500!

That's right, today Citizen Reader officially turns 500 posts old. I think the old girl's holding up pretty well; to me she doesn't look a post over 499.

So, how to celebrate? By writing a really great and informative post about nonfiction in general? Providing a helpful list of theme- or subject-related books to start off the summer with? Or...how about using this opportunity to announce that I'm taking at least a week off of blogging?

Yeah, that last one's the one. I'm going to be quiet for just a bit and use that time to a. hopefully lose my general pissiness about (generally) reading, and (specifically) my career prospects; b. hopefully polish off some projects that have been bugging me and c. recharge. I'm hoping when I come back I will be able to report that I have found nothing but good nonfiction reading in the interim (I'm going to study a few genres too, just for fun: first up, Lisa Kleypas's romance Mine Till Midnight-- I don't know about you but I'm titillated already--and Karin Slaughter's thriller Blindsighted), and that everything that bugs me about e-readers has ceased to bug me.*

Oh, and I totally want to plan another Book Menage for a bit later this summer. Be thinking of what two books you'd like to read together, and feel free to suggest them already if you'd like to. I'm totally open as to the subject and style of our next paired reads, although one book should be nonfiction (of course).

And would you like to know the statistic I'm proudest of here at Citizen Reader? It's this one: the blog has had 500 posts, and 3934 comments. That is stupendous. Thanks to all of you who comment or have commented--if this blog is entertaining or educational at all, it has nothing to do with me. It has to do with all of you. Thank you--and see you soon.

*Kudos, once again, to Bookninja, who has perfectly summed up how I feel about e-readers: "I’ve always thought the Nook looked and operated (from what I’ve been able to glean) most like the kind of ereader I’d want to own, were I inclined to rent my books instead of owning them, of course." Ha!

Comments

[Rachael]

Bon anniversaire, Citizen Reader!

Enjoy your vacation--it sounds like just what you need.

If it strikes your fancy, consider picking up a copy of Flashman, by George MacDonald Fraser. I was in a similar down-cycle when I found this one years ago, and it perked me up. It historical fiction, but very well researched and written as though it were the memoirs of a distinguished Victorian-era military hero. Lots of black humor, and lots of footnotes by the "editor."

[Valerie]

500! Congratulations! Enjoy your recharging time. As for e-readers, as they keep dropping in prices, I think many are becoming less resistant to the idea of owning one!

[Venta]

Is it those dandelions again??? You need a new neighbor. But if I didn't know you, I would think you were off to D.C. for ALA!

Congratulations, C.R., on your 500th post. I'm glad you're celebrating by taking a break. My bet is that you can't make it a week without one post, but you know I wish you well regardless of how you decide to celebrate!

[laura]

Happy anniversary and happy vacation! I love this blog and I wish you all the best.

[Citizen Reader]

Rachael,
Thanks for the congrats, and the suggestion! You had me at "black humor." If I can put down the romances, thrillers, and other genres I'll be looking at, I'll give it a whack for the "historical fiction" part of my study.

Valerie,
Thanks, I plan to enjoy recharging, or at least not running down any further. Unfortunately, the price coming down on e-readers doesn't put me in much better mood--the more that are sold, the more heavy metals they'll eventually contribute to our landfills. (See? It's impossible to make me happy.) But I appreciate your trying.

Venta,
Nope, I have struck a truce with the dandelion. Once it tops out over 80 and humid in Wisconsin, I only go outside under protest. And no ALA for this girl--if there's one place around that's hotter that here, I'll bet it's Washington DC (last time I went to an ALA conference there it was scorching--in the 90s--and Wash DC has a disappointing amount of shade trees). Nothing more special than just have to try and get some other things done. How's that for going crazy celebrating? :)

Laura,
Thanks for the kind words. I'll miss new comments but I hope to come back in a slightly more sprightly mood.

[Pop Tart]

Congrats on the 500! And all you. That's an enormous accomplishment.

Can't wait to hear about your genre reading. I enjoy Kleypas for her witty dialog and engaging characters and think you'll find her fun. But a warning about the Slaughter book - it's pretty graphic. Slaughter toned it down a bit in later books - and excels with these gritty, emotional thrillers - but I think with this, her first, she was trying to show she could write them with the big boys and went a little over the top with the violence. So heads up on this one.

A couple of others you might like (since you enjoyed the Erin Hart) are Sacrifice by S. J. Bolton and Crossing Places by Elly Griffiths.

[nan]

I'm a half-uncloseted romance reader in recent years (to my own great surprise); Kleypas is pretty good. Another decent one is Joanna Bourne's spymaster series. And if you want to get highfalutin but still have fun, check out Blindspot by Jane Kamensky and Jill Lepore -- two history professors (one of whom writes for the New Yorker, even!) having fun with a 18th century bawdy romp, but it has some serious aspects, too. I blame that book for making me into a romance reader after a 20-plus year gap ... Enjoy your week off and congratulations on your posting and commenting milestones!

[Melanie]

Congratulations on 500! I've enjoyed everyone of them even if I don't comment on them all. Enjoy the Kleypas book, I read my share of romance and she usually writes a decent book. Between working stressing me out nd the heat I'd love to take a break from it all and hole up with a pile of books. So enjoy your time off. I just finished Sima's Undergarments for Women by Ilana Stanger-Ross I'm recommending it to everyone.

[katharine]

500! What an accomplishment. This has been a banner year for you CR, a book with Nancy Pearl and an award winning blog. I'd say your career is doing just fine sister. I will miss your posts, but this will be a well deserved vacation, enjoy it.

[Kim (Sophisticated Dorkiness)]

Congrats on hitting 500 posts, that's pretty awesome. Enjoy the break -- we all need one once in awhile.

[bybee]

Happy 500! Enjoy your vacation!
That's neat that Rachael mentioned Flashman -- my all-guy book group chose it for our next read.

[Citizen Reader]

PopTart,
Thanks for the warning on the Slaughter. I'm not particularly bothered by graphic, but it's good to know it may not be completely accurate of her stylistically.

Melanie,
Thanks! I'm actually looking forward to the Kleypas, I don't mind a good romance now and then.

Katharine,
You're such a sweetie. If I've had a banner year reading, it's because you've had a banner year suggesting books to me.

Kim,
Thanks--and I think you're right. I was having a hard time keeping up with the daily schedule, so I'm hoping to get in just lots and lots of reading to try and catch up!

Bybee,
Thank you too! And now I'm really interested in the Flashman book--that's funny it's also your book club's choice!

[LINDA from EACH LITTLE WORLD]

You deserve to be proud of yourself. This blogging thing is not quick and easy when your subject is non-fiction. And hey, first you have to read the damn books! Keep up the good work and enjoy your time off.

[Shelley]

My first visit here, and I'm delighted, because my story is about "citizen farmers" surviving the worst hard times this country has ever known (even worse than now!)--I enjoy the comments here.

[Citizen Reader]

Thanks, Linda.
I don't think blogging is real super easy for anyone, regardless of the subject. Fiction takes time too! I'm just so glad a lot of people do it--it's getting harder to find interesting and honest book reviews these days, I think.