a long time because the book is over 800 pages long. Suffice it to say it is an awesome book and you should read it.

The Host by Stephanie Meyer

This is honestly the most thought-provoking book I've read in a while. As with Meyers' other books,, the prose is mediocre. But, this story is phenomenal.

The story begins several years after the earth has been conquered by parasitic aliens. The main character, Wanderer, has just been inserted into her new host Melanie. Usually when a soul (the closest word the aliens could come up with in English to what they are) enters the host body it completely suppresses the host's consciousness, but Melanie will not go away.

Wanderer is supposed to plumb the depths of Melanie's memory in order to find the last hold-out humans. Melanie convinces her to trek through the desert in search of her lost love instead.

They actually find him living with a colony of humans set up by Melanie's uncle. Jared (the lover) and the rest of the colony want to kill her, but are convinced not to by Melanie's brother Jamie. The humans eventually realize that Melanie is still there. They gradually are accepted into the community but it becomes apparent that things cannot continue as they are.

I'll stop here before I spoil the agony for you dear reader(s).

Here's the knitting rundown:

I finished Shane's fornicating deer hat. It's been a big hit and I've received several requests for them--all refused because then it is work.

I finished Loralei's Fern Lace Scarf but still have three Christmas projects to complete--Eclipse socks for Lizann, Sunshine socks for Mary, and a reversible cable brioche stitch scarf for my mom.

Cold mountain is trudging along at a rate of 2 rows a day and the Estonian shawl is at a dead standstill until after the holidays--same with the Falling Water scarf. I need to pull Vivian out of hibernation, but it's been to warm to even think about it and I'm not about to start wishing for cold weather.

That all for now. Knit books, read sweaters, stay classy.