allthesedarnbooks' 2009 reads

Hi everyone! This is a great idea. I usually read between 80 and a hundred books a year (2008 I read 100). I'd like to make 125 or more this year, but I'm starting back at college so I don't know how much time I'll have to read for pleasure. 100 might be a more realistic goal!

My first 75 books are reviewed in the comments below; 76 and on can be found in my second thread here: http://www.librarything.com/topic/71995

My 2010 thread can be found here: http://www.librarything.com/topic/79163




Complete list in this post, with thoughts on the books (3-75) in individual posts below, which are linked to on the title.

76 and on can be found in my second thread here: http://www.librarything.com/topic/71995

There are touchstones (LibraryThing Links) with the reviews.

1. The Gargoyle by Andrew Davidson
2. A Scanner Darkly by Philip K. Dick
3. Selected Tales by Edgar Allan Poe
4. How to Rig an Election: Confessions of a Republican Operative by Allen Raymond with Ian Spiegelman
5. Tantalize by Cynthia Leitich Smith
6. The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman
7. Graceling by Kristin Cashore
8. Selected Tales and Sketches by Nathaniel Hawthorne
9. Toward the Distant Islands by Hayden Carruth
10. The Coelura by Anne McCaffrey
11. Chalice by Robin McKinley
12. Book of a Thousand Days by Shannon Hale
13. Miss Hickory by Caroyln Sherwin Bailey
14. Dry Storeroom No. 1: The Secret Life of the Natural History Museum by Richard Fortey
15. Like Life by Lorrie Moore
16. Special Orders by Edward Hirsch
17. Why They Kill: The Discoveries of a Maverick Criminologist by Richard Rhodes
18. Human: The Science Behind What Makes Us Unique by Michael S. Gazzaniga
19. Bloodletting and Miraculous Cures by Vincent Lam
20. On the Way to the Wedding by Julia Quinn
21. A Certain Slant of Light by Laura Whitcomb
22. White Coat: Becoming a Doctor at Harvard Medical School
23. Madame Pamplemousse and Her Incredible Edibles by Rupert Kingfisher; illustrated by Sue Hellard
24. The Red Necklace by Sally Gardner
25. Confederates in the Attic: Dispatches from the Unfinished Civil War by Tony Horwitz
26. The Goose Girl by Shannon Hale
27. St. Lucy's Home for Girls Raised by Wolves by Karen Russell
28. The Giant's House: A Romance by Elizabeth McCracken
29. Ella Minnow Pea: A Progressively Lipogrammatic Epistolary Fable by Mark Dunn
30. Lunch Poems by Frank O'Hara
31. Ali and Nino: A Love Story by Kurban Said
32. The Adoration of Jenna Fox by Mary E. Pearson
33. Complications: A Surgeon's Notes on an Imperfect Science by Atul Gawande
34. Baghdad Without a Map, and Other Misadventures in Arabia by Tony Horwitz
35. Sweetheart by Chelsea Cain
36. Fragile Things: Short Fictions and Wonders by Neil Gaiman
37. Wake by Lisa McMann
38. Feet of Clay: Saints, Sinners, and Madmen: A Study of Gurus by Anthony Storr
39. Primitive Mentor by Dean Young
40. Revenge of the Spellmans by Lisa Lutz
41. Friday's Child by Georgette Heyer
42. The Long Way Home (Buffy the Vampire Season Eight, Volume One) by Joss Whedon
43. Two Kinds of Decay: A Memoir by Sarah Manguso
44. Repossessed by A.M. Jenkins
45. Blue Latitudes: Boldly Going Where Captain Cook Has Gone Before by Tony Horwitz
46. My Only Vice by Elizabeth Bevarly
47. The Zookeeper's Wife: A War Story by Diane Ackerman
48. Keeper and Kid by Edward Hardy
49. Thus Was Adonis Murdered by Sarah Caudwell
50. Real Murders by Charlaine Harris
51. The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson, translated by Reg Keeland
52. The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation, Volume 1: The Pox Party by M.T. Anderson
53. Chosen: A House of Night Novel by P.C. Cast and Kristin Cast
54. Three Men in a Boat (To Say Nothing of the Dog!) by Jerome K. Jerome
55. Siste Viator by Sarah Manguso
56. A Bone to Pick by Charlaine Harris
57. True Detectives by Jonathan Kellerman
58. The Anatomy Theater by Nadine Sabra Meyer
59. Three Bedrooms, One Corpse by Charlaine Harris
60. Wesley the Owl: The Remarkable Love Story of an Owl and His Girl by Stacey O'Brien
61. A Jury of Her Peers: American Women Writers from Anne Bradstreet to Annie Proulx by Elaine Showalter
62. The Shortest Way to Hades by Sarah Caudwell
63. Heiress for Hire by Erin McCarthy
64. The Julius House by Charlaine Harris
65. Tigana by Guy Gavriel Kay
66. The Lost City of Z: A Tale of Deadly Obsession in the Amazon by David Grann
67. A Voyage Long and Strange: Rediscovering the New World by Tony Horwitz
68. Secrets to Happiness by Sarah Dunn
69. Dead and Gone by Charlaine Harris
70. The Rite: The Making of a Modern Excorcist by Matt Baglio
71. The Reformed Vampire Support Group by Catherine Jinks
72. Just a Taste by Deirdre Martin
73. The Piano Teacher by Janice Y.K. Lee
74. Gone by Lisa Gardner
75. The Sirens Sang of Murder by Sarah Caudwell
76. Voodoo Queen: The Spirited Lives of Marie Laveau by Martha Ward
77. The Vampire of Ropraz by Jacques Chessex; translated by Donald W. Wilson
78. What the Moon Saw by Laura Resau
79. Nine Lives: Death and Life in New Orleans by Dan Baum
80. Enclave by Kit Reed
81. A Curse Dark as Gold by Elizabeth C. Bunce
82. Shakespeare's Champion by Charlaine Harris
83. The Color of Magic by Terry Pratchett
84. The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan
85. Undead and Unpopular by MaryJanice Davidson
86. Beyond Heaving Bosoms: The Smart Bitches' Guide to Romance Novels by Sarah Wendell and Candy Tam
87. The Elegance of the Hedgehog by Muriel Barbery; translated by Alison Anderson
88. The Light Fantastic by Terry Pratchett
89. Cults, Conspiracies, & Secret Societies: The Straight Scoop on Freemasons, the Illuminati, Skull & Bones, the New World Order, and Many, Many More by Arthur Goldwag
90. Shakespeare's Christmas by Charlaine Harris
91. French Kissing by Nancy Warren
92. Genesis by Bernard Beckett
93. Equal Rites by Terry Pratchett
94. Murder Uncorked by Michele Scott
95. Beth and the Bachelor by Susan Mallery
96. Murder with Peacocks by Donna Andrews
97. Ill Wind by Rachel Caine
98. The Wednesday Wars by Gary D. Schmidt
99. Amuse Bouche by Anthony Bidulka
100. Mort by Terry Pratchett
101. Power Play by Nancy Warren
102. Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel
103. The Girl in the Flammable Skirt by Aimee Bender
104. Murder with Puffins by Donna Andrews
105. Sourcery by Terry Pratchett
106. The Little Stranger by Sarah Waters
107. The Girls by Lori Lansens
108. All My Patients Have Tales: Favorite Stories from a Vet's Practice by Jeff Wells
109. Warbreaker by Brandon Sanderson
110. Grave Secret by Charlaine Harris
111. 'Tis the Season! by Lorna Landvik
112. Holly by Jude Deveraux
113. Wyrd Sisters by Terry Pratchett
114. Willful Creatures by Aimee Bender

Thanks to Nikki, aka shewhowearsred, for teaching me how to link to the messages!

Welcome to the group!

I just picked up The Gargoyle from the library today. What did you think of it?

Thank you!

I loved The Gargoyle. It really grabbed me immediately and it was one of those that I literally could not put down once I started reading. I had just recently read The Inferno which definitely helped--- there's a lot of references to Dante. It also left me wanting to learn more about medieval German mysticism. I'd definitely recommend it to just about anyone, but especially people who are interested in theology and psychology.

Thanks for the information! I am looking forward to reading it even more now. It has probably been 5 years or so since I last read The Inferno - I am wondering if I should do a re-read before reading The Gargoyle although I do not think I have the time at present. Oh, well.

I think you'll be ok--- more likely The Gargoyle will inspire you to reread The Inferno, lol. I really want to but I don't think I have the time either, especially with classes starting.

Welcome to you!

Thanks! I'm excited to be here. :D

Since I wasn't here last year but kept my own list, here's my top 10 reads (out of 99, and in no particular order) in 2008:

Later, at the Bar by Rebecca Barry
Crooked Little Vein by Warren Ellis
Generation Loss by Elizabeth Hand
Paladin of Souls by Lois McMaster Bujold
The Host by Stephenie Meyer
Gods Behaving Badly by Marie Phillips
Twenty Fragments of a Ravenous Youth by Xiaolu Guo
Look Both Ways: Bisexual Politics by Jennifer Baumgardner
The Penelopiad by Margaret Atwood
The Inferno by Dante Alighieri

3. Selected Tales of Edgar Allan Poe

Required reading for my American Romantic Literature class. I'd read most of them before. They still elicit dread, but are far from my favorites.

Hi. I read The Penelopiad last year and really liked it. I thought it was such an interesting take on Penelope and the suitors...

By the way, here is a site of a J.W. Waterhouse painting of Penelope...

http://www.johnwaterhouse.com/view.cfm?recordid=36

Oooh, thanks, I really love that painting! I adore Margaret Atwood, and I loved the feminist take she put on Penelope, and also the way she played with form with the Greek chorus of the maids.

Good to see another fan of Paladin of Souls. I really love how Ista's character emerges after the trauma of Chalion, don't you?

Yes! When I was making my top 10 list I was torn between Chalion and Paladin and it was Ista's character that really pushed it over for me... she's one of my favorite character I've read in a very long time.

#8: Thanks for posting your "Best of 2008" list! I will definitely be checking some of those titles out.

I just purchased Gods Behaving Badly at Half Price Books, and I'm glad to see it was one of your favorites last year.

>14 alcottacre: Awesome!

>15 arubabookwoman: I've read some negative reviews of Gods Behaving Badly, but I really enjoyed. It's not the most original premise, but I thought it was really funny and had some interesting things to say about religion and the afterlife. (I actually read a lot of books about Hell last year...)

Getting this in before LT goes down tonight:

4. How to Rig an Election: Confessions of a Republican Operative by Allen Raymond with Ian Spiegelman

My first non-fiction read of 2009! It was a quick, easy read, perhaps disturbingly so considering the content. The author, Allen Raymond, was convicted of phone-jamming in the 2002 New Hampshire elections. He's very candid about why he entered politics-- to make money and gain power-- and disdainful of any politicians who attempt to claim otherwise. Although he serves jail time in the end, he seems to feel little remorse or, indeed, even see what was so wrong about what he did. If this were a novel, the ending would lack a satisfying resolution. This is "real life," however, so I can't complain about storyline. The details of insider political life and back room dealings are the most interesting part, and I wish more time had been devoted to recording the various trials.

I recommend this if you're interested in politics and election law, and/or if you're a liberal. I'm all of the above, and gave it 3 & 1/2 stars.

Well, I'm a moderate Republican, but am hoping I can read it too! 8^} It's on my list for this year and was hoping it would be interesting - I suppose "good" is not the right word to use about this subject.

drneutron- Good is definitely not the word to use, lol. And I think you'll like it--- it's less about ideology and more about what's wrong with our electoral system. The author initially self-identifies as a moderate Republican but is far less interested in value or stances of any sort than in the way to make a quick buck and an easy win. It's something that (I can say from my brief experience as a political science student, which quickly soured after an internship when I realized I was too ethical and idealistic to work in politics at any level) both sides, and even centrists, are guilty of. If I came away with any message it was that we, as citizens, need to be more informed of what's going on behind the scenes at our politicians' offices so that players like Raymond will realize that voters are not as stupid as they think and we will not reward dirty, and in his case illegal, tactics.

5. Tantalize by Cynthia Leitich Smith

This is an interesting YA vampire novel. It's an over-saturated genre of late, and it's hard to bring something different to the table, but Smith does that with her story of Quincie Morris, a teenager who is working with her uncle to open a new vampire-themed restaurant in Austin, TX. The world-building is good but maybe too subtle--- while werewolves are "out" and there are people campaigning for the rights of werepeople and vampires are real, it's never really explained how this got to be so-- were they always accepted as reality? Or is it a more recent development?

The plot really picks up in the last 1/3rd of the book, to the extent that the ending feels overly rushed. Nevertheless, Quincie is a likable heroine (although maybe not the brightest) and the world is suitably intriguing to make me wish for a sequel.

6. The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman (999 Challenge, Children's & YA Category, 2/9)

This is a delightful retelling of Kipling's The Jungle Book set in a graveyard. The main character, Nobody Owens, and the supporting cast of ghosts, ghouls, and other supernatural creatures are well-drawn and unforgettable. The book is filled with Gaiman's trademark magic and wit, and delightful illustrations by Dave McKean. I don't want to say much more so that you can discover the wonder for yourself. Highly, highly recommended. Five stars.

Watch a cool trailer for the book, here.

#21: I read it toward the end of last year and really liked it. Glad to see you enjoyed it as well.

7. Graceling by Kristin Cashore

This was an absorbing and exciting fantasy book with a strong female lead and interesting worldbuilding. It reminded me a lot of The Song of the Lioness Quartet by Tamora Pierce (which is a good thing). The book is maybe 50-100 pages too long, IMO-- the prose is beautiful and descriptive, but it seems to me like it could have done with a tighter edit. Otherwise fabulous, and I'm clamoring for a sequel. Four stars.

>22 alcottacre:, Thanks, Stasia! It was such a fun read.

#23: I bought Graceling, but have not had a chance to read it yet. My oldest daughter has absconded with it and I have not seen it since. I think I am going to have to steal it back!

>24 alcottacre:, Stasia, you should definitely steal it back. It's a really fun read in the great tradition of YA fantasy lit.

8. Selected Tales and Sketches by Nathaniel Hawthorne (999 Challenge, Short Stories Category, 2/9)

It's been years since I last read The House of the Seven Gables, and even longer since I've read The Scarlet Letter, so this was a pleasant reintroduction to Hawthorne. The collection is pretty uniformly great, but there are a few standouts that are even better than their fellow stories: "The Artist of the Beautiful, "Ethan Brand," and "Rappacini's Daughter" are my favorites. Definitely worth reading if you're interested in American literature, and it made me want to reread his novels. Five stars.

9. Toward the Distant Islands by Hayden Carruth (999 Challenge, Poetry Category, 1/9)

A nice selection of Carruth's vast body of work. I particularly enjoyed some of his more recent poems written whilst living in upstate NY. Syracuse, where he taught, is only about an hour away from where I live. His Vermont poems are lovely, too. My clear favorite is "Dearest M--- The First Day of Her Death," which is about the death of his daughter, which made me sob. A beautiful collection. 5 stars.

Hi.
You and I share appreciation of Nathaniel Hawthorne. Have you been to Salem Mass and if so did you visit The House of Seven Gables. If you haven't been to Concord Mass, I highly recommend that you go there.

http://www.hawthorneinsalem.org/Architecture/HousesinConcord/TheOldManse/Images....

No, I haven't been yet but I would like to go someday... I live in upstate NY so I could foresee doing it as a weekend trip. Thanks for the link, Whisper!

10. The Coelura by Anne McCaffrey

I picked this up because it was a short, little paperback and I wanted something to read while I was in the bathtub.

I didn't like this book very much, but I absolutely adored the beautiful illustrations by Ned Dameron (though I had to dig on the copyright page to find the illustrator's name). Besides that singular saving grace, I had trouble finding much to praise in this book. This is a science fiction/fantasy romance. The background of the planet and society are under-developed: what we do know is given to us in a big info-dump and the rest is unclear. The heroine is insipid, stupid, and unlikable, and the "romance" happens way too quickly. The hero and heroine meet and all of a sudden they're in love. There could have been some interesting questions raised by the coelura (living creatures who spin "living fabric" but die if they spin more than they are allotted in their lives) about endangered species and our responsibility to the environment, but instead the plot is quickly tied up. Very disappointing. Two stars.

#30: I am surprised you gave it 2 1/2 stars! I figured from reading the first line of your review it was going to be a 'no star' book.

Thanks for saving me from reading it! One not to go on Continent TBR.

>Lol, yeah the only reason I gave it 2 and 1/2 because I LOVED the illustrations, Stasia!

#32: I knew there had to be some reason!

>33 alcottacre:, Yes, I shall have to amend my review to reflect that! And the more I think about it, the more I think it shall be changing to 2 stars...

11. Chalice by Robin McKinley

This was an enjoyable young adult fantasy novel. It's not McKinley's best (see Beauty or The Hero and the Crown), but it's a good read nonetheless. Sometimes the details of the society she constructs are a little overwhelming; I found myself getting bogged down in etiquette or customs for entire sections. My favorite part of the story was the beautiful relationship that Marisol, the main character, has with her bees, and the descriptions of beekeeping and honey are beautiful. When I was through I had such a honey craving!

The last third of the book is probably the strongest, as by this point you have become invested in the slow-building relationship between Marisol and the Master and the conclusion is strong. I'd recommend it to fantasy fans. Four stars.

12. Book of a Thousand Days by Shannon Hale (999 Challenge, Category Children & YA Lit, 4/9)

I loved this book! I started reading it this morning and finished it late this afternoon. It's a beautiful retelling of the Grimms' fairy tale Maid Maleen, which I was not familiar with before. But more than that, it is simply a beautifully constructed story. Dashti, the narrator, is clever and resourceful. The world Hale constructs, based loosely on medieval Mongolia, is rich in detail and different from the usual Euro-centric fantasy one reads. Just a fabulous, fabulous book. It's marketed to young adults, but I'd highly recommend it for all fantasy lovers. Five stars.

If you like McKinley, I think her strongest book is actually The Blue Sword...don't know if you've read it, but I don't see it in your library.

I second Tad on The Blue Sword. I liked Chalice quite a bit, but Harimad-sol has my heart! And I've been trying to get a copy of Book of a Thousand Days for months. Would you believe the bookstores (Borders, B&N, indies) never have it on their shelves!!! I'm going to have to break down and order it online, I guess.

Tad--- I agree. I have read The Blue Sword, just not recently.

Roni--- It would be worth it. *nods* Book of a Thousand Days was fabulous!

13. Miss Hickory by Carolyn Sherwin Bailey

This delightful book won the Newbery Medal in 1947. It's the story of Miss Hickory, a talking "country" doll with a stick body and a hickory nut head, and her adventures in the forest. It's full of wonderful talking animal characters and beautiful descriptions of nature. There are some parts I found to be very sad, so I wouldn't recommend it for really young children. Four stars.

Miss Hickory sounds like one I would like to read.
How did you find this one?

>40 Whisper1:, Linda, it was recommended on juliette07's 999 Challenge thread, actually. She has Newbery Award winners as one of her categories. I zipped onto the computer, and sure enough my library had a copy, and it was totally enchanting. My mom and I actually took turns reading it aloud to each other, much as we would have when I was a child. It's one of those I definitely will be investing in a copy of when I have children of my own.

#39: I remember reading Miss Hickory a century ago when I was a kid and I really loved her! I wanted a Miss Hickory of my very own and I was never a girl who played with dolls - I always gave mine to my kid sister.

>42 alcottacre:, I want Miss Hickory now, Stasia! But unlike you, I was a doll lover. My one goal in life was to have an American Girl doll, but sadly I never got one, as my parents always said they were too expensive. I had all the books, tho...

14. Dry Storeroom No. 1: The Secret Life of the Natural History Museum by Richard Fortey (999 Challenge, Science Category, 1/9)

This was an interesting book about the Natural History Museum (in Britain). I liked the anecdotal, memoir style Fortey used. By telling the stories of the people who work behind the scenes of the museum and their work, as well as the history of the museum itself, the book is a quick, easy read, especially compared to a lot of other science books. My main problem with it is that the scope of the book is so wide--- by trying to cover a broad spectrum of museum scientists' and their specialties, Fortey ends up losing focus. Many times just when I would find myself getting interested in a person or a subject, he would move on to something else. Definitely worth a read, though, especially if, like me, you're trying to learn more about science and are interested in the people who pursue knowledge as much as the knowledge itself. Three and a half stars.

Marcia

After reading your description of Dry Storeroom No. 1: The Secret Life of the Natural History Museum, I'm wondering if you might want to read a book I liked very much.

Museum Behind The Scenes of the Metropolitan Art Museum by Danny Danziger.

It was one of the most delightful books I read in 2008.

http://www.amazon.com/Museum-Behind-Scenes-Metropolitan-Art/dp/067003861X

Thanks, Linda! Museum looks great; I'll have to add it to my TBR list. I saw from the Amazon page that the author interviews all sorts of people who work at the museum, which should be interesting, as one of my problems with Dry Storeroom No. 1 was that it focused only on the scientists, and some administrators, who were at the top of the food chain.

One of the best things about Danziger's book was/is that he did not play the hierorcatical game. While he included his interview with the curator (quite a fascinating man), he also included stories from the perspective of all branches of the employees. It is a great book and I think you might like it.

Definitely! It sounds great. :) Thanks again, Linda!

Both those museum books sound great, I think I'll add them to my TBR list! I have a few friends taking MA programs in Museum Studies right now, I may ask them if they've read them too...

>49 dk_phoenix:, Museum Studies? That sounds interesting. Is it a library science / information technologies type of field or something else?

I am very tempted by the Book of a Thousand Days. Its non-conventional fantasy sounds absolutely lovely.

>51 mattplozza:, Well, Book of a Thousand Days is a quick read, if that encourages you any more! It's made me want to read everything else by Shannon Hale, plus making me interested in medieval Mongolia. I also saw that Amazon has the hardcover in it's Bargain Books for $5.99. :)

>50 allthesedarnbooks:: It's essentially a program based around conservation/preservation & art appreciation (I'm sure there's more, but that's basically what I got out of my discussions with them). Both my friends entered the Museum Studies programs after obtaining their Archaeology BAs, as I guess you need to have very solid background training in ancient history/modern history/art history. I'd love to get into it too, but I have other things going on at the moment...!

>53 dk_phoenix:, sounds fascinating!

What a varied list you have. sounds like Museum Studies would be a very cool (and challenging) program. oh well... I know it's not too late at 47, but for me I think it's too late!

>55 suslyn:, thanks for dropping by, Susan!

15. Like Life by Lorrie Moore (999 Challenge Short Stories Category, 3/9)

This is a beautiful collection of short stories. Moore has a way of describing characters that can break my heart, and she captures the melancholy at the center of everyday lives. Many of her descriptions have the shock and immediacy, the rightness, of good poetry, only in prose form. My favorite stories are "Two Boys," "You're Ugly, Too," and "Like Life." Recommended. Four and a half stars.

16. Special Orders by Edward Hirsch (999 Challenge, Poetry Category, 2/9)

This is a pretty average poetry collection. The majority of the poems are rather run-of-the mill, with a few standouts: the title poem, "Special Orders," "Cold Calls," and "After a Long Insomniac Night" come to mind. Overall nothing to get too excited about, and I wouldn't seek out another collection by Hirsch. Three stars.

Thanks for the review on the Lorrie Moore book. I haven't heard of this book. I like her short stories. I'm adding it to the wish list.

Life LIke has been added to my tbr pile. I'm curious to know how you heard of this book.

>60 VioletBramble:, You're welcome!

>61 Whisper1:, Linda, I have short stories for one of my 999 categories, and I was talking about short stories with my creative writing professors, and she recommended Lorrie Moore. The title she mentioned was actually Birds of America, which I think I actually have a copy of somewhere that I bought at a book sale, but I couldn't find it. So when I was at the library, I looked for her books, and Like Life was the one that caught my eye.

thanks for the information. I'm always curious regarding how we find the books we do.
I stumbled upon Kipling's Choice, one of my favorite books thus far in 2009, by perusing the YA section and this one seemed to pop off the shelf.

Birds of America has some wonderful stories in it and is well worth reading. I enjoyed it even though short stories are not usually my first choice. Moore also wrote a novel, Who Will Run the Frog Hospital which is also a good read.

>57 allthesedarnbooks:&ff: I love Lorrie Moore... I read Self-Help and Birds of America at uni, but coming back to the latter, there is an incredibly powerful story about a mother whose baby is diagnosed with cancer. Frequently anthologised. A friend lent me Like Life when I went to hear Moore read from her Collected Stories last year.

She has a new novel coming out this year too :)

I brought Birds of America home from the library with me today. I hope I enjoy it as much as others on the thread seem to have done.

FlossieT--That is the story I remember the most too. I think it is called "People Like Us" or something like that.

I'm glad to read about all the Lorrie Moore fans! I picked up Self Help at the library the other day, and after that I'll check out Birds of America if I can't find my missing copies. After that I'll tackle her novels. I can already tell she's going to become one of my favorite authors!

I have a bad ear/sinus/chest/throat infection and am heavily hopped up on codeine and cold meds but am too congested to sleep so I don't know how much sense the following will make. If it's really horrid, I suppose I can always come back and edit it when I am feeling more myself.

17. Why They Kill: Discoveries of a Maverick Criminologist by Richard Rhodes

This was an interesting book that I picked up after reading about it in this group. Richard Rhodes writes about Lonnie Athens, a criminologist, and the theories he has developed about the nature of human violence. I'm not sure that Athens' theories explain all violence EVER, as Rhodes seems to, but the book is certainly food for thought. I had some problems, as an anthropology student, with the chapter on violence in "primitive" societies, in particular. Some of the sociology chapters were very dense--- I'm not sure I'll ever understand Athens's theory of the self, as explained, let alone the earlier theories that were merely referenced. The most interesting chapters to me were the ones on medieval history and on modern warfare. Overall, an intriguing read, and I came away thinking about the nature of violence and also impressed, once more, with the need to curb child abuse and other forms of violence, particularly against children. Well worth reading, if not without its flaws. Three and a half stars.

18. Human: The Science Behind What Makes Us Unique by Michael S. Gazzaniga

I finally finished this one! I started reading it at the beginning of January and despaired of ever completing it. While there's some interesting science presented here, I found the book to be somewhat of a disappointment. Gazzaniga seems to change his mind about his own thesis several times, and relates evidence both on and against human evolutionary uniqueness. The chapters are broken up into choppy little segments and each section is densely packed with information, at the point of sometimes repeating (or perhaps it just seems to repeat, as it is all so similar). Normally I like details, but this book could use some generalizing, and a good deal of editing. The brain is fascinating; this book, for me, was boring. I would only recommend it if you're really interested in neuropsychology and maybe have a stronger science background than I. Two stars.

I hope you feel better soon!

Thanks, Stasia!

#69: Well worth reading, if not without its flaws

I agree with that assessment. I cannot accept all of Rhodes' conclusions about Athens theories, but the book certainly is thought provoking.

19. Bloodletting and Miraculous Cures by Vincent Lam

I loved this book! Not quite a novel, these interconnected short stories are, IMO, just about perfect. Lam has a minimalism of style that makes every word count; there is nothing extraneous in his prose. His clear, precise language paints vivid pictures of four medical students, Fitzgerald, Ming, Chen, and Sri as they become doctors. Although the medical situations are exciting and thought-provoking, it is the humanity of the doctors, and their patients, that is the true star. Ming and Fitz, in particular, will stick with me forever. I didn't want this book to end, and am eagerly anticipating what Lam will write next. Highly recommended! Five stars.

I hope you are feeling better today!

Take good care.

Thanks, Linda! I'm feeling a little bit better, thanks to some hardcore antibiotics. :)

After watching (and loving) the 1952 film Moulin Rouge today, I was wondering if anyone knows of any good biographies of Henri Toulouse-Lautrec?

I hope you get back to full strength soon :)

message 76
I don't know of any biographies re. him, but a few years ago I attended a lecture at the Metropolitan Art Museum in New York regarding some of his works. I seem to remember he was classified as "a weird little fellow."

>77 lunacat:, thanks lunacat!

>78 Whisper1:, Yeah, that was the impression I got from the movie which was based on a "romanticized" novel of his life. Very good film w/ great technicolor cinematography.

I missed you were sick to begin with -- hope that you're 100% soon.

Thanks, Susan! I think I just said something similar on your thread, lol.

Finished On the Way to the Wedding by Julia Quinn and A Certain Slant of Light by Laura Whitcomb last night! I don't have time to write reviews now, as I have to drag myself off of LT and go to class.

20. On the Way to the Wedding by Julia Quinn

This was just what the doctor ordered when I was sick and Valentine-less. Quinn's historical romances ride the line between regencies and bodice-rippers (this one has only one--fairly graphic-- sex scene) and her characters are always well developed and witty. This is the eighth and final novel in her Bridgerton Family series, but I wouldn't say you have to have read the others in order to appreciate it (although they're fab, especially The Duke and I and The Viscount Who Loved Me). My only complaint was that the whole last hundred pages or so seemed tacked on, with a somewhat extraneous blackmail/thriller plot that I felt wasn't necessary. Recommended for a light, delightful romance read. Three and a half stars.

21. A Certain Slant of Light by Laura Whitcomb

I loved this YA novel. It's told from the POV of one of the Light, or a ghost, who meets another one of her kind who is possessing a human body. I don't want to give away more of the plot, because it's so unique and surprising. The plot is original, but what really caught me was the poetic simplicity of Whitcomb's prose. I'll definitely be keeping an eye out for more by this author! Highly recommended. Four and a half stars.

#83, Marcia (can I call you that?) I loved On the Way to the Wedding, its my personal fave out of The Bridgerton series, I do agree with you about the ending though. :) Glad to know you liked it as well. My second favorite is The Viscount Who Loved Me, which would you say was your favorite?

Catey

Since my mission in 2009 is to read a lot of YA books and discover new authors, I'm adding A Certain Slant of Light to the list.
I rally like your description.

>83 allthesedarnbooks:, Yes, you can call me Marcia, Catey! On the Way to the Wedding was good, but not my favorite, which is still The Duke and I, the first one. The Viscount Who Loved Me is probably tied at second with An Offer From a Gentleman. I love Julia Quinn!

>85 Whisper1:, Ooh, yay! I hope you love it as much as I did, Linda. :)

Thanks Bunches Marcia! An Offer from a Gentleman is my sister's favorite and To Sir Phillip, With Love is my mom's favorite. I love Julia Quinn too!

Catey

#86 I haven't read them all yet, but so far my favorite is Romancing Mr. Bridgerton, although To Sir Philip with Love is next on my TBR list, so I'll be getting to it soon. I love this series!

>88 ktleyed:, Romancing Mr. Bridgerton is a great one, too! The whole series is fabulous. Julia Quinn is a star!

sounds like i need to read some of these :)

Yes, Susan, I think you'll like them! While they're not traditional regencies, they're delightful. Julia Quinn is probably my favorite historical romance author writing now.

#91 Have you read any of Brenda Joyce's works, I love her Francesca Cahill series. Deadly Love is the first one in it, you should try her sometime. To me Julia Quinn and Brenda Joyce and tied for first as my faves. :)

Catey

>92 fantasia655:, No, Catey, I haven't! I'll have to try Deadly Love. Onto the wishlist it goes! I read a lot of romance novels for several years straight and then kind of unconsciously took a break from romance last year, which was good in that it allowed me to read more nonfiction & other things I normally wouldn't have attempted. Now, however, I'm ready for romance again! (That last line sounds like a personal ad...)

Lol, it does sound like a personal ad... I am all about romance novels but for this challenge I have deviated from them and am trying new books out. But I will still some romance novels this year but not as much as I usually do. :)

Catey

Adding two very different books...

22. White Coat: Becoming a Doctor at Harvard Medical School by Ellen Lerner Rothman (Amazon)

This was an okay memoir. Rothman writes about her time as a student at Harvard Medical School. Parts of the book are very interesting and intense; she especially has an eye for describing gory medical details in a way that both revolts and fascinates. However, there are several problems with the book. First, the chapters or essays are mish-mashed; Rothman can't seem to decide whether she wants to tell her story in a traditional, chronological way or with a more fluid, unconventional time frame. Secondly, she seems to lack human warmth. Often, her interactions with patients are described in minute physical detail, but her emotions are lackluster. She tells us that she feels compassion, depression, stress, empathy, etc, rather than show it. Finally, she often seems judgmental about her patients, and sometimes even the doctors around her. I'd recommend this book if you're really interested in the process of medical education, at Harvard Medical School in particular. If you're looking for a more moving story, I'd skip it and pick up something else. Three stars.

23. Madame Pamplemousse and Her Incredible Edibles by Rupert Kingfisher; illustrated by Sue Hellard (Amazon)

This is a simple and magical little children's book, filled with delightful illustrations. Madeleine, although a talented chef, is forced to wash dishes in her evil uncle Monsieur Lard's restaurant, The Squealing Pig. One day she happens upon a mysterious shop run by Madame Pamplemousse and her cat, Camembert. The shop is filled with all sorts of strange and incredible edibles. Of course, Madeleine's greasy uncle wants to steal the secret recipe. What follows is a sweet, rewarding story. My only complaint was that it was too short! Recommended. Four stars.

P.S.- Don't know why I can't get the touchstone to work for Madame Pamplemousse. It show up on the side but not in the message. :( Here's the link: http://www.librarything.com/work/book/41949975

Madame Pamplemousse seems awfully similar to Ratatouille in story line... is it? (the movie)

Suslyn..
That's what I'm wondering as well.

>96 suslyn: & 97, hmmm, Madeleine, the heroine, is a little girl, not a rat. Her evil uncle sends her to steal Madame Pamplemousse's recipes, and eventually Madame Pamplemousse, whose shop is full of exotic things like North Atlantic Sea Serpent pate, teaches Madeleine to embrace her own culinary gift. They're both set in Paris, and they're both about cooking, but they're not exactly alike. Madame Pamplemousse and Her Incredible Edibles has almost more of a Roald Dahl feel, especially with the illustrations.

on the tbr pile it goes.
Thanks for the clarification

>99 Whisper1:, You're welcome, Linda! The more I think about it, the more I think I should have described it as "Ratatouille meets Roald Dahl."

24. The Red Necklace by Sally Gardner (Amazon)

I happened upon this one while browsing the new books shelf in the young adult section of the library and I'm so happy that I picked it up! This is an engrossing, exciting, and well written novel that blends together history, fantasy, adventure, and a dash of romance. It takes place at the beginning of the French Revolution, and the main characters are Yann Margoza, a Gypsy boy who can read minds, and Sido, the neglected daughter of a selfish marquis. An evil man named Count (and, later, Citizen) Kalliovski is the mysterious villain. To say much more about the plot would take better summarizing skills than I have, and would ruin much of the experience of the novel. Gardner does a brilliant job of creating unique, likable characters in Yann and Sido, and she sets a wonderfully exciting historical scene, incorporating magic in a way that never seems forced. The depictions of the Revolution are brutal and heartbreaking, but there is kindness and love, too. The ending is left open, leaving me hoping for a sequel. Highly recommended! Four and a half stars.

Wow...your thread is dangerous - I've added four more books to my TBR "pile": Book of a Thousand Days, Hawthorne's Selected Tales and Sketches, The Graveyard Book, and The Penelopiad. All sound terrific, and I've been bumping into that Atwood book for awhile now, so I think I'm destined to read it. Wisely, or not, I've starred your thread and look forward to your future thoughts.

I have added The Red Necklace to Continent TBR. I hope I enjoy it as much as you did (once I get my hands on it, that is).

callen610 is right, your thread is dangerous. It seems you and I share similar reading habits and thus I know when I check in here, I'm bound to add one or two or five or six or............
The Red Necklace is now added.

>102 callen610:, Welcome, callen610! I'm sorry my thread is dangerous, but not really as you have added some of my favorites to your pile! Bwahahaha.

>103 alcottacre:, I hope you enjoy it as much as I did, too, Stasia! It's early to say, but it may just be one of my top reads of the year!

>104 Whisper1:, Right back at you, Linda! I come away from your thread with many added as well!

Oooh, The Red Necklace goes on the TBR list! Funny I haven't seen it before, I spend a ridiculous amount of time browsing YA shelves...

>106 dk_phoenix:, dk_phoenix, I had never seen it before either, and then there it was, and it caught my eye because it has a very striking cover, which made me say, "Ooh! Pretty hair!" Lol. They say don't judge a book by it's cover, but this time it was a good thing!

25. Confederates in the Attic: Dispatches from the Unfinished Civil War by Tony Horwitz (Amazon)

I don't normally enjoy books about the civil war, but I picked this up because several people on LT recommended it, and I'm very glad that I did. Tony Horwitz travels through the South, visiting Civil War battle sites and talking to Civil War reenactors, Sons and Daughters of the Confederacy, and many others about why the Civil War is still important to them and what they think of the Confederates. This was very, very interesting, especially as a Northerner who had never really understood these attitudes. It's a serious book, with lots of important issues raised, and Horwitz treats everyone involved with dignity and respect. There are also a few lighter, laugh out loud funny parts. Recommended. Four and a half stars.

This is a book on my tbr list. Thanks to your excellent review and your recommendation, I'll move it up a notch or two.

>109 Whisper1:, I'm glad I could encourage you to move it up, Linda! I really want to pick up Horwitz's other books now.

26. The Goose Girl by Shannon Hale (Amazon)

I was very exited to read this one after loving Hale's Book of a Thousand Days so much. And while it didn't quite live up to the high standard set by that one, The Goose Girl was still a lively and enjoyable YA fantasy read. Like Book of a Thousand Days, this one also retells a Grimms' fairy tale, one that I was slightly more familiar with going into than I had been with Maid Maleen: Grimms' The Goose Girl. This is a lyrical retelling of the story, if perhaps a little overly long in parts. It's a good fantasy, with a strong heroine, but just lacks a certain je ne sais quoi magic that I found in Book of a Thousand Days. Don't get me wrong, I really, really liked it; I just didn't love it. I will definitely be reading the rest of the books in this series, however, and Shannon Hale is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors. Recommended. Four stars.

I haven't heard of Shannon Hale before, but I'm a sucker for retellings of fairy tales, so I've added both Book of a Thousand Days and The Goose Girl to my BookMooch wishlist. As if needed adding to! Thanks, Marcia!

>112 shewhowearsred:, I hope you enjoy them, Nikki (if I may call you that... checked your profile!). I love retellings of fairy tales, too. Shannon Hale's a fairly new discovery for me, as well, and I'm really happy I found her.

#111: Marcia, I brought home Shannon Hale's Austenland book from the library on Tuesday, and I cannot wait to dive into it. :)

I can hardly say I mind when I snooped in your profile and found your name, too. :)

I see you've read a few books by Robin McKinley already. Have you ever read Beauty? I've heard that McKinley is a good author for retellings, so I picked Beauty up, but I wasn't over-rapt. It wasn't a bad book, but I just felt she didn't make the story hers. I much prefer Angela Carter, who makes liberal use of poetic license to change fairy tales into what she wants them to become. Are all of McKinley's fairy tale books written in the style of Beauty?

>114 fantasia655:, Catey, I'm excited to see what you think of Austenland. I just got a call that Enna Burning, which is the sequel to The Goose Girl came into the library for me. After I finish that series, I will read Austenland, which looks very different, but still good!

>115 shewhowearsred:, Nikki, I love Robin McKinley. Beauty is probably her simplest fairy tale retelling, and the one that sticks the most to the original story. I loved it when I first read it, when I was 10 or 11, which is the age that it is aimed for. Rose Daughter, which is her other retelling of Beauty and the Beast, is much more complex and mature, more typical of her other books. I definitely wouldn't write her off after reading Beauty, which is meant for a younger audience.

I've never read anything by Angela Carter, but I've wanted to for a while.

I'm so happy to hear that, Marcia. I read so many rave reviews about Beauty and it just failed to live up to my expectations. I'll definitely give McKinley's other books a try. Angela Carter, to my knowledge, only writes short stories on retold fairy tales. She's an acquired taste, I think. Her retellings are dark and have sexual themes in them sometimes, so definitely for adults. I liked her, but your mileage may vary!

Well, I like some violence and darkness and sexual themes sometimes... Robin McKinley's books are mostly written for young adults, and Beauty: A Retelling of the Story of Beauty and the Beast is for 9-12 year olds, so it's even younger.

Speaking of fairytale retellings, have you ever read Beauty by Sheri S. Tepper? That's one of my favorites, and talk about dark, lol!

Deerskin by McKinley is definitely dark and violent. It's the only book of hers I will never reread, despite its excellence.

>119 ronincats:, You're right, Roni! I had almost blocked Deerskin out. *shudders* That one's def for adults. I might reread it someday though, if I have the stomach.

re: McKinley -- I enjoyed her Spindle's End (Sleeping Beauty) very much, but as I haven't read Beauty I can't compare the two.

>121 suslyn:, That's one of the McKinley books I've never read, Susan! I'll have to add it to my list.

27. St. Lucy's Home for Girls Raised By Wolves by Karen Russell (Amazon)

I really loved this collection of short stories. They're infused with unique characters, macabre flights of fancy, and magical realism. Although their oddities are endearing, in the end, it is the sad and lyrical humanity that shines through and makes the story memorable. They are all excellent, but if I had to pick favorites, mine would be the title story, about the children of werewolves raised in the wild being rehabilitated by nuns, and "Haunting Olivia," about two brothers wearing magical goggles to search the sea for their dead sister. Heartbreaking and beautiful, fantastical yet simple, this is a winning collection, and I will definitely be looking for other books by Russell. Highly recommended. Five stars.

I'm enjoying the conversations regarding retelling of fairy tales. I'm currently reading Briar Rose by Jane Yolen. I'm adding the McKinley books to be read in 2009.

>115 shewhowearsred: & ff: This seems something like a thread that is going on in another group. If you like fairy tell retellings, here are some I liked in no particular order:

Kara Dalkey's The Nightingale from the Hans Christian Andersen of the same
Pamela Dean's Tam Lin from the Scottish fairy tale
Charles de Lint's Jack the Giant Killer from "Jack and the Beanstalk"
Patricia Wrede's Snow White, Rose Red from the Brothers Grimm story
Tanith Lee's White as Snow from "Snow White"

Those are from Terri Windling's "The Fairy Tale Series". It also includes Yolen's Briar Rose ("Sleeping Beauty") that Whisper1 mentions and I loved, and Gregory Frost's Fitcher's Brides which is the "Bluebeard" legend and I didn't care for so much.

Peter Rushforth's Kindergarten is a wrenching retelling of "Hansel & Gretel" that I recommend.

For the younger readers, Donna Napoli's Zel is a fun retelling of "Rapunzel".

I liked Angela Carter's The Bloody Chamber, which has five fairy tales in it, but agree with shewhowearsred that they are adult reading.

McKinley has done a number of fairy tale reworkings. The Door in the Hedge has "The Frog and the Prince" and "The Twelve Dancing Princesses".

Tad.

I officially state that I will not be able to read all my TBR pile in 2009. I give up! Having said this, I am adding those you mentioned above.

There's a great YA trilogy retelling fairy tales by Adele Geras, The Edgerton Hall Novels, which are set in a 1960s British Boarding School: The Tower Room, which is Rapunzel, Watching the Roses which is Sleeping Beauty, and Pictures of the Night which is Snow White. I haven't read them in a long time, so I don't know how they'd stack up, but I loved them when I was in high school.

Diana Wynne Jones' Fire and Hemlock is a modern reworking of Tam Lin, and one of my favorite books EVER.

#124: Thanks for a great list, Tad. Adding everything to the Continent.

Oh, wow! I love all these recommendations for retellings. Marcia, I haven't read Beauty by Sheri S. Tepper, although my partner apparently has quite a few of her other books. About the only Sleeping Beauty retelling that I've read is Anne Rice's series, and those are certainly in a different genre altogether!

On a slightly different note, if anyone is interested in graphic novels, I highly recommend the series Fables and its spinoff, Jack of Fables. It's about a bunch of old fairy tale characters-- Beauty and the Beast, the big bad Wolf, Jack and the beanstalk, the three little pigs, Sleeping Beauty, Little Red Riding Hood, etc-- who have been banished from their fairy-tale Homelands and relegated to the real world. It's snarky, sarcastic, and witty as heck. That whole series is a very entertaining read... and I'm not a huge graphic novel fan, either!

>128 shewhowearsred:: "different genre altogether"....well, that's an understatement! Makes Angela Carter's stuff look like YA. :-)

BTW, I believe Susan Cooper has also done a "Tam Lin" retelling. I haven't read it but will get around to it someday since I'm such a fan of her The Dark Is Rising series.

Someone has also recommended Robert Coover's stuff to me. He has a retelling of "Briar Rose" and a "Pinocchio". I don't know much about them other than that they are in my list of things to look up someday.

And on a slightly different, different note, there are Jasper Fforde's Nursery Crime books, The Big Over Easy and The Fourth Bear, which have fairy tale characters literally involved in the plots--also snarky, sarcastic and witty. Others along this line but juveniles include The Sisters Grimm mystery series and the Into the Wild series by Sarah Beth Durst. Of those, I prefer the first.

Oh, and Elizabeth Marie Pope's The Perilous Gard is a great retelling of Tam Lin as well.

I've got these fairy tale retellings home from the library,

Before Midnight by Cameron Dokey (retelling of Cinderella)
The Storyteller's Daughter by Cameron Dokey (retelling of the Arabian Nights)
Golden by Cameron Dokey (retelling of Rapunzel)

I might read them this week. :)

Oh, this thread is dangerous! My TBR list has just increased considerably.

While we're at it, Robert Rankin's Hollow Chocolate Bunnies of the Apocalypse and The Toyminator are a mix of noir detective story and nursery rhyme retelling.

ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh. I should not have re-checked this thread today...
I want to add all the new recommendations to my pile...

Thanks to you all, I'm down to 0.6 points on BookMooch! Dammit. Must refrain from hitting the BUY button on The Book Depository!

Whoa, I don't check my thread for a day or so... and I come back and it's flooded with even more recommendations! You people will be my undoing.

I have (but have not yet read) Wildwood Dancing by Juliet Marillier which is a retelling of the dancing princesses.

28. The Giant's House by Elizabeth McCracken (Amazon)

This is a moving, bittersweet story about the unlikely "romance" between a spinster librarian and a young man/boy affected by gigantism. The writing is great; McCracken describes characters, scenes, and situations perfectly. The narrator, Peggy, is not particularly likable, but I found myself relating to her nonetheless. My only real problem with the book is that I was creeped out by Peggy falling in love with James, whom she first meets when he is twelve. In spite of the extraordinary circumstances of his life, and the (mostly) nonsexual nature of their relationship, I was still a little disturbed. Overall, a quick, worthwhile read, for fans of Anne Tyler and John Irving. Recommended. Four stars.

29. Ella Minnow Pea by Mark Dunn (Amazon)

I loved this one! I read it in one sitting. Thanks to everyone on LT for recommending it!

This is a book for lovers of language, connoisseurs of the alphabet. It's an epistolary novel, a fable, and a beautifully constructed piece of writing. I'd say more, but you really have to read it for yourself. Highly recommended. Four and a half stars.

Marcia, you've joined the Ella Minnow Pea bandwagon! I too have heard so much about it that I went and mooched a copy. I should get it sometime next week, and I'm really looking forward to it. I'm glad you think it was as good as everyone else has said it is!

>140 shewhowearsred:, Yes, Nikki, I am a convert. I finished it in one sitting and then immediately gave it to my mother to make her read it. I hope you love it as much as we all did!

LOL I really, really enjoyed the saga of the fairy tales retold :)

Another addition to the list of retellings: I'm currently reading Snow White, Blood Red edited by Ellen Datlow, which I've just realized is different from Snow White, Rose Red by Patricia Wrede. Snow White, Blood Red is a collection of retellings by different authors, including Jane Yolen (who also wrote Briar Rose and Neil Gaiman! I haven't finished the book yet, but wow. If you're in the mood for a dark, adult, and sometimes erotic retelling of your favorite tales, this is one to pick up.

>143 shewhowearsred:, Snow White, Blood Red is actually one of a whole series of fairy tale retelling collections edited by Ellen Datlow, I do believe. She's one of my favorite editors.

30. Lunch Poems by Frank O'Hara (Amazon)

My creative writing professor is a huge fan of this collection. I'm not quite as enthusiastic, but I still enjoyed it. There are some real gems where O'Hara's conversational, prosey style and unique imagery shine. A few of my favorites are "Cambridge," "The Day Lady Died," "St. Paul and All That," and "Galanta." The rest range from okay to good, but not great. It's not a long collection, by any means, but by the end I was a little tired of O'Hara's namedropping and constant allusions. A few references can really make a poem strong, but he uses so many that, 50 years later, the poems seem dated and a lot of the original meaning is lost. Plus it's annoying to have to Google every other word. An uneven collection. Three and a half stars.

I just discovered I left a book of out my 2008 count (it was Betrayed: A House of Night Novel incidentally), which means that I really read 100 books last year, rather than 99. I'm having a little celebration, because this makes me ridiculously happy!

146: That's awesome, Marcia! I was not here (on LT) last year but I know that I read alot of books, I just don't know how many I read. :) But 100, thats a great number!

Catey

#146: Congratulations!

Thanks, Catey and Stasia! I was on LT but not on this group, but I kept my own records. I was in the hospital for about a month and then recovering for several months after, though, so my cataloging was somewhat haphazard, so I'm not surprised (but quite happy) that I missed one!

woot! Nothing like celebrations :)

Have seen you popping up in some of my other starred threads and decided to star ya. Look forward to more of your reading.

>150 suslyn:, Thanks, Susan!

>151 blackdogbooks:, I've seen you in some of my starred threads, as well. Welcome, and I shall have to search out your thread from the pack!

31. Ali and Nino: A Love Story by Kurban Said (Amazon)

I had a hard time getting into the first few chapters of this book, but I stuck with it, and I'm glad that I did. Around the middle, the story picks up and starts to get breathlessly exciting, and it features beautiful descriptions of cultures and places. The story mainly takes place in Daku, Azerbeijan, but parts of it also take place in the surrounding Caucasus, Georgia, and Iran. Minutely detailed descriptions of setting, food, people, and customs are poetic and really make the reader feel as if they are in a bustling foreign locale. Legends and religious stories are retold without distracting from the overall flow of the narrative, but instead only adding to the background of the characters and the story. The two main characters, Ali, a Muslim, and Nino, his Christian love, are well-drawn, especially Ali, who narrates with a distinctive voice. This is a timely love story as divisions between Christians and Muslims continue to exist through out the world. Although the period details of the story are concrete, the essence feels as if it could happen today. A beautiful work of art, and I highly recommend it. Four and a half stars.

32. The Adoration of Jenna Fox by Mary E. Pearson The Adoration of Jenna Fox

A girl wakes up from a coma. They tell her that her name is Jenna Fox, and that she was in an accident. She doesn't remember anything, and as a few memories start to come back to her and she starts to explore the world around her, she starts to think something is very strange.

This was a quick, engrossing YA novel set sometime in the not-so-distant future. It raises questions of love, human identity, and bio ethics while still managing to be a page turner. Recommended. Four stars.

Marcia

I've added your latest read to my tbr pile. It sounds like a great book.

>153 Whisper1:, I hope you like it, Linda! It went pretty quickly for me, and I had fun, but it still had depth.

I am adding both books 31 & 32 to the Continent. They sound like terrific reads. Thanks for the recommendations!

>155 alcottacre:, You're welcome, Stasia! I enjoyed both of them very much.

I'm adding book 32 to my tbr list, looks like just the kind of thing I would enjoy.

I'm adding Ali and Nino to my TBR pile--it sounds like a good read, as well as being relevant to life nowadays. Thanks for the review.

>157 lunacat:, I hope you enjoy it lunacat!

>158 arubabookwoman:, arubabookwoman, you're welcome! I hope you like Ali and Nino. I had never heard about it until I read it on a list of the best loves stories ever written somewhere, and it was really a fabulous find.

ok, I'm adding Ali and Nino as well as The Adoration of Jenna Fox

Thanks for two excellent recommendations.

>160 Whisper1:, lol, you're welcome, Linda! I don't think you'll regret Ali and Nino, it's a beautiful book.

Dude, check out this link: http://www.suvudu.com/freelibrary/

They offer the first books in several fantasy and sci fi series as FREE downloads! *squee*

#162: Thanks for the link, Marcia.

OOH!! How coolie, Marcia!! O.o Just think of all the books I will download..

>162 allthesedarnbooks:: I'm surprised at the books they are putting up. Usually, this kind of thing is all stories from 40 years ago, but they've got some more contemporary stuff with Novik, Robinson and Hobb. I'll keep an eye on this; I've read three of the five, have no interest in the Pratt, but I downloaded the Turtledove on the off chance that I pick up an ebook reader at some point and need a library of stuff for it.

thx for the link gf!

>163 alcottacre:-166, You're welcome, guys! I downloaded all five! It really is a great way to try out some new series I would never normally buy.

Hey Marcia, thanks for the link, I also downloaded all the five books.

Idle thoughts.... For those who download books such as those linked to above...

Do you read them from cover to cover on your computer?
Do you read a few pages to decide whether to buy a copy?
Do you print them out?
Do you have e-book readers?

Personally, I'm currently reading one book cover to cover on my computer whenever I get a free moment, but it's not my preferred style. I occasionally print small books out at 4 pages to a side (smaller writing but less paper). And, I live in hope that one day I'll find a decent e-book reader - just a matter of time.

I also download some books (non-fiction) as references only, with no plans to read them as such.

I do majority of my reading on computer. The amount of time I spend in front of my laptop and the ease of shuffling through different PDFs (acad stuff to reports to books) makes it much more convenient to read them on my laptop.

I'll read these on my laptop. Some day I'd like an ebook reader, but right now don't have the money to afford a decent one. Unfortunately, I usually forget about the books I have downloaded on my computer and get discracted by other things online.

33. Complications: A Surgeon's Notes on an Imperfect Science by Atul Gawande (Amazon)

Another read for my Literature & Medicine class. This is a well-written, thoughtful series of essays on surgery, medicine, and doctors as people. I came out of it feeling more informed about the decisions doctors make every day, what goes wrong and what goes right. There were very few dull moments. Gawande's prose is matter of fact but lively. Recommended. Four stars.

#172: I added that one to Continent TBR. Have you read his other one, Better a surgeon's notes on performance as well, and if so, what did you think of it?

>173 alcottacre:, I haven't read Better yet, Stasia, but probably will sometime this year. My Lit & Med professor said she didn't include it on the syllabus because it's not as good as Complications and I've heard from a few other readers that it was disappointing. I still want to read it eventually, however, as I'm fascinated by the science of medicine and Gawande is such a good writer.

Marcia

You are amazing! You are still recovering from major brain surgery, you are going to college and you are reading many interesting books...

Kudos to you!

#174: I think I will give them both a shot since the subject matter is of interest to me. Thanks for the info!

>169 petermc: I read them on my computer but use the E-reader on my computer that I downloaded somewhere. Kindle doesn't work here (Romania), and many of these books aren't compatible with it anyway. They sell a teeny portable here about the size of a paperback that I put on my Christmas list. If I get that's where I'll read them.

#173--Stasia-I've read both Complications and Better--I thought Complications was a much "better" book, so if you're only going to read one, I'd choose Complications.

Another really good book in a similar vein is How Doctors Think by Jerome Groopman, which I recommend.

#178: Thanks for the recommendation abw. I will see if I can track down the Groopman book as well. I know I can get the Gawande books.

>175 Whisper1:, Thanks, Linda! Most days I don't feel very amazing, lol. You're pretty fantastic yourself...

>178 arubabookwoman:, I have How Doctors Think on my shelf, I will probably read it after I'm done with this class. I don't think I can add any extra medical books during the semester without going crazy!

34. Baghdad Without a Map, and Other Misadventures in Arabia by Tony Horwitz (Amazon)

This is the second Tony Horwitz book I've read, after Confederates in the Attic, which was so great that I was worried I'd be disappointed if this one didn't live up to that high standard. I needn't have worried! Horwitz travels through the Middle East and he treats the people he meets with the same dignity, respect, and occasional humor that he treats Southerners with in Confederates. Although the book was publish in 1991, and much of it takes place in the late 1980s, and some of the landscape and politics of the region has changed, what's striking is what hasn't changed. Horwitz has a gift for capturing the spirit of everyday lives and the contradictions inherent in people's personalities and beliefs. An absorbing, intelligent, enjoyable read that I'd highly recommend. Four and a half stars.

35. Sweetheart by Chelsea Cain (Amazon)

This thriller is the sequel to Heartsick, which I read in 2008. It definitely needs to be read as a sequel, and not as a standalone, as much of the story is dependent on events that happened in the first book. Detective Archie Sheridan, serial killer Gretchen Lowell, and reporter Susan Ward all return, along with their supporting cast. This was a quick, intense read, not quite as good as Heartsick, but still suspenseful. The dark and twisted relationship between Archie and Gretchen was explored further. Recommended for fans of the first book. Three and a half stars.

#181: My favorite Horwitz book is Blue Latitudes. I hope you give that one a try as well. He has been a favorite author of mine for several years now, although I did not like his newest book A Voyage Long and Strange as much as I have enjoyed his other books.

>182 alcottacre:, Thanks, Stasia, I will be sure to get Blue Latitudes eventually. I actually have A Voyage Long and Strange on reserve from the library right now, so hopefully I'll like it more than you did!

36. Fragile Things: Short Fictions and Wonders by Neil Gaiman (Amazon)

This collection of short stories and poetry by Neil Gaiman is enjoyable, but not his best work. Some of the stories work really well, while others feel distinctly unfinished. In spite of the unevenness of the collection, it's still worth a read, as the stories that are good are truly great. "The Monarch of the Glen," a novella starring Shadow from American Gods, was my favorite. "Bitter Grounds" and "The Flints of Memory Lane" scared the bejeesus out of me, and "The Problem of Susan" took something that had always bothered me about C.S. Lewis's Chronicles of Narnia and twisted it into something very, very disturbing. Most of the rest of the stories, and all of the poems, pretty much, were nothing memorable. A fun, interesting, uneven collection, recommended for Gaiman fans. Three and a half stars.

#183: It's not that I did not like the book at all, it's just that I did not think it was up to the standards of his other books. I think overall it could have benefitted from some tighter editing. Let me know what you think of it after you have given it a try, Marcia.

>185 alcottacre:, Will do, Stasia! Hopefully it will get in soon. I plan on reading all of his books one at a time, so Blue Latitudes will be next after that.

#186: I hope you enjoy them both.

37. Wake by Lisa McMann (Amazon)

I loved this YA novel! Janie has a complicated life. She lives on the wrong side of the tracks with her neglectful, alcoholic mother and works long hours at a nursing home to save money for college. Her biggest problem, however, is that she is sucked into other people's dreams. If someone is asleep and dreaming within close proximity to her, she enters their dreams unwillingly, leaving her body in a seizure-like state. The dreams are often common, often unpleasantly intimate, and sometimes terrifying nightmares. As Janie learns to deal with and control her powers, she also becomes closer to a mysterious boy named Cabel. Exciting and unputdownable, this fantasy thriller is a great read, and I've already reserved the sequel, Fade. Highly recommended. Four and half stars.

Enjoying your thread and enthusiasms as usual :)

Marcia
You read such incredibly interesting books! Naturally, I have to put Wake on the TBR pile. And, by the way, I learned that Laura Whitcomb has a book in addition to A Certain Slant of Light. Have you read The Fetch I've ordered in via Amazon.
Drat, touchstones are not working properly...

Ooh, Wake sounds interesting. I'll have to look out for that.

A Certain Slant of Light is looking difficult to get hold of over here for some reason but Amazon have it. I feel (another) order coming on...

>189 suslyn:, Thanks, Susan!

>190 Whisper1:, Linda, thanks! You read some incredibly interesting books yourself. I hope you like Wake! I will have to add The Fetch to my wishlist. Looking forward to seeing your review of that too.

>191 Moomin2009:, Do whatever you have to do to get your hands on A Certain Slant of Light, lol. Not that I'm trying to bankrupt you or anything, but I got it from the library and I'm already wishing a month later that I had bought it instead so that I could read it again.

I haven't been reading that much this week, or had much time to write reviews, between classes, St. Patrick's Day celebrations, and March Madness. My school, Binghamton, went to the NCAA tournament for the first time but lost to Duke in the first round. Still, it's very exciting. Now I'm pinning my hopes on fellow upstate NY schools Syracuse and Siena.

I also have an anthropology research paper to finish a first draft of this weekend, so who knows how much I'll be able to read for pleasure or come on LT. Meanwhile, here's my last three reads.

38. Feet of Clay: Saints, Sinners, and Madmen: A Study of Gurus by Anthony Storr Feet Of Clay

I'm not sure exactly what to say about this book. It wasn't what I expected going into it. The subtitle, "A Study of Gurus," led me to expect biographies of various gurus, along with insights into their spirituality and psychology. And while there was certainly some of that, the book seemed to be just as much an argument against religious belief of any sort, which the author considers to be delusions. I understand that Storr described himself as a "biological agnostic," but he discredits the beliefs of everyone, from followers of Jim Jones to St. Ignatius of Loyola and Jesus. All religious, and most creative experiences, are cast as mental illness. This black and white world view allows for no true religious experiences and looks down on anyone who is not a scientist. Still, Storr has some interesting theories and insights, and the book is well-researched. I don't agree with everything he said, but it was certainly a book that made me think. Recommended if you're interested in the psychology of charismatic religious leaders or psychoanalysis. Three stars.

39. Primitive Mentor by Dean Young (Amazon)

This was an interesting poetry collection. I had never read any poems by Dean Young before, and some of his images really amazed me. Sometimes this was a pleasant amazement, sometimes a sense of disgust. Almost all of the poems elicited some kind of strong reaction from me however, so while I'm not going to start quoting anything from this collection anytime soon, I liked it enough that I want to read more from Young. Recommended if you're interested in contemporary poetry. Four stars.

40. Revenge of the Spellmans by Lisa Lutz (Amazon)

This is the third book in the hilarious Spellman family series (after The Spellman Files and Curse of the Spellmans), which are not really mysteries, but family comedy with a detective twist. Funny, funny, funny! I recommend reading them in order, however, so you can track the development of the characters and get all the jokes. If you like books like Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum series, you'll love the Spellmans. Four and a half stars.

Sorry to hear you haven't read much but then again neither have I. I am writing this on my ipod touch so if I don't make any sense, blame it on my iPod. :) I took Anthropology & Sociology for school, I thought it was awesome. I asked for The Revenge of The Spellmans as an ARC, I hope I get it, it sounds very good!

Have a great weekend,
Catey :)

That's cool you're writing on your iPod, Catey! I've thought about upgrading to an iPod touch sometime... of course there's about 50 things I need to buy first, so who knows when that will happen!

Have you read The Spellman Files and Curse of the Spellmans? If not, I highly recommend them, especially The Spellman Files, which is the first. Curse of the Spellmans is a little weaker, and then the quality goes back up in Revenge of the Spellmans, IMHO.

I'm thinking of doing a double major in anthropology (my other major is creative writing), as I really enjoy it. My paper is on motherhood with more than one mother, how it affects the child and the mother. I'm comparing American lesbian couples and Middle Eastern polygamous families (I wanted to do Mormon fundamentalist families but couldn't get the books I needed).

My iPod touch was cheaper than my old ipod, weird right?
I haven't yet read The Spellman Files (this iPod has no brackets) but I will see if I can find it.

Your paper sounds like it would be very good, let me know how it turns out.

Catey

I took your advice and A Certain Slant of Light has now been ordered...

Moomin2009
You won't regret it. When I read Marcia's recommendation, I felt compelled to read this book as soon as I could obtain a copy. You might want to check McKait's thread and her wonderful, well-written review. She finished the book today and was very moved by it as well.

Thanks again Marcia for all your recommendations, but particularly this excellent one!

Just checking in... Several of you have dropped by my profile wondering where I've been, and I want to assure you that I'm ok. Things have just been intense & busy lately. As some of you may know, I'm a college student, and I'm still recovering from some major surgery last year. I got caught up in the stress of academia and deadlines, I'm afraid. Then my grandmother passed away last week, actually on the first day of my spring break, so I didn't get much of a vacation, lol. Hopefully I'll be able to catch up on my reading/posting and reading your posts sometime this weekend. Fingers crossed! I miss you guys and your kindred book-loving spirits!

Very sorry to hear of your grandmother. Take care of yourself

Marcia

Working in academia, I know full well what the end of semester brings. I hope the stress does not cause nasty headaches for you. Please do take good care.

I am so sorry to hear about your grandmother. Having lost a beloved grammy seven years ago, I know the heartache. I still miss her and not a day goes by without saying a blessing for the most important role she had in my life.

Marcia,

Glad you took the time to check in! It sounds like you have a lot going on. I am sorry to hear about your Grandmother.

I'm very sorry to hear that your Grandmother passed away, Marcia.
Thanks for telling us what's been going on.

Marcia - I'm so sorry to hear about your Grandmother. My thoughts are with you. Take care of yourself. The end of the semester is near.

Hang in there......I am truly sorry about your grandmother.

Just stopping in to wave and hope all is going well with you!

Marcia

You are missed! I hope you are ok. I know the end of the semester can be grueling.

Wishing you well for everything--glad you checked in for a visit.

Thanks to everyone for the condolences and well wishes! I just finished my last week of classes, and after this week's finals and papers, I should be more free to both read and participate in this group. Meanwhile, here's a catch up on the books I have managed to read, but not post about in the last few months. Thoughts will probably be briefer than usual because of the long nature of the list, and I may not get thoughts on all the titles up right away.

You may also note that I gravitate towards crime fiction and romance when stressed.

41. Friday's Child by Georgette Heyer

This was an okay Regency romance. I know that Heyer is the creator of the genre, so I was really expecting more. Parts of it were quite amusing, other parts quite dull. My main problem was that I didn't like either the hero or the heroine particularly and couldn't make myself care about whether they ended up together. I'm definitely open to reading more by Heyer, however. Three stars.

42. The Long Way Home: Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season Eight, Volume One by Joss Whedon

I'm not normally a big fan of graphic novels (I tried to read Watchmen earlier this year and hated it), but I do love Buffy, so I picked this up. Loved it! The comics pick up where the TV series left off. If you're a fan of the show, don't miss it. Now I just need to get my hands on Volume Two... Four and a half stars.

43. Two Kinds of Decay by Sarah Manguso

I was lucky enough to read this memoir in my Literature & Medicine class. I fell passionately in love with the book, and Manguso's writing style. The best memoir I've read about illness since Autobiography of a Face. Five stars.

44. Repossessed by A.M. Jenkins

Original and unexpectedly deep little YA novel about a demon who takes over the body of a slacker teenage boy. Very interesting look at what it means to be human, why we take it for granted, and the nature of God. Highly recommended! Five stars.

45. Blue Latitudes: Boldly Going Where Captain Cook Has Gone Before by Tony Horwitz

Another excellent, funny, and unique book by Horwitz. In this one, he follows the journey of Captain Cook. I always learn from his books, while also having a good time. What more can you ask for? Five stars.

46. My Only Vice by Elizabeth Bevarly

This is a Harlequin Blaze category romance. If you're not familiar with the Blaze line, it's one of Harlequin's sexier categories. This is a good example of the line, with lots of hot sex, but Bevarly's likable characters and way with humor raise it to the higher echelon of category romances, in my opinion. Very cute, very hot, but not for the prudish! Four stars.

47. The Zookeeper's Wife: A War Story by Diane Ackerman

This is the story of a Polish zookeeper, his wife, and their work to save Jews in WWII. Very interesting, with exciting real life action, interesting information about animals, and details about life under Nazi rule. Four stars.

48. Keeper and Kid by Edward Hardy

This book was all right, not very memorable. It's about a man thrust unexpectedly into fatherhood. The kid is cute, but unfortunately neither the father nor his love interest are very likable. There are a few funny parts, but overall kind of blah. Three stars.

49. Thus Was Adonis Murdered by Sarah Caudwell

A cute little English mystery. It took me a little while to adjust to the style, narrated by the mysterious (male or female?) Professor Hilary Tamar, but once I did I really enjoyed it. Some very funny parts. If you like British humor and mysteries, this is for you. I'll definitely read more from this series. Four stars.

50. Real Murders by Charlaine Harris

This is the first book in the Aurora Teagarden mystery series by Charlaine Harris. Another enjoyable small town mystery series, like her Lily Bard. Harris rarely disappoints, and I will definitely read more in this series. Four stars.

51. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson; translated by Reg Keeland

I know a lot of people loved this book. I, however, was not a fan. There's a lot of financial/business mystery stuff that I found extremely dull, and I just couldn't get into Larsson's style. I don't know if the problem was in the translation, or if I just am not clever or sophisticated enough to enjoy this mystery. Anyway, it was a struggle to finish! Two stars.

52. The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation, Volume 1: The Pox Party by M.T. Anderson

I loved this book! It is, by no means, a simple read, especially in comparison with some of Anderson's other works (it seems like it was written by a totally different author than Feed or Thirsty!). Anderson has achieved a brilliant feat, with his narrator, Octavian Nothing, putting the reader in the boy's shoes in a way that is surprising and very effective. I don't want to give too much away for those who haven't read it yet, but if you like historical fiction and are interested in American history, I highly recommend this book! It's marketed as YA, but I think it's certainly complex enough for an educated adult audience. Four and a half stars.

53. Chosen: A House of Night Novel by P.C. Cast and Kristin Cast

This is the third book in the House of Night Novels. I don't think I'll be reading the rest. Basically, the narrator/heroine, Zoey Redbird, got on my nerves from the beginning of the series, and it just got worse in this book. She's so annoying! I just want to smack her. She finally stops being perfect in this book, but instead of having human flaws (or vampire ones, lol) she totally destroys everything in her life systematically. Meh. I'm giving up on this series. Three stars.

54. Three Men in a Boat (To Say Nothing of the Dog!) by Jerome K. Jerome

One of the funniest books I've ever read! So hilarious that I had to read passages out loud to my friends and family. Now that I've finally read it, I need to go back and reread To Say Nothing of the Dog! The only thing that bothered me was some casual racism and classism, but I suppose that is to be expected in most Victorian lit. Four and a half stars.

55. Siste Viator by Sarah Manguso

This is an amazing book of poetry! Lyrical, unique, with great, striking images. I love Manguso; I like her poetry almost as much as her memoir, but not quite. Highly recommended. Five stars.

56. A Bone to Pick by Charlaine Harris

Another Aurora Teagarden book. Entertaining mystery fluff. Three and a half stars.

57. True Detectives by Jonathan Kellerman

Average mystery. I wish it had more Alex Delaware in it, although the pair of brothers who star in this one are interesting. The ending was kind of anticlimactic and convoluted, I thought. Not Kellerman's best. Three stars.

58. The Anatomy Theater by Nadine Sabra Meyer

A really interesting book of poetry. Meyer takes her inspiration from old anatomy texts, and old circuses. Really great if you like the oddball and grotesque. Some awesome images and lines! Four and a half stars.

Welcome back. I'll be especially interested to hear what you thought of Three Men in a Boat and also The Zookeeper's Wife, the latter being our One Book, One San Diego book of the year and sitting on my TBR pile. Good luck on finals!

Marcia
I'm very impressed with the fact that you are busy with course work yet managed to read all those lovely books. Congratulations to you!

Did you like The Astonishing life of Octavian Nothing? I've enjoyed both Vol 1 & 2 though Vol 2 is a bit harder to read as it is mostly journal entries. I'll hear Anderson talk later this coming week at our local Writer's Festival.

#209: Boy, have you been busy! Great reading, Marcia.

Marcia - Wow! Great reading, even while you've been so busy. I hope that the finals and papers go well. I'll be busy grading finals and papers this week, but I'm much happier on this side of the red pen!

Roni- Thanks! I liked both Three Men in a Boat, which was very funny, and The Zookeeper's Wife, which was well-written and interesting nonfiction.

Linda- Thanks! Unfortunately, the coursework didn't all go so well... I bit off more than I can chew! Hopefully things will go better next semester. I'm trying to take it one day at a time.

aviatkh- I haven't read Vol. 2 yet, but I like Vol. 1. I thought the format and the premise were both very clever. I'm a big fan of M.T. Anderson, and I thought The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing was a huge departure from his other works, which are much shorter and modern. I like Thirsty, his tale of teen vampires, and The Game of Sunken Places which is classic children's fantasy, if you're in the mood for something different! How was his talk?

Stasia- Thanks! I can't wait to see what reading you've done while I was away... probably about a thousand exciting titles!

porch_reader- Thank you!

Marcia! I've been thinking of you all weekend, and meaning to find your thread to say hi and ask if finals were over, and here you are! I hope you are not taking classes this summer, so we can see more of you.

Hey, Roni! Finals are indeed over, and I'm not taking any classes this semester, so I should be around. Yay!

:)

Just dropped by to say Hi!

Just checking in to say hi. I'm guessing you've been vacationing after all your hard work, mentally if not physically.

Hey guys! Just checking back in... I have, indeed, been taking a bit of a mental break, Roni! Anyway, I'm up to 72 books. Here they are, and I'll try and get reviews up later.

59. Three Bedrooms, One Corpse by Charlaine Harris

Another quick, fun little mystery in the Aurora Teagarden series. Good fluffy summer reading, nothing too memorable. Three stars.

60. Wesley the Owl: The Remarkable Love Story of an Owl and His Girl by Stacey O'Brien

An enchanting story about a young biologist who adopts an owl from babyhood and raises him as her pet. Beautiful; if you like pet stories, I highly recommend it. The style is light and goes quickly, yet I still learned a lot about owls! Four stars.

61. A Jury of Her Peers: American Women Writers from Anne Bradstreet to Annie Proulx by Elaine Showalter

This is certainly an ambitious book. Showalter sets out to write a literary history of women writers in America (and by America, she means the US, not Canada, the Caribbean, or Central or South America, which, while perhaps not correct, is understable--- the book is already 500+ pages; I can't imagine how long it would be if she were to expand to the rest of the Americas!). In the introduction, Showalter explains that in the very act of creating a literary "history" as opposed to a compilation of women's writings, (see The Norton Anthology of Literature by Women) she will be judging the writings and deeming what is important or historical. This is not simply a history; it is a book of literary criticism. I guess my main problem, as a lover of literature, is the judgmental tone Showalter uses for the literature by women that doesn't meet her high standards, and the people who read it. Sentimental, romantic, sappy women's fiction is not only put down, but so are those who might enjoy it. Ditto with literature that she does not consider "feminist" enough. Also, and I'm sure this is a problem with any book with such an ambitious attempt, she leaves out several, IMHO, very notable female authors; Dawn Powell is the biggest omission that comes to my mind, at this removed date (I finished the book about two months ago), but I'm pretty sure there were others.

As far as style goes, the book is broken down into chapters covering an era, then smaller, readable chunks focusing on a particular author or movement. There are no (or very few) excerpts of the works discussed, so if you haven't already read the books in question, you must rely entirely on Showalter's opinions. Sometimes she discusses an author's life, at other times she analyzes their works. This approach was a little too inconsistent for me. When I wanted biography, she gave me criticism; when I would've been interested in criticism, she gave me biography. Rarely did she provide both.

In the end, this book is a useful tool. Showalter obviously spent a great deal of time researching and putting it together. Is it a definitive history of American literature by women? No, but it's a good start. I added a lot of authors and books to my wishlist that I hadn't heard of before reading this. Recommended for scholars of literature and women's studies. Three and a half stars.

62. The Shortest Way to Hades by Sarah Caudwell

The second Hilary Tamar book; not as strong as the first, but still delightful. Three and a half stars.

63. Heiress for Hire by Erin McCarthy

An enjoyable contemporary romance about a shallow Paris Hilton-like heiress who is disowned by her father, moves to a small town, and starts working as a babysitter for a single father farmer. The two opposites, of course, fall in love and the heiress finds out what's really important in life. An extraneous ghost subplot falls flat, but McCarthy writes likable, human characters in a way that reminds me of Susan Elizabeth Phillips. A sweet summer read, recommended for romance fans. Four stars.

64. The Julius House by Charlaine Harris

An Aurora Teagarden mystery. Not my favorite in the series, but passable. Three stars.

65. Tigana by Guy Gavriel Kay

A beautifully written epic fantasy. I don't have the words to properly praise this book; this was my first by Kay, and it won't be my last. Gorgeous prose, well written characters, and lots of excitement. Highly recommended! Five stars.

66. The Lost City of Z: A Tale of Deadly Obsession in the Amazon by David Grann

This was an interesting book. Grann explores the life, and disappearance, of Percy Fawcett, an explorer of the Amazon who was last seen in 1925. The book alternates between chapters on Fawcett and his expeditions, and chapters on Grann's quest to retrace Fawcett's footsteps. The contrast is somewhat jarring; Grann lacks the ability to tie the past and the present narrative together that, say, Tony Horwitz is so good at. That being said, I really did enjoy this book. I haven't read a lot about explorers, or South America, and this book definitely got me interested. I will be looking for more reading on these topics, and I have David Grann to thank for that. Recommended. Four stars.

67. A Voyage Long and Strange: Rediscovering the New World by Tony Horwitz

Speaking of Tony Horwitz... I believe earlier in my thread, Stasia said this was her least favorite Tony Horwitz book. I don't think I agree... I quite enjoy it. But then again, I love American history and don't read enough of it. I learned a lot about the colonization of America pre-English, and as always, I was thoroughly entertained. Another fun and enlightening Tony Horwitz book. Four and a half stars.

68. Secrets to Happiness by Sarah Dunn

I really enjoyed this book. It's about Holly Frick, a woman still reeling from her divorce, trying to get on by having an affair with a much younger man. She is shocked when her best friend, Amanda, announces that she is thinking about having an affair. What happens between Holly, Amanda, and Jack, Amanda's lover, is full of twists and surprises. Meanwhile, Holly has adopted Chester, a dog with cancer. This book sounds like pure, simple, conventional chick lit, but Dunn's writing style raises it above the rest of the genre. There are moments that are laugh out loud funny, moments that are just plain TRUE, and most importantly, moments that resonate emotionally. I read Dunn's first novel, The Big Love, several years ago, and really enjoyed it; this is another winner. She's definitely an author I'll watch out for in the future. Highly recommended; four and a half stars.

69. Dead and Gone by Charlaine Harris

This is the ninth book in the Sookie Stackhouse series, and it's filled with lots of action, as well as the quirky characters we've come to expect from the books. The last few books before this were somewhat disappointing to me, but I think Dead and Gone really picks the pace back up, and leaves me again excited about the series. Four stars.

70. The Rite: The Making of a Modern Exorcist by Matt Baglio

Hmmm. This book was not what I expected. The jacket copy lead me to believe it would be a balanced look on exorcism, and that Baglio would present not just the Catholic Church's views on exorcism, but also those of skeptics. However, while Baglio pays lip service to some scientific theories on exorcism, most of the psychologists, psychiatrists, and other scientists he consults are practicing Catholics, or other Christians, and believe in the devil, demons, and the power of evil. Baglio's profile of Father Gary Thomas, a modern priest learning the rituals of exorcism, is interesting. The scenes of exorcism itself are frightening and many read like a novel. Throughout the book, however, I felt like I was reading a treatise on Catholic theology, which is not what I was looking for. I'll give the book three stars, because it was a quick, engrossing read that kept my interest through the end, even though it was not what I was looking for and left me with more questions than answers.

71. The Reformed Vampire Support Group by Catherine Jinks

This is a really unique, delightful YA book that takes the usual tropes about vampires and turns them on their head. Nina, the narrator, was turned into a vampire at the tender age of 15. She writes novels about Zadia Bloodstone, a fearless vampire heroine imbued with superpowers who uses her unnatural state to fight evil. In real life, Nina is part of the titular Reformed Vampire Support Group, which meets at a church, where people who have been infected with the disease of vampirism meet to discuss their problems, which are many. They are all on the wagon and survive by feeding off of guinea pigs. Nina still lives at home with her elderly mother. Her body, an animated corpse, after all, is falling apart; she has extreme headaches, bleeding eyes, and constant nausea. When one of the other members of her group is staked by a vampire slayer, Nina must embrace her inner Zadia Bloodstone and recognize that even though she is a vampire, she still can achieve good in the world. Highly recommended; five stars.

72. Just a Taste by Deirdre Martin

This is a delightful contemporary romance between two chefs, one French, and one Italian-American. Very cute and well written. Four stars.

Hope to get some quick thoughts up on those soon, as well as seeing what your guys have been reading! I've been gone for way too long...

Great to see a post from you!

Congratulations on the near completion of the 75 challenge goal!

Welcome back! I have got to read The Lost City of Z. I have seen mixed reviews so I look forward as to what you thought.

Wow, it looks like you've had some good reads!

Nice to have you back :)

Thanks for the welcomes back, everyone!

Carmenere- I enjoyed The Lost City of Z. I thought it kind of fell off quality-wise towards the end, but it was pretty good in general.

>221 allthesedarnbooks: I'd love to hear what you made of the Showalter! I heard her speak a few weeks ago - she's very engaging - but the book is so chunky it's a bit daunting...

Stay in touch this time, lady--we've missed you!

Flossie- The Showalter was interesting, but very dense... It took me like three weeks to finish it! And I'm not sure I agreed with all of her of opinions, but overall, it was pretty good. I will try and include some more thoughts later!

Roni- I will try my best to stay in touch! I've missed you guys, too!

Edited Message #209 to include thoughts on Books #51-58.

Trying to catch up on reading your threads, but you are all so prolific... Egads!

I've also been reorganizing/combing/adding to my library using collections.

I hope to get up reviews for Books #59-72 soon, finish #73 today, and hit 75 by Monday. Once I'm at 75, I think I will start a new thread as this one is getting awful long and unwieldy.

I'm SO relieved you also weren't totally wow-ed by Dragon Tattoo. I read it last weekend and was fairly underwhelmed - just too long and detailed, and I thought Salander read as a middle-aged man's fantasy girl (esp. with the nasty scene of her abuse at the hands of her guardian). But everyone else in the universe seemed to love it...

I'm glad to hear someone else didn't like it, Flossie! I thought I was alone... Salander was totally a middle aged guy's fantasy... and pretty much none of the characters were likable. After all the hype, I was very disappointed!

73. The Piano Teacher by Janice Y.K. Lee

Claire, the titular piano teacher, moves to Hong Kong with her new husband, Martin, in 1952. She is overwhelmed by the foreign city and its people. She takes a job teaching piano to the Locket Chen, the daughter of a wealthy and sophisticated Chinese couple who were educated in the United States and England. Then she meets Will, a mysterious older Englishman who now works as the Chens' driver, and they begin an affair. Through flashbacks, we learn about Will's past in Hong Kong just before and during World War II, and his relationship with the beautiful and unique Eurasian socialite Trudy Liang. The horrors of war, the sacrifices of love and survival, are explored as we (and Claire) learn about Will and Trudy's story. I really liked this book. Lee's style is lovely; her descriptions of Hong Kong make it as much of a main character as any of the people, and there's a real lyricism to her writing. My only problem with the book was that I didn't care for Claire. Her sections were boring and, to me, unnecessary; I understand that the author was setting up a mystery for us to uncover as Claire did, but the chapters about Will and Trudy were so much more interesting, and I wanted more of them. The descriptions of life in Japanese-occupied Hong Kong and were devastating. I will definitely look forward to more by Ms. Lee; she's a promising talent. Recommended. Four stars.

Hi there Marcia

Hang in there, you are very close to the 75 challenge goal.

Thanks, Linda! I was hoping for tomorrow, but now I'm thinking maybe by Tuesday or Wednesday...

I finally reached 75!!! Woot hip hip hooray yay. It took me long enough... I only finished 2 books in the last 2 weeks, which is very slow for me. I've started a lot of books and not finished them, however... just been kind of in a book funk (and an everything funk) for the last month or so. Anywho, here's some thoughts on 74 and 75:

74. Gone by Lisa Gardner

An exciting, suspenseful, somewhat disturbing thriller. Good escape reading, it didn't involve a lot of thinking. I will definitely read more by this author. Recommended for fans of the genre. Three and a half stars.

75. The Sirens Sang of Murder by Sarah Caudwell

This is the third of the Professor Tamar books, and possibly my favorite so far. The tax planning stuff got a bit cumbersome, but the rest of the book was delightful, and there were several points where I laughed out loud. Recommended, along with the first two, to fans of cozy mysteries, academia, and British humor. Four and a half stars.

Congratulations on reaching 75, Marcia!! And I hope you work out of that funk before long--I know what that's like when you can't seem to finish a book.

I'm simply stopping by to say hello and say I hope you are feeling well these days.

Congrats!

Congratulations!

>237 ronincats:, Thanks, Roni! Hopefully the book funk is lightening up. I want to get a whole bunch in before the semester starts on Monday, so we'll see...

>238 Whisper1:, Hi, Linda! I'm feeling ok physically; emotionally it's another story! Unfortunately, depression is one of the Chiari symptoms that doesn't seem to have been cleared by the surgery. How are you?

>239 drneutron:-40, Thanks!

Congrats on reaching 75! I'm really close myself, so hoping I can get there soon :)

Your thread is fantastic! Added Thus was Adonis Murdered to my TBR pile-I love British mysteries.

Marcia
I'm so sorry to hear about your depression. Some of the medications I take for Arnold Chairi Malformation help with that. My headaches have been very bad for the last few months. I'm not a candidate for the decompression surgery. I've struggled for 13 years and thus I've learned the triggers and how to take care of myself. Still, as you know, it is difficult at times.

>242 alcottacre:, Thanks for the graphic, Stasia, I love it!

>243 seasonsoflove:, Thanks, seasonsoflove! I'll have to track down your thread and check it out. :) I hope you like Thus Was Adonis Murdered... I love that series! It's one I first came across here in the 75 Books Challenge group, too, though I forget who was reading it... Maybe several people? Anyway, they're a lot of fun!

>244 Whisper1:, Thanks, Linda. I'm glad to hear you are having success with some of your medications and knowing your triggers. My life is much improved since having the surgery, but sometimes I feel as if now that I am "healed" everything should be wonderful and easy, and life never is. But onward and upward! Hopefully this semester (which starts on Monday) I'll be able to handle things better than the last, and that will help a lot with my emotional state.

#245: Thanks for the graphic, Stasia, I love it!

Good!

I've edited Message#221 with thoughts on books 59 through 65. I've also finished reading Voodoo Queen: The Spirited Lives of Marie Laveau (76) and The Vampire of Ropraz (77). Thoughts on those two and the rest of the backlog coming soon, hopefully!

I'm anxious to hear your thoughts on Voodoo Queen: The Spirited Lives of Marie Laveau. It may have to go on the list...

And congratulations on reaching 75! It always feels good to reach a goal.

This was getting awfully long and bulky, and I was past 75, so I started a new thread.

http://www.librarything.com/topic/71995

>248 tloeffler:, I loved Voodoo Queen: The Spirited Lives of Marie Laveau, Terri! Very interesting, well-written biography. I have a further write up in my new thread. And thanks!

ETA: I also updated Message #221 with thoughts on the rest of the backlog, 66-72