Books and the BBC

I said once that I would never post the books I'd read on my blog, that I'd be too embarrassed (by quantity of material read, not necessarily quality). But since I've started reading more regularly, and gotten such enthusiastic comments from you, I decided to occasionally post my literary pursuits. I wholeheartedly welcome your comments and recommendations.

An author of a blog I happened to see recently admitted to reading 90 books in a single year. THAT IS NOT ME. My recent average had been about 2 or 3 a year until this last one, so 1 or 2 a month is something for me to be personally pleased with. Maybe I'd find more time for reading if it wasn't for the darn BBC, but more on that below.

My 2009 completed reading list
Prisoner of Tehran: A Memoir by Marina Nemat
North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell
A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini
The Cranford Chronicles by Elizabeth Gaskell, (includes Mr. Harrison's Confessions, Cranford, and My Lady Ludlow)
The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows
A Girl From Yamhill: A Memoir by Beverly Cleary
James Herriot's Cat Stories by James Herriot
Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life by Barbara Kingsolver
The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency (LDA #1)) by Alexander McCall Smith
The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd
Interpreter of Maladies by Jhumpa Lahiri
Life of Pi by Yann Martel
Tears of the Giraffe (LDA #2) by Alexander McCall Smith
My Own Two Feet: A Memoir by Beverly Cleary
Mister Pip by Lloyd Jones
Morality for Beautiful Girls (LDA #3) by Alexander McCall Smith
The Help by Kathryn Stockett
The Kalahari Typing School for Men (LDA #4) by Alexander McCall Smith
The Full Cupboard of Life (LDA #5) by Alexander McCall Smith
1/2 dozen Sherlock Holmes short stories by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
In the Company of Cheerful Ladies (LDA #5) by Alexander McCall Smith

2010 completed reading list
Blue Shoes and Happiness (LDA #7) by Alexander McCall Smith
The Good Husband of Zebra Drive (LDA #8) by Alexander McCall Smith
The Miracle at Speedy Motors (LDA #9) by Alexander McCall Smith
The Law of Dreams: A Novel by Peter Behrens
Prep by Curtis Sittenfeld

I'm currently reading Rhythms of Renewal, written by a woman I know and admire, and will read Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortenson for book club this month.

Selection from my ever-changing to-read list
John Adams by David McCullough
I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith
When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead
The Milagro Beanfield War by John Nichols
The Hiding Place by Corrie Ten Boom
Tigana by Guy Gavriel Kay
Tess of the D-Urbervilles by Thomas Hardy
The Bourne Identity by Robert Ludlum
The Princess Bride by William Goldman
Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier

Now, my beef with the BBC. They're killing me! I admit, I like movies and television. I like big budget Hollywood movies, I like low budget indies, I like foreign films, I like a few tv shows, but nothing sucks me in like programming from the BBC. I'm sure I've only just skimmed the surface of what they have to offer, which makes me think I'll be glued to the tv or computer screen until the end of time. To give you an idea, here are a couple more lists. Again, comments and suggestions will be gladly received.

Selection of enjoyable watching
Foyle's War
Black Adder
Cranford
Little Dorrit
Spaced
Clatterford
State of Play
The Forsyte Saga
Pride and Prejudice
Horatio Hornblower
Monarch of the Glen
MI-5 (If you're harboring the copy of season 7 from my local library, please return immediately!)
Shakespeare Retold
The Office
All Creatures Great and Small
Fawlty Towers
Tess of the D'Urbervilles
North and South

Selection of may-watch-some-day
Life on Mars
Filth
That Mitchell and Webb Look
Jeeves and Wooster
Prime Suspect
Place of Execution
As Time Goes By
God on Trial
Ballykissangel

To watch tonight, if I ever remove myself from this chair
The 39 Steps

If you're looking for a new addiction and haven't yet experienced what the BBC can do for you, try out Masterpiece. It's a great way to get hooked.