|
Click to flag this message as abuse
What is abuse? (1) personal attacks, (2) commercial solicitation, (3) spam. See terms of use. 
This will be the first time I've participated in a challenge - I can't wait! I will be editing this first message to keep a list of the titles and number of pages I've read. Ratings and sometimes reviews will be added below. The first few books on my TBR "pile" are The Coffee Trader, Chocolat, and a yet-to-be-determined biography to be read with my students. Cheers! ~Corrina Titles: 1. The Coffee Trader by David Liss, ★★★1/2 (1/5) 2. Outliers: The Story of Success by Malcolm Gladwell, ★★★★1/2 (1/7) 3. A Brief History of the Dead by Kevin Brockmeier, ★★★1/2 (1/20) 4. V for Vendetta by Alan Moore, ★★★★ (1/28) 5. Chocolat by Joanne Harris, ★★★★ (2/6) 6. The Girl with No Shadow by Joanne Harris, ★★★★ (2/16) 7. The Wordy Shipmates (Audio) by Sarah Vowell, ★★★★ (2/17) 8. When You Are Engulfed in Flames (Audio) by David Sedaris, ★★★★1/2 (3/9) 9. For Whom the Bell Tolls by Ernest Hemingway, ★★★★ (3/19) 10. Stories in Stone: A Field Guide to Cemetery Symbolism and Iconography by Douglas Keister, ★★★1/2 (3/31) 11. Darwin's Ghost: The Origin of Species Updated by Steve Jones - 4/1 12. Sense and Sensibility (Audio - read by Flo Gibson) by Jane Austen, ★★★★ (4/2) 13. Letters to Alice on First Reading Jane Austen by Fay Wheldon, ★★★★1/2 (4/11) 14. The Sex Lives of Cannibals by J. Maartin Troost, ★★★1/2 (4/27) 15. The Jane Austen Book Club by Karen Joy Fowler, ★★★★1/2 (4/29) 16. Dunk by David Lubar, ★★★★ (5/1) 17. Life of Pi by Yann Martel, ★★★★1/2 (5/4) 18. The Uncommon Reader by Alan Bennett, ★★★★ (5/7) 19. The God Delusion (Audio) by Richard Dawkin, ★★★★1/2 (5/11) 20. The Yellow Wallpaper (Short Story) by Charlotte Perkins Gilman, ★★★★ (5/12) 21. The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer, ★★★★★ (5/16) 22. How to Be Good by Nick Hornby, ★★★ (5/19) 23. The Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguru, ★★★★1/2 (5/28) 24. Whose Freedom? by George Lakoff, ★★★1/2 (6/10) 25. The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield, ★★★★1/2 (6/10) 26. The Penelopiad by Margaret Atwood, ★★★★1/2 (6/12) 27. Ecological Intelligence by Daniel Goleman, ★★★1/2 (6/19) 28. "Lawns" (Short Story) by Mona Simpson, ★★★1/2 (6/17) 29. "Admiral" (Short Story) by T.C. Boyle, ★★★ (6/18) 30. "The Year of Silence" (Short Story) by Kevin Brockmeier, ★★★★1/2 (6/18) 31. "Galatea" (Short Story) by Karen Brown, ★★★ (6/19) 32. The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan, ★★★ (7/26) 33. Jacob Have I Loved by Katherine Paterson, ★★★★ (8/3) 34. Raising Freethinkers: A Practical Guide for Parenting Beyond Belief by Dale McGowen, ★★★★★ (8/5) 35. Eggs by Jerry Spinelli, ★★★ (8/12) 36. The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger, ★★★1/2 (9/4) 37. Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim (Audio) by David Sedaris, ★★★★ (9/4) 38. True Mom Confessions by Romi Lassally, ★★ (9/12) 39. Shelf Discovery by LIzzie Skurnick, ★★★★ (9/30) 40. The Secret Summer by Ruth Chew, ★★★★ (10/19) 41. The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate by Jacqueline Kelly, ★★★★★ (10/30) 42. Are You There, God? It's Me, Margaret by Judy Blume, ★★★★★ (11/1) 43. The Hemingses of Monticello by Annette Gordon-Reed, ★★★★★ (11/5)  Other books that I started to read and put down (either for good or just for now): Angela's Ashes by Frank McCourt Jane Austen and Zombies Message edited by its author, Nov 6, 2009, 10:12pm. Book 1: The Coffee Trader by David Liss (2003) Information: Historical Fiction, 384 pages Read: December 31, 2008 - January 5, 2009 Rating: ★★★ 1/2  Summary This novel is told through the perspective of two Portuguese Jews living in 1659 Amsterdam: Miguel Lienzo (3rd person) and Alonzo Alferonda (1st person memoir). Miguel is in debt from several unsuccessful transactions on the Dutch Commodities Exchange, and develops a scheme involving coffee with his business partner, Geertruid. Opinion This was an uneven reading experience for me. It took a couple chapters to get comfortable with the unlikable/complex characters, the dual narration style, and the complications of the various transactions involved in Miguel's trading. Hannah's character was refreshing and added a woman's perspective of Jewish life in Amsterdam, which I found to be engrossing. However, I grew a bit weary of Miguel's running around to and from Geertruid, the Exchange, and Joachim - until his coffee scheme and romantic interest began to take shape. Resources Coffee Trader Reading Group on Library Thing: here. (Now ended but a terrific resource!) Author Website: here. Message edited by its author, Mar 14, 2009, 9:03am. Book 2: Outliers: The Story of Success by Malcolm Gladwell (2008) Information: Non-fiction, 285 pages Read: January 7, 2009 - January 13, 2009 Rating: ★★★★ 1/2 Stars  Summary Gladwell describes the overlooked factors that influence why certain people are successful - family, birthplace, birth date, parenting style, culture, etc. The book explores why "genius" isn't as much as an influence as some may think, and reveals the hidden advantages that led to successful hockey players, computer programmers (such as Bill Gates), lawyers (such as Joe Flom), pilots, and math students - among many others. Opinion This was a fascinating book that changed the way I view successful people, and even the potential of my own students. Gladwell's theories are a strong challenge to the typical pull-yourself-up-by-your-bootstraps view of getting ahead in the United States. Message edited by its author, Feb 21, 2009, 7:51am. Book 3: A Brief History of the Dead by Kevin Brockmeier (2006) Information: Science Fiction, 252 pages Read: January 7, 2009 - January 20, 2009 Rating: ★★★ 1/2  Summary This novel takes place in an apocalyptic future where a lethal, fast moving virus has been released into the world, already suffering through a series of wars. It involves a fascinating concept of a City where humans live after their death as long as there is someone on Earth still alive who remembers them. Then they disappear from the City. In rather mundane afterlife, humans have no heartbeats, and don't age, but can apparently get injured. As the deadly pathogen ravages the Earth, the population (and boundaries) of the City suddenly soar and then plummets until th citizens realize that the only people left are linked to the last survivor on Earth - Laura Byrd. The story shifts between the lives and memories of the people in the City (Laura's parents, childhood friends, colleagues, a former lover, mail carriers, panhandlers, etc...) and Laura's long struggle to survive when her research mission in Antartica gets derailed. Opinion I was fascinated by the concept of this novel when I first heard the author interviewed on Fresh Air last year. Laura's chapters are a bit tedious, but moments of profound insight kept me going through the less interesting bits. I enjoyed most the early chapters that built up the details and "rules" of the Dead City. However, I wanted to know much, much more. For example: When people "pop" into the city in random locations, how do they cope? There are restaurants, but where does the food and other supplies come from? Where does the garbage go? What happens when couples parted at death meet and one now has a different partner? Message edited by its author, Feb 21, 2009, 7:51am. Book 4: V for Vendetta by Alan Moore, David Lloyd (2008) Information: Graphic Novel/Science Fiction, 296 pages Read: January 22, 2009 - January 28, 2009 Rating: ★★★★  Summary This novel is set in a fictional late 1990s London that has been taken over by a fascist dictator after a devastating nuclear war has wiped out Africa & Europe. The leader controls society through "Fate" (a computer) and various agencies - the "Ears" (audio surveillance), "Eyes" (video surveillance), "Nose" (police), and "Mouth" (propaganda broadcasts). The main plot centers around V (a mysterious person in a Guy Fawkes costume who commits various acts of murder and mayhem) and Evey (a 16-year-old orphan who is rescued by V after an attempted assault). Opinion I may be biased by my positive opinion of the movie, which I saw first. (I doubt I would have read this if I hadn't enjoyed the movie so much.) Despite some dated things (like the computers), the plot was interesting and kept me reading. I didn't enjoy the songs in the novel, because I don't read music and couldn't "hear" the intent of the author and didn't recognize many of the lyrics, but the rest was very good. My first graphic novel. Message edited by its author, Feb 21, 2009, 7:52am. Book 5: Chocolat by Joanne Harris (1999) Information: Fiction, 242 pages Read: January 30 , 2009 - February 6, 2009 Rating: ★★★★  Summary This novel is told from the perspectives of two characters: Vianne Rocher and Francis Reynaud. Vianne and her six-year-old daughter, Anouk, have been living a “gypsy” life – traveling from place to place under various names. They arrive in a small French town just before Lent. Their eccentric disregard for Catholic customs (opening a Chocolaterie during Lent, Vianne’s bright wardrobe, vaguely pagan superstitions, etc.) put them at odds with a few of the more traditional locals. Francis Reynaud, the young Curé, is obsessively vindictive, but has his own secret past. As Vianne’s chocolates begin to win over more and more locals and their lives begin to intertwine, Reynaud is determined to yank out the “weeds” that have popped up in the town, including Vianne and Anouk. Opinion This is a lovely novel and was a perfect read during the dull, dragging days of February. Vianne & Anouk are charming and I came to wish that I could transport myself into Le Célèste Praline to savor a cup of chocolat and have Vianne tell me what my favorite is. When I began to read, I thought that it was set in the 1940s or 1950s, but later realized it was the 1990s. However, I think the fact that the book isn’t strongly rooted in a particular era adds to its mystical qualities. How much “magic” is supposed to be real – I’m still not sure. Message edited by its author, Feb 21, 2009, 7:52am. Book 6: The Girl with No Shadow by Joanne Harris (2008) Information: Fiction, 444 pages Read: February 6 , 2009 - February 16, 2009 Rating: ★★★★  Summary The sequel to Chocolat, this story begins about four years after the previous novel ended. It takes place between Halloween and Christmas in the early 2000s. Like Chocolat, the story is told in alternating first-person narratives - Vianne Rocher (now known as Yanne Charbonneau), Anouk (her 11-year-old daughter, now known as Annie), and Zozie de l'Alba (a woman skilled in identity theft and other "magical" charms). As the story opens, Vianne is living an inconspicuous life in Paris with her daughters - Anouk and 4-year-old Rosette. She runs a faltering chocolaterie and is dating Thierry, a "stolid" older businessman. Zozie soon incorporates herself into their life - reviving the chocolaterie and becoming Anouk's confidant. The suspense builds as more is revealed about Zozie's and Vianne's histories and Zozie's true intentions toward Vianne, Anouk, and Rosette. Opinion Oh how sorry I was leave these characters behind! It was an unexpected treat to even find this book in my local library. After a bit of a slow start, the story pulled me in until I was hard pressed to put it down even when I needed to. I was pleases to see Roux back, and with the many new characters, didn't much miss the other characters from Lansquenet. One of my main questions from the first book, the mystery of Vianne's possible abduction, is resolved thank GOD - I think I would have had to write Harris had it not been! Overall, this is an excellent follow-up to Chocolat - at once more magical and more rooted in reality, too. Vianne's feelings at seeing her daughter grow up and away from her hit home as I anticipate similar feelings watching my own daughter gain independence. Message edited by its author, Feb 21, 2009, 7:50am. Book 7: The Wordy Shipmates by Sarah Vowell (2008) Information: Non-fiction, History, Audio Read: January 29, 2009 - February 17, 2009 Rating: ★★★★  Summary Sarah Vowell's witty (and thoroughly researched) take on the early years of the Massachusetts Bay Colony and its various off-shoots - Rhode Island, etc... Told mainly through the words of John Wintrop (the first mayor of the settlement which would eventually become Boston). It discusses his Modell of a Christian Nation sermon which included the famous "city on a hill" reference, and details the struggles and personality conflicts of the settlers (including Roger Williams and Anne Hutchinson) and cooperations/conflicts with local native communities. (Read by the author.) Opinion After reading the above summary - boy does that sound BORING! But, really....it's not! Although crammed with tons of detailed information, Vowell is expert at quirky connections and insightful modern connections that lighten what could otherwise be a rather dense subject. Although I enjoyed the audio version of the book, the section on Native American conflicts would probably have been easier to follow had I been able to look at text to help me keep the names straight. Message edited by its author, Mar 10, 2009, 6:06pm. Book 8: When You Are Engulfed in Flames by David Sedaris (2008) Information: Non-fiction, Humor, Audio Read: February 23, 2009 - March 9, 2009 Rating: ★★★★ 1/2  Summary A series of essays drawn from Sedaris' experiences including his parents leaving his five siblings and him with a bizarre babysitter who makes them scratch her back with a monkey's paw (eewww!), attempting to bring his "pet" spider to Paris, and buying a human skeleton for his boyfriend Hugh. The last is a lengthy essay on his history as a smoker and his eventual trip to Tokyo to quit. Opinion This was the perfect commute audio - brief sections and hysterically funny! Sedaris reads his own essays, and I can't imagine them any other way. I guess I'm a sucker for liberal, unique-voiced, agnostic, non-driving NPR contributers - I just realized that this is my second in a row. Hmmmm..... Resources Sedaris on The Daily Show promoting this book: here. Sedaris reading a section of the book on Letterman: here. A June 2000 interview with Sedaris by Linda Richards for January Magazine: here. Message edited by its author, Mar 28, 2009, 8:34am. Book 9: For Whom the Bell Tolls by Ernest Hemingway (1940) Information: Historical Fiction, 471 pages Read: February 27 , 2009 - March 19, 2009 Rating: ★★★★  Summary Robert Jordan, an American Spanish professor who has been teaching in Spain, becomes involved in the country’s Civil War during the mid-1930’s. The narrative jumps in as Jordan is traveling with Anselmo, a much older local man who assists him as he crosses enemy territory to complete his mission of destroying a bridge for the antifascist (socialist) group. During the few days that Jordan is in the mountains, he becomes involved in a power struggle among the guerilla group he must work with, and falls in love with a young woman, Maria, who was rescued by the group after a train attack. There’s a pretty succinct summary on page 167 of the novel: “….a lousy show like this, co-ordinating two chicken-crut guerilla bands to help you blow a bridge under impossible conditions, to abort a counter-offensive that will probably already be started, you run into a girl like this Maria.” Opinion This was not an easy novel for me to get into. I was battling against the first dozen or so pages, frustrated with the fact that I had no idea of the time period, setting, or purpose of the characters. Who ARE these people? What are they DOING? What war IS this? And on top of that, it reads like an awkward translation – all “thee” and “thou” instead of “you” and the swearing apparently edited out. So…you have bizarre sentences such as “Do to the unprintable and unprint thyself.” or “I obscenity in the milk.” Of course, rather that drawing attention away from the cussing, I found myself running through all the various options in my head that would make sense in the sentence! (Could that have been Hemingway’s intent? I wonder…) I’m not sure exactly when in the novel it happened, but I finally started to feel comfortable with the language and came to care about the characters and their circumstances. I was reminded a lot of the current war in Afghanistan – also with fighting in the mountains with various local guerilla bands that foreign forces attempt to work with or oust depending on the goals of each. The scenes where Jordan reflects on the merits and cowardice of suicide are fascinating considering Hemingway’s own fate. I would read Hemingway again, but have no urge to immediately jump into another of his novels. Resources NPR segment about both McCain and Obama citing this novel as a favorite: here. Message edited by its author, Mar 28, 2009, 8:36am. Book 10: Stories in Stone: The Complete Guide to Cemetery Symbolism by Douglas Keister (2004) Information: Non-fiction, Field Guide, 278 pages Read: March 29 , 2009 - March 31, 2009 Rating: ★★★1/2  Summary A guide to identifying the various forms and styles of cemetery structures - tombs, crypts, headstones, vaults, mausoleums, etc... Also includes chapters devoted to the different types of decorations and symbols found on monuments: flora, fauna, religious, and an extensive section on benevolent societies (Masons, Elks, etc...). Entries have detailed descriptions with quoted references to literature and holy texts, and many color photos. Opinion This was a fascinating guide which would be helpful on a cemetery visit. The earliest chapters were the most interesting to me - I skimmed most of the religious quotes and the long section at the end regarding benevolent associations. I won't buy this, but will certainly take it out next time I visit a cemetery, and it has piqued my interest in the subject enough to possibly search out a more extensive history. (Thanks to Pretear for the recommendation!) Message edited by its author, Apr 11, 2009, 7:22am. Book 12: Sense and Sensibility (Audio) by Jane Austen (Performed by Flo Gibson (1811) Information: Fiction, CNY Women's Book Club, Audio Read: March 10, 2009 - April 4, 2009 Rating: ★★★★  Summary After their father dies (and must leave his estate to a son from a first marriage) his daughters and wife are forced to leave their beloved home and move to a much smaller cottage. Eleanor, the eldest daughter, is the more sensible - keeping her feelings to herself and taking care of the rest of her family. Marianne, the second daughter, is all emotion - refusing to hide her feelings and believing that one can only truly fall in love once. Their mother is much like Marianne, which leaves Eleanor to be the stability of the family. Without giving too much away...both Marianne and Eleanor fall in love with men who might be considered "above" them due to the girls' lack of money. Each match encounters difficulties and misunderstandings. Opinion Spoiler Alert? This was a reread for me for my local Book Club, so I listening to it on audio this time. Flo Gibson does a nice job of performing the book with variations for each character's voice. Just as the proverb says that you can never step in the same river twice....I don't think you can ever really read the same book twice and have the same experience. As a reread at the age of 32, it did not quite live up to my memories of reading it at 18. I much more identified with Marianne the first time - most likely due to my own naive ideas about love/emotions - and this time there were moments when I wanted to strangle her! Such self-centeredness! I didn't understand why Colonel Brandon loved her. Her similarity to his previous love? Also - that business about Brandon's ward (and Willoughby's involvement) was a bit too familiar to the Wickham/Darcy's sister debacle in Pride and Prejudice. All that said, however, it was a pleasant spring read and it only lost a 1/2 star since the first time I read it. Message edited by its author, Apr 15, 2009, 7:49am. Book 13: Letters to Alice on First Reading Jane Austen by Fay Weldon (1984) Information: Fiction Read: April 6, 2009 - April 12, 2009 Rating: ★★★★1/2  Summary Written as a series of letters to her niece, Alice, expressing her advice and opinions on a variety of subjects - the merits of reading Jane Austen (and other authors), being an author, and living life in general. Opinion A terrific book, even after more than twenty years. I rushed through it to see what she had to say next, but need to go back with pen and paper to glean our her recommendations, particularly in what to read. It heads back to my TBR pile! (Would that be "TBRA"?) Book 14: The Sex Lives of Cannibals by J. Maarten Troost (1984) Information: Non-fiction, Travel Read: April 20, 2009 - April 27, 2009 Rating: ★★★1/2  Summary The author and his girlfriend end up on one of the most remote islands in th Pacific. While she is busy working for a government agency trying (mostly in vain it seems) to improve the living conditions of the islanders, Troost is essentially a house-husband attempting to write a novel while surfing, searching for edible food/clean water, and driving off wild dogs. Opinion Although Troost comes across as rather annoying in the first and last chapters when he is off the island, the book is a nice mix of self-deprecating humorous personal antecotes intermixed with histories of the islands. His attempts to find out the scandal involving President Clinton and a cigar is hilarious. Book 22: How to Be Good by Nick Hornby (2002) Information: Fiction Read: May 16, 2009 - May 19, 2009 Rating: ★★★  Summary This is the story of a British couple, Katie and Daniel, living a typical middle class liberal life with their two children. After several years of marriage, they are on the brink of divorce. Daniel, author of an "Angriest Man" column, undergoes a transformation after visiting Dr. GoodNews (a "healer" of sorts) and vows to actually "walk the walk" of his liberal views. The results are unexpected - somewhat. Opinion Hornby does a terrific job of immersing the reader in the frustrations and ever-repeating spirals of nasty marital arguments. I really felt as though I were there with this couple. Which is why I couldn't wait to be finished with it. Although there were amusing sections and thought-provoking sections, it wasn't enough to have me look forward to picking up the book again. I kept thinking ahead to what I would read next to lighten up my mood. I didn't want to spend another minute with this family. Disappointing, as I have loved all of Hornby's other novels. Message edited by its author, Jun 10, 2009, 3:20pm. Book 16: Dunk by David Lubar (2002) Information: Fiction, Young Adult, 259 pages Read: March 10, 2009 - May 1, 2009 Rating: ★★★★  Summary "I wanted to make the marks dance like puppets on a string. I wanted to shout and scream at the world from the safety of a cage. I wanted to be the Bozo." It is the summer before his junior year in high school for Chad, and he is mesmerized by the new clown in the dunk tank at the Jersey shore where he lives. Chad has two summer goals: work up the courage to ask the girl he likes out and work as a clown in the dunk tank. Of course, there are plenty of roadblocks - misunderstandings with police, his mothers refusal to let him get a job, his best friend's sudden illness, the new tenant living upstairs... By the time the summer ends, Chad has changed in ways he hadn't anticipated. Opinion Dunk was a fun read and I really enjoyed learning about the tricks and techniques behind the scenes at carnivals. The methods of the really good dunk-tank Bozos were incredible - who to select, what to say, how far to go. I was never a "mark" myself (for reasons I now understand), but my younger brother was always reeled in every year at the New York State Fair. This novel would appeal most to 12-18 year-olds, especially boys. It was a success as novel selected as the school-wide read at the middle school where I teach. The actor who does the voice of the Bozo on the audio version came in to read for us and he was incredible. A terrific summer read - and parents would probably like it too! Book 15: The Jane Austen Book Club by Karen Joy Fowler (2004) Information: Fiction, CNY Women's Book Club, 286 pages Read: April 20, 2009 - April 29, 2009 Rating: ★★★★  I really missed the characters in this novel when I was done reading. I'd sometimes catch myself thinking, "Oh..Jocelyn would really like that....." or "I wonder what Grigg would think of this author?" It was great fun to tease out all the parallels between this novel and the plots of the Austen books - and there are quite a few, although I'm sure I've missed several. Of course, it made me want to read them all again, and pick up some Ursula LeGuin, too, thanks to Grigg! Book 23: The Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro (1989) Information: Fiction, CNY Women's Book Club, 245 pages Read: May 19, 2009 - May 28, 2009 Rating: ★★★★1/2  I can't imagine why I waited so long to read this! A terrific book - I love how the story gradually builds and events have more (or different) significance than you realize at first. Your perceptions slowly shift as Stevens recalls and reflects on events. I also found the world of butlers/housekeepers/valets/etc fascinating. It reminded me a bit of the movie Gosford Park in that way. I left the book mulling over several questions: To what extent should we be loyal to our employer? Do we have an obligation to only work for people who are morally upright? If so, how far do we take that and what criteria do we use? Do we really only recognize the "turning points" of our lives in retrospect? If government based on "the will of the people" was considered old-fashioned (and a failure!) by some during the 1930's, what does that mean for our general ideas about "progress" - what other seemingly obvious rights have shifted back and forth rather than progress in a linear way? Book 20: The Yellow Wallpaper by Charlotte Perkins Gilman (1892) Information: Fiction, Short Story, 1001 Books to Read Before You Die, 17 pages Read: May 11, 2009 - May 12, 2009 Rating: ★★★★  I was surprised to discover how early this story was written (1892). I'd read other reviews that call its psychological aspects dated, but perhaps that's because later in the 20th century they had become overused in literature. I read this story over breakfast in two days and both times I drove to work haunted by the woman's mental struggle and her descriptions of that wallpaper. Apparently some of the treatments described were based on Gilman's own experiences. How awful to be told not to read, draw, or even pick up a pen! I truly believe that doing something useful is necessary to preserving mental health. Also..what about her poor baby? Doesn't she ever see her child? Perhaps she was suffering from post-partum depression. Message edited by its author, Jul 10, 2009, 9:20am. Book 24: Ecological Intelligence: How Knowing the Hidden Impacts of What We Buy Can Change Everything by Daniel Goleman (2009) Information: Non-fiction, Consumerism, 247 pages Read: June 13, 2009 - June 19, 2009 Rating: ★★★1/2  I'll cut to the chase: go to GoodGuide.com here and Skin Deep here and don't be fooled by "green" or "eco-friendly" labels. That's the core of what I got out of this book. Perhaps I wasn't so into it because it's similar to other things that I've read in the last few years (The Omnivore's Dilemma, for one) that deal with the impact of our purchasing decisions. This book explores how much we can find out (and how much more we are blocked from knowing) about the impact of consumer items on the Geosphere (climate/environment), the Biosphere (life, including ourselves), and the Sociosphere (human conditions, such as working conditions). I found the book interesting, but it was a bit TOO jammed packed with detailed examples. If I was a manufacturer or a buyer trying to make my company better, I would find those sections more interesting. But, I'm not - and although there were sections that made me really angry at the lack of regulations in this country (the U.S.), mostly I was bored. However, I highly recommend listening to the author's interview on KQED here. Message edited by its author, Jul 10, 2009, 10:17pm. Book 26: The Penelopiad by Margaret Atwood (2005) Information: Fiction, Mythology, 199 pages Read: June 10, 2009 - June 12, 2009 Rating: ★★★★1/2  Summary An alternate telling of The Odyssey from the perspective of Odysseus' wife. Part of "The Myths" series - classic myths retold by famous authors in a modern way. (Other authors include AS Byatt and Karen Armstrong.) This is mainly Penelope's story as she presses her readers to understand her point of view and what really happened. She relates the events of her birth, marriage, long wait for Odysseus, and battle against the Suiters. Her narrative is interspersed with poems and choruses by the twelve maidens hung on Odysseus' orders on his return. Opinion A short but very satisfying novel, and it was much more humorous than I expected with such chapter titles as "Helen Ruins My Life" and "The Suitors Stuff Their Faces". It makes me aware of how much "knowledge" I have about history that may be skewed since it's only told from the perspective of the conquering men. It made me want to read the original Odyssey and the other works in "The Myths" series. You only have to be generally familiar with the basic story to appreciate this book. Some lines that struck a chord with me: Page 7, describing her birth and ancestry: "However, it never hurts to be of semi-divine birth. Or it never hurts immediately." (This made me think of the children of the famous such as Michael Jackson, Madonna, etc...) Page 43, advice from her Naiad mother: "Water does not resist. Water flows. When you plunge your hand into it, all you feel is a caress. Water is not a solid wall, it will not stop you. But water always goes where it wants to, and nothing in the end can stand against it. Water is patient. Dripping water wears away a stone. Remember that, my child. Remember you are half water. If you can't go through an obstacle, go around it. Water does." Page 112, on her idea to say that Athena gave her the idea to weave the shroud for her father-in-law: "...crediting some god for one's inspiration was always a good way to avoid accusations of pride should the scheme succeed, as well as blame if it did not." Book 25: The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield (2005) Information: Fiction, Suspense, 406 pages Read: June 3, 2009 - June 8, 2009 Rating: ★★★★1/2  Summary A novel about twins, about telling stories, and about telling the truth. Margaret Lea has been summoned to the Yorkshire estate of the reclusive Vida Winter to write her biography. Miss Winter is an acclaimed and prolific writer whose personal background has been successfully hidden for years. She tells a different outlandish story to each interviewer who asks her - until now. Opinion I was enthralled by this book for about the first 2/3, but the last bit became a bit too daVinciCode-esque for my taste. There were just too many shifts, twists, and contortions that started to make it feel like the author had worked back from the end - like the time when I was ten that I reglued all the stickers on my rubik's cube to make it look like I had "solved" it. Ta-da! That's how it felt to me toward the end. However, with that being said, I just loved most of the book. It was very suspenseful, blending Miss Winter's and Margaret's stories with the novels that had influenced them. There were also many times where I felt that Setterfield wrote in a fresh way - an observation or metaphor that was thought-provoking. For example: Page 5, Miss Winter's letter to Margaret: "What succor, what consolation is there in truth, compared to a story? What good is truth, at midnight, in the dark, when the wind is roaring like a bear in the chimney?" Page 26: "All children mythologize their birth. It is a universal trait. You want to know someone? Heart, mind and soul? Ask him to tell you about when he was born." Page 29, Margaret's reason for preferring old books: "The reason is simple: I prefer proper endings. Marriages and deaths, noble sacrifices and miraculous restorations, tragic separations and unhoped-for reunions, great falls and dreams fulfilled; these, in my view, constitute an ending worth the wait." Page 41, Margaret's seeing Miss Winter's library: "...what better way to get to know someone than through her choice and treatment of books?" There is also a great passage (p. 46) where Miss Winter describes her imagination as a compost heap where her stories take root, and another (p. 289) where Margaret describes a sensation of starting a new book before the traces of the previous one has left. Book 18: The Uncommon Reader by Alan Bennett (2008) Information: Fiction, Suspense, 120 pages Read: May 2, 2009 - May 7, 2009 Rating: ★★★1/2  Summary Queen Elizabeth happens upon a traveling library on the grounds of Buckingham Palace. Feeling obligated, she takes out a book and develops a passion for reading that leads her to neglect some of her duties and take others a bit too seriously for the nation's taste. Opinion A pleasant read, but not fabulous. The ending was quite a surprise. I especially enjoyed the parts detailing the inner workings and expectations of the Queen's meetings with various people - how staged it is, including the Queen's "off the cuff" remarks. It is interesting to suppose that people don't really want a real conversation with the Queen. Book 27: The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan (2006) Information: Fiction, Young Adult, Fantasy, Mythology, 392 pages Read: July 22, 2009 - July 26, 2009 Rating: ★★★  I really wanted to like this book more than I did. The concept was interesting - a twelve year-old boy discovers that his father is actually Poseidon. His ADHD is really his alert battle senses and his dyslexia is because his mind was intended to read Greek. Okay...but my overall impression was that this novel was a Harry Potter rip-off. Book 39: Shelf Discovery: The Teen Classics We Never Stopped Reading by Lizzie Skurnick (2009) Information: Non-fiction, Reading, Memoir, 424 pages Read: September 25, 2009 - September 30, 2009 Rating: ★★★1/2  I first heard about this book from an NPR interview with the author (Talk of the Nation?). From the back cover: "Remember that book you read at that time in your life when everything seemed to be going crazy - the one book that brought the world into focus and helped soothe your raging teenage angst?" As someone who once ate nothing but baked potatoes with salt for a full day while pretending to be Laura Ingalls in The Long Winter and shoved Flowers in the Attic into my mattress to hide it from my mother, I figured this book would be right up my alley. I enjoyed most of the essays, but some were repetitive after awhile (did it really need two entries on Clan of the Cave Bear?),and I only skimmed the entries of the books I had not read. If you read and loved A Wrinkle in Time, The Secret Garden, The Cat Ate My Gymsuit, The Witch of Blackbird Pond, Jacob Have I Loved, The Bridge to Terebithia, Flowers in the Attic, or ANYTHING by Judy Blume - then this book is worth a least a skim. A small critique: the book includes contributions by Meg Cabot , Laura Lippman, Cecily von Ziegesan, and Jennifer Weiner - but it's not easy to quickly identify which contributions they are. Book 40: The Secret Summer(Original Title: Baked Beans for Breakfast by Ruth Chew (1974) Information: Fiction, Young Adult, 128 pages Read: October 15, 2009 - October 19, 2009 Rating: ★★★★  This book was handed down to me as a preteen from some older cousins and somehow I lost track of it over the years and wasn't able to recall the title. For years I searched on and off and FINALLY mountebank over at the Name That Book group was able to help me out based on a few details: "It was about a brother and sisters whose parents go away during summer vacation and leave them with an awful baby-sitter who wants to feed them stewed tomatoes all the time. They run away to go camping at their traditional family spot - buying Steno gear and such.... and camp out on an island..... They eventually find some old woman's house - they clean her attic to earn some money and then when they are found out they get to stay with this woman for the rest of the summer." It was worth the $15 dollars I paid on Amazon to get this book back - reading it again was like time traveling back to visit my ten-year-old self. Book 38: True Mom Confessions by Romi Lassally (2009) Information: Non-fiction, Parenting, 288 "pages" Read: September 10, 2009 - September 12, 2009 Rating: ★★  I forgot where I heard about this book - maybe a parenting magazine? First, I'm happy to say that I didn't buy it - it was a from the library. My first complaint: some of these "confessions" are rather silly. My second: there is only one entry per page - what a waste of space! This could have been a pamphlet. Not worth the time to read or the money to buy. May be worth perusing if you aren't paying for it. Aahh...I should mention that the "book" is a compilation from the website truemomconfessions.com. Message edited by its author, Oct 26, 2009, 10:15pm. Book 42: Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret by Judy Blume (1970)
Information: Fiction, Young Adult, 160 pages Read: October 30, 2009 - November 1, 2009 Rating: ★★★★★  Hearing the author of Shelf Discoveries talk about this book made me want to read it again and I'm so glad I did. Although a few things seemed dated (who wore a pad with a BELT?), the themes and adolescent struggles are so universal that it's no surprise young girls still love this book. (I do hear that a newer version has updated a few things to keep it relevant.) Another "stepping back in time" book from my past. Debug test: your member name is: |
Touchstone worksTouchstone authorsV.C. Andrews Margaret Atwood Jean Marie Auel Jane Austen Madison Smartt Bell Alan Bennett Blume; Judy Blume Judy Blume T. C. Boyle Kevin Brockmeier Geraldine Brooks Karen Brown Bill Bryson Frances Hodgson Burnett Ruth Chew Robert Cormier Paula Danziger Charles Darwin David Lloyd Richard Dawkins Jared Diamond Fyodor Dostoevsky Douglas Keister Alexandre Dumas Ernest Hemingway Karen Joy Fowler Charlotte Perkins Gilman Malcolm Gladwell Daniel Goleman Annette Gordon-Reed Sara Gruen George Guidall Joanne Harris Ernest Hemingway H. G. Wells; Flo Gibson (Narrator) Homer Hornby Nick Hornby Khaled Hosseini Kazuo Ishiguro Syrie James Steve Jones Douglas Keister Jacqueline Kelly Jack Kerouac Barbara Kingsolver George Lakoff Romi Lassally Ursula K. Le Guin Madeleine L'Engle David Liss David Lubar Michael MacCaskey Yann Martel Frank McCourt Dale McGowan John Medina Jacques-Alain Miller Alan Moore Alan and Moore Christopher Moore Audrey Niffenegger Patrick O'Brian George Orwell Katherine Paterson Michael Pollan Richard Powers Mark Ridley Laurie Viera Rigler Rick Riordan Richard Russo David Sedaris Amy Sedaris, David Sedaris Diane Setterfield Mary Ann Shaffer Mona Simpson Lizzie Skurnick Elizabeth George Speare Jerry Spinelli J. Maarten Troost Alex Von Tunzelmann Sarah Vowell Fay Weldon Laura Ingalls Wilder |
