81. The Hero and the Crown
82. The Blue Sword both by Robin McKinley
I loved Robin McKinley when I was like 13, and read both of these books then. They were just as good on a re-read, 20 years later. Both of these are set in the kingdom of Damar, although they are separated by hundreds (if not thousands) of years. The Blue Sword was published first and The Hero and the Crown is a prequel. I kind of like reading The Hero and the Crown first, though, to get the deep back story. Anyway, both these books have strong female characters who have amazing destinies to fulfill, although they feel out of place in the society they are raised in. Both books are just magical with lots of action and some animal friends for the main character. I think I slightly prefer The Blue Sword, but everyone should read them both.
Showing posts with label books. Show all posts
Showing posts with label books. Show all posts
Monday, September 06, 2010
Saturday, September 04, 2010
Books!
78. Earthlight by Arthur C. Clarke
Awesome straight up, old school sci fi. Set on the moon, Earth and its colonies (Mars and Venus) are on the brink of war over access to natural resources. I love to see what people in the '50s imagined the future might be like.
79. A Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin
Yay! Awesome, sprawling, epic straight up fantasy with tons of characters and lots of drama, civil war and honor. Can't wait to read the next one.
80. An Anthropologist on Mars by Oliver Sacks
Sacks is a famous neurologist, probably best known due to the movie "Awakenings" which is based on one of his books. This is a collection of essays, each describing a different clinical case that tells us something crazy about the brain. I, unfortunately, cannot get into Sacks' wordy and very descriptive writing style. I know tons of people love his books, so anyone reading this review should try it for themselves. I do love hearing Sacks on the radio though, so if you don't like his writing search out his appearances on Radiolab!
Awesome straight up, old school sci fi. Set on the moon, Earth and its colonies (Mars and Venus) are on the brink of war over access to natural resources. I love to see what people in the '50s imagined the future might be like.
79. A Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin
Yay! Awesome, sprawling, epic straight up fantasy with tons of characters and lots of drama, civil war and honor. Can't wait to read the next one.
80. An Anthropologist on Mars by Oliver Sacks
Sacks is a famous neurologist, probably best known due to the movie "Awakenings" which is based on one of his books. This is a collection of essays, each describing a different clinical case that tells us something crazy about the brain. I, unfortunately, cannot get into Sacks' wordy and very descriptive writing style. I know tons of people love his books, so anyone reading this review should try it for themselves. I do love hearing Sacks on the radio though, so if you don't like his writing search out his appearances on Radiolab!
Thursday, September 02, 2010
Books!
73. Tell No One by Harlan Coben
It might have been the mood I was in when I read it, but I really enjoyed this mystery/thriller/thingy. A pediatrician is living day by day after his wife's murder when he realizes she may be alive. What's up with that? All kinds of other mysteries are revealed. This writer is good, and maintained my interest in the mysteries and the characters throughout.
74. Betsy and Joe by Maud Hart Lovelace
I never read these as a kid, but I was recently talking to some people who said they were a mainstay of their growing up, like Little House or Anne of Green Gables.
I started here on the 8th book as it was in a give away pile in my laundry room. These books are really good, and I think I would have really liked them when younger, as much as I liked it now. The world of a teenager in 1910 is so interesting to see and Betsy's character is so full of life and determination to enjoy life to the fullest. I will definitely be getting the rest of these books.
75. Carney's House Party and
76. Betsy-Tacy by Maud Hart Lovelace
Continuing my obsession with these books. Carney's House Party takes place after Betsy and Joe and centers on a more peripheral character in that book. Carney comes home from Vassar for a summer and invites several people to stay in her house for a month. The days are filled with teas and parties and picnics and some misunderstandings and romantic entanglements. I really liked seeing how many things are the same between the early 1900s and now.
Betsy-Tacy is the first book in the series. It is written at a much younger level, but I still really enjoyed it. In this book, Betsy and Tacy first meet, and their adventures begin.
77. Fool by Christopher Moore
Funny book for anyone who likes British humor, lots of swearing and sex and Shakespeare being all twisted around. A re-telling of King Lear from the court jester's point of view.
It might have been the mood I was in when I read it, but I really enjoyed this mystery/thriller/thingy. A pediatrician is living day by day after his wife's murder when he realizes she may be alive. What's up with that? All kinds of other mysteries are revealed. This writer is good, and maintained my interest in the mysteries and the characters throughout.
74. Betsy and Joe by Maud Hart Lovelace
I never read these as a kid, but I was recently talking to some people who said they were a mainstay of their growing up, like Little House or Anne of Green Gables.
I started here on the 8th book as it was in a give away pile in my laundry room. These books are really good, and I think I would have really liked them when younger, as much as I liked it now. The world of a teenager in 1910 is so interesting to see and Betsy's character is so full of life and determination to enjoy life to the fullest. I will definitely be getting the rest of these books.
75. Carney's House Party and
76. Betsy-Tacy by Maud Hart Lovelace
Continuing my obsession with these books. Carney's House Party takes place after Betsy and Joe and centers on a more peripheral character in that book. Carney comes home from Vassar for a summer and invites several people to stay in her house for a month. The days are filled with teas and parties and picnics and some misunderstandings and romantic entanglements. I really liked seeing how many things are the same between the early 1900s and now.
Betsy-Tacy is the first book in the series. It is written at a much younger level, but I still really enjoyed it. In this book, Betsy and Tacy first meet, and their adventures begin.
77. Fool by Christopher Moore
Funny book for anyone who likes British humor, lots of swearing and sex and Shakespeare being all twisted around. A re-telling of King Lear from the court jester's point of view.
Friday, August 20, 2010
books!
70. The Children's Book by A.S. Byatt
This book lost stars as it went on and on and on. I liked the book a lot at the beginning, but the detailed descriptions and zillions of characters barely kept my interest as I slogged through like the last 1/3rd of the book. I have had this experience with Byatt before. If all her books were like 25% less long, I would like them a lot better.
71. Naked Once More by Elizabeth Peters
This is a different series than the one based around Amelia Peabody, which I love, but it was still quite good. I didn't realize it was actually in a series until I finished it, but I will be getting the rest eventually. It was a fun, light hearted mystery with an awesome female romance-writer protagonist.
72. The Light Ages by Ian R. McLeod
This book just never came together for me. I couldn't get a good sense of the world it was set in, and there was a big huge mystery that did not compel me and did not interest me when it was revealed. I don't know, it seems like I should have liked this book more, but it just didn't work out between us.
This book lost stars as it went on and on and on. I liked the book a lot at the beginning, but the detailed descriptions and zillions of characters barely kept my interest as I slogged through like the last 1/3rd of the book. I have had this experience with Byatt before. If all her books were like 25% less long, I would like them a lot better.
71. Naked Once More by Elizabeth Peters
This is a different series than the one based around Amelia Peabody, which I love, but it was still quite good. I didn't realize it was actually in a series until I finished it, but I will be getting the rest eventually. It was a fun, light hearted mystery with an awesome female romance-writer protagonist.
72. The Light Ages by Ian R. McLeod
This book just never came together for me. I couldn't get a good sense of the world it was set in, and there was a big huge mystery that did not compel me and did not interest me when it was revealed. I don't know, it seems like I should have liked this book more, but it just didn't work out between us.
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
Plague Ship!
69. Plague Ship by Frank G. Slaughter
There is one book from my vacation reading that I must post about -- Plague Ship! This book is awesome. First, I bought it for 25 cents while visiting Katie (who doesn't get a link since she hasn't blogged since February). I can't believe the library was culling this! Mysterious plague from the past! Sexist doctors with sexist descriptions given of young secretaries! Giant plot holes and foreshadowings that never occur! Awkward exposition given through dialogue. This book is exactly like a bad movie that is so bad you have to love it. Really. Better yet, Frank G. Slaughter was apparently a real surgeon, and wrote other awesome sounding books like Epidemic!, Women in White and Doctor's Wives. I plan on reading more of this excellent author and highly recommend him to you, if you enjoy movies like you find on Mystery Science Theater.
Sunday, August 15, 2010
books!
OK, if I write reviews for all the books I read on vacation I will be here the rest of my life. So here is a list. If anyone is super curious what I thought of any of them, you can ask. :) All were acceptable to varying degrees.
60. Sunshine by Robin McKinley
61. Seeing Redd by Frank Beddor
62. The White Tiger by Aravind Adiga
63. Heat Lightning by John Sandford
64. Serious as a Heart Attack by Louisa Luna
65. The Quiet Dogs by John Gardner
66. Smiley's People by John le Carre
67. White Hot by Sandra Brown
68. Pretty Boy Floyd by Larry McMurtry and Diana Ossana
60. Sunshine by Robin McKinley
61. Seeing Redd by Frank Beddor
62. The White Tiger by Aravind Adiga
63. Heat Lightning by John Sandford
64. Serious as a Heart Attack by Louisa Luna
65. The Quiet Dogs by John Gardner
66. Smiley's People by John le Carre
67. White Hot by Sandra Brown
68. Pretty Boy Floyd by Larry McMurtry and Diana Ossana
Sunday, August 08, 2010
books!
56. Population 485: Meeting Your Neighbors One Siren at a Time by Michael Perry
A series of vignettes about Perry's life as a writer and volunteer fire fighter in a small Wisconsin town. I really like Perry's voice and the setting, so I liked this book a lot.
57. The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest by Stieg Larsson
The third in this super popular series. I liked this one, but I don't have the fanatical love for these books that some others have. I thought it wrapped things up pretty well, though, and through the whole series I really liked reading about Sweden.
58. The Snake, The Crocodile and the Dog by Elizabeth Peters
Another awesome Amelia Peabody mystery. Nothing more to say.
59. To the Edge: A Man, Death Valley, and the Mystery of Endurance by Kirk R. Johnson
This book was really interesting. It is the story of a reporter who signs up for Badwater, a 135 mile ultramarathon from the lowest point in Death Valley to the highest point. Johnson signs up for the race after his brother commits suicide -- Johnson's goal is to explore what makes a person able to endure. Johnson takes another brother and sister with him as crew, and aside from the family stories we also see Johnson's change from an observer of the race (as a reporter) to a whole hearted participant. The early part of the book was less interesting to me as I was not compelled by the questions of why some people do endurance events or even are able to survive certain circumstances while others cannot. What most interested me, was how the idea of Badwater started to obsess Johnson. The books does a good job of carrying the reader along on this transformation. At first I thought only crazy people would run the race, but by the end of the book I could understand its appeal. I'm unlikely to be running in the sauna to train for this race any time soon, but this book is a good glimpse into why someone might do something like that.
A series of vignettes about Perry's life as a writer and volunteer fire fighter in a small Wisconsin town. I really like Perry's voice and the setting, so I liked this book a lot.
57. The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest by Stieg Larsson
The third in this super popular series. I liked this one, but I don't have the fanatical love for these books that some others have. I thought it wrapped things up pretty well, though, and through the whole series I really liked reading about Sweden.
58. The Snake, The Crocodile and the Dog by Elizabeth Peters
Another awesome Amelia Peabody mystery. Nothing more to say.
59. To the Edge: A Man, Death Valley, and the Mystery of Endurance by Kirk R. Johnson
This book was really interesting. It is the story of a reporter who signs up for Badwater, a 135 mile ultramarathon from the lowest point in Death Valley to the highest point. Johnson signs up for the race after his brother commits suicide -- Johnson's goal is to explore what makes a person able to endure. Johnson takes another brother and sister with him as crew, and aside from the family stories we also see Johnson's change from an observer of the race (as a reporter) to a whole hearted participant. The early part of the book was less interesting to me as I was not compelled by the questions of why some people do endurance events or even are able to survive certain circumstances while others cannot. What most interested me, was how the idea of Badwater started to obsess Johnson. The books does a good job of carrying the reader along on this transformation. At first I thought only crazy people would run the race, but by the end of the book I could understand its appeal. I'm unlikely to be running in the sauna to train for this race any time soon, but this book is a good glimpse into why someone might do something like that.
Sunday, July 04, 2010
Books!
55. Brasyl by Ian McDonald
Meh. I felt like all the action happened at the end of this book. And also, if the action had been more throughout I would have liked it better. I am not really impressed by books/movies, etc. with the premise "reality is not real."
Meh. I felt like all the action happened at the end of this book. And also, if the action had been more throughout I would have liked it better. I am not really impressed by books/movies, etc. with the premise "reality is not real."
Books!
52. The Group by Mary McCarthy
This is the story of a group of college friends from Vassar in the 1930s. I mostly enjoyed it for the glimpses of life as an educated young woman back then, but I found it hard to get really close to the characters. A good read for the historical value, but not completely engrossing.
53. The Bridge: The Life and Rise of Barack Obama by David Remnick
The title says it all! The book starts out as a biography, and then moves on to Obama's political career and progress from state Senator to US Senator to president. I haven't read Dreams of My Father, so I not seen the biography stuff put all together before and I really enjoyed that part. I actually really liked seeing the whole story laid out. I mean, I lived through the election, I remember Obama's speech at the 2004 convention, but it was interesting to take a step back and see how it all fit together. This book only got three out of five stars because it was long, and some parts dragged a little, but other parts were page turners even though I knew how it would all end up. If you are at all interested in politics or knowing more about how Obama came to be who he is and fit this particular time I recommend this book.
54. Garnethill by Denise Mina
This is the second book of Mina's I have read and I really enjoyed both. I liked this one better than the other. It is a good mystery/thriller but also very well written and with a larger message about the treatment of people with mental illness in society. If you like mysteries but also more literary fiction, I recommend this book. As a bonus it is set in Scotland. I find I prefer mysteries that take place anywhere in Great Britain over those in the US.
This is the story of a group of college friends from Vassar in the 1930s. I mostly enjoyed it for the glimpses of life as an educated young woman back then, but I found it hard to get really close to the characters. A good read for the historical value, but not completely engrossing.
53. The Bridge: The Life and Rise of Barack Obama by David Remnick
The title says it all! The book starts out as a biography, and then moves on to Obama's political career and progress from state Senator to US Senator to president. I haven't read Dreams of My Father, so I not seen the biography stuff put all together before and I really enjoyed that part. I actually really liked seeing the whole story laid out. I mean, I lived through the election, I remember Obama's speech at the 2004 convention, but it was interesting to take a step back and see how it all fit together. This book only got three out of five stars because it was long, and some parts dragged a little, but other parts were page turners even though I knew how it would all end up. If you are at all interested in politics or knowing more about how Obama came to be who he is and fit this particular time I recommend this book.
54. Garnethill by Denise Mina
This is the second book of Mina's I have read and I really enjoyed both. I liked this one better than the other. It is a good mystery/thriller but also very well written and with a larger message about the treatment of people with mental illness in society. If you like mysteries but also more literary fiction, I recommend this book. As a bonus it is set in Scotland. I find I prefer mysteries that take place anywhere in Great Britain over those in the US.
Saturday, July 03, 2010
Books!
50 and 51. The Dead and the Gone and This World We Live In by Susan Beth Pfeffer
These are 2nd and 3rd books in a series that began with Life As We Knew It, which I loved. In these books a meteor crashes into the moon, pushing it off course and causing various disasters on earth. You all should know by now that I love a good apocalypse. But, I did not love these last two books. In The Dead and the Gone we go through the same time period as the first book, but in New York City. I did like a view of the end of the world from a big city stand point, but the characters were not as engaging. Also, the first book was written in a diary format which really drew the reader in and the second book was in 3rd person. The third book, though, was the worst. The characters from the first two books are brought together in a kind of contrived way and end up having to deal with things NOT going back to normal. In the third, I thought the characters were not as well fleshed out and there were many events that did not fit in with how I understood the characters so far. I would recommend reading the first book and skipping the second two.
These are 2nd and 3rd books in a series that began with Life As We Knew It, which I loved. In these books a meteor crashes into the moon, pushing it off course and causing various disasters on earth. You all should know by now that I love a good apocalypse. But, I did not love these last two books. In The Dead and the Gone we go through the same time period as the first book, but in New York City. I did like a view of the end of the world from a big city stand point, but the characters were not as engaging. Also, the first book was written in a diary format which really drew the reader in and the second book was in 3rd person. The third book, though, was the worst. The characters from the first two books are brought together in a kind of contrived way and end up having to deal with things NOT going back to normal. In the third, I thought the characters were not as well fleshed out and there were many events that did not fit in with how I understood the characters so far. I would recommend reading the first book and skipping the second two.
Thursday, July 01, 2010
Books!
48. The Help by Kathryn Stockett
A story of various women and race relations in early 1960s Mississippi. I found the story and characters compelling; both the privileged white women, the white women aware of the injustice of their privilege and the black hired help. All were pretty much treated with respect and interest by the author. After I got into the book awhile I could not put it down, although at the end I felt the author missed the mark a little in some way, and could have gone deeper or told us something more radical. Still, a very good book worth reading.
49. Where Men Win Glory: The Odyssey of Pat Tillman by Jon Krakauer
I love a lot of Krakauer's writing. This seems to be a very thoroughly researched book about Pat Tillman, the NFL player who gave up a $$$ contract to join the military. In the end, he was killed by friendly fire in Afghanistan and there was a big cover up about it. This book is very disturbing when it talks about the extent of the cover up, and also the extent of friendly fire deaths in the military and the way in which soldiers are sent into dangerous situations that could be avoided. You can read this if you want to be angry and disturbed about failures of the command structure of the military, and the extent that some will go to to keep people supporting the fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Aside from the indignation this inspired, I liked learning about Tillman, about the life of a pro-athlete and about the life of a soldier, all of which I knew nothing about before.
A story of various women and race relations in early 1960s Mississippi. I found the story and characters compelling; both the privileged white women, the white women aware of the injustice of their privilege and the black hired help. All were pretty much treated with respect and interest by the author. After I got into the book awhile I could not put it down, although at the end I felt the author missed the mark a little in some way, and could have gone deeper or told us something more radical. Still, a very good book worth reading.
49. Where Men Win Glory: The Odyssey of Pat Tillman by Jon Krakauer
I love a lot of Krakauer's writing. This seems to be a very thoroughly researched book about Pat Tillman, the NFL player who gave up a $$$ contract to join the military. In the end, he was killed by friendly fire in Afghanistan and there was a big cover up about it. This book is very disturbing when it talks about the extent of the cover up, and also the extent of friendly fire deaths in the military and the way in which soldiers are sent into dangerous situations that could be avoided. You can read this if you want to be angry and disturbed about failures of the command structure of the military, and the extent that some will go to to keep people supporting the fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Aside from the indignation this inspired, I liked learning about Tillman, about the life of a pro-athlete and about the life of a soldier, all of which I knew nothing about before.
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
books!
45. The Demon King by Cinda Williams Chima
I read another series by Chima and really liked it so I thought I would pick this one up. I also really liked it. This is just really solid straight ahead fantasy. You have the supernatural, magic, people who are probably not who they appear to be, all kinds of romantic triangles hinted at and some great selfless heroism. Chima is currently one of my favorite contemporary fantasy authors and I am looking forward to the next book in this series.
46. Skim by Mariko Tamiki and Jillian Tamiki
This is a graphic novel about a loner teenage girl as she navigates various teen angsts. It didn't so a lot for me now, although I enjoyed reading a kind of character driven graphic novel. I think I would have loved this as a teenager, though, and really related to it then.
47. The Deeds of the Disturber by Elizabeth Peters
Another great Amelia Peabody mystery. This one is set in Britain, but it is still awesome.
I read another series by Chima and really liked it so I thought I would pick this one up. I also really liked it. This is just really solid straight ahead fantasy. You have the supernatural, magic, people who are probably not who they appear to be, all kinds of romantic triangles hinted at and some great selfless heroism. Chima is currently one of my favorite contemporary fantasy authors and I am looking forward to the next book in this series.
46. Skim by Mariko Tamiki and Jillian Tamiki
This is a graphic novel about a loner teenage girl as she navigates various teen angsts. It didn't so a lot for me now, although I enjoyed reading a kind of character driven graphic novel. I think I would have loved this as a teenager, though, and really related to it then.
47. The Deeds of the Disturber by Elizabeth Peters
Another great Amelia Peabody mystery. This one is set in Britain, but it is still awesome.
Monday, June 28, 2010
books!
41. A Curse Dark as Gold by Elizabeth C. Bunce
A really good re-telling of the Rumpelstiltskin fairy tale, with some excellent, strong female characters thrown in. This dragged a little bit in the middle, but by the end I couldn't put it down.
42. The Unnamed by Joshua Ferris
I was a little disappointed in Ferris's first book, as I'd heard it was hilarious and I did not LOL. I liked this book more. This is the story of a man with a strange medical condition/compulsion/what have you. The book follows him and his family as he deals with this. This description makes the book sound kind of Hallmark-channely, but it is a good character study with a unique premise.
43. Perfume: The Story of a Murderer by Patrick Suskind
Someone highly recommended this book to me, and I always hate it when I don't like a book someone recommends, but I did not like this book. It is about a strange man who has no odor of his own, but has an amazing sense of smell. It goes inside his mind as he commits some murders, and in that way it is interesting, but I really really did not like the main character and did not want to be inside his mind. That was probably the point, but it did not make for an enjoyable read. I did like the descriptions of the smells throughout the book, though.
44. Life As We Knew It by Susan Beth Pfeffer
Loved this book. It is in the form of a diary of a teenage girl who lives through an asteroid hitting the moon and knocking it off course. Of course, various terrible things befall the earth. I love post-apocalyptic novels and teen angst, so this was an excellent book for me. I recommend it.
A really good re-telling of the Rumpelstiltskin fairy tale, with some excellent, strong female characters thrown in. This dragged a little bit in the middle, but by the end I couldn't put it down.
42. The Unnamed by Joshua Ferris
I was a little disappointed in Ferris's first book, as I'd heard it was hilarious and I did not LOL. I liked this book more. This is the story of a man with a strange medical condition/compulsion/what have you. The book follows him and his family as he deals with this. This description makes the book sound kind of Hallmark-channely, but it is a good character study with a unique premise.
43. Perfume: The Story of a Murderer by Patrick Suskind
Someone highly recommended this book to me, and I always hate it when I don't like a book someone recommends, but I did not like this book. It is about a strange man who has no odor of his own, but has an amazing sense of smell. It goes inside his mind as he commits some murders, and in that way it is interesting, but I really really did not like the main character and did not want to be inside his mind. That was probably the point, but it did not make for an enjoyable read. I did like the descriptions of the smells throughout the book, though.
44. Life As We Knew It by Susan Beth Pfeffer
Loved this book. It is in the form of a diary of a teenage girl who lives through an asteroid hitting the moon and knocking it off course. Of course, various terrible things befall the earth. I love post-apocalyptic novels and teen angst, so this was an excellent book for me. I recommend it.
Monday, May 17, 2010
books!
I think I will be caught up after this one!
38. Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson
As I said before, I decided to re-read some of my old childhood favorites. I actually remember the first time I read this I vowed to never read it again because it made me so sad. I was really angry at the author for writing such a sad book.
Paterson really treats the young characters in her book with a lot of dignity. This is, of course, a classic. On my recent re-read, though, I was troubled by an undercurrent of classism, but then I thought Paterson came around in the end. Anyway, Jess's poor parents are not treated in the best way, especially in comparison with Leslie's more well-off family. But part of that might be the point of view being so closely tied to Jess. Still, beautifully written book that really lets the young characters be full human beings.
39. A Summer to Die by Lois Lowry
From the title, you can tell that someone will die in this book. This is the story of two sisters who don't get along, and what happens when one of them becomes sick and, yes, dies. I will not apologize for spoilering as it is in the title and on the book jacket.
This book was ok, but I didn't think Lowry treated the subjects of the book with the same dignity and respect as Paterson does. I think I would have liked this book more if I hadn't read Bridge to Terabithia immediately afterwards.
40. Once Upon Stilletos by Shanna Swendson
This is the second in this series. I am really enjoying it for a fun, fluffy read. This book was a little less enjoyable than the first, as I thought it had a more meandering story that never really got the payoff I wanted. That said, the characters are all fun, and it is great to imagine fairies and wizards running around New York.
38. Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson
As I said before, I decided to re-read some of my old childhood favorites. I actually remember the first time I read this I vowed to never read it again because it made me so sad. I was really angry at the author for writing such a sad book.
Paterson really treats the young characters in her book with a lot of dignity. This is, of course, a classic. On my recent re-read, though, I was troubled by an undercurrent of classism, but then I thought Paterson came around in the end. Anyway, Jess's poor parents are not treated in the best way, especially in comparison with Leslie's more well-off family. But part of that might be the point of view being so closely tied to Jess. Still, beautifully written book that really lets the young characters be full human beings.
39. A Summer to Die by Lois Lowry
From the title, you can tell that someone will die in this book. This is the story of two sisters who don't get along, and what happens when one of them becomes sick and, yes, dies. I will not apologize for spoilering as it is in the title and on the book jacket.
This book was ok, but I didn't think Lowry treated the subjects of the book with the same dignity and respect as Paterson does. I think I would have liked this book more if I hadn't read Bridge to Terabithia immediately afterwards.
40. Once Upon Stilletos by Shanna Swendson
This is the second in this series. I am really enjoying it for a fun, fluffy read. This book was a little less enjoyable than the first, as I thought it had a more meandering story that never really got the payoff I wanted. That said, the characters are all fun, and it is great to imagine fairies and wizards running around New York.
Saturday, May 15, 2010
books
35. Jacob Have I Loved by Katherine Paterson
Part of my re-reading of YA novels from my youth. I forgot that this was also written by the author of Bridge to Terabithia. While I of course loved Bridge to Terabithia as a young Laurie, this is the book of Paterson's that most stuck with me. It really captures the hopeless rage of being a teenager, and the wondering if you'll ever break out of the world you were born into. Really great book.
36. Beat the Reaper by Josh Bazell
I actually listened to this book on my iPod. I don't usually listen to audiobooks, but I downloaded some as part of a plan to motivate me to run. Then I gave up running in favor of dissertating. So in the end, I listened to this on my commutes to campus.
This book is crazy! In the end, it was too much for me. The narrator is really good, and the whole story is told first person by a mafia hit man turned doctor. It is really violent and full of sex and swearing (Mom, you would not like it!). The main character is really engaging, though, and there are lots of awesome medical asides. But seriously, it is full of grossness and violence. Wow.
37. Affinity by Sarah Waters
An upper class woman in 1790s London starts visiting a women's prison and encounters a spiritualist. In what follows, the "lady visitor" starts to believe more and more about spiritualism and tries to fit into a world that doesn't seem to have a place for her in it. The characters in this book were really well done, but in the end it was rather predictable.
Part of my re-reading of YA novels from my youth. I forgot that this was also written by the author of Bridge to Terabithia. While I of course loved Bridge to Terabithia as a young Laurie, this is the book of Paterson's that most stuck with me. It really captures the hopeless rage of being a teenager, and the wondering if you'll ever break out of the world you were born into. Really great book.
36. Beat the Reaper by Josh Bazell
I actually listened to this book on my iPod. I don't usually listen to audiobooks, but I downloaded some as part of a plan to motivate me to run. Then I gave up running in favor of dissertating. So in the end, I listened to this on my commutes to campus.
This book is crazy! In the end, it was too much for me. The narrator is really good, and the whole story is told first person by a mafia hit man turned doctor. It is really violent and full of sex and swearing (Mom, you would not like it!). The main character is really engaging, though, and there are lots of awesome medical asides. But seriously, it is full of grossness and violence. Wow.
37. Affinity by Sarah Waters
An upper class woman in 1790s London starts visiting a women's prison and encounters a spiritualist. In what follows, the "lady visitor" starts to believe more and more about spiritualism and tries to fit into a world that doesn't seem to have a place for her in it. The characters in this book were really well done, but in the end it was rather predictable.
Thursday, May 13, 2010
Books
31. Bella Abzug: How One Tough Broad from the Bronx Fought Jim Crow and Joe McCarthy, Pissed Off Jimmy Carter, Battled for the Rights of Women and Workers, ... Planet, and Shook Up Politics Along the Way by Suzanne Braun Levine and Mary Thom.
I did not know a single thing about Bella Abzug before I read this book, but now I am filled with admiration for her and sad that I went so long without knowing about her.
The structure of this book is unique, in that it is little snippets of interviews put together to tell Bella's story. At first I was skeptical, but the authors did a great job of a creating a narrative thread out of it. This book is really interesting and inspiring.
Also, dude, what is up with the ERA not being ratified? Read more about it here.
32. The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss
This was an excellent fantasy novel. It is framed as the re-telling of a life story by an innkeeper, who is much more than he appears. There isn't always a lot of action in this long book, but the story is so well told and the characters are all very interesting. I am looking forward to the rest of the books in this series with high hopes.
33. The Last Van Gogh by Alyson Richman
This is the story of Van Gogh's last days from the point of view of Van Gogh's doctor. It made me interested to learn more about what is actually known about the end of Van Gogh's life, and it was an ok book, but the author over did it in her color descriptions. I think she might have been using a paint catalog. :)
34. Lion in the Valley by Elizabeth Peters
More awesomely fun archaeological adventures! I am loving this series more than ever.
I did not know a single thing about Bella Abzug before I read this book, but now I am filled with admiration for her and sad that I went so long without knowing about her.
The structure of this book is unique, in that it is little snippets of interviews put together to tell Bella's story. At first I was skeptical, but the authors did a great job of a creating a narrative thread out of it. This book is really interesting and inspiring.
Also, dude, what is up with the ERA not being ratified? Read more about it here.
32. The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss
This was an excellent fantasy novel. It is framed as the re-telling of a life story by an innkeeper, who is much more than he appears. There isn't always a lot of action in this long book, but the story is so well told and the characters are all very interesting. I am looking forward to the rest of the books in this series with high hopes.
33. The Last Van Gogh by Alyson Richman
This is the story of Van Gogh's last days from the point of view of Van Gogh's doctor. It made me interested to learn more about what is actually known about the end of Van Gogh's life, and it was an ok book, but the author over did it in her color descriptions. I think she might have been using a paint catalog. :)
34. Lion in the Valley by Elizabeth Peters
More awesomely fun archaeological adventures! I am loving this series more than ever.
Monday, May 03, 2010
books
29. Alanna: The First Adventure by Tamora Pierce
A girl disguises herself as a boy in order to enter training to be a warrior. This was a pretty good read, but it never really grabbed me. It was nice to read about a strong determined girl who goes about reaching her goals by whatever means necessary. There are hints that something big is in store for her, so I will probably keep reading the series. I thought the writing was a little simplistic, but then I saw that this was marked as an "elementary" book not young adult, so that may be part of the problem.
30. Hope for Animals and their World: How Endangered Species are Being Rescued from the Brink by Jane Goodall
This is a good book to read if you are interested in animals or conservation. It is really a collection of small essays about different species that are labeled conservation successes, so it is not great to read straight through. The purpose of the book is to counteract the hopelessness a lot of people feel when discussing conservation. The idea is that this hopelessness stops people from acting, so Goodall decided to present some success stories, in hopes that people will see a difference can still be made for a lot of species that appear to be in a dire situation. I can see the merit in this approach, but at times I was worried the book went too far in the positive direction, and lost some of the sense of urgency that we need to have when thinking about conservation. Also, there was a lot about zoos and captive breeding programs, and I, personally, am not convinced that these contribute to conservation to the extent we hope they do. Still, I love Jane Goodall and this was a very interesting book overall.
A girl disguises herself as a boy in order to enter training to be a warrior. This was a pretty good read, but it never really grabbed me. It was nice to read about a strong determined girl who goes about reaching her goals by whatever means necessary. There are hints that something big is in store for her, so I will probably keep reading the series. I thought the writing was a little simplistic, but then I saw that this was marked as an "elementary" book not young adult, so that may be part of the problem.
30. Hope for Animals and their World: How Endangered Species are Being Rescued from the Brink by Jane Goodall
This is a good book to read if you are interested in animals or conservation. It is really a collection of small essays about different species that are labeled conservation successes, so it is not great to read straight through. The purpose of the book is to counteract the hopelessness a lot of people feel when discussing conservation. The idea is that this hopelessness stops people from acting, so Goodall decided to present some success stories, in hopes that people will see a difference can still be made for a lot of species that appear to be in a dire situation. I can see the merit in this approach, but at times I was worried the book went too far in the positive direction, and lost some of the sense of urgency that we need to have when thinking about conservation. Also, there was a lot about zoos and captive breeding programs, and I, personally, am not convinced that these contribute to conservation to the extent we hope they do. Still, I love Jane Goodall and this was a very interesting book overall.
Friday, April 30, 2010
books
25. The All-True Travels and Adventures of Lidie Newton by Jane Smiley
I really like the main character of Lidie Newton, and was interested in the history of Kansas in the 1850s, but there was maybe too much history in this novel. Parts of it seemed like a dry history book and were kind of boring. By the end, I started to feel like Lidie's life got into too many twists and turns, and she didn't seem like the character I'd liked in the beginning. Still, a well-done historical novel about Kansas and Missouri and the dispute about slavery in these two states. Also, it was fun to be reminded of a time when Illinois was called "the west!"
26. Pretty Little Mistakes (A Do-Over Novel) by Heather McElhatton
A Choose Your Own Adventure for grown ups! This book is kind of fun for awhile, but really is mostly a novelty book. There are so many possible outcomes that even after spending a few hours on this I could not figure them all out. Mostly I was impressed at how hard it must have been to interweave so many stories. Read this if you miss Choose Your Own Adventure books or always wished they had way more possible outcomes.
27. Dead Until Dark by Charlaine Harris
Very fun vampires in Louisiana story with romance and a mystery! If you want romantic vampires and a heroine who can stand up for herself, read this instead of Twilight! :)
28. Digital Fortress by Dan Brown
I read this on the plane because it was lying around the house and I could leave it behind at my destination. It was ok. Total fluff, secret spy stuff.
I really like the main character of Lidie Newton, and was interested in the history of Kansas in the 1850s, but there was maybe too much history in this novel. Parts of it seemed like a dry history book and were kind of boring. By the end, I started to feel like Lidie's life got into too many twists and turns, and she didn't seem like the character I'd liked in the beginning. Still, a well-done historical novel about Kansas and Missouri and the dispute about slavery in these two states. Also, it was fun to be reminded of a time when Illinois was called "the west!"
26. Pretty Little Mistakes (A Do-Over Novel) by Heather McElhatton
A Choose Your Own Adventure for grown ups! This book is kind of fun for awhile, but really is mostly a novelty book. There are so many possible outcomes that even after spending a few hours on this I could not figure them all out. Mostly I was impressed at how hard it must have been to interweave so many stories. Read this if you miss Choose Your Own Adventure books or always wished they had way more possible outcomes.
27. Dead Until Dark by Charlaine Harris
Very fun vampires in Louisiana story with romance and a mystery! If you want romantic vampires and a heroine who can stand up for herself, read this instead of Twilight! :)
28. Digital Fortress by Dan Brown
I read this on the plane because it was lying around the house and I could leave it behind at my destination. It was ok. Total fluff, secret spy stuff.
Sunday, April 25, 2010
books!
21. Traffic: Why We Drive the Way We Do (and What it Says About Us) by Tom Vanderbilt
Seriously about everything you ever wanted to know about traffic. It is super interesting, and engagingly written, but could be a bit much sometimes. There is just sooo much info. I had to take a few breaks, but really enjoyed it in the end.
22. Little Brother by Cory Doctorow
So towards the end this totally sucked me in and I could not put it down. If not for a late rally it might only have gotten two stars. There is a light of explaining of various hacker things and tech jargon that I did not enjoy. Also, this is a Book With an Agenda and I generally don't like those unless the story is super awesome. This story was not super awesome enough. That said, I liked the characters and the voice, and like I said I really go sucked in at the end.
23. Committed: A Skeptic Makes Peace with Marriage by Elizabeth Gilbert
A lot of people really hate this book, just like a lot of people really hated Gilbert's first book, "Eat, Pray, Love". I liked this one, but I also liked "Eat, Pray, Love". Although I think people irritated by Eat, Pray, Love might like Committed more, as I felt she was more self-aware in this book and more directly addresses the fact that she is totally privileged and lucky to have the adventures she does. Anyway, I think I mostly liked the book as I am also someone who has partaken of legal marriage although I am deeply conflicted about it, and it was nice to read that point of view from someone else. Some of her research was interesting, but a lot of it seemed very superficial, and I know a little of it was inaccurate. But she bends over backwards to say she is not an expert on any of this and the book is about her personal journey.
I don't feel like I sold the book very well, there, but I did enjoy reading it. For me, it was like hanging out with a smart, interesting friend who shares my views on a lot of stuff and so made me feel normal for awhile.
24. The Darling by Russell Banks
This is another book a little about chimpanzees and Africa. In this one, the main character is a radical leftist in the US, involved in the Weather Underground and ends up moving to Liberia, marrying a Liberian man and kind of getting involved in Liberian politics. Along the way she works with chimps used for medical research, and eventually starts a chimpanzee sanctuary. I really liked the conclusions the main character came to about interactions between the powerful and the powerless, but she was also kind of just pushed a long in her life, and seemed to make few decisions and never stood up and took control of anything. That really frustrated me. So, this book is good for reading about Liberia and chimps, but the main character/narrator was pretty annoying to me.
Seriously about everything you ever wanted to know about traffic. It is super interesting, and engagingly written, but could be a bit much sometimes. There is just sooo much info. I had to take a few breaks, but really enjoyed it in the end.
22. Little Brother by Cory Doctorow
So towards the end this totally sucked me in and I could not put it down. If not for a late rally it might only have gotten two stars. There is a light of explaining of various hacker things and tech jargon that I did not enjoy. Also, this is a Book With an Agenda and I generally don't like those unless the story is super awesome. This story was not super awesome enough. That said, I liked the characters and the voice, and like I said I really go sucked in at the end.
23. Committed: A Skeptic Makes Peace with Marriage by Elizabeth Gilbert
A lot of people really hate this book, just like a lot of people really hated Gilbert's first book, "Eat, Pray, Love". I liked this one, but I also liked "Eat, Pray, Love". Although I think people irritated by Eat, Pray, Love might like Committed more, as I felt she was more self-aware in this book and more directly addresses the fact that she is totally privileged and lucky to have the adventures she does. Anyway, I think I mostly liked the book as I am also someone who has partaken of legal marriage although I am deeply conflicted about it, and it was nice to read that point of view from someone else. Some of her research was interesting, but a lot of it seemed very superficial, and I know a little of it was inaccurate. But she bends over backwards to say she is not an expert on any of this and the book is about her personal journey.
I don't feel like I sold the book very well, there, but I did enjoy reading it. For me, it was like hanging out with a smart, interesting friend who shares my views on a lot of stuff and so made me feel normal for awhile.
24. The Darling by Russell Banks
This is another book a little about chimpanzees and Africa. In this one, the main character is a radical leftist in the US, involved in the Weather Underground and ends up moving to Liberia, marrying a Liberian man and kind of getting involved in Liberian politics. Along the way she works with chimps used for medical research, and eventually starts a chimpanzee sanctuary. I really liked the conclusions the main character came to about interactions between the powerful and the powerless, but she was also kind of just pushed a long in her life, and seemed to make few decisions and never stood up and took control of anything. That really frustrated me. So, this book is good for reading about Liberia and chimps, but the main character/narrator was pretty annoying to me.
Friday, April 23, 2010
books!
18. Brazzaville Beach by William Boyd
I am not totally sure what to think of this book. I thought it was really well written and the characters and setting were all interesting. The book follows a woman who studies chimps through three key time periods in her life and I thought this was really well done. Also, as a primatologist, I was impressed with the author's portrayal of primatology. He must have done some serious research!
Here's why I am not sure what to think about the book in the end, though. I felt like there is some deeper meaning I am meant to grasp, but I don't know what that meaning/message is, and all the ones I can think of seem not interesting to me. Apes and humans are the same? We have a cruel, animal nature? Chimp society is not a peaceful ideal? I feel like all those are obvious truisms, and I think I would have liked the book a little more if it seemed more like the story of the main character, and left the attempt at bigger messages out.
19. Fire by Kristin Cashore
I really loved this book, which is sorta related to the author's other book, Graceling, but not really. It is the story of a kingdom where there are "monsters", versions of living things that are more beautiful and mesmerizing than the normal sort. They can also control minds to get what they want. The main character is Fire, the last human monster.
I thought the characters in this book were so compelling and well-realized, and the rather complex plot with political intrigue and war was handled really well. The story is really that of people with power learning how to handle their power responsibly. Seriously, I could not put this book down and wish I still had more of it to read.
20. Bright-sided: How the Relentless Promotion of Positive Thinking Has Undermined America by Barbara Ehrenreich
This book is a pretty harsh critique of America's obsession with positive thinking. I was skeptical of reading it as I consider myself an optimist and a positive thinker. However, my kind of positive thinking is not what Ehrenreich is talking about. She is more talking about a belief that a good attitude will get you success in life without the accompanying work. A la The Secret.
Parts of this book were great, and parts were not. In the end, I think it was not enough content for a whole book. I thought the first part, about the problem with the obsession with positive thinking in regards to cancer and medical treatments was great. I also like the part about how positive thinking lead to the recent economic crisis. The middle parts about how positive thinking has roots as a backlash against Calvinism and how it is used today in Christian mega-churches were not as strong.
In the end, this is an interesting premise, that I think either needed a lot more rigorous research and a longer book or should have remained as two essays, about cancer and the recession.
I am not totally sure what to think of this book. I thought it was really well written and the characters and setting were all interesting. The book follows a woman who studies chimps through three key time periods in her life and I thought this was really well done. Also, as a primatologist, I was impressed with the author's portrayal of primatology. He must have done some serious research!
Here's why I am not sure what to think about the book in the end, though. I felt like there is some deeper meaning I am meant to grasp, but I don't know what that meaning/message is, and all the ones I can think of seem not interesting to me. Apes and humans are the same? We have a cruel, animal nature? Chimp society is not a peaceful ideal? I feel like all those are obvious truisms, and I think I would have liked the book a little more if it seemed more like the story of the main character, and left the attempt at bigger messages out.
19. Fire by Kristin Cashore
I really loved this book, which is sorta related to the author's other book, Graceling, but not really. It is the story of a kingdom where there are "monsters", versions of living things that are more beautiful and mesmerizing than the normal sort. They can also control minds to get what they want. The main character is Fire, the last human monster.
I thought the characters in this book were so compelling and well-realized, and the rather complex plot with political intrigue and war was handled really well. The story is really that of people with power learning how to handle their power responsibly. Seriously, I could not put this book down and wish I still had more of it to read.
20. Bright-sided: How the Relentless Promotion of Positive Thinking Has Undermined America by Barbara Ehrenreich
Parts of this book were great, and parts were not. In the end, I think it was not enough content for a whole book. I thought the first part, about the problem with the obsession with positive thinking in regards to cancer and medical treatments was great. I also like the part about how positive thinking lead to the recent economic crisis. The middle parts about how positive thinking has roots as a backlash against Calvinism and how it is used today in Christian mega-churches were not as strong.
In the end, this is an interesting premise, that I think either needed a lot more rigorous research and a longer book or should have remained as two essays, about cancer and the recession.
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