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.
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