Random books from cestovatela's library

The Myth of Sanity: Divided Consciousness and the Promise of Awareness by Martha Stout

Geek Love: A Novel by Katherine Dunn

Me Talk Pretty One Day by David Sedaris

Second Treatise of Government by John Locke

Shark's Fin and Sichuan Pepper: A Sweet-Sour Memoir of Eating in China by Fuchsia Dunlop

Howard's End (Penguin Modern Classics) by E.M. Forster

Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting By in America by Barbara Ehrenreich

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Friends: abecedarian, ajgreep, chanphenglew, delphica, eheleneb3, elise1mds, emaestra, eswhite04, GumboWriters321, KellyDiNardo, kiravk, lifeinsomniac, lindsacl, mrstreme, onderzoeker, sdhume, skinglist, vasileios66, whymaggiemay, willoughby

Interesting libraries: abecedarian, aluvalibri, amberlinabooks, avaland, A_musing, delphica, depressaholic, eheleneb3, emaestra, falcon.kmc, fictionmap, ForrestFamily, izzybee, jhowell, kittybaby96, lifeinsomniac, LizT, myfanwy, onderzoeker, sparksflyup, SqueakyChu, suziekanshu, vgilder1, wandering_star, writestuff, Zmrzlina

LibraryThing authors: Arthur Phillips (arthurphillips), David Mitchell (davidmitchell), Lisa See (lisasee), John Green (sparksflyup)

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cestovatela's reviews

Reviews of cestovatela's books, not including cestovatela's

Member: cestovatela

CollectionsYour library (455), Currently reading (1), All collections (455)

Reviews418 reviews

Tagsfiction (288), non-fiction (157), travel (60), historical fiction (58), memoir (57), women (54), classic (42), china (32), world war ii (30), coming of age (28) — see all tags

Cloudstag cloud, author cloud

GroupsArab, North African and Middle Eastern Literature, Asian Fiction & Non-Fiction, Books Compared, High School English Teachers, Historical Fiction, Livejournalers, Reading Globally, Teachers who LibraryThing, Travel and Exploration literature

Favorite authorsSherman Alexie, Kazuo Ishiguro, David Mitchell, Virginia Woolf (Shared favorites)

About meI teach, I travel, I read and I write. I just returned to America after 3 years of teaching in Tokyo. Now I'm teaching high school back in my home town of Tulsa, OK. Last year, I traveled across many obscure countries whose names end with -stan and finally met my goal of visiting more countries than I've lived years on the planet.

My user picture is courtesy of http://oravannahka.livejournal.com

About my libraryI'm forever setting little reading projects for myself. Last year's was non-fiction about China; this year, I challenged myself to read a book from every country in the world. I keep a thread documenting my global reading here in the Reading Globally group.

I review every book I add to my library because it helps me remember them. Anything not reviewed has not yet been read. Here is a guide to my rating system:

5 stars -- superb. I am unable to criticize this work and do not doubt that I will think of it many times in the future.

4.5 stars -- a thoroughly satisfying work that will stick with me for a long time, but some imperfections in writing prevent me from giving it a full five stars.

4 stars -- a solid book. It is well-written and interesting, but not likely to be an influence on me.

3.5 stars -- a good book, but some problems with writing prevented me from enjoying it fully.

3 stars -- a mediocre read that I somewhat enjoyed but would not likely recommend to others.

less than three stars -- I regret reading this work and would not recommend it to others.

Membership LibraryThing Early Reviewers/Member Giveaway

Real nameMeredith

LocationTulsa, OK

Account typepublic, lifetime

Connection NewsConnection News

URLs http://www.librarything.com/profile/cestovatela (profile)
http://www.librarything.com/catalog/cestovatela (library)

Common KnowledgeSeries (53), Awards (346), Characters (2627), Places (622)

Member sinceApr 9, 2007

Currently readingDreams of Trespass: Tales of a Harem Girlhood by Fatima Mernissi

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cestovatela reviewed, rated, added:
Godless by Pete Hautman

(read review)

cestovatela reviewed, rated, added:
Franz Kafka's Daughter Meets the Evil Nazi Empire!!!: The Heroism of Roaches: Holocaust-Tainted Poems by Elliot Richman

(read review)

cestovatela reviewed, rated, added:
Evolution, Me & Other Freaks of Nature by Robin Brande

(read review)

cestovatela reviewed, rated, added:
Uglies by Scott Westerfeld

(read review)

cestovatela rated, reviewed, added:
The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-time Indian by Sherman Alexie

(read review)

cestovatela added:
Unaccustomed Earth: Stories (Vintage Contemporaries) by Jhumpa Lahiri

havin' fun remembering all the books I/ve read!

posted by biblionut at 9:30 am (EST) on May 14, 2009

Hey there stranger, long time no see. How's all going by you?

posted by skinglist at 10:30 am (EST) on Jan 11, 2009

I like your rating scale. Elaine

posted by eembooks at 9:22 am (EST) on Jul 6, 2008

Hello Meridith, We have only one book in common and that is Mayflower but we do live in the same state. I'm from Altus. I do have daughter who just moved to Tulsa, and she really loves it there. Have you read John Adams by David McCullough? It is one outstanding book.

Owl

posted by owlmoon at 9:31 am (EST) on Jun 30, 2008

Thanks for adding me to your interesting libraries. Browsing your library, I picked out some new books for my separate wishlist account. I share your passion for reading and traveling.

posted by suziekanshu at 3:03 pm (EST) on Jun 26, 2008

Thank you! :) I didn't intend to get sucked in so quickly, but it seems inevitable...this is a great system and I've discovered so many great books. The Reading Globally group looks like it's right up my alley too. I'll be checking it out!

posted by kiravk at 9:34 am (EST) on Apr 9, 2008

posted by kiravk at 9:30 am (EST) on Apr 9, 2008

Yes - I think I am going to be very glad I read The Agony and the Ecstasy as well. I like that the book has the guide to where the pieces of art are located -- I will definately try to break away from my family to search them out. I think the Medici tomb would be interesting as well as the Pieta. Thanks for your comment! Jen

posted by jhowell at 11:38 am (EST) on Feb 2, 2008

It won't count against you. Actually, the Knopf books were *very* late in being sent out, so you might get it still...

posted by ablachly at 12:01 am (EST) on Dec 6, 2007

Have you read Woman in the Dunes? It is a fascinating read set in Japan, and a great movie.

posted by Zmrzlina at 8:31 pm (EST) on Nov 15, 2007

I was after some recommendations and noticed that your World map included Zambia, Sierra Leone and the Dominican Republic. What did you read from these places, and would you recommend any of them?

posted by depressaholic at 7:22 am (EST) on Sep 2, 2007

Wonderful maps. Love your idea of visiting more countries than you have accumulated years. For myself I am a slow traveller - living years in each place. However I have achieved a different ambition having spent, at last, more than half my life as a "foreigner"!

posted by botanica at 3:52 pm (EST) on Aug 29, 2007

No problem - I'm glad to help! If you do want copies of any of those articles, just let me know and I can email them over to you.

posted by fannyprice at 11:27 am (EST) on Aug 12, 2007

I recently finished The Samurai's Garden by Gail Tsukiyama. I think you'd like it. It is about a chinese boy living in a coastal town in Japan during the Japanese invasion of China. There are some great characters and an interesting comparison of the two cultures.

posted by strandbooks at 8:57 pm (EST) on Aug 6, 2007

Thanks a lot for the recap of Three Cups of Tea. I'm sure the woman I know will make sure I have ready access to a copy ... add it to the TBR, I guess!

posted by lindsacl at 7:34 pm (EST) on Jul 14, 2007

Another good Myanmar book would be Land of a Thousand Eyes by Peter Olyzewski. I broke down and bought a book mentioned in that one called The Native Tourist by Ma Thanegi, but haven't read it yet.

posted by Seajack at 11:25 pm (EST) on Jun 29, 2007

Your review of Purple Hibiscus was spot on. I had to read it for an upcoming Readers Weekend in the Yorkshire Dales and my opinion chimes in with yours. Her second book, the one that has won the Orange Prize here in the UK is more accomplished but, again, over-hyped (Half of a Yellow Sun).

posted by hazelk at 7:00 am (EST) on Jun 25, 2007

Meredith,

Thought this might be of interest: (seeing your recent review of This Cold Heaven)
~Steven

Farthest North: The End of Ice
A circumpolar journey in the International Polar Year 2007-2008

Gretel Ehrlich has received a National Geographic Expeditions Grant for the International Polar Year 2007 during which she will make a circumpolar journey to talk with indigenous Arctic people at the top of the world about how their lives are being affected by the climate crisis.

See National Geographic article in the Jan, 2006 edition:
http://www7.nationalgeographic.com/ngm/0...

Ehrlich will travel from Arctic Alaska, across Nunavut, to NW Greenland, northwestern Russia, and Chukotka in NE Siberia, traveling by skin boat, fixed wing plane, helicopter, reindeer, and dogsled, gathering traditional and ecological knowledge from elders, hunters, and village people as they face the crisis of extinction – of a culture and an entire ecosystem.

Farthest North: THE END OF ICE will be a book, a magazine piece, a website, and a documentary film, with updates on “Morning Edition” by SAT phone from the field. On her website: THE END OF ICE, it will be possible to follow her circumboreal travels, to read her journal updates, see images from the top of the world, and listen to Arctic people as they tell the world about their plight.

Follow Gretel and the project at:
www.point-hope.com

posted by eugenegant at 1:37 pm (EST) on Jun 8, 2007

I'm reading Divisadero and loving it.

posted by vgilder1 at 4:48 pm (EST) on Jun 5, 2007

I read Shizuko's Daughter for a YA lit class in college. At the time I had planned to be a teacher. I remember having a great discussion about it and how it could be incorporated into lesson plans, but I don't really remember the details. Obviously, I should start writing reviews!

posted by strandbooks at 6:05 pm (EST) on Jun 4, 2007

I read the back of The Thirteenth Tale in the bookstore yesterday and didn't notice it was gothic, either. I walked around for a while with this huge compliation of the works of George Eliot, which was $13!, but decided it was TOO huge to read comfortably so I put it back, then walked around with three books from their 3 for 2 table - The Three Junes, I Capture the Castle, and How the Garcia Sisters Lost Their Accents (read any of those?), but I put all of those back when I saw Michael Ondaatje's new book, Divisadero. I think Michael Ondaatje is awe inspiring. Didn't I see on a thread that you just got The Liar's Club and The Inheritance of Loss? I hope this won't put you off since you didn't think Don't Let's Go to the Dogs Tonight was as great as I did, but I also loved The Liar's Club. It was even better than Alexandra Fuller's book. The Inheritance of Loss was beautiful, too. I think the title is perfect; all the stories of India I have read make me want to weep for something that is lost. Write again!

posted by vgilder1 at 9:32 am (EST) on Jun 3, 2007

Oh I hate that! I just loved it. What's next for you?

posted by vgilder1 at 4:28 pm (EST) on Jun 1, 2007

Thanks for the rec of When the Emperor Was Divine - I added to my TBR list, looking forward to it. Also look forward to grazing your library and reviews, we have some similar interests in books. Happy trails!

posted by teelgee at 12:51 pm (EST) on Jun 1, 2007

Thanks for the comment! I started browsing your catalog-- we have lots of books in common and I also found some ideas for my own wish list. I hope you enjoy "We," I thought it was excellent.

posted by Litfan at 5:48 pm (EST) on May 28, 2007

Don't Let's Go to the Dogs Tonight is one of my favorite books. I love books about Africa and she really takes you there - if you remember, let me know how you liked it when you finish. Have you read Cry, the Beloved Country?

posted by vgilder1 at 11:27 am (EST) on May 28, 2007

Thanks for your glowing comments about "When the Emperor was Divine" in the Reading Globally forum; I just snagged a copy on paperbackswap!

posted by lindsacl at 3:53 pm (EST) on May 21, 2007

Lamb: the gospel according to Biff by Christopher Moore - it's a book I've never head of and now want to read! Cold Sassy Tree by Olive Ann Burns and One True Thing by Anna Quindlen - books I have heard of and reading your review confirms that I should get them both.

Your review of The Scarlet Letter also took me down memory lane. 10th grade reading for me too! I still have my book (now more than 20 years old) with my marginalia and highlighting. If I ever re-read it, I will have to get a new copy. =)

I am also fascinated in the Japanese literature you have reviewed. Which one is your favorite?

posted by mrstreme at 1:54 pm (EST) on May 20, 2007

Hi, Meredith: I decided to check out your profile after seeing your affinity rating of 98% - and I am so glad I did. We share many books, and I picked up some wonderful ideas for my TBR pile.

Also, I read your entries on LiveJournal - you are a wonderful writer. Your story about the bank made me laugh out loud - and my son too, who especially liked the sentences that contained "poop" (go figure). I started a LiveJournal account last weekend and not quite sure what I will do with it. I need to play around some more.

Happy Reading!
Jill =)

posted by mrstreme at 7:48 am (EST) on May 20, 2007

Okay, I've read through your reviews. Amazing that you have done so many! I really enjoyed reading them, picked one I just had to buy, and found your commentaries insightful and informative. I see you are far more citical than soft-hearted I (I tend to appreciate authors just for writing their books!), but your citicisms seem objective, fair and specific, and often get to the beating (or not beating) hearts of the books. It is true, after all, that some book are good but just don't connect. In any case, your reviews are fun to read!

I am very disciplined, as you noted, about reading books outside my comfort zone, however it must be well written, (within the scope of the genre, if it is genre fiction). I cannot tolerate poor writing, nor can I read it!

posted by kambrogi at 8:11 am (EST) on May 15, 2007

Thanks for checking out my reviews! I got a little chill when I read your profile -- I, too, traveled from Oklahoma to NY for college (Master's); I, too, have traveled the world, and lived in a -stan (Pakistan); I, too, teach abroad; I, too, taught English; I, too, have left behind the vast majority of my books. I, too, felt somewhat liberated when I could move beyong the prescribed texts of college (in theose days, it was stricly dead, white males -- good ones, but still a bit myopic), and pursue some of my own literary interests. There are differences, too (I tend not to read travelogues much), but your collection looks like a catalogue of books I like, love or am interested in. I am psyched to read your reviews (so many! wow!) and will let you know when I get to that. I have been putting mine into the comments section of my library (as well as in the thread where you read them), but I actually posted one in the review section yesterday. That could be a new thing.

So, of the vast numbers in your library, what are your favorite books?

posted by kambrogi at 7:23 am (EST) on May 15, 2007

I *love* Japanese fiction. I often share those books I read with others (by mail) through bookrays and bookrings on BookCrossing. If you would like to be on any of the participant lists for some of those books, just send me a private message through BookCrossing (www.bookcrossing.com). My screen name there is also SqueakyChu.

Currently I have these three books of Japanese fiction traveling round the world and being shared by others:

South of the Border; West of the Sun - Haruki Murakami
Kitchen - Banana Yoshimoto
Asleep - Banana Yoshimoto

http://www.bookcrossing.com/mybookshelf

As you see, I have lots more Japanese fiction on my TBR list. Who knows when I'll ever get to them! :-(

P.S. I saw your affinity as 99%!

posted by SqueakyChu at 1:55 pm (EST) on May 12, 2007

OK, this is a strange coincidence! I came across your name on LT and LJ, because of the new affinity percentage feature in LJ talk; I think you were at 99% or something. Anyway, I wasted some time at work reading your LJ and was really fascinated by your experiences in Asia. I've friended you over there and added you to my watch list here. Looking forward to sharing thoughts on books etc.!

posted by lindsacl at 8:56 am (EST) on May 5, 2007

I came across your name when following a thread on Turgenev. Are you Czech by any chance?

posted by jarka at 2:38 pm (EST) on Apr 30, 2007

Oops! Sorry about the invitation mix-up, and glad you've joined Books Compared.

posted by margad at 7:34 pm (EST) on Apr 25, 2007

I saw the link on your LiveJournal and had to come check it out. How ironic that you have "The Red Tent" on your list, as I had just decided to add it to my 'must read' list when I saw it compared to "Sarah" by Marek Halter. Thanks for the tip ;)

posted by elise1mds at 10:11 pm (EST) on Apr 18, 2007

Hello! I'm excited to check out your recommended reads:)

posted by kittybaby96 at 2:42 pm (EST) on Apr 13, 2007

Welcome to Books Compared. Hope you'll join the discussion and maybe contribute a comparison review.

posted by margad at 12:54 am (EST) on Apr 13, 2007

Hello and welcome to Library Thing! I look forward to perusing your travel titles. :-)

posted by willoughby at 12:25 am (EST) on Apr 13, 2007

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