All posts tagged: Plays

Book Report: June 2015

Book Report: June 2015

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It’s the middle of the year (tomorrow to be exact). It’s a good time to look back on what happened so far in 2015 and to reassess any reading goals, projects, and challenges that we have embarked upon. Below are some of mine: My Goodreads Reading Challenge of 52 books tells me that I’m on track, which pleases me because I haven’t read a lot back in the first quarter and my efforts to catch up in the second quarter paid off. The Year of Reading the NBCC is slow but I hope that it will pick up some pace this quarter. My 2015 review backlog is piling up, but I will try to resolve that. That includes both reviews for my blog and The Short Story Station. I’m always writing reviews in my head during commutes but when I get home, I change clothes, lie down, and play some mobile games. Then read. Books Finished: Drown by Junot Díaz – Because I went to the beach and I thought the title was so apt. …

Book Report: January 2015

Book Report: January 2015

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It’s February. Already? Since we’ve just finished the first month of the year, let’s take a quick look at my progress of the reading and blogging goals that I set for this year: Finish 50 books – I’m on to a slow start. I should be on my fifth book now if I want to meet this goal without rushing at the last quarter of the year, but I’ve been distracted by films. This distraction would not go away unless I finish all those Oscar nominees. But I’m not that behind. I’m halfway through my fourth book. Read NBCC winners – I’m going to start this next month. One of my Goodreads groups will be discussing so I might as well join. I’ve originally intended to read my unread NBCC winners chronologically, but since I like discussing books with others, I’m ditching that rule. Use Goodreads – I’ve started rating books on Goodreads again. One goal achieved. Review ASAP – Blame it on the awards circuit. But hey, I wrote a review a few weeks …

TFG's Author of the Month for December: William Shakespeare

TFG’s Author of the Month for December: William Shakespeare

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William Shakespeare Face to Face Book Discussion Details: Date: December 6, 2014 Place: The Usual Christmas Party Place, New Manila, Quezon City Time: 2 PM to  12 AM Discussion Leader: Aaron Attendees: Me, Alexa, Alona, Cary, Ella, Gay, Gwaxa, Honey, Ingrid, JL, Joy, Julian (newbie), Kristel, Kwesi, Louize, Mae, Maria, Marie, Meliza, Monique, Ranee, Rhena, Rollie, Ruby, Tina, Tricia, Veronica Food I Ate: This is also our book club’s Christmas Party so there was a lot of food. Unfortunately, my appetite was meh so I was only able to nibble small servings of Monique’s baked spaghetti and slivers of yema cake. Activities: Hashtag Shirts (participants explain the hashtags they printed on their shirts), Truth or Lie (participants guess truth and the lie between two anecdotes shared by selected participants), Massacre Theatre (participants read small parts from various Shakespearean plays), and Dramatic Monologue (participants read their preferred monologue of their assigned Shakespearean character). After the Book Discussion: Christmas dinner, The 3rd TFG Quiz Night (so far the damnedest among them all), and TFG Book Auction. Other Nominated Books: None. Next Month: Navigating Early by …

Book Report: December 2014

Book Report: December 2014

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I am perfectly aware that I just did a 2014 annual report regarding my reading affairs but I’m still going to do the only regular thing on this blog so far: the monthly book report. Books Finished: The Bibliophile’s Devotional by Hallie Ephron – 3 out of 5 stars. I got this last year and decided to read one entry per day because it’s designed to be read that way (the truth is I binge-read them at the end of each month). A lot of the 365 quick reviews may inspire you to pick up the books. If not, they may at least whet one’s literary cravings. Infinite Jest by David Foster Wallace – 4 out of 5 stars. I started this last September 2013. On page 500-something, I paused for a bit but it extended for some unknown reason. I went back to it in  the last quarter of 2014. Now I’m done. I did it! I actually don’t know how to summarize this book. Hence, that little story. But I’ll give it a …

Books to Read: December 2013

Books to Read: December 2013

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These are the books that I finished last month and the last books that I’ll be reading this year. And, sadly, this is going to be my last reading plan, at least for the mean time. I’ve already mentioned something about this in a previous post. I’ve been quite busy, and as of late, I prefer reading whatever book that gets my attention right there and then. Besides, I’ll be working on a writing a project at the start of 2014. That is going to eat whatever’s left of my time, which isn’t much as one can see from the lack of posts on this blog. Actually, I’m already working on little drafts here and there, outlines, and notes. So yeah, planned reading is not something that would be helpful in that regard. In addition, I’ve dropped a lot of books from the reading plans this year. Last month is no exception from this. If you’re curious what these books are, check them out below: The Collected Stories of Lydia Davis – well, I just …

Books to Read: November 2013

Books to Read: November 2013

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Whoa! I am not going to read all these books for November alone. Actually, these are the books that I finished (just a couple) and that I plan to read for the remaining days of the year. Why am I doing it differently this time? Because, sadly, I am saying goodbye to monthly reading plans next year. This is another change that I am experiencing as a reader. I just feel like picking whatever piques my curiosity, which is the case with Marcel Proust. Who knows, I might become a more prolific reader if I just pick books that I feel like reading at the moment. And who knows, I might return planning what I want to read. Anyway, I am very excited with my picks for the last quarter year (which I all hope to finish so that I could complete my third Goodreads Reading Challenge). I have selected books from Nobel laureates, some modernist novels, the last two books of the month, and the spillover tomes. Here they are: The Left Stack (books …

Books to Read: October 2013

Books to Read: October 2013

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It’s the last quarter of the year and I am going to shake things up a bit. Actually, I’m going to tone things down because if I keep on stacking books that I know I wouldn’t be able to touch within the month, I can kiss my reading goal goodbye as early as now. I know quantity matters less than quality but my obsessive-compulsive self wouldn’t let go of it. So in an attempt to manage my reading, here’s the stack that’s in store for me this month. The Left Stack (books I must read and finish): Infinite Jest by David Foster Wallace – from May. Currently on page 258. Les Miserables by Victor Hugo – from January. Currently on page 575. Tigana by Guy Gavriel Kay – our book of the month. This copy was lent to me lest I kill the moderator. Of course, I wouldn’t do that. I think I have a higher tolerance for fantasy novels than crime or mystery novels. The Right Stack (books I have finished): Are You There God? …