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1framboise
Hi,
I've been late in posting my finished books for the year. Here's what I've read so far:
1. Let the Northern Lights Erase Your Name by Vendela Vida
I picked up this one after a review I read in a magazine or newspaper. An interesting, well-written short novel by a writer I will be following.
2. The Abstinence Teacher by Tom Perrotta
3. Affinity by Sarah Waters
I've had this one in my library for years and had tried reading it, only to put it down after 40 or so pages a couple of times. However, this time, I made it through and it was worth it. A divergence from Waters's previous works, it is a dark, gloomy novel with supernatural elements.
4. The Logic of Life: The Rational Economics of an Irrational World by Tim Harford
Recommended if you loved Freakonomics as much as I do.
5. Identical Strangers: A Memoir of Twins Separated and Reunited by Elyse Schein & Paula Bernstein
I picked this up after seeing the twins talking about their story on "Good Morning America." The memoir is written from both writers' points of view. Honestly written, it is recommended for anyone interested in human interest stories and/or sociological studies.
6. A Pale View of Hills by Kazuo Ishiguro
A quick read, but as with Ishiguro, one you dwell on for a while. I've read 3 of Ishiguro's books and so far, none compares with Never Let Me Go.
7. An Empire of Women by Karen Shepard
Another one I've had in my library for years. This took me a while to read and I put it aside to read other, more interesting books. Did not enjoy it too much.
8. The Night Watch by Sarah Waters
Another great story by Waters. I have read all of hers now. This one diverges from her previous in that it takes place in 1940s London rather than the Victorian era. The story is told backwards so the further into it you get, you learn the relationships between the characters. An interesting device which works nicely here.
9. What Was She Thinking? –Zoe Heller
Better than the movie (as is usually the case), which I saw right after reading the book.
10. Garnethill by Denise Mina
This was recommended by a friend. It's part of a trilogy. Suspenseful, it keeps you interested to keep reading and unravel the murder mystery.
11. Manic: A Memoir by Terri Cheney
A memoir about one woman's life with bipolar disorder. I would recommend Kay Redfield Jamison's An Unquiet Mind instead to anyone interested in this disorder.
12. Peony in Love by Lisa See
I liked this one better than See's Snow Flower and the Secret Fan. Lisa See did a lot of research for this novel and it shows.
13. Remember Me? by Sophie Kinsella
I always love Kinsella's girly novels. What a fun, delightful read.
14. The Observations by Jane Harris
Recommended for fans of Sarah Waters. I am looking forward to future works by Harris.
15. The Story of a Marriage by Andrew Sean Greer
Very different from his previous The Confessions of Max Tivoli which I thought was cleverly conceived and executed.
16. One Hand Clapping by Anthony Burgess
This is the 3rd novel I've read of Burgess's. He is an excellent storyteller and while it's worth the read, it's not as good as my all-time fave A Clockwork Orange, or The Wanting Seed which is also in my collection. A brilliant writer.
17. Nim Chimpsky: The Chimp Who Would Be Human by Elizabeth Hess
An excellent account of Nim Chimpsky, a chimpanzee who was taken as a baby and raised by a family on the Upper West Side of NYC. This book follows his life from infancy to adulthood as he is transferred to and from various facilities. He was the subject of a language study in the 70s which set out to prove that chimps could learn language (in this case, sign language) and use it, thereby disproving Noam Chomsky's assertion that language was a human ability (hense, his name--Nim Chimpsky). Highly recommended for animal lovers and anyone interested in sociological and/or linguistic studies.
I've been late in posting my finished books for the year. Here's what I've read so far:
1. Let the Northern Lights Erase Your Name by Vendela Vida
I picked up this one after a review I read in a magazine or newspaper. An interesting, well-written short novel by a writer I will be following.
2. The Abstinence Teacher by Tom Perrotta
3. Affinity by Sarah Waters
I've had this one in my library for years and had tried reading it, only to put it down after 40 or so pages a couple of times. However, this time, I made it through and it was worth it. A divergence from Waters's previous works, it is a dark, gloomy novel with supernatural elements.
4. The Logic of Life: The Rational Economics of an Irrational World by Tim Harford
Recommended if you loved Freakonomics as much as I do.
5. Identical Strangers: A Memoir of Twins Separated and Reunited by Elyse Schein & Paula Bernstein
I picked this up after seeing the twins talking about their story on "Good Morning America." The memoir is written from both writers' points of view. Honestly written, it is recommended for anyone interested in human interest stories and/or sociological studies.
6. A Pale View of Hills by Kazuo Ishiguro
A quick read, but as with Ishiguro, one you dwell on for a while. I've read 3 of Ishiguro's books and so far, none compares with Never Let Me Go.
7. An Empire of Women by Karen Shepard
Another one I've had in my library for years. This took me a while to read and I put it aside to read other, more interesting books. Did not enjoy it too much.
8. The Night Watch by Sarah Waters
Another great story by Waters. I have read all of hers now. This one diverges from her previous in that it takes place in 1940s London rather than the Victorian era. The story is told backwards so the further into it you get, you learn the relationships between the characters. An interesting device which works nicely here.
9. What Was She Thinking? –Zoe Heller
Better than the movie (as is usually the case), which I saw right after reading the book.
10. Garnethill by Denise Mina
This was recommended by a friend. It's part of a trilogy. Suspenseful, it keeps you interested to keep reading and unravel the murder mystery.
11. Manic: A Memoir by Terri Cheney
A memoir about one woman's life with bipolar disorder. I would recommend Kay Redfield Jamison's An Unquiet Mind instead to anyone interested in this disorder.
12. Peony in Love by Lisa See
I liked this one better than See's Snow Flower and the Secret Fan. Lisa See did a lot of research for this novel and it shows.
13. Remember Me? by Sophie Kinsella
I always love Kinsella's girly novels. What a fun, delightful read.
14. The Observations by Jane Harris
Recommended for fans of Sarah Waters. I am looking forward to future works by Harris.
15. The Story of a Marriage by Andrew Sean Greer
Very different from his previous The Confessions of Max Tivoli which I thought was cleverly conceived and executed.
16. One Hand Clapping by Anthony Burgess
This is the 3rd novel I've read of Burgess's. He is an excellent storyteller and while it's worth the read, it's not as good as my all-time fave A Clockwork Orange, or The Wanting Seed which is also in my collection. A brilliant writer.
17. Nim Chimpsky: The Chimp Who Would Be Human by Elizabeth Hess
An excellent account of Nim Chimpsky, a chimpanzee who was taken as a baby and raised by a family on the Upper West Side of NYC. This book follows his life from infancy to adulthood as he is transferred to and from various facilities. He was the subject of a language study in the 70s which set out to prove that chimps could learn language (in this case, sign language) and use it, thereby disproving Noam Chomsky's assertion that language was a human ability (hense, his name--Nim Chimpsky). Highly recommended for animal lovers and anyone interested in sociological and/or linguistic studies.
