Summer reading suggestions!
With Memorial Day coming up, and schools letting out soon, I thought it might be useful to put an entry together with people's favorite summer reading suggestions. So, drop on by this entry and add your recommendations.
Happy summer reading!
Happy summer reading!
Book 57
Delusions of Grandma - Carrie Fisher
The thing about a Carrie Fisher novel is that they aren't really novels at all. They're stories of things that a scarred and quirky child of Hollywood has seen, done or wanted to do. Here, Carrie becomes Cora, a screenwriter whose romance to a nice-guy lawyer is doomed from the start but manages to survive as a safety net for a friend dying of AIDS and the, creates new life when Cora, er, Carrie finds out she's pregnant. Witty, quick and filled with heartache and faux self-awareness, it isn't literature. But the writing is clear, even if there isn't much to the plot. Even as interconnected stories, swipes and sorrows, it works well enough for what it is.
Book 58
The Woman Who Gave Birth To Rabbits- Emma Donoghue
Donoghue has been a favorite of mine since reading Stir Fry about a decade ago. Her writing is astounding, able to make simple everyday moments come alive on the page. True, you can practically hear her Irish cadence on the page. But it works, repeatedly, whether she is crafting a novel or one of her many collections of short stories.
This is the latter, a collection of her takes on historical moments like, yes, the woman who faked giving birth to a dozen dead rabbits. The history is quirky, but what makes the stories work are what serves the best historical writer well: the ability to weave a narrative around an event.
And here Donoghue is in prime form. Her imagination, for instance, tackles the historical fact that Mary Wollestonecraft worked briefly as a governess. In Donoghue's hands, the reason for her dismissal is told from one of her charges, a tomboyish and wilfull child named Margaret. Another historical fact: Margaret would grow up to befriend the daughter that Wollenscraft died giving birth to: Mary Shelley.
It is the mix of the imagination and reality and Donoghue's ability to write so intimately that brings these little scraps of history alive. I wouldn't have imagined that I would care about a trivial moment in history, when a drunken soldier is tricked into marrying a spinster. Or that I'd never heard of a religious cult leader who convinces her followers to fast for 40 days to prepare for End Times.
But Donoghue takes these obscurities of history and creates the sort of detail and reason that we all crave when trying to understand how or why something may have happened. Her imagination is so vivid, it becomes hard to believe the stories happened any other way.
Book 59
The Willoughbys - Lois Lowry
This is it: the best book I've read all year.
Sure, it is technically for children. And one reason it's been sitting on my shelf for ages was its slender 176 pages seemed to be something I could put off, indefinitely.
Silly, silly Scoopgirl.
This wacky story of the four Willoughby children and their odious parents (don't fret; the book includes a glossary in the back with a delicious description of odious) is a brilliant and hilarious slam on all the convention's of old-fashioned children's literature.
This parody offers twist after twist: four precocious children who want to rid themselves of their parents, without knowing the parents are as eager to be done with the children. Throw in a nanny, a baby left on the doorstep, a wealthy recluse with a sad secret, a few background cats and you have yourself the best send-up of faux nostalgia out there.
Lowry is overt with some of it - such as the constant musing of what "old-fashioned" people might do next) but slyly includes social commentary on capitalism and family as well as outright silliness and charm.
Everything I've seen online confirms that this, like Lowry's most known work, is for children. But I think it's actually a book for adults, masquerading as kids' book. What a wonderful find.
Delusions of Grandma - Carrie Fisher
The thing about a Carrie Fisher novel is that they aren't really novels at all. They're stories of things that a scarred and quirky child of Hollywood has seen, done or wanted to do. Here, Carrie becomes Cora, a screenwriter whose romance to a nice-guy lawyer is doomed from the start but manages to survive as a safety net for a friend dying of AIDS and the, creates new life when Cora, er, Carrie finds out she's pregnant. Witty, quick and filled with heartache and faux self-awareness, it isn't literature. But the writing is clear, even if there isn't much to the plot. Even as interconnected stories, swipes and sorrows, it works well enough for what it is.
Book 58
The Woman Who Gave Birth To Rabbits- Emma Donoghue
Donoghue has been a favorite of mine since reading Stir Fry about a decade ago. Her writing is astounding, able to make simple everyday moments come alive on the page. True, you can practically hear her Irish cadence on the page. But it works, repeatedly, whether she is crafting a novel or one of her many collections of short stories.
This is the latter, a collection of her takes on historical moments like, yes, the woman who faked giving birth to a dozen dead rabbits. The history is quirky, but what makes the stories work are what serves the best historical writer well: the ability to weave a narrative around an event.
And here Donoghue is in prime form. Her imagination, for instance, tackles the historical fact that Mary Wollestonecraft worked briefly as a governess. In Donoghue's hands, the reason for her dismissal is told from one of her charges, a tomboyish and wilfull child named Margaret. Another historical fact: Margaret would grow up to befriend the daughter that Wollenscraft died giving birth to: Mary Shelley.
It is the mix of the imagination and reality and Donoghue's ability to write so intimately that brings these little scraps of history alive. I wouldn't have imagined that I would care about a trivial moment in history, when a drunken soldier is tricked into marrying a spinster. Or that I'd never heard of a religious cult leader who convinces her followers to fast for 40 days to prepare for End Times.
But Donoghue takes these obscurities of history and creates the sort of detail and reason that we all crave when trying to understand how or why something may have happened. Her imagination is so vivid, it becomes hard to believe the stories happened any other way.
Book 59
The Willoughbys - Lois Lowry
This is it: the best book I've read all year.
Sure, it is technically for children. And one reason it's been sitting on my shelf for ages was its slender 176 pages seemed to be something I could put off, indefinitely.
Silly, silly Scoopgirl.
This wacky story of the four Willoughby children and their odious parents (don't fret; the book includes a glossary in the back with a delicious description of odious) is a brilliant and hilarious slam on all the convention's of old-fashioned children's literature.
This parody offers twist after twist: four precocious children who want to rid themselves of their parents, without knowing the parents are as eager to be done with the children. Throw in a nanny, a baby left on the doorstep, a wealthy recluse with a sad secret, a few background cats and you have yourself the best send-up of faux nostalgia out there.
Lowry is overt with some of it - such as the constant musing of what "old-fashioned" people might do next) but slyly includes social commentary on capitalism and family as well as outright silliness and charm.
Everything I've seen online confirms that this, like Lowry's most known work, is for children. But I think it's actually a book for adults, masquerading as kids' book. What a wonderful find.
In a desperate attempt not to have to update about six books all in one go, I am trying something shockingly new, updating after having only read THREE books. Please, keep to your seats. I know it's revolutionary for me, but I'm pretty sure I can make this work, at least for now.
Let us begin with Angels and Demons a book my mother relentlessly shoved at me until I finally broke down and read it. I'm not sure why I didn't want to, since I'd thought The DaVinci Code was possibly the funniest thing ever but, for some reason, I was loath to appear as if I were hopping back on the Dan Brown bandwagon. Grudgingly I must admit that Angels and Demons wasn't that bad. In fact, for the most part it was pretty good, for an adventure story, and less ridiculous than its more famous sequel. True, I saw the ending coming from a good hundred pages away, but just because you aren't surprised doesn't make it not fun. I sort of half recall hearing on NPR that Mr. Brown wrote Angels and Demons without having done any research. I don't know if that's actually true or if it's some sort of manufactured memory, but I was pretty bewildered when Mr. Brown's protagonist asserts that Christianity stole the notion of god-eating (communion, that is) (true) from the Aztecs. You know how it works, you're reading along, perfectly happy, with your suspension of disbelief engaged, and then something breaks through that barrier and you're suddenly thinking "From the AZTECS? Is he f----ing kidding me?" because, of course, there's no WAY western culture could have stolen ANYTHING from the Aztecs until something like the early 1500's, when Cortez (I think) explored South America, and I'm pretty sure communion was already an established Christian practice by then. Yeah... pretty sure. That aside, it was still a highly entertaining romp, and if you're reading this sort of a book for actual FACTS, well, you're not the sort of person I'd be asking about South American history.
Then was a random Agatha Christie I'd picked up for very little cash. It was called The Man in the Brown Suit and it was hilarious. I suppose, in a way, it was a murder mystery, since there was certainly a murder (or two?) in the beginning, and the identity of the murderer is revealed in the end, but nobody seems particularly invested in the fact. It's mostly the story of a young woman, left without relatives or money, who decides she's going to go have adventures and then she does. You tend to forget about the murder, you never really cared about the murdered person anyway, you just want to see what the main character will do next. I wouldn't be surprised if this novel were a sort of a bridge between her typical murder mysteries and novels published under the pseudonym Mary Westmacott, though this isn't a patch on how dark those are.
Last is a manuscript, unpublished, written by my mother, Ms. Mary Shartle, entitled The Hermit: The Life and Legend of Lily Martindale. It's only in second or third draft form right now and was sitting on the coffee table when I had run out of things to read. "I don't want you to read it for another couple of months," she said, "I've got some editing to do," and, of course, I ignored her. She does have some editing to do, but it's a pretty strong story.
And that gets me to 86/100ish. Odds are I won't make it this year, but it'll be close.
Let us begin with Angels and Demons a book my mother relentlessly shoved at me until I finally broke down and read it. I'm not sure why I didn't want to, since I'd thought The DaVinci Code was possibly the funniest thing ever but, for some reason, I was loath to appear as if I were hopping back on the Dan Brown bandwagon. Grudgingly I must admit that Angels and Demons wasn't that bad. In fact, for the most part it was pretty good, for an adventure story, and less ridiculous than its more famous sequel. True, I saw the ending coming from a good hundred pages away, but just because you aren't surprised doesn't make it not fun. I sort of half recall hearing on NPR that Mr. Brown wrote Angels and Demons without having done any research. I don't know if that's actually true or if it's some sort of manufactured memory, but I was pretty bewildered when Mr. Brown's protagonist asserts that Christianity stole the notion of god-eating (communion, that is) (true) from the Aztecs. You know how it works, you're reading along, perfectly happy, with your suspension of disbelief engaged, and then something breaks through that barrier and you're suddenly thinking "From the AZTECS? Is he f----ing kidding me?" because, of course, there's no WAY western culture could have stolen ANYTHING from the Aztecs until something like the early 1500's, when Cortez (I think) explored South America, and I'm pretty sure communion was already an established Christian practice by then. Yeah... pretty sure. That aside, it was still a highly entertaining romp, and if you're reading this sort of a book for actual FACTS, well, you're not the sort of person I'd be asking about South American history.
Then was a random Agatha Christie I'd picked up for very little cash. It was called The Man in the Brown Suit and it was hilarious. I suppose, in a way, it was a murder mystery, since there was certainly a murder (or two?) in the beginning, and the identity of the murderer is revealed in the end, but nobody seems particularly invested in the fact. It's mostly the story of a young woman, left without relatives or money, who decides she's going to go have adventures and then she does. You tend to forget about the murder, you never really cared about the murdered person anyway, you just want to see what the main character will do next. I wouldn't be surprised if this novel were a sort of a bridge between her typical murder mysteries and novels published under the pseudonym Mary Westmacott, though this isn't a patch on how dark those are.
Last is a manuscript, unpublished, written by my mother, Ms. Mary Shartle, entitled The Hermit: The Life and Legend of Lily Martindale. It's only in second or third draft form right now and was sitting on the coffee table when I had run out of things to read. "I don't want you to read it for another couple of months," she said, "I've got some editing to do," and, of course, I ignored her. She does have some editing to do, but it's a pretty strong story.
And that gets me to 86/100ish. Odds are I won't make it this year, but it'll be close.
Michael need a hit and he needs it bad. Wait, it's not really a "hit" he needs but a shot, no make it a double shot. Michael is in real trouble. His drug of choice? Caffeine. And when the steaming water hits grounds, it's like elixir dripping down from on high. Coffee is life.
Tony Murphy's new book, a collection of daily comic strips, is good for the voyeur in all of us. What could be more entertaining than watching a neurotic stumble, tip-toe, and crawl through life? Murphy's characters are so real you feel like you could run into them at any cafe in the world. Did I mention that I laughed -- out loud?
If you're stuck for a present for that special someone who squirms at the idea that he or she is actually in a relationship or for your long-suffering Barista order of copy of It's All About You: A Daily Comic Strip right now.
--
Tony Murphy's new book, a collection of daily comic strips, is good for the voyeur in all of us. What could be more entertaining than watching a neurotic stumble, tip-toe, and crawl through life? Murphy's characters are so real you feel like you could run into them at any cafe in the world. Did I mention that I laughed -- out loud?
If you're stuck for a present for that special someone who squirms at the idea that he or she is actually in a relationship or for your long-suffering Barista order of copy of It's All About You: A Daily Comic Strip right now.
--
- Location:NYC
- Mood:
okay - Music:Silence
Summaries taken from back of books.
17. Dracula by Bram Stoker
Summary: Unquestionably the most famous vampire story ever written, Dracula has mesmerized readers since its publication in 1897. A gothic tale of dread and eroticism, it tells how a young man ends Dracula's reign of terror.
Genre: Horror, Vampires
Thoughts: I thought a lot about what I could say about this book. I liked it...I did. Maybe I've become desensitized but I don't really consider this a horror story. There weren't moments when I was scared. Instead I was kinda rooting for Dracula through the whole thing. Take for instance the scenes when Van Helsing and the rest of the guys were investigating...lol...they were like bumbling fools. I kinda wanted Dracula to come put and smack them around because they were acting like morons. And also, I love Renfield. He was the best. The stuff with him...that was creepy. I definitely recommend this book to anyone who hasn't read it. Also the version I have the editor is Leonard Wolf and I thought the footnotes (yes, footnotes) were fascinating.
Rating: 4 out of 5.
18. Adam's Fall by Sandra Brown
Summary: For the past few years, Lilah Mason has watched her sister find love, get married, and have children, while she's been more than content to channel her energies into her career. A physical therapist with an unsinkable spirit and unwavering compassion, she's one of the best in the field. But when Lilah takes on a demanding new case, her patient's life isn't the only one transformed. Her new patient, Adam, challenges her methods and authority at every turn. Yet Lilah is determined to help him recover the life he's lost. What she can't see, until it's much too late, is that while she's winning Adam's battle, she's losing her heart... And as professional duty and her passionate yearnings clash, she must choose the course right for them both.
Genre: Romance
Thoughts: And now on the other end of the spectrum a contemporary romance. First off, if I had picked up this book in a bookstore and read the description I never would've bought it. I don't do romances. There needs to be something else going on (history, sci-fi, fantasy, something) besides the romance or I think it's lame or boring. This book was recommended to me as a quick read that's light and fun. It was exactly that. It's a book you could easily read in one sitting. The couple has the whole love-hate thing going which I'm such a sucker for. There was good witty banter which is another of my weaknesses. It was fun. I do think the ending was a little sudden and frankly unnecessary. My one grievance was that I would have liked to have read the first meeting between Lilah and Adam all those years ago. I think it would've of been fun and interesting.
Rating: a solid 3 out of 5.
Hmm, my goal was 25 this year I don't think I'll make hopefully I'll be able to squeeze in 2 more to round it out to 20.
17. Dracula by Bram Stoker
Summary: Unquestionably the most famous vampire story ever written, Dracula has mesmerized readers since its publication in 1897. A gothic tale of dread and eroticism, it tells how a young man ends Dracula's reign of terror.
Genre: Horror, Vampires
Thoughts: I thought a lot about what I could say about this book. I liked it...I did. Maybe I've become desensitized but I don't really consider this a horror story. There weren't moments when I was scared. Instead I was kinda rooting for Dracula through the whole thing. Take for instance the scenes when Van Helsing and the rest of the guys were investigating...lol...they were like bumbling fools. I kinda wanted Dracula to come put and smack them around because they were acting like morons. And also, I love Renfield. He was the best. The stuff with him...that was creepy. I definitely recommend this book to anyone who hasn't read it. Also the version I have the editor is Leonard Wolf and I thought the footnotes (yes, footnotes) were fascinating.
Rating: 4 out of 5.
18. Adam's Fall by Sandra Brown
Summary: For the past few years, Lilah Mason has watched her sister find love, get married, and have children, while she's been more than content to channel her energies into her career. A physical therapist with an unsinkable spirit and unwavering compassion, she's one of the best in the field. But when Lilah takes on a demanding new case, her patient's life isn't the only one transformed. Her new patient, Adam, challenges her methods and authority at every turn. Yet Lilah is determined to help him recover the life he's lost. What she can't see, until it's much too late, is that while she's winning Adam's battle, she's losing her heart... And as professional duty and her passionate yearnings clash, she must choose the course right for them both.
Genre: Romance
Thoughts: And now on the other end of the spectrum a contemporary romance. First off, if I had picked up this book in a bookstore and read the description I never would've bought it. I don't do romances. There needs to be something else going on (history, sci-fi, fantasy, something) besides the romance or I think it's lame or boring. This book was recommended to me as a quick read that's light and fun. It was exactly that. It's a book you could easily read in one sitting. The couple has the whole love-hate thing going which I'm such a sucker for. There was good witty banter which is another of my weaknesses. It was fun. I do think the ending was a little sudden and frankly unnecessary. My one grievance was that I would have liked to have read the first meeting between Lilah and Adam all those years ago. I think it would've of been fun and interesting.
Rating: a solid 3 out of 5.
Hmm, my goal was 25 this year I don't think I'll make hopefully I'll be able to squeeze in 2 more to round it out to 20.
- Mood:
relaxed
Winter Solstice
Rosamunde Pilcher
5 people, elderly has-been actress Elfieda, (and her dog, Horace), her friend and companion, widower Oscar, Elfrieda's cousin's daughter Carrie, Carrie's 14-yr-old niece Lucy, and stranded stranger Sam, each at loose ends in their lives, each dealing with their own heartache, end up together at Christmas in a home in Scotland that is half-owned by Oscar.
No one feels much like celebrating Christmas, but, at first for Lucy's sake, and then on their own behalfs, plans for Christmas come together after all.
The threads of the subplots, as each seeks to heal his or her own heartache are perfectly, beautifully woven together.
I loved Winter Solstice! Rosamunde Pilcher is a favorite author whom I used to read all the time. Picking up a book of hers again, after several years, was like revisiting a comfortable, old friend. Also, I could not have picked a better time of year, or better weather to read this book! It's been positively chilly here in California lately, and the weather and holiday mood have only enhanced the cozy, comfortable reading experience.
Title: Tempted
Author: P.C. Cast & Kristin Cast
Rating: 4/5
Book: 53
Book in personal challenge with![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif)
niun: 2
Pages: 319 pgs
Total Pages 19,062
Next up: Alex Cross's Trial by James Patterson
I think this book is my favourite of the series. The characters still have their annoying aspects to them but I really liked how the chapters were in other character's point of view. The ending, however, sucked. There was really now resolution. I guess that's what keeps readers anticipating the next installment.
xposted to![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/community.gif)
50bookchallenge, 15000pages and bookworm84
( Book Description from book jacket or back of the book: )
Author: P.C. Cast & Kristin Cast
Rating: 4/5
Book: 53
Book in personal challenge with
niun: 2Pages: 319 pgs
Total Pages 19,062
Next up: Alex Cross's Trial by James Patterson
I think this book is my favourite of the series. The characters still have their annoying aspects to them but I really liked how the chapters were in other character's point of view. The ending, however, sucked. There was really now resolution. I guess that's what keeps readers anticipating the next installment.
xposted to
50bookchallenge, 15000pages and bookworm84( Book Description from book jacket or back of the book: )
the 6 books of nalini singh
91. slave to sensation
91a. the cannibal princess
92. visions of heat
93. caressed by ice
94. beat of temptation
95. mine to possess
96. hostage to pleasure
stories about the psy - think neural net aka tos ghostwalker
and the other species that surround them, not quite spn, but its about leaving safety, and surviving
3 books of lori devoti
97-1. unbound
98-2. guardian's keep
99-3- wild hunt
100 - mark haddon's the curious incident of the dog at night time.
this book you must read if you havent
i like the net series, by nalini singh. i thought also about spock
91. slave to sensation
91a. the cannibal princess
92. visions of heat
93. caressed by ice
94. beat of temptation
95. mine to possess
96. hostage to pleasure
stories about the psy - think neural net aka tos ghostwalker
and the other species that surround them, not quite spn, but its about leaving safety, and surviving
3 books of lori devoti
97-1. unbound
98-2. guardian's keep
99-3- wild hunt
100 - mark haddon's the curious incident of the dog at night time.
this book you must read if you havent
i like the net series, by nalini singh. i thought also about spock
- Location:home
- Mood:
crazy
110. Alabama by Kay Cornelius This is a collection of four novellas written about the author all set in the same small town in Alabama. This book shows how four different women find love in this small town. This book also has Christian themes in the book so there isn't a lot of smut in the book.
111. One Fifth Avenue by Candace Bushnell This is a tale of the different residents in a building in New York City, where you see the different stereotypes. The rich hedge fund manager, the wife who gave up her career in order to support her husband, the middle class couple trying to break into the next socio economic class, the aging actress who took a job in a TV series after breaking up with her husband and others. You also see the friend to the rich who isn't rich but who likes the lifestyle and the two twenty somethings who are portrayed as slackers. This is a good story with an expected ending.
112. Unashamed by Francine Rivers
113. The Memory Keeper's Daughter by Kim Edwards
114. Escape by Carolyn Jessop This tells of one woman's tale of her life in the FLDS. When she was eighteen years old she became the fourth wife of Meril Jessop a powerful man in the FLDS. This tells how her and her other sister wives competed with each other for their husband's affection and approval. She had eight children in fifteen years and she was lucky that she was able to get a college education. She did have support in leaving the cult and she was the first FLDS woman who had left to gain full custody of her children. This book is a good book to learn about one woman's experience in the FLDS both before and after Warren Jeffs took over the cult.
115.Elijah the Last Prophet by Mickey R. Mullen This is a book that describes his beliefs about the Bible and his belief system as a Christian. He doesn't believe the Bible literally only that it is written in allegory and is not to be taken literally. He also believes that Paul was in the clutches of Satan and didn't read his letters in the Bible. The author does believe that his biblical name is Elijah. Though it does tell about his childhood and life which does make an interesting interlude in the book, if you are looking for a book with solid Christian principles this is not the book for you. If you are looking for a memoir from someone who had lived in poverty than you may want to read this book.
116.The Golden Angel by Gilbert Morris This is set during the Roaring Twenties when Erin Winslow who is a missionary kid in Africa is taught to fly by a pilot that she rescues in Africa. The two of them begin a romantic relationship but when she discovers the secret that he is keeping from her she feels betrayed and flees to America. In America she ends up waiting tables at a cafe in New York City where she meets former WWI pilot Quaid Merrit and the two of them team up to perform air shows. This is a good book where Erin has to learn to rely on God and not let her past experiences form her future too much. It does have a character who is dyslexic in there since Erin does discover that she is dyslexic in the book though it isn't too much of a plot point.
117. The Tales of Beedle the Bard by J.K. Rowling This book tells five different stories that are from the world of Harry Potter. You get a glimpse into the past of the world that she has created with the commentaries by Dumbledore.
118. The Republic of Pirates: Being the True and Surprising Story of the Caribbean Pirates and the Man Who Brought Them Down by Colin Woodard This book tells the true story of the Pirates of the Caribbean instead of the romanticized tales that we hear about them. The author also dispels any of the popular myths about the pirates. He does tell how they had set up their Pirate Empire in the Bahamas and how their Pirate Empire came to an end. This book is good for someone who is interested in pirates and this will give the truth of them.
119. Woodlands by Robin Jones Gunn In this seventh book in her Glenbrooke series we get to meet Leah who thinks that she will never find anyone to marry her though she does give back to the community and has a hard time accepting things from other people. She meets Seth Edwards who shows her attention and she learns to accept his gifts. This is a good romance novel with a sense of the author's humor in it when Leah calls a radio station by mistake and wins a cruise to Alaska. You do meet some of the other characters from her other books in this series.
120.The Cat Who Ate Danish Modern by Lilian Jackson Braun
121.Vampire Kisses the Beginning by Ellen Schreiber This is the first three books in the author's Vampire Kisses series in one volume. Gothic vampire obsessed teen Raven feels like an outsider in Dullsville when the mysterious Alexander Sterling moves to an old mansion in Dullsville and when she finds out Alexander's secret she is thrust upon some unexpected situations though she uses her own intellect to get out of them as well as use Alexander's help. The author does include more traditional vampire folklore than another popular vampire series that is out right now. Raven is a strong female character who doesn't wait for Alexander to rescue her and she tries to keep her friendship with Becky who is her best friend.
122. Mouse Tales: A Behind the Scenes Look at Disneyland by David Koenig In this behind the scenes look at Disneyland the author shows us the good, the bad and the ugly about Disneyland. He starts when Disneyland was just an idea of Walt Disney's and goes into today where Disneyland is a part of a large corporation. He tells funny stories about the employees and guests alike even telling some of the pranks that the employees had played on each other in the early days of Disneyland. He also discusses some of the lawsuits that Disneyland has encountered in recent years.
123. The Cat Who Knew Shakespeare by Lilian Jackson Braun
111. One Fifth Avenue by Candace Bushnell This is a tale of the different residents in a building in New York City, where you see the different stereotypes. The rich hedge fund manager, the wife who gave up her career in order to support her husband, the middle class couple trying to break into the next socio economic class, the aging actress who took a job in a TV series after breaking up with her husband and others. You also see the friend to the rich who isn't rich but who likes the lifestyle and the two twenty somethings who are portrayed as slackers. This is a good story with an expected ending.
112. Unashamed by Francine Rivers
113. The Memory Keeper's Daughter by Kim Edwards
114. Escape by Carolyn Jessop This tells of one woman's tale of her life in the FLDS. When she was eighteen years old she became the fourth wife of Meril Jessop a powerful man in the FLDS. This tells how her and her other sister wives competed with each other for their husband's affection and approval. She had eight children in fifteen years and she was lucky that she was able to get a college education. She did have support in leaving the cult and she was the first FLDS woman who had left to gain full custody of her children. This book is a good book to learn about one woman's experience in the FLDS both before and after Warren Jeffs took over the cult.
115.Elijah the Last Prophet by Mickey R. Mullen This is a book that describes his beliefs about the Bible and his belief system as a Christian. He doesn't believe the Bible literally only that it is written in allegory and is not to be taken literally. He also believes that Paul was in the clutches of Satan and didn't read his letters in the Bible. The author does believe that his biblical name is Elijah. Though it does tell about his childhood and life which does make an interesting interlude in the book, if you are looking for a book with solid Christian principles this is not the book for you. If you are looking for a memoir from someone who had lived in poverty than you may want to read this book.
116.The Golden Angel by Gilbert Morris This is set during the Roaring Twenties when Erin Winslow who is a missionary kid in Africa is taught to fly by a pilot that she rescues in Africa. The two of them begin a romantic relationship but when she discovers the secret that he is keeping from her she feels betrayed and flees to America. In America she ends up waiting tables at a cafe in New York City where she meets former WWI pilot Quaid Merrit and the two of them team up to perform air shows. This is a good book where Erin has to learn to rely on God and not let her past experiences form her future too much. It does have a character who is dyslexic in there since Erin does discover that she is dyslexic in the book though it isn't too much of a plot point.
117. The Tales of Beedle the Bard by J.K. Rowling This book tells five different stories that are from the world of Harry Potter. You get a glimpse into the past of the world that she has created with the commentaries by Dumbledore.
118. The Republic of Pirates: Being the True and Surprising Story of the Caribbean Pirates and the Man Who Brought Them Down by Colin Woodard This book tells the true story of the Pirates of the Caribbean instead of the romanticized tales that we hear about them. The author also dispels any of the popular myths about the pirates. He does tell how they had set up their Pirate Empire in the Bahamas and how their Pirate Empire came to an end. This book is good for someone who is interested in pirates and this will give the truth of them.
119. Woodlands by Robin Jones Gunn In this seventh book in her Glenbrooke series we get to meet Leah who thinks that she will never find anyone to marry her though she does give back to the community and has a hard time accepting things from other people. She meets Seth Edwards who shows her attention and she learns to accept his gifts. This is a good romance novel with a sense of the author's humor in it when Leah calls a radio station by mistake and wins a cruise to Alaska. You do meet some of the other characters from her other books in this series.
120.The Cat Who Ate Danish Modern by Lilian Jackson Braun
121.Vampire Kisses the Beginning by Ellen Schreiber This is the first three books in the author's Vampire Kisses series in one volume. Gothic vampire obsessed teen Raven feels like an outsider in Dullsville when the mysterious Alexander Sterling moves to an old mansion in Dullsville and when she finds out Alexander's secret she is thrust upon some unexpected situations though she uses her own intellect to get out of them as well as use Alexander's help. The author does include more traditional vampire folklore than another popular vampire series that is out right now. Raven is a strong female character who doesn't wait for Alexander to rescue her and she tries to keep her friendship with Becky who is her best friend.
122. Mouse Tales: A Behind the Scenes Look at Disneyland by David Koenig In this behind the scenes look at Disneyland the author shows us the good, the bad and the ugly about Disneyland. He starts when Disneyland was just an idea of Walt Disney's and goes into today where Disneyland is a part of a large corporation. He tells funny stories about the employees and guests alike even telling some of the pranks that the employees had played on each other in the early days of Disneyland. He also discusses some of the lawsuits that Disneyland has encountered in recent years.
123. The Cat Who Knew Shakespeare by Lilian Jackson Braun
Jack Frost #2 – Jin Ho Ko
( Jack )
The Monster of Florence by Douglas Preston & Mario Spezi
( true crime )
( Jack )
The Monster of Florence by Douglas Preston & Mario Spezi
( true crime )
- Mood:busy
- Music:NCIS
 |
Author: David Liss, 2004
Genre: Historical Murder Mystery. 18th century England
Other Details: Paperback, 392 pages.
Since the publication of the first volume of my memoirs, I have found myself the subject of more notoriety than I had ever known or might have anticipated.... - Benjamin Weaver.
After enjoying A Conspiracy of Paper (my 2009 Book 91) so much I was pleased to to find that David Liss had written further novels featuring former pugilist turned thief-taker, Benjamin Weaver.
The novel opens with Weaver being convicted for a murder he did not commit at a trial presided over by a judge who appears determined to find him guilty. Then he is accosted by a stranger who manages to slip a lock pick and file into his hands. In that instant he is aware of two things: someone had gone to a great deal of trouble to see him condemned to hang and another equally mysterious agent was determined to see him free. After a daring escape from London's most notorious prison Weaver has to find a way to clear his name and soon stumbles into a conspiracy with wide ramifications for the future of Britain.
Weaver is such a wonderfully complex character; intelligent, charming and witty addressing his readers with the hindsight of several decades on these events. The central mystery is labyrinthine and well played out. Liss populates the book with colourful characters who could easily have stepped out of William Hogarth's prints. Again, Liss does a superb job with the setting evoking the glamour and squalor of the Georgian period. He also tackles the complexities of 18th century politics and the electoral processes by using Weaver whose introduction into these matters also serves as the reader's induction.
This is historical fiction at its best. I loved it from start to finish and can hardly wait for the third in the series to appear in paperback!
A Spectacle of Corruption - David Liss' page with Readers Guide and Excerpt.
The Hippopotamus by Stephen Fry
I usually like Stephen Fry's writing quite a lot an there were good bits in this one as well, but it wasn't, I feel, as good as the other novels of his that I've read.
The plot involves a crotchety old poet and theatre critic, Ted Wallace, who is engaged by his goddaughter to investigate odd goings-on at an English country house. And that's about it really. Perhaps it was me, but I felt the book lacked something. I rather liked Ted's cynical outpourings, but the bits not told from his perspective felt rather flat, and even the bits that were seemed sometimes to be protesting too much. And the plot seemed thin to the point of transparency.
I usually like Stephen Fry's writing quite a lot an there were good bits in this one as well, but it wasn't, I feel, as good as the other novels of his that I've read.
The plot involves a crotchety old poet and theatre critic, Ted Wallace, who is engaged by his goddaughter to investigate odd goings-on at an English country house. And that's about it really. Perhaps it was me, but I felt the book lacked something. I rather liked Ted's cynical outpourings, but the bits not told from his perspective felt rather flat, and even the bits that were seemed sometimes to be protesting too much. And the plot seemed thin to the point of transparency.
 |
Author: Johan Theorin, 2007. Translated from the Swedish by Marlaine Delargy, 2008
Genre: Crime Thriller. Mystery.
Other Details: Trade Paperback 396 pages
On a foggy autumn day in the early 1970s, 5-year old Jens disappears on the island of Öland. He is never found. Twenty years later his mother, Julia, is still struggling to come to terms with her son's disappearance. Then she receives an unexpected phone call from her estranged father, Gerlof, a retired sea captain who still lives on the island. He tells her that the postman has delivered a package containing a child's sandal, which he is sure had belonged to Jens.
Julia returns to the island and learns that Gerlof and his elderly friend Ernst Adolfsson, have been investigating Nils Kant, a man with a long history of murder and brutality, whom they suspect was involved in Jens' disappearance. But Nils Kant died in the 1960s years before Jens disappeared, even though he remains a scapegoat for the local people who attribute every nasty incident on the island to him. Julia reluctantly is drawn into the investigation and slowly begins to reclaim her life. This present day story is interwoven with the story of Nils Kant from childhood onward.
This is a complex mystery that is skilfully executed with strong characterisations and an atmospheric setting. The novel has the typically Scandinavian slow pace and detailed narrative. which drew me into a relationship with its characters and setting. Just fantastic.
It was awarded the 2007 Best First Mystery Novel 2007 by the Swedish Academy of Crime Writers and the 2009 CWA New Blood Dagger.
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Author: Jo Nesbø, 2003. Translated from the Norwegian by Don Bartlett, 2005.
Genre: Police Procedural. Crime.
Other Details: Paperback. 503 pages.
Oslo based Detective Harry Hole is completely off-the-rails following on from events in the previous two books Redbreast and Nemesis. He is on notice to quit the force for his unacceptable behaviour and drinking. Then a young woman is found murdered in her flat. One finger has been cut off, and beneath her eyelid a tiny red diamond in the shape of a five pointed star is found. Harry is assigned to the case working alongside Tom Waaler, his long-time adversary. Five days after the first murder, a man reports his wife missing. When her severed finger is found wearing a ring mounted with another star-shaped red diamond, it seems Oslo has a serial killer on its hands.
Nesbø delivers another complex and totally engaging crime thriller with a satisfying conclusion to this three-book plot arc.
Although this title was the first of the Harry Hole series published in English, currently it is only available in the USA as an import. However, the earlier books are available and this one will be published there in hardback in March 2010.
102) The Little Lady Agency by Hester Browne (Chick-Lit, 413 pages)
Charming and fun (and funny at points!). I loved the main character, in both her incarnations, and fell in love with the story from page one. I will definitely read the rest of the series. 4/5
103) Three Bags Full by Leonie Swann (Mystery, 352 pages)
The herd's shepherd is murdered and the flock take it upon themselves to solve the crime. Charming, funny, and really interesting to see a sheep's-eye-view of the world. 3.5/5
104) Little Lady, Big Apple by Hester Browne (Chick-Lit, 368 pages)
The second book in Browne's Little Lady Agency series is not quite as enjoyable as the first book, though given how much I liked the first one, that meant I still liked this one a fair bit.
Due to Nelson's going off to sea for a few months and deciding to take the time to redo the house, Melissa finds herself homeless and goes to New York with Jonathan.
Formulaic but ultimately fun. However, Melissa's inability to deal with Gabi and Allegra made me grit my teeth, as did her doormat personality peeking through every so often.
I'm looking forward to the third book. 3.5/5
105) The Blonde Theory by Kristin Harmel (Chick-Lit, 304 pages)
I have mixed feelings about this book. Overall, I liked it, particularly the ending, which was a refreshing change-of-pace. However, there were certain things that made me grit my teeth throughout. The ditzy scenes were teeth-grittingly painful at times, and for someone who was so smart and successful, Harper was amazingly naive. 3.5/5
106) The Little Lady Agency and the Prince by Hester Browne (Chick-Lit, 400 pages)
This is my favorite book of the three. In this one, you can really see Melissa figure out who she is and what she wants from her life. More annoying characters (Gabi and Allegra) are rarely seen and/or toned down, and Granny takes a larger role. But this was the book that made me really like Melissa, who had always seemed too resigned about her life, but cheerfully in denial about it. Browne gave her more depth in this book, and I loved that Prince Nicky helped Melissa figure out her life. Loved it. 4/5
107) Going Bovine by Libba Bray (Young Adult, 480 pages)
This was 100% cracked out, hilarious awesomeness. 4/5
108) The Jane Austen Book Club by Karen Fowler (Fiction, 288 pages)
I enjoyed the movie so picked up the book. The book proved to be sluggish and just this side of uninteresting enough that I finished it, though it took me a while. I didn't connect with any of the characters, who were more or less interchangeable, despite Fowler's attempt to make them quirky. There was too much focus of the characters' background instead of the here and now of the book, with each section focusing on a different character -- which only made me annoyed as the first characters were boring, and the later interesting backgrounds came up too late to make me appreciate the characters. 2.5/5
Charming and fun (and funny at points!). I loved the main character, in both her incarnations, and fell in love with the story from page one. I will definitely read the rest of the series. 4/5
103) Three Bags Full by Leonie Swann (Mystery, 352 pages)
The herd's shepherd is murdered and the flock take it upon themselves to solve the crime. Charming, funny, and really interesting to see a sheep's-eye-view of the world. 3.5/5
104) Little Lady, Big Apple by Hester Browne (Chick-Lit, 368 pages)
The second book in Browne's Little Lady Agency series is not quite as enjoyable as the first book, though given how much I liked the first one, that meant I still liked this one a fair bit.
Due to Nelson's going off to sea for a few months and deciding to take the time to redo the house, Melissa finds herself homeless and goes to New York with Jonathan.
Formulaic but ultimately fun. However, Melissa's inability to deal with Gabi and Allegra made me grit my teeth, as did her doormat personality peeking through every so often.
I'm looking forward to the third book. 3.5/5
105) The Blonde Theory by Kristin Harmel (Chick-Lit, 304 pages)
I have mixed feelings about this book. Overall, I liked it, particularly the ending, which was a refreshing change-of-pace. However, there were certain things that made me grit my teeth throughout. The ditzy scenes were teeth-grittingly painful at times, and for someone who was so smart and successful, Harper was amazingly naive. 3.5/5
106) The Little Lady Agency and the Prince by Hester Browne (Chick-Lit, 400 pages)
This is my favorite book of the three. In this one, you can really see Melissa figure out who she is and what she wants from her life. More annoying characters (Gabi and Allegra) are rarely seen and/or toned down, and Granny takes a larger role. But this was the book that made me really like Melissa, who had always seemed too resigned about her life, but cheerfully in denial about it. Browne gave her more depth in this book, and I loved that Prince Nicky helped Melissa figure out her life. Loved it. 4/5
107) Going Bovine by Libba Bray (Young Adult, 480 pages)
This was 100% cracked out, hilarious awesomeness. 4/5
108) The Jane Austen Book Club by Karen Fowler (Fiction, 288 pages)
I enjoyed the movie so picked up the book. The book proved to be sluggish and just this side of uninteresting enough that I finished it, though it took me a while. I didn't connect with any of the characters, who were more or less interchangeable, despite Fowler's attempt to make them quirky. There was too much focus of the characters' background instead of the here and now of the book, with each section focusing on a different character -- which only made me annoyed as the first characters were boring, and the later interesting backgrounds came up too late to make me appreciate the characters. 2.5/5
98. Satchmo: My Life in New Orleans by Louis Armstrong (240 pgs)
Louis Armstrong's personal tale of growing up in New Orleans. A quick read, and full of interesting tidbits!
99. Her Fearful Symmetry by Audrey Niffenegger (406 pgs)
A rather gothic tale of two sets of twins. Elspeth has died in London, leaving her flat to the twin daughters of her twin sister in Chicago. Hauntings, mysteries, and a man with ocd make up most of the story. There were some touching moments, particularly between Elspeth and Robert, but like most readers, I didn't find this to be nearly as endearing as the Time Traveler's Wife.
100. Stealing Buddha's Dinner by Bich Minh Nguyen (256 pgs)
A Vietnamese refugee and her childhood story, told largely through the cravings of American processed food.
101. Ooga-Booga by Frederick Seidel (101 pgs)
Reflective, a bit repetitive in theme. The occasional rhyming is a bit hard to know what to do with. My favorite poem was "Violin," but maybe I was looking for optimism.
102. Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout (270 pgs)
Olive is difficult, moody, and opinionated; also observant, direct, and caring in her own way. Strout presents her through a variety of lenses in a grouping of short stories, all directly or indirectly tied to the character of Olive Kitteridge. I can't decide if I liked it or not. It isn't heartwarming, but feels rather genuine, which might be refreshing.
103. The Anthologist by Nicholson Baker (243 pgs)
I'm carrying this book around in my head these days, seeing poetry everywhere I look and thinking in rhyme. A great love letter to poetry, especially the rhyming kind, and an interesting character of the poet Paul Chowder who just needs to finish the introduction to an anthology of rhyming poems.
104. Rivers to the Sea by Sara Teasdale (148 pgs)
I feel like such a sap when I read Teasdale. While her poetry is simple in structure and often very short (some are only one stanza), and they tend to rhyme, they are full of longing and sentimentality. This set comes with the poem that is rumored to be the one she wrote after her past love killed himself ("I Shall Not Care"). My favorites were Spring, From the Woolworth Tower, I Am Not Yours, and A Cry; I didn't care much for the second of the five sections. Her poems seem familiar, but I don't think I've read her before. I think that is more a reflection of the simplicity and feeling of loss or sadness.
105. Dark of the Moon by Sara Teasdale (94 pgs)
Teasdale is definitely older and more introspective in this volume (compared to Rivers to the Sea). These poems are more about nature, her inner life, and what she was contributing and experiencing. She's lost some of the wistfulness for love, and seems to have replaced it with a general longing for life in general.
106. Stars Tonight by Sara Teasdale (49 pgs)
A compilation of more child-appropriate poems.
107. Strange Victory by Sara Teasdale (37 pgs)
A small collection of poems, as far as I can tell, from around the time of when Teasdale's former love committed suicide. Death is a common theme, as well as loss.
"No one worth possessing
Can be quite possessed."
108. The Magicians by Lev Grossman (402 pgs)
I admit to getting this book because I thought the cover was beautiful.
To me this seems like two books, or three, that the author just couldn't decide between writing - one was a grown-up Harry Potter type story, if magic school were at the college level. But he raced through telling that part to get to the magical land part, which to me was even less satisfying than the story about Brakebills College.
I never thought I would say this, because allegedly I hate reading fantasy series, but this would have been better spread out so more time could have been taken with each stage
109. Collected Poems of Sara Teasdale (311 pgs)
I was glad to have found the smaller bound volumes of Teasdale's poems, because several were excluded from this collection, and one was one of my favorites ("Spring" from Rivers to the Sea). There aren't any explanations for the exclusions other than that they were based on conversations she had with friends.
I tend to like her shorter, rhyming, sentimental poems than her longer, affected sonnets and tributes to mythological figures.
110. The Answering Voice ed. by Sara Teasdale (131 pgs)
This captures what women poets were writing about love around the time that Teasdale compiled these poems. Some standards, some poets who were new to me. Read from a brittle copy in the library that was missing some pages and parts of others.
111. Double Fold: Libraries and the Assault on Paper by Nicholson Baker (370 pgs)
"The library has gone astray partly because we trusted the librarians so completely." ( Read more... )
112. To the Lighthouse by Virginia Woolf (209 pgs)
I've had this on my to-read pile for a while, and I'm not all together certain I haven't read it before. The setting is interesting (cold weather islands are a favorite of mine) but it is more about what goes on INSIDE the house as the family talks about going to the lighthouse.
113. What I Talk About When I Talk About Running by Haruki Murakami (180 pgs)
A quick read about running and writing, nice to read at the end of another successful National Novel Writing Month. :)
114. Norwegian Wood by Haruki Murakami (296 pgs)
I really had to mull over this one before writing anything about it. To so many people it appears to be a love story, but I really take issue with that - this is a dark, twisted story really, with a lot of mental anguish for everyone except the main character. I am starting to take issue with the typical Murakami protagonist - they seem so bewildered about the world around them, particularly about women but people in general, and the only relationships they have are those that fall into their lives. I hate people who float around and let things happen TO them.
In this novel it seems somehow worse. Surely there is something Toru can do, but maybe Nagasawa is right when he says Toru only knows to think about himself. The ending, and several moments throughout the story, really made me sick to my stomach. I need to take a break from him for a while, I think.
Louis Armstrong's personal tale of growing up in New Orleans. A quick read, and full of interesting tidbits!
99. Her Fearful Symmetry by Audrey Niffenegger (406 pgs)
A rather gothic tale of two sets of twins. Elspeth has died in London, leaving her flat to the twin daughters of her twin sister in Chicago. Hauntings, mysteries, and a man with ocd make up most of the story. There were some touching moments, particularly between Elspeth and Robert, but like most readers, I didn't find this to be nearly as endearing as the Time Traveler's Wife.
100. Stealing Buddha's Dinner by Bich Minh Nguyen (256 pgs)
A Vietnamese refugee and her childhood story, told largely through the cravings of American processed food.
101. Ooga-Booga by Frederick Seidel (101 pgs)
Reflective, a bit repetitive in theme. The occasional rhyming is a bit hard to know what to do with. My favorite poem was "Violin," but maybe I was looking for optimism.
102. Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout (270 pgs)
Olive is difficult, moody, and opinionated; also observant, direct, and caring in her own way. Strout presents her through a variety of lenses in a grouping of short stories, all directly or indirectly tied to the character of Olive Kitteridge. I can't decide if I liked it or not. It isn't heartwarming, but feels rather genuine, which might be refreshing.
103. The Anthologist by Nicholson Baker (243 pgs)
I'm carrying this book around in my head these days, seeing poetry everywhere I look and thinking in rhyme. A great love letter to poetry, especially the rhyming kind, and an interesting character of the poet Paul Chowder who just needs to finish the introduction to an anthology of rhyming poems.
104. Rivers to the Sea by Sara Teasdale (148 pgs)
I feel like such a sap when I read Teasdale. While her poetry is simple in structure and often very short (some are only one stanza), and they tend to rhyme, they are full of longing and sentimentality. This set comes with the poem that is rumored to be the one she wrote after her past love killed himself ("I Shall Not Care"). My favorites were Spring, From the Woolworth Tower, I Am Not Yours, and A Cry; I didn't care much for the second of the five sections. Her poems seem familiar, but I don't think I've read her before. I think that is more a reflection of the simplicity and feeling of loss or sadness.
105. Dark of the Moon by Sara Teasdale (94 pgs)
Teasdale is definitely older and more introspective in this volume (compared to Rivers to the Sea). These poems are more about nature, her inner life, and what she was contributing and experiencing. She's lost some of the wistfulness for love, and seems to have replaced it with a general longing for life in general.
106. Stars Tonight by Sara Teasdale (49 pgs)
A compilation of more child-appropriate poems.
107. Strange Victory by Sara Teasdale (37 pgs)
A small collection of poems, as far as I can tell, from around the time of when Teasdale's former love committed suicide. Death is a common theme, as well as loss.
"No one worth possessing
Can be quite possessed."
108. The Magicians by Lev Grossman (402 pgs)
I admit to getting this book because I thought the cover was beautiful.
To me this seems like two books, or three, that the author just couldn't decide between writing - one was a grown-up Harry Potter type story, if magic school were at the college level. But he raced through telling that part to get to the magical land part, which to me was even less satisfying than the story about Brakebills College.
I never thought I would say this, because allegedly I hate reading fantasy series, but this would have been better spread out so more time could have been taken with each stage
109. Collected Poems of Sara Teasdale (311 pgs)
I was glad to have found the smaller bound volumes of Teasdale's poems, because several were excluded from this collection, and one was one of my favorites ("Spring" from Rivers to the Sea). There aren't any explanations for the exclusions other than that they were based on conversations she had with friends.
I tend to like her shorter, rhyming, sentimental poems than her longer, affected sonnets and tributes to mythological figures.
110. The Answering Voice ed. by Sara Teasdale (131 pgs)
This captures what women poets were writing about love around the time that Teasdale compiled these poems. Some standards, some poets who were new to me. Read from a brittle copy in the library that was missing some pages and parts of others.
111. Double Fold: Libraries and the Assault on Paper by Nicholson Baker (370 pgs)
"The library has gone astray partly because we trusted the librarians so completely." ( Read more... )
112. To the Lighthouse by Virginia Woolf (209 pgs)
I've had this on my to-read pile for a while, and I'm not all together certain I haven't read it before. The setting is interesting (cold weather islands are a favorite of mine) but it is more about what goes on INSIDE the house as the family talks about going to the lighthouse.
113. What I Talk About When I Talk About Running by Haruki Murakami (180 pgs)
A quick read about running and writing, nice to read at the end of another successful National Novel Writing Month. :)
114. Norwegian Wood by Haruki Murakami (296 pgs)
I really had to mull over this one before writing anything about it. To so many people it appears to be a love story, but I really take issue with that - this is a dark, twisted story really, with a lot of mental anguish for everyone except the main character. I am starting to take issue with the typical Murakami protagonist - they seem so bewildered about the world around them, particularly about women but people in general, and the only relationships they have are those that fall into their lives. I hate people who float around and let things happen TO them.
In this novel it seems somehow worse. Surely there is something Toru can do, but maybe Nagasawa is right when he says Toru only knows to think about himself. The ending, and several moments throughout the story, really made me sick to my stomach. I need to take a break from him for a while, I think.
- Mood:enthusiastic
- Music:Barenaked Ladies, "What a Good Boy"
86. Just After Sunset, by Stephen King. Stephen King's latest compilation of short stories is a great read. Most of them are horror, and all have horrific elements, but there's a lot of variety. There's The Gingerbread Girl and A Very Tight Place, which have no supernatural elements but are probably the freakiest stories because there are no "unexplained phenomenon" -- just human nature at its worst. Mute is probably the closest to non-horror, but it does pose some interesting moral dilemnas. Some are bittersweet, like Willa, where a young couple finds a new life (literally) in an old honkytonk bar, and The Things They Left Behind, a haunting tribute to the September 11 terrorist attacks. The New York Times at Special Bargain Rates also falls in this category, when a recently widowed woman gets a phone call that gives her not only a chance at closure but later saves her life. The most frightening story in my opinion was "N." This reminded me in some ways of The Ring. Probably because of it's spooky repeating-pattern nature, if that makes any sense. All in all, very enjoyable.
42 MISS JULIE August Strindberg (Sweden, 1888)
Class: Theatre History Part II
Miss Julie is a young woman torn between society's expectations and her deceased mother's education. One evening she seduces (and is seduced) by her manservant Jean. But it is a situation that she cannot handle properly as she is confused and is never sure if she should act the way a woman is expected to act or if she should be the way her mother taught her to be and act like a man. The evening is a battle of power between the two sexes and the two classes.
Miss Julie is a typical naturalistic play as it deals with forces that are beyond the characters and that they are unable to escape. Because of the contrast between her education and society, we know from the beginning that Miss Julie will never find her place and is doomed to failure. The truth is I was not particularly impressed by the play when I read it and I couldn't understand the message but studying it made me change my mind completely. It is not openly dramatic but when we decide to pay attention to all the symbols then everything becomes meaningful.
3/5
Class: Theatre History Part II
Miss Julie is a young woman torn between society's expectations and her deceased mother's education. One evening she seduces (and is seduced) by her manservant Jean. But it is a situation that she cannot handle properly as she is confused and is never sure if she should act the way a woman is expected to act or if she should be the way her mother taught her to be and act like a man. The evening is a battle of power between the two sexes and the two classes.
Miss Julie is a typical naturalistic play as it deals with forces that are beyond the characters and that they are unable to escape. Because of the contrast between her education and society, we know from the beginning that Miss Julie will never find her place and is doomed to failure. The truth is I was not particularly impressed by the play when I read it and I couldn't understand the message but studying it made me change my mind completely. It is not openly dramatic but when we decide to pay attention to all the symbols then everything becomes meaningful.
3/5
- Location:Naperville, Il (USA)
- Mood:
heartbroken
I tried starting this a few months back, but that didn't work out :P.
So I officially start today, and my challenge ends December 1st, 2010.
The first thirty books on the list are books I own. Half I have read and will reread, and the other half I never got around to reading, but I made a promise to myself that I would read all the books I have before buying and borrowing from a library.
My favorite authors are Milan Kundera, Fred Alan Wolfe and Allen Ginsberg (but have none of him on my list..hmmm).
I'm into psychology, mysticism, quantum physics, shamanism, sci-fi of which can be applied to life, the beatnik culture... the 60's especially, and classic works (if not only to be able to say...been there, read that...or swoon over the work like millions before me).
My list is as flexible as the books availability to me. I'm poor, haha. And have library fines (lame, i know i know). And I loveeee thrift store/used book store finds !!
Oh, and I enjoy interesting people, interested in similar things as me. Feel free to add me, I'm pretty friendly :)
~ Sarah Marie
P.S.
I'm trying to put the list behind a cut, if it doesn't work at first, I apologize and will work on it until it's hidden :). I don't have much luck with cuts !!
( MY LIST )
So I officially start today, and my challenge ends December 1st, 2010.
The first thirty books on the list are books I own. Half I have read and will reread, and the other half I never got around to reading, but I made a promise to myself that I would read all the books I have before buying and borrowing from a library.
My favorite authors are Milan Kundera, Fred Alan Wolfe and Allen Ginsberg (but have none of him on my list..hmmm).
I'm into psychology, mysticism, quantum physics, shamanism, sci-fi of which can be applied to life, the beatnik culture... the 60's especially, and classic works (if not only to be able to say...been there, read that...or swoon over the work like millions before me).
My list is as flexible as the books availability to me. I'm poor, haha. And have library fines (lame, i know i know). And I loveeee thrift store/used book store finds !!
Oh, and I enjoy interesting people, interested in similar things as me. Feel free to add me, I'm pretty friendly :)
~ Sarah Marie
P.S.
I'm trying to put the list behind a cut, if it doesn't work at first, I apologize and will work on it until it's hidden :). I don't have much luck with cuts !!
( MY LIST )
- Location:new york
- Mood: calm
- Music:mgmt
Salman Rushdie – The satanic verses
A book that causes religious leaders to call a fatwa must be special. And contrary to my belief that one has to read the book in its original language if possible, I did read a translation this time. A hard back cover special cheap edition made me buy it, I guess that reading it in Dutch wasn’t a bad choice actually.
Several months this book was next to my bed, a few pages every night. At times I considered giving in. In the end I didn’t. Several chapters really dragged me in. Most didn’t. I am sure my basic knowledge of the Islam was way too short to completely understand the book.
And I’m not even talking about the controversy. I have tried to understand why people would consider the book offensive. I couldn’t. I don’t see the key role for Mohammed, not even after I found out he is renamed Mahound. Regardless if I did or didn’t understand it, I don’t think a fatwa can be an appropriate answer to a book. No book can be so bad/controversial/offensive that that author should be killed. Next to that I firmly believe that 99% (and that’s a low estimate) of the offended Muslims have not read the book. I personally don’t know anyone who had read it. Another guess: I think that many readers have bought the book because of the controversy, but still haven’t read it or haven’t finished it. Some people (like me?) like to show that they are open minded, like to show this book on their shelf. But reading it is a different story.
To me, the episode of Hind dragging a whole village across the desert on her way to Mecca was the best part of the story. For the first time I was really eager to continue reading, to find out what would happen next.
After more than three months I finally managed to finish reading the satanic verses. Disappointed mostly. With myself, for not understanding it. With the book, for not being interesting enough. With the world, for allowing a book to be this controversial. With Muslims, for being offended by a book and without thinking following some idiot Persian religious leader who wants to see Rushdie dead. With Rushdie, for writing the worst book I have read by him.
Quote: “For are they not coinjoined opposites, these two, each man the other's shadow? – One seeking to be transformed into the foreigness he admires, the other preferring, contemptuously, to transform; one, a hapless fellow who seems to be continually punished for uncommitted crimes, the other called angelic by one and all, the type of man who gets away with everything. – We may describe Chamcha as being somewhat less than life-size; but loud, vulgar Gibreel is, without question, a good deal larger than life, a disparity which might easily inspire neo-Procrustean lusts in Chamcha: to stretch himself by cutting Farishta down to size.
What is unforgivable?” (page 400 in my Dutch edition)
Number: 09-054
Title: The satanic verses
Author: Salman Rushdie
Language: Dutch (Orig.: English)
Year: 1988
# Pages: 511 (11216)
Category: Literature
ISBN: 90-250-0001-0
Not a very productive reading month, but I've made my secondary target of 60 books for the year. I somehow don't think I'll reach my main target of 75, but that was always probably out of reach. Anyway, this last month I read:
#57: When the Lights Went Out by Andy Beckett. My fascination with recent British history brings me up to the 1970s, a decade I remember all too clearly. Beckett's one sentence reference to the Protestant Workers' Strike in Northern Ireland reminds me all too easily of reading Kant's Critique of Pure Reason by candlelight while studying for my finals. As history, it is interesting simply because so much of what it covers was stuff I lived through and remember. As a history book it is perhaps less satisfactory because it is about 30% journalism: many of the key players in the decade are still alive (or were when Beckett was researching the book) and rather too much of the book is taken up with descriptions of going to visit them, what they are like now, the character of their homes, and so forth. I don't think this provides quite the context for judging the decade that Beckett reckons it does.
#58: Lord Jim by Joseph Conrad. I have a rather tentative relationship with Conrad. There is no author I have started to read and given up on more than Conrad, including this novel which I first tried to read probably in the 1960s. Revisiting it now, I don't really see why I had so much trouble, except that the prose is rather denser than my usual taste and the story, for all its colour and exotic locale, is remarkably slow moving. I enjoyed it more the further I got into it, with the final section where Jim gains redemption but loses his life, the best of all for my money.
#59: The Continuous Katherine Mortenhoe by D.G. Compton, which I re-read because I'm writing a chapter on the film adaptation for a book, but it's such a good book I should return to it more often, as I explained here.
#60: Brain Thief by Alexander Jablokov, reviewed for The New York Review of Science Fiction. A comic caper that is so thoroughly plotted that it feels hermetically sealed. There's a lot of clever stuff in the construction but it feels totally lifeless.
#57: When the Lights Went Out by Andy Beckett. My fascination with recent British history brings me up to the 1970s, a decade I remember all too clearly. Beckett's one sentence reference to the Protestant Workers' Strike in Northern Ireland reminds me all too easily of reading Kant's Critique of Pure Reason by candlelight while studying for my finals. As history, it is interesting simply because so much of what it covers was stuff I lived through and remember. As a history book it is perhaps less satisfactory because it is about 30% journalism: many of the key players in the decade are still alive (or were when Beckett was researching the book) and rather too much of the book is taken up with descriptions of going to visit them, what they are like now, the character of their homes, and so forth. I don't think this provides quite the context for judging the decade that Beckett reckons it does.
#58: Lord Jim by Joseph Conrad. I have a rather tentative relationship with Conrad. There is no author I have started to read and given up on more than Conrad, including this novel which I first tried to read probably in the 1960s. Revisiting it now, I don't really see why I had so much trouble, except that the prose is rather denser than my usual taste and the story, for all its colour and exotic locale, is remarkably slow moving. I enjoyed it more the further I got into it, with the final section where Jim gains redemption but loses his life, the best of all for my money.
#59: The Continuous Katherine Mortenhoe by D.G. Compton, which I re-read because I'm writing a chapter on the film adaptation for a book, but it's such a good book I should return to it more often, as I explained here.
#60: Brain Thief by Alexander Jablokov, reviewed for The New York Review of Science Fiction. A comic caper that is so thoroughly plotted that it feels hermetically sealed. There's a lot of clever stuff in the construction but it feels totally lifeless.
Book #87 -- Robert Coover, Pricksongs & Descants: Fictions
, 256 pages.
Ok, I have to admit, I didn't like this one very much. It was very post-modern and meta, and artsy, and half the time I couldn't tell what was supposed to be going on I think that was the point. It was very well written, and he did some interesting things with branching outcomes, but it was still a little to esoteric for me.
Progress toward goals: 335/365 = 91.8%
Books: 87/100 = 87.0%
Pages: 21984/25000 = 87.9%
2009 Book List
cross-posted to15000pages, 50bookchallenge, and gwynraven
, 256 pages.Ok, I have to admit, I didn't like this one very much. It was very post-modern and meta, and artsy, and half the time I couldn't tell what was supposed to be going on I think that was the point. It was very well written, and he did some interesting things with branching outcomes, but it was still a little to esoteric for me.
Progress toward goals: 335/365 = 91.8%
Books: 87/100 = 87.0%
Pages: 21984/25000 = 87.9%
2009 Book List
cross-posted to
15000pages, 50bookchallenge, and gwynravenLike space opera? Parodies? Well, Space Captain Smith by Toby Frost has it all. It's chock full of references to other SF idioms, and at the same time shakes up the Victorian image of the British Empire pulled into space. A fast and fairly funny read. I finished reading it yesterday...
108. Norman Mailer, The Executioner's Song: This true crime novel is about the crime and punishment of Gary Gilmore, who was the first man to be executed in the US since the Supreme Court had suspended the death penalty several years before. The novel is extremely long and detailed, giving a myriad of perspectives on Gilmore's life and death. It's worth a read - if you can get through it! My full review is here.
109. Frank McCourt, Angela's Ashes: In this Pulitzer-winning memoir, McCourt tells the story of his impoverished childhood in Limerick, Ireland. The events of the book are (for the most part) terribly sad, yet McCourt's sense of humor is evident. I would recommend this book to anyone interested in memoirs, Ireland, or the American immigrant experience. My review is here.
110. Ernest Hemingway, The Old Man and the Sea: This might be the shortest novel ever to win the Pulitzer. :) An old man goes fishing off the coast of Cuba, hoping for a big catch after a long run of bad luck. He encounters the largest fish of his career, but he must figure out how to catch it and get it back to shore. The book is rather dull, but it's also very short, so it's worth a read in my opinion. Full review is here.
111. R. D. Blackmore, Lorna Doone: This 19th-century novel explores the romance between John Ridd, a simple yeoman farmer, and Lorna Doone, the daughter of a famous outlaw. The lovers' personal journey takes place amidst the political turmoil of the late 17th century in England. This novel is typical of the 19th century in that it's quite long-winded and digressive; however, fans of the classics should enjoy it. My review is here.
112. Toni Morrison, The Bluest Eye: This novel examines race and culture in mid-20th-century America. Pecola Breedlove is a young black girl who desperately wants to have blue eyes, so she can be "beautiful" like the white girls in her town. Yet the futility of her dream, as well as the harsh experiences she must endure, eventually ends in tragedy. I thought this book was extremely good and thought-provoking; I would definitely recommend it. Full review is here.
113. Alexandra Robbins and Abby Wilner, Quarterlife Crisis: The Unique Challenges of Life in Your Twenties: This book is a collection of anecdotes from twentysomethings in the late 1990s, as they discuss the various problems they're facing. Issues include career choices, relationship anxiety, and the transition from college life to the "real world." I could relate to a lot of the experiences in this book, but I wouldn't call it groundbreaking. It's also not a very good sociological work, in the sense that there's no statistical evidence to back up the authors' claims.
114. Nancy Werlin, Impossible: This romantic fantasy was inspired by the Simon and Garfunkel song "Scarborough Fair." Seventeen-year-old Lucy Scarborough finds out that the women in her family are cursed; in order to break the curse, she must complete the impossible tasks mentioned in the ballad. The standard fairy tale ingredients are present - a curse, an evil fairy, a heroic quest, and true love - but with a modern twist. I enjoyed this book a lot and found it a very absorbing read. Reviews of #113 and 114 are here.
(Cross-posted tobooks and 100ormorebooks.)
109. Frank McCourt, Angela's Ashes: In this Pulitzer-winning memoir, McCourt tells the story of his impoverished childhood in Limerick, Ireland. The events of the book are (for the most part) terribly sad, yet McCourt's sense of humor is evident. I would recommend this book to anyone interested in memoirs, Ireland, or the American immigrant experience. My review is here.
110. Ernest Hemingway, The Old Man and the Sea: This might be the shortest novel ever to win the Pulitzer. :) An old man goes fishing off the coast of Cuba, hoping for a big catch after a long run of bad luck. He encounters the largest fish of his career, but he must figure out how to catch it and get it back to shore. The book is rather dull, but it's also very short, so it's worth a read in my opinion. Full review is here.
111. R. D. Blackmore, Lorna Doone: This 19th-century novel explores the romance between John Ridd, a simple yeoman farmer, and Lorna Doone, the daughter of a famous outlaw. The lovers' personal journey takes place amidst the political turmoil of the late 17th century in England. This novel is typical of the 19th century in that it's quite long-winded and digressive; however, fans of the classics should enjoy it. My review is here.
112. Toni Morrison, The Bluest Eye: This novel examines race and culture in mid-20th-century America. Pecola Breedlove is a young black girl who desperately wants to have blue eyes, so she can be "beautiful" like the white girls in her town. Yet the futility of her dream, as well as the harsh experiences she must endure, eventually ends in tragedy. I thought this book was extremely good and thought-provoking; I would definitely recommend it. Full review is here.
113. Alexandra Robbins and Abby Wilner, Quarterlife Crisis: The Unique Challenges of Life in Your Twenties: This book is a collection of anecdotes from twentysomethings in the late 1990s, as they discuss the various problems they're facing. Issues include career choices, relationship anxiety, and the transition from college life to the "real world." I could relate to a lot of the experiences in this book, but I wouldn't call it groundbreaking. It's also not a very good sociological work, in the sense that there's no statistical evidence to back up the authors' claims.
114. Nancy Werlin, Impossible: This romantic fantasy was inspired by the Simon and Garfunkel song "Scarborough Fair." Seventeen-year-old Lucy Scarborough finds out that the women in her family are cursed; in order to break the curse, she must complete the impossible tasks mentioned in the ballad. The standard fairy tale ingredients are present - a curse, an evil fairy, a heroic quest, and true love - but with a modern twist. I enjoyed this book a lot and found it a very absorbing read. Reviews of #113 and 114 are here.
(Cross-posted to
books and 100ormorebooks.)Wren Valere has a problem. As a magic-wielding Retriver, she's known as the best at her job. Unfortunately, the Council seems to be poisoning clients against her, and the bills need paying. Even under dire financial straits, Wren and her partner Sergei are reluctant to take on the Silence's job offer: go to Italy and retrieve a missing old parchment that happens to make any readers vanish.
I enjoyed this book much more than the first book, but my feelings are still mixed. Wren and Sergei's chemistry really kicked in, and I enjoyed their relationship against the backdrop of magical political intrigue and deception. It still felt muddled at times, though, like there was too much plot development going on for future books; the viewpoint switches from Wren seemed unnecessary, too. I probably won't continue with the series from here.
I enjoyed this book much more than the first book, but my feelings are still mixed. Wren and Sergei's chemistry really kicked in, and I enjoyed their relationship against the backdrop of magical political intrigue and deception. It still felt muddled at times, though, like there was too much plot development going on for future books; the viewpoint switches from Wren seemed unnecessary, too. I probably won't continue with the series from here.
- Mood:busy
Books 1-10
Books 11-20
Books 21-30
31. ( The Dream Quake )
32. ( Daylight )
33. ( Winter Wood )
34. ( Sorcery and Cecelia: or, The Enchanted Chocolate Pot )
35. ( Princess Hynchatti and Some Other Surprises )
36. ( The Bell at Sealey Head )
37. ( Quirkology: The curious science of everyday lives )
38. ( Brat Farrar )
39. ( The Cabinet of Wonders )
40. ( Sum: Forty tales from the afterlives )
Books 11-20
Books 21-30
31. ( The Dream Quake )
32. ( Daylight )
33. ( Winter Wood )
34. ( Sorcery and Cecelia: or, The Enchanted Chocolate Pot )
35. ( Princess Hynchatti and Some Other Surprises )
36. ( The Bell at Sealey Head )
37. ( Quirkology: The curious science of everyday lives )
38. ( Brat Farrar )
39. ( The Cabinet of Wonders )
40. ( Sum: Forty tales from the afterlives )
The end is nigh!
#42 - Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters by Jane Austen and Ben Winters (2009, 340 pages)
The parodies of Jane Austen's works continue as Ben Winters helps the iconic author tackle sea monsters.
The sea has turned against humans, as all matter of sea creatures have a blood lust that can only be satiated by the destruction of human kind. The Dashwood sisters, Marianne and Elinor, only want to find love, but between dealing with meddlesome people and violent, and massively oversized, sea creatures, they find that true love is hard to find.
The story follows Austen's original but is set in an alternate universe, where The Alteration, a cryptic name that is never fully explained, has changed normal sea animals into blood-thirsty monstrocities. It follows in the same vein as Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, but at the Dashwood sisters do not often come into contact with the creatures, it does not quite work the way the first book did. Adding to my frustration was the fact that this book moves far slower than Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, making me feel as though I had to force myself on at points.
It's not that it's a bad book; it's just not a great book, which is why I give it an okay two and a half out of five mermen.
Total Books Read: 42 / 50 (84 percent)
Total Pages Read: 12,092 / 15,000 (81 percent)
#42 - Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters by Jane Austen and Ben Winters (2009, 340 pages)
The parodies of Jane Austen's works continue as Ben Winters helps the iconic author tackle sea monsters.
The sea has turned against humans, as all matter of sea creatures have a blood lust that can only be satiated by the destruction of human kind. The Dashwood sisters, Marianne and Elinor, only want to find love, but between dealing with meddlesome people and violent, and massively oversized, sea creatures, they find that true love is hard to find.
The story follows Austen's original but is set in an alternate universe, where The Alteration, a cryptic name that is never fully explained, has changed normal sea animals into blood-thirsty monstrocities. It follows in the same vein as Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, but at the Dashwood sisters do not often come into contact with the creatures, it does not quite work the way the first book did. Adding to my frustration was the fact that this book moves far slower than Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, making me feel as though I had to force myself on at points.
It's not that it's a bad book; it's just not a great book, which is why I give it an okay two and a half out of five mermen.
Total Books Read: 42 / 50 (84 percent)
Total Pages Read: 12,092 / 15,000 (81 percent)
- Mood: blah
Eric-Emmanuel Schmitt – Oscar and the lady in pink
The name of the author sounds German, but he is French. I bought the book in Germany, but it has been translated to English. But whatever language, the message is clear, regardless where you’ve read it.
Oscar is ill, very ill. He is in a hospital, waiting to die. His parents are afraid to tell him so directly, so the only one he can confide in is a nurse he calls Granny Rose. She tells him to live the last days of his life as if a day is a decade. And Oscar listens to her and lives a whole life in a week.
The book can probably be seen as a children’s book, but it should be read by everybody. Who doesn’t know someone with cancer? Who doesn’t realise how bad this disease is? Buy this book somewhere and read it. A sad book, but also a book with a smile. Praise to the author who manages to put both into the story.
Quote: “They’re frightened of me. They can’t bring themselves to speak to me. And the less they speak to me, the more like a monster they make me feel. Why are they so scared of me?” (p. 68/69)
Number: 09-053
Title: Oscar and the lady in pink (Orig.: Oscar et la dame rose)
Author: Eric-Emmanuel Schmitt
Language: English (Orig.: French)
Year: 2002
# Pages: 88 (10705)
Category: Children’s books
ISBN: 1-84354-450-4
October:
52. O Império dos Pardais by João Paulo Oliveira e Costa [read in portuguese, 516 pages]
genre: historical fiction
rating: 4/5
The author was my Modern History teacher while I was in college and is known by his biography of King Manuel I. This was his first work of fiction and is set during King Manuel's reign. Thanks to the author's knowledge of the time, you can really feel like walking in the 16th century Lisbon, a city in which all the world converged and where foreign spies tried to get knowledge of the new lands discovered by the Portuguese. Full review at Goodreads, in portuguese.
53. North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell [528 pages]
genre: romance
rating: 5/5
I learned of this book through the BBC series, which I loved it. I've tried it for two or three times but postponed it as I thought those weren't the best occasions to read it, but this year I decided that this was it. Apparently I wasn't wrong. What impressed me the most in this book was the writing style of the author. I confess I'm not usually aware of writing styles but Elizabeth Gaskell's was just delightful. A book more than recommended, a true classic. It is one of those books whose last page leaves a huge hole and it seems that no other book will fill it. It's one of those books that stay with us. It's one of those books to read again and again. Full review here.
November:
54. The Poyson Garden (Elizabeth I Mysteries, Book 1) by Karen Harper [320 pages]
genre: mystery
rating: 2/5
I decided to pick up this book because I thought it would be a lightweight reading. And it was light... too light and in a very bad way. I love mysteries, at least I love the mysteries by Agatha Christie, with interesting characters and even peculiar ones, as Poirot, with storylines that tie us from the first page to last due to all the suspense created around a particular event or character or because the twists are ingeniously introduced here and there. None of this happens in this book. Several times I felt like quitting the book but decided to continue the series as I hope that the following are better. Full review here.
55. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (Harry Potter, Book 7) by J.K. Rowling, read by Stephen Fry [audiobook]
genre: fantasy
rating: 5/5
Again, for the second time, I get to the end of this saga. Having read this book for the first time not so long ago, just over two years ago, and having already left my opinion here I have nothing more to add except that, like the other audiobooks, Stephen Fry does a great job. It was certainly another way to enjoy one of the best stories I've ever had the pleasure to read.
56. The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (The Chronicles of Narnia) by C.S. Lewis, read by Maurice Denham & Cast (BBC Radio Collection: Chronicles of Narnia) [audiobook]
genre: fantasy
rating: 4/5
This was the first book of this saga written by CS Lewis, but it's the second volume if one follows the chronology of Narnia (which I have done before, I'm now re-reading them following their publication order), a land to which Lucy, Edmund, Susan and Peter travel after finding a strange wardrobe. There they encounter ancient legends saying that two sons of Adam and two daughters of Eve will defeat the White Witch of Narnia who bewitched the land so that it's always winter but never Christmas. It is considered one of the best books of the saga, but I confess that it isn't one of my favorites. It is certainly a book more geared to children but it is still interesting to read, delighting our inner child.
57. The Tidal Poole (Elizabeth I Mysteries, Book 2) by Karen Harper [336 pages]
genre: mystery
rating: 2/5
The previous volume of this series introduces us to Queen Elizabeth I of England who solves mysteries or murders that may or may not be connected to her royal self. It wasn't the best books I've read this year and this one follows its footsteps. This book will only be good for those who really like mysteries and this period of history, for those who have nothing to read, or those looking for a reading that does not require much of the reader. Full review here.
58. Prince Caspian (The Chronicles of Narnia) by C.S. Lewis, read by Maurice Denham & Cast (BBC Radio Collection: Chronicles of Narnia) [audiobook]
genre: fantasy
rating: 4/5
Caspian is a young prince, heir to the throne of Narnia, but being very young is his uncle Miraz who rules. But Miraz wants to be more than Regent, he wants to be king and his sons to succeed him which forces Caspian to flee. Having grown up listening to the legends of Old Narnia, Caspian joins the Talking Animals and all the creatures that once inhabited the Old Narnia to regain his throne. But he also has the help of the kings of old, whom he calls with the magic horn of one of them. And this is how the four siblings Lucy, Edmund, Susan and Peter return to Narnia for another adventure. Another good book, we notice that some characters "grow" and, therefore, the perception of Narnia becomes a little more different. In this book one of my favorite characters makes its first appearance, the small Reepicheep.
59. The Voyage of the Dawn Treader (The Chronicles of Narnia) by C.S. Lewis, read by Maurice Denham & Cast (BBC Radio Collection: Chronicles of Narnia) [audiobook]
genre: fantasy
rating: 5/5
Lucy and Edmund return to meet Caspian, this time not in Narnia but on board the vessel "Dawn Treader", and this time they arrive with their cousin Eustace, an unbearable child. The story takes the characters to great adventures, but Eustace and Reepicheep are the protagonists of some of the most exciting ones. This is one of my favorite books of this saga, particularly because of Eustace's growth (his story it is somewhat similar to that of Edmund's in The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe) and Reepicheep's bravery.
60. The Twylight Tower (Elizabeth I Mysteries, Book 3) by Karen Harper [352 pages]
genre: mystery
rating: 2/5
And it's more of the same. Another murder that seems to have nothing to do with the queen and in the end it has everything to do with her. It's all very predictable and I think the main character is so obnoxious that I couldn't care if the killer could reach her or not. I expected more from this series but it was a real disappointment so, after a brief glance over the other volumes I have, I think I'm done with this series. Full review here.
61. Loving Jack by Nora Roberts [read in portuguese, 320 pages]
genre: chick lit
rating: 2/5
I honestly don't know what was waiting for when I picked up this book. This month has been difficult and wanted something light but engaging and thrilling, but this book wasn't so. Full review here.
List of books read in:
January #1 - 7 / February #8 - 12 / March #13 - 19 / April #20 - 23 / May #24 - 27 / June #28 - 35 / July #36 - 40 / August & September #41 - 51
52. O Império dos Pardais by João Paulo Oliveira e Costa [read in portuguese, 516 pages]
genre: historical fiction
rating: 4/5
The author was my Modern History teacher while I was in college and is known by his biography of King Manuel I. This was his first work of fiction and is set during King Manuel's reign. Thanks to the author's knowledge of the time, you can really feel like walking in the 16th century Lisbon, a city in which all the world converged and where foreign spies tried to get knowledge of the new lands discovered by the Portuguese. Full review at Goodreads, in portuguese.
53. North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell [528 pages]
genre: romance
rating: 5/5
I learned of this book through the BBC series, which I loved it. I've tried it for two or three times but postponed it as I thought those weren't the best occasions to read it, but this year I decided that this was it. Apparently I wasn't wrong. What impressed me the most in this book was the writing style of the author. I confess I'm not usually aware of writing styles but Elizabeth Gaskell's was just delightful. A book more than recommended, a true classic. It is one of those books whose last page leaves a huge hole and it seems that no other book will fill it. It's one of those books that stay with us. It's one of those books to read again and again. Full review here.
November:
54. The Poyson Garden (Elizabeth I Mysteries, Book 1) by Karen Harper [320 pages]
genre: mystery
rating: 2/5
I decided to pick up this book because I thought it would be a lightweight reading. And it was light... too light and in a very bad way. I love mysteries, at least I love the mysteries by Agatha Christie, with interesting characters and even peculiar ones, as Poirot, with storylines that tie us from the first page to last due to all the suspense created around a particular event or character or because the twists are ingeniously introduced here and there. None of this happens in this book. Several times I felt like quitting the book but decided to continue the series as I hope that the following are better. Full review here.
55. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (Harry Potter, Book 7) by J.K. Rowling, read by Stephen Fry [audiobook]
genre: fantasy
rating: 5/5
Again, for the second time, I get to the end of this saga. Having read this book for the first time not so long ago, just over two years ago, and having already left my opinion here I have nothing more to add except that, like the other audiobooks, Stephen Fry does a great job. It was certainly another way to enjoy one of the best stories I've ever had the pleasure to read.
56. The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (The Chronicles of Narnia) by C.S. Lewis, read by Maurice Denham & Cast (BBC Radio Collection: Chronicles of Narnia) [audiobook]
genre: fantasy
rating: 4/5
This was the first book of this saga written by CS Lewis, but it's the second volume if one follows the chronology of Narnia (which I have done before, I'm now re-reading them following their publication order), a land to which Lucy, Edmund, Susan and Peter travel after finding a strange wardrobe. There they encounter ancient legends saying that two sons of Adam and two daughters of Eve will defeat the White Witch of Narnia who bewitched the land so that it's always winter but never Christmas. It is considered one of the best books of the saga, but I confess that it isn't one of my favorites. It is certainly a book more geared to children but it is still interesting to read, delighting our inner child.
57. The Tidal Poole (Elizabeth I Mysteries, Book 2) by Karen Harper [336 pages]
genre: mystery
rating: 2/5
The previous volume of this series introduces us to Queen Elizabeth I of England who solves mysteries or murders that may or may not be connected to her royal self. It wasn't the best books I've read this year and this one follows its footsteps. This book will only be good for those who really like mysteries and this period of history, for those who have nothing to read, or those looking for a reading that does not require much of the reader. Full review here.
58. Prince Caspian (The Chronicles of Narnia) by C.S. Lewis, read by Maurice Denham & Cast (BBC Radio Collection: Chronicles of Narnia) [audiobook]
genre: fantasy
rating: 4/5
Caspian is a young prince, heir to the throne of Narnia, but being very young is his uncle Miraz who rules. But Miraz wants to be more than Regent, he wants to be king and his sons to succeed him which forces Caspian to flee. Having grown up listening to the legends of Old Narnia, Caspian joins the Talking Animals and all the creatures that once inhabited the Old Narnia to regain his throne. But he also has the help of the kings of old, whom he calls with the magic horn of one of them. And this is how the four siblings Lucy, Edmund, Susan and Peter return to Narnia for another adventure. Another good book, we notice that some characters "grow" and, therefore, the perception of Narnia becomes a little more different. In this book one of my favorite characters makes its first appearance, the small Reepicheep.
59. The Voyage of the Dawn Treader (The Chronicles of Narnia) by C.S. Lewis, read by Maurice Denham & Cast (BBC Radio Collection: Chronicles of Narnia) [audiobook]
genre: fantasy
rating: 5/5
Lucy and Edmund return to meet Caspian, this time not in Narnia but on board the vessel "Dawn Treader", and this time they arrive with their cousin Eustace, an unbearable child. The story takes the characters to great adventures, but Eustace and Reepicheep are the protagonists of some of the most exciting ones. This is one of my favorite books of this saga, particularly because of Eustace's growth (his story it is somewhat similar to that of Edmund's in The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe) and Reepicheep's bravery.
60. The Twylight Tower (Elizabeth I Mysteries, Book 3) by Karen Harper [352 pages]
genre: mystery
rating: 2/5
And it's more of the same. Another murder that seems to have nothing to do with the queen and in the end it has everything to do with her. It's all very predictable and I think the main character is so obnoxious that I couldn't care if the killer could reach her or not. I expected more from this series but it was a real disappointment so, after a brief glance over the other volumes I have, I think I'm done with this series. Full review here.
61. Loving Jack by Nora Roberts [read in portuguese, 320 pages]
genre: chick lit
rating: 2/5
I honestly don't know what was waiting for when I picked up this book. This month has been difficult and wanted something light but engaging and thrilling, but this book wasn't so. Full review here.
List of books read in:
January #1 - 7 / February #8 - 12 / March #13 - 19 / April #20 - 23 / May #24 - 27 / June #28 - 35 / July #36 - 40 / August & September #41 - 51
41 HEDDA GABLER Henrik Ibsen (Norway, 1890)
Class: Theatre History Part II
Hedda Gabler has just married Jorgen Tesman an ambitious but naive academic. As they move in their new house it becomes clear that she has not married him for love, but out of boredom and despair.
Class: Theatre History Part II
Hedda Gabler has just married Jorgen Tesman an ambitious but naive academic. As they move in their new house it becomes clear that she has not married him for love, but out of boredom and despair.
This is my first Ibsen and I'm very impressed by the quality of his writing and the depths of his characters. I know that depending on our reading of the play, Hedda can be analyzed in many different ways. To me she is the product of a clash between imagination and reality. Boredom is what she suffers from and this is what makes the play so powerful. At a time when women had very little options, Hedda has to struggle with a necessary marriage that somehow represents the end of her life. Only a dramatic event can save her from boredom.
3,5/5
- Location:Naperville, Il (USA)
- Mood: heartbroken
Title: Lament: the faerie's queen deception
Author: Maggie Stiefvater
Pages: 325
Genre: supernatural, young adult
Synopsis from inside cover: Sixteen-year old Deidre Monaghan is a prodigiously gifted musician. She's about to find out she's also a cloverhand-one who can see faeries.
Unexpectedly, Deidre finds herself infatuated with a mysterious boy named Luke who enters her ordinarily life, seemingly out of thin air. But his interest in her might be something darker than summer romance. When a sinister faerie named Aodhan shows up with deadly orders from the Faerie Queen, it forces Dee right into the midst of Faerie. Caught in the crossfire with Deidre is James, her wisecracking but loyal best friend.
Deidre had been wishing her summer weren't so dull, but taking on a centuries-old Faerie Queen isn't exactly what she had in mind.
My thoughts: The story was good. The characters was also good even though I disliked a few of them. Overall, I enjoyed most of the book in my opinion.
Books read: 32 books
Pages read: 10,821 pages
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- scoopgirl : Books 57, 58 and 59 - there's a favorite in here! [+0]
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- ydnimyd : #42 - Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters [+2]
- gerbie : Eric-Emmanuel Schmitt – Oscar and the lady in pink [+3]
- whitelady3 : Books read in October and November #52 - 61 [+0]
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