THE ARCHAEOREADER
WHERE A LOVE OF ARCHAEOLOGY AND READING MEET
WHERE A LOVE OF ARCHAEOLOGY AND READING MEET
Do you have a goal this year to read more? Read more diverse genres... or more female authors...or more authors of a different background than you...or of a different community? I know I do! In the last couple of years I've been ramping up my reading and its been incredible to immerse myself in not just any book that strikes my fancy but one that gets me to read diversely in all sorts of ways. Where before I tended to exclusively read historical fiction, I have opened myself up to genres like sci-fi, contemporary romance, Young Adult (YA), nonfiction, classics, and the odd graphic novel or two. On top of which I had been a staunch physical book reader. It wasn't that I opposed ereaders (kindles, nooks, etc.) I just never thought they were for me. With almost 40 audiobooks and a dozen ebooks under my belt last year I can say unequivocally boy, was I wrong and I'm so glad to have embraced diverse formats too (oh audiobooks, I don't know how I lived without you before). And what a difference reading diversely has made in my life. I feel more connected to people that aren't just friends and family (though its always a joy to be able to connect more fully with them). I feel like even if I don't share a similar background or experience with someone reading diversely has allowed me to at least be more understanding and engaged. Attributes I feel essential for archaeologists when making interpretations about past behaviors. Will Schwalbe and George R.R. Martin said it best: “And reading all different kinds of books is not simply reading all different kinds of books; it’s a way of becoming more fully human and more humane.” ― Will Schwalbe, Books for Living “A reader lives a thousand lives before he dies, said Jojen. The man who never reads lives only one.” ― George R.R. Martin, A Dance with Dragons One big thing that has worked for me in keeping my reading diet varied is a dedicated TBR (to-be read) stack. From time to time I've gone without dedicated monthly TBRs (great for honing your reading and finally getting to that book you always say one day to!) when reading for mood is the only way I keep reading. With the start of the new year I began pulling a list of some books I'd like to get to throughout 2019 with this reading blog project and thanks to some great recommendations on Instagram, I've put together the ArchaeoReader 2019 TBR! I've got 10 books planned, though I hope to discover more as the year unfolds, featuring stories about archaeologists/anthropologists/archaeological digs or center around culture with themes like culture contact or the lived experience. In keeping this TBR diverse there's sci-fi/fantasy, historical fiction, cozy murder mysteries, nonfiction, suspense/thriller, literary fiction, and a Middle Grade-Children's read. Now, I do realize the majority of these are written by women. I tend to gravitate towards female writers so if you're looking to bring more women into your reading life I've got seven talented ladies to check out. Historical Fiction Labyrinth- Kate Mosse* On an archaeological dig in "present-day" France, a volunteer comes across skeletal remains and cryptic rock art in a cave that leads her on a path intertwined with a 13th c young woman that gets caught up in crusades and the holy grail secret. Sarum- Edward Rutherfurd This one was highly recommended to me by a friend who is a professor of Roman history and archaeology. It's described as a sweeping epic saga about a number of families in England from prehistoric times to modern day (circa 1985-around the time it was published). I haven't decided if I want to read this on Kindle or as an audiobook. Sci-fi/Fantasy The Clockwork Dynasty- Daniel H. Wilson An anthropologist discovers a secret world populated(?) by human-like mechanical beings linked to a past set in early 18th c Russia. The author holds a doctorate in robotics so I'm thinking this could be pretty interesting. I don't know if this has Doctor Who vibes but I hope so! Mystery Artifact- Gigi Pandian Written by an Indian American woman who has cultural anthropologist parents, this book about a college history professor, Jaya Jones, specializing in the relationship between India and Britain has got adventure written all over it but with a whole 'nother Dr. Jones. It being $4.99 on Kindle, this one will be an ebook for me. Some reviews on Goodreads say this book and its series (Jaya Jones Treasure Hunt Mystery) is in the Elizabeth Peters vein of mystery and archaeology. Lion in the Valley- Elizabeth Peters Speaking of Elizabeth Peters...Its been a decade since I read an Amelia Peabody Mystery so I'm going to jump back in with Book #4 where I believe I left off but may have already read... For an entry into the world of Egyptologist Amelia Peabody, highly recommend starting out with Crocodile on the Sandbank. As a cozy mystery, I'm going to give this one a listen on audio. The Bone People- Keri Hulme** Another recommended read from a friend of mine is this 1985 Man Booker Prize winning novel that explores postcolonial Maori-New Zealand experiences. I've heard the language in this one is superb and is recommended for fans of Barbara Kingsolver's The Poisonwood Bible (of which I am a great fan!). Suspense/Thriller The Anomaly- Michael Rutger Okay, with the tag line "If Indiana Jones lived in the X-files era" I don't have high expectations for this story about a rogue archaeologist (what does that even mean?) that has a documentary series and goes off retracing the steps of a turn-of-the-20th c explorer of the Grand Canyon. I'm going to keep an open mind when I pick this one up and hope it has good suspense and thrills since its written by a Hollywood screenwriter. Ghost Wall- Sarah Moss** Now this short story (130 pages!), about a young woman participating in an experimental archaeology class in England (living like Iron Age people) with her history-obsessed father is my most anticipated read of 2019! From the book flap, author and professor of Creative Writing at University of Warwick, Sarah Moss asks: "How far have we come from the primitive minds of our ancestors?" Check out this great book review by The Book Family Rogerson. Children's lit-Middle Grade The Birchbark House- Louise Erdrich I was originally going to put Erdrich's The Round House on this list but when I saw the award-winning tribal member of the Chippewa (Anishinaabe) Nation had a children's book about a 7-year old Native American girl of the Ojibwa tribe who lives on an island in Lake Superior in 1847, I knew I needed to put it on here. The Birchbark House itself won the 1999 National Book Award for Young People's Fiction. Non-fiction Built on Bones: 15,000 Years of Urban Life and Death- Brenna Hassett Bioarchaeologist Brenna Hassett (University College London) takes on the question of whether agriculture and civilization are all that its cracked up to be through the examination of skeletal remains and artifacts from sites all over the world. *Labyrinth can also be found under fantasy fiction. ** The Bone People and Ghost Wall are also considered literary fiction. What do you think? Are there any books not on the list you think I should read? And have you read any of these?
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