Finished reading Eleanor Herman's second book "Sex with the Queen". This was just as enjoyable as the first book and a bit more structured. In this book Herman not only described some of the dangers and reasons why a Queen may take a lover (or several), but she also gave a brief biographical look at some of the Queens (and Princesses) who took lovers and what that decision did to their lives and the country they ruled.
I really liked how Herman refused to gloss over some of the more lurid details of these women's and men's lives. Some liberties were taken in regards to how these ladies may have felt, but I think Herman made good assumptions based on primary sources and letters from the Queens themselves.
Only one part of the book made me feel uncomfortable and that was the chapter on Princess Diana. Even though she had been dead for several years before the book was published I still felt it was too soon to be airing her "dirty laundry" so to speak. While some of Diana's affairs were well known about (James Hewitt), some are based on speculation and unproven evidence. Herman also lends credence to statements that Diana was unstable. Too many people have cashed in on the royal family and Diana in particular which makes it hard to believe anything that's printed about them.
The chapter on Princess Diana aside, I really enjoyed reading about these romantic and sometimes deviant Queens. If you are interested in reading "Sex with the Queen" by Eleanor Herman, you can find it at your local library or at Barnes and Noble.
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
Friday, September 11, 2009
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
The Continuing Saga of Darren Shan . . .
This week I read "The Vampire's Assistant" the second book in the "Cirque du Freak" series written by Darren Shan. In this installment we get to learn more about half-vampire Darren Shan and his guardian Larten Crepsley. Mr. Crepsley decides to return with Darren to Cirque du Freak, he feels guilty about forcing Darren into the life of a vampire at such a young age and wants to make it up to him by allowing him the opportunity to make friends other "different" boys.
I definitely felt there was more depth to this installment compared to the first book. In this book we see Darren struggle between his humanity and his vampire urges as he tries to abstain from drinking human blood. We also see him begin to understand Mr. Crepsley is not a monster or evil, but trying to do the right thing with the cards he was dealt. Like the first book, I do think both could have been combined into one book, but at least the ending in this installment seemed more solid and not hanging in midair like the first book.
I really enjoyed reading "The Vampire's Assistant" and I can't wait to read the rest of the books in the Darren Shan Saga. If you are interested in reading "Cirque du Freak: The Vampire's Assistant" by Darren Shan, you can find it at your local library or at Barnes and Noble.
I definitely felt there was more depth to this installment compared to the first book. In this book we see Darren struggle between his humanity and his vampire urges as he tries to abstain from drinking human blood. We also see him begin to understand Mr. Crepsley is not a monster or evil, but trying to do the right thing with the cards he was dealt. Like the first book, I do think both could have been combined into one book, but at least the ending in this installment seemed more solid and not hanging in midair like the first book.
I really enjoyed reading "The Vampire's Assistant" and I can't wait to read the rest of the books in the Darren Shan Saga. If you are interested in reading "Cirque du Freak: The Vampire's Assistant" by Darren Shan, you can find it at your local library or at Barnes and Noble.
Monday, September 7, 2009
Sunday, September 6, 2009
Something different . . .
This week I went out of my comfort zone and read a bestselling fiction novel. Crazy? I know, I surprised myself too. I read "The Time Traveler's Wife" by Audrey Niffenegger. The story is an unconventional, yet conventional love story between two soul mates. Henry DeTamble is a time traveler, but not by choice, he suffers from a condition called Chrono-Impairment that hurls him forwards and backwards through time during moments of stress. Throughout it all he meets his soul mate in a meadow one day during his travels, Henry is in his 30s and Clare is 6. Clare knows Henry her entire life without really knowing him, and Henry doesn't know about Clare until they bump into each other in the library where Henry works when she is an adult.
I really did like this novel. The story was fresh and new and I really did like some aspects of the characters. What was really likeable about this story was the fierce devotion and loyalty Henry and Clare have for each other.
What I didn't like about the novel was some of the language used. I understand sex is involved in the story, but some of the terms she uses aren't the terms that a loving couple would use with each other. I also thought that the author incorporated too many sex scenes, it almost felt like the only way Henry and Clare could express their love for each other was through sex. It got a bit distracting and felt like wasted space in which the author could have given us more insight into Henry and Clare's relationship.
I really did enjoy this book, it's a great book from a first time author and I hope Niffenegger gets better with time. If you are interested in reading "The Time Traveler's Wife" by Audrey Niffenegger, you can find it at your local library or at Barnes and Noble.
I really did like this novel. The story was fresh and new and I really did like some aspects of the characters. What was really likeable about this story was the fierce devotion and loyalty Henry and Clare have for each other.
What I didn't like about the novel was some of the language used. I understand sex is involved in the story, but some of the terms she uses aren't the terms that a loving couple would use with each other. I also thought that the author incorporated too many sex scenes, it almost felt like the only way Henry and Clare could express their love for each other was through sex. It got a bit distracting and felt like wasted space in which the author could have given us more insight into Henry and Clare's relationship.
I really did enjoy this book, it's a great book from a first time author and I hope Niffenegger gets better with time. If you are interested in reading "The Time Traveler's Wife" by Audrey Niffenegger, you can find it at your local library or at Barnes and Noble.
More Farquhar . . .
I just finished reading another fabulous book by Michael Farquhar, "Treasury of Great American Scandals". Have I mentioned how much I love Farquhar's books? This one was no exception! In this book Farquhar has the reader take a look at some of the most scandalous moments in American history from the Founding Fathers to Richard Nixon. Unlike most of his books this one is not divided up by person, but by type of scandal, ranging from family feuds to pompous generals. Each chapter reveals the all too human characterstics of our leaders that are left out of the history books.
If you are interested in reading "Treasury of Great American Scandals" by Michael Farquhar you can find it at your local library or at Barnes and Noble.
If you are interested in reading "Treasury of Great American Scandals" by Michael Farquhar you can find it at your local library or at Barnes and Noble.
Sex with Kings
I finished reading "Sex with Kings: Five Hundred Years of Adultery, Power, Rivalry, and Revenge" by Eleanor Herman. This book is a breakdown of what it meant to be the mistress of the king or crown prince throughout history. Herman starts broad and does a fantastic job describing the desirable and undesirable attributes of the king's maiteisse en titre. Then as the book continues she gets more and more specific about the different roles the mistress had and the great lengths she went to to maintain her stature at court.
Throughout each section Herman describes some of the most well known, and not so well known royal mistresses. Each tale is specific to the chapter theme, and it sometimes feels like you are jumping from person to person and it can become a bit disjointed. But once you get used to the rhythm of the book it makes sense. Herman's goal isn't to give a thorough biography of each mistress but to use them as examples for each situation a mistress of the king may come across.
I really recommend this book to history fans and romance fans alike. If you are interested in reading Eleanor Herman's "Sex with Kings: Five Hundred Years of Adultery, Power, Rivalry, and Revenge" you can find it at your local library or at Barnes and Noble.
Throughout each section Herman describes some of the most well known, and not so well known royal mistresses. Each tale is specific to the chapter theme, and it sometimes feels like you are jumping from person to person and it can become a bit disjointed. But once you get used to the rhythm of the book it makes sense. Herman's goal isn't to give a thorough biography of each mistress but to use them as examples for each situation a mistress of the king may come across.
I really recommend this book to history fans and romance fans alike. If you are interested in reading Eleanor Herman's "Sex with Kings: Five Hundred Years of Adultery, Power, Rivalry, and Revenge" you can find it at your local library or at Barnes and Noble.
Saturday, August 22, 2009
Sweet Charlotte?
Today I read "Sweet Charlotte's Seventh Mistake" by Cori Crooks. Artist and writer Cori Crooks decided to write this book based on her blog, "A Gag Reflex" detailing her difficult life with her mother and the search to learn who really was her biological father.
Cori was her mother's seventh and final child, almost all her brothers and sisters had different fathers and only 2 of them lived with her growing up. When she was a young girl her mother told her that the man she thought was her father may not be her father, and so Cori struggles to learn who her biological father is and where she belongs in the world. She details her story through photographs, art, diary entries, and phone conversations. No one should ever go through life like Cori, but somehow she broke the cycle and has used those life experiences to enhance her art and writing.
This book was tragic and beautiful all at the same time. The page layouts and art work were fantastic and posed an beautiful contrast to the pain Cori writes about. It's not a traditional book by any means, it is almost like a diary pasted into a scrapbook. I highly recommend this book. If you are interested in reading "Sweet Charlotte's Seventh Mistake" by Cori Crooks, you can find it at your local library or Barnes and Noble. You can also check out Cori's blog "A Gag Reflex" or her new home "The Swaying Hips of Cori Crooks"
Cori was her mother's seventh and final child, almost all her brothers and sisters had different fathers and only 2 of them lived with her growing up. When she was a young girl her mother told her that the man she thought was her father may not be her father, and so Cori struggles to learn who her biological father is and where she belongs in the world. She details her story through photographs, art, diary entries, and phone conversations. No one should ever go through life like Cori, but somehow she broke the cycle and has used those life experiences to enhance her art and writing.
This book was tragic and beautiful all at the same time. The page layouts and art work were fantastic and posed an beautiful contrast to the pain Cori writes about. It's not a traditional book by any means, it is almost like a diary pasted into a scrapbook. I highly recommend this book. If you are interested in reading "Sweet Charlotte's Seventh Mistake" by Cori Crooks, you can find it at your local library or Barnes and Noble. You can also check out Cori's blog "A Gag Reflex" or her new home "The Swaying Hips of Cori Crooks"
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
The Saga of Darren Shan
This week I read "Cirque du Freak: A Living Nightmare" (or for those of you in the UK: "The Saga of Darren Shan") by Darren Shan.
I'll be honest, the reason I picked this book was because the first trilogy of the 12 book series was made into a film opening on October 28, titled "The Vampire's Assistant". I wanted to see want all my friends in the UK have been talking about.
"A Living Nightmare" begins with young, ordinary Darren Shan. His best friend and he are granted the opportunity to see the secret show Cirque du Freak. This show would change Darren Shan's life forever. A series of events lead Darren to make the choice to let his friend die or become a vampire to save his friend.
The book itself is a really quick read, essentially it is an introduction to the rest of the series. It's really hard to make a judgement about this book because it seems unfinished, and in a sense it is, we only get a tiny glimpse at what lies ahead for Darren and the people he meets in his travels. I am really looking for to reading the next two books, and I think I will review them together if they timeline is similar to the first book.
If you are interested in reading "Cirque du Freak: A Living Nightmare" by Darren Shan, you can find it at your local library or at Barnes and Noble. I highly recommend getting the first three books at the same time.
I'll be honest, the reason I picked this book was because the first trilogy of the 12 book series was made into a film opening on October 28, titled "The Vampire's Assistant". I wanted to see want all my friends in the UK have been talking about.
"A Living Nightmare" begins with young, ordinary Darren Shan. His best friend and he are granted the opportunity to see the secret show Cirque du Freak. This show would change Darren Shan's life forever. A series of events lead Darren to make the choice to let his friend die or become a vampire to save his friend.
The book itself is a really quick read, essentially it is an introduction to the rest of the series. It's really hard to make a judgement about this book because it seems unfinished, and in a sense it is, we only get a tiny glimpse at what lies ahead for Darren and the people he meets in his travels. I am really looking for to reading the next two books, and I think I will review them together if they timeline is similar to the first book.
If you are interested in reading "Cirque du Freak: A Living Nightmare" by Darren Shan, you can find it at your local library or at Barnes and Noble. I highly recommend getting the first three books at the same time.
Monday, August 17, 2009
Hasty Bet Reaps Big Rewards
This week I read "Round Ireland with a Fridge" by Tony Hawks. The story begins with comedian/writer Tony Hawks describing a man with a fridge standing by the road in Ireland. His friend doesn't believe that anyone would hitch a ride with a fridge. So many drinks later the bet is laid down - Tony will hitchhike around Ireland in one month with a mini-fridge as his traveling companion.
What started off as a drunken bet becomes a life changing adventure for Tony. He meets the wonderful people of Ireland and learns that there are truly good and wonderful people in this world if you open yourself up to meeting them. Hawks does a fantastic job describing the joys and difficulty that can arise when you are lugging a fridge around the countryside. Each person he meets along the way has some unique story or perception of life, but all treat Tony and the fridge with kindness and admiration.
I highly recommend this hilarious and moving narrative. If you are interested in checking out "Round Ireland with a Fridge" by Tony Hawks, you can find it at your local library or at Barnes and Noble.
What started off as a drunken bet becomes a life changing adventure for Tony. He meets the wonderful people of Ireland and learns that there are truly good and wonderful people in this world if you open yourself up to meeting them. Hawks does a fantastic job describing the joys and difficulty that can arise when you are lugging a fridge around the countryside. Each person he meets along the way has some unique story or perception of life, but all treat Tony and the fridge with kindness and admiration.
I highly recommend this hilarious and moving narrative. If you are interested in checking out "Round Ireland with a Fridge" by Tony Hawks, you can find it at your local library or at Barnes and Noble.
Forgotten History
Okay, I admit it, I love history, but what I really love is reading about the interesting personalities that aren't mentioned in the history books. That is why I love Michael Farquhar and his most recent work "A Treasury of Foolishly Forgotten Americans". In it he brings to the surface thirty forgotten lives who played an important role in how our country is today. For example the mentally unstable mother of Mother's Day, who then tried to get it repealed when people didn't celebrate it the way she wanted.
Farquhar writes of each person in a plain spoken factual way. He doesn't play favorites or try to revise history, he just let's the reader know that there is more to history than what you are taught in school.
I highly recommend this book. It's a great book to read over the weekend or to pick up and read a chapter every now and then. If you are interested in reading "A Treasury of Foolishly Forgotten Americans" by Michael Farquhar, you can find it at your local library or at Barnes and Noble.
Farquhar writes of each person in a plain spoken factual way. He doesn't play favorites or try to revise history, he just let's the reader know that there is more to history than what you are taught in school.
I highly recommend this book. It's a great book to read over the weekend or to pick up and read a chapter every now and then. If you are interested in reading "A Treasury of Foolishly Forgotten Americans" by Michael Farquhar, you can find it at your local library or at Barnes and Noble.
The Lobotomist
After reading Howard Dully's memoir detailing his life before and after the lobotomy performed on him at age 12, I felt like I should read more about the infamous Dr. Walter Freeman. To learn more about him I read Jack El-Hai's "Lobotomist" a study of Dr. Freeman and his quest to rid people of crippling mental illness.
Jack El-Hai did a great job discussing Dr. Freeman's drive to suceed and make waves in the medical field, but the book itself is very dry. Dr. Freeman was interesting and unusual on his own, but El-Hai often interupts a chapter to discuss someone else in the medical or psyciatry field who may had some minor role in Dr. Freeman's development. While this would be good information to have in a text about the history of lobotomy, it takes up too much space in what is supposed to be a biography about Walter Freeman. El-Hai also would repeat information, often within the same chapter, I would often pick up the book to read and within a few sentences I would think I was rereading something I had read the previous time. I don't understand why El-Hai felt the need to do this, Dr. Freeman was known for keeping extensive records on everything he did - personal and professional.
What I did take away from the book was that Dr. Walter Freeman was a man driven to become an inovator in his field. He trully did want to help those with mental illness, but somewhere along the line he gave up on trying to find better therapy for mental illness and instead focused on what is now seen as a brutal and imprecise method.
If you are interested in reading Lobotomist, by Jack El-Hai, you can find it at your local library or at Barnes and Noble.
Jack El-Hai did a great job discussing Dr. Freeman's drive to suceed and make waves in the medical field, but the book itself is very dry. Dr. Freeman was interesting and unusual on his own, but El-Hai often interupts a chapter to discuss someone else in the medical or psyciatry field who may had some minor role in Dr. Freeman's development. While this would be good information to have in a text about the history of lobotomy, it takes up too much space in what is supposed to be a biography about Walter Freeman. El-Hai also would repeat information, often within the same chapter, I would often pick up the book to read and within a few sentences I would think I was rereading something I had read the previous time. I don't understand why El-Hai felt the need to do this, Dr. Freeman was known for keeping extensive records on everything he did - personal and professional.
What I did take away from the book was that Dr. Walter Freeman was a man driven to become an inovator in his field. He trully did want to help those with mental illness, but somewhere along the line he gave up on trying to find better therapy for mental illness and instead focused on what is now seen as a brutal and imprecise method.
If you are interested in reading Lobotomist, by Jack El-Hai, you can find it at your local library or at Barnes and Noble.
Thursday, August 6, 2009
Delayed Reviews
Ack! It has been an incredibly busy summer! I have been reading, but it's been difficult finding the time to update the blog. I currently have three books sitting on my desk waiting for me to finish their reviews. Alas I have run out of time tonight to do the job properly so tomorrow I plan on post some much delayed reviews and possibly finish the book I'm currently working on. Of course since no one reads this, this post is completely irrelevant!
Saturday, June 27, 2009
Half way there!!!!
I finished reviewing my 25th book of 2009! I have reached the halfway mark! And I beat my total from last year and it's only June!
More Bill Bryson . . .
This week I read Bill Bryson's "Lost Continent: Travels in Small Town America". Bryson is up to his same old antics as he travels across the country revisiting places his father took him as a child and searching for the perfect small town.
Bryson traveled across the U.S. during the late 1980s, after living in England for twenty years. Even though he is originally from Iowa, you can tell that he has been away for a long time. Most of the book revolves around him bemoaning the death of the small town and the American tourist. Each destination he manages to find something that reminds him of days gone by, but mostly he marvels at how Americans take their historic places and national parks for granted. Yet after he is finished traveling he comes to realize how wonderful his boyhood home of Iowa really is and that sometimes you can come home.
I always like what Bill Bryson has to say. He doesn't mince words or sugarcoat anything, he writes about what he really thinks of the places he travels. While I may not always agree with what he says (i.e. driving through Ohio is torture), I do understand why he sees the world the way he does. The striking theme throughout the book is how the tourism industry has completely taken over many of the country's historical and natural monuments. I would like to think that twenty years later we have gotten better, but I suspect we have just gotten worse.
If you would like to read "Lost Continent" by Bill Bryson, you can find it at your local library or at Barnes and Noble.
Bryson traveled across the U.S. during the late 1980s, after living in England for twenty years. Even though he is originally from Iowa, you can tell that he has been away for a long time. Most of the book revolves around him bemoaning the death of the small town and the American tourist. Each destination he manages to find something that reminds him of days gone by, but mostly he marvels at how Americans take their historic places and national parks for granted. Yet after he is finished traveling he comes to realize how wonderful his boyhood home of Iowa really is and that sometimes you can come home.
I always like what Bill Bryson has to say. He doesn't mince words or sugarcoat anything, he writes about what he really thinks of the places he travels. While I may not always agree with what he says (i.e. driving through Ohio is torture), I do understand why he sees the world the way he does. The striking theme throughout the book is how the tourism industry has completely taken over many of the country's historical and natural monuments. I would like to think that twenty years later we have gotten better, but I suspect we have just gotten worse.
If you would like to read "Lost Continent" by Bill Bryson, you can find it at your local library or at Barnes and Noble.
Friday, June 19, 2009
Howard Dully
This week I read "My Lobotomy" by Howard Dully and Charles Fleming. Words cannot describe how this book made me feel.
Howard Dully was a seemingly average young boy. His mother passed away when he was young, leaving his distant father to raise Howard and his brother Brian. His father soon after remarried a strong and strict woman with two children of her own. For some reason she decided that Howard had to go. After searching she found what seemed like a solution to her problem, a lobotomy. Mrs. Dully found the father of transorbital lobotomy, Dr. Walter Freeman. He agreed to give twelve year old Howard Dully a lobotomy. It took Howard 40 years to regain his life again.
He takes us from on a journey of discovery, Dully spends the book trying to understand why this was done to him and why no one, not even his father tried to prevent this from happening. He decided to write this memoir after the success of the NPR broadcast featuring him and other lobotomy patients. Everyone should read this and then demand more funding for social services, not child should ever go through what Howard Dully went through.
The NPR broadcast is available at NPR.org. You can fin "My Lobotomy" at your local library or Barnes and Noble.
Howard Dully was a seemingly average young boy. His mother passed away when he was young, leaving his distant father to raise Howard and his brother Brian. His father soon after remarried a strong and strict woman with two children of her own. For some reason she decided that Howard had to go. After searching she found what seemed like a solution to her problem, a lobotomy. Mrs. Dully found the father of transorbital lobotomy, Dr. Walter Freeman. He agreed to give twelve year old Howard Dully a lobotomy. It took Howard 40 years to regain his life again.
He takes us from on a journey of discovery, Dully spends the book trying to understand why this was done to him and why no one, not even his father tried to prevent this from happening. He decided to write this memoir after the success of the NPR broadcast featuring him and other lobotomy patients. Everyone should read this and then demand more funding for social services, not child should ever go through what Howard Dully went through.
The NPR broadcast is available at NPR.org. You can fin "My Lobotomy" at your local library or Barnes and Noble.
Appalachian Trail
Have I mentioned how much I love Bill Bryson? Well if I haven't: I love Bill Bryson. I read his book "A Walk in the Woods: Rediscovering America on the Appalachian Trail".
While it's not my favorite of his many books, I still enjoyed it. Bryson is one of those authors that make you laugh out loud and then turn to the person next to you so you can read the same thing to them. He's a great travel writer because he doesn't sugar coat everything. At the beginning of the book he laments over the thousands of dollars he has spent on camping/hiking equipment and he doesn't even know what to do with most of it. He also doesn't pull any punches about how inexperienced he and his friend Katz are. The AT is tough and Bryson has no problems admitting it. But gradually he and Katz begin to love and appreciate the rareness of the AT. Bryson includes some great commentary on the Forest Service and the Army Corps of Engineers. I had no idea stupid government policies could reach that far.
This book really inspired me to make sure my family takes advantage of our metro, state, and National parks.
If you are looking for a laugh you can pick up Bill Bryson's "A Walk in the Woods" at your local library or Barnes and Noble.
While it's not my favorite of his many books, I still enjoyed it. Bryson is one of those authors that make you laugh out loud and then turn to the person next to you so you can read the same thing to them. He's a great travel writer because he doesn't sugar coat everything. At the beginning of the book he laments over the thousands of dollars he has spent on camping/hiking equipment and he doesn't even know what to do with most of it. He also doesn't pull any punches about how inexperienced he and his friend Katz are. The AT is tough and Bryson has no problems admitting it. But gradually he and Katz begin to love and appreciate the rareness of the AT. Bryson includes some great commentary on the Forest Service and the Army Corps of Engineers. I had no idea stupid government policies could reach that far.
This book really inspired me to make sure my family takes advantage of our metro, state, and National parks.
If you are looking for a laugh you can pick up Bill Bryson's "A Walk in the Woods" at your local library or Barnes and Noble.
More Mary Roach
What can I say about Mary Roach and her book "Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers"? I loved it! As usual Roach takes a topic and runs with it into directions unknown. She goes beyond the funeral home and cremations and discusses some of the other interesting jobs held by dead bodies. The first chapter just pulled me in, I love how she picks some of the most unusual pieces and places them at the beginning of her books. I don't want to give too much away, all I can say is how do doctors practice facelifts?
I understand that sometimes readers are bothered when Roach goes a little off topic, but I really enjoy it because her writing is so conversational if she were to stick to the topic the entire time it would get a little boring.
I totally recommend this book! If you are interested in reading "Stiff" by Mary Roach you can find it at your local library or at Barnes and Noble.
I understand that sometimes readers are bothered when Roach goes a little off topic, but I really enjoy it because her writing is so conversational if she were to stick to the topic the entire time it would get a little boring.
I totally recommend this book! If you are interested in reading "Stiff" by Mary Roach you can find it at your local library or at Barnes and Noble.
Thursday, June 18, 2009
They say it's oldest profession . . .
One of the books I read this past month was Karen Abbott's "Sin in the Second City: Madams, Ministers, Playboys, and the Battle for America's Soul"
This was a fantastic book. Even though everything was taken from historical documents and first person accounts, this book reads like a novel. The book mainly revolves around the famous/infamous Everleigh Club and the ruling madams Ada and Minna in Chicago's red light district. These sisters wanted to have the ultimate house of pleasure, where the girls were treated well, paid well, and only the best clients could enter. Although few things are definite about their lives before Chicago, they certainly knew what they were doing.
On the flip side was the ministers and temperance seekers. The Everleigh Club represented everything that was wrong with American society and it became their mission to have it shut down and the whole district with it.
While the Everleigh Club was the best and Ada and Minna treated their girls well, they were the exception. Most houses were full of abuse, neglect, drugs, and slaves. Because the law looked the other way many young girls and women were traded and treated like property. And while Abbott goes to great lengths to describe the abuses that went on in these houses, she shields the Everleigh Club from any negative images. You can tell she has grow to care about these women and as you read their story you forget that they run a brothel and start to root for them.
This is an excellent book and a great summer read. If you are interested in reading "Sin in the Second City: Madams, Ministers, Playboys, and the Battle for America's Soul" by Karen Abbott, you can find it at Barnes and Noble or your local library.
This was a fantastic book. Even though everything was taken from historical documents and first person accounts, this book reads like a novel. The book mainly revolves around the famous/infamous Everleigh Club and the ruling madams Ada and Minna in Chicago's red light district. These sisters wanted to have the ultimate house of pleasure, where the girls were treated well, paid well, and only the best clients could enter. Although few things are definite about their lives before Chicago, they certainly knew what they were doing.
On the flip side was the ministers and temperance seekers. The Everleigh Club represented everything that was wrong with American society and it became their mission to have it shut down and the whole district with it.
While the Everleigh Club was the best and Ada and Minna treated their girls well, they were the exception. Most houses were full of abuse, neglect, drugs, and slaves. Because the law looked the other way many young girls and women were traded and treated like property. And while Abbott goes to great lengths to describe the abuses that went on in these houses, she shields the Everleigh Club from any negative images. You can tell she has grow to care about these women and as you read their story you forget that they run a brothel and start to root for them.
This is an excellent book and a great summer read. If you are interested in reading "Sin in the Second City: Madams, Ministers, Playboys, and the Battle for America's Soul" by Karen Abbott, you can find it at Barnes and Noble or your local library.
Belated reviews
I'm now officially done with school! YAY! I have been doing some reading and I will hopefully have some reviews posted sometime tonight or tomorrow. Now that my schedule is more open I will hopefully be able to update in a more timely manner this summer.
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
20 Books and Counting!
I have finished book #20!!!! That means I'm only 30 books away from my goal and it's only May! I still need suggestions ~ anything will be accepted! I'm going to try and broaden my reading horizons and move away from the biographies and memoirs ~ and I mean it this time too. So please send me your suggestions.
The Mistress's Daughter
This week I read "The Mistress's Daughter" a memoir by controversial author A.M. Homes. This work details how after 30 years her biological parents appear into her life. Homes is constantly doubting herself and pushing away others in her quest to find herself. During a time when many parents chose not to tell their children they were adopted, A.M. Homes was fortunate that her parents were up front with her. While many might have appreciated the honesty, Homes is constantly unsure of who she really is and where she really belongs.
When she finally does get the chance to meet her biological parents she is frightened off by her mother and strangely drawn to her father. I think because her biological mother becomes almost possessive and needy it throws Homes off because she herself wants to be taken care of. Her relationship with her father is complicated because she is the child of the other woman. Her father's wife wants the whole thing to disappear including Homes, who wants nothing more than to be part of a family. Throughout all her searching and disappointments Homes does come to the conclusion that her adopted family IS her family and she is who she is because of them.
This book is rather depressing at times and some readers might think Homes is ungrateful or vengeful. But not everyone lives a life free of doubt and curiosity at who they really are, and Homes is no different. I would recommend this book to people who are not easily offended and can also understand the writers true message.
If you would like to read "The Mistress's Daughter" by A.M. Holmes, you can find it at Barnes and Noble or your local library.
When she finally does get the chance to meet her biological parents she is frightened off by her mother and strangely drawn to her father. I think because her biological mother becomes almost possessive and needy it throws Homes off because she herself wants to be taken care of. Her relationship with her father is complicated because she is the child of the other woman. Her father's wife wants the whole thing to disappear including Homes, who wants nothing more than to be part of a family. Throughout all her searching and disappointments Homes does come to the conclusion that her adopted family IS her family and she is who she is because of them.
This book is rather depressing at times and some readers might think Homes is ungrateful or vengeful. But not everyone lives a life free of doubt and curiosity at who they really are, and Homes is no different. I would recommend this book to people who are not easily offended and can also understand the writers true message.
If you would like to read "The Mistress's Daughter" by A.M. Holmes, you can find it at Barnes and Noble or your local library.
Christmas in . . . May?
For Christmas this year I bought my husband "Holidays on Ice" by David Sedaris. I wanted to share with my husband how incredibly funny Sedaris is; truth be told I also wanted to read it myself. Finally a few weeks ago Randall read it, so now I finally got to read and review it!
The feature essay in this collection is Sedaris's famous "SantaLand Diaries", the story of his stint as one of Santa's elves at Macys. I never really thought about the working elves until I read this story - I almost fell off the bed when I read it. After working in situations like that you almost are required to have a sense of humor. Some of the other great essays included in the collection are "Season's Greetings to Our Friends and Family!!!", a twisted take on the traditional holiday brag letter; "Dinah, the Christmas Whore", and the hilarious moral tale "The Cow and The Turkey".
Many of the stories in this collection are included in Sedaris's other books, which could leave some disappointed. But this book is a great gift for those cynical friends and family who have lost the wonder of Christmas. This collection is also a great introduction to people who have not read any work by Sedaris.
If you would like to read "Holidays on Ice" by David Sedaris you can find it at Barnes and Noble or your local library.
The feature essay in this collection is Sedaris's famous "SantaLand Diaries", the story of his stint as one of Santa's elves at Macys. I never really thought about the working elves until I read this story - I almost fell off the bed when I read it. After working in situations like that you almost are required to have a sense of humor. Some of the other great essays included in the collection are "Season's Greetings to Our Friends and Family!!!", a twisted take on the traditional holiday brag letter; "Dinah, the Christmas Whore", and the hilarious moral tale "The Cow and The Turkey".
Many of the stories in this collection are included in Sedaris's other books, which could leave some disappointed. But this book is a great gift for those cynical friends and family who have lost the wonder of Christmas. This collection is also a great introduction to people who have not read any work by Sedaris.
If you would like to read "Holidays on Ice" by David Sedaris you can find it at Barnes and Noble or your local library.
Thursday, May 14, 2009
Typhoid Mary
This week I read Anthony Bourdain's, "Typhoid Mary: An Urban Historical". Bourdain mainly focused on the period in Mary Mallon's life where she was identified and imprisoned based on the evidence that she was a carrier of typhoid. What I really liked about Bourdain's version of events is that he wrote it with the perspective of a fellow cook. He didn't try to excuse what she had done or villianize her, but instead tried to see the events that occured through her eyes.
I feel really bad for Mary Mallon, her entire life was ruined because of the NY Health Department, the press, and because she didn't see the need to wash her hands. The woman was such a fighter in the early years of her imprisonment, but after being set free and wandering the "wilderness" of crappy kitchens spreading typhoid wherever she went, she became a broken woman. The second time she was imprisoned she did not fight, she understood that by submitting she would get a place to live and 3 meals a day. Throughout her life Mary Mallon never admitted to or spoke of being a carrier of typhoid, only blaming the typhoid cases on coicidence.
This is a really quick read and really opens up a different perspective on the Mary Mallon story. Anyone interested in medicine and/or history should check this out. It's not an in depth historical work by any means, but it does allow the reader something different than some of the dry texts floating around out there.
If you want to read "Typhoid Mary: An Urban Historical" by Anthony Bourdain you can find it at your local library or at Barnes and Noble.
I feel really bad for Mary Mallon, her entire life was ruined because of the NY Health Department, the press, and because she didn't see the need to wash her hands. The woman was such a fighter in the early years of her imprisonment, but after being set free and wandering the "wilderness" of crappy kitchens spreading typhoid wherever she went, she became a broken woman. The second time she was imprisoned she did not fight, she understood that by submitting she would get a place to live and 3 meals a day. Throughout her life Mary Mallon never admitted to or spoke of being a carrier of typhoid, only blaming the typhoid cases on coicidence.
This is a really quick read and really opens up a different perspective on the Mary Mallon story. Anyone interested in medicine and/or history should check this out. It's not an in depth historical work by any means, but it does allow the reader something different than some of the dry texts floating around out there.
If you want to read "Typhoid Mary: An Urban Historical" by Anthony Bourdain you can find it at your local library or at Barnes and Noble.
Friday, May 1, 2009
Bonk
This week I read "Bonk: The Curious Coupling of Science and Sex" by Mary Roach. Roach, best known for her book "Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers", brings humor to her latest investigation on the science of sex.
This book was hilarious! Roach not only reads articles, texts, and conducts interviews, she also becomes a participant in some of the current studies. Only someone truly committed to learning about how science has deconstructed sex would have gone to such lengths.
Roach does a great job describing sex research on males and females. (She even includes a how-to on inseminating sows.) But men beware - some chapters will make you cross your legs and squirm. Roach really brings to light how far behind we are in understanding the mechanics of sex and pleasure, especially for women. It points out over and over again that research is not conducted by perverts looking for a good time, but intelligent people who want to understand how the body works in order to help others.
If you would like to read "Bonk: The Curious Coupling of Science and Sex" you can purchase it at Barnes and Noble or find it at your local library.
This book was hilarious! Roach not only reads articles, texts, and conducts interviews, she also becomes a participant in some of the current studies. Only someone truly committed to learning about how science has deconstructed sex would have gone to such lengths.
Roach does a great job describing sex research on males and females. (She even includes a how-to on inseminating sows.) But men beware - some chapters will make you cross your legs and squirm. Roach really brings to light how far behind we are in understanding the mechanics of sex and pleasure, especially for women. It points out over and over again that research is not conducted by perverts looking for a good time, but intelligent people who want to understand how the body works in order to help others.
If you would like to read "Bonk: The Curious Coupling of Science and Sex" you can purchase it at Barnes and Noble or find it at your local library.
Late Post
Sorry about not updating much in April. I've been working on my research paper for school and have had very little time left over to read. However I did manage to knock out one book this week.
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
Nasty Bits
This week I read Anthony Bourdain's "The Nasty Bits". Essentially it is a compilation of Bourdain's articles (published and unpublished) that he has written about his life in and out of the kitchen. I admit I am a big fan of the traveler and chef and I often watch his show on the Travel Channel, so when I saw this book at the store I had to see if he is as honest in print as he is in front of the camera.
I had nothing to worry about. Bourdain is funny and means everything he says. The articles ranged from his experiences traveling to the glorification of his beloved New York City. The man describes food in such a way that one can't help but drool all over the page. When you read some of his descriptions you understand why the term "food porn" was invented.
My favorite part of the whole collection was the commentary located in the back of the book. Since some of the articles were written years ago Bourdain included a sort of "what I was thinking" paragraph about each article. For some articles he even tells the readers he has done an about face from what he had previously written. It takes a big man to admit that his opinions have changed with time.
While the articles and the flow of the book were great, I felt that Bourdain was holding back. We all see him as the sarcastic ex-addict turned chef and traveler, but only a sentence or two went beyond the public persona.
If you would like to read "The Nasty Bits" by Anthony Bourdain, you can find it at Barnes and Noble or at your local library.
I had nothing to worry about. Bourdain is funny and means everything he says. The articles ranged from his experiences traveling to the glorification of his beloved New York City. The man describes food in such a way that one can't help but drool all over the page. When you read some of his descriptions you understand why the term "food porn" was invented.
My favorite part of the whole collection was the commentary located in the back of the book. Since some of the articles were written years ago Bourdain included a sort of "what I was thinking" paragraph about each article. For some articles he even tells the readers he has done an about face from what he had previously written. It takes a big man to admit that his opinions have changed with time.
While the articles and the flow of the book were great, I felt that Bourdain was holding back. We all see him as the sarcastic ex-addict turned chef and traveler, but only a sentence or two went beyond the public persona.
If you would like to read "The Nasty Bits" by Anthony Bourdain, you can find it at Barnes and Noble or at your local library.
Monday, March 30, 2009
More memoirs
This week I finally was able to read Jeannette Walls memoir "The Glass Castle". Jeannette Walls is a former contributor to MSNBC, she graduated from the elite Barnard College and has had a very successful career. What most people within her inner circle did not know was the rough and heartbreaking childhood she had.
Jeannette Walls was born in Arizona to an alcoholic father and a flighty mother. She and her brother and two sisters often moved around the dessert barely staying in a place long enough to settle down. Finally when the money really began to run out the family moved to her father's hometown in West Virginia. There her father became even more absorbed in alcohol and less on providing food for his family. Her mother battled depression and therefore forced the children to provide for themselves. Finally the day came for Jeannette to escape the downward spiral of poverty and she and her siblings worked hard to ensure that they would not suffer in adult hood.
Although much of the behavior exhibited by her parents should be deemed neglectful and plain dangerous Jeannette writes of her parents with true love and admiration for the good times and the important lessons taught. Never do you feel the author dislikes her parents for the life they chose to lead, instead you can feel how much Jeannette loves her family and the hurt she feels when as she gets older her love for her parents becomes shame and embarrassment. Although she is embarrassed by her parents, you never doubt the love she still feels for them.
This book was a quick read and is divided short sections about different memories the author has of her family life. After reading this book I can never complain about my parents again. I highly recommend this fantastic memoir.
If you are interested in reading "The Glass Castle" by Jeannette Walls, you can find it at Barnes and Noble or at your local library.
Jeannette Walls was born in Arizona to an alcoholic father and a flighty mother. She and her brother and two sisters often moved around the dessert barely staying in a place long enough to settle down. Finally when the money really began to run out the family moved to her father's hometown in West Virginia. There her father became even more absorbed in alcohol and less on providing food for his family. Her mother battled depression and therefore forced the children to provide for themselves. Finally the day came for Jeannette to escape the downward spiral of poverty and she and her siblings worked hard to ensure that they would not suffer in adult hood.
Although much of the behavior exhibited by her parents should be deemed neglectful and plain dangerous Jeannette writes of her parents with true love and admiration for the good times and the important lessons taught. Never do you feel the author dislikes her parents for the life they chose to lead, instead you can feel how much Jeannette loves her family and the hurt she feels when as she gets older her love for her parents becomes shame and embarrassment. Although she is embarrassed by her parents, you never doubt the love she still feels for them.
This book was a quick read and is divided short sections about different memories the author has of her family life. After reading this book I can never complain about my parents again. I highly recommend this fantastic memoir.
If you are interested in reading "The Glass Castle" by Jeannette Walls, you can find it at Barnes and Noble or at your local library.
Saturday, March 28, 2009
Back on biographies
I just can't seem to get away from a good memoir or biography. Most of the time I find them more interesting than something someone has made up. This weeks selection is no exception, I read "Autobiography of a Geisha" by Sayo Masuda, translated by G.G. Rowley.
I've read many biographical and autobiographical accounts of Geisha before, but they have all been about the glamorous Geisha of Kyoto and Tokyo. This is the first account I have read based on the life of a "resort" Geisha. Although they were trained in the arts of the Geiko like their glamorous cousins of the Kyoto and Tokyo Geisha district, they were the unglamorous ones who were often expected to have sex with clients for money. Many of these young girls were sold into Geisha houses, as was Sayo Masuda.
Born a bastard and therefore a disgrace, she was first lent out as a nursemaid to a wealthy family that abused her. She had no knowledge of a mother or family until she was taken by her uncle and sold to a Geisha house. There she was practically an indentured servant to the household while she learned the skills of her trade. By sixteen she made her debut and had the rights to her virginity sold five times to the highest bidder. Sayo or "Little Crane" never complained about the lot she was given because she had never known much kindness in her life. She suffered through horrific abuse, but never cursed her exisitence, until she found love. By finding love and losing it Sayo realized the cruelty she and others like her were facing. Unfortunately she had many more hurdles to face before finally finding her true self.
Sayo Masuda, who is barely litterate wrote about her life for a magazine contest in order to win some much needed money. A publisher saw the story and agreed to publish her full story. Lucky for the reader he managed to keep Ms. Masuda's voice, and through translation G.G. Rowley was able to do the same so the American reader can glimpse into this forbidden world. I would recommend this book to everyone. It's the type of memoir you just don't typically read. I wish I could describe it better, but I can't, only the words of Sayo Masuda can do that.
If you would like to read "Autobiography of a Geisha" by Sayo Masuda, translated by G.G. Rowley, you can purchase it from Barnes and Noble or borrow it from your local library.
I've read many biographical and autobiographical accounts of Geisha before, but they have all been about the glamorous Geisha of Kyoto and Tokyo. This is the first account I have read based on the life of a "resort" Geisha. Although they were trained in the arts of the Geiko like their glamorous cousins of the Kyoto and Tokyo Geisha district, they were the unglamorous ones who were often expected to have sex with clients for money. Many of these young girls were sold into Geisha houses, as was Sayo Masuda.
Born a bastard and therefore a disgrace, she was first lent out as a nursemaid to a wealthy family that abused her. She had no knowledge of a mother or family until she was taken by her uncle and sold to a Geisha house. There she was practically an indentured servant to the household while she learned the skills of her trade. By sixteen she made her debut and had the rights to her virginity sold five times to the highest bidder. Sayo or "Little Crane" never complained about the lot she was given because she had never known much kindness in her life. She suffered through horrific abuse, but never cursed her exisitence, until she found love. By finding love and losing it Sayo realized the cruelty she and others like her were facing. Unfortunately she had many more hurdles to face before finally finding her true self.
Sayo Masuda, who is barely litterate wrote about her life for a magazine contest in order to win some much needed money. A publisher saw the story and agreed to publish her full story. Lucky for the reader he managed to keep Ms. Masuda's voice, and through translation G.G. Rowley was able to do the same so the American reader can glimpse into this forbidden world. I would recommend this book to everyone. It's the type of memoir you just don't typically read. I wish I could describe it better, but I can't, only the words of Sayo Masuda can do that.
If you would like to read "Autobiography of a Geisha" by Sayo Masuda, translated by G.G. Rowley, you can purchase it from Barnes and Noble or borrow it from your local library.
Friday, March 20, 2009
Square Foot Gardening
Today I finished Mel Bartholomew's "All New Square Foot Gardening". I read this book because the hubby and I are planning on creating a vegetable garden this spring. Since we want to keep our backyard as open as possible for the kids and our soil is mostly clay, we wanted to go for raised beds. A friend of mine recommended Mel's book and he was on the local news about two weeks ago so I thought I would give it a try.
Although some of the book sounds "infomercial" like, the information is really helpful and easy to understand. I do wish that the instructions for building the raised bed had more pictures showing construction, but it seems easy enough. I wish I skipped the first two chapters though because they basically tell the story of how square foot gardening began and how Mel's foundation has helped others. The second chapter talked about improvements to the book/method compared to the first book that was published in 1981 and the reprint in 2005.
The whole book makes me even more excited about planning my garden this spring. One of the recommendations that I really appreciated was to start small - start with the vegetables my family eats on a regular basis. I'm glad for that reminder because I was starting to get carried away with ideas for crops.
One thing I wish to have seen in the book would have been a layout to scale that the reader could use to plan out their own garden - something on CD-ROM would have been a great addition or even something like that on the website would have been a nice addition.
I can say I would recommend this book to urban and suburban gardeners, but I can't go further than that since I have yet to try Mel's methods myself. Later this summer I will write an update on how my garden is doing.
If you would like to check out "All New Square Foot Gardening" by Mel Bartholomew, you can purchase it at Barnes and Noble or find it at your local library.
Although some of the book sounds "infomercial" like, the information is really helpful and easy to understand. I do wish that the instructions for building the raised bed had more pictures showing construction, but it seems easy enough. I wish I skipped the first two chapters though because they basically tell the story of how square foot gardening began and how Mel's foundation has helped others. The second chapter talked about improvements to the book/method compared to the first book that was published in 1981 and the reprint in 2005.
The whole book makes me even more excited about planning my garden this spring. One of the recommendations that I really appreciated was to start small - start with the vegetables my family eats on a regular basis. I'm glad for that reminder because I was starting to get carried away with ideas for crops.
One thing I wish to have seen in the book would have been a layout to scale that the reader could use to plan out their own garden - something on CD-ROM would have been a great addition or even something like that on the website would have been a nice addition.
I can say I would recommend this book to urban and suburban gardeners, but I can't go further than that since I have yet to try Mel's methods myself. Later this summer I will write an update on how my garden is doing.
If you would like to check out "All New Square Foot Gardening" by Mel Bartholomew, you can purchase it at Barnes and Noble or find it at your local library.
Thursday, March 19, 2009
Finally able to read again!
I finished the last of my finals on Wednesday and was able to pick up the book I've been trying to read for two weeks!
This week I read "Cupid and the King: Five Royal Paramours", written by Princess Michael of Kent.
The title aptly describes the focus of this book. Princess Michael chose five women who were the mistresses of some of the most powerful monarchs in Europe. These ladies used their ambition, looks, and intellect to get what they wanted.
The ladies featured are:
Nell Gwyn - an orange seller and later actress that became the favorite of Charles II and the people of England.
Jeanne-Antionette Poisson, better known as Madame de Pompadour - the lovely and intelligent mistress of Louis XV of France.
Marie Walewska - the beautiful shy woman who became Napoleon's mistress to save her country, but then fell in love with the ambitious emperor.
Lola Montez - the vibrant and controversial dancer who charmed the nobility of Europe and became the muse of Ludwig I of Bavaria.
Lillie Langtry - considered the most beautiful woman of her time, she became the mistress of Edward VII while he was still Prince of Wales and managed to keep him for nearly five years, but retained his friendship for the rest of his life.
I really enjoyed this book. I had heard of Madame de Pompadour and Nell Gwyn before, but these other ladies I had never read anything about them before. It is fascinating that these women were so powerful and not because they slept with the King, but because of their charm and intellect. I would love to read more about these ladies and others like them. Many books discussing royal mistresses reek of sexuality and scandal, but Princess Michael of Kent told the real story of these women. I am really looking forward to reading more material from this talented biographer and historian.
If you would like to read "Cupid and the King" by Princess Michael of Kent you can purchase it at Barnes and Noble or find it at your local library.
This week I read "Cupid and the King: Five Royal Paramours", written by Princess Michael of Kent.
The title aptly describes the focus of this book. Princess Michael chose five women who were the mistresses of some of the most powerful monarchs in Europe. These ladies used their ambition, looks, and intellect to get what they wanted.
The ladies featured are:
Nell Gwyn - an orange seller and later actress that became the favorite of Charles II and the people of England.
Jeanne-Antionette Poisson, better known as Madame de Pompadour - the lovely and intelligent mistress of Louis XV of France.
Marie Walewska - the beautiful shy woman who became Napoleon's mistress to save her country, but then fell in love with the ambitious emperor.
Lola Montez - the vibrant and controversial dancer who charmed the nobility of Europe and became the muse of Ludwig I of Bavaria.
Lillie Langtry - considered the most beautiful woman of her time, she became the mistress of Edward VII while he was still Prince of Wales and managed to keep him for nearly five years, but retained his friendship for the rest of his life.
I really enjoyed this book. I had heard of Madame de Pompadour and Nell Gwyn before, but these other ladies I had never read anything about them before. It is fascinating that these women were so powerful and not because they slept with the King, but because of their charm and intellect. I would love to read more about these ladies and others like them. Many books discussing royal mistresses reek of sexuality and scandal, but Princess Michael of Kent told the real story of these women. I am really looking forward to reading more material from this talented biographer and historian.
If you would like to read "Cupid and the King" by Princess Michael of Kent you can purchase it at Barnes and Noble or find it at your local library.
Thursday, March 12, 2009
End of the Quarter
It's the end of the quarter so life has been pretty crazy the past two weeks. I haven't had any time to read anything except text books. Finals are over next Wednesday - after that I will be able to devout more time to reading and blogging.
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
America's Hidden History
This week I read "America's Hidden History" by Kenneth C. Davis. Davis is the author of the "Don't Know Much About . . ." series.
I have read some of his books in the past and really enjoyed the little tidbits he shares that you don't typically hear about in history class. The same can be said of this book. Although written in a different style than his previous books it still gets his message across that nothing in history is ever neat. He reminds the reader that the people that helped to found this country were flesh and blood and suffered prejudices, self doubt, and made poor choices just like anyone else. I also appreciated the histories of women who did extraordinary things, but because of their gender rarely make it into the history books.
This is an excellent read for history lovers as well as those who may not. It's hard to dislike history when the life stories of these people are far better than any fiction writer could come up with.
You can find "America's Hidden History" by Kenneth C. Davis at Barnes and Noble or your local library.
I have read some of his books in the past and really enjoyed the little tidbits he shares that you don't typically hear about in history class. The same can be said of this book. Although written in a different style than his previous books it still gets his message across that nothing in history is ever neat. He reminds the reader that the people that helped to found this country were flesh and blood and suffered prejudices, self doubt, and made poor choices just like anyone else. I also appreciated the histories of women who did extraordinary things, but because of their gender rarely make it into the history books.
This is an excellent read for history lovers as well as those who may not. It's hard to dislike history when the life stories of these people are far better than any fiction writer could come up with.
You can find "America's Hidden History" by Kenneth C. Davis at Barnes and Noble or your local library.
Monday, February 23, 2009
The Willoughbys
On the recommendation of my friend Andrea I read Lois Lowry's book "The Willoughbys".
I loved reading Lowry's books when I was younger and it was nice to go back in time and read something by her again. The Willoughbys is a tongue and cheek homage to classic children's stories. It begins with the four Willoughby children; Tim - the eldest, Jane - the youngest, and the twins Barnaby A and Barnaby B. They are old fashioned children who have parents who dislike them or forget about them all together.
Every children's story cliche appears in this book and the author kindly spells out which story she is referencing (for those who may not know already). The story moves at a quick pace and doesn't get hung up on the details of the why, when, and how. All though this is technically a children's book, adults can appreciate the humor and will get more out of the references than some younger readers.
What I really enjoyed was the expansive vocabulary the author uses. She doesn't try to dumb things down and even includes a helpful glossary in the back with witty definitions of some of the more troublesome words. There is so much I want to say about this book, but I don't want to give anything away. For a book that is only 157 pages long it is jam packed. Fans of the "Series of Unfortunate Events" would also get a kick out of this story.
If you are interested in reading "The Willoughbys" by Lois Lowry you can find it at Barnes and Noble or in the Juvenile section at your local library.
I loved reading Lowry's books when I was younger and it was nice to go back in time and read something by her again. The Willoughbys is a tongue and cheek homage to classic children's stories. It begins with the four Willoughby children; Tim - the eldest, Jane - the youngest, and the twins Barnaby A and Barnaby B. They are old fashioned children who have parents who dislike them or forget about them all together.
Every children's story cliche appears in this book and the author kindly spells out which story she is referencing (for those who may not know already). The story moves at a quick pace and doesn't get hung up on the details of the why, when, and how. All though this is technically a children's book, adults can appreciate the humor and will get more out of the references than some younger readers.
What I really enjoyed was the expansive vocabulary the author uses. She doesn't try to dumb things down and even includes a helpful glossary in the back with witty definitions of some of the more troublesome words. There is so much I want to say about this book, but I don't want to give anything away. For a book that is only 157 pages long it is jam packed. Fans of the "Series of Unfortunate Events" would also get a kick out of this story.
If you are interested in reading "The Willoughbys" by Lois Lowry you can find it at Barnes and Noble or in the Juvenile section at your local library.
Nothing new yet . . .
The past week has been really crazy with school and the kids. Too many quizzes, tests, and assignments. Plus I'm transitioning the kids from the babysitter to home. In short I haven't been reading any books (except text books) this week. After Tuesday things should slow down and I'll pick up something light to read before the craziness of finals.
Thursday, February 12, 2009
The Hour I First Believed
I decided to go with something different from what I would normally read this week. I read Wally Lamb's latest book "The Hour I First Believed". This is the first time I have read one of his novels, but I have heard great things about some of his previous novels and thought I would give this one a try.
The story centers around Caelum Quirk and his wife Maureen. They both work at Columbine High School in Littleton, Colorado. By some twist in fate Caelum was across the country at the funeral of a family member while his wife, the school nurse, hid in a closet praying that her life would not be snuffed out in the hail of gunfire brought on by two teenage gunmen. From this moment the shaky lives they led before are forever changed. While Maureen fights her own demons , Caelum begins to discover family secrets long hidden.
I really wanted to like this book. Lamb has a great flow to his words, but there was just too much for one book. The narration was all over the place and it made the whole work feel disorganized. Although the author tried to make Caelum's flaws forgivable give the hand that he has been dealt, often he comes of sounding like a jerk. Many of the main characters were not fleshed out enough to make me care about them, especially Maureen. She was easily the most complex character in the book, but little was done with her except showing her downward spiral through the somewhat oblivious eyes of Caelum. Some of the revelations Caelum experiences are good reading, but there is just too much drama for this one book to hold, I think it would have worked better as two separate stories as opposed to one large tragedy.
If you are interested in reading "The Hour I First Believed" by Wally Lamb you can find it at Barnes and Noble or your local library.
The story centers around Caelum Quirk and his wife Maureen. They both work at Columbine High School in Littleton, Colorado. By some twist in fate Caelum was across the country at the funeral of a family member while his wife, the school nurse, hid in a closet praying that her life would not be snuffed out in the hail of gunfire brought on by two teenage gunmen. From this moment the shaky lives they led before are forever changed. While Maureen fights her own demons , Caelum begins to discover family secrets long hidden.
I really wanted to like this book. Lamb has a great flow to his words, but there was just too much for one book. The narration was all over the place and it made the whole work feel disorganized. Although the author tried to make Caelum's flaws forgivable give the hand that he has been dealt, often he comes of sounding like a jerk. Many of the main characters were not fleshed out enough to make me care about them, especially Maureen. She was easily the most complex character in the book, but little was done with her except showing her downward spiral through the somewhat oblivious eyes of Caelum. Some of the revelations Caelum experiences are good reading, but there is just too much drama for this one book to hold, I think it would have worked better as two separate stories as opposed to one large tragedy.
If you are interested in reading "The Hour I First Believed" by Wally Lamb you can find it at Barnes and Noble or your local library.
Children's Book of the Week
This week I'm choosing a book by one of the greatest preschool author/illustrators ever. Sandra Boynton injects humor and fun into all her books. One of the few authors I don't mind reading over and over again - which is often since my kids like her books as much as I do, if not more.
We read one of her new books today "Fifteen Animals!" and my kids loved it! Both of my kids are really into counting right now and this book was perfect because they could count along and each page has the number on it as well. My son also liked naming all the animals and making their sounds. Another great feature about this book is that it comes with a free song that can be downloaded.
You can find "Fifteen Animals!" by Sandra Boynton at Barnes and Noble or your local library.
We read one of her new books today "Fifteen Animals!" and my kids loved it! Both of my kids are really into counting right now and this book was perfect because they could count along and each page has the number on it as well. My son also liked naming all the animals and making their sounds. Another great feature about this book is that it comes with a free song that can be downloaded.
You can find "Fifteen Animals!" by Sandra Boynton at Barnes and Noble or your local library.
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Looking for a new title
I think I need a new title for my blog. Unfortunately I'm pretty drained in the creative department right now and nothing I think of seems to click. I want something creative and memorable, but not too cutesy or cliche.
Monday, February 9, 2009
8 Books Already!
I'm pretty impressed with myself! This time last year I'm pretty sure I was on my first book still. Hopefully I can keep this pace up! I think I am doing so well this year because my kids are a bit older and more self sufficient so I can read more frequently during the day instead of waiting for them to go to bed.
I have a couple books set aside for this week, but I'm not sure which one I want to read yet. The way I normally decide is to read the first chapter and if I keep going that is the one I'm going to read. I hope to have something started by tomorrow or Wednesday at the latest.
I have a couple books set aside for this week, but I'm not sure which one I want to read yet. The way I normally decide is to read the first chapter and if I keep going that is the one I'm going to read. I hope to have something started by tomorrow or Wednesday at the latest.
Book Review
The other book I read this weekend was "Breaking Dawn" by Stephenie Meyer. This is the final book in the Twilight series (YAY!)
What can I say . . . I liked about 1/3 of the book. Most of what I liked was written from Jacob's point of view. His thoughts and opinions didn't bother me nearly as much as Bella's.
With that said - here's the thing I really dislike and is prevalent throughout the series. I don't think Bella is realistic in her emotions about becoming a vampire. I understand love is a powerful thing, I love my own husband dearly and would jump through fire for him, but I would have also been concerned about leaving my family and friends and all the other human things that would be given up. Bella's character rarely if at all thinks about the difficult decision she is about to make and how it will affect her family. She doesn't have a conflict when it comes to the literal life and death decision she has made - she has made it and accepted it. The only time she waivers is when she finds out how good the sex is between her and Edward and she is afraid it won't be the same after she is changed. I'm sorry but sex is pretty far down on the list of things I would be thinking about if I was poised to give up my humanity.
I also find that the conflicts that Meyer does come up with are forced and utterly hard to believe even in the fictional world she has created. She also made it too easy for Bella to transition from human to vampire. If this was slowing her story down then she should have created a separate book for the encounter with the Volturi. Sometime I felt that she was just writing to see how many pages she could write since each book is longer than the previous one.
As I have written in the past - the central idea of the story was good and so much good material could have come from it. But just because you have a degree in English Literature does not mean you can write. I am so glad to be finished with this series - I really wished that I could like more about it, but the utterly lack of maturity in the writing, stretched plot lines, and my dislike of the main character made it hard.
This weekend I actually sucked it up and went to see the movie Twilight - and although there were some things I didn't like (mostly camera angles and too many close-ups) I have to say for the first time ever that the movie was better than the book. Hopefully with a different director for New Moon I might like that movie as well - especially since of the four books I dislike that one the most.
If you would like to read Breaking Dawn you can find it at Barnes and Noble or your local library.
What can I say . . . I liked about 1/3 of the book. Most of what I liked was written from Jacob's point of view. His thoughts and opinions didn't bother me nearly as much as Bella's.
With that said - here's the thing I really dislike and is prevalent throughout the series. I don't think Bella is realistic in her emotions about becoming a vampire. I understand love is a powerful thing, I love my own husband dearly and would jump through fire for him, but I would have also been concerned about leaving my family and friends and all the other human things that would be given up. Bella's character rarely if at all thinks about the difficult decision she is about to make and how it will affect her family. She doesn't have a conflict when it comes to the literal life and death decision she has made - she has made it and accepted it. The only time she waivers is when she finds out how good the sex is between her and Edward and she is afraid it won't be the same after she is changed. I'm sorry but sex is pretty far down on the list of things I would be thinking about if I was poised to give up my humanity.
I also find that the conflicts that Meyer does come up with are forced and utterly hard to believe even in the fictional world she has created. She also made it too easy for Bella to transition from human to vampire. If this was slowing her story down then she should have created a separate book for the encounter with the Volturi. Sometime I felt that she was just writing to see how many pages she could write since each book is longer than the previous one.
As I have written in the past - the central idea of the story was good and so much good material could have come from it. But just because you have a degree in English Literature does not mean you can write. I am so glad to be finished with this series - I really wished that I could like more about it, but the utterly lack of maturity in the writing, stretched plot lines, and my dislike of the main character made it hard.
This weekend I actually sucked it up and went to see the movie Twilight - and although there were some things I didn't like (mostly camera angles and too many close-ups) I have to say for the first time ever that the movie was better than the book. Hopefully with a different director for New Moon I might like that movie as well - especially since of the four books I dislike that one the most.
If you would like to read Breaking Dawn you can find it at Barnes and Noble or your local library.
Book Review
This weekend I read "The History of Love" by Nicole Krauss.
This is a beautiful book. The majority of the book centers around two people, Leo Gursky and Alma Singer.
Leo is a Polish Jew who managed to escape the Nazis during World War II. Before the war he wrote a book for the woman he loved Alma. Alma left for America before the war and Leo tried to make his way to her but the war interfered. He left his manuscript with a trusted friend and believed that it did not survive. He talks about his daily life and obsessions as he nears death.
Alma Singer is a 15 year old girl who was named after the character in a book called The History of Love. Her mother has been in a state of constant grieving since the death of Alma's father seven years earlier. Alma also has to deal with her younger brother Bird who believes he is the Messiah. She struggles with the memories of her father and the grief her mother feels. When a mysterious stranger asks her mother to translate The History of Love into English, Alma becomes suddenly intrigued by the woman she is named for.
The book is full of twists and turns as Leo and Alma try to find meaning in their lives. Each main character has their own voice. Krauss does a fantastic job making each characters soliloquy stand out. There is no confusion over who is talking, but for those who might have trouble at the top of each chapter is a symbol that represents the character that is speaking in the chapter. Sadly there is no happy ending, just a beautiful reminder that life is what it is and that you can't live it in the past.
I think this is probably the best book I have read so far this year. You can find The History of Love at Barnes and Noble or your local library.
This is a beautiful book. The majority of the book centers around two people, Leo Gursky and Alma Singer.
Leo is a Polish Jew who managed to escape the Nazis during World War II. Before the war he wrote a book for the woman he loved Alma. Alma left for America before the war and Leo tried to make his way to her but the war interfered. He left his manuscript with a trusted friend and believed that it did not survive. He talks about his daily life and obsessions as he nears death.
Alma Singer is a 15 year old girl who was named after the character in a book called The History of Love. Her mother has been in a state of constant grieving since the death of Alma's father seven years earlier. Alma also has to deal with her younger brother Bird who believes he is the Messiah. She struggles with the memories of her father and the grief her mother feels. When a mysterious stranger asks her mother to translate The History of Love into English, Alma becomes suddenly intrigued by the woman she is named for.
The book is full of twists and turns as Leo and Alma try to find meaning in their lives. Each main character has their own voice. Krauss does a fantastic job making each characters soliloquy stand out. There is no confusion over who is talking, but for those who might have trouble at the top of each chapter is a symbol that represents the character that is speaking in the chapter. Sadly there is no happy ending, just a beautiful reminder that life is what it is and that you can't live it in the past.
I think this is probably the best book I have read so far this year. You can find The History of Love at Barnes and Noble or your local library.
Sunday, February 8, 2009
Internet Down
Currently I'm writing this from the local library - unfortunately my internet is down until at least tomorrow - maybe longer. I am reading two new books which I will hopefully finish tomorrow and I should have an update and review by Tuesday - Wednesday at the latest. I will also make my children's book pick on Tuesday since I know I will be at the library that day.
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
Children's Book Pick of the Week
"Food for thought: The complete book of concepts for growing minds" by Saxton Freymann and Joost Elffers
This book is fantastic! Concepts such as shapes, colors, numbers, letters, and opposites are presented through the kid friendly medium of food. Each page has a beautiful photograph of the carved fruits and veggies. For example for the number 9, there are 9 nine frogs created by green bell peppers. The creativity involved is just amazing.
My kids love looking at this book. The pictures are so engaging that often my reading services are not required. But if I am asked to read this book I don't mind because the food sculptures are just so amazing to look at.
This book is available at Barnes and Noble or your local library.
This book is fantastic! Concepts such as shapes, colors, numbers, letters, and opposites are presented through the kid friendly medium of food. Each page has a beautiful photograph of the carved fruits and veggies. For example for the number 9, there are 9 nine frogs created by green bell peppers. The creativity involved is just amazing.My kids love looking at this book. The pictures are so engaging that often my reading services are not required. But if I am asked to read this book I don't mind because the food sculptures are just so amazing to look at.
This book is available at Barnes and Noble or your local library.
Children's Book of the Week
I thought I would add a little section to my blog to review children's books. Since I have two small children of my own I read about 15 books a day. Before I started teaching I would pick children's books based on the illustrations or the title. Over the years and thousands of books later I have learned what makes a good book not only for the kids, but for the adult reader as well.
For February and March I plan on introducing one book a week on Wednesdays. If all goes well I may take a stab at picking books based on age groups sometime this spring.
Books will be rated based on these factors:
*Length for Age Group - is it too long, too short, etc. . .
*Language for Age Group - do the kids understand the vocabulary of the story.
*Illustrations - are they enhancing the story or are they too busy.
*Topic - age appropriate content.
*Understandability - can the child retell the story and answer questions
*and the 15 Test - can an adult read it 15 times without throwing it at the wall.
For February and March I plan on introducing one book a week on Wednesdays. If all goes well I may take a stab at picking books based on age groups sometime this spring.
Books will be rated based on these factors:
*Length for Age Group - is it too long, too short, etc. . .
*Language for Age Group - do the kids understand the vocabulary of the story.
*Illustrations - are they enhancing the story or are they too busy.
*Topic - age appropriate content.
*Understandability - can the child retell the story and answer questions
*and the 15 Test - can an adult read it 15 times without throwing it at the wall.
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
Book Selection
This week I chose to read "How Starbucks Saved My Life" by Michael Gates Gill.
This is a true story about a man who thought he had it all - job with a major advertising firm, loving wife and children. And then it all started to unravel - losing his job because of his age, losing his wife due to an affair, and to top it all off he has been diagnosed with a slow growing brain tumor that is taking his hearing with it.
One day Michael Gates Gill was sitting in a Starbucks worrying about where he will find the money to pay his rent, how he will pay for his operation, and how to provide health insurance for his young son . . . when a young woman asked him if he would like a job. This was the beginning of a new life for Mike as he became know to the many friends he would make working at the Starbucks on Ninety-Third and Broadway in Manhattan.
I liked this book. I liked the lessons Mike learned about what it meant to show and receive respect and what it means to be happy. He tried his best to change his way of thinking, sometimes he had some missteps but he kept on working at it. One thing that did annoy me about the book was the constant name dropping. Every single chapter Mike would reflect on some part of his past which inevitably meant he was going to discuss meeting a famous or important person. I understand that he probably did meet and work with these people, but it just proved to me that Mike wasn't ready to give up that part of his past. Aside from that the overall message of the book was good and I do recommend it.
If you're interested in reading "How Starbucks Saved My Life" by Michael Gates Gill, you can find it at Barnes and Noble or at your local library.
This is a true story about a man who thought he had it all - job with a major advertising firm, loving wife and children. And then it all started to unravel - losing his job because of his age, losing his wife due to an affair, and to top it all off he has been diagnosed with a slow growing brain tumor that is taking his hearing with it.
One day Michael Gates Gill was sitting in a Starbucks worrying about where he will find the money to pay his rent, how he will pay for his operation, and how to provide health insurance for his young son . . . when a young woman asked him if he would like a job. This was the beginning of a new life for Mike as he became know to the many friends he would make working at the Starbucks on Ninety-Third and Broadway in Manhattan.
I liked this book. I liked the lessons Mike learned about what it meant to show and receive respect and what it means to be happy. He tried his best to change his way of thinking, sometimes he had some missteps but he kept on working at it. One thing that did annoy me about the book was the constant name dropping. Every single chapter Mike would reflect on some part of his past which inevitably meant he was going to discuss meeting a famous or important person. I understand that he probably did meet and work with these people, but it just proved to me that Mike wasn't ready to give up that part of his past. Aside from that the overall message of the book was good and I do recommend it.
If you're interested in reading "How Starbucks Saved My Life" by Michael Gates Gill, you can find it at Barnes and Noble or at your local library.
Friday, January 30, 2009
Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim
I decided to read something funny this time so I read Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim by David Sedaris.
What can I say, I love Sedaris's essays. He is so neurotic and obsessive about the littlest things that you can't help but laugh at him. In this collection of essays he writes a lot about his family growing up and presently. This is the second book of his that I have read, I seem to be reading them in backwards order since the first one I read was his most recent collection: When You Are Engulfed in Flames.
I really enjoyed reading this and it was quite refreshing to read a book that was less than 300 pages long and where every word contributed to the neurosis of the author. In many ways Sedaris comes off trying to be better than everyone else and failing miserably and he knows it. And while he may be embarrassed that he isn't what he would like the world to see him as he doesn't hesitate to let reader in on his confusing and plain weird thought process.
This book had me laughing out loud - especially the stories about his younger brother and all his red neck southern glory. I can't recommend this book, this author enough.
You can find Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim at Barnes and Noble or at your local library.
What can I say, I love Sedaris's essays. He is so neurotic and obsessive about the littlest things that you can't help but laugh at him. In this collection of essays he writes a lot about his family growing up and presently. This is the second book of his that I have read, I seem to be reading them in backwards order since the first one I read was his most recent collection: When You Are Engulfed in Flames.
I really enjoyed reading this and it was quite refreshing to read a book that was less than 300 pages long and where every word contributed to the neurosis of the author. In many ways Sedaris comes off trying to be better than everyone else and failing miserably and he knows it. And while he may be embarrassed that he isn't what he would like the world to see him as he doesn't hesitate to let reader in on his confusing and plain weird thought process.
This book had me laughing out loud - especially the stories about his younger brother and all his red neck southern glory. I can't recommend this book, this author enough.
You can find Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim at Barnes and Noble or at your local library.
Thursday, January 29, 2009
Next book ideas
I think I need to step away from the teen drama for my next book. I need to read something funny and not so teen angst like. I do have a David Sedaris book that has been calling to me for about a month so that is definitely a choice. I also have some interesting biographies and memoirs on my list.
New Book! Finished too!
Book Choice: Eclipse by Stephenie Meyer
I know I am a glutton for punishment or some might say that maybe the Twilight series is growing on me. Well both are right and both are wrong. I read the third book in the Twilight series - I don't know why, maybe it had something to do with the fact that I was able to get them from the library at the same time, maybe I am genuinely interested in what happens to this strange family. Who knows for sure, but I did read it - all 629 pages of it.
I wish I could say that Meyer's writing gets better over time or than Bella becomes less pathetic, but I can't. The story had so much potential in the beginning, but then she had to over reach when it came to the conflicts in the story. In fact the book would have been 10 times better if she had just cut out the middle half of the book. The whole training sequence was so boring and didn't lend much to the story. While knowing more about the stories behind each member of the Cullens family did add something to their character she fell flat in too many places. Rosalie's story was pretty good, the writing could have been better, but the overall effect was nice. Unfortunately she bombed out with Jasper's story. It seemed too forced to fit with the coming conflict.
The triangle between Jacob, Bella, and Edward leaved something to be desired. Bella was always too willing to let Jacob get close to her. I understand that that was the point, but someone who is truly and desperately in love would not try to have it both ways. Even when she left Jacob she still tried to keep him for herself. The whole thing left me feeling like Bella was just a stupid teenager who had no clue as to what she really wanted and that she had no business deciding to marry Edward and become a vampire.
I really wanted this to be better - Edward and Alice are good characters, and the rest seem so one dimensional you don't really feel bonded to them in the story. Even Bella is very predictable in her behavior and her thoughts are always very selfish. She doesn't grow as a person or as a character, which is probably why I dislike her so much.
If you are interested in reading Eclipse, you can purchase it from Barnes and Noble or get it from your local library.
I know I am a glutton for punishment or some might say that maybe the Twilight series is growing on me. Well both are right and both are wrong. I read the third book in the Twilight series - I don't know why, maybe it had something to do with the fact that I was able to get them from the library at the same time, maybe I am genuinely interested in what happens to this strange family. Who knows for sure, but I did read it - all 629 pages of it.
I wish I could say that Meyer's writing gets better over time or than Bella becomes less pathetic, but I can't. The story had so much potential in the beginning, but then she had to over reach when it came to the conflicts in the story. In fact the book would have been 10 times better if she had just cut out the middle half of the book. The whole training sequence was so boring and didn't lend much to the story. While knowing more about the stories behind each member of the Cullens family did add something to their character she fell flat in too many places. Rosalie's story was pretty good, the writing could have been better, but the overall effect was nice. Unfortunately she bombed out with Jasper's story. It seemed too forced to fit with the coming conflict.
The triangle between Jacob, Bella, and Edward leaved something to be desired. Bella was always too willing to let Jacob get close to her. I understand that that was the point, but someone who is truly and desperately in love would not try to have it both ways. Even when she left Jacob she still tried to keep him for herself. The whole thing left me feeling like Bella was just a stupid teenager who had no clue as to what she really wanted and that she had no business deciding to marry Edward and become a vampire.
I really wanted this to be better - Edward and Alice are good characters, and the rest seem so one dimensional you don't really feel bonded to them in the story. Even Bella is very predictable in her behavior and her thoughts are always very selfish. She doesn't grow as a person or as a character, which is probably why I dislike her so much.
If you are interested in reading Eclipse, you can purchase it from Barnes and Noble or get it from your local library.
Monday, January 26, 2009
New Moon
I finished New Moon last night. I have to say once again I was disappointed. Meyer's writing style is still immature and lacking polish. The plot line also seemed a little flimsy. I just wasn't believing it. The sad thing about it is that this story line had so much potential but just couldn't make it.
A major thing that is really starting to annoy me is Bella. It's not good when you have a dislike of the main character and who is the voice of the story. She is needy, whiny, and completely incapable of doing anything without thinking how it will affect Edward. I also believe she let Edward off the hook too easy - not at the end - but at the beginning when he told her he was leaving. If she loved him so much why did she let him go so easily!
I also think Angela should be given more storyline. There is so much about the vampire world and the werewolves it makes it hard to remember that there are humans living in Forks as well. Angela's character had some great potential to be a support or another ear for Bella without Bella needing to reveal anything to deep, but someone who could help her sort out her feelings. Although the author meant for Jacob Black to help heal Bella's wounds, it came off like Bella was using Jacob to get back at Edward's betrayal even though he wasn't there physically to see it.
Meyer's first book Twilight was better and the plot line a little more believable (as believable as you can be with vampires.) But New Moon was such a disappointment.
A major thing that is really starting to annoy me is Bella. It's not good when you have a dislike of the main character and who is the voice of the story. She is needy, whiny, and completely incapable of doing anything without thinking how it will affect Edward. I also believe she let Edward off the hook too easy - not at the end - but at the beginning when he told her he was leaving. If she loved him so much why did she let him go so easily!
I also think Angela should be given more storyline. There is so much about the vampire world and the werewolves it makes it hard to remember that there are humans living in Forks as well. Angela's character had some great potential to be a support or another ear for Bella without Bella needing to reveal anything to deep, but someone who could help her sort out her feelings. Although the author meant for Jacob Black to help heal Bella's wounds, it came off like Bella was using Jacob to get back at Edward's betrayal even though he wasn't there physically to see it.
Meyer's first book Twilight was better and the plot line a little more believable (as believable as you can be with vampires.) But New Moon was such a disappointment.
Sunday, January 25, 2009
New Book!
Okay, okay, I know that just a month ago I did some major bad-mouthing about "Twilight". But I have been convinced by a friend of mine to give the sequel a chance. So yes folks this week I am reading "New Moon" by Stephenie Meyer.
I'm trying to keep myself from judging too much before I finish the book. However I am about 200 pages in and I am already sick and tired of Bella and her whining. But I am going to refrain from making any more negative comments until I finish the book.
You can find "New Moon" at Barnes and Noble or your favorite book seller. You can also find it at your local library, but be prepared to wait.
I'm trying to keep myself from judging too much before I finish the book. However I am about 200 pages in and I am already sick and tired of Bella and her whining. But I am going to refrain from making any more negative comments until I finish the book.
You can find "New Moon" at Barnes and Noble or your favorite book seller. You can also find it at your local library, but be prepared to wait.
Saturday, January 24, 2009
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
This was a great book. The beginning was a little slow at first, but got better and better as the story progressed. I really enjoyed the references to classic detective writers such as Agatha Christie and Astrid Lindgren.
Surprisingly my favorite character was the genius hacker Lisbeth Salander. When she first appeared in the story I felt she was a pretty one dimensional character. But as the mystery progresses you get to see how her past experiences have shaped her life and made her the strong willed woman she is.
It's tempting to go into more detail about the story, but then I would be giving away some plot points.
However I need to briefly discuss one aspect of the novel that was chilling and hard for me to read. One of the underlying themes in Larsson's work is violence against women. Some of situations presented in the book were uncomfortable to read - but violence against women shouldn't be comfortable to read about. So if you're a bit squeamish maybe you should pass on this book.
I do recommend this book, it is edgy, contemporary, and full of original characters. "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" is the first in a trilogy written by Stieg Larsson. Unfortunately the author died after completing the novels. The second in the trilogy "The Girl Who Played with Fire" will be available July 28, 2009.
Surprisingly my favorite character was the genius hacker Lisbeth Salander. When she first appeared in the story I felt she was a pretty one dimensional character. But as the mystery progresses you get to see how her past experiences have shaped her life and made her the strong willed woman she is.
It's tempting to go into more detail about the story, but then I would be giving away some plot points.
However I need to briefly discuss one aspect of the novel that was chilling and hard for me to read. One of the underlying themes in Larsson's work is violence against women. Some of situations presented in the book were uncomfortable to read - but violence against women shouldn't be comfortable to read about. So if you're a bit squeamish maybe you should pass on this book.
I do recommend this book, it is edgy, contemporary, and full of original characters. "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" is the first in a trilogy written by Stieg Larsson. Unfortunately the author died after completing the novels. The second in the trilogy "The Girl Who Played with Fire" will be available July 28, 2009.
Monday, January 12, 2009
New Book!
Okay finally! My book selection for this week is : The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson.
It is a murder mystery set in the author's homeland of Sweden. It begins with an uncle's longing to find out what really happened to his niece when she disappeared 40 years ago. Brought in on the search is a young journalist Mikal Blomkvist who has had his reputation called into question when he loses a libel suit against one of the titans of industry in Sweden. So far I am really enjoying it. I usually don't read murder mysteries (except those by Conan Doyle and Hammett), but this year I'm going to try and be more adventurous with my book selections.
You can find this book at Barnes and Noble or at your local library.
It is a murder mystery set in the author's homeland of Sweden. It begins with an uncle's longing to find out what really happened to his niece when she disappeared 40 years ago. Brought in on the search is a young journalist Mikal Blomkvist who has had his reputation called into question when he loses a libel suit against one of the titans of industry in Sweden. So far I am really enjoying it. I usually don't read murder mysteries (except those by Conan Doyle and Hammett), but this year I'm going to try and be more adventurous with my book selections.
You can find this book at Barnes and Noble or at your local library.
Thursday, January 8, 2009
Sorry for no updates!
Sorry about not updating this week - I've had a problem with a trojan virus that took a great deal of time and energy to get rid of. I am reading a new book and will have a full update sometime this afternoon.
Saturday, January 3, 2009
First Book of 2009!
I finished Street Gang today! Granted I started reading the book in 2008, but since I finished it in 2009 it totally counts.
To start with I really enjoyed reading about the history (good and bad) of Sesame Street. There were so many components involved in the creation of this ground breaking show. It also introduced me to the mother of it all Joan Ganz Cooney. When people think about Sesame Street they mostly think of Jim Henson and his wonderful muppet creations. But really Jim was just a small piece of the puzzle in what made this show tick. The author had a lot of great primary source material and he didn't gloss over some of the more controversial or negative areas in the creation of Children's Television Workshop and Sesame Street. I do wish he would have gone more into the behind the scenes rivalry in the 1990s between Jon Stone and the new suits at the CTW.
All those positive comments aside, my major complaint about the book was the structure. Davis skipped around so much that it was hard to keep track of where he was in the timeline or who he was talking about. About halfway through the book I had to create a flow chart just so I would know who he was talking about and what their title/position was in that particular chapter.
I do appreciate how he gave a back story to all the key players in the project, but they happened at seemingly random points throughout the text. I also think the pieces about Bob Keeshan and Captain Kangaroo were a bit long and more focused on Keeshan than on his former employees who moved on to become the corner stone of Sesame Street.
I believe it would have made for a more fluid read if Davis had followed more of a timeline for the creation of Sesame Street and also had a portion of the book that was all about the key players. With all the jumping around it was easy to lose track of who was who. I read about the original Gordon, but then no where in the book was there a reason behind the selection of the current actor that plays Gordon. It also neglected to discuss some of the new loved human characters on the show - the author pretty much stopped with the introduction of Gina. He also skipped over much of the 1990s when Sesame Street tried to make some changes that in the end didn't work out.
Overall it was an interesting and honest history of the ground breaking show that taught generations of children how to count and say their ABCs, a show that is loved by millions and continues to withstand the tests of time.
"Street Gang: The Complete History of Sesame Street" by: Michael Davis can be found at your local library or by visiting BarnesandNoble.com
To start with I really enjoyed reading about the history (good and bad) of Sesame Street. There were so many components involved in the creation of this ground breaking show. It also introduced me to the mother of it all Joan Ganz Cooney. When people think about Sesame Street they mostly think of Jim Henson and his wonderful muppet creations. But really Jim was just a small piece of the puzzle in what made this show tick. The author had a lot of great primary source material and he didn't gloss over some of the more controversial or negative areas in the creation of Children's Television Workshop and Sesame Street. I do wish he would have gone more into the behind the scenes rivalry in the 1990s between Jon Stone and the new suits at the CTW.
All those positive comments aside, my major complaint about the book was the structure. Davis skipped around so much that it was hard to keep track of where he was in the timeline or who he was talking about. About halfway through the book I had to create a flow chart just so I would know who he was talking about and what their title/position was in that particular chapter.
I do appreciate how he gave a back story to all the key players in the project, but they happened at seemingly random points throughout the text. I also think the pieces about Bob Keeshan and Captain Kangaroo were a bit long and more focused on Keeshan than on his former employees who moved on to become the corner stone of Sesame Street.
I believe it would have made for a more fluid read if Davis had followed more of a timeline for the creation of Sesame Street and also had a portion of the book that was all about the key players. With all the jumping around it was easy to lose track of who was who. I read about the original Gordon, but then no where in the book was there a reason behind the selection of the current actor that plays Gordon. It also neglected to discuss some of the new loved human characters on the show - the author pretty much stopped with the introduction of Gina. He also skipped over much of the 1990s when Sesame Street tried to make some changes that in the end didn't work out.
Overall it was an interesting and honest history of the ground breaking show that taught generations of children how to count and say their ABCs, a show that is loved by millions and continues to withstand the tests of time.
"Street Gang: The Complete History of Sesame Street" by: Michael Davis can be found at your local library or by visiting BarnesandNoble.com
Friday, January 2, 2009
2008 List
The following is a list of the books I read in 2008. Hopefully I will be able to read more in 2009!
"Great Feuds in History: Ten of the Liveliest Disputes Ever" by Colin Evans
"Suzanne's Diary for Nicholas" by: James Paterson
"Life with Father" by: Clarence Day
"Shakespeare the World as a Stage" by: Bill Bryson
"A Lifetime of Secrets" compiled by: Frank Warren
"Post Secret: Extraordinary Confessions from Ordinary Lives" compiled by: Frank Warren
"Great Feuds in History: Ten of the Liveliest Disputes Ever" by Colin Evans
"Suzanne's Diary for Nicholas" by: James Paterson
"Life with Father" by: Clarence Day
"Shakespeare the World as a Stage" by: Bill Bryson
"A Lifetime of Secrets" compiled by: Frank Warren
"Post Secret: Extraordinary Confessions from Ordinary Lives" compiled by: Frank Warren
"The Invention of Hugo Cabret" by Brian Selznick
"Catherine de Medici: Renaissance Queen of France" by: Leonie Frieda
"Devil in the White City" by: Erik Larson
"The Good Good Pig: The Extraordinary Life of Christopher Hogwood" by: Sy Montgomery
"Spell of the Tiger: The Man-Easters of the Sundarbans" by: Sy Montgomery
"Journey of the Pink Dolphins: An Amazon Quest" by: Sy Montgomery
"The Boy in the Striped Pajamas" by: John Boyne
"Honeymoon with My Brother" by: Franz Wisner
"Tall Blondes: A Book About Giraffes" by: Lynn Sherr
"When You Are Engulfed in Flames" by: David Sedaris
"Revolutionary Road" by: Richard Yates
"Diaries 1969-1979: The Python Years" by: Michael Palin
"Twilight" by: Stephenie Meyer
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