judylou is still reading in 2009

I have read more than 100 books this year (2008) so hope to read at least that many again in 2009. So, I'm defecting from the 50 challenge to join all you friendly readers over here.

>1 judylou: Judy, you have done the wise thing! :). Welcome to our wonderful group.

- TT

Glad to see you here, Judy!

Hi Judy! I have jumped over from the 50 book challenge group too. I have starred your 2009 thread and look forward to reading your posts! Happy New Year!

Welcome to the group, judylou!

Thank you for all your kind messages :0)

1. Bee Season by Myla Goldberg

I enjoyed this book. Although the family appear happy and "normal" on the surface, each member of the family is trying to find answers. The mother is distancing herself from both husband and children, the son is exploring other religions, the daughter is finding herself to be 'not-so-ordinary' through her skills at the spelling bee, and the father obsessively places all his hopes onto his children. Each member of the family is looking for God. Their search is not easy.

2. The Light Fantastic by Terry Pratchett (Audio)

Fun story to listen to. The tourist and his guide get into some outrageous Discworld adventures, and manage to save the Disc from disaster. I will continue to read the Discworld books every now and then.

Hi Judy, I haven't made the jump (yet) myself but wanted to keep tabs on your reviews.

Terry Pratchett is my favorite author in the world I have re-read his books over and over since I was about 14 and first fell in love with the Bromiliad Trilogy. Twoflower reappears a few books later in the series called Interesting Times and is one of my all time fave Discworld books (Rincewind travels to Twoflowers country with the Silver horde). I have been meaning to get the audio's of his books so Keith can listen to it (he doesn't really do fantasy books even though I tell him these are different).

HI judylou..
Welcome to you!

(opps, I just realized that my post sounds like the beginning of a Dr. Suess book.)

Thanks whisper -

HI judylou..
Welcome to you!
It's 2009
Lets see what you do!

And that is the best I can come up with LOL!!!

caspettee - I will certainly be visiting Discworld again in the future.

Hi Judylou
Welcome to you
The number of books currently read happens to be two
Next one to read will be written by Who????

...

hehehehehe!!!!! The answer to your question is . . .

3. A Complicated Kindness by Miriam Toews

16yo Nomi Nickel lives in a small Mennonite community with her father. She is a rebellious teenager looking for her own identity within the severe restrictions of her religion, and a sad and lonely girl with a beautiful relationship with her sad and lonely father. I think the author has captured the real voice of Nomi, the aloneness of a small town girl. I will be looking forward to reading more of Toews' novels.

A Complicated Kindness looks good. On to Continent TBR it goes!

Judylou, just wanted to say hi! I have you starred so I'll be dropping in :)

Love the rhyming. I was hoping your book review would be Dr Suess style LOL

Thanks fasciknitting! I am keeping watch on your threads as well!

caspettee, I tried, but couldn't come up with a word that rhymed with mennonite :-)

Yes I could see how that would be a problem not exactly and easy word to rhyme to....well with out making words up of course :)

4. Monster Love by Carol Topolski

This was not an easy book to read. The story is about a couple who have a baby who is not wanted. They abuse, neglect and finally kill the little girl. The story is told through the voices of neighbours, family, colleagues and the parents. It was a chilling story which held me tight for the first half, but then I started to lose touch with the central characters. They were purely evil. They had absolutely no redeeming qualities. I just didn't believe the one dimensional characters. But, it is a book that I will remember for a long time.

5. The Orange Girl by Jostein Gaarder (audio)

I enjoyed Gaarder's previous books a lot more than this one. It is told as a letter to a young boy from his father who had died some years earlier. It was a nice story, had a bit of philosophy thrown in as per Gaarder, but not wonderful.

6. Rape: A Love Story by Joyce Carol Oates

An excellent story! A woman is raped by a gang of young men. Her 12yo daughter barely escapes rape, and is then subjected to hearing her mother being brutally raped and beaten, left for dead. There is seemingly plenty of evidence to convict the identified men, but it appears that they will escape with only light sentences. Oates has captured the fear, anger, pain, and finally the indifference felt by the woman. She has also captured the feelings of the little girl, her need to know her mother will recover, and most palpably, her recognition that her life would never be the same again. A grueling read, but a very powerful one.

whoo-whee girl, time for something a little lighter.

:)

judylou
I read many Joyce Carol Oates books in 2008, but I just couldn't bring myself to read this one. Thanks for the review.

Yikes, that seems very heavy.. I'm glad you liked it though.

I just can't seem to read books like Rape: A Love Story, their effect is just too powerful. I tried to read The Lovely Bones (about chld rape and murder) and actually threw the book away because it was so upsetting. It's well written but too much for me.

Rape: A Love Story does sound a bit much for me, but I did think The Lovely Bones was good. I'm getting ready to read The Shack soon and what I've heard about that book reminds me of The Lovely Bones.

beeg, definitely time for something lighter!

It was a difficult book, subject-wise, but there was a (kind of) happy ending which somehow lightened the load. Oates did not dwell on the facts of the rape, rather she made me understand the feelings of those involved.

I have the Rape: A Love Story on my reading list for this year, glad to see it get a good review. I also read the The Lovely Bones quite some time ago and found it interesting.

LOL after Monster love and Rape a love story I'll be checking to see what you chose.

Time for... well, I would say Anne of Green Gables, haha. Or Pollyanna. Or Pippi Longstocking! Speaking of... I think I would love to read Pippi! I've only seen the movie, so it'd be interesting to read the book. (sorry, went a little off topic there)

But I'm sure it won't be hard for you to find something to read :)

(loved the Pippi Longstoncking books when I was a little girl read them over and over again. I think we have the same hair)

>Judy, abuse, death and rape! Bring on P.G. Wodehouse!

- TT

yer just kinda twisted aren't ya?

I like that

Just a little bit *blush* ;)

You'll all be pleased to know that I have found the perfect follow up to the last two books. Its called The Good Mayor and is a lovely lighthearted romance (so far). I'm really enjoying it!

>31 judylou: Ah, Judy, it sounds lovely!

- TT

Judy I will be interested to see what you think of the Good Mayor it sounds interesting.

7. The Good Mayor by Andrew Nicoll

I really, really liked this book. Good Mayor Krovic, the Mayor of Dot, near the town of Dash, and on the Ampersand River, is in love with his secretary. He is a good man, and she is a married woman. I loved the whimsy in this story. I loved the ambiguity of time and place in the story and the very readable writing. There was a little bit of magic, a little bit of fantasy, some great descriptive writing and a wonderfully compelling storyline. The Good Mayor might have been just another lovely romance, but it is so much more than that.

#34: Sounds like The Good Mayor is well, good. I will have to put it on Continent TBR.

I hope you like it too!

Aww... that one sounds cute!

Hey Judy. Its nice that you on here now so I do not have to spend decades looking for you on the 50 thread. Hope your holidays were great and enjoyable.

Rape: A love story sounds interesting. It sounds like it would be very, very intense and I have to be in the right frame of mind to read it. Carol Oates sure knows how to put a depressing story out there.

#37 . . . it is!

#38 I'm glad you found me too! Had a lovely two weeks away with all the family over Christmas / New Year which was nice.

Oates (I think) manages to deliver the message without resorting to shock tactics in that book. What I mean by that, is she tells the story without relying on graphic writing; she suggests what happens and the reader is able to imagine as much or little as they wish.

ETA: Trish, where are you hiding? I can't find your thread.

8. The Reader by Bernhard Schlink

Michael is 15 when he meets Hanna, twice his age. They have a relationship for about 6 months and Hanna disappears. Michael discovers Hanna's past while he is studying law and it is at this point that he finally understands her secret and what has driven her to make some vital decisions in her life. A very powerful and readable book.

no touchstones today it seems

judylou: The Good Mayor is going on my TBR too - thanks for the review!

The Good Mayor is going on my TBR as well.

well you've got some interesting posts here!

9. Moral Disorder by Margaret Atwood

An interesting set of interconnected stories revealing parts of Nell's life, and her relationships with all those important to her, from child to adult. This was a very engaging and thoughtful read.

10. Death: The High Cost of Living by Neil Gaiman

My first graphic novel! I am a fan of Gaiman, but haven't read any of his graphic novels before and I think it shows in my lack of enthusiasm in this one. I realized after I finished, that it was a spin-off from his Sandman books, so I don't think I "got" some of the references in this story. However, it has piqued my interest so I will read more from this genre.

#45 yes, definitely helps if you've read Sandman first. Re Sandman, if you do give it a go, bear with it - there are 10 volumes and some are better than others...

I'm glad you liked Moral Disorder - I loved reading about her farm life!

Yes, the farming parts were done really well. Atwood can really make you *see* her landscapes.

>45 judylou: One day I want to read The Sandman books!

11. Alias Grace by Margaret Atwood

A fascinating story based on the true story of Grace Marks who is accused of the murders of her employer and the housekeeper in 1800s Canada. The story is told in most part by Grace herself as she relates her memories of the events surrounding the murders to a young doctor with an interest in psychiatry. The characters are so well written by Atwood, that you find yourself thinking they are real and you have to remind yourself that it is fiction! There is so much detail in this book about Grace's life - her everyday chores, thoughts and relationships are revealed through her conversations with the doctor. It could have been dull, but in Atwood's hands it is made fascinating.

Hi Judylou
Keeping up with the posts has been a daunting task, but each day I chip away at more messages. I'm reading your thread this evening. The Good Mayor sounds like a winner!

#50: Thanks for the review and recommendation, judylou. On to Continent TBR Alias Grace goes!

> Alias Grace is the only book by Atwood available on Bookmooch and - can you believe it? - I've actually never read anything by her: maybe the time has come!

#49 merry10: You should! Sandman is *wonderful*!

#45: So wonderful, in fact, that I think you should give it another try - it's the best of Gaiman, IMHO.

girlunderglass, try Atwood. She is a wonderful author.

scaifea, I intend to try more graphic novels this year, so Gaiman is probably a good place for me to start since I have loved all of his fiction.

...I think that Alias Grace is my favourite Margaret Atwood so far...

12. The Great Arch by Vicki Hastrich

This book was inspired by real events and people. Ralph Cage is a minister whose parish is strongly affected by the building of the Sydney Harbour Bridge. Entire streets, houses and livelihoods must make way for this major engineering feat. Ralph becomes obsessed with the bridge. He spends more and more time there, neglecting his family, his church and his parishioners. His newsletters are full of bridge information and statistics, his conversations always revert to the bridge, his ministrations are always based on bridge facts and metaphors. But as the bridge grows, his parish is shrinking. Throughout the book Ralph sees only the benefits of the bridge, never the downside, but the reader is provided with a running commentary throughout the book about the human cost of building the bridge.

An interesting story. I liked it.

#57: Sounds like an interesting read, judylou. I will give it a try. Thanks for the recommendation.

13. Duma Key by Stephen King

I was a fan of King's early books, but wasn't so enamoured with his later ones. I have read a few of his more recent ones though and they are much more impressive! He has a real knack with characterization. He is able to invent a character who begins to become so real, you want to help them out of their troubles!! Duma Key is about a man who has suffered brain damage, and lost an arm from an almost fatal accident. He moves to an island in Florida and suddenly becomes compelled to draw and paint. But the paintings have some incredible powers and then we get into some classic Stephen King supernatural creepiness.

Recommended for anyone who enjoys Stephen King.

This novel has piqued my interest, thanks to your review and others. Duma Key is set near my hometown. =)

I'm adding Duma Key to the pile. It is good to hear that King has returned to some of his originality. His later books were ones that I couldn't read.

14. The Body Artist by Don DeLillo

A strange little story, but somehow compelling. The opening chapter introduces us to Lauren and her husband Rey at breakfast. DeLillo has managed to convey an ordinary moment in time through his sparse language, which provides us with the feelings of loneliness and isolation within their relationship. The following chapters are . . . different . . . unusual . . . (but not nice:) . . . difficult to follow even. A book to think about for a while I think.

15. Hitler's Daughter by Jackie French

A group of children meet each morning at the bus stop. Anna starts to tell them a story about a girl in Germany during the war. She is Hitler's daughter, but he is unable to acknowledge her because she is not "perfect", a limp and a birthmark, as well as her dark complexion keep her hidden away with only the household help. The story is told in instalments over a couple of weeks, leaving one of the children, Mark, to begin to question how a parent's behaviour impacts on their children. It is really a story about choice and the freedom to choose your own path.

Hitler's Daughter looks interesting, judylou. I will see if I can track it down. Thanks!

thanks alcottacre, it's not wonderful, but it's interesting, and it only took me a couple of hours to read too.

16. Sputnik Sweetheart by Haruki Murakami

This is basically a story of a love triangle. The narrator is in love with his best friend Sumire, an aspiring author, but she, totally unaware of his feelings, is in love with an older, sophisticated businesswoman, Mui. Sumire begins working for Mui and they travel together for business. During one such trip, the narrator receives a phone call from Mui which changes their lives. Murakami writes with a real sense of longing, his prose is quite beautiful. Recommended.

#66: I like Murakami, but I have not read that one yet. I will have to look for it.

Yes, Murakami has a certain something. I am becoming a fan.

17. Black Orchid by Neil Gaiman & Dave McKean

Another graphic novel. This one was about human/plant hybrids. I have the feeling that I have again started reading in the middle of a series. I was a bit lost for a while. But it was interesting and I will continue trying the graphic novels.

#68 judylou - no, I don't think Black Orchid is in the middle of a series - I think it's a stand alone (although I may be wrong) - Neil Gaiman does sometimes plunge you in the middle of a story - from what I remember, the backstory emerges as you're reading - but I agree, it's initially confusing!

Thanks Fliss, I did a bit of research tonight and found the first volume of The Sandman at the library. So, I'll let you know how it goes!

Neil Gaiman mus tbe one fantastic author. I see his name mentioned here on LT often. Is there one that you would recommend I start first?

#71 Whisper, I love them all, but the one that seems to be most universally popular is Neverwhere - or if you like YA, The Graveyard Book deservedly won the Newbury prize this year...

Love Neil, just got back from seeing Coraline - so good!
I agree with flissp, start with Neverwhere

And I loved Anansi Boys. It was hilarious, and clever, and touching all at the same time.

18. Notes from the Underground by Fyodor Dostoevsky

I didn't find this an easy book to read. It was confusing and frustrating. The first part was uninteresting (IMO) but the second part was better. I think that because I read this through Daily Lit, and took much, much longer than I should have, I didn't get as much out of it as I could have.

Hi Judylou.
18 books thus far! Congratulations.

I read some Dostoevsky books in college and Notes from the Underground was one of them that, like you, I simply could not get into it.

19. Due Preparations for the Plague by Janette Turner Hospital

This book was not what I was expecting. For some reason, I thought it was about a completely different subject than the psychological spy thriller it was. So, not particularly liking that genre, I kept reading under sufferance. But, I was happily surprised that I enjoyed it as much as I did. The story pivots on the fate of the surviving children of an airline hijacking - the only survivors of flight AF64. Each of them is traumatised, and each deals with that trauma differently. Sam, obsessed with finding out the truth, uncovers information about spies, terrorism and cover-ups both individual and national, and sucks others into danger with her.

#77: Thanks for the review, judylou. Hospital is an author I have not heard of before, but the book sounds like something I would like, so I will try and get a copy.

I've also added this book to the tbr pile.
It sounds interesting

20. Shikasta by Doris Lessing

A difficult book to read, yet a strangely compelling one. In this story (part 1 of 5) Shikasta (Earth) is basically an experiment gone wrong. Lessing has told the story of human evolution through the reports of Johor - an agent for Canopus, an alien society which has monitored, and influenced, the development of Earth from pre history to the future. It is told through reports, letters and the journal entries of both alien agents and humans.

It was a very interesting story, confronting and insightful, providing us with an alternate view on spirituality, evolution and belief.

21. The Zombie Survival Guide by Max Brooks

Disappointing! World War Z was one of my favourites last year. But this one was just not on the same level. I shouldn't have been surprised though, because it was exactly what the title suggests - A survival guide. The first 3/4 of the book is basically lists. Lists of weapons, lists of landscapes, lists of rations, lists of medical equipment, lists, lists, lists, lists, lists! Now, don't get me wrong. I love lists. But these ones were not particularly interesting. Happily, the final quarter was better. It provided a history of zombie attacks from caveman times to present day. That was interesting!

oh no! Only I can't figure out if I should keep it on my list, should I just skip to the last quarter?

>82 beeg:: I'll just say this: it makes an excellent bathroom read... you'll get it done eventually that way :) LOL

A friend of mine is going to loan me The Zombie Survival Guide (she also called it a bathroom read!) and I am loaning her World War Z once I finish it. At least this way, it's an investment of time and not money if I don't like it.

beeg, maybe you won't be as disappointed as I was. But I think that because you liked WWZ so much, you will probably HAVE to take a look at it. (Like me!!!)

dk, I think it would have made an excellent bathroom book!

lorie, I think your friend might be the winner in that swap!

22. Cloudland by Lisa Gorton

An interesting little children's fantasy novel set in a world where it has been raining for a year; the earth is suffering, people are losing their property and their lives. Lucy is chosen as "the protector" and along with Daniel, a boy she met at the bustop, is taken to a world in the clouds where the Cloudians are in danger from the evil Kazia, ice queen.

Hey Judy, as always you've been reading some really good stuff. Alias Grace sounds really good. Atwood and Muraikami (not sure if that is the correct spelling) are writers that seem to come up a lot on LT and I need to get around to reading some of their stuff.

Wow, I don't know how I have managed to miss your thread!

I read Alias Grace and World War Z last year, and Rape: A Love Story several years ago. A lot of your reads so far have now gone onto my wishlist and you are definitely starred :)

Hey Judylou, I was pumped to see your positive review of Alias Grace. I have to read it for a class I am teaching during a teacher's college practice block, and was kind of dreading it - I'm not a huge Atwood fan. However, I am in the middle of it right now, and totally LOVING it! I have The Blind Assassin on my TBR pile, and based on Alias Grace, I might have to move it up on the list :)

JudyLou

I re-read your description of Rape A Love Story by Joyce Carol Oates and while I originally said I wasn't going to read the book, I finished First Love by Joyce Carol Oates and as usual, while I may not like the titles or subject matter of her novels, I keep coming back to them because they are so powerfully written.

I'm reconsidering and think I'll read Rape: A Love Story.

Hi Trish and Lunacat. Thanks for your comments.

23. My Antonia by Willa Cather

A lovely story about Antonia, a new immigrant to the prairies, and Jim, a boy sent to live with his grandparents after the death of his parents, and their relationship over many years. I thought this was a beautifully written book. Very straightforward, plain writing which set the tone for both the landscape and the characters. Her characterization is brilliant. Every one of the people in that book were almost real, and totally believable.

Recommended.

I've got My Antonia in the TBR pile. I'm glad to know it's such a good book.

lorie, it is well worth the time!!

#92: I second judylou on My Antonia, my favorite Cather thus far.

24. Bloodletting and Miraculous Cures by Vincent Lam

This series of interconnected short stories follows four medical students as they become doctors. Each story takes a moment, or an incident from their lives and expands on it. I never lost interest in the characters, even though they didn't appear in every story; I looked forward to meeting them again. This was a great collection of stories, almost a novel, which I can recommend.

>89 Cait86: Cait, The Highly-Rated Book Group is starting a group read of The Blind Assassin on Monday 9th March. Come over and join us.

- TT

25. A Fine Balance by Rohinton Mistry

This is one of those books that I will remember always. I am a fan of the big Indian family stories (think A Suitable Boy - one of my all-time favourites) and this one will also go into my top 10 I think. The characters are all balanced on the edge. Their lives are livable if only all goes well. But an incident, an encounter, an idea, can mean the difference between life and death, success or failure, affluence or poverty. We follow a number of characters throughout the book. There is Om and Ishvar, nephew and uncle from the untouchable class, the only ones left of their family, now working as tailors for Dina; Maneck, a student from a struggling middle class family who moves into Dina's spare room; and Dina Dalal, from the well off middle classes, now a widow who seeks independence at almost any price.

The caste differences are at first real barriers between the four, but with time, an understanding and then a friendship is developed. Their loyalty to each other a very moving part of the story.

Mistry manages to give some insight into the culture of India during the time of The Emergency. Each individual must behave in a way specified by the hierarchy. Even while we feel the utmost sympathy for those at the bottom, we are able to see how at each level, there is persecution from above and restrictions in possibilities. Even through their differences, it is possible to see the similarities of their lives.

Thanks for the excellent review of A Fine Balance. I like your very true statement "we are able to see how at each level, there is persecution from above and restrictions in possibilities."

Thanks whisper. That is the one thing that made a big imression on me while reading this book. Sure, there were "baddies", but even the not so nice people acted as they did because of the society they lived in; mostly as a way to survive.

lots of wisdom from both the book, and from you...

A Fine Balance is one of my most memorable reads too (I like books about India too--also a fan of A Suitable Boy). Great review, and I'm so glad you liked it.

abw I've now added A Suitable Boy to my list.
Thanks.

A Suitable Boy is one of my favorite books -- I loved it so much I read it more slowly as I got near the end so I could delay finishing it and leaving the wonderful characters.

Thanks everone for your comments. I also have his book Family Matters which I will probably read later on this year. I hope it is as good as this one was.

26. The Absolute Sandman: Volume 1 by Neil Gaiman

Gaiman is a star! I still prefer his novels to graphic novels, but that is probably because of my biasses rather than his skill. I am new to graphic novels and it is still hard to get over the idea that I am back in the 60s, spending my pocket money on Archie, Dot and Richie Rich again!

LOL Judi. Graphic novels are a growing trend in the West which I think is nice. There is some lovely art work around.

I have not read any of Gaiman's graphic novels myself but they sound good. I know Irish loves them.

Caspettee, I will request Volume 2 from the library. I do enjoy reading them.

27. The Tell-Tale Heart by Edgar Allan Poe

I am familiar with Poe's work through the many references made to his stories in different media (think of The Simpsons, for example), but I don't remember ever actually reading anything. The construction of this short story is so good. The short, choppy sentences get you off balance straight away as he builds the story from a whisper to a scream. Excellent.

28. The Cask of Amontillado by Edgar Allan Poe

A story of revenge and egos damaged. Poe uses the minimum required words to tell his story, again building the suspense wonderfully.

I liked Family Matters but not nearly as much as A Fine Balance. It would be very hard to match A Fine Balance in my view.

arubabookwoman, I will make sure I leave it for a while so I am not tempted to compare too closely!

29. Everything I Knew by Peter Goldsworthy

Goldsworthy is on my favourite authors list. I have been very impressed by previous books. But this one was not a standout. It was good, but not great. Robbie Burns is 14, almost 15, the son of the local copper, best friend to Billy, aboriginal and heading for trouble, and in the class of the beautiful, exotic, city girl, Miss Peach. Things go from bad to worse for Robby. Growing up in a small town where everyone knows everything is not easy. I liked this story. It was engaging. I recommend it.

30. The Purloined Letter by Edgar Allan Poe

Not much action in this detective story. Very clinical and analytical.

>107 judylou: Someone else was recently reading The Tell-Tale Heart on these threads and I HEARTILY recommended that they watch this!! The recommendation is valid for you too, especially since you seem to have enjoyed the story :)

girlunderglass - that was great! Thanks for the link.

31. The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman

As you all know I love Gaiman's work, but this one wasn't quite up there with his others IMO. While reading it I felt that it was a bit confused as to its audience. It at times resembled a book for children, then at others a book for adults. That had me wondering.

Having said that, I did like it. The story was quite different and I read it in one day, so it can't have been all bad!

32. The Witch of Portobello by Paulo Coelho

Coelho used to be one of my favourite authors, but after reading Brida last year and not really enjoying it, and now not liking The Witch of Portobello at all, he is losing his place!

The book is full of new age stuff of which I am not a fan. Really, it all comes down to, if I wanted to read a self help book, I would go to the self help section rather than the fiction shelves! Just disappointing.

33. The Submerged Cathedral by Charlotte Wood

Brilliant! Basically a love story - girl meets boy; girl loses boy; girl finds boy, or does she? But beautifully written. Full of landscapes and gardens and the ocean. Each landscape written so well that it comes to life as you read it. The characters are engaging and have been written with such depth that they are totally believable. All in all a truly wonderful story.

The Submerged Cathedral sounds great. How did you find this book?
After reading your great description, I'm adding it to the ever growing tbr pile.

Hi whisper. I read The Children by Charlotte Wood last year, so I was aware of her. When I found this book in the op shop, I knew I had to read it! The best $2 I have spent in quite a while :) She has written one other book as well, Pieces of a Girl which I will keep a lookout for.

Sounds like another great book to be added to the ever increasing TBR mountain.

I'll be adding Wood's book to the Continent as well and keeping my eye out for the others by her that you have mentioned.

I hope you all enjoy it as much as I did :)

I've added the Wood book to my wishlist -- thanks for the review!

34. The Elves of Cintra by Terry Brooks

I listened to this in the car. It is the second in a trilogy, and a really enjoyable story. As with the first book, Brooks has finished this one in the middle of the action. Leaving a real cliffhanger of an ending. I look forward to reading No. 3 to see how it all resolves. It is a typical fantasy tale, I guess. There are goodies and baddies, elves and fairies, battles and magic. Just a great story.

35. Maus by Art Spiegelman

What a powerful book this was. Brilliantly drawn graphic novel about a father and son, their relationship and the father's story of survival during the Holocaust. We meet Vladek, a very difficult man, who tells his son, in a series of interviews about his experiences during WW2. It is stark and emotional, yet we also see how Art, the son, fights his anger as his father makes life difficult for everyone around him. Excellent, and highly recommended, even for those of you who don't normally read graphic novels.

#122: I couldn't agree more with your assessment of Maus. I hope you get a chance to read Maus II as well.

Thanks! I will certainly look out for it.

36. The Sinkings by Amanda Curtin

When the remains of Little Jock, a former convict, brutally murdered at The Sinkings in Colonial Western Australia are found, an autopsy questions whether they are male or female. Willa Samson discovers the story of Little Jock through her desire to understand her own intersexed child. Two stories are told consecutively. That of Little Jock and his incredible secret life, and that of Willa and Imogen, the daughter who has been lost.

Highly recommended.

#125: Sounds like an interesting read. I will look for it - thanks for the recommendation!

It was interesting! Hope you can find it.

I agree with Stasia, The Sinkings sounds very interesting. Another for the mountain.

37. Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan

Thanks to caspettee for recommending this fantasy series for young people. Percy discovers he is the son of a God and begins a quest which leads him into danger and adventure. This is a good fun story.

38. The Stone Diaries by Carol Shields

This was a particularly beautiful story - written as a biography - of Daisy Goodwill, who was born on the kitchen floor in the Canadian home of her parents, lived a long life, and died in a hospice in Florida. She had an ordinary life, but it was made extraordinary by the skill of Shields, who managed to grab my attention from the very start, and never lost it until the very end!

#130: Sounds like a lovely book! I have not yet read any of Shields books, but that one sounds like a good starting point. Thanks for the recommendation!

#130: That sounds really good! I love stories about ordinary people with ordinary lives. I'll pick it up in the library this afternoon!

I hope you both like it as much as I did.

39. The Yellow Wallpaper by Charlotte Perkins Gilman

A rather creepy short story written in 1892 about a woman's descent into madness. She fixates on the wallpaper in the room where she is recovering from her "temporary nervous depression". She sees things in the room's yellow wallpaper and ultimately she becomes what she imagines.

40. People of the Book by Geraldine Brooks

Hanna is a book conservationist. She is asked to restore an ancient Jewish text which has surfaced in Sarajevo. While working on the text, she discovers a couple of stains, an insect wing and a tiny hair. The story takes us back through time, starting with its preservation during the war in Sarajevo and ending with the story of its illustrator centuries before, as we discover how these things came to be in the text. I really enjoyed this story. It was interesting and enthralling.

My only (little) problem with it was the Australian "voice" of Hanna. I actually thought she was going to say 'stone the flaming crows, cobber' at one point. I mean really, she was a tad over the top methinks.

People of the book sounds really good. Might keep an eye out for it.

I hate it also when authors resort to a cliche "voice" of a nationality. Or worse when they get it way wrong.

#136: Brooks grew up in Australia, so I do not think she got it way wrong. I thought the book was very good when I read it last year, but I thought the ending could have been done much better.

alcottacre, Brooks didn't get it way wrong, but it was just a tad overdone. It just made me squirm a little bit.

41. The Heart is a Lonely Hunter by Carson McCullers

This one didn't really do it for me. Although the characters were beautifully drawn, I didn't really relate to them at all. The book is set in the Southern US shortly after the depression. Each of the characters is somehow different, a bit odd, underdogs and loners. It was OK, but just OK.

42. Valley of Grace by Marion Halligan

On the other hand, this one I did like. Set in Paris, Halligan really brings these streets to life. This is a story of love and yearning. Fanny yearns for a baby, Luc yearns for commitment, Sabine yearns for respect and Catherine yearns for her father, lost in the war. Lovely!

#138: The Halligan book does sound lovely! I will give it a try. Thanks for the recommendation.

Hi judy!
I loved My Antonia as well - I was kind of dreading reading it, but it was definitely an easy, wonderful read. And thank you for the good review of Stone Diaries. It's on my TBR list and I think I will definitely pick it up at my next trip to the library.

Hi Judy, I picked up Lovers knots by Marion Halligan. Will read Valley of Grace as well. Thanks

Hi alcottacre - hope you enjoy it too!

Hi fasciknitting - I'm with you as far as My Antonia goes. I thought it was going to be a bit of a trial to read, but I was happily surprised by it.

Hi dianestm - that is one of my favourite Halligan novels. Perhaps it has something to do with being set in Newcastle. Having grown up there, I could recognize so many of the locations she wrote about.

43. Holes by Louis Sachar

A nice little story for the YA market. Stanley Yelnats is given the choice between a camp and prison when he is accused of theft. He chooses the camp because his family is poor and has never been able to afford to send him to summer camp. He imagines swimming in the lake the camp is named after, but instead he discovers a dry lakebed full of holes, that have been dug by all of the inmates of the camp. They must dig one hole every day of their interment. I enjoyed reading this book, it was simple and fun.

#142: That one is in my home library somewhere . . .

44. Mister Pip by Lloyd Jones

This is an exceptional book. I just loved it. I have no idea why I put off reading it for so long. The story is set in Bougainville - an island close to New Guinea. In the 90's there was an uprising which caused the mines to close down, jobs to be lost and many of the men to either leave the island or join the fighting.

Mr Watts is about the only white man left on Bougainville. He is married to Grace - a native of the island. When he is asked to become the village's teacher, he is quite lost as to what to do, until he introduces the children to Mr Dickens through Great Expectations. Matilda and the other children become engrossed in the world of Pip, despite the vast differences between her world and that of Mr Dickens.

The seemingly idyllic life in the village changes with the arrival of the war. There is such an abrupt change in the book at this point that it literally made me grunt out loud!! The prose changes from slow and languorous, like life in the village, to fast and choppy when events change Matilda's life for ever.

The seemingly idyllic life in the village changes with the arrival of the war. There is such an abrupt change in the book at this point that it literally made me grunt out loud!! The prose changes from slow and languorous, like life in the village, to fast and choppy when events change Matilda's life for ever.

That is exactly how I felt, judylou - there was such a huge change in the events, the writing style, the characters, everything. It actually bothered me - I preferred the first 2/3 of the book to the last 1/3 quite a bit. Great review!

#145. I know what you mean. I've had that reaction to a book many times as well. In this case, for me, that's what made the events so much more powerful. I felt the shock with them in a way that I don't think I would have, had the book not started out very differently.

Edit. to correct #

Absolutely, cait86. I understand what you are saying. The first 2/3 of the book were a real pleasure to read, the last part not so easy. But as bonniebooks says, the contrast in styles was almost a physical thing - very powerful.

I've added Mister Pip to my list. I like your well written description.

I recently bid on and won 68 YA books from ebay (for $15.50!) Holes was one of the books in the box and I hope to read it soon.

68 books for $15.50? Well done!!!!!!!!!!!!! I hope there are lots of other good ones in there too!

45. Vile Bodies by Evelyn Waugh

Set between the two World Wars in England, this story is about Adam, a Bright Young Thing, and his "friends". The BYTs are upper class types - some very rich, some, like Adam, have fallen on hard times. Adam is unable to marry the girl he loves (at least it seems like he loves her) as he has no money. The engagement is on / off /on /off as he comes into money, loses it, regains it, loses it again . . .

The story starts full of fun and joviality; parties are attended and bad luck is dismissed flippantly. But then the tone changes very subtly until you start to see these BYTs for the 'vile bodies' that they really are.

#133: Hello JudyLou! I finished The Stone Diaries, and I just thought I'd report back to you! I really liked the story, but I must say I didn't enjoy Shields's style... I kept feeling that she could write the same story in 1/3 of the words. After reading it, I discovered it is a fictional autobiography, but if so, does anyone happen to know where the photos come from? I thought they were a real cool feature (they had me fooled, anyway!)

I like your description of vile Bodies. I've added it to my tbr pile. Thanks!

tarendz, I also liked the photos that were included. It really gave the book a different feel.

Thanks Whisper, hope you like it!

46. Beloved by Toni Morrison

I saw the movie some time ago and thought it was an interesting story. But the book is sooooo much better.

An eerie story about Sethe and her children and her desperate attempts to keep them free of the slavery that she has suffered. Who is Beloved? Is she real? Is she the result of Sethe's damaged psyche? Fascinating book. Highly recommended.

47. Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro

I found this book fascinating and frustrating in turns.

Fascinating because the story itself was very intriguing, allowed to develop very slowly through the memories of Kathy. We know very early on that Kathy is a carer, her friends are donors who are expecting to complete. But we don't understand what all that means until we are quite deep into the story.

Frustrating because the story opens so slowly, I was making up my own plots along the way, completely wrong of course! Also I didn't really "take to" Kathy. She just . . . annoyed me. In fact all of them did. Why did they just accept their fate? Why didn't anyone, anywhere do something, anything, to change the outcome?

I still rate this book quite highly. I can appreciate the style, even though I didn't much like it and although the story annoyed me, it was a great plot, and there was no way known I could have stopped reading it halfway through. I just HAD to know what was going on!

48. The Good Parents by Joan London

Maya's parents come to Melbourne to visit only to find that she has disappeared. We discover that she is following a pattern set by her parents many years ago when they alos disappeared from the lives of their loved ones.

I liked the characters in this story. They are very real. They have "normal" longings and desires, thoughts and ideas, and make the same errors of judgement, they act impulsively and imperfectly - just like us really!

I much prefer Gilgamesh, by the same author, than this one. It was good, but not great.

Might pass on The Good Parents but have put Gilgamesh onto the TBR pile.

I think you'll like Gilgamesh.

49. Zombie by Joyce Carol Oates

A short book, thankfully. I don't think I could have read much more of this. Not that the writing was bad - far from it. It was the subject matter. Reading this was like living inside the head of a deranged killer. Oates was able to make it seem so real, I have started to wonder what she gets up to in her spare time :o{ Now, on to the next book - something completely different methinks!

#56: I have shied away from reading Zombie despite good recommendations here on LT because I am afraid that once I start living inside the head of a killer, I might have trouble getting back out :) I think I will continue not to read it!

It is certainly not a book that I would easily recommend.

Hi judylou,
thanks for your review of Never Let Me Go. It's been on my bookshelf for a little while now. I started The Remains of the Day about a year ago and had a hard time getting into it, so I've been hesitant to start NLMG - I will bump it up on the list now, thanks to you :)

fasciknitting, I was one of the few readers who didn't really like Remains of the Day, so I was a little bit negative before starting NLMG. But even though I can't say I really liked it, it certainly was worth reading. I hope you feel the same!

judylou
I have to agree with you re. Zombie by Joyce Carol Oates. I also wondered how in the world she could seemingly portray the evilness inside of the character.

The writing was good; the subject matter was difficult.

a

Oops, accident. I joined this group today. Im just trying to reach the target of 100 books. Plus most of the books that have been recommended by those in this thread have been all awesome reads that I thoroughly enjoyed, particularly The Tell-Tale Heart and Holes.

Nice to meet you SupaMaori! I'll head over to your thread to have a look at what you have been reading.

50. Sabriel by Garth Nix

Sabriel is forced to leave school to take on the role of Abhorsen - the one who makes sure the dead stay dead and don't come back into the world. This was a fun story. Exciting and well written, it didn't really have any surprises, but was well worth reading.

#165: I plan on reading the entire Abhorsen Trilogy this year. Are you planning on completing it now that you have enjoyed the first book?

I think I will. I tend to have spurts of reading fantasy - I need to be in the mood. I don't own the next two in the trilogy, so I'll have to find them at the library.

#167: I'll be watching for your reviews!

Or maybe you will read them first, in which case, I will be guided by your thoughts :0)

>50 judylou:: I quite enjoyed Sabriel as well; I just read it last month. Haven't managed to track down the next two yet, but when I do, I'll come back to compare thoughts with you!

Good. I'll look forward to it!

51. How the Dead Live by Will Self

When I started this one I really didn't think I would like it, but the more I read, the more I was dragged into the story. I ended up really liking it. The dead live in a strange sort of subtle world which is part of the living world but is never really noticed by the living. The dead can make themselves seen and can even interact with the living if they choose to. Fascinating premise! I don't think it will make it on my top ten favourite books, but it will definitely make it on to my top ten interesting books!

52. Scoop by Evelyn Waugh

A wonderfully funny satire set in the newspaper world of England's early 20th Century. Very clever indeed!

53. Verandah People by Jonathan Bennett

This set of short stories is set in Australia and relates the stories of a wide variety of people, but all somehow connected. Some are close, others have a very tenuous connection, but each story relates to a death. I thought the stories were a bit ho hum, just a bit ordinary.

#172: I am adding How The Dead Live and Scoop to Continent TBR. Thanks for the recommendations!

How The Dead Live has gone onto the wishlist. I heard Scoop as a radio dramatisation a few weeks ago and it was very very funny. If the book is better than the radio play (as is usually the case) it should be highly enjoyable.

54. The Fall of the House of Usher by Edgar Allan Poe

What can I say? Poe is the master of detail, and he can write some very long sentences too!

55. The Slap by Christos Tsiolkas

I really, really liked this book, in spite of the editor's lack of spellchecking and some clumsy moments. It was a wonderful look at suburbia and the characters who populate it. The story begins with a backyard bbq of family and friends. A 3yo is running wild, his parents are unwilling to control his behaviour and he is being a complete pain. One of the men slaps the child. We see the very different points of view of some of the people who were at the bbq. Some are for the slapper, some for the slappee, but all are affected by the incident.

I also really liked the interplay of the different ethnic backgrounds, highlighting the prejudices inherent in us all, and the way Tsiolkas gently scrapes away that thin veneer of suburban respectability to find what really lies beneath.

I think I'll like this book, too, for the same reasons that you did. Adding it to my list.

Sounds like a good book, looking forward to getting to it.

#175: I am adding that one to the Continent. Thanks for the recommendation!

I am sure you will all like it!

56. The Three Miss Margarets by Louise Shaffer

This one was not for me. Didn't enjoy it at all. The story revolves around a secret which has been kept by the three Miss Margarets from Laurel - a young woman who has lived a very difficult life. The story was very clumsy, so many hints were given and references made to the 'secret', that it became quite tedious. Then when the big secret was finally revealed it was all I could do to stay awake!!! Ho Hum

#181: Sorry you did not enjoy the book more. Here's hoping your next one is better!

Thanks alcottacre, but, sadly, it was not to be :(

57. The Frozen Thames by Helen Humphreys

The River Thames has frozen solid 40 times in its known history. Humphreys has told a story from each of these times. The writing was okay. The stories were okay. But I had hoped for something more. I became a bit frustrated with it because I couldn't find a connection within the stories, and I wanted there to be one! However, it is a very attractive book, with lovely illustrations, and at least it didn't take me many lunchtimes to finish!

58. Fury by Salman Rushdie

"Both a howl of rage and a love letter" reads the cover of this novel. And so true that is! Malik Solanka is 55 years old. He has achieved fame in the UK with his creation of Little Brain - a doll who interacts with philosophers - but has lost control of her and she has become just another popular icon. His fury is so intense that he finds himself standing over his wife and young child with a knife one night. He removes himself from their lives, going to the USA, and living with his fury in isolation.

This is a book filled with fury - from the personal fury felt by Solanka for his inability to control his life to the fury simmering in the America of the early 2000's, to the fury of civil war played out in a country (probably based on FIji).

There are so many reflections on society in Solanka's furies, it is hard to keep track. Rushdie is a superb writer, who seems to polarise people, but whether you like him or not, you must admire his skill with words :)

59. Handling the Undead by John Ajvide Lindqvist

The weather has been strange in Stockholm, tension is building and the population is overcome with blinding headaches. They recover only to find that the city's recently deceased are returning to life. But this is not a book about zombies - there is only a little horror or gore involved - it is a book about death and loss. The Government does its best, treating this phenomena as they might perhaps treat an outbreak of disease, by isolating and studying the affected. But their loved ones do not all agree with their treatment. An interesting look at a society faced with the unknown, this book was unputdownable, a treat to read.

Judy,

did you read Let the right one in? I'm adding this to my list, I really enjoyed his first book and the movie as well.

beeg, Yes I did. It was probably the better of the two books in style, but his second one is a great story. I haven't seen the movie, but I will when it is released here.

60. American Journeys by Don Watson

An interesting look at America and Americans by an outsider. Watson travels the USA by train where he meets and talks with some ordinary workers who do their best to either confirm or refute the stereotype of the American. Sometimes funny, sometimes antagonizing, but mostly entertaining.

61. Shipwrecks by Akira Yoshimura

Set in a small fishing village in medieval Japan, this short novel packs quite a punch. Isaku is only 9 but when his father sells himself as an indentured worker for three years, he must take over the care of his mother and three younger siblings. The village relies totally on the sea for their lives. Isaku must catch enough fish to both feed his family and for trade with the next village. The villagers pray for shipwrecks, with a bounty of cargo - especially rice, to ensure their survival. But each shipwreck leads to the killing of the crew and the possibility of being discovered and the village destroyed.

Recommended.

Yoshimura is one of my favorite authors, and I've read most of his other books. I highly recommend them.

Thanks for that. I've never come across this author before, but I will certainly be on the lookout for his other books.

62. Nocturnes by Kazuo Ishiguro

These five superb stories are linked through music and love. Each of them is different but they each have a similar quality. They are haunting stories of ageing and the passing of time that will stay with me for some time. But, there is also a lightness about them and even one passage which made me snort so loud I frightened the dogs who were sound asleep on their beanbags!

It's just that he's got a chicken or something on the end of his arm.

Wow! Some great reading lately, judylou, and some wonderful additions to my Continent. Thanks for the recommendations.

Looks like your reading is on a good curve. Have added more to the TBR mountain.

I like the sound of Scoop. Will have to keep an eye out for that.

You have been doing heaps of reading which reminds me I need to get my but into gear. It has taken me two weeks just about to read One Foot in the Grave.

Thanks for the recommendation regarding American Journeys. Sounds like an interesting book to add.

Judy - where did you get Handling the Undead from? It doesn't even appear on the Canadian Amazon site, and it's not published in the UK yet (although I think it'll be out by this summer so I will pick up a copy when I'm there). Just wondering where you found this.

It was a library book, very new. I've already returned it, so haven't got the publishing details on me.

Hi Judy, Glad to see a good review of Handling the Undead.

#196 I think it is out in the UK, I picked it up half price in Borders.. I guess it might be the USA version though I didn't think to check! Although that doesn't help if you live in Canada..

Okay, well that just all shows me that Amazon is not a reliable way to tell if a book is available. According to the UK site, it's not published yet, but they specify paperback. There are no hard cover editions for sale at the site, but I'm guessing they exist. The book doesn't appear to published in the US either--there are two imported used copies available from second-hand dealers, and one of them is $156! Yikes! Anyway, I'll look for the paper back when I'm in the UK this summer.

63. The Cellist of Sarajevo by Steven Galloway

We follow the lives of four Sarajevans - Arrow, a sniper trying to protect the cellist; Dragan, forced to live with his sister's family when his apartment is bombed; Kenan, husband and father trying to keep his family alive; and the cellist, who witnesses the deaths of 22 people waiting in line for bread, and vows to play for them for the next 22 days.

This is a very powerful book. The story appears a simple one, but it is deceptive. It is a multi layered story which focuses on the human side of war. The characters are beautifully drawn and completely believable.

A wonderful book.

64. 26a by Diana Evans

This was a surprising book. It started out very light hearted, funny and easy to read. But gradually it changed. The change really crept up on me and I kept thinking it was still this lighthearted little story, but it wasn't anymore. The story is about a family of four daughters, including twins. We see them growing up, share in their emotional teens and follow them into adulthood.

There are some very funny moments in this story - cultural differences abound (the mother Ida, is African, the father is English). Some very touching moments too. The twins share a very strong bond, and vow to be together forever. There is some magic as well. Ida's mother continues to help them through difficult moments, although she is dead. And there is tragedy too.

I liked this book more than I expected to. I recommend it.

26a looks interesting. Onto the TBR mountain it goes. Thanks.

Books 63 and 64 look very good. You've had some interesting reading lately. Thanks for the reviews.

#199

There was an Australian edition of American Journes I picked up at the Strand Book Store in NYC for $15. Wonder how it got there, maybe a used copy.

#200: I loved Cellist when I read it earlier this year - it is on my list of memorable reads for the year. Glad to see that you enjoyed it!

#201: I am adding that one to the Continent.

I don't know whether I said this before because I think I'm following 3 threads of yours, but 26A sounds interesting--added it to my list. Thanks!

haha bonnie, doesn't matter if you said it before . . . 26a is good!

hope you all get to read it soon!

I am currently working through The Hunger Games and have been blown away by it. I think you might really enjoy it Judy.

Hi, Judy!
You read such a wonderful mix of titles. I was wondering how do you choose the next book that you are going to read? Have a great day!
--BJ

Oh BJ What a question!

I get lots of ideas from LTers of course, but I also read reviews and magazines. I work in a library, so sometimes, something just catches my eye, or a colleague makes a recommendation. When I am ready to choose a book off my own shelves, I tend to just flick through them, or scan the titles until something catches my attention. That is why I am a bit reluctant to join book clubs - because I need to be "in the mood" for a book at a given moment :0)

65. Pride and Prejudice and Zombies by Jane Austen and Seth Grahame-Smith

I was really looking forward to this one. It sounded like it was going to appeal to my (slightly) warped sense of humour. But I was disappointed. I read that the book contained 85% of the original by Austen, the other 15% was adapted to contain the zombie factor. I think that if the zombies had been more of a focus, it would have made this a more enjoyable read. But, for me, it was really like reading Pride and Prejudice with a little bit extra, and by halfway through, I wondered why I wasn't just reading the original.

Having said that, the opening sentence is just wonderful . . . It is a truth universally acknowledged that a zombie in possession of brains must be in want of more brains. But, unfortunately, it was all downhill from there!

#211 I'm in the middle of Pride and Prejudice and Zombies and I agree with your assessment. I'm a little bored with it and have set it aside for the time being.

#211/212: I had put P&P&Z on Planet TBR, but I think I may just take it right back off again. Sorry you ladies did not enjoy it more!

That is probably a wise thing to do!

#214: I hesitated to add it to begin with because I enjoy P&P so much and have tried a few of the pastiches and did not care for them. I think P&P&Z is not going to be much better, although I have seen some positive reviews. That being said, I have kicked it off the Planet due to the comments from you and Lorie.

I am not a huge Zombie fan so while I found the concept interesting I was not sure about its execution. I have heard a few so so reviews about it. So might pass on this one. Thanks for the review Judy.

When I first heard of that book, my initial reaction was "How dare you do that to one of my favorite books!!"
But on the other hand, I can see how people who dislike reading books like Pride and Prejudice might be more attracted to them this way...

I think you have all done the right thing! I know that some people did like it, but there were many who didn't. As I said above, I think its main problem was that it was not quite daring enough perhaps. It just didn't seem to commit to the zombie side of the story.

66. Dear Husband by Joyce Carol Oates

I wonder if this woman can write a bad story? I really liked these short stories. Some were better than others of course, but they were all good. Many of the stories provided an insight into a family in trouble. In “The Blind Man’s Sighted Daughters” - a domineering father has come to rely on his daughters for everything and in “Special” - a young girl must cope with her special needs sister, prone to violence. Two of the stories were quite confronting. They dwelt on depression, and in both, mothers were driven to unimaginable acts. But there were also touches of humour. “Suicide by Fitness Centre” was very clever.
Highly recommended.

67. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button by F Scott Fitzgerald

I did like this short story and sort of wished it had been a bit longer. Benjamin is born an old man of 80 or more. He then spends the rest of his life getting younger. It is an interesting idea, but you can’t think about it too hard, as Benjamin’s son discovered “ Indeed, to think about the matter for as much as a half an hour drove him to the edge of insanity.”
Good fun.

68. Brideshead Revisited by Evelyn Waugh

This was a wonderful story told through the memories of Charles Ryder during WW2, whose army brigade moves into Brideshead, the manor house owned by his friends. The story then starts while Charles is a student at Oxford where he befriends Sebastian. He is accepted by the Flyte family as one of their own and they each play an important part in Charles’ life from then on.
Now that I have read a few things by Waugh, I can safely say that I think he is a very impressive writer. His prose is just lovely and his stories are just so readable.
Highly Recommended.

I have Brideshead Revisited on my tbr. This makes me want to read it sooner. :)
--BJ

BJ, that's a good thing.

Hey Judy, its been awhile! I am part way through Pride and Prejudice and Zombies and I have to say I am so far in agreement with your assessment. I absolutely love P&P and I thought that P&P&Z would be a delightfully funny read and right now I am wondering why I am not just reading the original. I feel like the author has been very lazy and just wrote a few extra sentences par chapter that include zombies or mention of zombies but does not really add anything that in my opinion justifies having written this take on Austen. I have had a few laughs but so far its not looking promising. I generally avoid all P&P extraneous stories but I picked this one up because I figured it was not trying to replicate Austen but was going for laughs, so far I am yet to be impressed.

Trish, I'm glad I'm not the only one with that opinion. You are so right about the author just attaching a few sentences, or a few references, to zombies in order to fulfill the brief!

69. Heaven's Net is Wide by Lian Hearn

Quite an involved tale of ancient Japan. There are nobles and warriors, ninjas and romance, battles and intrigue. I listened to the first 2/3 on audio and found I was getting a bit bored with it. I finished by reading it and found it quite compelling. I'm not real sure why that was??

Anyway, this is the final book in the series (Tales of the Otori), but is a prequel to the other four books. My husband read them in chronological order and suggested I read the last book first. I hope he was right! Cause I am going to read the rest of the series soon (I hope).

#225: My oldest daughter has that entire series (I know because I bought them for her - she adores all things Japanese). I wonder if she will loan them to me. Hmmm . . .

>225 judylou:: I never finished this series. I read the first one and absolutely loved it; read the second one and liked it; read the third and felt it was sort of "meh" and never picked up any more. I wonder if I should go back and give them another try?

I'll be embarking on Book 4 in the Otori series in the next month or so for my 999 challenge. I read the first three a few years ago so will have to have a recap before I start. I bought The Harsh Cry of the Heron when it came out but never got round to reading it at the time and it's been languishing on the tbr pile ever since.

alcottacre . . . you can only ask . . .

TadAD . . . that has happened to me before. I did the same thing with the McCall Smith books.

avatiakh . . . I'll look forward to seeing whether you still enjoy it after the break.

70. De Niro's Game by Rawi Hage

This was a great book. It is set in Lebanon during the civil war. I read The Cellist of Sarajevo not long ago, so found it impossible not to compare the two books - both about people trying to survive war in modern cities. But really, they were both very different. Whereas the Sarajevans were struggling to survive, aware of the prospect of death at any time; the Beirut(ans?) in this book appeared to almost ignore the war. Bombs would land, snipers would shoot, blood would flow, but the characters in the book would go on regardless. These attitudes made for an interesting contrast between the books.

Highly recommended.

I am just wondering, does the book ever explain its name? Is this a reference to the actor?

Hi Trish, One of the characters is nicknamed DeNiro. I can't quite remember why now.

71. The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas by John Boyne

This was a surprisingly moving and powerful story. I think Boyne did a superb job of getting inside the head of the 9 year old main character. He made Bruno become real. The conversations the two young boys had sounded exactly right. It isn't easy to write like that and not sound condescending or simplistic. On the strength of this book, I have placed holds on two more of Boyne's books at the library. I hope they are as good!

#232: That is one that has been on the Planet for a while now. I hope my local library gets it in soon!

Judy, I read Boy in Striped Pyjamas earlier in the month and I wholeheartedly agree with you. It was a very good book. I thought it was very clever to mispronounce the names of both Auschwitz with Outwit and Fuhrer with Fury as this is something that an 8 year old would do.

My son, who read this last year, and I sat down in the weekend and watched the movie.

I'm not so fussed on The Boy with Striped Pyjamas, I felt slightly repelled when reading it and think it's one of those love it or hate it books. His other work does sound more interesting.

alcottacre, it is a book that you will remember!

dianestm, I haven't seen the movie yet, but intend to watch it soon. Like you, I thought Boyne got Bruno's speech just right.

avatiakh, I wonder what caused such a reaction?

72. The Children's Book by AS Byatt

I was so looking forward to this book. The reviews sounded great and I have loved Byatt's short stories in the past. But it just didn't live up to my expectations. It was over 600 pages, and I felt that the story could have been told in about half that. The story itself was captivating with a huge cast of beautifully drawn characters, connected in a variety of ways, with differing classes and family structures, and a variety of political and social beliefs. Babies are born, children grow into adulthood, deaths occur and secrets are either kept or shared.

But, what I didn't like about this book was the detail. I loved the storytelling which occurred throughout the story. I loved the references to the art and pottery during the story, but I found the huge amount of detail Byatt included about making pots, etc, just too much for me. At some times I felt like I was reading non-fiction. I didn't really care to read about history, I wanted to read about the characters.

Ultimately disappointing, it is still quite a story!

I'm currently reading The Boy in the Striped Pajamas and agree that it is a powerful tale told simply.

Judylou, I haven't visited your site in awhile because I've been consumed with work. I enjoy your thread and the interesting posts.

Judylou, The Children's Book is on my wishlist and I'm sorry that you didn't enjoy it more. Thanks for sharing your thoughts on it!

Whisper, thanks for that. I enjoy hearing from you. Don't let work take over your life . . . there's too much else to do!

fasciknitting, I hope you enjoy it more than I did.

Hi Judylou,

Your review of the children's book is interesting - I'm not sure if I will like reading about pottery either.

Possession was an interesting book. It had a lot of poetry and folklore which I have heard other readers moan about but I loved it... pottery on the other hand...

73. Still Alice by Lisa Genova

Alice is a professor of Linguistics at Harvard, just turned 50, married to a research scientist and mother of three. When she finds herself forgetting words, losing things, forgetting appointments, she blames it on menopause. But it gets worse and she is diagnosed with early onset Alzheimers. The story chronicles her quick descent. She attempts to put things in place so that she remains in control of her life, but this isn't easy and nothing seems to go the way she wants it to. Although I have not been close to anyone suffering dementia, this book feels like a real account of what it is like for the sufferer and the carer.

Judy, another good sounding book. Onto the TBR mountain it goes. Thanks

#242: That one is already on Planet TBR. I need to bump it up!

forgetting words, losing things, forgetting appointments

Yikes! Done this all my life! And the forgetting words part (it's the nouns I notice) has gotten worse since menopause. Being single, I think I'd want to know if I was going to get Alzheimers. I'd go out and have more fun, spend more money on me and my children, not worry about the future so much. Did it make you think about changing anything, Judy?

Bonnie...great question!

Judy, I agree with Diane..This sounds like a great book.

Well, let's see if we can get her to answer it! ;-)

hahaha Here I am . . . hope the answer is worth it.

Bonnie, like you, I have noticed myself losing words in the middle of conversations, forgetting things, and generally having those "senior moments". While I was reading the book, I did start to feel a little bit concerned about my poor old brain, but then again, I am one of those people who recognizes the symptoms when I watch medical shows :o)

We had some very tragic deaths in the family a few years ago and the consequences of that time is that we do try to live better, live more for the present than the future and we try (not always successfully) to not focus on the trivial upsets in life.

I suppose that if I knew my time was almost up, as Alice did, I would be more determined to live now, be happy, and make the most of what I have.

Judy, I can relate. A good friend of mine died 5 years ago now from a brain tumour leaving two little kids behind. Since then I have always tried to have fun and live a full life without getting to upset by situations out of my control.

I suppose that if I knew my time was almost up, as Alice did, I would be more determined to live now, be happy, and make the most of what I have. That's the teaser, isn't it?

74. The Ghost's Child by Sonya Hartnett

What a lovely story this was. Matilda is an elderly lady who is visited by a young boy. She tells him her life story. It is not until the very end of this book that you get a full understanding of what is happening. The writing is beautiful, really delightful. There is a lot going on in this story too. Magical things, the dreaming and a love story mingle within the narrative. Recommended.

#251: I will see if I can find that one. It sounds good.

Judy, looks like another for the TBR mountain. Thanks.

75. Before I Die by Jenny Downham

16 yo Tessa is dying. She has come up with a list of things she wants to do before she dies. No 1 is sex. She also wants to add "fall in love" but doesn't think she will have the opportunity. Her friend Zoey and her little brother help her to achieve her goals, often at the expense of her father's feelings. He is the primary carer for the children, their mother having left some years earlier, and just wants to keep Tessa safe.

This is a surprisingly beautiful story. The final chapters are heartbreaking in their simplicity and in their portrayal of the reality of life and death. I would recommend it; but be sure to have your hanky at the ready!

And I might add . . . . woo hoo Made it to 75!

Congrats Judy on the 75!!!

Congratulations on the 75!!

And I found Before I Die much more moving than I expected as well. And also cried! I thought it was going to be very standard chicklit and yet it touched me more than that.

Congratulations on making it to 75 books already!

Congratulations on making it to 75!!!

Add my congrats to the rest!

Wow, not even halfway through 2009 and you've made your goal! Congrats!

Congratulations on reaching 75!!!

Congrats!

Thankyou all so much for your congratulations. I wonder if I can do a second 75 challenge??????????

I have started a new thread for my second 75. If I can remember how to do it, my new thread can be found here

Hope to see you all over there :)

second try . . .