14. Ghost World - Daniel Clowes (I would've loved this as a teenager. Now, not so much.)
15. Men of Salt: Crossing the Sahara on the Caravan of White Gold - Michael Benanav ♥ (Loved it! Interesting read about the culture and lifestyle of people living in the Sahara desert, and interesting facts about the salt mines deep in the middle of the desert.)
16. Desert Flower - Waris Dirie (+) (A memoir of a girl growing up in Africa, who was taken as a young child to be a slave, eventually escaping captivity. Great read.)
17. Cool Water - Diane Warren (+) (Short stories, fairly enjoyable.)
18. Waiting for Joe - Sandra Birdsell (+) (Hmm... the kind of book that makes you think about what would happen if you faced your biggest fears- a couple facing bankruptcy, living in a motor home.. somehow they rise up from their difficulties and carry on.)
19. Room - Emma Donoghue (+) (Interesting plot- the experience of a woman who was kidnapped and held captive for 7 years, as told from the perspective of her young son- manages to be innocent and hopeful, and not at all creepy.)
20. Ender's Shadow (audiobook) - Orson Scott Card (+) (Loved this book as a follow up to Ender's Game, too bad his other 2 books in the trilogy completely ruined his writing for me.)
21. The Remains of the Day - Kazuo Ishiguro (+) (I guess I liked it? Understated story that I suppose ultimately struck me as moving, though I really don't care for his writing style.)
22. The Best Laid Plans - Terry Fallis (+) (One of the best reads this year- if you can believe that of a political novel set on Capitol Hill in Ottawa! The authour has a dry wit that saves it from drudgery, and the premise is equally tongue in cheek- a politician with integrity.)
23. The Matter with Morris - David Bergen (Man going through mid-life crisis. Once I looked at the picture of the authour on the back flap, the rest of the book creeped me out, with his protagonist lusting over a much-younger woman.)
24. The Bone Cage - Angie Abdou (Interesting look into life as an Olympic athlete, though to me read a bit like a lurid romance novel.)
25. Annabel - Kathleen Winter (+) (Great read! A modern day east coast folk tale.)
26. Light Lifting - Alexander MacLeod (-) (abandoned)
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
Monday, March 14, 2011
2011 Book Reading Project: The first quarter
So... I haven't officially decided if I'm going to repeat my 52 books project from last year. However, that hasn't stopped me from doing an awful lot of reading again this year- with one notable change, that I've reintroduced some non-fiction to my reading. And I realized the other day, that I'd already reached my quarter-of-the-way-through goalpost of 13 books. So without further ado, here they are.
1. The Ghost Brush - Katherine Govier (+)
I heard an interview with the authour on CBC, and was intrigued. It's the story of the daughter of the famous painter Hokusai. As it turns out, his daughter worked with him and in fact many of her own paintings have been wrongly credited to Hokusai. This is the telling of her story, and it's a very good read.
2. Ender's Game (audiobook) - Orson Scott Card ♥
Call me a sci fi late bloomer, but I only just discovered this classic book. And loved it. I think the audiobook was a particularly awesome way to read this book. Read! this! book!
3. Someone Knows My Name - Lawrence Hill (+)
AKA "The Book of Negroes". Historical fiction about the life of a woman from Africa who gets captured and taken into slavery as a girl. An award winner and for good reason- it's a great story and a great read.
4. Motorcycles & Sweetgrass: A Novel - Drew Hayden Taylor (+)
I read this because it's on the GG's short list this year. It's a great read, a modern day tale about the trickster Nanabush. And the authour nails it, it reminded me so much of the Nanabush stories we read as kids.
5. Speaker for the Dead (audiobook) - Orson Scott Card
Follow-up to Ender's game and, along with the book "Xenocide", makes up a trilogy. Don't bother- there's no similarities between books 2 & 3 to "Ender's Game" and I found the plot too complicated and tangled up to really be interesting.
6. The Paradox of Choice: Why More is Less - Barry Schwartz ♥
Loooved this book. It spoke to me about all the things that make me a poor decision maker and a paralyzed, unhappy person when faced with decisions. It's a combination of the over-abundance of choice in our society and my 'maximizer' personality- always wanting to make the 'best' choice. Some great info on how to avoid suffering from the "tyranny of choice".
7. The Saxon Shore - Jack Whyte (+)
I am in the middle of this book series of historical fiction on the forming of Camelot and the King Arthur legend. Local author from Kelowna, it's a great series, even if he does tend to overwhelm with detail at times.
8. Switch: How to Change Things when Change is Hard - Chip and Dan Heath ♥
A great follow-up to "Paradox of Choice", I also looooved this book. It's about how to make successful changes in your personal life or at work, using an effective strategy using 3 components: appealing to your analytical mind, your emotional mind, and tweaking your environment to make the change easier. Also, the authours had a killer editor and this book has air-tight grammar, with nary a misplaced punctuation mark to be found.
9. Xenocide (audiobook) - Orson Scott Card (-)
Bleh, I suffered this book to the very end, enduring a drawn out plot, monotonous philosophical and religious theorizing, and characters that I just couldn't give a carp about. Don't bother. If you loved "Ender's Game" and desperately want more, go straight to "Ender's Shadow", which is equally awesome.
10. Life in a Jar: The Irena Sendler Project - Jack Mayer (+)
Though the authour is rather a poor writer, this is a great book about a non-Jewish Polish woman who helped to save many Jewish children during the holocaust, yet was an unsung hero throughout history until recently, when some Kansas students found out about her and did a school project about her life. Lots of insight into Poland during the holocaust.
11. Winter Garden - Kristin Hannah
Unremarkable and not worth commenting.
12. The Sorcerer: The Fort at River's Bend - Jack Whyte (+)
More Jack Whyte, see above.
13. Half Broke Horses - Jeannette Walls (+)
If you read Jeannette Walls' memoir, "Glass Castle" and wondered how she ended up with such a bizarre set of parents, you will probably also like this memoir about her maternal grandmother's life. Amazing woman and an amazing life!
1. The Ghost Brush - Katherine Govier (+)
I heard an interview with the authour on CBC, and was intrigued. It's the story of the daughter of the famous painter Hokusai. As it turns out, his daughter worked with him and in fact many of her own paintings have been wrongly credited to Hokusai. This is the telling of her story, and it's a very good read.
2. Ender's Game (audiobook) - Orson Scott Card ♥
Call me a sci fi late bloomer, but I only just discovered this classic book. And loved it. I think the audiobook was a particularly awesome way to read this book. Read! this! book!
3. Someone Knows My Name - Lawrence Hill (+)
AKA "The Book of Negroes". Historical fiction about the life of a woman from Africa who gets captured and taken into slavery as a girl. An award winner and for good reason- it's a great story and a great read.
4. Motorcycles & Sweetgrass: A Novel - Drew Hayden Taylor (+)
I read this because it's on the GG's short list this year. It's a great read, a modern day tale about the trickster Nanabush. And the authour nails it, it reminded me so much of the Nanabush stories we read as kids.
5. Speaker for the Dead (audiobook) - Orson Scott Card
Follow-up to Ender's game and, along with the book "Xenocide", makes up a trilogy. Don't bother- there's no similarities between books 2 & 3 to "Ender's Game" and I found the plot too complicated and tangled up to really be interesting.
6. The Paradox of Choice: Why More is Less - Barry Schwartz ♥
Loooved this book. It spoke to me about all the things that make me a poor decision maker and a paralyzed, unhappy person when faced with decisions. It's a combination of the over-abundance of choice in our society and my 'maximizer' personality- always wanting to make the 'best' choice. Some great info on how to avoid suffering from the "tyranny of choice".
7. The Saxon Shore - Jack Whyte (+)
I am in the middle of this book series of historical fiction on the forming of Camelot and the King Arthur legend. Local author from Kelowna, it's a great series, even if he does tend to overwhelm with detail at times.
8. Switch: How to Change Things when Change is Hard - Chip and Dan Heath ♥
A great follow-up to "Paradox of Choice", I also looooved this book. It's about how to make successful changes in your personal life or at work, using an effective strategy using 3 components: appealing to your analytical mind, your emotional mind, and tweaking your environment to make the change easier. Also, the authours had a killer editor and this book has air-tight grammar, with nary a misplaced punctuation mark to be found.
9. Xenocide (audiobook) - Orson Scott Card (-)
Bleh, I suffered this book to the very end, enduring a drawn out plot, monotonous philosophical and religious theorizing, and characters that I just couldn't give a carp about. Don't bother. If you loved "Ender's Game" and desperately want more, go straight to "Ender's Shadow", which is equally awesome.
10. Life in a Jar: The Irena Sendler Project - Jack Mayer (+)
Though the authour is rather a poor writer, this is a great book about a non-Jewish Polish woman who helped to save many Jewish children during the holocaust, yet was an unsung hero throughout history until recently, when some Kansas students found out about her and did a school project about her life. Lots of insight into Poland during the holocaust.
11. Winter Garden - Kristin Hannah
Unremarkable and not worth commenting.
12. The Sorcerer: The Fort at River's Bend - Jack Whyte (+)
More Jack Whyte, see above.
13. Half Broke Horses - Jeannette Walls (+)
If you read Jeannette Walls' memoir, "Glass Castle" and wondered how she ended up with such a bizarre set of parents, you will probably also like this memoir about her maternal grandmother's life. Amazing woman and an amazing life!
Sunday, January 2, 2011
52 Books in 52 Weeks: A recap
A lot of people have asked me how my 52 books project went, so here goes. In a nutshell, it was most definitely a rewarding and satisfying endeavour that I hope to continue into 2011, for the following reasons:
- It was a good lesson in the power of goal setting and gave a rewarding sense of accomplishment. To tackle a goal that seemed so difficult yet at the same time realistic and doable on the day-to-day scale was pretty eye-opening, and to see myself accomplish that goal over the year was pretty empowering. In fact it's motivated me to do some goal-setting in other areas of my life for the upcoming year.
- Tracking my reading and seeing that list grow was also rewarding- who knows how many books we read over the years but to see it on a list was awesome to see just how those numbers add up! Again, I'm going to continue with the numbers thing, because it's so satisfying to quantify accomplishments, so a lot of my personal goals are going to be similar- 30 hikes, 10 snowshoes hikes, stuff like that.
- I finally got around to reading some of those books that I've always wanted to or felt I should read but never made the time for.
- It gave me the chance to really work through my never-ending reading list. It's nice to be crossing books off that list, not just adding new books to it.
- A book a week was a comfortable pace and worked out well- some books were short and took less than a week, others were bigger and took a couple of weeks. I briefly considered upping the ante after reading about the 10-10-10 challenge (10 books x 10 genres by Oct 2010) but then I realized that if I read that fast I wouldn't remember any of the reads by the end of the year. As it stands, I did start to lose track a bit after hitting the two-thirds mark but I still have a basic idea of the plots of all the books I read this year. It was a calm enough pace to still enjoy all of the books I read.
- I talked to a lot of people about my 52 books project, and inspired a few to try something like it. I think it will be a lot more fun to be reading alongside other people this year!
- Lastly, I read a few articles about how the world needs more readers- people are reading less although plenty of books are getting written and published every year. For that reason I think I'm going to continue at the pace of a book a week for 2011.
52 Books in 52 Weeks (52/52)
40. The Diary of a Young Girl - Anne Frank (+) I expected this to be a more emotionally difficult read but it was more of a coming of age story.
41. Slave: My True Story - Mende Nazer A very good read about one woman's experience with slavery in Africa- some difficult to read descriptions but really an eye-opening read.
42. Incontinent on the Continent - Jane Christmas (-) Travelogue of the athour and her senior mother taking a trip around Italy. I looked forward to an off-the-beaten track look at Italy but what I got was a lot of griping and moaning about having to 'drag' her elderly and disabled mother around Italy, thereby 'missing out on all the fun'. bleah.
43. The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo - Stieg Larsson (+) Crime/mystery novels are not typically my genre, but this one was done with creativity, adrenaline, and a lot of twists!
44. The Girl Who Played with Fire - Stieg Larsson (+) Continues on in the style and story of TGWTDT.
45. The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest - Stieg Larsson A little too much Stieg Larsson at this point, partly because the books become formulaic and partly because I read them so darn fast!
46. Day After Night - Anita Diamant I loved The Red Tent, however this novel of hers didn't win me over.
47. Born With a Tooth - Joseph Borden (abandoned) Loved his novels, but his short stories failed to draw me in. I tried, really!
48. My Journey to Lhasa - Alexandra David-Neel (+) Awesome woman, awesome story. In 1923, dressed as a Tibetan pilgrim, the authour walked from the Chinese-Tibetan border all the way to Lhasa, sleeping mostly outdoors on the ground, and carrying all of her belongings.
49. The Skystone - Jack Whyte (+) The first in an enjoyable series about the Arthurian legend, this books begins with the Roman occupation of Britain, and sets the backdrop for the creation of Camelot.
50. What the Psychic Told the Pilgrim - Jane Christmas Ugh. Once again sucked in by Ms. Christmas, once again wholly disappointed. An intriguing plot in which the authour sets out to walk the entire Camino de Santiago de Compostela- sounds enticing- instead be prepared to read, once again, a lot of the author's b!tching and complaining.
51. The Singing Sword - Jack Whyte (+) Continuation of the Arthurian legend series.
52. Stroke of Insight - Jill Bolte Taylor (+) ? I may actually have read this in 2009 but I can't remember. It's been a long year! This is a fascinating read about a neuroscientist who suffers a major stroke in her 30s and goes on to write about the experience in great detail in this book. Very insightful indeed.
41. Slave: My True Story - Mende Nazer A very good read about one woman's experience with slavery in Africa- some difficult to read descriptions but really an eye-opening read.
42. Incontinent on the Continent - Jane Christmas (-) Travelogue of the athour and her senior mother taking a trip around Italy. I looked forward to an off-the-beaten track look at Italy but what I got was a lot of griping and moaning about having to 'drag' her elderly and disabled mother around Italy, thereby 'missing out on all the fun'. bleah.
43. The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo - Stieg Larsson (+) Crime/mystery novels are not typically my genre, but this one was done with creativity, adrenaline, and a lot of twists!
44. The Girl Who Played with Fire - Stieg Larsson (+) Continues on in the style and story of TGWTDT.
45. The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest - Stieg Larsson A little too much Stieg Larsson at this point, partly because the books become formulaic and partly because I read them so darn fast!
46. Day After Night - Anita Diamant I loved The Red Tent, however this novel of hers didn't win me over.
47. Born With a Tooth - Joseph Borden (abandoned) Loved his novels, but his short stories failed to draw me in. I tried, really!
48. My Journey to Lhasa - Alexandra David-Neel (+) Awesome woman, awesome story. In 1923, dressed as a Tibetan pilgrim, the authour walked from the Chinese-Tibetan border all the way to Lhasa, sleeping mostly outdoors on the ground, and carrying all of her belongings.
49. The Skystone - Jack Whyte (+) The first in an enjoyable series about the Arthurian legend, this books begins with the Roman occupation of Britain, and sets the backdrop for the creation of Camelot.
50. What the Psychic Told the Pilgrim - Jane Christmas Ugh. Once again sucked in by Ms. Christmas, once again wholly disappointed. An intriguing plot in which the authour sets out to walk the entire Camino de Santiago de Compostela- sounds enticing- instead be prepared to read, once again, a lot of the author's b!tching and complaining.
51. The Singing Sword - Jack Whyte (+) Continuation of the Arthurian legend series.
52. Stroke of Insight - Jill Bolte Taylor (+) ? I may actually have read this in 2009 but I can't remember. It's been a long year! This is a fascinating read about a neuroscientist who suffers a major stroke in her 30s and goes on to write about the experience in great detail in this book. Very insightful indeed.
Friday, September 24, 2010
This is too funny. I completely forgot about this blog. I am going to use Jen's method of making a list. I have not advanced as fast as Jen has. I better get reading!
Here is the list so far:
1. Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney. Fast read. I certainly can see why this was so popular with kids. The library had huge waiting lists for this one. I enjoyed it so much I read the entire series.
2. Diary of a Wimpy Kids: Rodrick Rules. This book was very reminicent of Malcom in the Middle.
3. Diary of a Wimpy Kid : The Last Straw. Perfect for my crurrent job: I now can have deep bookish discussions with my clients. I have no problem rrecommending this series & it is fun to discuss it with other fans.
4. Lawn Boy by Gary Paulson. A tad too young for me. A kid starts a buisness and gets rich. Appropriate for the intended audience.
5. When Heaven Fell by Carolyn Marsden. Set in Vietman.
The story is told from the point of view of a young girl who is living in Vietnam with her family. Life takes an unexpected turn when an aunt who has been living in America comes ot visit. The aunt had been the child of an American solidier and her Grandmother. None of the family knew of the aunt's existance. This book was very though-provoking both about the complexity of giving up children for adoption and the complexity of growing up as a visible minority.
6. The Year of the Rat by Grace Lin.
Clearly writtten for the 8 - 10 year range. Book provides good insight into how existing mental models impede the acceptance of visible minorities.
7. How do you Spell Geek by Julie Ann Peters
Not that memorable because I don't remember reading it. Good thing I made notes: "Spelling bees must be very trendy." Likely very exciting for the intended audience, especially if they like spelling bees.
8. The Higher Power of Lucky by Susan Patron. This book won a Calecott Medal. It is one of those treasured books about non-traditional family groupings. I recommend you read the wikipedia synopsis: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Higher_Power_of_Lucky
9. The Year of the Dog by Grace Lin. Very similar to the first book I read. Good recommendation for Grades 2-4.
10. Airhead by Meg Cabot. "Cringe".What more can I say other than it is a YRCA 2011 nominee...the kids must like it.
11. City of Bones byu Cassandra Clare
12. City of Ashes by Cassandra Clare
13. City of Glass by Cassandra Clare.
Perfect for my taste. Teen Fantasy. Loved them. The fourth one come out December 2010, conveniently in time to still make my 2010 list.
14. The Lightening Thief by Rick Riordan.
Hugely popular with kids. Would highly recommend to the 12 - 14 age. This is the only one of the series I have read.
15. The Truth About Forever by Sarah Dessen.
16. The Tipping Point by Malcolm Galdwell.
This is not YA you say! Yes, I know I am cheating but I want it known that I finally broke down and read the book. Five years behind you say...well... I try not to be a fad follower. haha
17. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins.
The best read on this list so far. I was very sorry when I was finished when it was over.
18. Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins.
19. Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins.
This series was the best I read this year... maybe even last year. I found these books to be usual in plot but also thoughful in the message it conveyed about power. What a wonderful way to teach humanity...through storytelling. This series shows the power of fiction. Fiction can help us clarify our thoughts, it can help us think about different points of view and it can even challenge our beliefs or perhaps validate themselves all though the power of entertainment.
20. Gregor the Overlander by Suzanne Collins
21. Gregor the Overlander and the Prophesy of the Bane by Suzanne Collins
22. Gregor the Overlander and the Prophesy of the Secret by Suzanne Collins
23. Gregor the Overlander and the Code of the Claw by Suzanne Collins
This series is for a slightly younger audience . Once again, great writing and moral pronciples about power, beliefs and human foibles that I could relate to and embrace.
24. Fablehaven by Brandon Mull.
First in the series (5 so far). Kids love this book and ask for it all the time. I enjoyed it but obviously not enough to read the rest of the books. I might try the second if I start running short of titles for my list.
25. The City of Ember by Jeanne DuPrau
I choose this book as a result of a patron request. When I read the back blurb, I realized I had seen the movie. This book is the first of a series of three (so far). It is an post- apocalyptic novel. Since I have already seen the movie, I am basically reading through the book as a refresher for the rest of the series.
Here is the list so far:
1. Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney. Fast read. I certainly can see why this was so popular with kids. The library had huge waiting lists for this one. I enjoyed it so much I read the entire series.
2. Diary of a Wimpy Kids: Rodrick Rules. This book was very reminicent of Malcom in the Middle.
3. Diary of a Wimpy Kid : The Last Straw. Perfect for my crurrent job: I now can have deep bookish discussions with my clients. I have no problem rrecommending this series & it is fun to discuss it with other fans.
4. Lawn Boy by Gary Paulson. A tad too young for me. A kid starts a buisness and gets rich. Appropriate for the intended audience.
5. When Heaven Fell by Carolyn Marsden. Set in Vietman.
The story is told from the point of view of a young girl who is living in Vietnam with her family. Life takes an unexpected turn when an aunt who has been living in America comes ot visit. The aunt had been the child of an American solidier and her Grandmother. None of the family knew of the aunt's existance. This book was very though-provoking both about the complexity of giving up children for adoption and the complexity of growing up as a visible minority.
6. The Year of the Rat by Grace Lin.
Clearly writtten for the 8 - 10 year range. Book provides good insight into how existing mental models impede the acceptance of visible minorities.
7. How do you Spell Geek by Julie Ann Peters
Not that memorable because I don't remember reading it. Good thing I made notes: "Spelling bees must be very trendy." Likely very exciting for the intended audience, especially if they like spelling bees.
8. The Higher Power of Lucky by Susan Patron. This book won a Calecott Medal. It is one of those treasured books about non-traditional family groupings. I recommend you read the wikipedia synopsis: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Higher_Power_of_Lucky
9. The Year of the Dog by Grace Lin. Very similar to the first book I read. Good recommendation for Grades 2-4.
10. Airhead by Meg Cabot. "Cringe".What more can I say other than it is a YRCA 2011 nominee...the kids must like it.
11. City of Bones byu Cassandra Clare
12. City of Ashes by Cassandra Clare
13. City of Glass by Cassandra Clare.
Perfect for my taste. Teen Fantasy. Loved them. The fourth one come out December 2010, conveniently in time to still make my 2010 list.
14. The Lightening Thief by Rick Riordan.
Hugely popular with kids. Would highly recommend to the 12 - 14 age. This is the only one of the series I have read.
15. The Truth About Forever by Sarah Dessen.
16. The Tipping Point by Malcolm Galdwell.
This is not YA you say! Yes, I know I am cheating but I want it known that I finally broke down and read the book. Five years behind you say...well... I try not to be a fad follower. haha
17. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins.
The best read on this list so far. I was very sorry when I was finished when it was over.
18. Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins.
19. Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins.
This series was the best I read this year... maybe even last year. I found these books to be usual in plot but also thoughful in the message it conveyed about power. What a wonderful way to teach humanity...through storytelling. This series shows the power of fiction. Fiction can help us clarify our thoughts, it can help us think about different points of view and it can even challenge our beliefs or perhaps validate themselves all though the power of entertainment.
20. Gregor the Overlander by Suzanne Collins
21. Gregor the Overlander and the Prophesy of the Bane by Suzanne Collins
22. Gregor the Overlander and the Prophesy of the Secret by Suzanne Collins
23. Gregor the Overlander and the Code of the Claw by Suzanne Collins
This series is for a slightly younger audience . Once again, great writing and moral pronciples about power, beliefs and human foibles that I could relate to and embrace.
24. Fablehaven by Brandon Mull.
First in the series (5 so far). Kids love this book and ask for it all the time. I enjoyed it but obviously not enough to read the rest of the books. I might try the second if I start running short of titles for my list.
25. The City of Ember by Jeanne DuPrau
I choose this book as a result of a patron request. When I read the back blurb, I realized I had seen the movie. This book is the first of a series of three (so far). It is an post- apocalyptic novel. Since I have already seen the movie, I am basically reading through the book as a refresher for the rest of the series.
Monday, September 20, 2010
52 Books in 52 Weeks: Part 3 (39/52)
disliked (-), neutral/ok ( ), liked (+), loved (♥)
27. Persuasion - Jane Austen (+)
28. Sense and Sensibility - Jane Austen (+)
29. Prisoner of Tehran - Marina Nemat ♥
30. Sky Burial: An Epic Love Story of Tibet - Xinran (+)
31. Elephant Winter: A Novel - Kim Echlin (-)
32. Dagmar's Daughter - Kim Echlin
33. Emma - Jane Austin
34. Tears of the Desert: A Memoir of Survival in Darfur - Halima Bashir ♥
35. The Winter Vault - Anne Michaels (-)
36. The Mistress of Nothing - Kate Pullinger
37. The Bishop's Man - Linden MacIntyre (+)
38. The Year of the Flood - Margaret Atwood (+)
39. Hiroshima - John Hersey (+)
At this point I am starting to lose track of the books I've read, and remember what they were each about!
27. Persuasion - Jane Austen (+)
28. Sense and Sensibility - Jane Austen (+)
29. Prisoner of Tehran - Marina Nemat ♥
30. Sky Burial: An Epic Love Story of Tibet - Xinran (+)
31. Elephant Winter: A Novel - Kim Echlin (-)
32. Dagmar's Daughter - Kim Echlin
33. Emma - Jane Austin
34. Tears of the Desert: A Memoir of Survival in Darfur - Halima Bashir ♥
35. The Winter Vault - Anne Michaels (-)
36. The Mistress of Nothing - Kate Pullinger
37. The Bishop's Man - Linden MacIntyre (+)
38. The Year of the Flood - Margaret Atwood (+)
39. Hiroshima - John Hersey (+)
At this point I am starting to lose track of the books I've read, and remember what they were each about!
Thursday, July 8, 2010
Prisoner of Tehran - Marina Nemat
What an amazing story. She writes about her experience as a political prisoner in Iran, where she was tortured and nearly executed, and held prisoner for over 2 years. Her writing is beautiful and easy to read, and her compassion and goodness is what is truly humbling. I really recommend reading this!
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
52 Books in 52 Weeks: Part 2 (26/52)
14. Fall - Colin McAdam (-) a little too disturbing of subject matter for my tastes
15. Mother of the Believers - Kamran Pasha interesting account of the birth of Islam and the life of Mohammad
16. Vanishing and Other Stories - Deborah Willis (-) pretentious & cliche
17. The Disappeared - Kim Echlin ♥ gorgeous writing, period
18. Infidel - Ayaan Hirsi Ali ♥ thought-provoking and intelligent
19. Northanger Abbey - Jane Austen (+) sweet, though a bit too sweet at times perhaps
20. Wuthering Heights - Emily Bronte (-) too much melodrama
21. The Inheritance - Louisa May Alcott (-) saccharine
22. The Golden Mean - Annabel Lyon (+) well-written and a pleasure to read
23. Great Expectations - Charles Dickens (+) amazing characterization and a complex plot
24. Married to a Bedouin - Marguerite van Geldermalsen ♥ a sweet and insightful love story
25. Galore - Michael Crummey (+) history & myth of a maritime community
26. Too Much Happiness: Stories - Alice Munro (abandoned) (-) found I just couldn't get into her writing, especially in a short-story format
15. Mother of the Believers - Kamran Pasha interesting account of the birth of Islam and the life of Mohammad
16. Vanishing and Other Stories - Deborah Willis (-) pretentious & cliche
17. The Disappeared - Kim Echlin ♥ gorgeous writing, period
18. Infidel - Ayaan Hirsi Ali ♥ thought-provoking and intelligent
19. Northanger Abbey - Jane Austen (+) sweet, though a bit too sweet at times perhaps
20. Wuthering Heights - Emily Bronte (-) too much melodrama
21. The Inheritance - Louisa May Alcott (-) saccharine
22. The Golden Mean - Annabel Lyon (+) well-written and a pleasure to read
23. Great Expectations - Charles Dickens (+) amazing characterization and a complex plot
24. Married to a Bedouin - Marguerite van Geldermalsen ♥ a sweet and insightful love story
25. Galore - Michael Crummey (+) history & myth of a maritime community
26. Too Much Happiness: Stories - Alice Munro (abandoned) (-) found I just couldn't get into her writing, especially in a short-story format
Saturday, May 15, 2010
Spoon Fed - How Eight cooks Saved My Life by Kim Severson
At close to 250 pages, this is a great read that you can do in a day. It's a memoir of a food writer who has spent time in San Francisco & New York, whose work led her to meet some heavy-hitters in the food world. While I've only ever heard of one of those names (Racheal Ray), it was pretty interesting to read some of the anecdotes and encounters that shaped her life & career. I loved her style of writing, as well, she made room to include recipes that I'll definitely be trying out.
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
52 Books in 52 Weeks: Part 1 (13/52)
This was a belated resolution of mine, and I like that other people have book-related resolutions for the year as well! Here's my list so far:
disliked (-), neutral/ok ( ), liked (+), loved (♥)
1. The Good Women of China - Xinran (+)
2. Dreams of Trespass - Fatima Mernissi (reread) ♥
3. Cockroach - Rawi Hage
4. A Secret Between Us - Daniel Poloquin (abandoned) (-)
5. Eat, Pray, Love - Elizabeth Gilbert
6. The Girl in the Tangerine Scarf - Mohja Kahf
7. The Caliph's House: A Year in Casablanca - Tahir Shah ♥
8. Barnacle Love - Anthony De Sa
9. Boys in the Trees: A Novel - Mary Swan (+)
10. The Wind in the Willows - Kenneth Grahame (+)
11. Shanghai Girls - Lisa See (+)
12. Atmospheric Disturbances - Rivka Galchen ♥
13. The Great Karoo - Fred Stenson ♥
disliked (-), neutral/ok ( ), liked (+), loved (♥)
1. The Good Women of China - Xinran (+)
2. Dreams of Trespass - Fatima Mernissi (reread) ♥
3. Cockroach - Rawi Hage
4. A Secret Between Us - Daniel Poloquin (abandoned) (-)
5. Eat, Pray, Love - Elizabeth Gilbert
6. The Girl in the Tangerine Scarf - Mohja Kahf
7. The Caliph's House: A Year in Casablanca - Tahir Shah ♥
8. Barnacle Love - Anthony De Sa
9. Boys in the Trees: A Novel - Mary Swan (+)
10. The Wind in the Willows - Kenneth Grahame (+)
11. Shanghai Girls - Lisa See (+)
12. Atmospheric Disturbances - Rivka Galchen ♥
13. The Great Karoo - Fred Stenson ♥
Vanishing & Other Stories - by Deborah Willis
A rather cliche world of writers, artists, bicycles with baskets, tofu, drinking wine from mason jar glasses, professor husband sleeping with wife's artist friend, teenage girl sleeping with weatherworn cowboy, groom sleeps with bride's younger sister on wedding day, prof sleeping with her young student- the writing is good but the collection comes across as pretentious. This was nominated for a GG award???
Monday, March 29, 2010
The Great Karoo - Fred Stenson
War novels are not usually my thing. (*yawn*) I took this out from the library because it was a GG's nomination but I was ready to quit this before I even started. I finally picked it up to fill the gap after Atmospheric Disturbances, and then, surprisingly, I couldn't put it down. I can't say why exactly I loved this book, but I did. It was long, and slow, and all about war, set in South Africa during the second Boer War. But it was also a page-turner, and had a great plot, and was beautifully written and thoughtful. Definitely glad I read this one.
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
Atmospheric Disturbances: A Novel - Rivka Galchen
I definitely recommend this book, it was just so good! It is one of those rare books that brings such originality to the idea of what a novel should be that it made for a fresh and pleasurable read.
The middle-aged psychiatrist protagonist believes his wife has disappeared, and has been replaced by... a doppelganger. Conspiracies with dogs, doppelgangers, weather, and wacky mix of science and literature and psychology ensue, right up to this book's final confusion, I mean conclusion.
Creative, smart, funny, eccentric, complicated- sound like the perfect date? I can tell you I certainly enjoyed taking this one to bed for 3 nights in a row.
However, I'd be interested to hear what other people think of it, as a lot of reviewers on amazon really didn't like this book.
The middle-aged psychiatrist protagonist believes his wife has disappeared, and has been replaced by... a doppelganger. Conspiracies with dogs, doppelgangers, weather, and wacky mix of science and literature and psychology ensue, right up to this book's final confusion, I mean conclusion.
Creative, smart, funny, eccentric, complicated- sound like the perfect date? I can tell you I certainly enjoyed taking this one to bed for 3 nights in a row.
However, I'd be interested to hear what other people think of it, as a lot of reviewers on amazon really didn't like this book.
Saturday, March 13, 2010
Shanghai Girls: A Novel - Lisa See
I didn't feel like with this book that Lisa See was very good at getting into her characters in terms of the time and place in which they were placed- I felt like her characters mannerisms and ways of speaking and thinking were far too modern for the 1930's era China that they were set in. But even so, she tells a good story that effectively draws the reader in and once I was hooked I found it an engaging read through to the end. I also have to give her credit for the open ending to the story, which I always find a frustrating but compelling finish to a book. She is a good story-teller, and her subject matter is always interesting, but most of all it made me want to pick up an Amy Tan book, whose subject matter is similar, but whose writing I find a little bit, well, better.
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
100 Books in 2010
I forgot this Blog existed and since it seems to have fallen into disuse, I am going to use it to track the 100 Juvenile books I plan to read in 2010. Please feel free to offer suggestions. I am doing this for two reasons: first, I want to make myself read 100 Juvie books form myjob. How can I advise people if I don't read the books myself; the second reason is to practise using social networking technologies. Since I am very 'old school' I cringe at public postings yet without actually using these technologies I become disadvantaged at my job. So I am hoping no one except me (& a very few of you) will read my posts. I can always edit them out if they become too cringable. Best of luck to me in accomplishing my goal.
Slam by Nick Hornsby
I am a Nick Hornsby fan as well. This book is a YA book so the intended audience is Teens. I really liked it. It is written from the point of view of a teenage father. Typical of Hornsby's books, the characters are not flat nor is the situation simplified. I liked this book. It is one of those books that suggests a rational outcome to a challenging situation without resorting to judgemental emotionalism.
Friday, September 4, 2009
The 100-Mile Diet- A Year of Local Eating
Co-authored by Alisa Smith & J.B. MacKinnon, a couple who decided to try a local-eating experiment for one year, limiting themselves to a 100-mile radius surrounding their Vancouver home. By now everyone's heard of the 100-mile diet, and these are the two who coined it. Overall it was a good read, both engaging and inspiring, it had some great facts about our current global food system, some new and some I'd heard before. It definitely argues some of the common disbeliefs: I can't do this if I live in a city (they did), or it's a diet designed only for their area (they polled lots of farmers in various areas and the consensus seemed to be that if agriculture is possible in your area, so is eating local).
A couple of minor beefs though: the running commentary about relationship discontent, as far as I can tell, has no contribution to the storyline and seems misplaced. (Or maybe it is the discontent in general, which Smith expresses and seems to blame on- though ultimately fails to connect to, thus the seeming irrelevance- our culture's disconnectedness with nature and mass consumerism.) And then there is the sometimes borderline melodrama- maybe it's a characteristic of (some) writers in general, to embellish or dramatize events for the sake of story, but when it's non-fiction, and you're reading about something familiar, it's both obvious and ridiculous. Example: it is common knowledge that the earthquakes of Vancouver Island, generally minor occurrences, will cause a devastating quake sometime in the next 200 years (which works out to be something like a 5% chance of it happening today). It's not as if people walk around waiting for the sky to fall on them, but according to this book they do, all that and more:
Anyway, ranting aside, despite being a little overdone in small moments (and much less so than 'Animal, Vegetable, Miracle', I might add) I still found it a good and worthwhile read, good food for thought, and worth recommending. Read it, and hopefully find ways to live it!
A couple of minor beefs though: the running commentary about relationship discontent, as far as I can tell, has no contribution to the storyline and seems misplaced. (Or maybe it is the discontent in general, which Smith expresses and seems to blame on- though ultimately fails to connect to, thus the seeming irrelevance- our culture's disconnectedness with nature and mass consumerism.) And then there is the sometimes borderline melodrama- maybe it's a characteristic of (some) writers in general, to embellish or dramatize events for the sake of story, but when it's non-fiction, and you're reading about something familiar, it's both obvious and ridiculous. Example: it is common knowledge that the earthquakes of Vancouver Island, generally minor occurrences, will cause a devastating quake sometime in the next 200 years (which works out to be something like a 5% chance of it happening today). It's not as if people walk around waiting for the sky to fall on them, but according to this book they do, all that and more:
"It is both exciting and horrible to know that the earth beneath your feet is constantly shifting. My whole generation, I think, feels these tensions. No one I know seems able to settle into one calling or one place."Maybe it's just me, but I find this kind of stuff annoying. If I met anyone in real life who walked around daily freaking out about the minor chance of major earthquakes, I probably wouldn't be rushing out to read their memoir. I mean, I had no idea that the discontentedness and inability to commit of people today had to do with.... earthquakes. Nothing to do with being constantly bombarded by 300 to 3000 advertisements every day telling us we should be discontented with our lot (and therefore, buy more). Nope. Not that. It's the earthquakes, fellas. Golly.
Anyway, ranting aside, despite being a little overdone in small moments (and much less so than 'Animal, Vegetable, Miracle', I might add) I still found it a good and worthwhile read, good food for thought, and worth recommending. Read it, and hopefully find ways to live it!
Thursday, September 3, 2009
How To Be Good by Nick Hornby
Yep, another Nick Hornby book, but you just can't beat his fabulous writing. This book was still a pleasure to read despite the fact that I wasn't too fond of the story... A middle-aged woman is fed up with her cynical husband, unhappy with her life, and contemplating divorce. Meanwhile, the husband has a sort of spiritual experience and suddenly loses all of his pessimism and cynicism for life. Overnight, he has become everything the wife has wished for- he is good and kind and considerate- but is it really what she wants?
Anyway, too much mid-life cynicism and crisis for me to really connect with or enjoy (I can't say I'm a fan of reading about the nothing-to-do-but-accept-how-depressing-life-is storyline) but in spite of all of that, I found it enjoyable and the writing itself a pleasure to read. But probably wouldn't really recommend it.
Anyway, too much mid-life cynicism and crisis for me to really connect with or enjoy (I can't say I'm a fan of reading about the nothing-to-do-but-accept-how-depressing-life-is storyline) but in spite of all of that, I found it enjoyable and the writing itself a pleasure to read. But probably wouldn't really recommend it.
High Fidelity by Nick Hornby
Another good read by Nick Hornby, I must confess that 'About A Boy' hooked me so deep that I've gone out and read everything else of his I can get my hands on. There's no denying that he is a fabulous writer, whip-smart and funny, even though this book didn't strike quite the same chords as AbAB. Partly I think because I could relate more personally to the other book, but I think also because AbAB was more heartfelt (while still witty) whereas 'High Fidelity' was much more humourous. Once again, they did a fabulous job of turning the book into a movie, and I would have to say the book and the movie are on pretty equal par. Definitely worth reading.
About A Boy by Nick Hornby
Picked up this book because I loved the movie version of it (it's for sure on my top ten- heh heh, that's a little High Fidelity reference though, we'll get to that later) and figured all that wit had to be based on something. I didn't like the writing style at first, but persevered because of my good faith in the movie, and it didn't take long to adjust to the Hornby's writing style and really get into it. I loved it- I loved the writing style, the humour, the story, and the themes- relationships and community and family. Such a good read. Quick and sharp. I won't bother getting into the plot. If you've seen the movie, you already know. If you haven't seen the movie... maybe you should.
This is one rare case where I thought that the movie was as good as the book- in some ways better, because all of the ideas from the book are condensed and crystallized and so perhaps pack a bit more punch. But on the other hand, it was really enjoyable to have all of those ideas elaborated upon on the page and I certainly didn't mind those extra pages of great reading. As quick a read as it is, it gave a great satisfaction upon finishing- everything about it was just right I'd say.
This is one rare case where I thought that the movie was as good as the book- in some ways better, because all of the ideas from the book are condensed and crystallized and so perhaps pack a bit more punch. But on the other hand, it was really enjoyable to have all of those ideas elaborated upon on the page and I certainly didn't mind those extra pages of great reading. As quick a read as it is, it gave a great satisfaction upon finishing- everything about it was just right I'd say.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)