Rox Populi: 52 Books in 52 Weeks

To sate some of you who've been bugging me offline, what follows below the fold is a list of books I read as part of my New Year's resolution to read 52 books in 52 weeks. As you study the selections, you'll probably notice several themes. You may think you understand more about me, based on these selections, then you do from what I typically opine here at Rox Pop. I would caution against this as I've been known to consider ideas and arguments waaaaaaayyyyyy outside of my comfort zone.

As I noted last week, mini-reviews and commentary will be posted sometime before the end of the year.

Comments

That's quite an ambitious goal you've set there. I might try that next year, except make it one book every two weeks. Was it difficult to complete or is it just a matter of setting aside time?

Posted by: comandante agi | 12 December 2005 at 13:14

I have a 40-minute commute to and from work. Much of my book reading takes place during that time.

Posted by: Roxanne | 12 December 2005 at 13:46

You'll have to average about 60 to 65 pages a day, Roxanne. If you're a reader of above-average speed, 65 pages in 80 minutes should present no inherent challenge to you. In other words, ignore the haters! You can do it! Unless you drive, because reading while driving is hard. And slow. I read all of the Silmarrion in heavy traffic over a couple weeks about two years ago, so I know. What I can't believe is that you've mapped out your 52 books already. At most, and this is really stretching it, I can plan 5 books in advance.

Posted by: Horatio | 12 December 2005 at 15:04

I'm a dork.* This is a 2005 list, not a 2006 list.

*This comes at no surprise.

Posted by: Horatio | 12 December 2005 at 15:06

Don't sweat it. You wouldn't be the first person to mis-read a post.

Posted by: Roxanne | 12 December 2005 at 15:08

Damn, Roxanne, you read the Katz book.

I'm interested in seeing what you have to say about Steinbeck's story and screenplay.

Posted by: JDC | 12 December 2005 at 15:32

Fascinating list--lots of stuff I've been meaning to get to (Collapse, Gilead, Kafka at the Shore), some I'm embarrassed not to have read (the William James, and of course the Divine Comedy), some I hadn't heard of but look intriguing.

I'm interested in the Mexico sub-theme (Reed, West, Steinbeck, Katz); is that just what you happened to read, or were you pursuing a particular interest? Insurgent Mexico is one great anecdote after another; I haven't read the Rebecca West, but if it's anything like Black Lamb and Grey Falcon it probably combines beautiful writing with gross misperceptions of the country.

Posted by: Tom Hilton | 12 December 2005 at 18:33

I'll have more alot more to say about this later, but one of reasons I'm interested in Mexico is what I think will be a rising influence of Mexican culture on the United States.

Also, I'm going to try and see Zapata again sometime before the end of the year.

Posted by: Roxanne | 12 December 2005 at 20:51

Detecting small c catholicism. Possibly due to large c catholic youth.

Posted by: The Heretik | 12 December 2005 at 23:23

Well, you nailed that.

Posted by: Roxanne | 12 December 2005 at 23:26

Embarrassed to admit that I have read only two of the books on that list, and one was the DaVinci Code.

Posted by: Auguste | 13 December 2005 at 01:42

Roxanne,
You have inspired me. I am going to be stealing your resolution, literally.

Too much of my disposable time is taken up blogging and watching TV. I love both dearly, but I can almost hear my attention span shrinking. After a long blogging session, trying to focus on a book can be like trying to climb up a slippery pole -- my eyeballs keep losing hold of the text after a few pages and my brain screams for something new, something new.

Posted by: Battlepanda | 13 December 2005 at 11:52

Wow. Impressive list I've even read a few of them. Just finished the Sam Harris book, in fact. Still mulling it over.

Congrats! ;-)

Posted by: Terrance | 13 December 2005 at 11:55

That makes a lot of sense.

I spent about 7 months in Mexico and Central America 20 years ago (recently out of college), and I've had a strong interest ever since. I'm very curious about the Rebecca West book, because I read Black Lamb & Grey Falcon after coming back from Yugoslavia.

Posted by: Tom Hilton | 13 December 2005 at 18:01

You're right about Mexican influence. Here's my prediction for the future:

We know that the average babyboomer hasn't saved enough money for his/her retirement, which will occur in the next ten to fifteen years.

So, what will babyboomers on limited budgets do? Many of them will move south of the border, where the U.S. dollar stretches a bit further. They'll have to come back to the states to use their Medicare benefits, but they can receive Social Security checks in Mexico.

There will be much more traffic in both directions across the border.

Posted by: Yugo | 13 December 2005 at 20:29

Yugo, I ran into people down there who were way ahead of the curve--Estadounidense retirees who were living very comfortably in Mexico. San Miguel Allende (beautiful, historic colonial town in the mountains north of DF) was full of them, and I don't imagine there are fewer now. Costa Rica had a deal of them too--it was more expensive, but more middle-class and less protectionist (so you could get your favorite Scotch there). Anyway, I think you're absolutely right.

Posted by: Tom Hilton | 14 December 2005 at 15:15

my book's on your list--waaaay down there at, like #51, but still on
the mammy doesn't give up
i'd be even more arrogant than googling myself if i asked how you found my shit, so i won't but i fell in good company
thanks

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Rox Populi

12 December 2005

52 Books in 52 Weeks - The 2005 List

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