#Readmyowndamnbookschallenge End of the Year Update

I'm proud to say that I only bought one book since the last update and the author signed it, so I think that's allowed. But the pile of unread books in my room is still pretty big. In the last months I managed to read three books. Here they are:

Peter Kurth - Isadora Duncan

This is a huge biography of the dancer Isadora Duncan and I have to admit, I didn't read the entire thing, yet - that's pretty much impossible. But I did read quite a bit and it was interesting. Isadora Duncan definitely had a spectacular life. She's only in her early adult years at the point of the book I'm at, but she already lived in San Fancisca, Chicago, New York, London, Munic, St. Petersburg, somewhere in Italy and several other places I forgot. Isadora and her family came from nothing, literally almost starving to death and it was just her incredible talend which kept them alive. First she struggled to get jobs or got some which weren't paid. It's sad to think that in the creative field when you're starting out, it's still the same after all these centuries. You still don't get paid often times, just with "exposure" which is ridicolous. But soon she swept everyone away with her extraordinary dancing and became famous.

Biographies are often very technical about the famous person's profession. Like biographies about musicians will include a lot of detailed musical description which is always a bit hard to understand and also boring for me. With dancing it's different. I know a lot more about dancing than about music, as I've been dancing on and off since I was six years old and have consumed numerous dance movies etc. So I actually found the technical stuff in this book fascinating. Also I totally agree with Isadora's opinion that classical ballet is unnatural because the body is not designed to do the things ballet requires. She broke free from these restrictions and created her own dance which was based on the old Greeks. Her whole family was obsessed with Ancient Greece and I love that this is also a big part of the book. For dance fans this biography is a great read!

Marian Keyes - Sushi for Beginners

This is a rather untypical book for me to read. I'm not so much into contemporary stuff, but as I've been having a really tough time with Fantasy lately (I just couldn't get into it at all) I chose to read this book, which was waiting to be read on my booksshelf anyway. It's about a group of (mostly) women who start a new women's magazine in Dublin. They try to create something fabolous in a not so fabolous place. As journalism is a passion of mine and women's magazines have been in my thoughts a lot this year (while thinking about my own future) this was right up my sleeve. I was a bit disappointed though that the magazine itself is rather a plot device and the novel actually tells private the stories of the women working on it and their friends. I'm still not sure what the main story of this book was, which is never a good thing.

With that said, it was still an entertaining and very pleasant read. It felt good to finally read something I can find myself in. Of the three main characters, I really liked the editor in chief, Lisa. First she's introduced as this heartless career person but the author did a nice job in showing that she's just human and has her own vulnerabilities. Her strength in difficult times was truly inspiring and something to look up to.

Teri Terry - Mind Games

I've been a fan of Teri Terry since her Slated trilogy, which are still the best dystopia YA books you can find. When I saw that Teri Terry will be coming to the bookfair, of course I had to meet her, buy a book and have it signed. The lady selling the books recommended this own to me (though there are still many more books by Teri Terry I haven't read) and because it's a standalone I took it. It did not disappoint. Mind Games is set in a future where society mostly takes place in virtual worlds. The protagonist refuses first to take part in this even if it makes her a social outcast with no future, until she's sucked into the evil plans and problems of several evil groups.

This book was very well plotted. Just like in Slated Teri Terry managed to show that neither side of a fight (neither the government nor the rebels) are per se the good ones. It was thrilling and all the plotlines actually came together in the end. When I first started reading it, I had trouble sleeping and had nightmares, so I paused it for a while. Don't get me wrong. Mind Games is not horror, not at all! It's not scary but I was alone at home and the whole not-knowing-what's-real thing freaks me out anyway. Once my boyfriend was back from vacation I continued it and had no problems with it anymore. It's not Fantasy at all, but rather Sci Fi but it helped me to get into the genres again.

What I'm reading now: Marc Elsberg - Zero

After Mind Games I really wanted to use the Sci Fi momentum and go further in this direction. My Mum gave me this book months ago, so I decided why not give it a try. And it's fantastic! It's not Sci Fi but a thriller about technology and not only touches it many important topics and trends of our time and makes you think but also is it extremly well built! As I'm not through with it, yet, I'm not gonna say any more right now, but I can't stop reading it.

#Readmyowndamnbooks Challenge 2017 - Mid August Update

It's time for another update of the Read My Own Damn Books Challenge. It has been a couple of months since my last reading update and there are still many unread books in my shelves, but I did make some progress. I've read four of my books during the last months and I didn't buy any new ones.

Philipp Schmidt - Schattengewächse. Auftakt: This is a German distopia book, the first of a series. I went to a reading of the author and found it intriguing enough to buy it together with a friend. The reason it's not on the photo above is because it's already at my friend's now. The book itself was fine. It wasn't phenomal but it wasn't bad either. There were many interesting ideas of a world ruled by huge companies plus some witchery and stuff. What I didn't like was the portayal of the main character. He was this tough fighter ex-con which is fine but the story was for a big part told from his view and I found it a bit strange that he never really showed any emotions, not even in his thoughts, not even after a huge loss and threat. I got sick of him after a while. The next books focus more on other characters but I still don't think that I will continue with the series - it worked as a stand-alone fine, too.

Holly Smale - Geek Girl: This is the final book of the Geek Girl series which like most of my books I picked up spontaneously second hand. I've read the first and second book of the series, so I missed a couple of books before the final one but it was no problem at all. It was a fun and quick read, which I enjoyed very much. I like the tone of the Geek Girl books and there definitely were some pretty passages which felt true to me. The know-it-all attitude of the main character is always on the edge of been cute and being annoying, though. It was a well written and deserving finale of a fun book series.

Harold Robbins - The Storyteller: So this book was an utter suprise. I had no idea what it was about except that it's soft erotica and that the main character is a writer. As sex and writing are pretty much my two favourite things in the world, I was instantly on board with it and I wasn't disappointed. Turns out the novel is set during the Second World War, however the protagonist, a Jew living in the US, never goes to war, first because he makes some shady deal which has him working as a drug dealer and pimp, then because his writing which started with erotic short stories takes off, he moves to Hollywood and becomes a successful screenwriter. This book was a delight to read. It was juicy in every possible way, from the intrigues over the struggles up to the sex scenes. To be honest, the way women are portrayed wouldn't be publishable in the 21st century but it was fun nevertheless.

Keira Cass - Selection: I was kind of afraid of this book. I decided against buying and reading it so many times because it didn't seem to be my kind of book, but now I finally gave it a try. And I'm so glad I did! I was a bit nervous because I have a really hard time with fantasy at the moment, I just can't get into it, so I was relieved to find out that so far there has been no fantasy at all. The story is set in a post-apocalyptic society with castes. The main character is from a lower caste but is selected to participate in a casting through which the prince chooses his future wife. Regardless of the distopian setting, it feels very contemporary. There is a love triangle and the first book is truly only about the love story with a few mentions of terrorists now and then. Though I have been waiting for the terrorists to become a bigger plotline, I was fine with the shallow beginning of the series. I truly enjoyed it, because as it turns out I apparently like love literature. To be honest, it was pretty predictable but I didn't really mind. I have already purchased the next three books as ebooks and am reading the second one right now. It is already better in regard of unpredictabilily than the first one and has more action (though there's still a lot of love stuff, too.) It has been a long time since I really dept deep into a series, reading one book after the other, but I am ready to dive all in with the Selection series.

I'm not listing the books I want to read soon, as I never keep up with my plans and as the four other books of the Selection series will occupy me for a while anyway.

#Readmyowndamnbooks Challenge 2017 - End of May Update

You might remember that this year I'm participating in the Read My Own Damn Books Challenge. Last time I posted about it, I owned 38 unread books. That was in February. I have read five of those books so far, but I also collected 14 more books I have yet to read. I know, this is a lot. But hey, there was a book festival in my town with a huge book fleemarket all over town and I went a bit nuts. But it's so worth it.

Books I've Read

Bob Dylan - Chronicals: This book is not on the picture because I already gave it to my Mum so she can read it. But I did finish it and it was fine. It was tough at times but it was still interesting and well written. I like Bob Dylan's writing, not only in his songs but also his autobiography. For a true fan of his this book would be paradise because he explains how some of his many many songs were created, but as I don't really know his work that well, sometimes I got a bit bored.

Adalbert Stifter - Rock Chrystal: Wow, I almost forgot that I also read this book because I had to read it for school anyway. My boyfriend wanted me to read it for years because he thinks my writing can use more descriptions of landscapes like Stifter does them. But the descriptions of landscape where the hardest parts in this book during which I was so bored. The main plot of two kids getting lost was cute though and the end almost made me cry.

John Green - Looking for Alaska: I know, this is a very very unpopular opinion but I hated this book. I had my issues with John Green in the past. His books were actually one of my 10 Things I Hate That Everyone Else Loves back in 2015. Which is a shame as I adore him and his brother Hank and all the amazing things they do on You Tube, as well as their podcast and their community. I think those two are fantastic! But John Green's literature? Not so much.

Then I read "Paper Towns" and I actually like it. A lot. It was very well constructed and written, the characters were well created and it was exciting and honest and heartwarming - everything a youth novel is supposed to be. So I thought: Why not give another of his books a chance?

I chose "Looking for Alaska" and it reminded me of all the things I hate about John Green. Which is truly just one thing: untimely and totally unnessecary dramatic plot twists which turn a book into a depressing piece of work. Don't get me wrong. I still think that he is a very talented author. In fact I enjoyed the first half of "Looking for Alaska" very much. It was smart and funny and sweet. It was fun. But then the plot twist happened and it felt so out of place and random that I just couldn't stand it. I think he's wasting his obvious talent on plotlines like this. But a lot of people love his literature and that's fine. It's just not my thing.

Val Williams - Photography. Understanding 80 masterpieces: This book collects 80 famous photographs and explains shortly how they were constructed and what makes them stand out. As I am interested in photography I found this book very inspiring and interesting.

John Cleland - Fanny Hill: So, this book is the reason I haven't ticked of more books of my list because it took me almost two months to read it. For such a tiny book that's a lot. Many times I wanted to quit (which I have no problem in doing, I actually quit "Looking for Alaska") but I was interested in where the story is going, so I kept reading even if it was really tough at times.

"Fanny Hill" is the (probably fake) memoir of a prostitute. It's from the 18th century which means that it's written in an old English which was difficult to read at times. On the other hand it describes sexual scenes extremely explicitely. This combination is kind of intruiging even if the old language won't allow any erotic feelings. There are several things in this book which makes me think that a story like this could never ever be published today. But I appreciate how honest it is.

Books I Bought

Marguerite Duras - Hiroshima Mon Amour: To be honest, I have no idea what this is about. But it is a screenplay which I enjoy reading for simple pleasure as well as improving my own screenwriting. It was only 2€ so I thought, why not give it a try?

Marian Keyes - Sushi for Beginners: I saw this book at the fleemarket and all I read on the back was that she's an editor at a women's magazine. As this is one of my dream jobs, this was enough reason to buy it.

Philipp Schmidt - Schattengewächse. Auftakt: I'm pretty sure that this is only available in German. It's the first book of a dystopia book series about how mega companies are controlling the world and apparently some people living in the underground have magical powers. I actually went to a reading of the author. I had some issues with a couple of minor things in his writing but the concept is interesting, so my friend and I bought the book together. Also it was published by a little publishing house in my city which consists of some dudes in my age who are super nice and aparently founded this publishing house solely for this author.

Peter Kurth - Isadora: This is a gigentic biography of Isadora Duncan, the dancer. I was always fascinated by her, so when I saw this book for 1€ in a bookstore in London, I took it as a sign.

Joanna Rakoff - My Salinger Year: I also bought this in London. I think I heard some good things about it though I don't remember what and where. But I like Salinger and on the back it said it's like Lena Dunham for the literature scene, so this sounds good enough.

Kiera Cass - Selection: I can't tell you how often I thought about reading this book and then decided otherwise because I'm not really into literature where a love story is in the center. But the girl who sold it at the fleemarket talked so highly of it that I decided to give it a chance. It's YA dystopia.

Janne Teller - Nothing: I had this book in my hand several times at book stores but never bought it because it was too expensive. Now I found it for 1€. I'm not sure what it's about. I think its Youth Literature and got good reviews.

Alexandra Fontzen, Axel Stähler - Das Gelobte Land: This is a Non Fiction book about Israel. I have been strangely fascinated with Israel lately, so when my friend found this book at the fleemarket I immediately bought it because I want to know more about the history of Israel.

Inka's History: Bought this during my amazing vacation to Peru to learn more about the Inkas. I already started reading it and it's fascinating.

Books I Got As A Gift

Plato - Collected Edition. Part 1: I'm sorry but this should actually be under this section, because I didn't buy it but found it in a box with free books in front of my college. I have already read some works of Plato, so I thought it can't be bad to read some more.

Syd Field - Screenplay: One of my plans for the next years is to learn screenwriting. I already did a class at my university and it was really cool but to be honest all I've learned was how incredibly hard screenwriting is. So I'm in need for some addtional training. My friend found this book somewhere on the street and gave it to me. Well, if this isn't a sign that I'm destined to write the next Oscar winning screenplay, I don't know what is. ;)

Marc Elsberg - Zero: This is a book by a German author which my Mum gave me. I don't really know what to expect but the last book my Mum gave me was "The Circle" by Dave Eggers which was mind-blowing, and not only does that prove that my Mum has an awesome taste in literature (which i obviously inherited from her) but she said it's like "The Circle" just even freakier. I'm looking forward to this read.

Ravi Zacharias, Norman Geisler - Wer schuf den Schöpfer?: The title of this book means "Who created the creator?" and I found it on the street on my way to the reading of Philipp Schmidt, who's book I listed above. Lately I have studied religion rather intensely, both for school as well as out of personal interested. This book talks about critical questions concerning religions which is perfectly in my spectrum of interest.

What I'm Reading Right Now

Holly Smale - Geek Girl. Forever Geek: This is the finale book in the Geek Girl series about a nerdy girl turned model which I also bought in a second hand book store in London. I've read the first two books of the series and then skipped about five, but I don't think it matters. I started reading it a couple of days ago and it's so funny and light and fun and such a great relaxation compared to the stuff I have to read for school.

--- From these books I want to read soon: Geek Girl, Zero, Inka's History, Selection, Schattengwächse, Sushi for Beginners ---

--- From the other books I still have I want to read soon: The lost honor of Katherina Blum, Ich hab die Unschuld kotzen sehen, Die Nacht der Masken, Die Zeit vor der Zeit, Inside WikiLeaks ---

So now I'm owning 47 books.

#Readmyowndamnbooks Challenge 2017

I decided to participate in the #Readmyowndamnbooks Challenge by Estells's Revenge this year because I have too many unread books. It's ridicolously because I actually don't like owning many things, least of all things I haven't used before. Actually I have just sold some read books (as well as those I am not going to read ever because I realized they were aweful after a couple of pages) and organized my far too little book shelf for my 2017 TBR. I will definitely not read all of my unread books this year and I don't know which ones I will read when yet but I will try my best. Because they are so many, I sorted them into categories, so here you go:

Books I Bought

Ru Freeman - A Disobedient Girl: I just bought this some weeks ago for 2 Euros. It is entirely out of my comfort zone as it is a story I would usually not read, about a Sri Lankan mother but I'm trying to broaden my horizon, so let's see where it'll take me.

Christian Jacq - Der lange Weg nach Ägypten: I don't think there's a translation for this one. The title means "The long way to Egypt" and it's about a scientist in Egypt. I grabbed it for a Euro, just because I want to learn more about Egyptian history which sounds really interesting.

Heinrich Böll - The lost honor of Katherina Blum: A German classic which my Mum and several teachers urged me to read ever since I decided to be a journalist because apparently this is mandatory for all jounalists. I also found it for a Euro some weeks ago.

Woood Allen - Getting Even: A collection of collums by Woody Allen which, you guessed it, I bought second hand. I am really looking forward to this, hoping to learn something from his sense of humor and wit.

Nathanial Hawthorne - A scarlett letter: Okay I admit it, I want to read this solely because I love the movie "Easy A". But I also like the straightforwardness of American Classics so this will be no problem.

Harper Lee - To kill a mockingbird: Another American Classic I wanted to read for a while now. This one I even bought for the full price.

John Green - Looking for Alaska: I have gotton into the books of John Green only recently, when I read Paper Towns which was very well made. I have no idea what Looking for Alaska is about but I love the Green Brothers and as I am writing a youth novel myself I hope to learn from the world's most successful youth author.

Dave Eggers - A heartbreaking work of staggering genius: The Circle by Dave Eggers really shook me up (in a mostly positive but also kind of terrifying way), so when someone in a literature forum told me he had another book by Dave Eggers which he will send me for only the shipping costs, I took the chance.

The best Science Fiction stories from the Golden Age: I bought this some years ago at a second hand bookshop. A part of me really wants to get into Science Fiction but another part of me only likes modern Science Fiction in the sense of "Interstellar", "The Martian" or "Stranger Things", so I'm not sure if I will like this book.

Lilly Lindner - Winterwassertief: Lilly Lindner is my favorite German author (well, non-fantasy author). Her writing is beautiful and I actually bought this book when it was brandnew at a bookfair last year. The reason why I haven't read it yet, is because her books are also really depressing and I don't think I can handle that at the moment.

John Cleland - Fanny Hill The memoirs of a woman of pleasure: This is a funny story. I found this book at a second hand store and bought it as a joke for my friend who is named Fanny, but before I met her I read the first chapters and it was awesome. Of course they didn't have a second copy of it at the store. It was only months later that I found it at a different bookstore. So I am looking forward to this one.

--- From these I want to read soon: The lost honor of Katherina Blum, Getting Even, Looking for Alaska and Fanny Hill ---

Books I Got As A Gift

Dan Brown - Digital Fortress: My bosses niece sorted out some books, so I grabbed this one because I liked the Da Vinci Code.

The thin thing below is an old Science Fiction story I found somewhere.

Beth Neff - Getting Somewhere: Beth Neff is my favorite librarian. Not that I know so many librarians but she was in charge of the library in Three Rivers, MI, where I did an internship. She also held an awesome bookclub for millenials which I attended. This is her youth novel.

Richard Schwarz - Askir. The complete first saga: Richard Schwarz is one of Germany's most successful fantasy authors. His fandom is enourmous. One of my best friends does the illustrations for the collectors editions and they are truly breathtaking. I still haven't read it though as High Fantasy is normaly not my thing.

Jan Stressenheuter - Haus voller Wolken: The title means "House full of clouds" and it's a story about a gay couple. One of them has Alzheimer's. I attended a reading of the author at a bookfair and his writing is painfully beautiful. Still it is also a very heavy topic which is why I haven't started yet.

Walter Moers - Ensel and Krete: I found this in a book tree. I left a book there and took this one with me. As far as I can tell it's a children's fantasy book. It has a map of the fictional wold in it which is always cool.

Sousan Azadi - Flucht aud dem Iran: This book is called "The flight from Iran" and this is all I know about it. It was another of the books my bosses nieces sorted out and it sounded interesting.

Vendela Vida - Let the northern light erase your name: I won this at a literature forum but it's a thriller which I'm usually not interested in.

--- From these I want to read soon: to be honest probably nothing ---

Books I Borrowed

Margaux Fragoso - Tiger, Tiger: My friends gave me this because it's apparently a brilliant book about a person with a personality disordert (I think?).

Adalbert Stifter - Rock Chrystal: My boyfriend wants me to read this book because he thinks desciptions of the landscape and other surroundings are awesome and I think they're boring as hell. So he says that this book will change my mind. Let's see. Fortunately it's tiny.

Dirk Bernemann - Ich hab die Unschuld kotzen sehen: My friend loves this book and it's supposed to be really good. I actually wanted to write a paper about it but my teacher thinks it's no serious auhtor. Well, I'll read it anyway. Oh the title means "I saw the innocence puking" which is cool in itself.

George Orwell - Animal Farm: Well, you all probably know this but I haven't read it yet so my friend lent it to me.

Truddi Chase - When Rabbit Howls: This is also from a friend and about child abuse. Interesting but tough.

--- From these books I want to read soon: Rock Chrystal and Ich hab die Unschuld kotzen sehen ---

Non Fiction Books

Versunkene Städte der Maya: In English "Lost cities of the Maya". I love old civilisations and I'm traveling to South America soon, so this interests me.

Ines Witka - Die Nacht der Masken: The title means "Night of the Masks" and it's a report of exclusive masquerade sex parties. The topic is really intruguing and I know the author personally, she's an awesome lady.

Heinz R. Pagels - Die Zeit vor der Zeit: I'm not sure if this is a translation but the title is "The time before the time". I also found this at a second hand store and I love astrophysics so this is going to be awesome.

Daniel Domscheit-Berg - Inside WikiLeaks: My mum gave this to me christmas 2015. She loved it and keeps asking me if I've read it yet, so I will soon.

Daniel Cohn-Bendit, Rüdiger Damman - 1968: Yes, I also got this at a second hand store. I used to be obsessed with 1968 or the 60s in general, this is the time I actually belong in. I suspect that I already know everything this book will teach me but let's see. Daniel Cohn-Bendit is a well known German politician and I interviewed him once about his activism in the 60s.

Hubert J. Bernhard - New Handbook of the Heavens: This is a really old atronomy book I bought at a second hand store. A lot of this stuff is probably not valid anymore but it looks supercool..

Pierce Vietebsky - Shamanism: This is also going to be interesting and I found it at a book fleemarket.

--- From these books I want to read soon: Die Zeit vor der Zeit and Inside WikiLeaks ---

Books I Half-Read So Far

Hanns Kurth - Encyclopedia of dream symbols: Obviously I don't read this book from front to end. I just bought it a week ago and it has already been awesome. I look up elements of my and my boyfriend's dreams in it.

Val Williams - Photography. Understanding 80 masterpieces: This book is awesome! It has many of the most famous photgraphs and breaks them down into the settings and all the little things which make them perfect.

Wilfried Stascheit - Quantumtheory A non-fictional Comic: This is such a great idea. It is a comic which explains the quantum theory. It is still pretty complicated but a lot of fun. I started reading it, then looked for it for years until I recently found it at my boyfriend's parents' house.

Jennifer Egan - The Best American Short-Stories 2014: I already read a couple of short-stories from this and they were pretty good, so I'll go on.

Leo Tolstoy - War and Piece: I bought this about two years ago and am still in the first quater. It is actually really entertaining, a lot funnier than expected but it's also gigantic so that I need breaks from it all the time.

James Joyce - Ulysses: I have read even less from this one. My friend gave it to me Christmas 2015 because apparently every writer should read it in order to break free from the conventional way of writing but it's really confusing and huge.

Bob Dylan - Chronicals: So this is actually a really great book. I enjoy his writing a lot and I continue reading it every once in a while. It's just, like musicians' biographies are often, really music technical at parts which makes it difficult for people like me who don't make music.

--- From these I want to read soon: Encyclopedia of dream symbols, Photography, Chronicals ---

So these are it, all in all 38. Have you read any of these?