japaul's 50 books for 2009

Hi everyone! I'm new to librarything and I love it! I kept track of the books I read last year. I read 43, so I figure that 50 should be attainable for me.

So far in 2009 I've read:
1. Forever on the Mountain by James M. Tabor
2. The Lace Reader by Brunonia Barry
3. Florence Nightingale: The Making of an Icon by Mark Bostridge
4. Pride and Prejudice, 5. Mansfield Park, and 6. Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen

Obviously, I've been on a Jane Austen kick! I've read all of her books before, but they are favorites for me. I read them every 2 years or so.

I was not a big fan of The Lace Reader. It was entertaining, but it didn't delve into the relationships between the characters enough for me. I also would have liked to see more detail about the history of lace reading. It was mentioned often, but I didn't think it was really explored or made part of the story enough for my taste. Also the ending did not surprise me, though I'm sure it was intended to. I think it is a fun "summer read", but didn't deserve as much critical praise as it received.

I wrote a review of the Florence Nightingale book so I won't do it again here. I'll just say that it left me a little cold as well.

Forever on the Mountain was an entertaining but depressing read about a mountain climbing disaster.

I'm working on 3 books right now so more to come . . .

Welcome to LT! You are off to a good start on your challenge. I love Jane Austen too and have read all her books multiple times. They are excellent comfort reads. Happy reading!

Thanks for the welcome, shinyone!

Well, I have 2 more books to add to my list.

#7 Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte
I know I don't have to say much about this one! I love this book. I hadn't read this for many years and I thoroughly enjoyed reading it again. It's one of my favorites.

#8 Waiting for Daisy by Peggy Orenstein
This was a very personal book for me to read. It's about a woman's journey through miscarriage and infertility. I had a miscarriage this summer with my first and only pregnancy thus far. This book really spoke to me. Orenstein describes the emotions and fears around this subject with humor and realism. One of the most painful things for me throughout the last 6 months has been the silence surrounding miscarriage in our culture - a silence that I have contributed to. I am happy that this book was written and hope that many people read it. Whether you know it or not, I guarantee that everyone who reads this review knows someone who has been through miscarriage or infertility.

#9 Alice: Alice Roosevelt Longworth, from White House Princess to Washington Power Broker by Stacy A. Cordery

I just finished this today. What an interesting book! Alice Roosevelt led a long and interesting life. She was an active member of Washington society and politics from her father's time as President until her death in 1980 - about 80 years! Particularly interesting to me were the descriptions of her rise to stardom as the First Daughter, details of her marriage and affairs, her scathing criticism of FDR and his policies, and of course, her love of reading. My only complaint is that the author's writing style is not quite as exciting as the subject matter. At times I found the book a bit dry - hard to imagine with a life like hers. Overall, though, highly recommended.

Welcome, welcome, welcome! :)

You're doing really good so far, especially considering you started later than the rest of us! You know I've never read any Austen...hmm..

No Austen?! Oh my. Get yourself a copy of Pride and Prejudice and/or Sense and Sensibility, stat! And then Emma, which is my personal favourite :)

Emma is the only one I have at home so when I decide it's time to try Austen, that will probably be the one I'm gonna try, so I'm glad it's your favorite! :)

Nice! If it's the one you're starting with, I have to warn you that it's a little dry at first. But stick with, it's a great story.

I LOVE Emma too! It's a tie for my favorite between Emma and Pride and Prejudice. I agree, though, that Emma can be a bit hard to get into. Pride and Prejudice is more engaging from the beginning.

And, girlunderglass, I actually did start the challenge in January. I just didn't start posting til now. 2008 was the year I started keeping track on my own of what I was reading. So this year I'm sharing here as well.

#10 The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood
I can't believe I've never read anything by Atwood before. I really enjoyed this book. Well, maybe enjoyed isn't the right word! It's a creepy story. What I really loved about it was the writing. The author really plays with words and memories so well. I loved the language of the book. I will definitely be reading more Atwood - anyone have any favorites to recommend?

The Handmaid's Tale is the only Atwood I've read so far, too, and I also completely loved it. Based on recommendations I've gotten from others, I'm planning to try Alias Grace or The Blind Assassin next.

Atwood is fantastic, isn't she? You might want to consider reading The Penelopiad, especially if you like books by/about women. It is Atwood's version of The Odyssey, told from Penelope's point of view (and that of the hanged maids). It's wonderful.

Let's see... The Blind Assassin is also really good. I also liked Oryx and Crake, but I think I'm in the minority on that (I like science. I like dystopian novels about the evils of cloning). Surfacing is beautiful but difficult.

Great reading so far this year! I went on a bit of an Austen kick, too.

I love Atwood. You could try Cat's Eye which I thought was very good. Oryx and Crake was a bit of a slog for me but I second jfetting's recommendation for The Penelopiad - it was very good and part of a series of books by different authors based on various myths.

Hi japaul - so far you've read a bunch of my favorites! I, too, am an Austen fan. She is my comfort reading. Waiting for Daisy sounds interesting, but as I had a similar experience to yours, I'm not sure if I'm up for it yet.

If you're interested in reading Atwood's The Blind Assassin, it's going to be featured as the next read for The Highly-Rated Book Group. The link is here. It's a great group with thoughtful discussions and the moderators add lots of great posts with background information, too.

I've starred your post and look forward to seeing what you read next!

Thanks for all the advice on Atwood's books. I will definitely check them out. I reserved the Blind Assassin at my library and am also very interested in The Penelopiad. I made it through the Odyssey and the Iliad a few years back so the Atwood book sounds really interesting. Thanks for the advice!

I'm looking forward to seeing your thoughts on those!

#11 Body and Soul by Frank Conroy
I did not like this book. I read it because my mom thought I would really like it. It's about a poor kid in NYC who discovers he has a musical talent for playing the piano. I am a professional musician and I really didn't like the idea of reading a book of fiction about music. It's usually so over-emotional and silly. Surprisingly, the best moments in the book (of which there were few!!!) were the sections about the main character's discovery of his musical talent. On the other hand, the way the author describes the rest of his life (his sexual relationships, student/teacher relationships, mother/son relationship) were so predictable and ridiculous. It seemed like Conroy, who is not a musician, spent so much time figuring out how to write convincingly about music that he neglected any kind of real character and relationship development in the rest of the story. I'd definitely recommend avoiding this book!

So - on to hopefully better reading! I'm going to read The Monster of Florence, non-fiction, next.

#12 The Monster of Florence by Douglas Preston
This is a non-fiction book about a serial killer in Florence, Italy. The case is unsolved. The first half of the book goes through the crimes, describing the murders of couples "caught in the act" in their cars in the hills of Florence. As horrifying as the description of the crimes is, it is nothing compared to the incompetency of the Italian police and judicial system. It was so frustrating to read about how horribly this case has been handled by officials. The book points towards a suspect, but there is no resolution. It is an interesting book, but I felt the writing style left a bit to be desired - kind of choppy and it doesn't flow very well. I'm glad I read it though - just don't expect the fabulous In Cold Blood and you'll enjoy it.

Hi japaul22! I've been more or less away for a couple of weeks and return to find all sorts of new people! Welcome!

Looks like you're off to great start. You and I seemed to have had a similar reaction to The Lace Reader. Alas, the only Atwood I've read is Alias Grace. I loved it, but have yet to read anything else by her. You seem to enjoy nonfiction, as do I, so I'll look forward to following your thread. I'm behind on my reviews. Must catch up in the next couple of days!

Theaelizabet - I checked out your 50 books thread and we do have a lot of books in common! I read the Peabody Sisters last year and really enjoyed it as well. I starred your thread so I can keep up with your interesting reads.

#13 The Billionaire's Vinegar by Benjamin Wallace
I had a really good time reading this book! It's about the world of rare and old wines. Basically, it focuses on one particular bottle, a 1787 bottle of Lafite supposedly owned by Thomas Jefferson. It was auctioned by Christie's for $156,000 to the Forbes family. The book then delves into the society of old-wine drinkers and the authenticity of the wines. There is no definite conclusion on the authenticity, though is is clear what the author thinks. As a wine lover (though $15- $25 with an occasional $50 is my limit!!) this was a really interesting book to read. There is a lot of information about the most famous French vineyards and about the history of Thomas Jefferson's love of wine. Very enjoyable.

#14 Song of Solomon by Toni Morrison
This is a new "favorite" book for me. I love the language, symbolism, pace, characters, story - everything! The funny thing is that I remember starting this book about 10 years ago and not being able to get into it or understand it at all. I don't know how this could be, because I was immediately entranced by this book this time around. I guess it just goes to show that books reflect the reader. I don't really have anything else to "review" about the book. It speaks for itself and I highly recommend it!

Definitely going to read some non-fiction next. I don't think that any other fiction would suffice right now.

Hmm...I may have to pick that up. I do know what you mean about needing to read some non-fiction after reading a terrific novel - even something really good has the potential to look shabby in comparison.

#15 Mrs. Lincoln: A Life by Catherine Clinton
Overall I enjoyed this book - gave it 3 stars. Below is my review. It was just published in 2009 and the touchstones don't seem to be working for it.

This biography of Mary Lincoln attempts to dispel the rumors and myths surrounding her personality and sanity. I did come away with a more complete picture of Mary Lincoln's life, although there is no doubt that this woman had some mental problems. This, however, is not surprising since she lost 3 of her 4 sons and her husband. Add that to the facts that she was living under intense media scrutiny, her husband was President of the US during the Civil War, and her family was divided between supporting the Union and the Confederacy, and her mental state becomes even less surprising. Also, the treatments for mental illness were non-existent at that time.

Any biography of Mary Lincoln will have to struggle to not be over-shadowed by Abraham Lincoln's life. This biography does a fairly good job of sticking to Mary's experiences. The author does this by focusing on the Lincoln's family life during their time in the White House and spending several chapters on Mary Lincoln's life after Abraham's assassination. Mary Lincoln is a hard woman to like, but I definitely felt for her and realize that she was treated unfairly by the media. These first contemporary impressions of her have never been overcome by subsequent study and writings.

As I read this book, I wondered if it was slightly rushed to the presses to coincide with the 200th anniversary of Lincoln's birth. Overall I liked the pace and writing style of the author, however the book is poorly edited. There are many mistakes in spelling, grammar, and syntax. I can remember at least a dozen off the top of my head. I consider it a book worth reading because of the content, but it will not go on a favorites list for me.

Well, I've had a slow month, but I finally finished another book and will most likely have another one done in a week. I've been very busy!

#16 A Mercy by Toni Morrison
I enjoyed this book, though not as much as other books by Toni Morrison. It is the story of a mother's choice to give away her daughter as an act of mercy to her child. The child's life subsequently coincides with three other women living in America in the late 1600s. It also deals with the different levels of slavery. The book is beautifully written and the characters are interesting, but it left me wanting more. I found myself envisioning how fantastic the book would be if it was about 200 pages longer.

Despite being such a short book, the characters come to life almost instantly. I think this is partially because Morrison shifts point of view with each chapter and you hear from each character's voice or point of view individually. However, one complaint I had was that I was expecting the book to focus on the relationships between these four women living together in the American wilderness. Instead, the characters are very isolated from each other. I believe this was Morrison's intent, and was partially achieved by her choice to shift points of view. It just wasn't what I expected and I think in a longer book the relationships could have been explored more fully. I think that Morrison kept the book short because her theme of the mercy of a mother giving up her child was to be the main focus of the book. If the book had been longer, it may have lost that single focus to too many other themes.

#17 The Blind Assassin by Margaret Atwood
I just finished this book and thoroughly enjoyed it, but I'm not ready to write a review yet. I definitely need some space to think about this one!

One thing I will say is that I don't really get why many people seem to consider it science fiction. I mean, there's the one part of the novel within the novel that is a science fiction story, but that is such a small part of the book. Did I just make myself look dumb? Anyone care to expound?

Hmm...I'm beginning to wonder if I abandoned The Blind Assassin too soon. I read the first twenty or so pages and admit that the science fiction part threw me. Also..I couldn't quite figure out the format, and wasn't sure if I wanted to invest time in such a long book when I had so many others waiting to finish. I look forward to reading your review when you're ready to write it!

japaul22, I was scratching my head over your post about The Blind Assassin. I read it a few years back and I couldn't remember what it was about but I didn't remember it being science fiction! Now after reading some reviews I remember that the science fiction part was the novel within the novel...but I think that as you say that was not the main focus of the book. I would not consider the book itself to be science fiction. What I DO remember about the book is that I really, really, liked it and got through it very quickly. Now I want to re-read it!!

shinyone: I saw many people tagged the book science fiction or said that they couldn't get into it b/c of the sci-fi element. But, as you remember, the sci-fi story is only part of the novel within the novel, so it's a pretty small element in the book.

Callen610 - I had a little trouble getting into this book at first also. I think that was partly because I tried to read at the book club pace and it was just too slow for me. Once I let myself really get enveloped in it, I got very interested in the characters and finding out if my suspicions about possible "twists" in the novel were true. I'd definitely think about giving it another shot. It actually reads pretty quickly once you get into it. And like I said, although the sci-fi story is established early in the book, it's not really a huge part of it. I wouldn't have enjoyed the book if it was since I'm not generally interested in sci-fi. I hope you give it another try!

Hi japaul22--I haven't been around much lately and so I'm trying to catch up with the threads! I'm reading Blind Assassin and loving it! I started it late and I'm woefully behind the book group's reading schedule, though. I enjoyed A Mercy, though I thought it not quite as wonderful as Beloved. The Billionaire's Vinegar as has been on my TBR list, too.

Good to be back! Looks like your having a good run of reading.

#18 A Devil to Play: One man's Year-long Quest to Master the Orchestra's Most Difficult Instrument by Jasper Rees

Did you play a musical instrument in high school, only to give it up as soon as you graduated? Did you ever wonder what it would be like to pick it up again and perform in front of other musicians?

Well, Jasper Rees does. As he approaches the age of 40 he pulls his old french horn out of the case and attends the British Horn Society's annual convention. After playing in the mass horn choir, he decides to start practicing again with the goal of playing a solo at next year's convention. This book is about his journey of relearning the horn. Along the way he meets and takes lessons with some of the horn world's most famous players. Intertwined with his personal journey is a history of the horn.

I am a professional horn player and I found this book pretty amusing. The author definitely embraces the horn and I would have to say becomes a raging "horn-dork". This was mildly annoying to me because I know too many people who are like this. But, it was fun to read since I've met and worked with many of the horn players in the book. I even attended the "horn camp" (twice) that he attends. (Who's the horn-dork now???)

Anyway, if you ever played the horn you will probably enjoy this book. Or if you remember your high school band days playing any instrument, this book may give you a few laughs or possibly a little inspiration to give it another go!

http://www.librarything.com/profile_reviews.php?view=japaul22

#19 4:50 From Paddington by Agatha Christie
This is one of the Miss Marple mysteries and is pure fun! I loved reading these books as a child and have recently rediscovered them after watching the new BBC series of Miss Marple mysteries. They read very quickly and are so much fun. I love reading a mystery that is more about human nature than forensics!

#20 Sad Cypress by Agatha Christie
One more quick and fun read for March. Another Agatha Christie mystery, but this time from the Hercule Poirot series. Good book!

Hi, japaul22!
I am also catching up on threads and reading The Blind Assassin. I don't really think that it qualifies as a scifi book at all. It took me a while to get into it, but I am sold now. I am about halfway through.
--BJ

Back from London? How was your trip?

My trip was great – see below for more details! For some reason I’m having trouble getting my posts to show up. Let’s try this again . . .

Hope this works – I don’t know why my posts aren’t posting!

#21 Tess of the D'Urbervilles by Thomas Hardy
I enjoyed this book, but not as much as I thought I would. I just felt so badly for Tess the whole book and I wanted her to stand up for herself. I know it's a victorian novel, but wow, depressing.
BUT, I was reading it while traveling in the UK so it was fun. And speaking of my vacation, I was in London for a few days and one of my sight-seeing stops was to the British Library. It was fantastic and I highly recommend it. I thought of everyone on this website while I was there. I saw original handwritten manuscripts/rough drafts of Jane Austen's childhood notebook and Persuasion (on her writing desk!), Jane Eyre opened to the conclusion (perfect handwriting and almost no corrections), Sylvia Plath's poem "Insomniac", and Tess of the D'Urbervilles which had tons of cross-outs and changes - very hard to read (and quite a coincidence that I was reading it!). It was so neat to see the actual hand-writing of some of my favorite authors. Of course there are many other works in the exhibit room, but those were the highlights of the "novels" section for me. Check it out if you're ever there!!!

Oooh the British Library sounds amazing. So envious! I'm glad you had a good time, and I'm in complete agreement about Tess.

edited because I can't type.

I'm glad you had such a wonderful trip. I also hope to go to London someday.
--BJ

What a wonderful trip! What else did you see in the UK? I've been there twice - in 1997 and 1999, each time for about a week with my aunt and uncle. I did visit the British Library, but don't remember anything specific I saw. I do recall being very, very impressed with all the dusty old books in their old bookcases with doors. I would love to go back and visit now that I am a more serious reader and could more appreciate what I saw.

#22 Annie's Ghosts: A Journey Into a Family Secret by Steve Luxenberg

This is a book that I got through Early Reviewers and I'm so glad that I did. It's a non-fiction account of the author's journey to unearth his family's secrets. This begins with the startling news, found after his mother's death, that the author's mother had a sister who was disabled, mentally retarded, and mentally ill. This sister was committed to a state-run institution in her 20s. Even though they grew up together, his mother never mentioned this sister and actually went as far as creating story after story about growing up as an only child. The author goes on a journey through his mother's past to attempt to find out both about this sister, Annie, and his mother's reasons for hiding her sister.

The book ends up being about so many things: family history, secrets, memory, the treatment of the mentally ill, and the ethics of delving into someone's past and trying to recreate his/her motives.This book really got me to think about what I know about my family history. Is it truth or fiction or somewhere in between? We rely on family stories handed down, but how accurate are these accounts?

The author is a journalist and his writing shows it. For such a personal and emotionally charged topic, he stays relatively distant and factual. The mystery seems to unfold to the reader in the same manner as it did to him. I also appreciated that the author did not recreate conversations or scenes from the information he found. Because of that there are things we'll never know, but that is part of the point of the book and I was glad that he didn't invent the rest of the story.

Excellent book - highly recommended.

#23 Cranford by Elzabeth Gaskell
I think the best way to describe this book is "charming". It's more of a series of vignettes of British country life in the 19th century than anything. It also centers around women - older women primarily. I enjoyed it, but it wasn't earth-shattering. I would be very willing to read other works by Gaskell, so I guess I liked it!

"I enjoyed it, but it wasn't earth-shattering." Excellent description of Cranford. It was a pleasant read, but nothing life-changing.

If you haven't read any other Gaskell may I suggest North and South or Wives and Daughters?

#24 Queen Isabella by Alison Weir
I've been WORKING on reading this book for a month. It's only 388 pages. I just do not enjoy Weir's writing style. She took a fascinating life and an interesting interpretation of that life and made it horribly boring. Weir sounds so defensive the entire time. Apparently her views of Isabella's life are outside the norm for Medieval researchers. The problem is that she assumes that the reader knows the accepted ideas well. Also, she spends a lot of a time talking about these other possible ways of analyzing Isabella's life and actions. By the time you get to her opinions, you have no idea what to believe. I also felt that because she was putting new ideas out there, she tried to be as dry as possible. Maybe she thinks it's more scholarly? Anyway - I wouldn't waste your time. I found it pretty frustrating to get through, though the topic of Isabella's life is interesting.

#25 A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith
I love this book. I hadn't read since high school and I saw some others talking about it on a different thread. I found this book just as moving and special as an adult as I found it as a teen. A favorite for me.

#26 The Cellist of Sarajevo by Steven Galloway
Another great book! I particularly enjoyed the character named Arrow. This is a short book that covers a lot of emotions and life lessons in few words. I thoroughly enjoyed it. Also, I won't be surprised if it's made into a movie. I could "see" the events unfolding as I was reading. Highly recommended.

#27 Finding God in the Questions by G. Timothy Johnson
My in-laws lent my husband and I this book. We were both raised in active Protestant households and have not made the church a significant part of our adult lives or marriage. When my husband brought home this book I immediately rolled my eyes. The cover does not look promising! However, I found the book to be an honest look at how questioning faith, religion, the Bible, etc. can lead to a deeper spiritual life. It definitely gave me some things to think about and the curiosity to read further. It was refreshing to hear someone talk about their religious beliefs without using absolutes.

#28 The Murder of Nicolai Vavilov by Peter Pringle
I had high hopes for this book from reading some reviews and descriptions of this book. Overall, I would say I was disappointed. This is a biography of the Russian scientist and botanist, Nicolai Vavilov. The book, however, mainly focuses on Vavilov's problems with the Soviet regime throughout his career and his arrest and torture by the Soviet's. It unfortunately spends little time exploring the scientific achievements of this botanist. I came away actually wondering what he did for the world of botany that was really so great. This is unfortunate because I'm pretty sure that he did make large and significant contributions to science. You'd think that a biography of a scientist would cover more of his career. It was interesting to read about the techniques that the USSR used to control science, but I don't think that topic should have taken as much precedence over Vavilov's scientific achievements as it did. I guess the title of the book should have tipped me off, but I still thought that botany should have had a bigger role in the book.

You've been doing some interesting reading! I keep "bumping into" A Tree Grows in Brooklyn" - I may have to give it a try.

callen610 - Definitely read A Tree Grows in Brooklyn - it's fantastic!!

#29 The Penelopiad by Margaret Atwood
Another fantastic book by Margaret Atwood. I can't believe I'd never read any of her books before this year! Thanks to everyone for all the great suggestions! This book is funny and really well done. It's told from the point of view of Penelope (wife of Odysseus) and her 12 maids. In the Odyssey, Penelope doesn't enter in to much of the story, so this is Atwood's version of Penelope's view of events. The 12 maids (executed by Odysseus upon his return) form a traditional Greek chorus for commentary. It's such a clever book - I highly recommend it!

I'm glad you liked it! It's one of my top books this year, I think. You're right - it is very clever. Atwood has another book coming out this fall, apparently. Another dystopian novel. Whohoo!

A new Atwood novel??? SWEET!

Ahh - The Penelopiad - another novel that I keep bumping into! Would you say that you had to be familiar with The Odyssey to fully enjoy it? I know the general outline of the story, but have not actually read it.

callen610 - No, you don't need to have read the Odyssey for yourself. Atwood does both an intro and an afterward that help clarify the plot from the Odyssey. I read the Odyssey a long time ago, but didn't really remember ANY details. And it was really easy to pick up. I highly recommend it! (plus it's short - you could definitely read it in a day).

#30 Brideshead Revisited by Evelyn Waugh
This was my first foray into Waugh's writing and I loved it. I'll definitely be reading more of his books. This book has fantastic characters and a very enjoyable tone/writing style for me. Any other Waugh recommendations?

All of them? I haven't read a bad one yet, although BR is my favorite (I love that book. So much). Aren't the conversations between Charles and his father wonderful? Waugh has such a way with words. And poor Sebastian!

So, recs. I just read Decline and Fall last month and it's hilarious. A Handful of Dust is also funny, but darker. I hear that his war trilogy (I think it's called The Sword of Honor trilogy or something) is really boring, but I don't know personally. People seem to like Vile Bodies a lot, but I haven't got there yet. Let us know what you think when you've read more Waugh.

#31 Mockingbird: A Portrait of Nelle Harper Lee by Charles J. Shields
This is a very interesting biography of Harper Lee, the author of To Kill a Mockingbird - one of my favorite books. Lee is a bit of a recluse and does not grant interviews, so this author did not have any direct contact/conversation with Lee. However, he still is able to paint a good picture of her life and work. The book highlights the autobiographical content of To Kill a Mockingbird, spends a large chunk of time on Nelle's work with Truman Capote on In Cold Blood, and explores why she chose to never complete a second novel. It's easy to read with straightforward writing and good flow. I learned a lot that I didn't know about Nelle Harper Lee and would definitely recommend this to fans of her book.

#32 Frankly, My Dear: "Gone With the Wind" Revisited by Molly Haskell
I truly enjoyed reading this book. It brought back great memories of reading Gone With the Wind and watching this movie over and over again since my childhood. I also appreciated a look at the uncomfortable aspects of this book/movie such as the justification of slavery and the rape scene within the marriage of Scarlett and Rhett. In the introduction, Haskell talks about the "stages" of feeling toward GWTW. I don't remember exactly (the book is back at the library) but it was something like - Love, Obsession, Embarassment, Avoidance, Nostalgic Admiration. The words aren't the same as in the book, but the idea really hit home for me! Haskell spends a lot of time going through the creation of the movie, focusing on the roles of Margaret Mitchell, David Selznick, and Vivien Leigh. She also tries to put into words the attraction of this movie and of Scarlett O'Hara. Basically, it was very fun to relive the movie and fans of Gone With the Wind will enjoy this book.

Frankly, My Dear sounds like a nice change of pace from my usual reading, especially since I've gone through most of those "stages" you describe! I just loved the book and movie as a child/young teen. I'll have to seek it out at my library.

#33 The Sunne in Splendour by Sharon Kay Penman
Ahhhhh - historical fiction. I haven't read much in this genre but it was so much fun I might read more. This is the story of Richard III and his rise and fall. This book has it all: love, war, betrayal, murder, romance. It's really long (900 pages or so) but reads very quickly. Penman has a good reputation for her research and accuracy, not that I count too much on that with a fictional retelling. She has a nice afterward that explains a few things that she did create for the book. To me that's what matters - knowing what is not "accurate". The only thing that annoyed me a little was the way she does the dialogue. The speaking style mainly sounds modern except for a few phrases thrown in that I guess are supposed to sound like they are from the time period. For instance, you'll get a random "mayhaps" or "it be true" every once in a while. I got used to it though and liked the book enough to overlook it. I can see myself reading more of her books.

#34 King Richard III by William Shakespeare
Since I just read The Sunne in Splendour (historical fiction about Richard III) I decided I'd read the Shakespeare version of events. It was a very interesting contrast. After all, Shakespeare was writing for the victors over King Richard's House of York - the Tudors. So it was neat to read this drastically different take on the events. In the play Richard is devious and power-hungry. He is responsible for the deaths of his brother, nephews, and wife. In Penman's account he is not involved at all in these deaths and is, in fact, devastated by them. I could see this being an amazing play to see, but I'm glad that I understand the biases behind it.

I'm just sorta starting to read historical fiction, myself (although I admit I lean toward the trashy stuff for some reason, I think because it all started when Robin convinced me to give the Outlander series a try). I've heard of Sunne in Splendour on some other threads around here, but not on anyone's whose taste I trust as much as yours. So on the list it goes!

the Gone With the Wind book sounds fantastic, too. I'll have to find a copy! And I really like your reviews - you give a good sense of the feel of the books, not so much a mini-plot-report.

#35 A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens
This is a reread of a book I loved in high school. Still love it though I thought some of the comments I wrote in the margins were kind of lame and obvious this time around!! Arguably both the best first and last lines in literature.

You are reading some great stuff. The Sunne in Splendour sounds really good. I have been thinking I need to read more historical fiction too. I just finished my first Bernard Cornwall, Agincourt and it is making me want to read Henry V again for contrast. I love it when things tie together like that.

#36 Moby Dick by Herman Melville
Well, I finally read this American classic. The first hundred pages or so of this book are fantastic. I love the characters and like Melville's writing style. But there are A LOT of diversions on whales and whaling that I just couldn't get into. Because of that it took me quite a while to read this book. I guess it's kind of interesting that Ishmael's obsession with whaling kind of parallels Ahab's obsession with Moby Dick, but whales just aren't that interesting to me! Overall though, I'm glad I read this and did appreciate it. The characters are fantastic and make the book worth reading.

That's interesting, japaul - I was purging my bookshelves this week and kept going back and forth about Moby Dick. It's one of those books that people are "supposed to" read if they consider themselves well-read (like War and Peace, Ulysses,etc...) that are so difficult to get through. I eventually tossed it on the "donate" pile. I'm slogging through The Iliad now and it's getting to be all I can do to not stop reading. I just can't give up now - I'm over halfway done, but I'm oh-so sick of battle scenes!
Congrats on sticking through it with Moby Dick!

I congratulate you on getting through Moby Dick AND actually liking it. I hated it, almost as much as I hated Billy Budd. BTW, do you remember reading Billy Budd in high school and Karin poked a hole in her copy through Billy's mouth on the cover and rolled up a little piece of paper and stuck it in, like a mini cigarette? That still makes me laugh.

I do remember that and I'm giggling right now! I also remember that you hated Billy Budd (as did I).

#37 Reading Lolita in Tehran by Azar Nafisi
Although the subject matter of this book is interesting, the writing style did not grab my attention. The author seems to have too many different threads going on at once. She skips back and forth between her personal experience as a woman professor in Iran, the politics of Iran, her relationship with her students, her students' lives, and then tries to relate this all to novels she was reading at the time. It's just too unfocused. Disappointing because I think there was real potential for the book.

On to the early reviewers book from June that I just received!

#38 Sworn to Silence by Linda Castillo
This is a book that I received from early reviewers. It is a thriller/mystery set in an community in Ohio that is part Amish. The main character is Kate Burkholder, chief of police. She grew up in the town in an Amish family, but left her roots behind as a teenager. As an adult she comes back as chief of police, though her relations with her family are still strained to say the least. This book is a well-written page turner. I flew through it in a day and a half. The action moves forward quickly and the characters are well-developed and likable. There is nothing particularly "new" about the ideas in the book, but the writing style and characters make the book worth reading if you're looking for a fast-paced mystery. Nothing earth-shattering, but it was a fun distraction. Probably would be a book to check out from the library instead of buying.

#39 Birth: The Surprising History of How We Are Born by Tina Cassidy
This was a fascinating and horrifying look at how childbirth has been treated throughout history. The writing style makes the book easy to read, though many of the stories will definitely make you uncomfortable, horrified, and angry! I'd recommend this book to any woman considering having a child or just interested in how the medical profession has "handled" women through history. The author's conclusion seems to be that childbirth practices will continue changing from generation to generation, always reflecting the current cultural trends. Definitely makes sense. Oh, and I'll also be passing this book along to my husband and expect to hear many horrified groans!

#40 I'll Never Be French (No matter what I do) by Mark Greenside
This was one of those books that I just picked up at the library out of curiosity. It's about an American writer (who does not speak French!) who goes to Brittany with a girlfriend for a summer. He and the girlfriend break up, but he falls in love with Brittany's culture, customs and residents and buys a home there. This is an amusing look at life in Brittany and how the different culture actually affects the author's personality. He comments a lot on how differently he views similar events in Brittany and the U.S. It was a quick and entertaining read. Also made me want to go to Brittany!!

#41 A Perfect Union: Dolley Madison and the Creation of the American Nation by Catherine Allgor
I really enjoyed this biography. I've found that many biographies of women tend to spend more time talking about the woman's famous husband than the actual woman's life and contributions. Allgor does a very good job of sticking to Dolley Madison's story. I knew very little about Dolley Madison so this was an interesting read. One thing that made her story a little less enjoyable for me was that Dolley was a master of creating a public persona (she basically created the role of First Lady as we think of it today). I think it's a little hard to get past that and down to what she was "really like". Because of that I felt a bit distant from the subject, but it was a very interesting and well-written book.

#42 Wives and Daughters by Elizabeth Gaskell
This book is just my style and I thoroughly enjoyed it. It's somewhere between Austen and George Elliot in it's tone/style. Loved the characters and story and actually flew through it, even though it's fairly long. A word of warning though - this book is unfinished since Gaskell died while writing it. You get to the point in the novel where it's pretty clear what's going to happen, but it's unsatisfying to not hear Gaskell's words describe the events of what would have been the final chapters. Much better than Cranford in my opinion.

#43 Gilead by Marilynne Robinson
This is a beautiful book: beautiful language, beautiful characters, beautiful insights. One of the few books I've given 5 stars this year. Can't wait to read Home also.

#44 Emma by Jane Austen
Revisiting an old favorite. This was the first book I read by Austen and I really love it. Though I have to admit that while the age difference between Emma and Mr. Knightly doesn't bother me in itself, the fact that he knew her all through her childhood kind of does! Especially when he admits he's loved her since she was about 13!!! Yikes!!!

Your recent post have got me salivating... ;-) The Birth book sounds fascinating, especially since I've just been though that experience twice within the past three years. I'm also reading The Hemingses of Monticello, and the terrible toll that bearing children takes on the women of that era is heartbreaking. My own great-grandmother had an awful experience. The doctor could not get the baby out and so asked HER HUSBAND to choose either her or the baby!

Thanks callen610! Yep, that Birth book was fascinating and horrifying at the same time! It's a pretty quick read too - I found it at my library while browsing.

#45 The Warden by Anthony Trollope
This was my first Trollope book and I enjoyed it. I thought of it more as a novella than a complete novel since it pretty much explores one event throughout. But it is a good intro to the characters in the Barchester series and I love the writing style. I'm half way through the next book in the series, Barchester Towers, and am really enjoying it.

Yay you're reading Trollope! I just love his characters - Dr. Grantly and Mrs. Proudie and Mr. Slope are just fantastic and so much fun to read about! But I think that Dr. Grantly is my favorite. I would never have imagined that inter-clergy fighting in the Church of England could be so entertaining.

I have Dr. Thorne sitting on my shelf, waiting until I get some free time.

#46 Barchester Towers by Anthony Trollope
This series just gets better and better! I'm definitely going to keep reading this collection of books. Great characters, good plot, nice writing style.

#47 The Pursuit of Love by Nancy Mitford
Another author I learned about on LT and now LOVE! This book is right up my alley. Can't wait to read Love in a Cold Climate.

Going to take a "break" and read an ER book I received in the September batch. I've been kind of putting it off because I don't think I'll particularly like it, but it should be a quick read at least. It's the "sequel" to Deep End of the Ocean by Jacquelyn Mitchard - we'll see . . .

#48 No Time to Wave Goodbye by Jacquelyn Mitchard
Well, I was right. Not my kind of book. This is a sequel to Deep End of the Ocean. I read that book a long time ago and remember kind of liking it. But this book feels like an afterthought or money-maker. It uses all the same characters, but adds nothing further to their character development. And the plot - VERY predictable. I mean, there's ANOTHER kidnapping, a snowy mountain search/survival story, and several "rescues". All in 220 pages. Pretty lame. Glad I got it from ER and didn't pay for it. This will be passed on to the local library!

#49 Love in a Cold Climate by Nancy Mitford
Loved this book as much as The Pursuit of Love. I didn't realize going in how connected the two novels would be. It was really interesting to compare/contrast the leading female characters and their relationship to the common narrator.

#50 Here Be Dragons by Sharon Kay Penman
This is the first in Penman's historical fiction series based on Welsh/English history in the 13th century. I enjoyed the book, but not as much as the other book I've read by Penman (The Sunne in Splendour). I think I didn't enjoy it quite as much because it takes place about 3 centuries earlier and the historical record just isn't as complete. Because of that, the book relies a lot more on conjecture and characters than on history. I also think Penman could have done a better job describing culture and customs (I'm thinking of Sigrid Undset's fantastic Norwegian trilogy) rather than basing the book on a mainly conjectured love story. That being said, it was an entertaining, fast read, though certainly didn't make me feel any "smarter"!

And there is book #50! Met my goal with almost 2 months to spare - on to the next book!

#51 The Suspicions of Mr. Whicher by Kate Summerscale
This is a re-read that I read just last year for the first time. I read it while traveling and enjoyed it, but felt like I needed a second reading of it. Again, I really enjoyed it. I have a weak spot for mysteries and this is a non-fiction book that explores a real murder of a child in England in 1860. The author also explores the rise of the role of detective both in "real life" and in fiction. I'd definitely recommend this book to anyone who enjoys Wilkie Collins's books.

#52 The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield
This is a quick, easy read that I got into really quickly. I enjoyed the mysterious mood of the book and was having fun reading til the end of the book came. I just didn't find the ending very believable or satisfying. Kind of disappointing. It reminded me of how I felt at the end of The Lace Reader, though this was a better book overall.

The Thirteenth Tale was the first book we chose for our book club and we just had our discussion about it today. Everyone pretty much agreed that with your thoughts about the ending being somewhat unsatisfying. It seemed a little too neatly tied up. But we all really liked the story overall, too. Glad you enjoyed it!

#53, 54, 55
The Fellowship of the Ring, The Two Towers, The Return of the King by J.R.R. Tolkien

I had such a good time re-reading these. I hadn't read them since middle school and I'm glad I took the time to read them again. Lots of fun!

I read The Thirteenth Tale this year too and felt the same way. I was so sucked into it at the beginning and then the ending really bummed me out. By the way - congratulations on meeting your goal this year! See you in 2010!

Hi everyone! Thanks to everyone who followed my thread this year - it was fun to keep track of everything and I got so many great reading ideas from all of you.

I was especially excited to discover Margaret Atwood's writing, Anthony Trollope, and to rediscover Toni Morrison. I also really loved the non-fiction ER book, Annie's Ghosts, about discover hidden family history and as a study of the shocking treatment of mental health patients in the 20th century.

I'm going to make an attempt to do the 50 book challenge again, but I just had my first baby, William, on Dec 31 and so I'm not sure how much time I'll have. I'm too lame with this stuff to figure out how to link to it right now in my short window before feeding William again, but I'm "japaul22 50 book challenge" again if you want to keep an eye out for me.

Thanks and happy reading!!

japaul's new thread

It's a slow day here in the lab.

wow, thanks for the link!!! And, yes, in reply to the post on the other thread, I do get 6 weeks off work but I know it's going to fly by. And thanks for the hair comment!!