Showing posts with label books. Show all posts
Showing posts with label books. Show all posts
Friday, May 13, 2011
My Top "Have-to-Read" Books - (and just books that I really really enjoyed...)
My Top "Have-to-Read" Books - (and just books that I really really enjoyed...)
Thursday, June 17, 2010
Absent
Yes, I've been absent lately. Last week was a challenging week. Blake upgraded some of his sound equipment and there was a bigger learning curve than we expected. But, we are past it now, and smarter for it :) I'm proud that he and I figured it out. That's all I will say about that, and will spare you the recap involving tears and late nights. We're sane again now.
I've been reading a lot lately, still. It really is my escape and I love that I love to read. It's so "me." My office manager here at work, oddly, has the most awesome taste in books. Some of my best reads have been suggested by her: "The Story of Edgar Sawtelle", "The Pillars of the Earth" (which started my love affair with author Ken Follett)," another fun author named Lisa Gardner, and most recently, the author Jodi Picoult. I just finished "My Sister's Keeper" which, yes, was recently a movie that was deemed "awful", but the book was really good. After that book I am now reading another book by her called "The Plain Truth", which I am liking even better that the Sister's Keeper one. Her writing does have a way of grabbing you and flowing you through the story. Her subjects of her novels are always some contemporary controversial topic. They're clean novels and thought provoking. I'm enjoying her and will continue to read through her repetoire.
I also have been listening to "The Swan Thieves" by Elizabeth Kostova on audio book.
I listen on my 20 min drive to work, and that has been really fun. My recent book club read was "The Bufflehead Sisters" which I enjoyed a lot but don't feel comfortable recommending because of some scenes in the book. It mainly focused on a deep childhood friendship and it's evolution into adulthood. Our next meeting is this Saturday, I'm so excited!
Blake gets home from Arkansas tonight - he headlined at a Festival there last night. In the rain. But he said about 40-50 people stayed and toughed it out in their lawn chairs under their umbrellas :)
Haven't done anything to the house lately. It's kind of a wreck right now. I'm counting on this weekend to inspire me to clean up. Then, my immediate to do list includes:
I've been reading a lot lately, still. It really is my escape and I love that I love to read. It's so "me." My office manager here at work, oddly, has the most awesome taste in books. Some of my best reads have been suggested by her: "The Story of Edgar Sawtelle", "The Pillars of the Earth" (which started my love affair with author Ken Follett)," another fun author named Lisa Gardner, and most recently, the author Jodi Picoult. I just finished "My Sister's Keeper" which, yes, was recently a movie that was deemed "awful", but the book was really good. After that book I am now reading another book by her called "The Plain Truth", which I am liking even better that the Sister's Keeper one. Her writing does have a way of grabbing you and flowing you through the story. Her subjects of her novels are always some contemporary controversial topic. They're clean novels and thought provoking. I'm enjoying her and will continue to read through her repetoire.
I also have been listening to "The Swan Thieves" by Elizabeth Kostova on audio book.
Blake gets home from Arkansas tonight - he headlined at a Festival there last night. In the rain. But he said about 40-50 people stayed and toughed it out in their lawn chairs under their umbrellas :)
Haven't done anything to the house lately. It's kind of a wreck right now. I'm counting on this weekend to inspire me to clean up. Then, my immediate to do list includes:
- Painting the Guest Bath laminate counter-top - yes I'm going to paint it.
- Find wall sconces that do not require an electrician to wire them
- Finalize my decision on Master Bed, Guest Bed, and Living room ceiling fan purchases
- Hang the new Hobby Lobby decorations I got in the office!
- Hang the framed prayers I made for Blake at Christmas in his practice room - yep, they still aren't hung
Friday, May 21, 2010
Great Books Lately
I've been ready A LOT lately, and I love it! I even got Blake to read with me last night, I was in heaven. He doesn't prefer to read. Ever. But I went to the library and got a book I read in junior high by Tim Allen: "Don't Stand Too Close To A Naked Man" and Blake was hooked. It's just Tim Allen's autobiography.
Lately I've succeeded with my book choices, and I'll share them here with you! (I copied the synopses from Half.com)
"The Help" by Kathryn Stockett
Synopsis
At the outset of the civil rights movement in Jackson, Mississippi, three unique women unite to share the stories of dozens of the city's black servants, who have been kept voiceless for too long. Together, these three unforgettable ladies launch a crusade to collect the stories of the town's silent servants, and try to tear down the unspoken racial barriers that traverse the homes and hearts of everyone in Jackson.
I loved every minute of this book. It was funny and moving and just captured my interest. I will say I am not normally one to read books with the subject of civil rights or African American Fiction...but this book was glorious. I even kept it and didn't resell it after I was done.
"A Thousand Splendid Suns" by Khaled Hosseini
In his second novel A THOUSAND SPLENDID SUNS Hosseini shows the tenuous alliance made between two Afghan women who are both married to the same brutal older man. Miriam, an illegitimate daughter, is 15 when she is married to Rasheed. Years later he takes another wife, the orphaned 14-year old Laila. Together, the two women, subjugated by culture and circumstance, must find a way to survive and protect that most-precious of commodities: hope.
I liked Kite Runner okay, but this one was great! It wasn't sooo depressing like Kite Runner so I really enjoyed it. Good writing.
"Thunderstruck" by Erik Larson
Synopsis
The author of DEVIL IN THE WHITE CITY (which is also a fabulous book) takes on another suspenseful double history in THUNDERSTRUCK, which intertwines the stories of the notorious murderer Hawley Harvey Crippen and the obsessively single-minded, Nobel prize-winning inventor of the wireless telegraph, Guglielmo Marconi. As in his other best-sellers, Larson proves adept at bringing both technological and sociological histories to vivid life with a generous amount of extrapolative detail and a keen sense of pacing.
I found myself talking about this book to everyone I met while reading it. It's just so stimulating to read a history that is written like a fluid fiction novel. I am not a fan of non-fiction, but I will read anything this author ever writes.
"Me Talk Pretty One Day" by David Sedaris
Synopsis
David Sedaris continues his humorous exploration of himself, focusing on his humorous attempts to learn French after moving to Paris; his topics include restaurants, his quirky dislikes, his career dreams, and the habits of his increasingly eccentric family.
I contradict myself, but this is also a non-fiction. Memoirs, actually. So they probably are more "fiction" than "non". I laughed until I peed myself with this book. I don't agree with the authors morals, but you don't always have to agree to enthusiastically enjoy a book. It's been a while since I've read this book, however, so I apologize if the content is questionable. But, honestly, was probably one of the reasons it was so funny...
Books I'm reading right now and loving:
(I'm actually reading about 5 books right now...I don't know what has come over me. They're all in various stages of progress.)
Waiting by Ha Jin
Synopsis
This multi-award-winning novel about a romance between Dr. Lin Kong, an unhappily married Chinese physician, and Manna Wu, the nurse he falls in love with, is a chronicle of Kong's attempt to get a divorce from his wife over the course of 17 years. The victim of an arranged marriage, Kong longs for an end--but each time they go to court, his very traditional wife, at the last minute, refuses. Kong is hoping to profit from a Chinese law that permits an automatic divorce after 18 years of separation--and his long, patient devotion and endless frustration can be seen as an allegory of life in a repressive society. In addition to being a passionate love story, WAITING is also an insightful and fascinating look at contemporary provincial China.
I'm only beginning this book and I'm enjoying the languid style and different culture. I really enjoy Asian novels.
*UPDATE* - I hated this book. Don't read it. It was well written, but it was so depressing I ended up disgusted with it.
"Born Standing Up" by Steve Martin
Synopsis
In this fiercely intelligent and strangely detached memoir--a portrait of the comic as a young man--Steve Martin describes the formation of his unconventional comic style, and reveals that for all his apparent zaniness, he approached his craft with the thoughtful precision of a mathematician. His look back at his early days provides unusual insights about Steve Martin as a human being and a comic, and about the nature of comedy itself.
I'm listening to this on CD, read by Steve Martin. It's actually more serious than you'd expect and I'm enjoying getting to know Steve. It's still funny though, but I'm respecting the work ethic of Steve Martin to get to where he is today.
************************
Let's just say my birthday is next month and a Half.com gift certificate would be like gold :)
Lately I've succeeded with my book choices, and I'll share them here with you! (I copied the synopses from Half.com)
"The Help" by Kathryn Stockett
Synopsis
At the outset of the civil rights movement in Jackson, Mississippi, three unique women unite to share the stories of dozens of the city's black servants, who have been kept voiceless for too long. Together, these three unforgettable ladies launch a crusade to collect the stories of the town's silent servants, and try to tear down the unspoken racial barriers that traverse the homes and hearts of everyone in Jackson.
I loved every minute of this book. It was funny and moving and just captured my interest. I will say I am not normally one to read books with the subject of civil rights or African American Fiction...but this book was glorious. I even kept it and didn't resell it after I was done.
"A Thousand Splendid Suns" by Khaled Hosseini
I liked Kite Runner okay, but this one was great! It wasn't sooo depressing like Kite Runner so I really enjoyed it. Good writing.
"Thunderstruck" by Erik Larson
The author of DEVIL IN THE WHITE CITY (which is also a fabulous book) takes on another suspenseful double history in THUNDERSTRUCK, which intertwines the stories of the notorious murderer Hawley Harvey Crippen and the obsessively single-minded, Nobel prize-winning inventor of the wireless telegraph, Guglielmo Marconi. As in his other best-sellers, Larson proves adept at bringing both technological and sociological histories to vivid life with a generous amount of extrapolative detail and a keen sense of pacing.
I found myself talking about this book to everyone I met while reading it. It's just so stimulating to read a history that is written like a fluid fiction novel. I am not a fan of non-fiction, but I will read anything this author ever writes.
"Me Talk Pretty One Day" by David Sedaris
David Sedaris continues his humorous exploration of himself, focusing on his humorous attempts to learn French after moving to Paris; his topics include restaurants, his quirky dislikes, his career dreams, and the habits of his increasingly eccentric family.
I contradict myself, but this is also a non-fiction. Memoirs, actually. So they probably are more "fiction" than "non". I laughed until I peed myself with this book. I don't agree with the authors morals, but you don't always have to agree to enthusiastically enjoy a book. It's been a while since I've read this book, however, so I apologize if the content is questionable. But, honestly, was probably one of the reasons it was so funny...
Books I'm reading right now and loving:
(I'm actually reading about 5 books right now...I don't know what has come over me. They're all in various stages of progress.)
Waiting by Ha Jin
This multi-award-winning novel about a romance between Dr. Lin Kong, an unhappily married Chinese physician, and Manna Wu, the nurse he falls in love with, is a chronicle of Kong's attempt to get a divorce from his wife over the course of 17 years. The victim of an arranged marriage, Kong longs for an end--but each time they go to court, his very traditional wife, at the last minute, refuses. Kong is hoping to profit from a Chinese law that permits an automatic divorce after 18 years of separation--and his long, patient devotion and endless frustration can be seen as an allegory of life in a repressive society. In addition to being a passionate love story, WAITING is also an insightful and fascinating look at contemporary provincial China.
I'm only beginning this book and I'm enjoying the languid style and different culture. I really enjoy Asian novels.
*UPDATE* - I hated this book. Don't read it. It was well written, but it was so depressing I ended up disgusted with it.
"Born Standing Up" by Steve Martin
In this fiercely intelligent and strangely detached memoir--a portrait of the comic as a young man--Steve Martin describes the formation of his unconventional comic style, and reveals that for all his apparent zaniness, he approached his craft with the thoughtful precision of a mathematician. His look back at his early days provides unusual insights about Steve Martin as a human being and a comic, and about the nature of comedy itself.
I'm listening to this on CD, read by Steve Martin. It's actually more serious than you'd expect and I'm enjoying getting to know Steve. It's still funny though, but I'm respecting the work ethic of Steve Martin to get to where he is today.
************************
Let's just say my birthday is next month and a Half.com gift certificate would be like gold :)
Friday, January 29, 2010
Snow and pork chops
We are in the middle of another ice storm. It's begun to snow now overtop the 1-2" of ice though, so the roads weren't as bad as I was expecting this morning. Our office never really closes for bad weather...(edit, edit) so I made it into work at 9 today with no problems though. Getting out of our neighborhood is always the hardest part because the roads are curvy and hilly.
I started another book in the meantime before I need to start my book club book. I'm reading "The Killer Inside Me" by Jim Thompson. It's pretty good, I'm not as into it as I thought I'd be. It's a first person narrative of a guy who gives in to his "sickness" and it goes into him rationale behind each killing. It's a quick read and easy. Creepy in a 1950's way - the killer enjoys being corny and making people feel uncomfortable because they find him simple and boring. But he's just needling them in his own way.
Yesterday my office did let us go early, I was shocked! The weathermen were crying the apocalypse so it freaked us all out enough to go ahead on home. I think after this past Christmas' snow storm though, this is small beans. Still dangerous, but we still have power so I'm thankful. But when the weather is bad, I want to cook! Correction...I want to BAKE. But I restrained myself so we wouldn't pig out on cookies all night. Instead I made a pork chop dinner, which turned out delicious. I think I am a fan of pork chops now. They were such a nice change from beef (I've been out of chicken for a while and am indignant that chicken is so expensive).
French Onion Soup Pork Chops
- two butterfly cut pork chops, thawed
-1 can Campbells French Onion Soup
Directions
-thaw out your pork chops, or wait long enough so the outside is thawed
-sear the chops in a skillet with some olive oil, a couple minutes on each side
-put chops in a crockpot and pour soup over them
-cook on High for 4 hours
I think searing the chops made them so much better. I've done it before without searing them, and they got a little dry. These were delicious! I'm probably going to make these often., they are "company worthy" too, if you find the right sides. My sides didn't go too well. I would put butter mashed potatoes and corn instead with this meal, or sweet potatoes and green beans or something. I put too much garlic in our green beans last night and had to throw them out :(
I started another book in the meantime before I need to start my book club book. I'm reading "The Killer Inside Me" by Jim Thompson. It's pretty good, I'm not as into it as I thought I'd be. It's a first person narrative of a guy who gives in to his "sickness" and it goes into him rationale behind each killing. It's a quick read and easy. Creepy in a 1950's way - the killer enjoys being corny and making people feel uncomfortable because they find him simple and boring. But he's just needling them in his own way.
Yesterday my office did let us go early, I was shocked! The weathermen were crying the apocalypse so it freaked us all out enough to go ahead on home. I think after this past Christmas' snow storm though, this is small beans. Still dangerous, but we still have power so I'm thankful. But when the weather is bad, I want to cook! Correction...I want to BAKE. But I restrained myself so we wouldn't pig out on cookies all night. Instead I made a pork chop dinner, which turned out delicious. I think I am a fan of pork chops now. They were such a nice change from beef (I've been out of chicken for a while and am indignant that chicken is so expensive).
French Onion Soup Pork Chops
- two butterfly cut pork chops, thawed
-1 can Campbells French Onion Soup
Directions
-thaw out your pork chops, or wait long enough so the outside is thawed
-sear the chops in a skillet with some olive oil, a couple minutes on each side
-put chops in a crockpot and pour soup over them
-cook on High for 4 hours
I think searing the chops made them so much better. I've done it before without searing them, and they got a little dry. These were delicious! I'm probably going to make these often., they are "company worthy" too, if you find the right sides. My sides didn't go too well. I would put butter mashed potatoes and corn instead with this meal, or sweet potatoes and green beans or something. I put too much garlic in our green beans last night and had to throw them out :(
Monday, January 25, 2010
Italian Bread Soup (Tomato & Crouton Soup)
I've been cooking a lot lately, it's been a lot of fun! I got a couple of new crockpot cookbooks for Christmas and have been flipping through them picking out interesting recipes. This particular recipe caught my eye because of the amazing picture. It's not this picture below, but it's similar. It just looked so warm and comforting and delicious. And it was!!! My only complaint was that it made SO much soup. It probably made enough for about 6-8 large bowls of soup, so make it for a large gathering, or pack it up in Tupperware bowls and give it out to your book club friends. That's what I did :)
Italian Bread Soup (Tomato & Crouton Soup)
-2 cans (or about 28 oz) Chicken Broth
-4 cans fire-roasted diced tomatoes, with liquid (I just used Italian diced tomatoes because the fire roasted ones were more expensive than I like to pay for tomatoes)
-3 cups Caesar croutons
-1 small onion, diced
-1 packet of Italian dressing mix
- kosher salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
-Dump all ingredients in crockpot and cook on high for 4 hours.
-Serve with parmesan cheese and a sprinkle of basil on top.
This recipe surprised me. I thought the croutons would disintegrate or something, or just make the soup thicker. They actually swelled up and made the soup kind of "bready". I don't know how to describe it. I really liked the texture. I wasn't so sure going into it if I'd like so many chunks of tomato in my soup, but it didn't end up bothering me. It was kind of a fancy-feeling soup, so I would think pairing this soup for a larger party with some finger foods would be fabulous! I also would think the fire-roasted tomatoes would be worth it for the spiciness. I would be curious to make it again and see how spicy it is supposed to be. It just made so much soup for just me and Blake and I'm not a big "leftovers fan"... I'm having some leftover today, so if it's horrible I'll let you know. (Update - even better as leftovers! yum!)
I had my second book club meeting this Saturday. It was so fun! We discussed the book "Julie & Julia". Collectively, we all agreed the book was horrid. But we discussed how horrid it was over mini-quiches, bread & brie, and mini-apple tarts. It was a glorious night. Our next book pick is my turn: "The Shadow of the Wind" by Carlos Ruiz Zafon. I hope it's good!
Italian Bread Soup (Tomato & Crouton Soup)
-2 cans (or about 28 oz) Chicken Broth
-4 cans fire-roasted diced tomatoes, with liquid (I just used Italian diced tomatoes because the fire roasted ones were more expensive than I like to pay for tomatoes)
-3 cups Caesar croutons
-1 small onion, diced
-1 packet of Italian dressing mix
- kosher salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
-Dump all ingredients in crockpot and cook on high for 4 hours.
-Serve with parmesan cheese and a sprinkle of basil on top.
This recipe surprised me. I thought the croutons would disintegrate or something, or just make the soup thicker. They actually swelled up and made the soup kind of "bready". I don't know how to describe it. I really liked the texture. I wasn't so sure going into it if I'd like so many chunks of tomato in my soup, but it didn't end up bothering me. It was kind of a fancy-feeling soup, so I would think pairing this soup for a larger party with some finger foods would be fabulous! I also would think the fire-roasted tomatoes would be worth it for the spiciness. I would be curious to make it again and see how spicy it is supposed to be. It just made so much soup for just me and Blake and I'm not a big "leftovers fan"... I'm having some leftover today, so if it's horrible I'll let you know. (Update - even better as leftovers! yum!)
I had my second book club meeting this Saturday. It was so fun! We discussed the book "Julie & Julia". Collectively, we all agreed the book was horrid. But we discussed how horrid it was over mini-quiches, bread & brie, and mini-apple tarts. It was a glorious night. Our next book pick is my turn: "The Shadow of the Wind" by Carlos Ruiz Zafon. I hope it's good!
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Books That Changed My Outlook
Lately I have been reading a lot, but have been only finding books that are decent, if not engaging. Nothing riveting lately.
I came across an interesting post on Facebook on a book feed that asked the question, "If you could name 5 books that changed your outlook on life, what would they be?" I thought about that for a little bit and appreciate these books for different reasons (in no order):
1. The Shack
This is not necessarily a great book, but it had great paradigm challenges. I found the writing hard to swallow and the story really corny, but I did take away a life changing view of God...the idea that instead of Western culture's thinking of where everything is a hierarchy, to view God with more the Eastern thought of centrality. So, instead of thinking that everything has priorities and that God should always be #1 (a confusing concept, especially when involving love) think of God as the center of your life and everything that you do and think comes out of that center. So your choices, decisions, and life direction you take stem from that basic Christ center. I like that outlook a lot better, it makes more sense to me.
2. How to Stop Worrying and Start Living (Dale Carnegie)
I read this book during a particularly trying time one summer. I should really read it again, but it helped me change my cognitive pattern to focus on solutions and positive thinking and shift my focus from my feelings. It isn't "new age" or dismissive of Christ, just a positive, practical book for getting out of negative thinking.
3. Atlas Shrugged (Ayn Rand)
This book, cloaked in a fiction story, is really a thesis for Capitalism. I highly enjoyed it and found the ideas to be challenging and inspiring.
4. Tuesdays with Morrie (Mitch Albom)
I read this a long time ago and just remember that after reading it I had a greatly more sensitized heart for the elderly.
5. This Present Darkness (Frank Peretti)
This book opened my eyes to spiritual warfare and its infusion and reality in every day life.
I came across an interesting post on Facebook on a book feed that asked the question, "If you could name 5 books that changed your outlook on life, what would they be?" I thought about that for a little bit and appreciate these books for different reasons (in no order):
1. The Shack
This is not necessarily a great book, but it had great paradigm challenges. I found the writing hard to swallow and the story really corny, but I did take away a life changing view of God...the idea that instead of Western culture's thinking of where everything is a hierarchy, to view God with more the Eastern thought of centrality. So, instead of thinking that everything has priorities and that God should always be #1 (a confusing concept, especially when involving love) think of God as the center of your life and everything that you do and think comes out of that center. So your choices, decisions, and life direction you take stem from that basic Christ center. I like that outlook a lot better, it makes more sense to me.
2. How to Stop Worrying and Start Living (Dale Carnegie)
I read this book during a particularly trying time one summer. I should really read it again, but it helped me change my cognitive pattern to focus on solutions and positive thinking and shift my focus from my feelings. It isn't "new age" or dismissive of Christ, just a positive, practical book for getting out of negative thinking.
3. Atlas Shrugged (Ayn Rand)
This book, cloaked in a fiction story, is really a thesis for Capitalism. I highly enjoyed it and found the ideas to be challenging and inspiring.
4. Tuesdays with Morrie (Mitch Albom)
I read this a long time ago and just remember that after reading it I had a greatly more sensitized heart for the elderly.
5. This Present Darkness (Frank Peretti)
This book opened my eyes to spiritual warfare and its infusion and reality in every day life.
Friday, July 24, 2009
Good Books
I love reading. Here are some of my favorite reads lately:
The Glass Castle, Jeannette Walls
Plainsong, Kent Haruf
Across the Nightingale Floor, Gillian Rubinstein (AKA Lian Hearn)
The Kite Runner, Khaled Hosseini
Looking For Alaska, John Green
The Other Boleyn Girl, Philippa Gregory
Water for Elephants, Sara Gruen
Sickened, Julie Gregory
The Glass Castle, Jeannette Walls Plainsong, Kent Haruf Across the Nightingale Floor, Gillian Rubinstein (AKA Lian Hearn) The Kite Runner, Khaled Hosseini Looking For Alaska, John Green The Other Boleyn Girl, Philippa Gregory Water for Elephants, Sara Gruen Sickened, Julie Gregory
Friday, April 3, 2009
I Think I Have Great Taste
Okay. It's Friday and I am totally unmotivated and my eye is kinda twitching from fatigue. I don't know if any of you read, well I know H. and my mom do, but I wanted to make a list of books I recommend as great reads! I am a strictly fiction girl though. I've tried, I just can't get excited about non-fiction. Unless it's about animals. But it has to have pictures.
(I did copy/paste the synopses from swaptree.com just so you know.)
General Fiction-------------------------------------------------------
"The Joy Luck Club" by Amy Tan
When June's mother dies, she is invited to join a long-standing club of Chinese women who urge her not only to take her mother's place at the mah-jongg table, but also to carry the news of her mother's death to her step-sisters in China. Through the stories of the women and their daughters, the values of different generations are articulated. June's anxiety about her responsibility to the past is contrasted with the older women's concerns that their values and culture are being lost by their Americanized daughters.
I thought this book was a fun read. I read it awhile ago though so I don't remember many specifics other than it kept my attention and I enjoyed it a lot more than I thought I would
"Memoirs of a Geisha" by Arthur Golden
In 1929, a poor fisherman sells his nine-year-old daughter to an elite geisha house in Kyoto. So begins the remarkable first-person account of how the lovely child, Chiyo, became the accomplished and much sought-after geisha Sayuri, with the help of a kindly mentor and despite the malice of a rival; and of how Sayuri struggled to balance professional success as a courtesan with the demands of her heart. Adapted into a 2005 movie starring Zhang Yiyi as the protagonist, this bestselling debut novel opened up a world hitherto unknown to most Westerners and sparked new interest in Japan and its culture.
Loved this book. I didn't enjoy the movie at all though. Couldn't put the book down.
"Water for Elephants" by Sara Gruen
Jacob Jankowski, 90 years old and living in a nursing home, tells how, orphaned and penniless during the Great Depression, he became an animal trainer in a circus. In his days with the Benzini Brothers Most Spectacular Show on Earth, he falls in love with the beautiful performer Marlena--and also with the delightful Rosie the elephant.
This book is so fun and has all sorts of circus stories that at the end you'll find out are totally true. I loved how this book is sweet and is an old man remembering his life. The book is funny though and touching.
"Middlesex" by Jeffrey Eugenides
Cal Stephanides, hermaphrodite, (told he was a girl from birth), recounts the history of his family, starting in 1922 in Smyrna, from where his grandparents embark for America, moving to Detroit where the family settles, and ending up in San Francisco, where Cal's sexual ambiguity finds its proper home. A New York Times "Editor's Choice" for 2002.
If you read this and don't enjoy it I'm sorry. I will casually warn you the book does pertain to sex, but the actual scientific male or female stuff.
"One Hundred Years of Solitude" by Gabriel Garcia Marquez
A beguiling mix of politics, magic, romance, and sex, the saga of the mysterious history of the Buendia family of the village of Macondo does nothing less than recapitulate the entire history of the human race. Written with little regard for traditional novelistic conventions, Garcia Marquez's novel incorporates emotional responses in lieu of plot, a cyclical approach to fractured time lines, and many different characters with similar or identical names. The first of a wave of Spanish-language novels characterized by what came to be known as magical realism, ONE HUNDRED YEARS OF SOLITUDE was an immediate success on its initial publication and was translated into more than 40 languages. It established Garcia Marquez as one of the preeminent authors of his generation.
I read this book in college and it has haunted/stayed with me ever since. It is a massive read that is funny and quirky but also deep and introspective and moving. Not your normal fluff read, but still very accessible to a casual reader I would say. So instead of it being like cheesecake, I'd say this book is like your decadent chocolate and raspberry filling type cake.
"Sophie's Heart" (Christian) by Lori Wick
Sophie, quiet and shy, has fled her native Czechoslovakia and needs work. Janet, her Bible study teacher, recommends Sophie to Alec, Janet's brother, as a housekeeper. Alec, the father of three, had recently lost his wife in a car crash and reluctantly agrees to hire Sophie. Love slowly blooms and barriers are overcome in this moving triumph of God's tender care.
I adored this book. So inspiring and well written. It made me want to be a better person and Christian. I cried and laughed and really bonded with this book.
Memoirs/Biography----------------------------------------------------
"Sickened" by Julie Gregory
An unusual memoir describes growing up as the victim of Munchausen by proxy, a dangerous form of child abuse in which her mother invented or caused a series of illnesses and ailments, and her struggle to escape her mother's serious psychological problems to rebuild her life as a healthy, compassionate young woman.
This is a quick and consuming read. You'll be appalled there is a mental illness like this out there. It is so intriguing though. This book is like shortbread cookies: you start consuming them and find you can't stop and you're a little surprised about that.
"The Glass Castle" by Jeanette Walls
Jeannette Walls's memoir revolves around her parents, who give the concept of bad parenting a whole new meaning. Her irresponsible romantic of a father was an inventor of outlandishly useless devices, and her mother, an artist, was his abettor. As the two of them dragged the family around the country on the run from creditors and from one bad idea to another, they virtually ignored their four hapless children, except when they were giving them shoplifting lessons or stealing their money for booze. Walls writes about these years with a hardheaded, clear-eyed acceptance and very little recrimination, and she doesn't neglect her parents' virtues, which she manages to wrest out of the slag heap: their values were both generous and idealistic, they produced self-reliant children, and they were true originals.
I loved the story of the siblings. I was surprised by the creativity of the children and parents on how to survive with the parents refusing to work but always going on adventures. It's not a depressing book by any means, and not a pity-party book. That is why it was so good.
"Switching Time" by Richard Baer
A psychiatrist tells his true experience with a woman with 17 personalities. She originally comes to him for help when she is fed up with having blackouts and memory problems and eventually the doctor realizes she has multiple personalities that don't know about each other. He carefully guides her into this realization and helps her say goodbye to each of them.
This is a totally awesome book. Really absorbing and fascinating. I read it on a car trip and was a bad wife because I was reading and not keeping Blake company :)
Historical Fiction-----------------------------------------------------
"The Other Boleyn Girl" by Philippa Gregory
Anne Boleyn's younger sister, Mary, tells the inside story of the doomed Anne, who was beheaded in 1536. Meanwhile, Mary has her own tribulations, culminating, after the death of her first husband in the plague, in a happy second marriage.
I wrote a blog by itself on this book. Great, fun read that is not heavy but really consuming.
"The Pillars of the Earth" by Ken Follett
This epic historical novel tells of the trials and tribulations encountered in the building of a cathedral in twelfth-century England.
At this point in my life, I'd say this is my favorite book of all time. It sounds boring, but it's not. The characters are so rich and unpredictable. It really is an epic! You will get lost in the events of the story and it's very plot driven so it's fast and interesting, but the author takes care to develop each character fully so you're invested in the story. This book is like eating a full course meal and dessert at a fancy restaurant that you had a gift certificate to: all the fun and deliciousness of a skilled professional, but without the dread of the mental workout ("the bill") of a classic novel
"Clan of the Cave Bear" by Jane Auel
Young Cro-Magnon orphan Ayla is adopted into a Neanderthal clan, but her differences from her hosts prove to be a source of continual conflict.
I liked this book because it was SO different! It was very intelligently written and I liked the characters and their obstacles. And who doesn't love a good neanderthal book? Enough said.
Mark of the Lion Series (Christian) by Francine Rivers
"A Voice in the Wind" I
"An Echo of Darkenss" II
"As Sure as the Dawn" III
Francine Rivers / This best-selling trilogy chronicles a tale of persecution and perseverance of 1st-century Christians in hedonistic Rome.
So inspiring! Well written and great plot story. The characters are colorful and memorable.
Young Adult Fiction------------------------------------------------------------
(You should try it!)
"Ender's Game" by Orson Scott Card
Ender Wiggins was only six when he was sent for special training because of his unique talents, and he may be humanity's only hope in a war against aliens. Winner of the 1986 Hugo and the 1985 Nebula Awards.
I actually bought this book. And kept it. I never do that.
"The Princess Bride" by William Goldman
Hollywood scriptwriter William Goldman pretends that he is simply editing and commenting on what purports to be a 19th-century fairy-tale by "Florinese" writer S. Morgenstern. Studded with hilariously anachronistic one-liners, this fantasy aims to teach its readers the important lesson that "life isn't fair," by placing considerable obstacles in the way of the romance between Westley, a talented farmboy who later assumes a somewhat more dashing and mysterious identity, and Buttercup, a sweet, dimwitted, world-record-breaking beauty who becomes engaged to the local prince. Goldman adapted the novel into a successful 1987 film starring Cary Elwes as Westley and Robin Wright as Buttercup.
If you liked the movie, you'll love the book. Very quirky and I love knowing what the characters are thinking. This book is perfect if you're sick in bed and have nothing to do. Perfect.
"Across the Nightingale Floor" by Gillian Rubinstein (aka-Lian Hearn)
The first book in a trilogy, ACROSS THE NIGHTINGALE FLOOR is set in an imagined country very similar to medieval Japan. A warlord, intent on world domination destroys a peaceful village leaving no one alive save for one boy, Takeo, who was playing away from the village at the time of the attack. Takeo is recruited by a rival clan to help strike down the evil lord, and he also encounters young Kaede, who may grow up to become the woman he loves and be the savior to his people. A New York Times Notable Book for 2002.
This whole series is fantastic and a fun, light read. I really enjoy the plot and the love story and the infused culture.
"Twilight" by Stephanie Meyer
Seventeen-year-olds Bella Swan and Edward Cullen are enmeshed in an intense, hungry love that leaves them both destroyed, yet passionately longing for more. Bella's scent and very being excites Edward, a vampire who, along with his family, abstains from feasting on humans. After a difficult start, the two become inseparable, learning more and more about each other as the days pass, all the while knowing that with every thrilling moment might end with Bella's death. The beautiful, evergreen landscape of Washington state's Olympic Peninsula permeates this gripping, fast-paced drama as it torpedoes through the notions of family, relationships, and sacrificing everything imaginable for true love. Named one of Publishers Weekly's Best Children's Books of 2005 and a 2005 School Library Journal Best Book.
Don't judge me. If you haven't read this book yet, you will.
Okay! I feel better. Blake doesn't read so I don't have anyone to talk to about books. If you have any books you loved, please share with me!!
(I did copy/paste the synopses from swaptree.com just so you know.)
General Fiction-------------------------------------------------------
"The Joy Luck Club" by Amy Tan
When June's mother dies, she is invited to join a long-standing club of Chinese women who urge her not only to take her mother's place at the mah-jongg table, but also to carry the news of her mother's death to her step-sisters in China. Through the stories of the women and their daughters, the values of different generations are articulated. June's anxiety about her responsibility to the past is contrasted with the older women's concerns that their values and culture are being lost by their Americanized daughters.
I thought this book was a fun read. I read it awhile ago though so I don't remember many specifics other than it kept my attention and I enjoyed it a lot more than I thought I would
"Memoirs of a Geisha" by Arthur Golden
In 1929, a poor fisherman sells his nine-year-old daughter to an elite geisha house in Kyoto. So begins the remarkable first-person account of how the lovely child, Chiyo, became the accomplished and much sought-after geisha Sayuri, with the help of a kindly mentor and despite the malice of a rival; and of how Sayuri struggled to balance professional success as a courtesan with the demands of her heart. Adapted into a 2005 movie starring Zhang Yiyi as the protagonist, this bestselling debut novel opened up a world hitherto unknown to most Westerners and sparked new interest in Japan and its culture.
Loved this book. I didn't enjoy the movie at all though. Couldn't put the book down.
"Water for Elephants" by Sara Gruen
Jacob Jankowski, 90 years old and living in a nursing home, tells how, orphaned and penniless during the Great Depression, he became an animal trainer in a circus. In his days with the Benzini Brothers Most Spectacular Show on Earth, he falls in love with the beautiful performer Marlena--and also with the delightful Rosie the elephant.
This book is so fun and has all sorts of circus stories that at the end you'll find out are totally true. I loved how this book is sweet and is an old man remembering his life. The book is funny though and touching.
"Middlesex" by Jeffrey Eugenides
Cal Stephanides, hermaphrodite, (told he was a girl from birth), recounts the history of his family, starting in 1922 in Smyrna, from where his grandparents embark for America, moving to Detroit where the family settles, and ending up in San Francisco, where Cal's sexual ambiguity finds its proper home. A New York Times "Editor's Choice" for 2002.
If you read this and don't enjoy it I'm sorry. I will casually warn you the book does pertain to sex, but the actual scientific male or female stuff.
"One Hundred Years of Solitude" by Gabriel Garcia Marquez
A beguiling mix of politics, magic, romance, and sex, the saga of the mysterious history of the Buendia family of the village of Macondo does nothing less than recapitulate the entire history of the human race. Written with little regard for traditional novelistic conventions, Garcia Marquez's novel incorporates emotional responses in lieu of plot, a cyclical approach to fractured time lines, and many different characters with similar or identical names. The first of a wave of Spanish-language novels characterized by what came to be known as magical realism, ONE HUNDRED YEARS OF SOLITUDE was an immediate success on its initial publication and was translated into more than 40 languages. It established Garcia Marquez as one of the preeminent authors of his generation.
I read this book in college and it has haunted/stayed with me ever since. It is a massive read that is funny and quirky but also deep and introspective and moving. Not your normal fluff read, but still very accessible to a casual reader I would say. So instead of it being like cheesecake, I'd say this book is like your decadent chocolate and raspberry filling type cake.
"Sophie's Heart" (Christian) by Lori Wick
Sophie, quiet and shy, has fled her native Czechoslovakia and needs work. Janet, her Bible study teacher, recommends Sophie to Alec, Janet's brother, as a housekeeper. Alec, the father of three, had recently lost his wife in a car crash and reluctantly agrees to hire Sophie. Love slowly blooms and barriers are overcome in this moving triumph of God's tender care.
I adored this book. So inspiring and well written. It made me want to be a better person and Christian. I cried and laughed and really bonded with this book.
Memoirs/Biography----------------------------------------------------
"Sickened" by Julie Gregory
An unusual memoir describes growing up as the victim of Munchausen by proxy, a dangerous form of child abuse in which her mother invented or caused a series of illnesses and ailments, and her struggle to escape her mother's serious psychological problems to rebuild her life as a healthy, compassionate young woman.
This is a quick and consuming read. You'll be appalled there is a mental illness like this out there. It is so intriguing though. This book is like shortbread cookies: you start consuming them and find you can't stop and you're a little surprised about that.
"The Glass Castle" by Jeanette Walls
Jeannette Walls's memoir revolves around her parents, who give the concept of bad parenting a whole new meaning. Her irresponsible romantic of a father was an inventor of outlandishly useless devices, and her mother, an artist, was his abettor. As the two of them dragged the family around the country on the run from creditors and from one bad idea to another, they virtually ignored their four hapless children, except when they were giving them shoplifting lessons or stealing their money for booze. Walls writes about these years with a hardheaded, clear-eyed acceptance and very little recrimination, and she doesn't neglect her parents' virtues, which she manages to wrest out of the slag heap: their values were both generous and idealistic, they produced self-reliant children, and they were true originals.
I loved the story of the siblings. I was surprised by the creativity of the children and parents on how to survive with the parents refusing to work but always going on adventures. It's not a depressing book by any means, and not a pity-party book. That is why it was so good.
"Switching Time" by Richard Baer
A psychiatrist tells his true experience with a woman with 17 personalities. She originally comes to him for help when she is fed up with having blackouts and memory problems and eventually the doctor realizes she has multiple personalities that don't know about each other. He carefully guides her into this realization and helps her say goodbye to each of them.
This is a totally awesome book. Really absorbing and fascinating. I read it on a car trip and was a bad wife because I was reading and not keeping Blake company :)
Historical Fiction-----------------------------------------------------
"The Other Boleyn Girl" by Philippa Gregory
Anne Boleyn's younger sister, Mary, tells the inside story of the doomed Anne, who was beheaded in 1536. Meanwhile, Mary has her own tribulations, culminating, after the death of her first husband in the plague, in a happy second marriage.
I wrote a blog by itself on this book. Great, fun read that is not heavy but really consuming.
"The Pillars of the Earth" by Ken Follett
This epic historical novel tells of the trials and tribulations encountered in the building of a cathedral in twelfth-century England.
At this point in my life, I'd say this is my favorite book of all time. It sounds boring, but it's not. The characters are so rich and unpredictable. It really is an epic! You will get lost in the events of the story and it's very plot driven so it's fast and interesting, but the author takes care to develop each character fully so you're invested in the story. This book is like eating a full course meal and dessert at a fancy restaurant that you had a gift certificate to: all the fun and deliciousness of a skilled professional, but without the dread of the mental workout ("the bill") of a classic novel
"Clan of the Cave Bear" by Jane Auel
Young Cro-Magnon orphan Ayla is adopted into a Neanderthal clan, but her differences from her hosts prove to be a source of continual conflict.
I liked this book because it was SO different! It was very intelligently written and I liked the characters and their obstacles. And who doesn't love a good neanderthal book? Enough said.
Mark of the Lion Series (Christian) by Francine Rivers
"A Voice in the Wind" I
"An Echo of Darkenss" II
"As Sure as the Dawn" III
Francine Rivers / This best-selling trilogy chronicles a tale of persecution and perseverance of 1st-century Christians in hedonistic Rome.
So inspiring! Well written and great plot story. The characters are colorful and memorable.
Young Adult Fiction------------------------------------------------------------
(You should try it!)
"Ender's Game" by Orson Scott Card
Ender Wiggins was only six when he was sent for special training because of his unique talents, and he may be humanity's only hope in a war against aliens. Winner of the 1986 Hugo and the 1985 Nebula Awards.
I actually bought this book. And kept it. I never do that.
"The Princess Bride" by William Goldman
Hollywood scriptwriter William Goldman pretends that he is simply editing and commenting on what purports to be a 19th-century fairy-tale by "Florinese" writer S. Morgenstern. Studded with hilariously anachronistic one-liners, this fantasy aims to teach its readers the important lesson that "life isn't fair," by placing considerable obstacles in the way of the romance between Westley, a talented farmboy who later assumes a somewhat more dashing and mysterious identity, and Buttercup, a sweet, dimwitted, world-record-breaking beauty who becomes engaged to the local prince. Goldman adapted the novel into a successful 1987 film starring Cary Elwes as Westley and Robin Wright as Buttercup.
If you liked the movie, you'll love the book. Very quirky and I love knowing what the characters are thinking. This book is perfect if you're sick in bed and have nothing to do. Perfect.
"Across the Nightingale Floor" by Gillian Rubinstein (aka-Lian Hearn)
The first book in a trilogy, ACROSS THE NIGHTINGALE FLOOR is set in an imagined country very similar to medieval Japan. A warlord, intent on world domination destroys a peaceful village leaving no one alive save for one boy, Takeo, who was playing away from the village at the time of the attack. Takeo is recruited by a rival clan to help strike down the evil lord, and he also encounters young Kaede, who may grow up to become the woman he loves and be the savior to his people. A New York Times Notable Book for 2002.
This whole series is fantastic and a fun, light read. I really enjoy the plot and the love story and the infused culture.
"Twilight" by Stephanie Meyer
Seventeen-year-olds Bella Swan and Edward Cullen are enmeshed in an intense, hungry love that leaves them both destroyed, yet passionately longing for more. Bella's scent and very being excites Edward, a vampire who, along with his family, abstains from feasting on humans. After a difficult start, the two become inseparable, learning more and more about each other as the days pass, all the while knowing that with every thrilling moment might end with Bella's death. The beautiful, evergreen landscape of Washington state's Olympic Peninsula permeates this gripping, fast-paced drama as it torpedoes through the notions of family, relationships, and sacrificing everything imaginable for true love. Named one of Publishers Weekly's Best Children's Books of 2005 and a 2005 School Library Journal Best Book.
Don't judge me. If you haven't read this book yet, you will.
Okay! I feel better. Blake doesn't read so I don't have anyone to talk to about books. If you have any books you loved, please share with me!!
Thursday, March 26, 2009
Good Book
Ever have a book that you read that you just so into and you think about it when you're not reading it and even sometimes dream about it? Well, I just finished one of those books. I'm even still thinking about it now after I'm done!!
It's "The Other Boleyn Girl" by Philippa Gregory. It's a historical fiction about King Henry and his wives and two sisters who vie for the king's affections. It's not dirty at all and it's just so fun! Medieval times are my favorite time period to read about (that or the Roman time period). I love all the drama and cunning and planning and corruption and rivalry between the girls. It's really well written and really long so you can settle in for a great read that will occupy you for a while instead of it quickly grabbing you only to have it end after a couple of days!
I haven't seen the movie yet so I can't pass judgment on it yet. But I plan to rent it next week. I've heard it's not all that great, but I bet it tries to cram every event in the book into the movie which would make it just a confusing 2 hours.
Yuck my coffee is cold
It's "The Other Boleyn Girl" by Philippa Gregory. It's a historical fiction about King Henry and his wives and two sisters who vie for the king's affections. It's not dirty at all and it's just so fun! Medieval times are my favorite time period to read about (that or the Roman time period). I love all the drama and cunning and planning and corruption and rivalry between the girls. It's really well written and really long so you can settle in for a great read that will occupy you for a while instead of it quickly grabbing you only to have it end after a couple of days!
I haven't seen the movie yet so I can't pass judgment on it yet. But I plan to rent it next week. I've heard it's not all that great, but I bet it tries to cram every event in the book into the movie which would make it just a confusing 2 hours.
Yuck my coffee is cold
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