Issabeau's 2009 Give It A Try

"C'mon Get Happy; Fear and Loathing on the Partridge Family Bus" -- well, for someone who grew up wanting to marry David Cassidy because she believed all the sappy things Tiger Beat said about him and that every song he sang must be from the depth of his heart, this book was childhood put to rest (and about time). It was interesting just in remembering all my long lost hours dreaming of him and realizing now how far my fantasies were from the truth. Well, the guy seems to grown into an honest man. And it reminds to be tolerant of my own daughter's stars in her eyes about stars.

Hi, issabeau!
I remember how my dad used to tease me mercilessly for my crush on David Cassidy when I was a girl. :) Welcome to the 75 book challenge!
--BJ

Welcome to the group, Issabeau!

Welcome!

Issabeau
My crush and all out consumption was for Mickey Dolenz of the Monkees. My grandmother was ever so patient with me as she allowed me to tape photos from various teen magazines all over the walls of her victorian wall paper.

I was definitely a "Day Dream Believer"

here ya go

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kG34bDwJcVc

Thanks Beeg! This brought back many memories. They look ever so young in this youtube clip.

yeah, now I remember why I had a crush on Davy Jones.

Why?
I had a crush on Mickey Dolenz because I thought his pug nose was charmingly cute.

yeah, he was a close tie, till he changed his do.

I still go for the pretty boys.

I'm sure I'm still not getting this right...but I'm determined to keep trying. About computers, I can spell the word and turn one on and off. So, I just add 2 to my list:
*"Judas: A Biography"
*"Can I Tell You about Asperger's?" -- which was very informative for me professionally since I'm a psychotherapist.
So, now I'm up to 6. (Do you all do speed reading?)
And I wanted to thank people for understanding my newbieness.

Again, welcome. If you place brackets around the title of the book, you will see that it gets highlighted. Double brackets around the author's name will highlight that as well.

If you have questions, don't hesitate to ask. Most likely someone can help. And, we were all "newbies" at one time.

For example:

Can I Tell you about Asperger's by Jude Welton

Whisper1, thank you, thank you for your advice and, really, for your patience.

issabeau
Again, good to have you here. We are a friendly bunch and if one of us cannot help, another will.

#11: Glad to see you back, issabeau!

I echo Linda's sentiments in message 15 - this is a good group of people and we help each other out a lot.

I forgot from day l to put Mistress of the Monarchy by Alison Weir (I did it sort of) which I enjoyed -- I read a lot of historical fiction and especially the Tudor period but had missed reading much about the Duchess of Lancaster and Alison Weir is, I think, always information-packed. I also just finished William and Harry by Ingrid Seward (which is not The Riverside Shakespeare which just popped up under touchstones, but, oh well). And I love reading about the British royal family but ultimately this was just more of the same...which makes it sad a little that I still enjoyed it. So, 8 now.

Adding by Kathleen Gear O'Neal and her husband (?) Betrayal: The Life Of Jesus which I stayed up hours to read. Wish I remembered that speed reading class I took in middle school. Interesting fictionalized account for someone who is really into religiosity and religious fiction. I've liked others better though, like Marjorie Holmes.

New addition, having had no work and a whole day to read and spurred on by reading the David Cassidy book Life is What You Make It by Donny Osmond -- better for me than David Cassidy's especially as surprisingly to me he focused on his panic attacks, reminding me of patients of my own and, in fact, my own first panic attack at 15. Also, read with my daughter as a mom/dau thing Percy Jackson and the Sea of Monsters by Rick Riordan -- well, ok, at least I've always liked stories about the mythological beings.

You are reading some very interesting books. Panic Attacks are very real and not so fun!

Yes, you're right, Whisper 1, I've never, like Donny Osmond, had a panic attack I enjoyed. But I did learn from them, so that's something. In honor of Spring Break, my daughter are trying to quickly get in reading a series together. We had already read the first Perch Jackson and the Olympians book and she loved it. We read the 2nd this week and I can now add the 3rd (1 more to go until the next one comes out in May, I think): Percy Jackson and the Titan's Curse (The title suddenly went from my mind: I think that's right. I'm so proud when I see those letters turn blue because I was taught how to add brackets.) And this book I liked, as with the other two really, because I just love seeing my daughter enjoying moments and having them with her.

We did it before the end of Spring Break: The Battle of the Labyrinth

Oh, and Percy Jackson and the DemiGod Files

I am (im)patiently waiting for the third book in the Percy Jackson series to show up again at my local library. The audacity - someone else has it checked out when they know I am waiting for it! :)

And just when they know you have to hurry and read it (and the 4th) before the 5th and last comes out in May. The nerve...

Next, Everlasting in remembrance of Kathleen Woodiwiss who re-started reading for my friends and me with The Flame and Flower. And in remembrance of her, that's all I'll say.

Pastoral Counseling: A Gestalt Approach -- new techniques which I can always use

But I didn't read Tuck Everlasting (well, since I read it with my daughter years ago), so I'm not sure how that got there.

Fantasy Lover: an effort to make that connection with a just connected cousin's favorites books. Umm...but I know a lot of people like these (after all there are sequels upon sequels) and I thought I would because I like science fiction but it just didn't do anything for me.

#29: Kenyon's books did not do anything for me either. I tried several and just finally gave up.

Paranormal romance is NOT indicative of the field of fantasy as a whole. I haven't tried any Kenyon (don't read much in that area and haven't liked most of what I've read), but there is much better fantasy out there. The description sounded kind of squicky to me--was it?

I'm not sure what squicky means. I shouldn't have said I like science fiction -- I don't and therein I think is the problem. I like fantasy and there's a big difference but I wanted to find a meeting ground with this cousin. This just wasn't it. If you do like science fiction with lots of action and hardcore characters and not much of what I would discern as sentiment, this might be something a lot of people would like. Last night, I read a one-night read called The Suffering God (which is not the book denoted on the side) by Charles Orlich. It was wonderful. I'll read it again I'm sure. Looked at God as a near-person rather than an absolute entity, and I love books that look at God from different perspectives that give me a glimpse of the "why" other than what every preacher I know asserts. I loved it and it gave me hope.

Squicky= icky + squeamish

I DO like science fiction as well as fantasy, and I still don't like that stuff. I like science fiction with well-developed characters and interesting situations--have you tried Lois McMaster Bujold (science fiction and fantasy) or Elizabeth Moon (mostly science fiction, except for her Paks series) or Doris Egan's Gate of Ivory series? Connie Willis? The Psion series by Joan Vinge? Sharon Lee's Liaden universe? Sharon Shinn or Amy Thomson or Julie Czernada? There are as many different styles of science fiction as there are in the general field of literature. Kathleen Gear O'Neal wrote some good science fiction before she turned to other areas as well--I see you liked one of her books above.

I've read the Psion series and Sharon Lee and liked them. I guess you and I both just have different tastes from my cousin's.

Granted! If you liked those two, you really do need to try Bujold and Willis, in particular.

Thanks for the suggestion. I'll try them soon.

Cognitive Therapy with Children and Adolscents for work a good read.

Which one? My professional books are not in LT yet, and most of my therapy books are in my office at work.

by Mark Reinecke, the 2nd edition. I needed to read something espeically geared towards adolescents whom I find it difficult to work with. Do you? Maybe it's me making excuses for myself, but so many of them are there because the Court or the School or their parents want them there and they are totally disinvested in counseling? Are they easier for you? I'm also reading A Daughter's Love (not that one), about Thomas More and his daughter Meg.

I have it a lot easier, issabeau, because I work in an elementary district, so my counseling is with ages 5 through 13. Our 6th graders are morphing into teens, though, which gives them a lot more attitude. However, I've had very few who do not respond to the "are you happy with the results of your choices? Would you like to work on developing some more options for making decisions?" approach. I always emphasize that I cannot change them, I am not there to force them to change, but if they would like to develop more control over their own lives, I can help them develop some skills in that area. I also go over the control continuum--the more you are out of control, the more others will step in to control you. The more you are in control of yourself, the more others will step back and let you function. That often appeals to teens. If not, I ask if there is anything they would like to work on. If not, I pull out checkers or a puzzle (excellent activities for planning, problem solving, and making good choices). If not, I do something interesting while they sit there for the allotted time.

I'm glad I don't work with teens, though, because you are right--they have all these other independence issues and hormones on top of the basic issues. Still, once you can build a relationship, they have the potential to move a lot further a lot quicker than my younger children.

The teens I see, ronincats, are teens whose parents have abandoned them to the Department of Human Resources and they have been expelled from the public school system permanently. All foster homes have refused them and when I ask them, "Are you happy with the results of your choices, e.g. being locked up, having a record, being restrained daily," their answer almost invariably is yes. I think, culturally, this is the norm for them. I try to focus on the control continuum as you've suggested, but the concept seems to allude them (many are borderline) -- or maybe I'm making excuses for my counseling. They are so different from any children I've encountered -- and my daughter is their age. But that's no excuse, thus the reading, which I hope will help me help them more. Thanks for the advice. I'm going to think about control principles to them more and in different ways.

Yes, you definitely have the most difficult and alienated children to work with. And they do have their own culture, whose main goal is to off ours regardless of the cost. You might consider some sort of pet therapy, at least for some of them. I have seen kittens and puppies bring out the sensitive side of kids I didn't think had one--gangbangers can go all soft. Not all of yours, I'm sure, but maybe some of them. Maybe you could coordinate with the humane society or animal shelter to have them help care for something weak and helpless.

Oh, no -- and I notice your name is ronincats (which I can actually only guess at the meaning of) -- I have this strong, strange phobia of cats (that's had me without effect in therapy). If that's my answer, I might have to start looking for a new career. Or I'll have to stick with the control continuum or just pray.

Wicked by Gregory Macquire -- a very moving read for me as it centers on being different from others and how it effects you psychologically -- the story of my house

Black Swan: The 12 Lessons of Abandonment Recovery by Susan Anderson

The Joy of Imperfection -- I never noticed until I begn this that I seemingly read almost no fiction. I'll have to work on that a little.

@47: Issabeau, I am sure you can find several thousand recommendations for fiction in this group :)

Oh, yeah. Just in looking at the 10 favorites/10 best lists. But what I'm finding I think, especially as I was an English major, is that I just prefer non-fiction without ever having thought about it before. I looked at that list and thought: Boy, my reading sensibilities are not in alignment with this group at all; I missed a key understanding of how to appreciate good literature in attaining that degree because I hated Lord of the Rings -- I'd rather beat my head against a wall than read any part of it again; I dislike The Chronicles of Narnia; I hate most of Shakespeare (but not as much as Lord of the Rings). I am drawn it seems to history, biography, self-help (obviously) and light historical fiction (at times) (and perhaps sadly to say some books written on a teen level (what does that say about me? I'll have to think), especially vamire themed ones). But as I said, I'm going to slowly try to re-introduce myself to some well written fiction and try to find a delight in it I had not found before. Maybe just classics are not for me. I'll see.

There are enough genres and authors of good, quality fiction out there that I do not think you will have a problem finding someone whose work you really enjoy. Since you mention historical fiction, you might try someone like Sharon Kay Penman or Jean Plaidy whose books are very good.

On the other hand, if you prefer to stick to nonfiction, I do not see why you should force yourself to switch to fiction :)

Some of my favorite professional authors are Harriet Goldhor Lerner, The Dance of Anger and sequels, Paul Watzlawick, Change: Principles of Problem Formation and Problem Resolution, and Virginia Satir, The New Peoplemaking. All of them led to a better understanding of myself and of the process of change in people. I also wonder if you have read any books by Salvador Minuchin, the developer of structural family therapy. He worked primarily with families who were court-ordered to go through therapy and were thus reluctant participators for the most part, much like your population, and developed a whole series of techniques which might be applicable to your clientele.

No, you're right, I'm ok with who I am -- if I'm basically a non-fiction person (who writes long responses), then that's who I am. I just don't want to become too tunnel-visioned (I mean I had never even noticed) -- and I wish I could make a list of 10/10, but I realized I didn't have 10 favorite fiction books. That's a little sad to me. I will try Sharon Kay Penman whom I don't think I've ever even heard of. Thanks for the recommendation.

I've honestly read little of that. The Dance of Anger I've read but I don't think I've read any of the others (I'll have to raid my co-workers bookshelves). Salvador Minuchin I would especially think I would know of...but I don't. I don't work much with families as a unit. I've read The Family Crucible and Harville Hendrix's book on parents working with children and a few other "fix your kids" books ("Have a New Kid in 5 Days" because so many of my clients were reading it), but I mostly work with individuals (if the family is seen, we have another therapist see the family so there won't be any thought of favoritism). I'll look through your suggestions -- thanks.

Issabeau, I've only joined this group (and LT) within the last year or so, and I also discovered that I seem to be drawn to non-fiction. It's been that way for years and I never noticed it until I heard people say "my goal this year is to read more non-fiction". This group has helped me feel more balanced - plus I also took on a personal challenge to read all of Agatha Christie's books. Those are short and quick and it makes my fiction to non-fiction ratio look more balanced!!
Just wanted to let you know you're not the only one!

It feels good not to be alone. Thanks for telling me.

Just, just finished reading Mary, Called Magdalene by Margaret George. Non-fiction and not read for my kids' entertainment. I enjoyed it; I like the time period, the Biblical setting (not all the Biblical divergences and paradoxically not the emphasis on demon possession which I have to believe was actually seizures or something --or God will tell me different one day). But it was not all-engrossing. The character did not draw me in as much as I had thought she would and I found myself wanting to hear more about the other characters than about Mary, just what the book did not want from me. I wanted to read her story; I didn't want her story to come almost at the exclusion of others' which it seemed to. But maybe I'll read another Margaret George book, which I've heard good things about. Plan to start The Red Tent tomorrow -- biblical fiction run.

I read The Red Tent last year and found that while it wasn't spectacular, some of the descriptions of situations and events from the eyes of the main character were particularly poignant and have stuck with me ever since. It certainly challenged my perspective on a few things, and while I didn't agree with all the things she wrote into the book, there were many aspects that I believe to be quite plausible, given the time period (and which my training in Near Eastern archaeology finds agreement with). I'm very glad I read it, and plan to re-read it again in a few years... I hope you enjoy it too! I'll be back to see what you think. :)

I had meant to start reading The Red Tent today but got distracted by finally reading Listening to Prozac and about time. I saw it on another therapist's desk and picked it up. No excuse for a therapist to be just reading this about which I can say only: oh, ok, so many years later; it's nothing new. But it would be like going through life and never having read Shakespeare; you just can't.

The Red Tent by Anita Diamant. Well, it sure wasn't Genesis's tale of Dinah. I read it in one night and I found it a really enjoyable read (disappointing me to find that (unless she's written since) her other books seem to be non-fiction) but not something that I think will stick with me or that I would ever want to read again. I loved hearing about the culture of the time but when she left the family and went to Egypt the story lost its central point of interest for me, and while obviously forgiveness was found at the very end (and I'm sure I'm underplaying how much such a tragedy would affect me), it was heartbreaking that she totally cut herself off from her entire family because of the actions of the brothers and Jacob. That Joseph had so much seeming enmity towards his father I did not understand. The inability to forgive people who were ignorant of others' behaviors was inexplicable to my heart. And would Dinah really have thought so little of having sex with someone without her father's approval and not expected some anger or reprisal in that day? I wouldn't have thought so but maybe I'm wrong. I might peruse one of the books discussing the books' themes.

Who Switched Off My Brain? by Caroline Leaf. A cursory look, I thought, at cognitive behavioral therapy in the last 1/3 but a good look at how and why the brain affects emotions as it does. If I had a store, I'd hand it out to many clients as a primer.

The Last Queen by C.W. Gortner -- my usual type of fiction if I'm going to read fiction and it was pretty good and about a time period I rarely venture into.

His Lovely Wife byElizabeth Dewberry. Surprisingly thought-provoking. And sometimes requiring on my part a lot of focus as the interwoven theme of string theory intermingles with the story of the woman who sort of looks like Diana and sees her the day she dies, leaving her to reflect upon (and even seem to hear Diana's thought in her own head) the similarities between their own experiences. Not your usual Princess Diana book.

The Audacity of Hope by Barack Obama. Truthfully, as big a fan of Obama's as I am, I found it tough to get through, a commentary on myself I'm sure and my limitations in terms of what captures my attention and interest.

Might as Well Laugh Now by Marie Osmond -- nothing to say

Hi issabeau. Just found your thread. I am a psychologist too, like ronincats. You have read some interesting books so far, and I look forward to following your thread. Nice to read about other people who remember Mickey Dolenz and David Cassidy.

Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll -- actually a re-read by I did read it to help with a finals essay on "Sexuality in Alice in Wonderland"

Lover Avenged by J. R. Ward

Handle With Care by Jodi Piccoult -- resonanted since the story had so many similarities with my own.

Lucky Man: A Memoir by Michael J. Fox -- certainly led me to stop feeling so sorry for me and mine

Dead and Gone by Charlaine Harris Maybe my favorite in the series so far, the old romantic book reader in me coming out, because I want her to end up with Eric. Also, the ever-present vampire book reader in me coming out. A commentary on my taste, I literally couldn't put it down. Now that I watch the series though, it throws me to note the differences between the books and the tv program -- I have to pause and remember what the dynamics and relationships really are between characters. (And some I like better on the series.)

The Last Olympian by Rick Riordan

The Book Thief by Marcus Marcus Zusak

I hope you enjoyed The Book Thief. It's one of my favorites.

I did enjoy The Book Thief, but this is what I have learned this year: reading at this pace is not conducive to my really enjoying a book: I don't remember elements in the book or even passages that really moved me as I would if I read at my regular pace of a book every two weeks or so. So, I've lived and learned. My last (for me) read-it-fast book was Jesus: An Interview Across Time -- which was ok; it is always interesting to read how someone else envisions God/Jesus, what they think the inner workings of their mind would be like, what they think their understanding of issues would be, how they feel they would communicate.

When I first started this group, I felt a certain amount of pressure to read a lot and to read it very fast. I wasn't enjoying it much and have decided that this is not a competition, and the priority is to enjoy. I've also stopped reading several books at a time and have learned to savor only the one I'm currently reading. It's about pleasure not pressure, so happy reading!

You know, lorie, everyone told me when I first started this and realized a little after the fact, what I had undertaken, and I decided that I wouldn't even try to reach the goal. I was just going to read. But I'm pretty close to being on trach to reach 75 and I'm just pressureing myself. I am going to do this I have decided. And then, next year, I'll wander down to 50 a year and exhale as I enjoy the moderated pace (or even 25 a year if there is one). But this I am determined to do or fall out trying. Well, and so I say in May. By July/August (especially as I don't really take a vacation), I may be eating my words.

God's Love Languages by Gary Chapman -- ok, nothing really new, derivative I thought

#78: I try and tell everyone that although it is called the 75 books challenge, for the most part we just enjoy sharing our reading with each other. Most of us (but certainly not all), consider 75 just to be a number. I hope you take the pressure off yourself and just enjoy the discussions here in the group!

You've told me and told me, but some of us are just compulsive. My latest book is Paul Newman: A Life by Shawn Levy. I love biographies and this one told me things I never would have expected and gained new a new regard from me for Joanne Woodward. Quick turn-aroud -- must have been in a macabre fashion waiting for his death.

The Invisible Man gave me insight not so much into my reality as a Black person (woman) but into what may have been the reality for people like my father who never talked about it but wore it like a second skin, cumbersome and something that can be peeled away. My father is dead, but envisioning it in that way, gave me possible insight into my father that I never had when he was alive.

#82: The Invisible Man sounds good. I will have to look for that one. Thanks for the recommendation, issabeau!

ETA: If you have not yet read W.E.B. DuBois' The Souls of Black Folk I highly recommend it. I read it last year and although written almost 80 years ago, still found large portions of it pertinent to today.

msg. 78: hmmm that is the dilemma isn't it? I hate pressuring myself to read faster than my usual one per week (which means four in a month - I would never make it to 75, only 50) but I also really want to reach 75 since it's the first time I'm doing the challenge. So...I've increased the hours dedicated to reading but not by so much that it becomes a chore, just a little above my average. And what I do if I'm behind is I just read shorter novels for a bit, or throw in a novella that month - so far I've pretty much thrown in a novella every month ;) Just don't pressure yourself SO much that you don't enjoy it anymore!

Happy reading
Eliza

Ah! 75 or bust! When I started here at the beginning of this year, I had no idea whether 75 was going to be a realistic target. I'd never counted before, so it was difficult to form expectations.

I'm currently on 43 (I think), and well on track for 75. And, I'm happy to say that I have not pressured myself to read more, or picked shorter books to boost my total. In fact, the books I've read this year have, if anything, been slightly longer; and I've actually had less time to read at home due to the new baby! I only average a dozen pages a week at home, with 99% of my reading done on my daily commute!

If anything, what this community has done for me is expand my field of reading. I have at least 12 books at home now that I would never have though to read had it not been for you lot! :)

#85 Thats one of the best things about LT: enjoying a book that you normally wouldn't read because you HAVE to find out why someone else loved it! Since most of my friends are not big readers (at least not as much as I am!), I really appreciate checking out recommendations from folks on LT.

Peter and Lorie..Your comments are very true! My reading interests have expanded and I found new genres that I previously would not have read.
This is a great place!

I did read it, alcottacre. It was must-reading in my house. My father disowned all children who had not read it by high school. (But I've forgotten a lot.)

Eliza, it is a conundrum, but your idea sounds like a good one and I think I'll start rifling through more novellas. Thanks

And a new baby too! I think you deserve a reward or something at the very least.

#88: Maybe a re-read? And good for your father!

Maybe a re-read. I just finished, finally, Christ: A Crisis in the Life of God by Jack Miles. I loved his first book, its forcing the reader to look at the actions of God from a different perspective (well, I guess you can't force). This was more difficult for me because of my own belief system. It is relatively to be asked to go along on a ride questioning a number of the beliefs in the Old Testament (at least for me). It's harder to open your mind enough to look at Christ's crucifixion as suicide -- but, of course (it seems to me), it was or He was not Christ. He gave up His life, not even martyr-like as He could have willed His body to continue living forever. Such points of view were harder to make myself willing to explore and will certainly require a second reading. It was certainly stimulating and I found it a very important book. Some people, though they don't know it now, will be getting it from me for Christmas (hah - timing).

The Disowned Self by Nicholas Branden. A surprisingly quick read since it was so chock-full of case hx's and strategems -- his fill in the blank technique I've used already and found it quite effective. Nothing else really new(maybe because it was written in 1972) but I found the title interesting and it didi present some concepts in concise, spot-on terminology so that I dog-eared it and made it a part of my work library.

All right -- 50 - 25 to go (a reminder to myself)

Congratulations on reaching your 50th book!

Thank you. I'm...relieved. And here's 51: Illusions by Richard Bach, a short, very short, book for an old Johnathon Livingston Seagull fan.

issabeau.
Your post regarding Illusions brought back memories! I read this a long, long time ago.

Whisper1, it did for me too. It was, I'll say touching, to read it and remember how moved I was by Jonathan Bach's writing when I was a teenager. I reflect on my reflecting and felt old but could smile about it. I'm adding Renegade: The Making of a President by Richard Wolfe. I kept waiting for it to congeal or to tell me substantively more than I already knew from following the campaign during the campain. And maybe this is a reflection of my reading it more quickly than my own processing ability is comfortable with, but I finished knowing only that the media (or at least Wolfe) often felt that Obama was not that engaged in the process or necessarily interested in the outcome. The rest was re-hashed but with quotes. Maybe next year I'll re-read everythng I've read this year, and more slowly, and will uncover morsels I've missed.

I'm not even adding this book to my library. I should probably feel ashamed to have read it, but I admit I was curious. So, I read If I Did It -- OJ Simpson's sort of confession. There is one chapter on the actual day of the murders and one chapter following on the car chase and interrogation. It's ironic that I'm sure he doesn't read it as a study in the abusive mind set, but what left my mouth agape was the chapter on the murders in which he says someone he will call Charlie went with him and, without much anger beforehand -- more like much irritation -- he has a sort of blackout, comes to, looks around and sees these dead people and himself covered with blood, despite being "out of it," he has the wherewithal to tell Charlie exactly what he need to do to cover it all up and to take roads unknown to others and play his own part in covering it up, falls fast asleep on the plane (never wondering about his children who are alone in a house with a broken security gate and unlocked back door when he has been so worried about their mother exposing them to drug dealers and nefarious people) and then wakes the next day seemingly amazed at the knowledge that his ex-wife is dead and indignant that people believe him capable of this. What? What?? He sure can curse.

Strokes of Genius: Federrer and Nadal and the Greatest Match Ever Played I really liked this book. I love tennis but I know nothing about it technically; I just play. This book helped me understand why I was so enthralled by that match last year, which I especially appreciated as it looks like there won't be a repeat with Nadal's knee injury. And my reading was good timing as the re-played part of the match after the French Open men's finals last week so viewing went hand in hand with my reading.

Columbinie by Dave Cullen. How dispiriting to find how wrongly reported this story/tragedy was and that many people will always believe what they initially heard, crediting legitimate news sources and that others would never have heard the true story had it not been for Dave Cullen's 10 years of inexhaustible research. And how scary the real story is. Both kids remind me so much of some kids I see in therapy. It made me heartsick because it had such a ring of truth in the end.

#101: I have that one home from the library now to read. It seems to be making the rounds in the group at present.

Yup. Cullen just did an author chat too. I think he broke the record for longest/most posts in an author chat by about an order of magnitude. Lots of folks jumped in on that one!

I read Columbine last month and thought it was very well done.

Devil's Daughter by Amber Benson (not Catherine Coulte). It was time for something light. And this was light. I don't know why I thought Amber Benson might have some of same wit and subtext Joss Whedon has just because she spent some time on Buffy the Vampire Slayer (well, she has been making a name for herself in production/script writing), but I didn't find that punch here and was a little disappinted. But it was light.

I hope your next read is better for you Issabeau!

Thank you -- it was. I just finished Now Face to Face by Karleen Koen. I read the prequel a couple of weeks ago and just wanted to see how it all ended. I didn't like the "in America" part but it was so much more redemptive in spirit than Through a Glass Darkly, more hopeful and I liked that. I found Bab a character with actual dimensions - a female character - and that was a positive. I'm trying to learn not to give away plot points, so I'll just say that. I gave it the same rating as Through A Glass Darkly but actually I liked it more. The ending felt rushed though.

The first time I've ever been able to post two books at once -- they were both such short reads: Resilience by Ellizabeth Edwards. It was so honest and yet had boundaries. It did not let us go to places that would have made us voyeurs. Reading this made her a hero for me -- a hero being simiply a person who deals with all life throws at them and keeps on not just existing but living. And Death: A Life by George Engle I think (not the book listed. It was a funny little book -- funny, odd and funny, funny. Sacriligeous but so over the top that that was easy to overlook. And yet underneath the silliness were some real questions about why God allows life to be as it is, who is the "good guy." It was a provocative hour of reading.

PostSecrets: Confessions of Life, Death and of God -- a Postsecrets book, the quickets of quick reads but with every once in a while a short saying that really resonates

One Day My Soul Just Opened Up by Iyanla Vanzant did not especially lead me towards any great insights or enlightenment, but I could see that it might for certain clients. I think I'll read something else by her before opinion-forming. But the book I listed above, Death: A Life grows in my estimation the more I think about it. Overlooking certain personas that as a devout Christian I found not-even-funny (but I understoond his point in characterizing them so), this was a book that looks at some questions I think most of us Christians, including myself, skirt, like: Well, really, God, is it a good enough answer to say that we have no right to ask You why You subject us to a life that may and may not end in hell, depending on what we do with this free will thing you've given us, because you are the potter and we are the clay and we therefore have no business asking. But you knew we would before You created us; but why give us brains if You didn't want us to use them in this respect? This book I will read again.

Marked by P.C. Cast -- it didn't draw me in but my daughter liked it. We're re-reading Harry Potter 6 in preparation for seeing the movie in a few weeks so I hope re-reading counts.

RE: re-reading HP. That reminds me. I've got to get on that and be ready for the movie, too.

Never Drank the Kool Aid by Toure. I have long loved this man as an entertainment (music) reporter for CNN. I'm glad I discovered he has written this book - a compilation of articles he's written for Rolling Stone - as well as 2 fiction novels. His writing is genuine and seemingly well informed with a take on performers that is all his own.

Soul City by Toure -- imaginative, an interesting conceit but it feels like an unfinished draft and was not all I had hoped for. His voice gets lost in places it seems. I am believing that I will like his other book (of short stories) more -- I've heard great things about it and am really looking forward to reaidng it.

The Portable Promised Land by Toure. Ah, there's his voice. A sometimes over the top look at the lives of African Americans from his make-believe and whimsical perspective, but so original and fresh. I hope he write something else soon and I hope he becomes as successful an author of fiction as he has become a critic of the music industry.

#115: That one looks very good. Thanks for the recommendation!

I did really like The POrtable Promised Land. I hope he writes and is published again soon. Finished re-reading J.K. Rowling's {Harry Potter and The Half Blood Prince. Still my least favorite.

Dark Angels by Karleen Koen. An "in the beginning" story that shows Grandmama to be much as I had thought she would be, no saint and certainly three-dimensional. It was a good overview (though in a fiction book) of the time of Oliver Cromwell and King Charles -- at least I think it was. I liked it less than her other two books -- I missed familiar characters, but it was, overall, entertaining.

The Dark is Rising by Susan Cooper. I read this because Newsweek (?) listed it as one of the alternative 25 new classics. I found it to have little character development and that therefore the adventure didn't enthral me. It seemed overblown and I had a hard time caring about the circles that were found or the grail or harp or whatever are left to be found. How could Will have so quickly adjusted to the knowledge that he is not 11 but an Old One? I'm not at all interested in reading the sequels, but I'm sure there are people in love with this book. I'm just not one of them.

I just finished reading Resilience by Elizabeth Edwards, and I agree it was well-done.

As a reader, I felt she devoted an inordinate amount of time on the death of her child. I gather of all the adversity she has faced, the Wade's death was the most painful.

I also like the way she handled her husband's affair in the book. I was relieved that she didn't subject the reader to sordid details.

She really handled it all with dignity, didn't she? I just finished Getting a Grip by Monica Seles. Only read it, I'd say, it you really like to read about tennis celebrities (as I do) or if you are just dying to read about yet another star who wants to vent regarding some things that are tmi. But I've always loved Monica Seles, as a player and I couldn't pass it up.

740 Park: The Story of the World's Richest Apartment Building by Michael Gross. I read this thinking it would be gossipy and it was but about people I couldn't have cared less about except Jackie Kennedy's family (her grandfather owned the building). I blame myself and don't know quite who I thought I'd be reading gossipy tid bits about except the people he wrote about: a lot about the Rockefellers. I was thinking of celebrities of that time I guess. So, I didn't like it.

I hope you like your next read better, issabeau!

The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein. I want everyone I know to read this book. Enzo sure could teach us all something about humanity and hope perseverance. I cried and cried and can't wait to read it again and cry some more.

I obtained this book from my library and then had to return it before reading it. I'll check it out again and finish it this time.

I like your comments.

Glad you enjoyed The Art of Racing in the Rain. I read it last year and especially liked that it was from Enzo's point of view.

Seven Crows and Chaos Bleeding -- got a Buffy boxed set for my birthday and just had to get a Buffy fix.

Michael Jackson by Randy J. Taraborelli I already realize I am voyeristic or I would never have read this. But, assuming the author doesn't work for the National Enquirer on the side, it was really interesting, and not just about Michael but about the entire family. Who knew the father had had another child about 20 years ago? Images of Michael Jackson hiding in corners because he was scared to meet people. It was a long read (over 600 pages - for me that's long), but I enjoyed it.

Oh, I just counted my several threads, and that's my 75. Whew. Now, I'll go back to reading one or two a month.

Congrats!