3m3m's 80 books in '08

I'm going for 80 books this year. I had 101 in 2007, and while I'm *thrilled* I made it to over 100, it did stop me from reading some longer books. It seems like 80 should be about right for 2008.

I stayed away from longer books too in 2007 because of my "quantity" goals. I am shooting for 50 in 2008 so I don't feel the pressure.

Good luck!

I hope you have a great '08, Jill!

I *would* like to have more pages than 2007, which would be 28,000 or more.

1. Dreamers of the Day by Mary Doria Russell ( rated 3.5/5)

Dreamers of the Day by Mary Doria Russell is a fictional story about Agnes, a middle-aged woman from Cleveland, who finally gets the courage and means to travel on her own. Her choice is Cairo, and while there she meets up with Winston Churchill, Gertrude Bell, and T.E. Lawrence (Lawrence of Arabia) while they are drawing the new map for the Middle East after World War I. Russell's descriptions of Egypt are spectacular. I have been to Cairo myself, and some of the points made were still true from when I traveled there. I enjoyed the setting of the book and the historical accounts from this period tremendously. From this conference in Cairo, the boundaries for present day Iraq and other countries in the Middle East were set. The book has encouraged me to explore more about this era of history and re-view the movie Lawrence of Arabia.

However, there were several things I did not like about Russell's writing style. Normally I don't care if a book is written in first or third person. This book was written in first person with Agnes as the narrator. It just didn't work for me, especially when she speaks directly to the reader. I felt it would have been better had the book been written in third person. In addition, I did not care for the ending at all and actually thought it was quite silly. I can't describe more, though, without giving spoilers. I've read Russell's books The Sparrow and the sequel The Children of God, and together they were my most thought-provoking books of 2006. I have not read A Thread of Grace, but I have heard good things about it and still plan on reading it. I'm sad to say, however, that I was disappointed in Dreamers of the Day. It could have been an excellent book if it had taken a different path. I'm still rating it a 3.5, though, because the descriptions of Cairo made me miss it tremendously, and because it did make me interested in the history of how the present Middle East was formed.

2008, 258 pp.
Rating: 3.5/5

You know my solution to the long book dread (when you're trying to reach a goal)? Read all the long ones at the beginning of the year, when you don't feel so stressed out about how many days left there are to get your numbers in. :)

2. The House at Riverton by Kate Morton

The House at Riverton is a strong debut novel by Kate Morton. Already a bestseller in the U.K., it is slated for release in the U.S. in April of 2008.

Grace Bradley, a 98 year old former servant of the Hartford family, recounts in a series of flashbacks the events surrounding the house and the family during World War I. Grace is ever the loyal servant (perhaps too loyal) to the family and especially to one of the mistresses of the house, Hannah, who is very close in age to Grace. In the flashbacks, Grace recounts how family secrets and the devastating effects of World War I led to the Hartford family’s demise.

In the author’s acknowledgments, she cites The Chatham School Affair, Remains of the Day, Gosford Park, and Upstairs Downstairs as having influenced her and her novel. I was familiar with all of those sources, so I did feel a bit like the book borrowed too much from these works to be truly spectacular. Still, I did enjoy it, and I would definitely read a second book by this author.

2007, 468 pp.
Rating: 4

http://1morechapter.com/2008/01/18/the-house-at-riverton/

3. The Cloud of Unknowing by Thomas H. Cook

The Cloud of Unknowing by Thomas H. Cook is a 2007 Publisher’s Weekly Best Mystery. Cook is a favorite author of mine, so I was looking forward to reading this book.

David and Diana are brother and sister whose father had schizophrenia. Diana’s son has recently drowned, and her behavior is becoming more and more erratic. She starts researching about strange ancient murders and starts suspecting her husband in their son’s death. David is worried that she is starting to develop schizophrenia as well. He even begins to wonder if he should put her away for her own good. Was Diana’s son murdered or was it an accident?

I was a little disappointed in this book. My two favorites of his are Breakheart Hill and the Edgar-winning The Chatham School Affair. If you’ve never read Cook before, I suggest you start with one of those two.

2006, 311 pp.
Rating: 3.5

http://1morechapter.com/2008/01/17/the-cloud-of-unknowing/

4. The Bell Jar**** by Sylvia Plath (1963, 244 pp)
5. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone**** by J. K. Rowling (1997, 320 pp)

6. Strangers by Taichi Yamada

I read Strangers for the Japanese literature challenge. This was my first book for the challenge, and I don’t recollect ever having read a book translated from the Japanese before. I first heard about it from kimbofo at Reading Matters, who gave it a perfect 5 star rating.

It’s very atmospheric. I found myself thinking about it long after reading the novel, and the story somewhat reminded me of an M. Night Shyamalan movie. Harada lives in a building on a very busy street in Tokyo. However, most of the units in the building have been converted to office space and, consequently, there are only two tenants there after hours. He’s a little spooked by the quietness in the building at night but chalks it up to being recently divorced and unused to being alone.

One night he decides to go to his hometown where he meets a couple who are the spitting image of his long-dead parents. He keeps going back to see them to try to determine who they really are. There are other strange happenings in his life that I won’t spoil for you here.

It’s a short book that can be read in a few hours, and I encourage anyone interested in world literature to read it. The ‘quiet suspense’ of the novel impressed me and made me want to read more by this author.

1987, 203 pp.
Rating: 4.5

http://1morechapter.com/2008/01/20/strangers-by-taichi-yamada/

7. The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time is a very fun, unique book to read- especially if you are interested in mathematics and logic. Christopher is 15, has a form of autism, loves math, and hates the colors yellow and brown. He sees the world through logic and those around him can only reach him through logic. One night he discovers his neighbor’s dog has been murdered and sets out to find the killer. This leads him not only to the perpetrator but also to a personal adventure as well.

I really admire this book. Haddon made Christopher a completely convincing character, and I would love there to be a sequel.

2003, 226 pp.
Rating: 4.5

http://1morechapter.com/2008/01/31/the-curious-incident-of-the-dog-in-the-night-...

8. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets**** by J.K. Rowling (1998, 341 pp.)

9. After Dark by Haruki Murakami

I read this book for the Japanese Literature Challenge and the Notable Book Challenge. This is my first Murakami. I wasn’t sure what to expect, and even though I am only rating this a 3.5, I will definitely read more by this author. I found his writing style to be very unique.

The book covers the encounters of several “night people” on one particular evening from 11:56 pm to 6:52 am. All of the characters in the book have some interconnection. I most enjoyed the story of the two sisters, Eri and Mari. One of them can’t sleep and the other one won’t wake up. I also enjoyed the philosophical discussions between Mari and Takahashi. I didn’t really get what was going on with the TV/white noise thing, but it was interesting. Does anyone have a favorite Murakami? Although I might not get to another one of his until next year, I’d like to read more.

2004, 191 pp.
Rating: 3.5
http://1morechapter.com/2008/01/29/after-dark/

10. Silence by Shusaku Endo

Based on a true story about the persecution and torture of Japanese Christians and foreign missionaries in 1600s Japan, Silence is a powerful book about faith (and doubt), truth, and the human spirit. What will make one person stay true to his faith, even under unspeakable torture, while another one does not? Why is God silent during suffering? These are the questions the book raises, and some would say it gives no clear answers. It is easy to say from our comfortable Western homes that we would never deny God under duress. But the Bible states that even Peter, a much loved disciple, denied Christ. What does it truly mean to stay faithful to God?

Repeating the prayer again and again he tried wildly to distract his attention; but the prayer could not tranquilize his agonized heart. ‘Lord, why are you silent? Why are you always silent…?’

This book powerfully affected me, and I’ve already sought out more books by this Japanese Christian author.

It has been announced that Martin Scorsese will be making this into a movie slated for 2010.

1966, 201 pages
Rating: 4.5
http://1morechapter.com/2008/01/29/silence-by-shusaku-endo/

Keep up the great work, Michelle! =)

RE: Murakami. I found After Dark to be a bit underwhelming, compared to Murakami's other works. My favorite is Hard-Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World, but if you really don't like sci-fi, I don't recommend it. If you do like themes of mind, memory, identity, thrown in with some Jungian symbolism, it may be the ticket for you.

If not Hard-Boiled Wonderland, I recommend The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle or Kafka on the Shore. His longer novels are far superior to his shorter novels. I found The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle to be slow going in a lot of places, but the ending of the book was sublime.

On the topic of Japanese Christian authors, I hear good things about Shiokari Pass by Ayako Miura. I haven't read it, though, so beware. There's a good book by Philip Gabriel, one of Murakami's translators, called Spirit Matters: The Transcendent in Modern Japanese Literature, in which he discusses some Japanese Christian works, as well as some works by non-religious authors (like Murakami and Kenzaburo Oe) who are still interested in human spirit.

Thanks so much for all these suggestions, Medellia12. I'll look into them all!!

Thanks, mrstreme!

#11 Independent People by Halldor Laxness

Bjartur of Summerhouses has one goal: total independence. After being a servant for 18 years, he finally obtains his own land, and while ever seeking the land’s improvements, Bjartur and his extreme self-reliance costs his family dearly. He mistreats his own wife and children, not overtly, but through his unwillingness to accept help of any kind from neighbors. His independence, his dog, and his sheep are of primary and utmost importance. But is it possible to be too independent? What happens to Bjartur when his own children demand independence from him?

Reading a book set in Iceland in January really set the mood for this story. The cold, the coffee, the sheep, and the stubbornness of one man against the world are what I will remember about this book. With themes of materialism, socialism, war, and politics, Independent People by Nobel laureate Halldor Laxness is more than relevant for today.

1934-35 , 482 pp.
Nobel prize-winning author
Rating: 4
http://1morechapter.com/2008/02/02/independent-people/

#12 The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison
The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison is a quick read, but by no means is it easy or light. With subjects of poverty, inc*st, and racial self-loathing (Morrison’s own description), it is difficult at times to read.

It starts off with a sappy reading of Dick and Jane, and continues on with why not all homes are the same as Dick and Jane’s. Morrison draws each character so well, and 11 year-old Pecola, especially, is a girl I won’t soon forget. My edition had an afterward by the author which gave even more insight into what she was trying to accomplish with this book.

Although The Bluest Eye was very depressing, I can see why Morrison has many fans. I hope to get to Beloved later this year.

1970, 206 pp.
Rating: 4
http://1morechapter.com/2008/02/09/the-bluest-eye/

#13 The Life and Times of Michael K by J. M. Coetzee

The Life & Times of Michael K won the Booker Prize in 1983. Written by Nobel laureate J. M. Coetzee, it is set in South Africa during a civil war. Michael is a gardener in his earlier thirties who has a harelip. He was institutionalized by his mother when he was a child, but at the beginning of the book when she is old and very ill, she calls for him. She would like him to take her to the village where she grew up. Getting the proper paperwork for the train is practically impossible because of the war, so finally they give up on it and try to go there on their own.

Many things happen to Michael on the trip. He is captured and made to work for awhile, and then released. He finds what he thinks is the farm where his mother was raised and makes himself a home (if you can call it that) there. Struggling to survive and evade the government, in the midst of it all he still wants to be a gardener and plants a small pumpkin patch, which he guards and tends with fervor.

The book is told in three parts. Parts I and III describe the storyline from Michael’s perspective. Part II is told in first person by a doctor who tries to understand Michael when he is brought under his care. This was a thought-provoking book and I enjoyed it, though I could have done without some scenes at the end. I’ll definitely read more by Coetzee.

A quote:

'I could live here forever, he thought, or till I die. Nothing would happen, every day would be the same as the day before, there would be nothing to say.'

1983, 184 pp.
Rating: 4
http://1morechapter.com/2008/02/16/life-times-of-michael-k/

#14: Good Masters! Sweet Ladies! by Laura Amy Schlitz

The 2008 Newbery award winner, Good Masters! Sweet Ladies!, is by Laura Amy Schlitz. The book is subtitled Voices from a Medieval Village, and contains points of view from the blacksmith’s daughter, the tanner’s son, the falconer’s son, the glassblower’s daughters, among many others. I didn’t like it at all at first, but by the time I got to the story about a shepherdess singing to a grieving ewe, I was enjoying it. The illustrations by Robert Byrd were excellent.

2007, 81 pp.
Rating: 4
http://1morechapter.com/2008/02/16/good-masters-sweet-ladies/

#15: 2001: A Space Odyssey by Arthur C. Clarke

Have you ever seen the movie 2001: A Space Odyssey and wondered what the heck was going on? The book by Arthur C. Clarke explains everything. I’m so relieved! I feel so enlightened that I now know what’s happening in the movie. I had to watch it immediately online through Netflix after finishing the book. I love the book, and I love the movie even more now. If you think I’m going to give away the book’s secrets, you’re mistaken. You’ll have to read it and see for yourself. I will say that it has a bit in common with one of my former favorite tv shows, Stargate SG-1. That was surprising, and the only hint I’ll give.

1968, 236 pp.
Rating: 4.5
http://1morechapter.com/2008/02/25/sci-fi-experience-2001-a-space-odyssey/

#16: Sitting Practice by Caroline Adderson

Sitting Practice by Caroline Adderson tells the story of Ross and Iliana, a newlywed couple, and how they deal with the aftermath of a car accident that leaves Iliana paralyzed. Ross is a film caterer who has had multiple ex-girlfriends, but he is absolutely in love with Iliana at the time of their marriage, much to the chagrin of his twin, Bonnie. Ross is also ‘in love’ with Bonnie’s son, Bryce, and very much longs to be a father. He and Bonnie of course share a bond that only twins can experience. In contrast, Iliana grew up in a very strict household, and Ross was her first real boyfriend. She meets Ross for the first time as a nurse assigned to him after a minor operation.

After the accident, the marriage changes, as do Ross and Iliana. Ross struggles with wanting ‘the real’ Iliana back, while Iliana struggles with desiring independence from others. They do adapt, but not without repercussions.

Themes of love, guilt, forgiveness, religion, and the bonds between twins form the novel. I felt for all the characters in the book as they wrestled with the surprises life brings. I truly cared for them. However, I don’t care for bad language and s*x in the books I read. It would have been just as good (or better) without those elements. On sale in the U.S. on March 11.

2003, 329 pp.
Rating: 3.5
http://1morechapter.com/2008/02/26/sitting-practice/

#17: Anthem by Ayn Rand

Anthem is a great introduction to the philosophy of Ayn Rand. A dystopian novella, it is much less intimidating than The Fountainhead or Atlas Shrugged. I guess it’s considered science fiction as well, so I also counted it for Carl’s Sci-Fi Experience.

It was extremely fascinating reading this book after having read We by Yevgeny Zamyatin and The Giver by Lois Lowry last year, both of which were in my 2007 Top 10. Anthem definitely borrows from We, and The Giver most definitely borrows from Anthem. In Rand’s book, the main character even refers to himself as ‘We’ because in his society individuality is highly suppressed, and the goal is for it to be eliminated. Everything must be done for the brothers in the collective and nothing for the individual.

While I agree with Rand’s philosophy to a point, I believe she takes it just a bit too far. I very much enjoyed this book, but at the end it just felt too preachy to be rated the same as We and The Giver, which both received 4.5 stars.

1938, 105 pp
Rating: 4
http://1morechapter.com/2008/02/27/anthem-by-ayn-rand/

#18 The Translator by Daoud Hari

It is almost always easier to learn about history through historical fiction or current world events through memoirs, and this book is no exception. Daoud Hari gives us a harrowing account of his experiences translating for various media outlets in the Darfur region. The violence in Darfur, especially toward women and children, is unspeakable. Though not overly graphic, it is still difficult to read in spots.

Similar to the plight of the Kurds, the people of Darfur have had their lives shattered due to boundaries set by people not of their region. This brief, engaging book will not only enlighten you to the situation in Darfur, but will also make you question the wisdom of meddling in other countries’ affairs at all.

2008, 189 pp.
Rating: 4
http://1morechapter.com/2008/03/01/the-translator-a-tribesmans-memoir-of-darfur/

#19: Cat's Eye by Margaret Atwood

I loved this book, perhaps even more than The Handmaid’s Tale, which I also rated 4.5. Whereas The Handmaid’s Tale was mostly a cautionary tale about men’s subjugation of women, Cat’s Eye is about girls subjugating and intimidating other girls. Elaine Risley as an adult is a successful artist, but as a little girl she was bullied by her friends and their ringleader, Cordelia. What makes little girls (and big ones!) do this, and why do the ones being tormented let them do it?

In an interview in the back of the book, Atwood states this is her most autobiographical novel, and she states the theme of the book as follows:

' Cat’s Eye is about how girlhood traumas continue into adult life. Girls have a culture marked by secrets and shifting alliances, and these can cause a lot of distress. The girl who was your friend yesterday is not your friend today, but you don’t know why. These childhood power struggles color friendships between women. I’ve asked women if they fear criticism more from men or from other women. The overwhelming answer was: “From women.” '

In typical Atwood fashion, there were also themes concerning male-female relationships. In one painting of Elaine’s, called Falling Women, she describes what was meant in the artwork:

'There were no men in this painting, but it was about men, the kind who caused women to fall. I did not ascribe any intentions to these men. They were like the weather, they didn’t have a mind. They merely drenched you or struck you like lightning and moved on, mindless as blizzards. Or they were like rocks, a line of sharp slippery rocks with jagged edges. You could walk with care along between the rocks, picking your steps and if you slipped you’d fall and cut yourself, but it was no use blaming the rocks.

That must be what was meant by fallen women. Fallen women were women who had fallen onto men and hurt themselves. There was some suggestion of downward motion, against one’s will and not with the will of anyone else. Fallen women were not pulled-down women or pushed women, merely fallen.'

Definitely one to read if you’ve enjoyed other Atwood novels.

1988, 462 pp.
Rating: 4.5
http://1morechapter.com/2008/03/11/cats-eye-by-margaret-atwood/

#20 Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery

I am probably the last adult female in the world to fall in love with Anne Shirley, but it’s finally happened. Her sweet, spunky, imaginative spirit is impossible not to fall in love with.

Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery is a book I wish I’d read in childhood. I know I would have gobbled up this series just like I did the Little House books. While as a child I could relate to Laura’s tomboyishness and her location on the prairie, I now see in Anne a competitive spirit that I could have also related to, particularly with academics. It also would have been nice to have the American/Canadian contrast while I was a young girl, but at least now I know what I’ve been missing. Just as those around her were spellbound by Anne, so was I. I can’t wait to read more of the series.

1908, 369 pp.
Rating: 4.5
http://1morechapter.com/2008/03/13/anne-of-green-gables/

#21: Embers by Sandor Marai

Embers by Sandor Marai is a novel about Henrik and Konrad, two men who share a deep friendship from childhood. The novel opens with Konrad visiting Henrik for the first time in 41 years. The reasons why the pair were separated for so long are unraveled throughout the book.

Henrik comes from a privileged, wealthy background while Konrad is from poorer stock. They both attend a military training academy as youngsters, but Henrik is much more suited to the military life, while Konrad wishes to pursue the finer arts such as music. When Henrik’s father (a military man himself) meets Konrad for the first time, he states to his son that his friend will never be suited to the military because he is a ‘different sort of man.’

As they meet at Henrik’s castle for the first time in four decades, they discuss at first what they have been doing during that time, and then come to the reasons why these two friends have not seen each other for so long. The background to the story involves the first 80 or so pages, and then a dinner party discussion between the two goes on for the remaining part of the novel. Most of this discussion is a one-sided monologue by Henrik. In fact, Henrik goes on speaking about the pair’s past for almost the entire last 70 pages. While Henrik’s monologue goes on much too long, some of the passages were beautifully written:

"The feeling that bound me to my mother and to you and to Krisztina was always the same, a longing, a hope in search of something, a helpless, sad yearning. For we always love the ‘other,’ we always seek it out, no matter what the circumstances and sudden changes in our lives….The greatest secret and the greatest gift any of us can be offered is the chance for two ’similar’ people to meet. It happens so rarely — it must be because nature uses all its force and cunning to prevent such harmony — perhaps it’s that creation and the renewal of life need the tension that is generated between two people of opposite temperaments who seek each other out. Like an alternating current. . . an exchange of energy between positive and negative poles, think of all the despair and the blind hope that lie behind this duality."

The book has quite a bit of suspense to it. I was definitely interested and engaged and wanted to know the pair’s secret, but at the end, it just didn’t quite satisfy. I would like to re-read this someday as a translation from the Hungarian to English. This translation was in English from the German translation of the original Hungarian, which doesn’t seem like it would quite work. In fact, I noticed in a few spots that the same words or phrases were repeated too close together. In one instance, ‘prettified’ was a word used twice in close proximity, and it just didn’t fit. I would read more by this author, though, if there were direct translations available.

1942, 213 pp.
Rating: 3.5
http://1morechapter.com/2008/03/20/embers-by-sandor-marai/

Whew! I read messages 14 & 15 earlier and thought "oh dear, she's not on pace for 80!" Then I went off to grab some lunch and, on returning, saw your last two messages.

So was it 21 in the first three months? At that rate, you'll hit 84! (I know, math always was my strong suit!)

I know! I haven't been keeping up with this like I should. My blog is usually up to date, though. I've actually had some that I haven't reviewed yet, too. I've finished 25 through 3/31, so I'm doing okay so far!

All reviews can be found here.

22. Transformations by Anne Sexton (1971, 112 pp.)
23. The Only Road North by Erik Mirandette (2007, 300 pp.)
24. Winter Haven by Athol Dickson (2008, 336 pp.)
25. Belong to Me by Marisa de los Santos (2008, 388 pp.)
26. The Sister by Poppy Adams (2008, 275 pp.)
27. Kanada by Eva Wiseman (2006, 241 pp.)
28. Kaddish for a Child not Born by Imre Kertesz (1990, 95 pp.)
29. Detective Story by Imre Kertesz (2008, 112 pp.)
30. The Mayor’s Tongue by Nathaniel Rich (2008, 310 pp.)
31. The Cellist of Sarajevo by Steven Galloway (2008, 231 pp.)
32. Beloved by Toni Morrison (1987, 275 pp.)
33. Maus I by Art Spiegelman (1986, 161 pp.)
34. Maus II by Art Spiegelman (1991, 127 pp.)
35. Keeper and Kid by Edward Hardy (2008, 294 pp.)
36. Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe (1958, 209 pp.)

Reviews can be found here.

37. The Forgery of Venus by Michael Gruber
38. Silk by Alessandro Baricco
39. On Chesil Beach by Ian McEwan

All reviews can be found here.

40. Snow by Maxence Fermine (1999, 100 pp)
41. The Castle by Franz Kafka (1926, 316 pp.)
42. The Gathering by Anne Enright (2007, 261 pp.)
43. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J.K. Rowling (1999, 435 pp.)
44. Blessings by Anna Quindlen (202, 226 pp.)
45. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by J.K. Rowling (2000, 734 pp.)
46. American Born Chinese by Gene Luen Yang (2006, 240 pp.)
47. The Arrival by Shaun Tan (2006, 128 pp.)
48. The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick (2007, 533 pp.)
49. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by J.K. Rowling (2003, 896 pp.)
50. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince by J.K. Rowling (2005, 652 pp.)
51. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling (2007, 759 pp.)
52. Daughters of the North by Sarah Hall (2008, 207 pp.)
53. The Road Past Altamont by Gabrielle Roy (1966, 146 pp.)
54. Life of Pi by Yann Martel
55. Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen (2006, 350 pp.)
56. Jacob Two-Two’s First Spy Case by Mordecai Richler (1995, 144 pp.)
57. Unaccustomed Earth by Jhumpa Lahiri (2008, 333 pp.)
58. Bear starsh.gif by Marian Engel (1976, 141 pp.)
59. The Penelopiad by Margaret Atwood (2005, 198 pp.)
60. The Chocolate War by Robert Cormier (1974, 263 pp.)
61. Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov (1955, 327 pp.)

You have really interesting books. You are the only other person I know who has read Independent People. I was unexpectedly moved by it. I also have Embers on my TBR pile. I bought it, and my husband read it the same day in one sitting. I look forward to it.
Happy reading.