Book a Week in 2012 - week 27

[Robin M]

Good Morning, Dolls! Today is the start of week 27 in our quest to read 52 books in 52 weeks. Welcome back to all our readers, welcome to all those just joining in and to all who are following our progress. Mr. Linky is all set up on the 52 books blog to link to your reviews.

 

52 Books Blog - Make Good Art:

giving commencement speech to 2012 University of the Arts graduates. He's quiet, but eloquent and humorous. Well worth watching. Love this comment:

 

""Be wise, because the world needs more wisdom. And if you cannot be wise, pretend to be someone wise, and then just behave like they would."

 

And speaking of creativity - this can apply to books as well, Inky bites is doing a 31 days to recharge creative batteries. I'll be posting about it here. Join in.

 

Happy July! Besides July 4th being independence day, did you know July is also Anti-Boredom Month, National Eye Safety Month, National Foreign Language Month and Read An Almanac Month?

 

What are you reading this week?

 

 

 

 

Link to week 26

Edited July 1, 2012 by Mytwoblessings

[Robin M]

Speaking of July 4th, just received an email from audible.com highlighting patriotic thrillers:

 

Vince Flynn - American Assassin

Nelson DeMille - The Lion's Game

Tom Clancy - Act of Valor

Brad Thor - Full Black

Ben Coes - Power Down

Robert Littell - The Company

Joseph Finder - The Zero Hour

Andrew Peterson - First to Kill

Web Griffin - Semper Fi

Gayle Lynds - the Last Spymaster

David Baldacci -Zero Day

Howard E. Wasdin - Seal Team Six

 

Some of my favorite authors on the list and some have been meaning to read. Check one out this week.

[-M-]

What are you reading this week?

 

#67 The Age of Miracles (Karen Thompson Walker)

 

And, thanks to your suggestion that we check out the bestsellers from the week we were born, I may (finally) get around to Mary McCarthy's The Group, which sounds like such a poolside / beach book, doesn't it?

 

Complete list of books read in 2012 here.

Edited July 1, 2012 by Mental multivitamin
To add a link

[Robin M]

I'm currently reading Vicki Pettersson's paranormal thriller The Taken.

 

Finished Kay Hooper's Hunting Fear (#7 Bishop special crimes), K.T. Ellison's

Judas Kiss (#3 Taylor Jackson) and Alafair Burke's Dead Connections (#1 Ellie Hatcher)

 

Here's my list for the year so far. Most of the ebooks are between 200 - 300 pages long so easy to read in a day.

[Just Robyn]

Finished one book this week:

 

49.) Knowing and Teaching Elementary Mathematics by Liping Ma - I'd consider this book an eye opener. I would never have guessed that it was so bad that math teachers in the public schools here couldn't come up with an activity to help students understand carrying/borrowing (or regrouping, or whatever you want to call it), or that they simply didn't remember how to calculate the area and perimeter of a rectangle (a rectangle!). I wish she had a bigger sample, and since she looked into how the Chinese teachers spent their time and how they used the textbooks, I would have liked to hear the same information from the American teachers.

[Kareni]

I'm almost finished with Everything I Know about Love I Learned from Romance Novels by Sarah Wendell. It's a light and entertaining read.

 

I re-read Unraveled by Courtney Milan; this is the concluding volume of a three book historical romance series. I enjoyed them all.

 

I also read and enjoyed A Lot Like Love by Julie James which is a contemporary romance.

 

Regards,

Kareni

[Mothersweets]

I finally finished At Home by Bill Bryson - yay! I loved it and learned so many interesting things. I know my dh is glad I finished the book because I would have to "share" all the little interesting tidbits Bryson writes as I came across them. I'm planning on looking for another of his books at the library. Any suggestions?

 

I also read Moonraker's Bride by Madeline Brent. I was looking for something in the vein as Nine Coaches Waiting by Mary Stewart and ran across a recommendation for it. I loved it! It drew me right in, had a little bit of suspense/mystery and clean romance. Jane Eyre it's not, but I like reading something like this now and again. Fun, easy read.

[Onceuponatime]

I just finished The Greatest Prayer by John Dominic Crossan, very thought provoking.

 

I picked up The Physics of Christianity and am finding it to be way out there, literally and figuratively. I want to say, "Really....really?"

[porque]

#45 Cry, The Beloved Country I enjoyed this. This was set in South Africa, I believe during the beginning of WWII, just before Apartheid became an official policy. It was the story of a man trying to save/keep his family together during a time when his country also seemed to be falling apart. Once again brought home my lack of historical knowledge.

[ariasmommy]

#25 - 100 Cupboards by N. D. Wilson. Not quite my cup of tea, but I'm pre-reading them for my dd, and it was interesting enough that I've started the next book in the series.

 

#26 - Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World that Can't Stop Talking by Susan Cain. As others have said this book was very validating. :) Here's a couple of my favorite quotes:

"So when introverts assume the observer role, as when they write novels, or contemplate unified field theory - or fall quiet at dinner parties - they're not demonstrating a failure of will or a lack of energy. They're simply doing what they're constitutionally suited for."

"Love is essential; gregariousness is optional."

[Just Robyn]

I'm almost finished with Everything I Know about Love I Learned from Romance Novels by Sarah Wendell. It's a light and entertaining read.

 

Regards,

Kareni

 

Oh, I enjoyed Beyond Heaving Bosoms so much! I wish my library had this one too!

[Ali in OR]

This is the time of year that I slow down on reading. I have my disabled dd home full time and just have less time to read, so I haven't checked in the past couple of weeks. I did finish up 3 this week, 2 that I've had out from the library for a month. I currently have an Amazon Prime trial membership and borrowed Mockingjay for free--read it in two days! I didn't think I would like it based on the reviews I read, but I did not find it as depressing as other people did. I thought it ended on a relatively positive note. The other two I finished were the first Jane Austen mystery by Stephanie Barron and The Vitamin D Solution by Michael Hollick. I like the mystery and have checked out another from the library (not the second since they don't have that one; I think it's the third). I also learned a lot about Vitamin D from the other, though it's not exactly an exciting read.

 

Still working on Anna Karenina! I think I hit the 80% mark. I'm reading Henry V in anticipation of seeing it soon, and I'll be reading the Jane Austen mystery on the treadmill. Oh, and I'm reading The House of the Seven Gables to see if I want to include it in our home school reading this fall.

 

Books Read in 2012 (* = contenders for my 2012 Top Ten)

43. Mockingjay-Suzanne Collins

42. The Vitamin D Solution-Michael F. Holick

41. Jane and the Unpleasantness at Scargrave Manor-Stephanie Barron

40. Suspense and Sensibility-Carrie Bebris

39. Catching Fire-Suzanne Collins

38. Pride and Prescience-Carrie Bebris

37. The Night Circus-Erin Morgenstern*

36. Houskeeping-Marilynne Robinson

35. Death Comes to Pemberley-P.D. James

34. The Language of Flowers-Vanessa Diffenbaugh*

33. The Peach Keeper-Sarah Addison Allen

32. 11/22/63-Stephen King*

31. The Adventures of Tom Sawyer-Mark Twain

30. Quiet-Susan Cain*

29. The Paris Wife-Paula McLain

28. The Girl Who Chased the Moon-Sarah Addison Allen

27. The Feast Nearby-Robin Mather

26. The Sugar Queen-Sarah Addison Allen

25. The Invention of Hugo Cabret-Brian Selznick

24. The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks-Rebecca Skloot*

23. The Hunger Games-Suzanne Collins

22. Not a Fan-Kyle Idleman

21. Wildwood-Colin Meloy

20. Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children-Ransom Riggs

19. The Mysterious Affair at Styles-Agatha Christie

18. A String in the Harp-Nancy Bond

17. The Art of Hearing Heartbeats-Jan-Philipp Sendker*

16. The Lacuna-Barbara Kingsolver*

15. I Am Half-Sick of Shadows-Alan Bradley

14. Garden Spells-Sarah Addison Allen

13. The Prince and the Pauper-Mark Twain

12. Romeo and Juliet-William Shakespeare

11. The Shallows-Nicholas Carr

10. The Handmaid’s Tale-Margaret Atwood

9. Mudbound-Hillary Jordan*

8. The Other Wind-Ursula Le Guin

7. What the Dog Saw-Malcolm Gladwell

6. The Tenant of Wildfell Hall-Anne Bronte

5. Tehanu-Ursula Le Guin

4. The Scarlet Pimpernel-Baroness Orczy

3. The Paleo Diet-Loren Cordain

2. Peter Pan-James Barrie

1. The Farthest Shore-Ursula Le Guin

[dangermom]

I think I finished all my readalongs this week, so:

 

Warbreaker, by Brandon Sanderson (fun!)

Madame Bovary, Gustave Flaubert (excellent, sad)

A Farewell to Arms, Hemingway (bleh)

 

Also, Little Women and Horten's Miraculous Mechanisms, a very nice children's book.

 

I'm now 200 pages from the end of Bleak House (which is 800 pages long). Boy it's good.

[Rosie_0801]

Finished one book this week:

 

49.) Knowing and Teaching Elementary Mathematics by Liping Ma - I'd consider this book an eye opener. I would never have guessed that it was so bad that math teachers in the public schools here couldn't come up with an activity to help students understand carrying/borrowing (or regrouping, or whatever you want to call it), or that they simply didn't remember how to calculate the area and perimeter of a rectangle (a rectangle!). I wish she had a bigger sample, and since she looked into how the Chinese teachers spent their time and how they used the textbooks, I would have liked to hear the same information from the American teachers.

 

If the US is anything like here, they spend their time doing secretarial work.

 

I'm still working on my Quantum Zoo book. Had to take a break. There's only so much quantum physics and cosmology a Rosie can handle before breakfast!

 

Rosie

[VeganCupcake]

#67 The Age of Miracles (Karen Thompson Walker)

 

And, thanks to your suggestion that we check out the bestsellers from the week we were born, I may (finally) get around to Mary McCarthy's The Group, which sounds like such a poolside / beach book, doesn't it?

 

Complete list of books read in 2012 here.

 

I loved the bestseller suggestion, too! I read Ragtime by E.L. Doctorow. It took me a while to get into it, but I really enjoyed it.

 

I finally finished At Home by Bill Bryson - yay! I loved it and learned so many interesting things. I know my dh is glad I finished the book because I would have to "share" all the little interesting tidbits Bryson writes as I came across them. I'm planning on looking for another of his books at the library. Any suggestions?

 

 

My favorite Bill Bryson is A Walk in the Woods. I recently read I'm a Stranger Here Myself and didn't find it quite as interesting and funny--perhaps because some of the material seemed a little dated.

 

I'm reading When Women Were Birds by Terry Tempest-Williams. It was recommended on the local NPR station's summer reading list. I've never read any of her work before and I don't know why not because she's a local-to-me writer and her work is great. I may pick up Refuge next.

[VeganCupcake]

aggieamy, I saw in last week's thread that you were wondering if the narrator or the book was the problem with Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet. It's the book, not the narrator. This book cannot be saved by good reading. :lol: The writing is awful. Too many flowery similes, too much is stated and restated, characters' actions and motivations often seem improbable. There was a terrible anachronism in the second chapter that pretty much ruined it all for me, but I hear that's been fixed in later editions.

 

But one of my friends from book club said she thinks it's a nice story. DH says I'm a literary snob, since I can't see past bad writing to enjoy a "nice story". ;) So be it.

[Rosie_0801]

I finally finished The Quantum Zoo!

 

I should be feeling exhilarated by the awesomeness of the cosmos, but really, I'm feeling kind of flat because probably everything I ever tell my kids will be a big, fat, Newtonian lie. :001_huh:

 

And now, I'd like to take a nap to get over the quantum physics induced headache. I'm sure it is all character building or something though. :p

 

Rosie

[luvnlattes]

I finished 2 books this week.

 

#22 was Die for You by Lisa Unger. The story was completely plot-driven and the characters were nothing special. The whole time I read it I could picture a movie in my head. All in all it was okay, but nothing special.

 

#23 was The Christmas Blessing by Donna VanLiere. My sister gave me this book a couple of years ago as a Christmas present and it's sat on my bookshelf ever since. I'm horrible about having books on my shelf that I never get around to reading. I decided I would use this one to complete the "V" portion of my Reading through the Alphabet challenge. It was a tear-jerker, nothing deep, but heartwarming in its own way.

 

The book I started yesterday was a total yawn so I'm not sure what will be up next. I'm going to check my bookshelves again.

[Kareni]

Oh, I enjoyed Beyond Heaving Bosoms so much! I wish my library had this one {Everything I Know about Love I Learned from Romance Novels by Sarah Wendell.} too!

 

Does your library accept purchase suggestions? It's a light read, but fun. As an alternative, are you familiar with the author's website? It's Smart *****es Trashy Books.

 

 

I finally finished At Home by Bill Bryson - yay! I loved it and learned so many interesting things. ... I'm planning on looking for another of his books at the library. Any suggestions?

 

 

My favorite Bryson book is The Mother Tongue - English And How It Got That Way; it's a fun read about the English language.

 

Regards,

Kareni

[aggieamy]

I finally finished At Home by Bill Bryson - yay! I loved it and learned so many interesting things. I know my dh is glad I finished the book because I would have to "share" all the little interesting tidbits Bryson writes as I came across them. I'm planning on looking for another of his books at the library. Any suggestions?

 

 

See below.

 

 

My favorite Bill Bryson is A Walk in the Woods. I recently read I'm a Stranger Here Myself and didn't find it quite as interesting and funny--perhaps because some of the material seemed a little dated.

 

 

:iagree:. I've also read his Notes from a Small Island and didn't like it as much. It seemed like he spent the entire book complaining about all the things he didn't like about England only to put two paragraphs at the end saying how much he was going to miss it. :glare:

 

Thank you to everyone that recommended 84, Charing Cross by Helene Hanff. It was such a sweet lovely book and I flew through it. The last few pages though - *sob*. I don't know what kind of ending I was expecting but that wasn't it.

 

I'm also slowly moving through Stein on Writing. What a great book though. If you fancy yourself a writer then pick it up. You'll find it so helpful. He has lots of examples on how to make your writing better rather than just saying you need more characterization.

 

 

In progress:

Stein on Writing by Sol Stein

Calico Bush by Rachel Field (read aloud)

Three Men in a Boat by Jerome K. Jerome (audiobook)

 

2012 finished books:

 

77. 84, Charing Cross by Helene Hanff (****)

76. The Unknown Ajax by Georgette Heyer (****)

75. The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen by Alan Moore (***)

74. An Unsuitable Job for a Woman by PD James (***)

73. Behind the Bedroom Wall by Laura Williams (***)

72. The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald (****)

71. The Fellowship of the Ring by JRR Tolkien (****)

70. The Third Policeman by Flann O'Brien (**)

69. The Princess and the Goblin by George MacDonald (****)

68. The School Story by Andrew Clement - read aloud (****)

67. The Great Brain by John D. Fitzgerald (*)

66. Free-Range Kids by Lenore Skenazy (***)

65. Red Sails to Capri by Ann Weil -read aloud (***)

64. The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy by Douglass Adams (*****)

63. Death of a Cad by MC Beaton (**)

62. Oryx and Crake by Margaret Atwood (***)

61. The Year of Living Biblically by AJ Jacobs (***)

60. A Pocket Full of Rye by Agatha Christie (***)

59. The Secret Adversary (Tommy and Tuppence) by Agatha Christie (****)

58. Tales of Robin Hood by Tony Allan - read aloud (****)

57. Betsy-Tacy by Maud Hart Lovelace (*****)

56. The Beekeepers Apprentice by Laurie R. King (****)

55. Death of a Gossip by MC Beaton (***)

54. The Thin Man by Dashiell Hammett (**)

53. On Writing by Stephen King (*****)

52. Maus by Art Spiegelman (****)

51. The Murder of Roger Ackroyd by Agatha Christie (***)

50. The Moonstone by Wilkie Collins (****)

49. The Night Bookmobile by Audrey Niffinegger (*)

48. Notes from a Small Island by Bill Bryson (***)

47. Casino Royale - James Bond by Ian Fleming (**)

46. A Walk in the Woods by Bill Bryson - Audiobook (***)

45. The Lucky Shopping Manual by Kim Lenitt (*****)

44. And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie (****)

43. Half Moon Investigations by Eoin Colfer - Audiobook (****)

42. Half Magic by Edward Eager (***)

41. Dealing with Dragons by Patricia Wrede - Read Aloud (****)

 

Books 1 - 40

 

Amy's Rating System:

 

***** - Fantastic, couldn't put it down

**** - Very good

*** - Enjoyable but nothing special

** - Not recommended

* - Horrible

[KidsHappen]

1 The Hunger Games

2 Catching Fire

3 Mockingjay

4 The Hunger Games Companion

5 The Naked Lady Who Stood on Her Head

6 Spontaneous Happiness

7 The New Bi-Polar Disorder Survival Guide.

8 New Hope for People with Bipolar Disorder

9 The Giver

10 Unnatural Selection

11 Breaking Dawn (again)

12 Top Screwups Doctors Make and How to Avoid Them

13 Trick or Treatment

14 Overtreated: Why Too Much Medicine Is Making US Sicker & Poorer

15 Sybil Exposed

16 How to Never Look Old Again

17 How to Never Look Fat Again

18 Style on a Shoestring

19 Underneath it All

20 Oh No She Didn't

21 Nina Garcia's Look Book

22 Underneath is All

23 The Pocket Stylist

24 What Not to Wear for Every Occasion

25 What you Wear Can Change Your Life

26 What Not to Wear

27 Dress Your Best

28 Wear This, Toss That

29 Nothing to Wear

30 What Should I Wear

31 The Style Checklist

32 Style Clinic

33 11 22 63

34 Haunted Heart: Life and Times of Stephen King

35 Just After Sunset

 

ETA: Currently reading Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter and Beyond the Pyramids plus one whole tons of healthy heart books.

[nd293]

Last night I did some browsing through last year's threads, and realised that I came in at Week 22 having read 7 books. This year I rejoined at Week 25 with just 5 books. I'm not sure I can sustain the 2-books-a-week it will take to finish on time, although I will have the opportunity to "cheat" a little, as ds joins his sister at school in July and I will have 6 months to myself before tackling the question of what I want to be when I grow up!

 

This week I read A Monster's Notes by Laurie Sheck. The author is a poet, and this shows through in her writing. It was one of the most affecting books I can remember reading. It tells the story of the monster from Mary Shelley's Frankenstein from the perspective of the monster (and it's hard to write the word once you've read the book!). It is a very unusual book, with a non-linear narrative, told in the monster's notes from his reading, his thoughts, and fictionalised letters from Mary Shelley and her sister Clare and the correspondence between Clerval (Frankenstein's close friend from the novel, here living in China and translating a classic work of Chinese literature) and an unnamed leper who he met in Aosta. It's an amazing work, with themes of loneliness, isolation, solitude and fear which are tackled from different angles and in different ways. The monster "connects" to Mary, Clare and Clerval and watches them as they fight their own battles with these same emotions that he experiences. It's beautiful, and I'll definitely be buying a copy for myself.

 

While I was reading A Monster's Notes I also began to read Frankenstein. I'm not quite sure what to make of it, to be quite honest. On the simplest level, it's a great story, but how to interpret the characters? I felt that Frankenstein himself is so fundamentally without insight and compassion that he should be the villain of the tale, and yet this never really comes through in the text and the monster even ends up praising his creator's good qualities. I have been reading bits and pieces about the Shelleys online, and I can't help thinking that they share some of Frankenstein's personity traits. But I also came to wonder if the monster's very eloquent acknowledgement of his role in the violence which unfolded throughout the story is not a reflection of some sort of maturing on the author's part. Or did the philosophising of A Monster's Notes make me read too much into what Mary Shelley simply intended as a good story?

[nd293]

I had dd11 update her list for me, and she's doing much better with the challenge than I am. Here's her list:

 

**1. Percy Jackson & the lightning thief by Rick Riordan

2. I spy: The Constantinople caper by Graham Marks

3. Percy Jackson and the sea of monsters by Rick Riordan

4. Den of thieves by Julia Golding

5. Percy Jackson and the titans curse by Rick Riordan

6. The wish list by Eoin Colfer

**7. The 39 clues: the maze of bones by Rick Riordan

8. Cat o' nine tales by Julia Golding

9. Percy Jackson and the battle of the labyrinth by Rick Riordan

10. Black heart of Jamaica by Julia Golding

11. Percy Jackson and the last Olympian by Rick Riordan

12. One more river by Lynne Reid Banks

13. The lost hero by Rick Riordan

14. Where the streets had a name by Randa Abdel-Fattah

15. Son of Neptune by Rick Riordan (he has written a lot of good books)

16. Pure dead wicked by Debi Gliori

**17. Half moon investigations by Eoin Colfer

18. Arthur and the round table by Geraldine Mccaughrean

19. The secret apartment by Natalie Fast

**20. The secret of robber's cave by Kristiana Gregory

21. The chaos code by Justin Richards

22. Cat's cradle by Julia Golding

 

** Audiobooks

[Paisley Hedgehog]

.

[Kelly1730]

 

 

Thank you to everyone that recommended 84, Charing Cross by Helene Hanff. It was such a sweet lovely book and I flew through it. The last few pages though - *sob*. I don't know what kind of ending I was expecting but that wasn't it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Amy's Rating System:

 

***** - Fantastic, couldn't put it down

**** - Very good

*** - Enjoyable but nothing special

** - Not recommended

* - Horrible

 

This sounded good to me so I looked it up at my library. Evidently, there was a movie made in, I think, 2002 with Anne Bancroft. Anyone see this? BTW, I did put the book on my list at the library. Because of this wonderful on-going thread I will never be without a book again;).

[Kelly1730]

I've started Peace Like A River by Leif Enger recommended here. I'm not too far in but I think it will be a good one and our current read aloud is Little Men. We streamed the 90's tv series from Netflix and boys enjoyed it so I thought I'd try the book with them and so far, so good.

[Just Robyn]

If the US is anything like here, they spend their time doing secretarial work.

 

I'm still working on my Quantum Zoo book. Had to take a break. There's only so much quantum physics and cosmology a Rosie can handle before breakfast!

 

Rosie

 

I'm pretty sure that's how it is here too. I'd like to have them explicitly say that (or something else, if I'm wrong) in the book.

 

Quantum Zoo looks good, and it looks like that author has written several other books about science. Did you find Quantum Zoo readable, dense, humorous...?

 

Does your library accept purchase suggestions? It's a light read, but fun. As an alternative, are you familiar with the author's website? It's Smart *****es Trashy Books.

 

Regards,

Kareni

 

My library does accept suggestions, and I might suggest Everything I Know about Love..., but we are only supposed to make 5 suggestions per month (I assume they just ignore you after that?) so I have to weigh my requests. There are so many things I want to read that the library doesn't have. Do I really want to "spend" one suggestion on this book right now? I have been to the Smart *****es website, but I thought it was hard to navigate.

 

 

 

AND I just won a free copy of Eat the City: A Tale of the Fishers, Foragers, Butchers, Farmers, Poultry Minders, Sugar Refiners, Cane Cutters, Beekeepers, Winemakers, and Brewers Who Built New York from Goodreads! :party:

[LostSurprise]

64. The Secret Diaries of Charlotte Bronte by Syrie James~fiction, Charlotte Bronte, biography, journal. I didn't have high hopes for this. James starts out with a lot of very un-diarylike explanation in her first section and sometimes she made Bronte's life rather too like her books for reality, but after a time it started being all about the people and that was entertaining. I particularly enjoyed Emily's passionate, stubborn, but completely reserved personality. I learned a lot I did not know about the Brontes. The book-life parallels and wording became fun to look for, rather than a distraction. Bonus: there were also some (perhaps unconscious) Jane Austen parallels. James has also written one of these for Austen. Fun dramatized biography if you don't take it too seriously. Be warned, Bronte did not live a lucky life.

 

63. The Ballad of Lucy Whipple by Karen Cushman~youth fiction, California, Gold Rush. I'm clearing out some 'girly' youth fiction (seriously, the boys around here have no interest). I enjoyed her Midwife's Apprentice. She does the voice and attitude of a young teenage girl well. I was a little iffy about the ending but this was a fun book filled with interesting and crusty characters.

 

62. The Matters at Mansfield by Carrie Bebris~fiction, Jane Austen, mystery. Not as psychological as North by Northanger, but I enjoyed it. I like the direction Bebris is moving in (less supernatural, more character and mystery). This one centers on Anne and Lady Catherine. Very fast paced.

 

61. The Poisoner's Handbook by Deborah Blum~non-fiction, forensic science, chemistry, New York, Prohibition. *

60. Cold Comfort Farm by Stella Gibbons~parody, farm family/life, '30s.

59. The Green Mile by Stephen King~supernatural, prison, 1930s. *

58. The Sacred Journey by Frederick Buechner~religious, memoir, childhood.

57. Wisconsin Gardens & Landscapes by Mary Lou Santovec~public gardens, Wisconsin.

56. Sarabeth's Bakery by Sarabeth Levine~cookbook, baking, pastries.

55. Essential Pleasures edited by Robert Pinsky~poetry, compilation, audio CD included.

54. Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams at Home by Jeni Britton Bauer~cookbook, ice cream

53. The Sea Gull by Anton Chekhov~Russian, play.

52. A few hundred pages of Hyperion and all of Farewell to Hyperion by Dan Simmons~science fiction, future worlds, pilgrim tales.

51. North by Northanger by Carrie Bebis~Jane Austen, mystery

50. The Essential Garden Design Workbook by Rosemary Alexander~non-fiction, gardening, landscape design.

49. The Scrapbook of Frankie Pratt: a Novel in Pictures by Caroline Preston~fiction, '20s, NY, Paris, coming of age.

48. Q: a Novel by Evan Mandery~fiction, quirky, time travel.

47. The Monster of Florence by Douglas Preston and Mario Spezi~memoir, Italy, criminal case, serial killer.

46. Food Chaining by Fracker~non-fiction, food issues, picky eaters.

45. The Long Retreat by Andrew Krivak~memoir, Jesuit.

44. Exploring Garden Style by Tauton Press~non-fiction, gardening, design.

43. Homeschooling Children with ADD (and Other Special Needs) by Lenore Hayles~non-fiction, education, medical issues.

42. Reading Lolita in Tehran by Azar Nafrisi~non-fiction, memoir, Iran, literature.

41. Five Quarters of the Orange by Joanne Harris~fiction, France, WWII, food. *

40. Blue Like Jazz by Donald Miller~memoir, stories, Christianity.

39. Just Take a Bite! by Lori Ernsberger~non-fiction, food issues, special needs.

38. Suspense and Sensibility by Carrie Bebris~Jane Austen, Mystery.

37. Pride and Prescience by Carrie Bebris~Jane Austen, Darcys, Mystery, supernatural.

36. Superfudge by Judy Blume~fiction, classic children's book.

35. The Explosive Child by Ross Greene~non-fiction, behavior, children

34. Cyteen 2: The Rebirth by CJ Cherryh~science fiction, cloning.

33. The Peace War by Vernor Vinge~science fiction, future, technology.

32. Whiskey Breakfast by Richard Lindberg~memoir, Swedish Immigration, Chicago.

31. Corvus: a Life with Birds by Esther Woolfson~non-fiction, birds.

30. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen~classic literature.

29. Cyteen: The Betrayal by CJ Cherryh~science fiction, future, space, cloning.

28. Divergent by Veronica Roth~youth fiction, dystopian.

27. The Help by Kathryn Stockett~fiction, '60s, race relations.

26. Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs~youth, fiction.

25. Below Stairs: the Classic Kitchen Maid Memoir by Margaret Powell~non-fiction, memoir.

24. Ender in Exile by Orson Scott Card~fiction.

23. Uncle Tungsten: Memories of a Chemical Boyhood by Oliver Sacks~non-fiction, memoir.

22. The Garden Book of Wisconsin by Melinda Myers~non-fiction, gardening, flowers and landscaping.

21. Putting Down Roots: Gardening Insights from Wisconsin's Early Settlers by Marcia Carmichael~non-fiction, history, gardening.

20. Gudrun's Kitchen: Recipes from a Norwegian Family by Irene and Edward Sandvold~cookbook, biography.

19. Twelve Owls by Laura Erickson~non-fiction, birds.

18. A Thread of Grace by Mary Doria Russell~fiction, WWII **

17. A Fire Upon the Deep by Vernor Vinge~science fiction, space

16. Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card~classic science fiction, read aloud.

15. Flour by Joanne Chung~cookbook, baking

14. Home to Woefield by Susan Juby~light fiction, humorous

13. Making the Most of Shade by Larry Hodgson~non-fiction/gardening

12. Growing Perennials in Cold Climates by Mike Heger~non-fiction/gardening

11. Case Histories by Kate Atkinson~mystery

10. Letters from Yellowstone by Diane Smith~historical fiction

9. The Circus in Winter by Cathy Day~fiction

8. The Alphabet in the Park by Adelia Prado~poetry

7. The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down by Anne Fadiman~non-fiction/medical

6. One Thousand White Women by Jim Fergus~speculative fiction

5. The Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place: The Hidden Gallery by Maryrose Woods~juvenile

4. The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Jester~(read aloud) juvenile

3. The Alienist by Caleb Carr~Mystery

2. The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton~Fiction

1. The Children's Book by A.S. Byatt~Fiction *

Working on:

Blood Meridian (McCarthy)

Temple of the Golden Pavilion (Mishima)

Moby Dick (Melville)

The Penderwicks

Cutting for Stone

 

 

*~top 5 books of the year (so far)

**~best book of the year (so far)

__________________

[LostSurprise]

This sounded good to me so I looked it up at my library. Evidently, there was a movie made in, I think, 2002 with Anne Bancroft. Anyone see this? BTW, I did put the book on my list at the library. Because of this wonderful on-going thread I will never be without a book again;).

 

I saw that movie and I liked it, but I like Anne Bancroft. The plot is not dramatic, but if you like character studies and history its interesting.

 

I have not read the book (yet).

[LostSurprise]

I've started Peace Like A River by Leif Enger recommended here. I'm not too far in but I think it will be a good one and our current read aloud is Little Men.

 

I loved that book, and dh did too (read it aloud to him). I liked the character structure (saint, outlaw, prodigy, narrator) and the general sweetness.

[Mothersweets]

 

My favorite Bill Bryson is A Walk in the Woods. I recently read I'm a Stranger Here Myself and didn't find it quite as interesting and funny--perhaps because some of the material seemed a little dated.

.

 

 

I looked it up on Amazon and realized that I read this years ago! I remember liking it. Thanks VeganCupcake, aggieamy, and Kareni for your suggestions - I think I'll try the Mother Tongue one.

[Mothersweets]

This sounded good to me so I looked it up at my library. Evidently, there was a movie made in, I think, 2002 with Anne Bancroft. Anyone see this? BTW, I did put the book on my list at the library. Because of this wonderful on-going thread I will never be without a book again;).

 

The book is lovely so I thought the movie would be, too. I borrowed it on Netflix and really wanted to like it but....really didn't.

[Storm Bay]

Since my last post, I read Out of Sight, Out of Time, the latest in a series dds & I are reading (separately, we don't actually sit & read at the same time).

 

A few of the books on my list are books DD has recommended for me after she read them. Glad to see I"m not the only one with a kid helping me pick out reading materials.

In my case, my dc aren't actually picking them for me, but sometimes I read y/a to see what they're reading, or because I just feel like reading y/a.

I'm almost finished with Everything I Know about Love I Learned from Romance Novels by Sarah Wendell. It's a light and entertaining read.

 

Regards,

Kareni

 

Is it humourous and/or a spoof on romance? I like the title, but am not much of a romance genre reader (I like to watch romantic comedies sometimes, but reading it is different.) I do read mainstream fiction that has romance sometimes, though.

 

 

63. The Ballad of Lucy Whipple by Karen Cushman~youth fiction, California, Gold Rush. I'm clearing out some 'girly' youth fiction (seriously, the boys around here have no interest). I enjoyed her Midwife's Apprentice. She does the voice and attitude of a young teenage girl well. I was a little iffy about the ending but this was a fun book filled with interesting and crusty characters.

 

 

 

Is one of these books better than the other, or are they both about the same? At least one of my dds read Midwife's Apprentice.

[Storm Bay]

Since my last post, I read Out of Sight, Out of Time, the latest in a series dds & I are reading (separately, we don't actually sit & read at the same time). It's an action packed, somewhat violent series about teeanage geniuses who go to spy school. Totally realistic;).

 

A few of the books on my list are books DD has recommended for me after she read them. Glad to see I"m not the only one with a kid helping me pick out reading materials.

In my case, my dc aren't actually picking them for me, but sometimes I read y/a to see what they're reading, or because I just feel like reading y/a :).

I'm almost finished with Everything I Know about Love I Learned from Romance Novels by Sarah Wendell. It's a light and entertaining read.

 

Regards,

Kareni

 

Is it humourous and/or a spoof on romance? I like the title, but am not much of a romance genre reader (I like to watch romantic comedies sometimes, but reading it is different.) I do read mainstream fiction that has romance sometimes, though.

 

 

63. The Ballad of Lucy Whipple by Karen Cushman~youth fiction, California, Gold Rush. I'm clearing out some 'girly' youth fiction (seriously, the boys around here have no interest). I enjoyed her Midwife's Apprentice. She does the voice and attitude of a young teenage girl well. I was a little iffy about the ending but this was a fun book filled with interesting and crusty characters.

 

 

 

Is one of these books better than the other, or are they both about the same? At least one of my dds read Midwife's Apprentice.

[Maus]

Completed:

Book #37 - "Growing Up: A Classic American Childhood" by Marilyn vos Savant. A long checklist of "what kids should know before they leave home" (sub-sub-title of the book.) I really liked this! It brought back memories of things we used to do as kids that I've never thought to pass on, and included a lot of things that would have been useful to know before I hit the "real, adult" world. I borrowed this from the library, but just added it to my Amazon wishlist. I need to own a copy so I don't forget to teach my kids a lot of practical skills.

 

Book #36 -"A Young People's History of the United States" by Howard Zinn.

Book #35 - "Organizing the Disorganized Child: Simple Strategies to Succeed in School" by Martin L. Kutscher & Marcella Moran.

Book #34 - "Turn Right at Machu Picchu" by Mark Adams.

Book #33 - "The Lightening Thief" by Rick Riordan.

Book #32 - "Thunder Dog: The True Story of a Blind Man, His Guide Dog, And the Triumph of Trust at Ground Zero" by Michael Hingson.

Book #31 - "America's Hidden History" by Kenneth C. Davis.

Book #30 - "The Diamond of Darkhold†by Jeanne DuPrau.

Book #29 - "The People of Sparks†by Jeanne DuPrau.

Book #28 - "Mockingjay" by Suzanne Collins.

Book #27 - "Well-Educated Mind" by Susan Wise Bauer.

Book #26 - "The Prophet of Yonwood" by Jeanne Duprau.

Book #25 - "City of Ember" by Jeanne Duprau.

Book #24 - "The Last Lecture" by Randy Pausch.

Book #23 - "Who Moved My Cheese" by Spencer Johnson.

Book #22 - "Deconstructing Penguins" by Lawrence and Nancy Goldstone.

Book #21 - "Stargirl" by Jerry Spinelli.

Book #20 - "Catching Fire" by Suzanne Collins.

Book #19 - "Hunger Games" by Suzanne Collins.

Book #18 - "Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close" by Jonathan Safran Foer.

Book #17 - "Frozen Assets: Cook for a Day, Eat for a Month" by Deborah Taylor-Hough.

Book #16 - "Miserly Moms: Living Well on Less in a Tough Economy" by Jonni McCoy.

Book #15 - "The Highly Sensitive Person" by Elaine N. Aron, Ph.D.

Book #14 - "Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking" by Susan Cain.

Book #13 - "Chasing Vermeer" by Blue Balliett.

Book #12 - "The Highly Sensitive Person" by Elaine N. Aron, Ph.D.

Book #11 - "Extraordinary, Ordinary People" by Condoleezza Rice.

Book #10 - "The Pig in the Pantry" by Rose Godfrey.

Book #9 - "The Virgin in the Ice" by Ellis Peters.

Book #8 - "The Leper of St. Giles" by Ellis Peters.

Book #7 - "St. Peter's Fair" by Ellis Peters.

Book #6 - "Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother" by Amy Chua.

Book #5 - "Monk's Hood" by Ellis Peters.

Book #4 - "Flash and Bones" by Kathy Reichs.

Book #3 - "Spider Bones" by Kathy Reichs.

Book #2 - "One Corpse Too Many" by Ellis Peters.

Book #1 - "A Morbid Taste for Bones" by Ellis Peters

[Robin M]

I'm also slowly moving through Stein on Writing. What a great book though. If you fancy yourself a writer then pick it up. You'll find it so helpful. He has lots of examples on how to make your writing better rather than just saying you need more characterization.

 

Looks good. Adding to my wishlist!

 

Last night I did some browsing through last year's threads, and realised that I came in at Week 22 having read 7 books. This year I rejoined at Week 25 with just 5 books. I'm not sure I can sustain the 2-books-a-week it will take to finish on time, although I will have the opportunity to "cheat" a little, as ds joins his sister at school in July and I will have 6 months to myself before tackling the question of what I want to be when I grow up!

 

This week I read A Monster's Notes by Laurie Sheck. The author is a poet, and this shows through in her writing. It was one of the most affecting books I can remember reading. It tells the story of the monster from Mary Shelley's Frankenstein from the perspective of the monster (and it's hard to write the word once you've read the book!). It is a very unusual book, with a non-linear narrative, told in the monster's notes from his reading, his thoughts, and fictionalised letters from Mary Shelley and her sister Clare and the correspondence between Clerval (Frankenstein's close friend from the novel, here living in China and translating a classic work of Chinese literature) and an unnamed leper who he met in Aosta. It's an amazing work, with themes of loneliness, isolation, solitude and fear which are tackled from different angles and in different ways. The monster "connects" to Mary, Clare and Clerval and watches them as they fight their own battles with these same emotions that he experiences. It's beautiful, and I'll definitely be buying a copy for myself.

 

While I was reading A Monster's Notes I also began to read Frankenstein. I'm not quite sure what to make of it, to be quite honest. On the simplest level, it's a great story, but how to interpret the characters? I felt that Frankenstein himself is so fundamentally without insight and compassion that he should be the villain of the tale, and yet this never really comes through in the text and the monster even ends up praising his creator's good qualities. I have been reading bits and pieces about the Shelleys online, and I can't help thinking that they share some of Frankenstein's personity traits. But I also came to wonder if the monster's very eloquent acknowledgement of his role in the violence which unfolded throughout the story is not a reflection of some sort of maturing on the author's part. Or did the philosophising of A Monster's Notes make me read too much into what Mary Shelley simply intended as a good story?

 

Don't push yourself if it ruins your reading time. Enjoy your reading and don't worry about the numbers. Glad you decided to join again.

 

As to Frankenstein - it wasn't what I expected either. The doctor was a whiner and his actions towards the monster irked me. I guess you could say he was the antihero except by the end of the story, he still had no redeeming qualities. I think Shelley did a good job of writing the story and evoking the readers emotions.

 

 

 

 

 

On to a new book. Starting Elizabeth Lowell's Beautiful Sacrifice. Plus read the first few pages of a novella Comedy in a Minor Key by Han Keilson when went to bed last night. Quite interesting.

[Mom-ninja.]

I'm now 200 pages from the end of Bleak House (which is 800 pages long). Boy it's good.

 

Love Dickens. I haven't read that one.

 

 

Does your library accept purchase suggestions? It's a light read, but fun. As an alternative, are you familiar with the author's website? It's Smart *****es Trashy Books.

 

 

The link doesn't work for me.

[Jen in PA]

Finished last week:

 

# 75. French Women Don't Get Fat: The Secret of Eating for Pleasure. I ignored this book when it first came out because I figured it was a diet book, which didn't interest me. Then it was mentioned so many times in Bringing Up Bebe that I had to give it a try -- and was pleasantly surprised. It is part diet book/part cookbook/part personal musings on cultural differences. I have to admit, I enjoy reading about food, and it turns out that I actually already eat like a French woman.... I apparently just need to drink a lot more wine than I currently do.:lol:

 

I also reread parts of The Core as a sort of teacher in-service before jumping back into the school routine this week.

[LostSurprise]

Is one of these books better than the other, or are they both about the same? At least one of my dds read Midwife's Apprentice.

 

I read Midwife's Apprentice...oh ages ago..when it came out? so I'm not completely confident in my ability to compare...but with that said I felt they were similar. Snarky teen girl? Check. Struggling through some historical time period? Check. Independence issues? Check. Parent issues? Check. Historical diseases/death? Check.

 

It was decent.

[ladydusk]

I have started reading a book by a prolific British author of the early 20th century, Rose Macaulay. I picked up Keeping up Appearances (which has absolutely nothing to do with the BBC comedy) at a library book sale in a republished format. It appears that Macaulay is one of those forgotten authors whom perhaps we should not forget.

 

Our library has The Towers of Trebizond by this author, I'm putting it on my to-read list.

 

--------------------------------

 

Last Thursday-Saturday, inspired by the What are You Reading? thread here on the General Forum, I read the first three Eddings books in the Belgariad. Like visiting with old, old friends :) I probably first read these 25 years ago and had read them many times, but not recently ... I'm half-way through the fourth today :)

 

2012 Books Reviews

1. Lit! by Tony Reinke

2. Loving the Little Years by Rachel Jankovic

3. Words to Eat By by Ina Lipkowitz

4. How to Tutor Your Own Child by Marina Koestler Ruben

5. Evening in the Palace of Reason by James R Gaines (spectacular)

6. The Cat of Bubastes by GA Henty (Audio from Librivox)

7. The Last Battle by C S Lewis (Audiobook)

8. A Praying Life by Paul E Miller

9. Emotional Intensity in Gifted Students by Christine Fonesca

10. Little Britches: Father and I Were Ranchers by Ralph Moody (fantastic read aloud)

11. The Bronze Bow by Elizabeth George Speare

12. The Abolition of Man by C.S. Lewis

13. How to Write a Sentence by Stanley Fish

14. The Year of Magical Thinking by Joan Didion

15. The Rich Are Different by Susan Howatch

16. The Masqueraders by Georgette Heyer

17. Sylvester by Georgette Heyer

18. Understood Betsy by Dorothy Canfield Fisher (great read aloud)

19. Sins of the Fathers by Susan Howatch (wow!)

20. Half Broke Horses by Jeannette Walls (very good)

21. Mansfield Park by Jane Austen (favorite)

22. The Toll Gate by Georgette Heyer

23. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl (audio book)

24. The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick (audio book)

25. Penmarric by Susan Howatch

26. Cashelmara by Susan Howatch

27. The Grand Sophy by Georgette Heyer

28. Pawn of Prophecy by David Eddings

29. Castle of Wizadry by David Eddings

30. Magician's Gambit by David Eddings

[Jane in NC]

Our library has The Towers of Trebizond by this author, I'm putting it on my to-read list.

 

--------------------------------

 

Please let me know what you think. I finished Rose Macaulay's Keeping up Appearances (again, nothing to do with the British sitcom). The story revolves around a young woman of lower class who creates a persona of that of an upper class woman--then finds herself stepping between these two versions of her personality. Essentially this leads to a comedy of manners with the author painting scenes via observations along the lines of

They all regarded one another for a moment in silence, and it seemed like one of those domestic catastrophes which used so frequently to overtake the Greeks, who made such serious errors regarding the identity of their near relations as to marry their mothers, slay their fathers, and shoot their children, all in ignorance, believing them to be strangers or creatures of the chase, and then were overwhelmed with horror and surprises when their relationships were disclosed.

This aside comes as the main character's mother meets a potential mother-in-law, an event that the main character tried to deter.

 

Not the greatest book I have ever read but certainly one that kept my interest.

[Rosie_0801]

Quantum Zoo looks good, and it looks like that author has written several other books about science. Did you find Quantum Zoo readable, dense, humorous...?

 

 

Some of each. But you forgot to mention "headache inducing."

 

:D

Rosie

[Angel]

62. The Matters at Mansfield by Carrie Bebris~fiction, Jane Austen, mystery. Not as psychological as North by Northanger, but I enjoyed it. I like the direction Bebris is moving in (less supernatural, more character and mystery). This one centers on Anne and Lady Catherine. Very fast paced.

 

 

 

:iagree:

 

I have finished all of the books in the series and was pleased when she moved away from the paranormal. The last two books were excellent.

[Angel]

Last Thursday-Saturday, inspired by the What are You Reading? thread here on the General Forum, I read the first three Eddings books in the Belgariad. Like visiting with old, old friends :) I probably first read these 25 years ago and had read them many times, but not recently ... I'm half-way through the fourth today :)

 

 

You are seriously a kindred spirit!!!! That is exactly how I feel when I pick up those books!

 

I was away from the computer Thursday-Saturday so I missed that conversation! David Eddings is my favorite fantasy author...ever! I used to read through the series about once every other year. I haven't done so since starting the 8/8/8 Challenge and now the Book a Week's. I guess I've tried to broaden my horizons to keep up with everyone. :tongue_smilie: Now I'm jealous!! :D Thing is, once I start the series, I just can't. put. them. down.

[Kareni]

Smart *****es Trashy Books.

 

 

 

The link doesn't work for me.

 

Hmm. I wonder if it's because of those pesky asterisks.

 

Here it is again. http://www.smart*****estrashybooks.com/index.php

 

You may need to substitute the standard alternative for 'female dog' for the asterisks.

 

Regards,

Kareni

[Kareni]

Everything I Know about Love I Learned from Romance Novels by Sarah Wendell

 

Is it humourous and/or a spoof on romance? I like the title, but am not much of a romance genre reader (I like to watch romantic comedies sometimes, but reading it is different.) I do read mainstream fiction that has romance sometimes, though.

 

It's not a spoof, but the book is humorous. It's a celebration of the romance genre with discussion of what we can learn from such books. It's definitely written for adult readers.

 

Regards,

Kareni

[aggieamy]

Finished Hark! A Vagrant by Kate Beaton. It's a short book and only took me an hour or two to read. I thought that the jokes I understood were funny but I only understood half of them. All the Canadian jokes went over my head along with some of the book ones. I guess that I'm not as well read as I thought.

 

In progress:

Stein on Writing by Sol Stein

4:50 From Paddington (Miss Marple Mystery) by Agatha Christie

Supermarket by Satoshi Azuchi (for book club)

Calico Bush by Rachel Field (read aloud)

Three Men in a Boat by Jerome K. Jerome (audiobook)

 

2012 finished books:

 

78. Hark! A Vagrant by Kate Beaton (****)

77. 84, Charing Cross by Helene Hanff (****)

76. The Unknown Ajax by Georgette Heyer (****)

75. The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen by Alan Moore (***)

74. An Unsuitable Job for a Woman by PD James (***)

73. Behind the Bedroom Wall by Laura Williams (***)

72. The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald (****)

71. The Fellowship of the Ring by JRR Tolkien (****)

70. The Third Policeman by Flann O'Brien (**)

69. The Princess and the Goblin by George MacDonald (****)

68. The School Story by Andrew Clement - read aloud (****)

67. The Great Brain by John D. Fitzgerald (*)

66. Free-Range Kids by Lenore Skenazy (***)

65. Red Sails to Capri by Ann Weil -read aloud (***)

64. The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy by Douglass Adams (*****)

63. Death of a Cad by MC Beaton (**)

62. Oryx and Crake by Margaret Atwood (***)

61. The Year of Living Biblically by AJ Jacobs (***)

60. A Pocket Full of Rye by Agatha Christie (***)

59. The Secret Adversary (Tommy and Tuppence) by Agatha Christie (****)

58. Tales of Robin Hood by Tony Allan - read aloud (****)

57. Betsy-Tacy by Maud Hart Lovelace (*****)

56. The Beekeepers Apprentice by Laurie R. King (****)

55. Death of a Gossip by MC Beaton (***)

54. The Thin Man by Dashiell Hammett (**)

53. On Writing by Stephen King (*****)

52. Maus by Art Spiegelman (****)

51. The Murder of Roger Ackroyd by Agatha Christie (***)

50. The Moonstone by Wilkie Collins (****)

49. The Night Bookmobile by Audrey Niffinegger (*)

48. Notes from a Small Island by Bill Bryson (***)

47. Casino Royale - James Bond by Ian Fleming (**)

46. A Walk in the Woods by Bill Bryson - Audiobook (***)

45. The Lucky Shopping Manual by Kim Lenitt (*****)

44. And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie (****)

43. Half Moon Investigations by Eoin Colfer - Audiobook (****)

42. Half Magic by Edward Eager (***)

41. Dealing with Dragons by Patricia Wrede - Read Aloud (****)

 

Books 1 - 40

 

Amy's Rating System:

 

***** - Fantastic, couldn't put it down

**** - Very good

*** - Enjoyable but nothing special

** - Not recommended

* - Horrible

Edited July 6, 2012 by aggieamy

[ladydusk]

Thing is, once I start the series, I just can't. put. them. down.

 

Thus reading three in less than 72 hours ;) It is a nice way to pad my book list, too LOL

[ladydusk]

Please let me know what you think. I finished Rose Macaulay's Keeping up Appearances (again, nothing to do with the British sitcom). The story revolves around a young woman of lower class who creates a persona of that of an upper class woman--then finds herself stepping between these two versions of her personality. Essentially this leads to a comedy of manners with the author painting scenes via observations along the lines of This aside comes as the main character's mother meets a potential mother-in-law, an event that the main character tried to deter.

 

Not the greatest book I have ever read but certainly one that kept my interest.

 

How would you compare it to Barbara Pym. I've only read one (I think also on your recommendation). We seem to enjoy those British authors ;)

[Stacia]

I finished Michael Ondaatje's The Cat's Table today. Gorgeous. He's an absolute master of prose, imo. Though he writes that the book is fiction, it reads almost as a mix of an autobiographical rememberance of a series of events (centered around a ship voyage from Ceylon to Britain when the protagonist is 11yo) & musings on how seemingly small events, chance encounters, & memories can alter the path of one's life. Part seems so real, so grounded in reality, yet much of the writing has the dreamy, hazy quality of memories from a long time ago, where you might wonder if you're remembering something as it happened or as you think or wanted it to happen. Some scathingly funny sections had me chuckling, while other sections were more somber & serious & had me musing....

 

Also, all through reading it, I kept thinking that if I could have someone who would write my diaries for me, capture a myriad of fleeting moments, I'd want Michael Ondaatje to be the one writing mine. (It doesn't matter that I don't keep a diary or a journal, or that it would be strange to have someone else putting my memories on paper through a mind meld or something; I would just want him writing, burnishing, perfecting these little life mosaics of mine.)

 

I will make note that I read his book The English Patient many years ago. While I adored his prose in that book, I didn't care for the story itself (at all). I'm so glad I gave him another try because I was just transported & blown away by The Cat's Table. Loved it.

 

Gorgeous, luscious, & highly recommended.

--------------------------

My Goodreads Page

Completed the Europa Challenge Cappuccino Level (at least 6 Europa books: #s 4, 9, 10, 11, 14, 19, & 21 on my list).

Completed Robin's Read a Russian Author in April Challenge (#24 & #26 on my list).

 

My rating system: 5 = Love; 4 = Pretty awesome; 3 = Decently good; 2 = Ok; 1 = Don't bother (I shouldn't have any 1s on my list as I would ditch them before finishing)...

 

2012 Books Read:

Books I read January-June 2012

37. Clutter Busting Your Life by Brooks Palmer (3 stars)

38. The Cat's Table by Michael Ondaatje (5 stars)