Smiler69's 50+2 books in 2009

Hi all. I did this challenge privately last year and posted the results on my blog. I didn't set out to read a specific number of books, but ended up with 50—more than I've ever read in a year before! I think I'll reach for 50+2 this year. Any kind of book will count toward my 50 (+2). I've been seeing these cute tickers on other threads, so I thought I'd get one for me too. The turtle is because I'm a sloooowww reader and may or may not get to my goal, but it's all about the journey.

Hi, Smiler!
I read a short book by Hemingway this year called The Old Man and the Sea. I loved it. I have A Mercy waiting to be read, so I look forward to your thoughts on it.
--BJ

Hi billiejean! The Old Man and the Sea is definitely on my wish list, just don't know if I'll read it this year since I've got piles of other books waiting to be read.

#3: A Mercy by Toni Morrison.
It's the second book I've ever read by this author. Last year I started with Beloved and must admit I was quite Bewildered with it and would have been hard pressed to write a review about it. A Mercy is supposed to be a sort of prequel for Beloved but I don't find the two books have much in common except for the theme of slavery. In A Mercy we are taken to the America of the 1680's at which point slavery was still in it's infancy. The story revolves around one Jacob Vaark and his household, which is comprised of Rebekka, his mail-order bride, Lina, a native indian girl and servant, Sorrow, a black orphaned girl found on a ship, also a servant, and finally Florens, a young girl he ends up taking on as payment for a bad debt even though Vaark is opposed to slavery.

It was an interesting book, but not one I would have picked up if it weren't for the fact that I got it from Early Reviewer. I do have a couple of other Toni Morrison books in my library I intend to get to eventually. She's a brilliant writer but so far I can't seem to appreciate her for all she's worth. I've got another version of this review on my blog which you can see here, and of course it is also posted on LT too.

I gave it a ★★★½ rating.

Now I'm onto Les hommes qui n'aimaient pas les femmes (Millenium 1), better known to English speakers as The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson. I don't read French very often these days even if it is my mother tongue so it tends to take longer to get through any written material for me. Which means it may be a while until I post here again because it is quite a voluminous book. So far interesting though.

I just wanted to chime in with love for The Old Man and the Sea. It's one of my mom's favourites but it took me a few attempts to get into it. Well worth it, it's a beautiful little story.

ETA: I've had a hard time with Toni Morrison too. I've only read The Bluest Eye by her so far and I'd like to read more, at least Song of Solomon but I don't know if I could get through it. I'm glad I'm not the only one who's not fully getting it!

spacepotatoes: thanks for the recommendation on The Old Man and the Sea. If I had it in one of my book piles, I'd make it my next read, but I guess I'll get to it in due time.

As for Toni Morrison, I'll let you in on a little secret: about two years ago I decided that I had a lot of catching up to do with my reading material, especially after having looked at the 1001 Books list and realizing I’d hardly read any of them. I compiled a list of books and authors I most wanted to discover and of course included Pulitzer and other award winners, as well as Nobel laureates. Which is why I eventually got several Toni Morrison books at once (Beloved, Sula and Love). Before getting into her books though, I started reading The Black Book by Orhan Pamuk—another Nobel laureate—and became very upset when I realized that no matter how hard I tried and persevered, I just wasn’t "getting it". I felt like if I wasn't able to appreciate the work of a Nobel prize winner, then I musn't be all that intelligent after all. But then I read My Name is Red, another book of his, and thoroughly enjoyed it and this brought me much comfort.

By the time I got to Beloved I was surprised when I found myself struggling with the same feelings of inadequacy again as I thought they had been put to rest with Pamuk. I reminded myself that each author has their own language and sometimes it takes a while as a reader to become familiar with that language, whereas sometimes we don't seem to be able to make any connection at all. I compared the experience of reading a book to that of traveling to a foreign country. Sometimes we are able to communicate with the locals, and sometimes not. It doesn't mean we can't appreciate the scenery while we're there, but sometimes it makes us long for more familiar places too. Anyway, those are the kinds of justifications I come up with when a book makes me feel dumb nowadays. Whatever works, right?

Hi Smiler69,

I just had to chime in because I've just recently read Beloved and A Mercy and I know what you mean. I did better with A Mercy because I knew better what to expect in terms of Morrison's style. When I get some time in the next few days, I'm going to update my 50 book thread and try to explain what I mean. I'm curious: Did Morrison write Sula and Love in the same sort of style?

theaelizabeth: I agree that A Mercy was easier to follow after reading Beloved, though the first chapter, which is written in Florens' voice threw me for a loop right from the get-go. As for Sula and Love, I couldn't say yet, as I haven't had a chance to read either of them so far. I may give them a whirl this year because now I feel almost an obligation to learn to appreciate Morrison's work. I can see it is brilliant but I want to actually experience it too.

That's a good way to think of it, smiler69, thanks! I think you're right though. I've had a somewhat similar experience with William Faulkner. I started reading one of his novels a while ago and just couldn't make heads or tails of it. I set it aside for a month or so and when I came back to it, something clicked. Maybe I just needed time for that voice to sink in? Who knows. I still didn't get the whole book (it was The Wild Palms) but I enjoyed it more than I would have if I'd forced myself through it the first time. So, I should definitely Morrison another go :)

Loved your comparison, Smiller. There really is no need to feel stupid if you're not able to get into a writer's particular style! It's impossible to connect with every author in the world: some will work for you and some won't - no biggie. I don't see why you would want to make all that effort again to read two more (!) Morrison books, if you didn't really like the first two you read. There are way too many good writers out there for you to waste your time with one you don't thoroughly enjoy! (My humble opinion)

Happy reading!

Spacepotatoes: last year I started giving myself permission to abandon a book if I wasn't enjoying reading it for any reason. I'm more or less successful with that because oftentimes I take that as a challenge and I'll keep reading until the end in the hopes that something will "click" somewhere down the line. This hasn't happened for me so far. I think your idea of putting down a book for a time and then getting back to it is a very good one, and I may give it a try myself. Must admit I haven't read Faulkner and so far he isn't on my extensive "to read" list either. One lifetime is much too short to read all the great stuff that's out there, which, I suppose is yet another good reason to stop reading a book when we're just not that into it.

Girlunderglass: you know what? I completely agree with you on principle, but I seem to have a complicated relationship with books. My paternal grandmother used to have a minimum of seven books going at all times. Oftentimes, they were written in different languages and she was able to keep track of each book individually without confusing all the story lines or characters (as I would probably do). My mother is a speed reader and gets through roughly one book per day, AND she spends the better part of her day writing. I cannot do any of those things. They are geniuses and I am not so I always feel like I have to work extra hard to make up for that fact. Like I said: I have a complicated relationship with books. No worries though. On the whole I do manage to find books which are actually enjoyable to read and don't make me feel inadequate.

I'll just add this about why I want to try reading other Toni Morrison books: In the example I gave about Orhan Pamuk, I had a situation where the first book, The Black Book was absolutely NOT my cup of tea but then when I got to My Name is Red I found it to be such a great read that I was glad I hadn't given up on him altogether. I don't do that with most authors. Only the ones who've received Nobel prizes and such (or should). I figure if their body of work deserves such a great honour, then surely I can at least try to get my head around it, and if I do I'll probably discover something that speaks directly to my heart.

Did I mention complicated? Yeah.

Fair enough, Smiller, who am I to question your relationship with books? :) I could never do the reading multiple books at the same time myself, unless one of them is non-fiction, or short stories. I'm not very interested in doing it either, since I want to give a book my undivided attention.
Oh, and since you mentioned Orhan Pamuk, I've never read anything by him but recently bought Snow, which I'll be getting around to reading hopefully in the next month or so. Wish me luck! :D

Girlunderglass: Not only am I going to wish you luck, but I look forward to reading your comments on it as I have been wondering whether I should get another one of his books and Snow was a strong contender.

I've been trying to give myself permission to just give up on something I'm not into, but I haven't been able to actually do that yet...at least not without feeling guilty or like I'm missing out on something. But I hate forcing myself through a book just to get it done and have another one to count. It makes it feel like a chore. I'm working on it...I think we all have our own complicated relationships when it comes to books :)

Re Snow, definitely get it. It has been the only book by Orhan Pamuk that I've read so far, and it just cried, "More!" It's excellent.

spacepotatoes: it's the exact same thing for me. And then there's the fear of missing out and also feeling like a quitter, which isn't that great. One way I try to look at it now is that by leaving behind a book that's not giving me pleasure, I'm freeing up time for books that I'll enjoy. I read somewhere that the same thing applies to people and dating!

SqueakyChu: thanks for the suggestion. I went back to read some reviews on Snow again and have to admit I’m not exactly taken over by an irresistible urge to read it. Which isn't really much of a problem considering the stacks of books I have here that I've yet to get around to. However, I would definitely suggest you also read My Name is Red by Pamuk. It was highly entertaining.

#4: The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson
I read it in French as Les hommes qui n'aimaient pas les femmes. I enjoyed that one. In some ways it was much lighter fare than what I've been wrapping my head around lately (detective, mystery, somewhat predicable as that genre tends to be) but in other ways it was very heavy as the French title which translates to "Men who hated women" might indicate. I just posted a review on my blog titled A Satisfying if Gruesome Mystery. Feel free to comment!

I rated it: ★★★★

Hi, Smiler!
I see this book popping up all over. I will have to check it out. Have a great day! :)
--BJ

nice cover, it looks like Wednesday Addams :)

Hi, I've also heard great things about The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, but am conflicted about reading it. I just read your review of it. It sounds great, but I'm at a point where I'm having trouble reading "gruesome," though I love a good mystery. Wow. Have to agree with girlunderglass. It does look like Wednesday Addams!

Ha! I was just about to post the same thing about Wednesday Addams when I noticed that girlunderglass beat me to it. She really does look exactly like Christina Ricci in that movie. Funny.

billiejean: I find it often happens that when something, like a book for instance, enters my consciousness, it does tend to show up quite often somehow. Hard to say if that's actually the case or just the fact that we take notice of it more often once we're aware of it's existence. I started noticing this book a lot in the past year and just had to find out what it was all about when a great friend of mine loaned it to me along with a pile of other books. I had never mentioned my interest in that book to her, in fact didn't recognize it because of the French title, so her lending it to me was a completely random act. It was definitely a synchronistic kind of thing—I can't explain it any other way.

girlunderglass: I notice that the moment I saw the cover and not seeing any link with the title was hoping that the story would somehow explain that illustration, but no. Wednesday Adams with a shrunken head necklace. Go figure.

theaelizabeth: I understand completely. My tolerance to graphic or implied violence tends to ebb and flow. I don't know if you're familiar with Donna Leon but I discovered her this year and truly enjoyed her story and characters along with the fact that not a lot of time was spent lingering on dead bodies or bloody evidence. I started with the first book in the series Death at La Fenice: A Commissario Guido Brunetti Mystery. Brings to mind Agatha Christie's writing, if she were living today and basing all her stories in modern-day Venice.

spacepotatoes: I doubt the publishers and designers did that on purpose. I'm thinking it's probably a cultural thing and that Wednesday Adams isn't as popular in Europe as she is in N.A. Who knows?

I love Donna Leon's series. It's intelligently written and I love the relationship between Brunetti and his wife. I've read the first four or so. You're right. That's one I should try to get back to reading

theaelizabeth: I discovered Donna Leon through a bunch of reviews and knew I'd enjoy her books before having even sampled one. I've only read Death at La Fenice as aforementioned so far but I have A Noble Radiance among my book piles and would love to make my way through the series eventually. One thing that's been holding me back is I'm not sure whether I should read them in proper sequence or not. Do you think it makes a difference?

#5: The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer
I wasn’t sure I’d enjoy reading a book entirely composed of a series of letters, but the description on the dust-jacket helped me decide to give it a try anyway. It’s 1946 and Europe is just starting to recuperate from the war and the German occupation. Juliet Ashton, the principal character, is a successful writer looking for a topic for her next book—as we learn from her intimate correspondence with her publisher and friend. She receives a letter one day from Dawsey Adams, a resident of Guernsey, a Channel Island which was occupied by the Nazis. Having come into possession of one of her old Charles Lamb books and thoroughly enjoyed it, Dawsey asks her to help him find more of his books, and mentions in passing that he is part of The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society. Juliet is of course intrigued, and thus begins their correspondence, which eventually grows to include more and more members of the Literary Society. The letters reveal a gallery of highly colourful characters (as well as their individual reading choices) and by the second part of the book, Juliet has made the trip to Guernsey to meet her correspondents and admirers in the flesh. She is still searching for the right topic to write about in her upcoming book and hopes the trip will provide inspiration, but as you read the book, you know she’ll find that and much more. I found Juliet to be a very appealing character, someone I myself wouldn’t mind corresponding with (if she weren’t fictional of course!) Although there are reminders of the war and it’s atrocities everywhere, the tone of the book is very upbeat. Indeed, I would describe this as a “feel-good” book, with characters determined to make the best out of the direst of circumstances. What keeps it from being too syrupy-sweet are the constant reminders of the war, and the fact that the characters are entirely believable, each as flawed as they are likeable. Juliet’s voluminous correspondence describes a woman filled with spunk and humour, and a wonderful independent spirit. I raced through it and was only disappointed that I couldn’t read it all in one sitting when the need for sleep became too pressing. But this is one of the very rare books I would like to keep by my side so I can read it over again a few more times.

I rated it: ★★★★½ so it’s safe to say I enjoyed it.

Thanks for that review! I recently added this to my TBR list but so far haven't had a really good idea of what it's all about until now. Looking forward to reading it...eventually :)

I've been quite "iffy' about this book for the reason you mention in you review; that it might be too "syrupy" sweet. You make it sound appealing, though, so I think I might give it a try.

#27 spacepotatoes: it's a fine line between revealing just enough and then spoiling it, so I'm glad I managed to strike some kind of balance. And if I've inspired you to renew your decision to read it, then all the better!

#28 theaelizabeth: I'd say this book does flirt with the syrupy end of things, but the overall effect is simply life-affirming and upbeat. A nice break between two existentialist authors maybe?

#6: On Chesil Beach by Ian McEwan
This was my first Ian McEwan book. I had originally wanted to start with Saturday, but this book was underhand and it had the advantage of being short, which suited me just fine since I wanted to catch up on my book count. I had no expectations at all when I started reading this story and was at first charmed by how beautifully McEwan writes. I knew the topic of the book involved a young couple, Florence and Edward, on their wedding night in the early 60's, both at grips with their unspoken anxieties in regard to the consummation of the marriage. One thing I found interesting was how McEwan continually pointed out how different mentalities were before the sexual revolution—something we might easily forget nowadays when seemingly “anything goes”. Also interesting to me was the fact that McEwan delved into descriptions of intimate physical acts in great detail, almost clinically, rendering any mention of sex completely devoid of sensuality and making it sound grotesque even, which conveyed perfectly how Florence must have felt about it all along, and also illustrated what a great chasm there was between the two newlyweds before they had even tied the knot. I found the ending disappointing and almost wished we hadn’t been told about any happenings beyond that wedding night. I felt it would have been better to leave it up to the reader’s imagination to decide what course their lives might have taken on after that night. Overall, I gave it three and a half stars—it was ok and I liked it in parts, but it definitely wasn't one of my favourite books so far this year. Still, I'm happy I was able to start discovering Ian McEwan’s writing and I look forward now more than ever to reading Saturday, as I wanted to do all along.

I rated it: ★★★½

Page count to date: 1,900

Oh, great review! Very informative - I haven't read any McEwan yet, but I think I kind of know what to expect now when I get to him. It's very interesting to me how everyone seems to have a different favorite McEwan book - his novels appear to be very different, and I've been told you shouldn't dismiss him just because you don't enjoy one of his books; just choose another one!

Hi Smiler69, It seems as though everyone either hates Chesil Beach or loves it. Yours seems to be a more middling response. I loved it (and for me the ending worked). I think you pegged his intentions re: the sexual descriptions. I really felt the despair of a couple who hadn't the words in this pre-sexual revolutionary era to express their fear, desire and cluelessness about the sexual expression of love. Chesil Beach was one of those books that stayed with me and became more powerful for me over time. The only other McEwan I've read is Atonement. I liked it, (the writing was beautiful), but it didn't reach me emotionally the way it did others. Like you, I'm looking forward to reading Saturday.

girlunderglass: I'm glad you liked the review since I find you do such a good job on yours that I feel almost intimidated writing my own... but then again it's not an exact science! It's good to know that McEwan's books are very varied in approach, though somehow I was suspecting as much. That's the reason that I don't give up on an author when I haven't like a particular book of theirs, especially when they have a large body of work. I figure with all that writing, they must have hit on something that can speak especially to me.

theaelizabet: I can see why people would have very divided opinions about On Chesil Beach since it does touch on issues that are controversial to some degree. I'm not sure I want to read Atonement especially after having see the movie which left me rather cold. But then I would probably appreciate reading about each character's inner workings and feel a stronger connection to the work. Thanks for your impressions on that book, by the way. Two other books of his I though might appeal to me are Enduring Love and The Comfort of Strangers. I suppose I'll get to them in due time.

I loved Atonement, although it did take me two attempts to get into it before I really appreciated what McEwan was doing. It had a big emotional wallop for me, but I did find that McEwan leaves a lot off the page. He gives you enough to get a sense of what happened but there's a lot that takes place off the page and you end up having to read between the lines. I found that effective a lot of the time, but then sometimes it left me thinking "WTF?" So I can see how it might leave readers cold. I still recommend it though, if only for the writing. McEwan's is gorgeous.

spacepotatoes: thank you for your impressions on Atonement. I like this idea of leaving things off the page, however I think I'd like to familiarize myself with his work a little bit better by reading a couple of his other books first, as I'd mentioned before. This will probably help me appreciate what he did—and didn't—do with Atonement more fully.

I was just writing about Blindness by José Saramago over on theaelizabet's thread, saying that I almost picked it up from one of my many TBR piles a couple of days ago. I didn't go with it because I'm slightly intimidated by it (actually, a lot intimidated by it). One of the reasons for that is I know what the story is about and I'm not sure I'm in the right frame of mind for something heavy like that. The other is that a friend of mine, while we were having an argument about something or other (probably books) wrote me that I wouldn't understand truth unless I read Blindness. Something along those lines anyway. That was a couple of years ago now. For a long while I took that as a cue to ignore that book just to spite my friend. Then I got over that little tantrum and bought it in 2008. I'd like to read it this year, just don't know when the time is right. Meanwhile, I've picked up The Master and Margarita instead for now. So far it's immensely entertaining and full of surprises. But I'll withhold judgment until I've actually finished it.

Smiler69 -

Blindness is definitely a difficult novel (in terms of what it takes from you emotionally) but oh is it worth it. If you're worried about being in the right frame of mind I suggest just starting it 'cause it'll force you into the frame of mind. You won't enjoy the book (how can you enjoy some of the scenes!) but it'll definitely stick with you for a long time.

lilisin: I know for certain that I will read Blindness sooner of later—after all, I've already purchased it and it's near the top of the TBR pile. When I say I'm not sure I'm in the right frame of mind, I mean that CLINICALLY speaking, not just in terms of mood. I'm still on prolonged medical leave after having had a severe breakdown... I'm doing much much better now, but am trying to avoid material that can throw me into that dark place again. Then again, maybe you're right—I should just pick it up and read it and not worry so much since I'm probably much stronger than I think I am anyway. Will be interesting to find out, that's for sure!

Well, I can certainly understand now why you feel some hesitation. Hope all is going well and will continue to go well.

When you do read it though I'd like to hear what you think. Take care! :)

lililsin: If I read it, you can be sure I'll be writing my impressions about it. Also, apologies if I made you uncomfortable with my last message. I thought it might be TMI, but then again, it's where I'm at right now and I don't think it should be a shameful secret. That being said, thank you for your well wishes.

I discovered BookMooch last night and been spending precious reading time on figuring out all that site has to offer. I should say I re-discovered the site, because I do recall running into it at some point and mentioning it on my blog, but I hadn't actually joined up and gotten the ball rolling. Yet. I'm sure many of you, if not most of you already know about that site, so I'm not going to go into an explanation of how it works here. If you're interested you're more than welcome to follow the link I've provided and all will be made clear to you.

Last night, after signing up, I uploaded 5 titles of books that I'd be willing to send to fellow Moochers and was astounded when within just 30 minutes I had requests for all but one of them! Admittedly, the one nobody picked up yet is a bit tedious, and been sitting here unread for years, which is why I'm trying to find a better home for it. So now, with the points I've made from giving out those books, I can get myself 2-4 books depending on if I get them locally or from abroad. It all seems too good to be true! Now I'll have to make sure I'm not spending all my time on the site trying to find new books to read instead of actually reading all the ones I already have! Wish me luck.

#7: The Master and Margarita by Mikhail Bulgakov
On first reading, a person might easily think that the main character is the Devil aka Woland, since we are only introduced to the Master and Margarita further on in the book. The goings on of the Devil and his retinue are interspersed with the Master’s story about Pontius Pilate’s encounter with Jesus. There are many themes in this book: religion and the gospel, references to Faust, what consists true art, the subjectivity of good and evil, and so on. Personally, I more than anything enjoyed the antics of Woland and his entourage, and in particular Behemoth the giant talking cat, who is the cause for much destruction and mayhem.

Edited for brevity. You can visit my blog for the full version of this review.

I rated this book: ★★★★ even though I didn't understand all of it. Which is no reason to penalize this brilliant book.

#8: It's Not How Good You Are, Its How Good You Want to Be: The World's Best Selling Book by Paul Arden
This is supposed to be a book for everyone, but there’s a big focus on advertising and how to surpass demands in that field. I suppose if you’re just starting out on the job market, there’s plenty of good advice. Paul Arden is considered to be an advertising guru, so if you’re thinking of working in that field, you should make that little book your bible. Arden compares it to no less than Sun Tzu’s The Art of War. I’ll leave it up to you to decide whether the comparison is justified or not.

I rated it: ★★★½

Page count to date: 2,397

Edited for brevity. You can visit my blog for the full version of this review.

> I've had The Master and Margarita on my TBR for a long time but never knew anything about its plot/story - sounds like it has some weird and interesting characters! (Death? A giant talking cat that brings desctruction? whoa! :D )

girlunderglass: I've been a bit slow to respond... what I wanted to say is I look forward to you picking up The Master and Margarita as would love to read your impressions on it.

#9: Fifth Business by Robertson Davies
After retiring from forty five years of service as Senior History Master at a boy’s private school, our narrator Dunstan Ramsay, offended by an article which depicts him as a senile old man, decides to write a letter to the school’s headmaster so he can relate his life story in his own words. His complex friendship with Percy Staunton (aka Boy) provides plenty of content, with Percy having married Dunstan's girl and taking advantage of life to the fullest as an industry magnate who just keeps getting more and more successful, even managing to grow richer during the great depression. There is also Mrs Dempster who occupies much of Dunstan’s thoughts and eventually his resources too, as he takes responsibility for an incident which occurred in his boyhood and which everyone believes has brought on her mental deterioration. Paul Dempster, her son born prematurely, presumably also because of the same incident, runs away to join the circus one day. It is Dunstan's fascination (or obsession?) with saints which brings him to travel through Europe and eventually to a magic show which briefly reunites him with Paul. The story is quite serious in tone but Robertson’s skill as a master story teller keeps it interesting, and a sudden twist toward the end of the book creates a nice bit of intrigue to lead us into the next book in the trilogy.

I rated it: ★★★★

However, I won't be following it up with the second book quite just yet, as there are several books which I've promised to send out and must therefore take priority. Which is a good thing in a way, because I always have trouble choosing which book I should pick up next.

I remember having to read Fifth Business in high school and enjoying it. I'd like to finish the trilogy at some point. Someone on LT a while back mentioned some other trilogies Davies wrote, those might be worth checking out too. I think Salterton was one of them...I have them written down somewhere.

spacepotatoes: you're right about the Salterton Trilogy, of which I have the two first books right now, i.e. Tempest-Tost and Leaven of Malice. I also read the Cornish Trilogy when I was in college i.e. The Rebel Angels, What's Bred in the Bone and The Lyre of Orpheus. I remember greatly enjoying it and falling in love with Robertson Davies as a writer. Though it's so long ago now I can't remember any of it. I do remember finding lots of humour in his writing and must say I was disappointed this time as there wasn't much to laugh about in Fifth Business. Of course that doesn't take anything away from this book. In fact, I'd be mad to suggest it's anything less than great. I just happen to enjoy it when great writing is served up with a side of cutting humour, but that's me.

#10: Morality for Beautiful Girls (No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency, Book 3) by Alexander McCall Smith
I thought I'd break things up with a bit of light reading. I’ve been enjoying this series so far which provides highly likeable characters, a bit of intrigue and a trip over to Africa without the expense or the actual travel. In the Botsawan of Mma Ramotswe, it seems like everything can be overcome with a bit of common sense, good observational skills, and above all, good old fashioned manners. I haven't made up my mind about reading the whole series, though it may prove more irresistible than I'm prepared to admit.

I rated it: ★★★½ Not my favourite one so far. Or maybe I'm tiring of the formula already? Only one way to find out.

I've only read the first one in this series and haven't decided whether or not to continue either. It's definitely good for a light, entertaining read. I read recently that HBO is making it into a series, that should be interesting. I'll have to wait to see it on dvd, like all the other HBO shows, but I think it has potential to be a good one. I wonder how much they'll borrow from the books.

spacepotatoes: I actually get HBO Canada here and saw a preview of The No 1 Ladies Detective Agency just the other day as a matter of fact. The production quality seemed very good so I'll be looking out for it. I think it airs towards the end March. As for the books, as much as I enjoy literature, I need to break it up once in a while with lighter reads. I enjoy mystery books and thrillers and also find enjoyment in plunging into a book which has familiar characters and settings once in a while... seems to give my brain a much needed rest and generally helps lighten the mood a little!

#11: The Museum at Purgatory by Nick Bantock
Art books, as a general rule get very special treatment at my place. When I get them, I tend to leaf through their pages a few times, leaving them on the coffee table for a week or two to encourage that sort of thing. Then they are placed up on a shelf with the other "privileged" art books with the quiet promise that "one day, when I have the time for that sort of thing" I will pick them up again and actually READ them from cover to cover. This book was no exception until I decided to trade in on BookMooch, which gave me incentive to finally give it the attention it deserved.

I had been familiar with Nick Bantock's books for many years and always enjoyed his collages. In this book, he creates a story centered around the museum at purgatory where some passing individuals have put up their private collections on display. We are shown ten rooms with a brief story of what kind of life the collector led and what brought them to put together their collections. The second part of the book is the story of the curator and how he came to hold that position. The storyline is highly imaginative and give Bantock plenty of opportunities to showcase his own unusual collections and talent at making art from found objects.

I only rated it: ★★★½ Somehow the story failed to pull me in as much as his other book, The Venetian's Wife is currently doing for me.

Page count to date: 3,296

#12 The Venetian’s Wife by Nick Bantock
Funny that I ended up reading two Nick Bantock books back to back, since I’d had both of them for so long and usually like to break things up. But I listed them on BookMooch and they were both mooched within minutes, giving me a last chance to read them before sending them out. I’d had The Venetian's Wife for over 12 years in my library and for that whole time was under the impression that I had already read it. So it was quite a wonderful surprise when I discovered a wholly new (to me) story. Where I felt The Museum at Purgatory fell short as far as the story goes, The Venetian’s Wife grabbed me from the beginning. A young woman working at a bland museum job is contacted via email one day by a complete stranger, though a very wealthy one, who asks her if she’ll work for him, her mission being to find four missing sculptures out of a collection of 42 depictions of Hindu gods. I did find myself feeling envious of all the luxury travel this afforded her, coupled with the thrill of the chase. Just seemed too perfect. There weren’t necessarily illustrations on every page, but the design of the book was very appealing and the drawings and collages were quite beautiful and even included pages made to look like they were part of a catalogue or magazine. I'm definitely glad I took the time to make sure I read this book, or I would have seriously missed out. The moocher of this book works at a school, and I like thinking that it'll go through many kids' hands and might inspire new generations of artists and creative minds.

I rated this book: ★★★★½

132 pages
Page count to date: 3,428

I love your eclectic selections, and I particularly love your thoughtful reviews. More! More!

AMQS: Your words made me smile. I'm always focusing on all the things I should be doing "better" and feel particularly self-conscious about my reviewing skills since I see people writing such brilliant ones out there and just don't feel up to par. All this to say that I accept your compliments with gratitude and thank you for sharing them.

#13: Steppenwolf by Hermann Hesse
The principal character Harry Haller, also known as Steppenwolf is a strange man, a loner and a recluse. He is convinced that his main problem in life is the fact that he has two dueling personalities, namely that of a wolf; untamed, wild, savage, and that of a cultured man who is in awe of Mozart, and Goethe (two name just those two) and all which is thought to come from evolved and refined minds. He comes to learn one day that we all in fact have countless personalities. But his mental and spiritual suffering become so intolerable to him that he decides the only thing left for him to do is to kill himself. This is when he meets Hermine, a lovely girl who understands the Steppenwolf in all his complexity but also loves having a good time. She teaches Harry how to dance and pretty soon has him taking full advantage of the nightlife and beautiful women. Harry is happy for the first time ever, though he feels that this happiness cannot last.

I did not like this book. The main reason is that Harry reflected back to me all those things which I dislike about myself, in particular this insistence on living from the mind and not being able to break free and just have a good time for it’s own sake. The book seemed pedantic to me. Some notions of Buddhism, were repeated over and over again which made the book feel more like a school manual than a novel. In parts of the book, namely towards the end where he ends up in the Magic Theater—For Madmen Only! I just wanted Hesse to move on and couldn’t understand what point he was trying to make if not to just show how absurd life and humanity is. This did not come as a big surprise, to say the least.

I rated this book: ★★

224 pages
Page count to date: 3,652

*kudos* my friend!

Smiler: I like your reviews very much. You have some of my favourites here, e.g. Fifth Business and others that I want to read, e.g. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo.

girlunderglass: many thanks. You are welcome to drop by any time.

amandameale: with a little luck, maybe I'll end up reviewing many more that are either already on your wish list or better yet, that you'll feel inspired to include on your TBR pile!

I didn’t want to establish a reading list when I started this challenge, mostly because I like having the flexibility of choosing what I want to read according to the inspiration of the moment. But I joined BookMooch a few weeks ago, and wanting to ad books to my inventory, I started listing books from my TBR pile. I made sure to list some of those books that I knew it would probably take me a while to get to, to give me that extra motivation to read them sooner rather than later. The order by which the reading list is established is simply based on the order in which the books are requested by fellow moochers. Of course I've made them aware of the situation so everybody knows the books won’t be delivered for several weeks at least. Since I average roughly one book/week, here is my reading for the next 6 weeks or so:

14. Currently reading: The Book of Illusions by Paul Auster
15. All the Pretty Horses by Cormac McCarthy
16. The Monsters of Templeton by Lauren Groff
17. True History of the Kelly Gang by Peter Carey
18. The Sea by John Banville
19. Catch-22 by Joseph Heller
20. Litte Bee by Chris Cleave (Early Reviewer book)

Of course this list will continue growing as I add books to my BookMooch inventory. Some things may end up getting shuffled around just because I can't seem to adhere to any plan almost out of principle!

I'm looking forward to your thoughts on The Monsters of Templeton. I was really tempted by it at Costco recently but didn't get it and I've been thinking about it ever since.

and I'm looking forward to your thoughts on Catch 22. It's a very difficult book to judge or rate, I'm not very sure how much I like/dislike it myself. "And I'm looking forward to your thoughts on..." Next one, go! :)

spacepotatoes: I picked it up at the bookstore because the cover drew me in and I vaguely remembered hearing good things about it, so I look forward to discovering it too.

girlunderglass: I'm a little bit intimidated by Catch-22. It's one of those books that we've all heard about countless times and yet I have no idea what to expect. I'll try to convey my impressions of it as best I can.

And... What? Is no one else the least bit curious about items on the rest of the list??

I have All the Pretty Horses on my tbr. I would love to hear what you think of it, but I probably won't be able to read it for a while. Have a great weekend!
--BJ

Smiler, just don't go into Catch-22 expecting a plot and you'll be fine. It all comes together about 2/3 of the way through but it might feel really random at first. I ended up loving it, personally, but I think GuG is right, it can be difficult to figure out exactly what to make of it...hope you end up enjoying it too!

Loved The True History of the Kelly Gang! I'm a total sucker for books that combine coming-of-age stories with history, adventure, and/or multi-cultural themes--and this one has all three. Happy reading!

billiejean: I made sure to list All the Pretty Horses on my BookMooch inventory because I had the feeling otherwise it would likely stay on the tbr pile for a long long time. As it happens, right now it's next in line. My first Cormac McCarthy!

spacepotatoes: thank you for giving me a few clues, that is truly helpful. I get very frustrated with books when I can't make head or tails of them and I've been to known to persevere just to see if things would turn around eventually, but I'm trying to do less of that and drop them within 50-100 pages. So I know now not to give up until at least 2/3 of the way through.

bonniebooks: I look forward to plunging into that one too. The title alone had me intrigued from the get-go.

#14: Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller
When I started reading Death of a Salesman, I was convinced I had read it before and just wanted to refresh my mind, but as it turns out, I had confused it with David Mamet's Glengarry Glen Ross and it was actually a new discovery for me. We have Willy Loman, an aging traveling salesman who has managed to convince himself and his family that he is a big success, though all evidence points to the contrary. It appears Willy has never stopped and asked himself whether he's cut out to be a leader, or what motivates his mad desire for success, but it quickly becomes clear that he has sacrificed his mental health in the process of trying to attain the American Dream. His grown sons are torn between the desire to be like their father, such as the younger Happy, who opts to pursue his father's dream and try to become the success Willy never could be, and Biff, the eldest who is happiest working on a ranch under the blue skies, but knowing his father sees that option as a failure, still struggles and tries to satisfy Willy's desire for him to be a businessman, only to find bitter disappointment in the process.

The Willy of "now" is more and more prone to losing touch with his present environment and loses himself in reveries of the past, when life was full of promise and the boys looked up to their father as a hero. But much has happened since then, and much has been left unsaid and soon Willy is confronted with a present which bears no resemblance to the reality which he has conveniently fabricated for himself in order to survive...

I rated it: ★★★★

144 pages
Page count to date: 3,796

I read it two years ago, but remember it perfectly, because we analyzed it for weeks and weeks during my American Literature course. Many books can be ruined if you "dissect" them like that, but I think this one is a play that bears overanalysis, and, in fact, only gets better with each extra layer of meaning.

gug: it's quite frequent that I read a book and then wish I had the structure of a class and other students and profs to explore all the layers of the works. This year alone, it has been the case for The Sun Always Rises, A Mercy, The Master and Margarita, and of course Death of a Salesman. I always tell myself that those books I'd like to explore further are likely candidates for a second reading, to give me a chance to pick up on nuances I may not have noticed the first time around. But who has time to re-read all those books honestly?

#15: The Book of Illusions, by Paul Auster
Professor David Zimmer is a broken man following a plane crash that killed his wife and two young sons. Overcome with grief, he drowns his sorrows in booze until one night, as he watches a tv documentary, he bursts out laughing at the sight of Hector Mann acting in a silent comedy from the 1920's. When he learns that the actor disappeared without a trace in 1929 Zimmer is sufficiently intrigued to try to find out more about Mann and his work. Enthralled with Mann’s genius in both creating and acting in physical comedy Zimmer devotes the following year to tracking down Mann’s movies and writing a book on this man who has been an enigma ever since his disappearance. This is just the beginning of Zimmer’s journey and soon he finds himself more closely involved with Hector Mann’s story than he could ever have imagined.

Paul Auster is in top form in this book and the storytelling is engrossing. For nearly a whole chapter, Zimmer describes one of Hector Mann’s comedies in great detail—giving a scene by scene description of the cast, the action, the sets, the various facial expressions, right down to Mann’s skillful mustache twitches—which are apparently prominently featured in his movies. What I found fascinating was that while this exercise might have become tedious, on the contrary, he managed to make the description of this silent movie absolutely captivating and I quickly suspended disbelief and indeed started imagining that these movies truly do exist. This is only one of the many layers of illusions in this book, and this story lingers on well after the last lines have been read. This is my third Paul Auster novel so far, but something tells me there will be a few more.

I rated this book: ★★★★½

336 pages
Page count to date: 4,132

Lovely review! You've accidentally posted it twice with different ratings, you might wanna fix that - so what's the final verdict? 4 or 4 and a half? :)

Oops. It's the second time I've reposted a message by mistake like that. So annoying that it can't be erased altogether instead of this "this message has been deleted by its author" business. Ugh! So as you saw, I started with a four star rating, but after writing my review and thinking about it some more, realized I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The only reason it didn't get 5 stars is that I reserve that for those books which are closest to my heart.

I’m about 40 pages into All the Pretty Horses by Cormac McCarthy and feeling really frustrated with it. Truly, I had no expectations when I started this novel other than the hope that I would enjoy it. It’s my first Cormac McCarthy novel, and I had every intention of following up with the two other books of the Border Trilogy. But so far, just getting through the first 40 pages has been somewhat punishing. Right there on the first few pages, I knew there would probably be trouble between Cormac and I. It just seemed like I was supposed to have already read the book to figure out what the heck he was talking about. And then, what’s with the pronouns?? Can’t he just NAME people instead of starting off every other sentence with a “he” or a “she”? I can never tell who the f$#@ he’s talking about!? (I did say this is a rant). And then the dialogue. How does one figure out who is saying what, I’d like to know? According to Wikipedia, “All the books of the Border Trilogy are written in an unconventional format, omitting traditional Western punctuation, such as quotation marks, and making great use of polysyndetonic syntax” which makes for long, winding, unending sentences. How am I supposed to remember what (or who) McCarthy is talking about by the end of one of his endless sentences? I’m sure he’s a fantastic storyteller, otherwise his books wouldn’t be as popular as they are, but all those details are so aggravating to me that I can’t just relax into the flow of the writing and let him lead me along. I suppose I should have looked it up on Wikipedia before deciding to read it. It just upsets me so much when a much acclaimed novel fails to captivate me. But I shall give it a chance. Perhaps if I keep at it his writing style will grow on me. I’ve decided to push on to 100 pages, at which point I’ll decide whether I wish to continue or not. 60 more pages. Sounds endless to me. That’s hundreds more sentences for me to try to figure out. I just hate it when a book makes me feel like I don’t know how to read.

Hi, Smiler69!
My girls read that book at school, so I guess it is supposed to be innovative. I have not read it yet, and I did not know that it is part of a trilogy. I want to know what is wrong with quotations marks and punctuation? More and more books that I read do not follow the rules of punctuation, and sometimes I am not sure what is meant. I am going to look up polysyndetonic syntax now. :) Good luck with the next 60 pages. I hope that it gets better. Have a great day!
--BJ

Hi Smiler,
I have never been impressed with Cormac McCarthy. I thought maybe it was an "acquired writing style", but I haven't been able to acquire it!
Maybe you will have better luck than I did. I will keep my fingers crossed for you.

Like BJ said, what's wrong with punctuation? I still haven't understood what writers think they gain by that? Is it just the idea of being "innovative"? If so, McCarthy has lost even that benefit because many have done it before him.

The Book of Illusions sounds really good. Shall put it on my list.

>#81 billiejean: I wish I could tell you why writers decide to break punctuation rules, but the truth is I've not the slightest idea. Knowing a few writers intimately myself, I can venture to say that since they are living in their own heads most of the time, when they get a strange notion they grow very attached to it and no amount of reasoning can talk them out of an idea once it's taken hold. I myself happen to value punctuation very highly, but I guess that like everything else it's a matter of subjectivity.

>#82 TheBoltChick: I agree with you that McCarthy’s writing style for the Border Trilogy needs some getting used to. Apparently his other novels are written in a more conventional style, so I suppose he was only experimenting there. That's something they undoubtedly talk about more in depth when the book is read in a school setting. I did keep at it and must admit that by the time I got to the 100th page, everything seemed perfectly clear to me (almost everything, but not quite) and I couldn't remember why I'd felt the need to rant about it. It's not exactly a breezy read, but I can tell you that he is a great storyteller which somehow makes it all worthwhile. Thanks for your well-wishes.

>#83 girlunderglass: maybe there's a League of Authors Against Punctuation out there. Not that I tried to Google it or anything. McCarthy isn't a young man so I have a hard time imagining him falling for some ploy just to seem more "avant-garde". Who knows? Maybe one of his teachers gave his an especially hard time about punctuation when he was a boy and he swore once he'd made it as an author he'd do away with it just to *show her*. lol

>#84 amandameale: I think The Book of Illusions belongs on every tbr or wish list. It's one of those stories that stays with you and continues to live on inside your head. Or at least that's the case with me as I can't speak for others.

Now my only major complaint about All the Pretty Horses is that McCarthy uses quite a few Spanish sentences for his dialogue since the majority of the story is set in Mexico. I can more or less make out some of it, but I don’t want to have to get and English-Spanish dictionary just to understand it all, and that's what it would actually take. Furthermore, I could also use a dictionary of cowboy and horse-handler terms and expressions because half the time I truly have no idea what they're talking about. I should hope by the time I'm done with this book I'll have at least learned a thing or two.

>80 Smiler69:: Huh! Your comments really have me intrigued. My memory of All The Pretty Horses was that it was a light romance with some interesting history about Mexico and the U.S. thrown in. Now I've got to go check it out! Love how people have strong feelings about books, 'cas that's how I read books too--very personally!

>#86 Bonniebooks: what I find endlessly fascinating is what ends up resonating the most for each reader. There is no such thing as one single story. Every story takes on as many versions as there are readers. If you're interested, you'll see what I came away with in the following review, which ended up being rather a long one, I'm afraid.




“In his sleep he could hear the horses stepping among the rocks and he could hear them drink from the shallow pools in the dark where the rocks lay smooth and rectilinear as the stones of ancient ruins and the water from their muzzles dripped and rang like water dripping in a well and in his sleep he dreamt of horses and the horses in his dream moved gravely among the tilted stones like horses come upon an antique site where some ordering of the world had failed and if anything had been written on the stones the weathers had taken it away again and the horses were wary and moved with great circumspection carrying their blood as they did the recollection of this and other places where horses once had been and would be again.”

All the Pretty Horses by Cormac McCarthy
Well I finally finished All the Pretty Horses and I must say it’s been quite a journey. I wouldn’t go as far as saying that my journey as a reader mirrored that of John Grady Cole, the protagonist of the book, but where my appreciation of this novel is concerned, there have been plenty of difficult passages, more than one surprising development, as well as rich rewards. If you've been reading this thread you might know that my experience with this book started on what I could only call shaky ground. When we are first introduced to John Grady, who is the last in a long line of ranchers, his grandfather has just passed away and soon John Grady learns he will be left with no land to continue in the family tradition. This is what prompts his decision to get away, though he never goes as far as describing what his intentions are, being a man of few words.

For the first 40 pages or so describing the start of the journey, McCarthy only referred to John Grady Cole and other people he encounters as “he” and “she” and I was completely lost, barely able to figure out who was who. Unsurprisingly, the questions of “who what where when and why” were left unanswered, or were vaguely sketched out at best, perhaps with the exception of the “where”: we were starting out on a small Texas ranch, soon to be put up for sale, and heading toward Mexico. As for the “when” it isn’t mentioned anywhere in the book but I found out that the story takes place in 1948. Still, I may have managed just fine, only I was also struggling to make sense of McCarthy’s other idiosyncrasies adopted for this book. This included the use of compounded polysyndetonic sentences (use of many and sometimes unnecessary conjunctions) which could sometimes run for whole paragraphs, as shown above*, as well as the omission of punctuation, such as quotation marks, which sometimes made it almost impossible to keep track of who was saying what. This is the point at which I went into my tirade (click here to read it), though knowing how much beloved this book was by so many readers, I decided to forge on to the 100th page before deciding whether to go on or not. Then, as if by some magic, when I picked up the book to go on reading, it was as if a thick veil was removed and I was finally able to appreciate McCarthy’s brilliant writing, his love of storytelling which often resided in the scrupulous attention given to the various landscapes and settings, the flora and fauna, the people and the horses of course, who form the central theme of this story.

There are of course many other elements to the narrative. There is a love story of course, which many agree is the central element in this book. While I think the love story is one important element which has many ramifications, in my opinion the element on which the story rests (other than the horses of course) is actually just a kid. As the cousins reach Mexico on their horses, they are followed by, and then meet a young boy claiming to be sixteen, astride a horse which looks much too good for him, which leads John Grady and especially Rawlins to assume it has been stolen. The boy, who has a gun but no provisions nor water nor money claims his name is Jimmy Blevins and soon trails along with them into Mexico. Rawlins takes an instant disliking to him, claiming Blevins will surely get them into serious trouble. As we soon find out, Blevin does in fact inadvertently instigate a chain of events which fuel much of the drama and adventure throughout the novel, which is a Western story above all, one about men, guns and horses, and one exquisitely told.

Final word: the writing warrants a 2nd and 3rd reading which would surely yield further satisfaction, and as another LT reviewer said: “I'm not sure why McCarthy chose to dispense with speech marks along with most punctuation, though I can guess, but by gum if you can write like that you can just do what you like.”

I ended up giving it: ★★★★½ (just like people, some books take time warming up to).

320 pages
Page count to date: 4,452

*I would simply like to point out that by the time I got to that paragraph I was fully enjoying the flow of the writing and this drawn out sentence touched me deeply, as it was meant to.

I'm commenting so I can keep better track of this thread. I'm not a big commenter, I'm afraid that I have nothing interesting to say. But I'm loving your reviews so far.

I smiled when I saw you read two Nick Bantock books, he's one of my favorites. I'm currently in the middle of Windflower, hopefully I'll finish today and you can see how that is.

I also giggled at the "League of Authors Against Punctuation" comment, since I just finished The Road and wondered the same thing. "After the apocalypse, all punctuation died out except for the mighty period..."

>#88 myquillisquick: you don't know how timely and much appreciated your comment was just now and I'm very glad that you made an exception and took the time to write it. I've been toiling away at my latest review for far too long today and just now I was looking at the post and was a bit mortified at just how long it ended up being, and was thinking I needed to cut it down by halving it, and then halving it again (and perhaps again!). But this thought was so demoralizing since I already wasted away so many hours at it... So you see, your comment made me feel much better about it all. Thank you for the compliment and I will look out for your review on Windflower. Hope to hear from you again! :-)

oh Smiler you should know us better by now than to assume a long review could tire us! Lovely review, as always. And I'm really glad that you ended up loving the book! Mostly for a very stupid reason: because I've always loved that title so much that I've wanted to read it so badly. But then I read your comments about the lack of punctuation and the weird sentence structure and was a bit disappointed because I usually hate it when writers do that. Not always though - there are some who can pull it off. E.E. Cummings, for example, is one of those, and I'm glad to know that McCarthy is talented enough to make good use of it.

There. Longer than I expected, as well. :)

>#90 girlunderglass: for some reason I had the notion when I started my thread here that I would limit my reviews to witty and concise one-sentence commentaries and no more. I somehow managed to confuse my goal with the idea that that's what other readers might be expecting. As a blog poster as well as a reader/reviewer, I'm all too aware that people don't have much time on their hands for my stream of consciousness patter and worry that they will think that I'm incapable of editing. Bah! Humbug! I worry too much is the truth of it. As for McCarthy, I do strongly recommend you give it a go. No matter what, there is no denying that he is a brilliant writer and that reading his work is an enriching experience.

Smiler69--Add me to the list as those who are enjoying your reviews, though I haven't been around here much lately. I, too, enjoyed The Book of Illusions, though not quite as much as you did. I did, however, find it quite inventive and definitely want to read more Auster. An LT friend recommended Oracle Night, which I picked up recently at a library sale. Have you read it?

As to Death of a Salesman, I will forever have a soft spot in my heart for it, as I played "Linda Loman" in a college production many, many moons ago. A few years ago, I reread it and was struck by how timely the play remains. If you're interested, Dustin Hoffman starred in a TV version of it a few years back, that wasn't half bad. Plays are always better watched than read, I think.

Your All the Pretty Horses review is terribly interesting. McCarthy is an unfortunate hole in my reading universe. I hope to mend it some time in the coming year.

Looking forward to reading your take on Monsters of Templeton. It's on my TBR list, too.

theaelizabeth: please do join in! We aren't all that exclusive in these parts as any sort of encouragement is always much appreciated. I do want to read more of Auster’s work and have The New York Trilogy lined up 4 books down my tbr. I have quite a few of his other titles on my wish list but have to admit I'd never heard of Oracle Night. Guess I'll just have to look it up! Reading Death of a Salesman definitely made me want to watch it onstage and I imagine having actually acted in it must have been a very special experience. I do agree with your comment about how timely it is. It's one of the first things that struck me as I was reading it. Monsters of Templeton: it's a slow start since somehow I'm having trouble just sitting with a book right now, but I've liked what I've read so far and will soon give it a fair share of attention.

Hi, Smiler69!
I am glad that you ended up liking All the Pretty Horses. My daughter loves that book and has been wanting me to read it. Now I am looking forward to it! Have a great day!
--BJ

#17. The Monsters of Templeton by Lauren Groff
Willhemina Upton, a direct descendant of Marmaduke Temple, the founder of her hometown of Templeton returns home to lick her wounds following a disastrous affair with her professor. On the day of her arrival, the dead body of the monster of Templeton, known as Glimmey is found in lake Glimmerglass, confirming rumors more than two centuries old as to it’s existence. Willie finds refuge in her ancestral family home with her mother Vi, a born again Baptist after having been a hippie for the better part of her life. Willie, having always accepted her mother’s story about having had sex with three men at the commune she lived in at seventeen, thought that any of those three men could potentially be her father, but is surprised when Vi informs her that her father is actually a resident of Templeton and also a descendant of Marmaduke Temple, though she refuses to tell her Willie who the man is. This prompts Willie to embark on a search through the family tree to find her father. We’re introduced to the cast of characters that are her ancestors, through various written documents and also from their own voices. Little by little, as Willie keeps digging she uncovers one family secret after another along with a few other monsters.

I found the story interesting and enjoyed visiting the past of this fictional town. It’s clear Groff had to do extensive research for the novel and it clearly paid off. I'm sure others might find this book very enjoyable but I found I just didn’t care about what happened. But please don't let that influence you if you are interested in reading this book since it has plenty going for it and the truth is I’m having trouble connecting with just about everything these days.

I gave it: ★★★ (I wanted to like it but couldn’t connect)

384 pages
Page count to date: 4,836

I've been having the same problem, Smiler. Nothing I've read (except The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time) has been very satisfying this year and it's because I just can't seem to connect with the characters or the story. It's frustrating. I'm even find that with Part I of Anna Karenina so far, which is disappointing.

According to librarything's magical "Will you like it feature," I will love The Monster's of Templeton. But how does it know? I wonder.

Speaking of stories that we want to like but aren't connecting too, I'm not connecting with Alice in Wonderland at all at the moment. If Alice would just stop stealing and eating things she wouldn't be in so much trouble. I'm surprised she hasn't eaten the rabbit.

I haven't been here in ages it seems! So it's always extra nice to find comments from fellow readers. I've slowed down my already lagging pace as far as reading goes, even though I'm truly enjoying my latest selection, The True History of the Kelly Gang. Either my eyes refuse to follow the sentences as they should, or I fall asleep after reading just one page or two... I hope this condition doesn't last too long because I have so many great books to read sitting right there within reach. Would be a shame to let them collect dust for too long.

>#96 Spacepotatoes: I left you a message on your thread, but I just want to add by saying here that, as much as I enjoyed reading Anna Karenina for the first time, I was too young to understand most of it but took from it what did speak to me. On second reading, I was actually very disappointed with it because it failed to live up to my own recollections of it. I find it always takes me quite a while before connecting to a Russian novel. And as you know, these days, it's difficult connecting with ANY novel, but I guess that too shall pass...

>#97 Myquillisquick: I did not know about the "Will you like it" feature until you mentioned it here, I will definitely look it up to see how "accurate" it is. Your comments about Alice made me laugh. Sometimes it just seems impossible to suspend disbelief the way we were so easily able to as children. When common sense takes over as you read a story like Alice in Wonderland, I can see how it would take away from much of the pleasure of it, but it does make for funny comments. I'm sure had Alice eaten the rabbit, it would have made for an altogether different story. An interesting one, no doubt, but maybe not as appropriate for children? Perhaps a writing project for you to explore?

#18. True History of the Kelly Gang by Peter Carey
Had I done the slightest bit of research before starting to read this book, I would have known that Ned Kelly and his "gang" were true historical figures and considered by many Australians as folk heroes. As it was I thought that Peter Carey was very clever to invent this fictional character and present him to us through a series documents supposedly written by the infamous Kelly himself. Of course, Carey did in fact write a fictional story since Kelly’s exact actions, thoughts and intentions will never be known to us and had to be made up based on historical documents. Ned’s first person account of his life story begins when he was a young boy living with his mother, six siblings, and occasionally with his father too, who was an outlaw and was repeatedly incarcerated. If we are to believe this fictional Ned’s version of the events, he became an outlaw because circumstances forced him to adopt that way of life although he was not in the least the hardened killer he was made out to be by the government and the media, and it’s hard not to feel sympathetic toward his cause. In any case, it’s an entertaining story with good guys that are bad and bad guys that are actually good, lots of horses, guns and shooting and a detailed description of what living as a poor farmer in Australia in the late 19th century, or being apprentice to an experienced bushranger (Australian outlaw) must have been like. It’s all made all the more colourful thanks to Ned’s simple "adjectival" prose which is riddled with the suggestion of expletives, although Ned’s obviously gone through pains to keep things as clean as he knew how since the raison d'être of these documents is for his daughter to one day have a true account of the events that led up to her father’s death.

I gave it ★★★★ (packed with all the good stuff you'd expect out of a story about outlaws)

384 pages
Page count to date: 5,220

Sounds wonderful! :)
--BJ

I really loved this book. Again, I think it was the narrator's voice that drew me in so powerfully.

#19: “Sept jours pour une éternité” (Seven Days for an Eternity) by Marc Levy
I gave this book: 1 Star. Which according to my system means “I hated this book”. But now that I think about it, I was being far too generous. I think this book merits the distinction of getting a half star instead, meaning: “This book will melt your fucking brain”. For the complete rant click here.

310 pages. 94 pages read.
Page count to date: 5,314

Your blog looks cool. I've had a blogspot account for a long time, but I still don't know what to do with it.

>#103 myquillisquick: thanks for the compliment on the blog. I built it up over time, mostly by trial and error and eventually got to where it is now with form simply following content.





#20: Creative Sparks by Jim Krause
This little book is packed full of ideas, insights and suggestions geared towards designers who want to re-ignite their creativity. Much of the content reminded me of the kind of advice given to students or junior designers (“Just a friendly reminder: burnout is bad.” -p. 225) but there was plenty of content that would benefit any creative person at any stage, such as several art project ideas and a reminder to “Invest in Yourself” artistically speaking “How far would your skills evolve if you made it a firm goal to shoot six dozen photographs per week? Dare you imagine?”.

The presentation is quite appealing; each spread features a different design with changes in fonts and plenty of illustrative material. Of course, as a designer myself, I couldn’t help but notice that some of the design seemed dated, but then the book came out in 2002—ancient history by design standards. For this reason I’ll be passing the book along to a fellow designer, though I did take some notes for future reference and also to keep a record of little gems like “Other careers suck too, but at least you get to use crayons” and this bit of advice “Consider making overachievement your routine” which reminds me all too clearly that having adopted that very attitude from the get-go, was definitely a factor leading to my own burnout, which as we all know, “is a bad thing”.

I gave it ★★★½ (some useful tips, though many of the suggestions and insights were far from new or original)

312 pages.
Page count to date: 5,626

Hi, Smiler69!
I was wondering if you thought this would be a good book for my daughter? She is starting Architecture school next fall and is a bit of an artist.

I have been enjoying your reviews!
--BJ

Yeah, and how about for me? I'm always creating simple spelling/word-study games for my students and I'm trying to put them altogether in a workbook for teachers and parents. Would it help me? I like your quotes as they apply to teachers as well. :-)

>105 billiejean:: billiejean: I think the book can benefit all kinds of creative people although it does also offer advice specific to graphic designers. Glad you're following the review, don't be shy to write whenever you like!

>106 bonniebooks: bonniebooks: I'm not entirely sure what it is you're asking me. If you're interested in getting more ideas to express your creativity, this book will offer you some suggestions that way. But if you need a manual on how to put together and design your workbook you're better off looking about a book which features various page layouts and/or tells you how to achieve them. Hope that helps!

It did, thanks!

She might use some graphic design in her work, but it is too soon to tell. I will mention the book to her. Thanks for the info! :)
--BJ

>108 bonniebooks: bonniebooks: it occured to me today that the same author has different titles, one of them being Layout Index . I haven't seen this book myself, but my guess is it might be closer to what you're looking for, i.e. various ideas and approaches to putting together layouts. Good luck!

>109 billiejean: billiejean: no trouble at all! :-)

Thanks, I'll check it out! :-)

#21: The New York Trilogy by Paul Auster
These three stories set in New York City seem at first unrelated but certain common themes soon emerge; the writer’s relationship with his/her work and characters, the fine line between illusion and reality, between sanity and madness and obsession, questions of identity are a few that come to mind. Having read several other Auster books, I immediately felt at home with his familiar voice which isn’t to say that I was able to make head or tails of these stories. One clearly senses Auster is working out his personal issues about writing here but he does so imaginatively and with a sense of mystery that kept me hooked for the ride, and though this book made me think, I felt slightly bewildered, with no idea where I’d ended up by the time it was over.

I gave it: ★★★½ (brilliant writing, rather confusing stories which have more to do with inner exploration than actual story telling).

320 pages
Page count to date: 5,946

#22: Little Bee by Chris Cleave
At the heart of this story is an event filled with violence and horror which leaves at least three of those present; Little Bee, Sarah and husband Andrew deeply traumatized. The book centers on Little Bee two years later as she is leaving a refugee detainment center in Britain, where she has been kept since her escape from Nigeria following that harrowing event. Little Bee has nowhere to go, though among her meager possessions she has Andrew’s driver’s license and address, so she sets off on foot to join the only people she knows who might be able to help her. This is the story of Little Bee and Sarah, who choose to hold on to each other and keep hope alive against all odds. It is told through both Little Bee and Sarah's voices in alternating narratives. Once I picked it up this book, I could barely put it down. For some reason, the publisher suggests not to tell anyone what happens in the story and though I hardly see why that would be a problem, I do agree with them that "the magic is in how it unfolds". Highly recommended.

I gate it: ★★★★½ the characters and their stories grab you from the start and live on with you long after you've put the book down.

288 pages
Page count to date: 6,234

"the publisher suggests not to tell anyone what happens in the story"

how odd...and how effectively intriguing :)

gug: My guess is they thought this might be a good marketing ploy and would garner more interest. Thanks for dropping by.

#23: Catch-22 by Joseph Heller
All I knew about this novel going into it was that it popularized the term “Catch-22” and that it was a satire set during WWII. Since I’m not very fond of books about army life and wars, I went into this one with the expectation that I would probably dislike it, only to find that it was much more entertaining than I could have imagined. At the center we have the bombardier John Yossarian, who desperately wants to stay alive and is trying by all means available to him to avoid flying more dangerous missions, though he is forever thwarted by Colonel Cathcart who increases the number of missions required of the men every time they reach his ever-increasing targets to ensure none of them can return home in hopes to earn greater esteem from his superiors. Heller’s wry humour and hilarious observations about human behaviour turns even some of the most violent and harrowing situations into opportunities for a laugh, although for some, altogether different responses—anger, sadness, frustration—might be considered more appropriate. The crudeness and zaniness of the characters and situations, the unflinching descriptions of injuries, death and aggression are sometimes difficult to read through, but they also contribute a feeling of immediacy which make this novel still relevant today, almost 50 years after the original publication.

I gave this book ★★★★ I had no expectations and was pleasantly won over.

464 pages
Page count to date: 6,698

#24: The Sea by John Banville
Objectively speaking, I know this is a very well written book. But ultimately I wasn’t able to enjoy this book about grieving, which I found too depressing. I may revisit eventually but for now I'll content myself with having read the first 103 pages.

I gave this book ★★★ would have given it even less, but I couldn't ignore the quality of the writing.

103 pages read out of 208
Page count to date: 6,801

#25: Je voudrais que quelqu’un m'attende quelque part by Anna Gavalda
A very enjoyable collection of short stories about characters dealing with “real life” issues from a woman going on a date with a stranger met on the street, a man responsible for a terrible accident because of a bad decision, a student who works at the local chain clothing store and her struggles with her manager. They all come vividly to life thanks to Gavalda's unique writing style which is at once humorous and light yet deeply felt.

I gave this book ★★★★ this is my second Gavalda book and there will very likely be more to come.

156 pages
Page count to date: 6,957

#26: Sons and Lovers by D. H. Lawrence
This is my first D.H. Lawrence book, if you don’t count Lady Chatterley’s Lover which I read in my early teens. I plunged in without doing any research first, and was therefore unaware that the story was autobiographical, though I doubt this would have ultimately altered my impression of it. Among the things I found appealing in this book are the descriptions of working class conditions and the struggle of Mrs. Morel to make the best out of difficult circumstances. I also enjoyed the way Lawrence delves into the minds of each of the characters, which seems to give the story multiple layers. However I had a hard time understanding the Nottinghamshire Dialect or why Clara—who is presented to us as a man-hating suffragette—would so easily accept to become Paul’s mistress. Some passages describing the scenery and the flora, were a little bit tedious to my liking but ultimately this novel has so much substance that I was willing to pause and read about the local vegetation once in a while.

I gave this book ★★★★

512 pages
Page count to date: 7469

>117 Smiler69:: I finished it because I had to for my book group and I didn't want to rake it over the coals if I hadn't, but this was the most boring book I've read in I don't know how long!

119: I have yet to read anything by Lawrence. Damn those classics, I'll never get around to all of them!

I think Lady Chatterly's Lover is pretty overrated. If you go for something by Lawrence, Sons and Lovers or The Rainbow are better starting points. Lawrence is also a master of the short story, so that would be another place to start.

And I personally think it's a good thing that there are so many classics...it means I'll never run out of good stuff to read. I would like to die with a bookmark somewhere in the middle of a good book!

>120 bonniebooks: bonniebooks: I can see what you mean about finding this book boring. I might have found it boring myself except I've learned to approach the classics with a lot of patience and very little expectations in terms of plot and action. Ultimately I suppose I was in the right frame of mind to read this book or I very likely wouldn't have finished it.

>121 girlunderglass: girlunderglass: nice to hear from you! Sorry I haven't been very sociable for quite some time now. I'll have to remedy to that soon. I agree with wrmjr66’s take on the classics that we're not likely to run out of good literature to read anytime soon!

>122 wrmjr66: wrmjr66: I can't remember much of anything from Lady Chaterley’s Lover other than the fact that the lover in question was a redhead (was he?) and that he had a very unpleasant character (did he?). I DO remember having picked it up when I was all of 13 because I thought the title was racy and expected there would be plenty of sex in it. Boy was I ever disappointed! Back then I could never have imagined that a novel with the word "Lover" in the title could be so un-sexy! Of course I know better now.

I couldn't agree more with your comment about dying while being in the middle of a good book but this also made me reconsider my occasional leanings toward trashier novels. I may as well get it all out of the way now because I'd hate to die with the literary equivalent of The Da Vinci Code on my nightstand!

I have never read a novel by D.H. Lawrence but I have read his Studies in Classic American Literature
and found it very interesting if nothing else. He definitely had his own take on people, events and such. From reading this study, I know that eventually I will read something of his but I am very glad that I read this book. I did a review on it if any of you are interested and it is also most likely posted on one of my threads. He was seemingly a unique individual.

>#122;
wrmjr66,
I too would like to die in the midst of a wonderful book. (hopefully, the Bible:-)

"Ya'll" have a good day and happy reading to "yuns"

When I said the book was boring, I was referring to The Sea, not any of Lawrence's books.

>124 rainpebble: nannybebette: thanks for the book referral. I don't read very much non-fiction but I'll keep this one in mind

>125 bonniebooks: bonniebooks: but of course, silly me! I usually feel badly about abandoning a book mid-way but had no qualms about that one.

#27: The Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka
I generally dislike reading translations, but I decided after some deliberation that learning German just to read Kafka was more work than I was willing to put in. This short story seemed like a good entry into this famous writer’s world. From the first sentence, I was surprised, not by the fact that Gregor Samsa, a traveling salesman, wakes up to find himself transformed into a bug—something I already knew about—but rather by Michael Hofmann’s (the translator of this Penguin edition) choice of words: “When Gregor Samsa awoke one morning from troubled dreams, he found himself changed into a monstrous cockroach in his bed.” As I understand it from the research I’ve done, Kafka used a German word that was much more vague and certainly did not specify what kind of bug Gregor had become. As it happens, cockroaches happen to be the most despicable type of bug while beetles are much more benign to me, this description therefore coloured my entire reading of the story.

Before reading the story I thought that the storyline was that Samsa discovers himself transformed into a bug and is completely horrified but then his family, coworkers and strangers aren't the least bit perturbed by his monstrous appearance and he carries on his life “as usual” except he’s a giant bug. I suppose this too would have made a good story—if it hasn’t already—but one quite different from Kafka’s original tale. My erroneous expectations took nothing away from the experience for me and in fact, I found this story could be read on many different levels. For instance, one could easily conclude that this book was a commentary on antisemitism, which was rife in 1915, the year this book was first published, and/or that Kafka was perhaps working out issues of self-hatred or that it was an omen of things to come with the rise of Nazism in the 1930’s when the depiction of Jews as monstrous vermin became ubiquitous in Nazi propaganda. Then again, maybe Kafka didn’t mean to convey anything else than the story itself at face value, which still leaves us with plenty to ponder.

I gave this book ★★★★ an entertaining story with profound impact.

112 pages
Page count to date: 7581

Nice review of The Metamorphosis. Quite a bit of Kafka's writing has a portentous quality about it that really does seem to point toward some of what we have seen in modern totalitarian countries. The Trial in particular is one that has long stuck with me that seems symbolic in that way, though as you note, Kafka's work is open to many interpretations.

Have you read The Penal Colony ?It is my favourite piece of writing of Kafka's - although, admittedly, I haven't read The Trial. It is a short story and you can read it online for free if you want (or print it out) here. Enjoy!

p.s. my edition of Metamorphosis was called Metamorphosis and Other Stories and included The Penal Colony as well so I'm sending you the link under the assumption that yours wasn't the same edition :)

>131 wrmjr66: wrmjr66: As I mentioned, The Metamorphosis was my first real experience with Kafka. I have both The Trial and The Castle in French translation but last time I attempted to read The Trial I gave up after just 2-3 pages. I don’t know whether it was because of the translation (though I'm fluent in French) or if it just wasn't the right time, it just seemed all too convoluted to me. But I do intend on reading both books in whichever language seems most practical when the opportunity presents itself.

>132 girlunderglass: girlunderglass: Thank you for the link to The Penal Colony. There was another short story included in my edition (The Judgment, which I didn’t enjoy so much) but not this one, so I appreciate the link you've provided.

The judgment...the judgment... *scratches head trying to remember*...is that the one with a man and his Dad where the dad curses him at the end or something? If so I didn't like it either.

That's exactly the one. His father sentences him to death—right out of the blue if you ask me—and he somehow gets sucked into the river or the canal or the whatever it was. Didn't really pay attention because I didn't care how it ended one way or the other.

That was complete and utter nonsense. Glad we agree :)

#28: Norwegian Wood by Haruki Murakami
After having read a half dozen or so Murakami books, a fellow avid Murakami reader pointed out I had gone about reading his work in the wrong order and suggested that I should drop whatever else I was reading and start all over again with Norwegian Wood. I’m glad I did go back to the first book which made Murakami such a big literary sensation in Japan. And after reading this novel, I can see how Murakami’s work has evolved considerably over time. In comparison say to The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle, Norwegian Wood is a simple coming of age story simply (and brilliantly) told. Toru is a young college student in Tokyo who’s days are mostly occupied with going to class and observing life in his campus dorm. He is also in love with Naoko who was once the girlfriend of Toru’s best friend, who’s suicide has brought the two of them closer together. But when Naoko, having trouble dealing with daily life, retires to the isolation of a mental health clinic, Toru starts feeling lonely in her absence and comes to meet Midori, an uninhibited and independent-minded young woman who seems to embody the spirit of the freewheeling late 60’s, and he quickly finds himself irresistibly attracted to her.

There are no tricks here, no mysterious magical forces at play, no spies dressed as cats lurking in the corners. What we do find is a vivid account of the years 1969-1970, it's music (the book is named after the Beatles song which is mentioned several times in the story), it's energy and the upheavals the times brought about, Tokyo-style. It’s a sad story with many insights on relationships, connections and loneliness told in Murakami’s magic style, in his unique voice which bring a tinge of excitement to everything he touches upon. If you’ve heard about Murakami and are curious to discover this phenomenal writer, this should be your first stop.

I enjoyed it thoroughly but do have a special fondness for Murakami’s multilayered and intersecting worlds found in some of his later books which is why I gave it ★★★★½

298 pages
Page count to date: 7,879

So, do you think if I didn't like The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle all that much--barely started it actually--that I might like Norwegian Wood? 'Cas I do like coming-of-age stories!

bonniebooks: sorry for the delay, haven't checked in for a while. I think you should definitely give Norwegian Wood a try. It's very different from The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle in that the storyline is relatively simple. I found it very interesting to read about the late sixties from a Japanese perspective—puts a new twist on a familiar theme. You might almost think both books were written by different writers although having read more than a half dozen of his books by now, I immediately recognized Murakami's style in NW. It seems that as he evolved, he amused himself with making plot lines more and more complicated with mysteries that are more and more impenetrable. It's not everybody's cup of tea but you might say I'm a big fan. Who knows? Maybe reading NW might make TWUBC more appealing to you and from there on you'll be on your way to becoming a fan too! Let me know how that goes for you!

Chuckle! Well, we can always hope, but your description reminds me of how I view most Japanese movies so probably not.

bonniebooks: darn, and here I was, thinking I was being devilishly convincing. Guess I'll have to try harder next time. ;-)

Oh, you did convince me to read Norwegian Wood. Just can't imagine being on my way to the whole fan thing, but, again, you can always hope! ;-)

bonniebooks: I was just joking about that, no worries. But you just never know!

I knew you were. You're totally devilishly funny too!

#29 Tender is the Night by Scott F. Fitzgerald
It's taken me a long time to get around to this review. Truth is, after all this time, I still can't find interesting to say about it. After reading The Great Gatsby, I became an instant fan of Fitzergarld’s, which is why I picked up this second book to begin with. But the style I found so enchanting in TGG quickly became cloying this time around, and furthermore I didn’t connect with any of the characters or their experiences in this story, even though they are faced with issues, such as mental health problems, which normally touch me in some ways. I still fully intend to read at least a couple more Fitzgerald novels, all based on the great first impression he made on me with TGG. This book had it's moments too, but it's safe to say that had I started with Tender is the Night first, I would not have had as high an opinion about Fitzgerald’s talent as a writer as I did initially.

I gave this book ★★★ was more tedious than enjoyable, but I'm still glad I've added to my Fitzgerald repertoire.

320 pages
Page count to date: 8,199

Curtain: Poirot's Last Case by Agatha Christie
Hadn't read an Agatha Christie Novel since the '80’s, so thought I’d revisit an old favourite. This was probably not the best book to revisit with if I wanted to figure out why I was hooked on her writing back then to begin with. Whether it's fair or not, I expected this novel to somehow be better than all the others that came before it. For me it came short, not to say that it disappointed. It did fill the spot for an easy to read murder mystery, so I’ll give it props on that.

I gave it ★★★ because it was ok. No more, no less.

288 pages
Page count to date: 8,487

Now that is just no good. Two in a row!~! May your next one be a FIVE STAR read!~!
belva

belva: thank you, that would be nice, but highly unlikely this time around. I received a book from Early Reviewer a few months ago called Annie's Ghosts and realized too late that it's subject—mental illness and family secrets—just doesn’t suit me at present. I have to review it asap, as they've sent me a reminder, otherwise I could get cut off by the publishers in future. I put this book at the top of the TBR pile, but I'm just unmotivated to start reading it. Today I’ve decided I will read from it for 30 minutes (as opposed to 50 or 100 pages) at which point I can decide whether I want to read the whole thing or not. That way at least I'll have something to base my review on if I find it too tedious.

I totally sympathetic. I've got to keep going on my ER about doctors and parents who let/encourage their children to do all this terrible stuff to themselves in order to be taller (can you tell I'm not particularly objective?) often with little objective results, but at great cost--both financially and emotionally. It's an interesting subject, and one I'm totally supportive of, but who decided readers would want a huge book on the subject? Seems like a couple of long articles in various magazines would be more than enough.

It's been a lifetime since I've been here. I posted a review for Annie's Ghost (see below) a couple of months ago, at which time I took the time to edit something on the first message in this thread, and I now realize I mistakenly erased the list of all the books I've read so far including star ratings and direct links to their individual posts. I haven't got the heart to start over again. Especially since as of today, it doesn't look like I'll get anywhere near my original goal. Lots has gone on in the past 6 months and reading didn't feature heavily in my list of activities. Still, if I only end up with 30-something books this years, then it will still be better than a dozen, or none. Here, the last review I posted:

#31: Annie's Ghosts: A Journey Into a Family Secret by Steve Luxenberg
I put off reading this book for many months; while I was initially interested in the topic, I decided this was probably not the right time in my life to be reading about mental disease and institutions. Still, as an Early Reviewer I felt I owed the publishers an honest review, so I made myself read the first 50 pages with a goal of reading a minimum of 100, but couldn't get that far. I found the first few chapters rather tedious with the author delving into every single detail of how he worked through red tape, bureaucracy and archives to uncover the existence of his aunt. I guess that’s understandable given that the author is a journalist, but for this reluctant reader it was definitely not the stuff that page-turners are made of.

50 pages read
Page count to date: 8,537

what's that old saying about enjoying the journey, not the destination? It's a cliché for a reason and I hope you enjoyed doing the challenge even without completing it - I certainly enjoyed reading about it on this thread :)

I think 30-something is very respectable! (OK, I have to think that since I'll be lucky to make 40 this year and haven't really got the excuse of having taken any hiatus from reading!) Anyway, good to see you back. I always enjoy your reviews.