Breaking the Fourth Wall

Casualty of the fast lane

2010-03-13T19:52:00.000-08:00

I know my HUGE readership will be so disappointed, but I don't think I'll be posting to this blog anymore. I have gotten busy, spent less time on the Internet, and blogging in general. I used to have my books categorized on Library Thing, but recently switched over to Good Reads. Good Reads will keep track of my reviews, upload them to my Facebook, and keep track of everything I've read. I simply don't have time to replicate this work in more than one place. So from now on, you can find me over at Good Reads. I'd love to be your friend there!! Bye Bye blogging world!

Book Reviews

2010-03-02T08:47:00.001-08:00

Lark and Termite: I liked this book okay, although I don't think I share the exuberance of most reviews I've read. The book moves back and forth by chapter from the past to the present. One chapter, you are in Korea with the father of Termite; next chapter you might be in the mother's life; sometimes you are with Lark and Termite, Lark being an older girl who takes care of her disabled brother, Termite. This kind of jumping around isn't my favorite modality, so that is part of what I wasn't too excited about. Also, we know that Termite can't walk but is "filled with light" - only Lark really understands his potential. But what's wrong with him? We never really find out, except a hint that the father might be living again in his son...? Anyway, too much vagueness for me. I found myself speed reading over long, interminable descriptions and such - never a good sign. The writing was absolutely fabulous, though - gotta give her that.

The Condition: A book about a girl with Turner's syndrome and what it does to their family. A horrible marriage, a gay brother, a loser brother - we've got it all here, folks!! I never considered not finishing it, it wasn't that. An engaging story and the writing was well done. It's not a book I'll think about long after, though. In fact, I had to go back and read the reviews on Amazon to remember what it was about, and I just read it a month ago!

Sashenka: I was really looking forward to this book. As many of you who read my reviews know, if a book doesn't totally grab me by page 100, I'm done. Right around page 100, I seriously considered not reading any more of this book, and almost put it down for good. I'm SO glad I didn't stop!!! The first third is about the beginnings of the Bolshevik revolution, and didn't capture my interest much. But the last two thirds are so much better, and show how Sashenka's life turned out under the regime, including the shocking end. Then the last third is a modern day researcher trying to figure out what happened to her and her family. Really, a must read!

Black Girl White Girl: Yawn. If you've ever read a book on black/white racial relations in America, you've read it. Nothing new here, move along. Joyce Carol Oates is her wonderful self, pick another of her books though. I recommend "We were the Mulvaneys".

Juliet, Naked: Well! I wasn't expecting to like this book!! In fact, I wouldn't have even read it if it weren't that my book club was reading it. But, I loved it and read it in two days!! What a great exposition on how we become obsessed with famous people sometimes and how the reality is so much different, often, than we think. Even if you think you're not too interested in that subject (as I'm not really) you will still love this book. Nick Hornby has a way of sucking you in and keeping you tied to that chair till you're done!

Best of/Book List for 2009

2009-12-31T16:52:00.001-08:00

Here it is, my complete list of books read in 2009. And I have some dubious awards to hand out!

Best book of 2009, by far: The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
Award winning book that I personally hated: The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao
Book most quoted by me: Arriving at Your Own Door by Jon Kabat-Zinn
Book with the scariest, meanest main character EVER: Serena by Ron Rash
Book written by an author I personally know and LOVE: Tie between Embracing Coincidence (Carol Lynn Pearson) and
Inspiration Divine (Darwin Stephenson)
Book my book club loved and I personally hated: Three Cups of Tea
Most bizarre book of 2009 (but I loved it!): The City and The City by China Mieville
Book with the most "bodice ripping": Outlander by Diana Gabaldon
Author with the most talent in terms of scope: Mary Doria Russell, author of The Sparrow and Dreamers of the Day

DECEMBER
Woman on the Edge of Time by Marge Piercy
Here if you Need Me by Kate Braestrup
Dragonfly in Amber by Diana Gabaldon
Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese
Sea of Monsters by Rick Riordan
Jarrettsville by Cornelia Nixon
NOVEMBER
My Latest Grievance by Elinor Lipman
The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan
Dear American Airlines by Jonathan Miles
Dreamers of the Day by Mary Doria Russell
Sorrows of an American by Siri Hustvedt
The Samurai's Garden by Gail Tsukiyama
The Heretic's Daughter by Kathleen Kent
Songs for the Missing by Stewart O'Nan
OCTOBER
The Good Thief by Hannah Tinti
The City and The City by China Mieville
I'll Steal you Away by Niccolo Ammaniti
The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman
Inspiration Divine by Darwin Stephenson
Let the Great World Spin by Colum Mccan
SEPTEMBER
Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins
The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
Septembers of Shiraz by Dalia Sofer
AUGUST
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime by Mark Haddon
Outlander by Diana Gabaldon
Christine Falls by Benjamin Black
One for Sorrow by Christopher Barzak
JULY
Fingerprints of God by Barbara Bradford Hagerty
The Age of Shiva by Manil Suri
Mentoring by Chungliang Huang
JUNE
The Wise Heart by Jack Kornfield
In Pale Battalions by Robert Goddard
10 Principles for Spiritual Parenting by Mimi Doe
Boundaries by Dr.'s Cloud/Townsend
Finding Nouf by Zoe Ferraris
MAY
The Help by Kathryn Stockett
The Wasted Vigil by Nadeem Aslam
APRIL
Breakfast with Buddha by Roland Merullo
Story of a Marriage by Andrew Sean Greer
The English Major by Jim Harrison
Mallory's Oracle by Carol O'Connell
MARCH
The Beach by Alex Garland
The Street of a Thousand Blossoms by Gail Tsukiyama
Away by Amy Bloom
Serena by Ron Rash
Zero Limits by Joe Vitale
FEBRUARY
Zen Wrapped in Karma Dipped in Chocolate by Brad Warner
The Power of Focusing by Ann Cornell
Arriving at Your Own Door by Jon Kabat-Zinn
The Gathering by Anne Enright
Focusing-Oriented Psychotherapy by Gene Gendlin
The Little Sleep by Paul Tremblay
JANUARY
A Year To Live by Stephen Levine
Consider the Butterfly by Carol Lynn Pearson
White Tiger by Aravind Adiga
Etta by Gerald Kolpan
I'll Steal you Away by Niccolo Ammaniti

Books I've Given Up On in 2009

Winter Vault by Anne Michaels
Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortensen
Arlington Park by Rachel Cusk
The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao by Junot Diaz

Book Reviews

2009-12-22T14:36:00.000-08:00

Dear American Airlines: I was told this book was witty and a quick read. I found it to be the kind of complaining rant that I see enough in my actual world -- I don't need to read about it in my spare time! It begins as a complaint letter from a man who got bumped from a flight - a flight to his daughter's wedding. As he camps in the airport overnight, he begins to tell American Airlines in his complaint letter about his life and all the mistakes that he made in it. He did make a lot of mistakes in his life -- I found him completely unlikeable, and am a trifle resentful that I spent an afternoon with him!

The Lightning Thief: I am reading this series with my 8 year old son. If you have kids that age, read these!! I love them. I tell people they are a cross between Harry Potter (magical stuff) and Wimpy Kid (hilarious kid relationship stuff). They are making a movie of this soon. We are finished with The Lightning Thief and The Sea of Monsters and are in the middle of The Titan's Curse. We both "sneak" reading the book ahead when the other one isn't looking.

My Latest Grievance: Oh, this book is kind of my latest grievance! Elinor Lipman is another supposedly very funny author. This book is about a couple who work for a private girls college. Their daughter, now a teen, has been raised on the college campus. They believe themselves to be a very egalitarian household, always asking their daughter her opinion and being very considerate of her. What this girl really needs is some boundaries!! Sheesh. If I want to see rotten kids, I'll go to my therapy office, thanks!

Jarrettsville: Recently, I went to a book discussion put on by our local paper. This book was one that the book discussion leader suggested; she said she had recently read it and loved it. I bought it on my Kindle for a recent airplane flight and just devoured it. It is based in the Civil War era -- and I'm not a huge fan of that genre. But this one has a twist...Jarrettsville is right on the Mason-Dixon line and so there is a split in the town - some boys fighting for the north and some for the south. The book starts with a young lady gunning down a man at the local saloon -- then you get the back story to explain the first chapter. It's really great. Not only that, this book is based on stories that Cornelia Nixon heard in her childhood -- apparently a true family story!

Cutting for Stone: I knew nothing about this book, but keep hearing awesome things about it. I read it in the beginning of December, so I had a hard time getting through it. There were times that I almost didn't pick it up again, but I'm so glad I did. I think I can chalk it up to the general busy-ness of my life right now. In the end, I thought this was an amazing book and one that I keep thinking about even though I finished it over a week ago. The one issue that I had was that Abraham Verghese is a medical doctor, and went into great detail about the surgeries and medical procedures happening in the book. I found the inside information about being a doctor really great, but honestly, I don't need to know every single gory detail of a surgery! I love that you get such a history and visual picture of Ethiopia and Eritrea in this book, along with a fantastic story. A definite must-read.

Dragonfly in Amber: I'm really annoyed that I finally gave in to the Outlander series. This book (the 2nd) was 760 pages and the next one is 880 -- and there are like 7 so far!! But now that I'm addicted, I gotta have the stuff. I must confess that I really do love time travel books -- and I have learned so much about Scottish history in this series. I could do with a bit less ravishing, but ... you can't have everything perfect!

Mid-month Book Reviews

2009-11-17T08:58:00.001-08:00

Dreamers of the Day: I think Mary Doria Russell is one of the best authors around. Usually, I like an author for a book or two, but then it becomes clear that all of their books have a general style that I'm done with. That's why I'm always stumped when people ask me my favorite authors. I rarely read everything an author writes. But Mary Doria Russell has written a group of books that seem to have nothing in common. Not style, not theme -- it's amazing. You would never know these books are written by the same person...The Sparrow and Dreamers of the Day??? Incredible. This book is a fictional account of the Cairo Conference of 1921, something that has been written little about, but shaped the modern Middle East, to a large degree. Our main character is a "nobody" who falls in with the likes of Lawrence of Arabia and Winston Churchill. It's really fascinating, and despite the heavy subject matter, an easy and enjoyable read.

Sorrows of an American: This book got great reviews in Bookmarks Magazine. I'm sure the author would hate this, but I was also drawn to it because the author is married to Paul Auster -- a household like that has got to create awesome books, no? Anyway, it was a good read -- I'm not raving about it. I really enjoyed the references to psychotherapy (being a psychotherapist and all) but I don't know that the average reader would. There was something bulky about it -- I found myself skipping over whole passages of the father's journal (then regretted that at the end when I realized that the father's journal passages were actually REAL passages from the author's father's journal - the rest was fiction). The whole gist of the book is that there is a big secret the characters discover about their father after he dies -- but the secret turns out to be a big fat nothing, really...I thought it was going to be a suspenseful mystery and it wasn't. It was really more of a character study. I didn't hate it, but I didn't love it either.

The Samurai's Garden: A year or so ago, I saw Gail Tsukiyama at my library and put all of her books on my "to be read" list. This is a different book than the ones I've read previously, mainly because the main character was a young man, and she usually writes in women's voices. Still, as always, her books are intelligent but entertaining; informative about both Japanese and Chinese cultures and their conflicts; and just good storytelling. There's nothing here that is incredible or amazing -- her books are slow, thoughtful and nothing much happens in them - not a lot of drama. But it is enjoyable and a very good read.

The Heretic's Daughter: Someone picked this for my book club. I had never heard of it, and still haven't really heard anything of it or seen it around. I can't understand it - it was such a fantastic book!! Basically, it is the story of Martha Carrier, one of the women executed in the Salem witch trials. Apparently Martha Carrier is an ancestor of the author, so it remains to be seen how much is true fiction, and how much is a story that has been passed down through stories in her family. I've never really been much interested in the Salem witch hunts, but this book was fascinating and revealing. At one point, I was trying to sneak in a couple of minutes between seeing clients, and I was crying!! Crying in my office between seeing therapy clients!! ha. It was awful!! Anyway, the conclusion I've come to after reading this book is that we haven't changed all that much....put religion and fear together, and, well.....thankfully we have laws that prevent us from killing people we disagree with. They weren't so lucky then....Read this one!

October Book Reviews

2009-11-01T15:17:00.001-08:00

Inspiration Divine: Here's a book that is close to my heart. The author, Darwin Stephenson, is a loyal yogi at the yoga studio that I own. His story is that he had an enlightenment experience where he got in touch with God's purpose for his life, and really, for all of humanity. He debuted the "Inspiration Workshop" at my studio, Cosmic Dog Yoga, and continues to offer these workshops. I took the workshop and thought it was awesome, so of course I had to read the book. There was some stuff here I didn't exactly agree with necessarily, but can't really argue with, either. The main point is that we need to balance our mind, body and spirit regularly. If you are always lost in your head, how about nurturing your body some? If you are a rigid eat healthy/exercise person, how about investing in your spirit? Balance is key. Take his workshop; read his book! You'll like it!

Catching Fire: The 2nd offering in "The Hunger Games" trilogy. I was almost afraid to read it, seeing as how The Hunger Games will probably make my "best of 2009" slot. Could it possibly live up to it's predecessor? Oh yeah. If you loved The Hunger Games, do not delay!! It's just as awesome.

Songs for the Missing: Oh, depressing, depressing. It's classic O'Nan. I keep reading him because his writing is just beautiful and lovely. But this book, written about the family of an 18-year old girl who disappears, is just what you'd expect. Why do I not read the news? So I don't have to know about this kind of stuff! And here I am reading it. Still, O'Nan will pull me back time and again. A beautiful book -- if a bit of a downer...

The Good Thief: My local newspaper is reading this for their monthly book club pick. I've read almost everything they've picked previously, but I'd never heard of this one. So I figured it would be a no-brainer that I'd like it. Also, they almost always have their discussions on a night I can't go, and this time I can!! This book was really great - I have no idea who Hannah Tinti is, but I'm going to watch her for sure!! A very quick moving and well planned story about an orphan boy with no hand. He has no idea who he is or how he lost it -- until the day a man comes to adopt him and we are taken on a rollicking romp to find out the truth. **Update: The book club had mixed reviews - many didn't like it, said it was "too dark and gory". I still like it, but agree it is quite 'different' than most books I read.

The City and The City: I've been enjoying more and more "soft" science fiction lately. I really liked this book, and picked it up after I read a review in the local paper. It's hard to even describe. It's your well-known and well-understood murder/crime mystery, with a twist. There are two cities occupying the same geographical space - they're "crosshatched". If you're in one city, you have to "unsee" the other city, or else you're in the breach. People in the "breach" are never heard from again. So what happens when a murder takes place in one city, and the body is dumped in the other??? Whoa. Read it and find out!!

I'll Steal You Away: What a strange book! Translated from the Italian, it's just different in nature and culture than most books I read. If I read about small town America - even though I'm not from a small town - I understand the cultural references. Not so much here. There were some things in this book (that I'll leave unsaid for suspense purposes) that I can honestly say I have never encountered in ANY other book in my lifetime!! If you read it, email me and we'll talk!!! Seriously, I struggled a little with this book, but I'm glad I read it and feel like I grew, just in terms of becoming more familiar with a culture that is not mine.

The Graveyard Book: Oh, Neil Gaiman, Neil Gaiman!! What can you even say about him?? What's not to like, I ask you?? I actually had a bit of a hard time getting into the first chapter here, just because of the concept that I knew was coming.....a little boy being raised in a graveyard, a la The Jungle Book?? How could he really make it work? And yet, it does, and beautifully. You'll never ever regret reading a Neil Gaiman book, and this one is certainly no exception.

Let the Great World Spin: A couple of years ago, I read the book "Zoli" by Colum McCann, and thought it was a really, really fantastic book. So when I saw he'd written a new book -- and especially when I read that the story revolved around Phillipe Petit -- I ran out and got it right away! (Phillipe Petit is the man who walked on a tightrope between the World Trade Centers when they were being built? If you don't know about it, I highly recommend the children's book "The Man Who Walked Between the Towers" as a keepsake) Anyway, while Zoli swept me up and away in a minute, I struggled and struggled throughout this book. Maybe it was the expectation. I thought the book was about Phillipe Petit, so I kept wondering "Is this character Phillipe? How does this tie in?" This book has a million gazillion characters who are all seemingly totally unrelated. It all revolves around the day that Phillipe Petit walked on the tightrope, but almost nothing in the book is actually about him. Of course, by the end, the characters are all related in some way - but there were so many and they were so vastly unrelated throughout that I almost didn't have the patience to find out what the end was all about. And even then, the relation between characters was so insignificant, it wasn't even really worth waiting for. The only thing that saved the book from being tossed in the dustbin was McCann's gorgeous and wonderful way with words and with a story. He's so good, I'll struggle through an awful book just to see what he has to say. Here's hoping he'll redeem himself with the next.

Book Review: 3 Book Reviews

2009-09-09T18:51:00.001-07:00

This book is like a car accident. You don't want to look. You can't bear to see. But you have to, you are compelled to continue until the carnage is over. The main thing I hated about this book is that my life did not come to a skidding halt in order to allow me uninterrupted reading time.

It's horrifying. It's awful. And it's the most consuming book I've read for quite some time. I absolutely cannot WAIT until the next book, which comes out very soon.

This is billed as a young adult book - You are in an awful, post-apocalyptic America, which has been separated into 12 Districts. Each year, a boy and girl are chosen from each District, and placed in a reality-game type setting where they must fight to the death. That's right, 11 deaths, one winner - with the entire country watching. And if you start this book, you'll watch it too. And you should start this book. Now, if possible.

I've had this book on my list for so long. An Iran post-Shah in the 70's. A Jewish family gets caught up in the wave of imprisonments that came after (and come after) regime change. This book is pretty brutal, too - although much more real than the above book. This stuff really happened. Like Hitler-era type brutality, this book depressed me at times. I hate to think that humans are capable of this kind of cruelty, but apparently they are. I wouldn't rave wildly about this book - the characters didn't completely capture me and carry me away. But I certainly have no complaints about it. I'd recommend it for sure, especially if you have an interest in this culture, this era, or the plight of Jews around the world in various countries and regimes.

I read this book many moons ago and remember not liking it all that much. I rarely, if ever, read a book twice. However, my book club is reading this and I did not remember enough to have an intelligent discussion about it. Now I wonder if I had read this pre-therapist days, because this time around I found it fascinating. This author so accurately captures the thinking and associations of an autistic-spectrum child it was amazing! I think you'd like it even if you don't know a kid like this, but if you do, all the better. The richness of the character's world proves that these kids aren't dumb or vacuous. There's a lot going on in there! I really enjoyed this book this time - so glad I gave it another go.

Book Review: Outlander by Diana Gabaldon

2009-08-27T16:06:00.000-07:00

I have resisted reading this book for SO long!! I am one of those people who hates jumping on a book bandwagon, and it just seems like everywhere I go I hear people raving about this book. My book club is reading it next month, though -- and one of our members just received something like 25 copies of it for free, and gave me one. I thought "oh, I'll just read the first few pages and save the rest for next month". haha, that's funny. Once you start this silly book, you canNOT stop reading it, may as well forget everything else you have to do. So I guess that is an earmark of a very good book. The book I had contained a preview of her next book in the back, so I didn't realize I was so near to the end and actually felt cheated when I finished it all in one big gulp. I've felt a little bereaved today to be without the life of the characters. I'm glad there's a few more in the series!

I feel like a split personality, though, because there were some things I didn't really like. It felt so much like a Harlequin to me at times....can we have a few less "he crushed her lips" and "she swooned against him" scenes, please?? I mean, I like a good love story like everyone, but the dramatic flair was a bit much for me at times. Some things, too, seemed a little off to me. The main character is a woman from England in the 1940's -- would she really say "Jesus H. Roosevelt Christ"? I mean, I'm not arguing that a nurse on the front lines wouldn't have awful language -- it just seems like a pretty American thing to say! And once, she calls her man "John Wayne" -- again, it seems particularly American. Would Europeans really have acquired the American slang necessary for these expressions? Maybe; it just seemed rather inauthentic to me.

I tend to prefer a more literary offering, which this book could have been with it's obviously extensive research and information. It came off feeling like a thriller, though - a beach read, a romance. I can't quite put my finger on why. Will I read the rest of the series, though? You absolutely bet your bottom dollar. I can't WAIT to see what happens here! I love the time travel concept, and love the premise of this book.

Oh, and if you love this book, don't miss The Doomsday Book, by Connie Willis. Another time travel wonder -- I think I may have like that one a tiny bit better, and would have loved it if Connie Willis had written more in that series!

Waaaaaaayyyyyy behind

2009-08-19T15:28:00.000-07:00

Ok, a friend of mind on Facebook told me the other day that she actually READS this blog once in awhile for book ideas. I do update the "Books Read" section on the right pretty often, but haven't been reviewing books at all. I'm so far behind that I'm not going to try to make it look real pretty -- but here's a little blurb on what I thought about all the books I've read since my last review!

The Help: This is an awesome book I recommend to everyone! Based in the 60's in Mississippi, you will be shocked at how people still felt about black people in our lifetime!! My whole book club loved this one, and we had lots and lots of discussion about it.

Finding Nouf: Yet another bookclub pick - I picked it and it's my favorite type of book. You will learn a LOT about the Muslim world, culture, and mindset - all while being very entertained with a well written mystery. Loved it.

Boundaries: This book is VERY Christian-based, and therefore not all my clients can tolerate it, but it's the best book out there on having boundaries in relationships. I wish I could find a more mainstream book that explains this just as well.

10 Principles for Spiritual Parenting: We had a 6 week group on this subject at my yoga studio, using this book as the text. I can't think of a religion that would find anything disturbing about this book - it will help you no matter what your religious background is.

In Pale Battalions: Awhile back I heard that Stephen King LOVES this author, and I had never heard of Robert Goddard!! How could that be? This is touted as his best book, and I thought it was really good. A mysterious sort of book, set in Europe after the second world war. A worthwhile read, and I'll be reading more of his.

The Wise Heart: When I spout Buddhist stuff, my friends often think I'm leaving the Christian faith or something!! I've often said that Buddha wasn't a god - he was the world's first GREAT psychologist. If you want to read about Buddhist psychology, without any religious overtones, this is the book for you. It's fantastic. If all my clients read it and understood it, I wouldn't have a job.

Mentoring: I'm going to be supervising another therapist soon, and this is the book that I chose to read to prepare myself for the new role. Based on the Tao Te Ching, it provides a great frame of mind for anyone who is in management, parenting, or any kind of authoritative role in life. I like to use it as a companion book to "Grace Unfolding".

The Age of Shiva: I have been looking forward to this book for a long time. It's the kind I love - education about another culture (in this case Indian), while being entertained. I was a little disappointed, though, and it might just be because I was so busy that I really didn't have time to throw myself into this book. I read it in very short spurts over a long period of time. It just didn't capture me. Looking back, I think of it as a pretty good book, but it certainly didn't keep me up late at night.

Fingerprints of God: I think this book might be pretty similar to the movie "What the Bleep do we know?" You probably shouldn't read it if you don't want to blow your mind and question all of your well-formed and comfortable religious beliefs. A non-fiction book written by the religion correspondent to NPR news. I don't even LIKE non-fiction. I could NOT put it down until I was done.

One for Sorrow: It came highly recommended to me, but was a little too weird for my taste. The entire book is about a boy's friendship with his dead friend. I never did quite figure out if he actually SAW the friend, or if the entire book was just a catalogue of his delusions. I think the kid really needed to just go to bed with some really good anti-psychotics, myself.

Christine Falls: A mystery story by Benjamin Black, which is the pen name of John Banville ("The Sea"). Some reviews on Amazon complained that for a mystery, there wasn't enough "on the edge of your chair-ness". Well, that's John Banville...his writing is slow, evocative and beautiful. I personally loved the book, but you should probably read it more based on the fact that you love John Banville, and less on the fact that you love mysteries.

Ok, that's it. Promise I'll try to keep up better in the future!!

Book Review: The Wasted Vigil by Nadeem Aslam

2009-05-07T18:47:00.000-07:00

With over 100 books on my "to be read" list, rarely do I move a book I just heard about to the top of the list. But I did do that with this book, after reading a glowing review in my local paper. If you follow my reviews, you know I love books that take place in other cultures and locales. This book, the review said, had not only beautiful writing on it's side, but it is based in Afghanistan. I wanted to read it, and I wanted to read it now! So I did.

Let me first say that I struggled through this book for two reasons: the first is that I have been unreasonably busy the last few weeks, and the second is that this is tough material for a Western girl from California to read. It's not just the sort of book you can pick up while your car is going through the wash at the gas station. You need some quiet, some brain power, some sleep the night before.

(Minor spoilers below)
Having said that, though, this book is powerful. I would recommend it to anyone who wants to broaden their understanding of Afghanistan and that region of the world. It's fiction, to be sure, but so much of it is laced with truth. And, by the way, don't read this if you are married to one point of view. Yes, you'll see the great things the Americans have done in Afghanistan; you'll also see our not so moral or wise choices. You will meet fundamentalist Muslims - and gentle ones. You'll see the world through the eyes of a boy trained in a jihad camp - you'll see how he wants to change....and ultimately can't. This book is not for the faint of heart. But if you have the courage to read it, you'll love it.

Book Review: Breakfast with Buddha by Roland Merullo

2009-04-20T13:36:00.001-07:00

Wow! This is one of my favorite books of the year! I am so excited to report back on this one! I read that this book was the story of a skeptic's road trip with some sort of monk and the things that they talked about. I was expecting this to be a pithy little novel that espoused the Eastern viewpoint in a banal way, but I still wanted to read it.

Oh, wrong, wrong. This book is really profound. If you are skeptical of the Eastern viewpoint and you don't know much about it, this book will explain it perfectly -- all while you are being entertained! What could be better? There are some profound truths in this book, and your skeptical responses are welcomed - indeed, they are the responses of the main character.

If you already understand the Eastern viewpoint, and especially if you do yoga, you will love this book as well. There is an absolutely hilarious scene where the monk takes the skeptical character to a yoga class. It's hysterical, and does the best job I have ever seen of explaining why someone would put themselves through a vigorous yoga class. This book gets 5 stars in my book.

Book Review: The Story of a Marriage by Andrew Sean Greer

2009-04-12T09:38:00.001-07:00

This book defies review. Almost anything at all I would say about it would be a spoiler. The story unfolds so subtly, but so shockingly, that I'm still thinking about the implications after a night's sleep.

Marriage is my business (I'm a marriage counselor) so of course this book's title grabbed me. Oh yes, I want to hear another marriage story! This is the story of Pearlie and Holland Cook, living in San Francisco in the 1950's. Awesome writing, lyrical prose, you will get pulled in and won't want to stop. I read it in one sitting.

I'm sorry I can't say too much more, because of the spoilers. This story so typifies the marriages of the 50's though. So much unsaid. We're doing a little better now - at least we're saying more. Now we just need to figure out how to say more without destroying everything!! But I digress. Read this. It's great!!

Book Review: The English Major by Jim Harrison

2009-04-10T13:13:00.001-07:00

This was an ok book. The writing is well done, told in first person (which I love) and the adventure is entertaining. I didn't have any trouble getting through it or anything. But, having said all that, I would say it's a passable read. I've read several books in this genre - an older man, looking back on his life and going through some kind of reflection about what he sees there. If you like that sort of thing, there are better ones -- I would recommend "Be Near Me' by Andrew O'Hagan, "The Sea" by John Banville or "Gilead" by Marilynne Robinson above this one.

This character's wife has left him and taken everything and he's off on a road trip across the country to regroup. It's a good premise. I find all the sex and sex talk to be unlikely of an elderly farmer type though. And he has this hare-brained idea to rename all the states and the state birds and so forth. It seems a strange preoccupation. I guess maybe my main complaint was that I didn't like him all that much. His wife left him because he was a bit boring and predictable -- and, well, I guess I thought so too.

Book Review: The Beach by Alex Garland

2009-04-01T15:44:00.001-07:00

This book is a trip into another world. Wow. I was so caught up in it and absolutely hated to see it end! Some of the blurbs on the flap compared it to The Lord of the Flies, but I've never read that one, so can't say if it's accurate.

This story is about a young guy named Richard, off backpacking around Asia. You know the type, right? Well, while in Thailand, he hears about this beach, supposedly some kind of Eden, where a group of people is living in paradise. Curious, he sets out for it and finds it.

What follows is a compelling story that you'll be caught up in - but also a philosophical discourse about creating a society from scratch. We feel like if we could create something from scratch, with all we've learned through history, we could make an ideal society, heaven, nirvana. But as the book unfolds, you realize that maybe we're not as smart as we think we are. Suspenseful and entertaining - and not just your run of the mill mystery. Kind of reminded me of The Sparrow by Mary Doria Russell, which many of you know is one of my favorite books. You can take this book as a "beach read", or you can ponder it's deeper implications. Either way, it's a great read.

Book Review: The Street of a Thousand Blossoms

2009-03-25T13:39:00.000-07:00

Recently, Gail Tsukiyama came to our local library to talk about her new book (this one). I had read her first book back in my first book club - Women of the Silk, and I have never forgotten it. Set in the silk factories in China, and telling the stories of the women who worked there, it is my favorite kind of book - the kind where as you are engrossed in a fantastic story you can't put down, you are also learning something about some other culture or people.

I found Gail in person to be so charming and wonderful. As she talked about all of her books in succession, I realized that all of them sounded like they were my favorite kind of books! This latest one especially intrigued me: Set in Japan during the second World War, it is the story of a boy who dreams of being a sumo wrestler, and then grows up to be one - and his brother, who longs to be a mask maker for the Japanese Noh theater. Gail insists on educating you fully about the subjects of her books, so you will read lots of description about sumo and Noh theatre. Luckily, it's not like reading a dry non-fiction research book. She skillfully weaves this information into an engaging, richly characterized book about family drama, love and loss.

I admit that it took me a fair while to get into this book, and there was a moment early on when I considered not going further. BUT, I really do think that it's more of a statement about the harried nature of my life than it is about this book. I'm having difficulty finding relaxed time to read. I'm so glad I didn't give up on this one! I loved it, and look forward to reading all of her books I've missed in the interim between her first book and this latest one.

3 Reviews

2009-03-10T13:18:00.000-07:00

I read this for our reading group at Cosmic Dog Yoga. I usually choose the monthly book based on something I've read about it. We've been getting kind of heavy lately, though, so I wanted to pick kind of a fun book. Dharma Punx did well a few months ago, and this seemed similar. NOT!! I hated this book! It was really nothing more than a few hundred pages of bragging about what low and pathetic morals you can have and still be considered a Zen master. Don't waster your time!

I've had Away on my list for some time and finally got around to choosing it from my list of 132 (ack!) books I want to read. It's written by a psychotherapist, and since I am one too, it always interests me to see their take on human nature. I read the reviews on Amazon and the negative reviewers seemed to think at some point, the book became unbelievable. I think there is some truth to it -- it's hard to believe that on person could have such terrible luck, year after year after year. But, we are so far removed (most of us) from the true immigrant experience and how difficult it really was to survive, that it might just seem unbeleivable to us. Even if not, it's fiction, people! I don't require total believability on the part of my fiction author friends. I liked the book and the characters - and while I probably won't pick it for the top 5 of the year or anything, it's definitely worth your time.

I just recently read a recommendation for Serena, and although I have about a gazillion books in line ahead of it, the review was so compelling that I picked it up right away. Rarely, if ever, have I read a book with such an evil, despicable main character that really worked. Usually, in this situation, I would say "I hate this character. Why do I even care what happens here?" I think it's very difficult to write a hateful main character and still keep your audience. To do it, you normally would want to draw your reader in with some redeeming quality, some reason to root for the character, even though they are bad. Ron Rash apparently felt none of this pressure. He has succesfully written about the most horrifying character ever, and still kept me reading voraciously late into the night. You won't be able to put this one down and you will be shocked until the very last page. Read it!

Review: The Gathering by Anne Enright

2009-02-21T08:48:00.000-08:00

I was aware, before starting this book, that people either love or hate it. It did win the Man Booker prize, though, and I usually enjoy the winners.

Alas, I wasn't totally thrilled with this book. The beautiful and captivating writing carried me about two thirds of the way through. But then, I found I really didn't care what happened to the characters -- and, suspected nothing at all would happen. I almost, almost, didn't even finish it. I forced myself to do so. I wasn't sorry I read it, but I think it's one of those books you need to be in the mood for. I find myself lately pressed for time - with very limited time to read. A meandering, lovely book that doesn't really go anywhere doesn't really fit into my frame of mind right now. So by all means, take my review with a grain of salt.

The writing is beautiful, and it is a great character study of a large family. It's just that nothing much happens, which isn't the prerequisite for a great book -- you just have to be in the mood for it.

Book Review: The Little Sleep by Paul Tremblay

2009-02-06T21:27:00.001-08:00

First, I want everyone to know that I liked this book. I got it as part of the Library Thing Reviewers program. I hope there is more in this series and I will definitely keep reading.

The title is a play on "The Big Sleep" by Raymond Chandler. This book - The Little Sleep - is about a detective who has narcolepsy and falls asleep at very inopportune times while trying to solve cases!! It's a pretty classic detective story, nicely written. I got to a place in the book where I told my husband 'there'll be no sleep for me tonight until I'm done with this book!' which is always a good sign.

My only complaint is that I thought the book ended a bit unsatisfactorily. I had questions. I want to know if some of the characters knew more than the book overtly said they knew. I want to know why some of the characters did what they did. I don't want to spoil the plot, so I won't get any more detailed than that, but I just had an unsettled feeling like all the strings weren't quite tied in pretty bows - know what I mean?

It's not enough to make me not want to read installment #2, though. I love this character, and hope to see more of him.

Book Reviews: White Tiger/Consider the Butterfly

2009-01-24T21:04:00.000-08:00

My business partner got me this little gem for Christmas and I've really enjoyed it, and will enjoy it for years to come. It's the kind of book you could pick up and just read one little entry, but for this first reading, I read it all the way through. Basically, the author is talking about the power of coincidence, how if you look at the synchronicity of coincidence, you might find grace. She even suggests that you can cultivate "meaningful coincidence" in your life by looking for it in your everyday world. The author is a Mormon, which isn't really a factor in reading the book, except that I happen to know tons of Mormons and this author seems the most open and accepting Mormon I know!! (You'll know why when you read about her life story!) Still, I really loved the openness and gentleness that is obviously part of her life and will look forward to looking for grace in small places now.

White Tiger has gotten great reviews, and I believe won the Man Booker award last year. I picked it up at our local bookstore after I heard the owner (my friend) say they were struggling. I started feeling guilty for all those "Amazon Kindle" downloads and bought the actual book! I really loved it. I've read a lot of books about India, or with India as a "subject", but never one like this. Even the gritty "Shantaram" had a totally different flavor. This is India from the mind of the servant, the forgotten, the despised caste. It's a totally different look. And although the main character isn't exactly faultless (okay, he's almost downright despicable), neither are the upper class anything to write home about. This is India, down dirty and real. It's very engaging - and an easy read, even though it took me weeks to read. That's more about my life than it is about the book!! And THAT is a whole other blog.

A word about "Oscar Wao": As you may notice in my sidebar, I gave up on this book. I usually give books to 50 pages to hook me in. Oscar Wao won the Pulitzer Prize for crying out loud, so I figure it has to be good right?? I gave it to 100 pages. I wanted to like it, I really did. But at 100 pages, I could care less about what happens to these characters. This book commits the one crime I can't stand. I love to read about other cultures, but I hate it when the author assumes that I know all about it, the slang, the nuances. What results is a book that I can't even follow. Oh, and the lengthy footnotes don't help either. I'm glad Junot Diaz got critical acclaim, and the book probably deserves it. Call it reader ignorance.

Book Review: Etta by Gerald Kolpan

2009-01-03T08:49:00.001-08:00

I received this book from Library Thing's Early Reviewers program. It is due to be released in March. I was dubious - to say the least - not being a fan of historical fiction or the Wild West. But I feel an obligation to read these early releases quickly and get a review out. And so I began.

Boy, was I surprised! Apparently Gerald Kolpan became fascinated with Etta Place some years ago when he realized that the notorious companion of The Sundance Kid was a vast mystery. Almost nothing is known about her. So Kolpan has proceeded, in this book, to craft a fictional account of what her life might have been like - where she came from, how she happened to mix up with Butch Cassidy's gang, and her romance and life with the Sundance Kid. The result is a book you can't put down. This story is imagined so well that it could actually be her life - in fact, I wish it was a true story. This book is about as close to perfection as it gets for me. A little bit of suspense and intrigue, a good solid love story (without too much sappy-ness), and a deep character study.

In the past, books where the author tries to intersperse news articles or journal entries has seemed jarring to me. In this book, Mr. Kolpan does a great job of weaving them into the story. In fact, I have no criticisms of this book at all. Read it. You'll love it, even if you think the Wild West holds no interest for you. This is a story about a woman's life, and an fascinating one at that. But plan wisely, you'll be reading late into the night!

Best of 2008

2008-12-29T19:36:00.000-08:00

Below is my list of Books Read in 2008. It was a very unusual year for me. Usually a strict fiction lover, this year I read 23 non-fiction books and 37 fiction books for a total of 60 books. So why are there still 108 books on my To Be Read pile??? Most of my non-fictions were spiritual/yoga related. I opened a yoga studio this year and am running the book club, which requires that I read the books to screen them beforehand. A good job, if you ask me. Here are some of my dubious "awards" for 2008

Best Fiction Read: Tie between "Zoli" and "The Commoner"
Best Non-Fiction Read: "The Zen of Eating"
Weirdest Book, not just of 2008, but of ALL TIME: "The Raw Shark Texts"
Best Book I got for free through Library Thing: "The Foreigner"
Book highly reviewed that I read and now can't remember one single detail of: "Case Histories"
Best Guilty Pleasure: "The Twilight Series"

BOOKS READ IN 2008

DECEMBER
Wherever You Go, There You Are by Jon Kabat-Zinn
The Raw Shark Texts by Steven Hall
Run by Ann Patchett
The Zen of Eating by Ronna Kabatznick
Dharma Punx by Noah Levine
NOVEMBER
Love Walked In by Marisa de los Santos
The Shack by William Young
Rocket Man by William Hazelgrove
Grace Unfolding by Johanson & Kurtz
Breaking Dawn by Stephanie Meyer
OCTOBER
Trespass by Valerie Martin
Trauma by Patrick McGrath
SEPTEMBER
The Dark Side of the Light Chasers by Debbie Ford
Eaves of Heaven by Andrew X. Pham
Yoga and the Quest of the Urban Mystic by Darren Main
What the Dead Know by Laura Lippman
These is My Words by Nancy Turner
AUGUST
The Night Watch by Sarah Waters
On Call in Hell by Richard Jadick
Anatomy of the Spirit by Caroline Myss
Peace Is Every Step by Thich Nhat Hanh
JULY
Forgive Me by Amanda Eyre Ward
The Commoner by John Burnham Schwartz
The Foreigner by Francie Lin
The People's Act of Love by James Meek
Say You're One of Them by Uwem Akpan
Loose Girl by Kerry Cohen
JUNE
A Gradual Awakening by Stephen Levine
The Secret Power of Yoga by Nischala Joy Devi
The Forgotten Body by Elissa Cobb
Will Yoga and Meditation Really Change My Life? ed. by Stephen Cope
The Interloper by Antoine Wilson
MAY
House of Meetings by Martin Amis
APRIL
Happiness Sold Separately by Lolly Winston
End of Story by Peter Abrahams
Blind Submission by Debra Ginsberg
The Abortionist's Daughter by Elisabeth Hyde
The Murder Notebook by Jonathan Santlofer
Out Stealing Horses by Per Petterson
Mindful Therapy by Dr. Thomas Bien
Loving What Is by Byron Katie
MARCH
Abide with Me by Elizabeth Strout
The Ministry of Special Cases by Nathan Englander
The Audacity of Hope by Barack Obama
Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn
Zoli by Colum McCann
A New Earth by Eckhart Tolle
FEBRUARY
The Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill by Mark Bittner
Nobody's Fool by Richard Russo
Western Limit of the World by David Masiel
No Visible Horizon by Joshua Cooper Ramo
Taming Your Gremlin by Rick Carson
Things I Want My Daughters to Know by Elizabeth Noble
Grief by Andrew Holleran
JANUARY
Case Histories by Kate Atkinson
In The Country of Men by Hisham Matar
Be Near Me by Andrew O'Hagan
The Last Disciple by Hank Hanegraaff
Eclipse by Stephenie Meyer
Deadly Advice by Roberta Isleib

Books I Gave Up On in 2008

The Air We Breathe by Andrea Barrett
How to Practice by The Dalai Lama
Autograph Man by Zadie Smith
Tree of Smoke by Denis Johnson

Book Reviews: Run and The Raw Shark Texts

2008-12-26T16:54:00.000-08:00

This is one of the most bizarre books I have ever read. I spent the entire book fighting with myself about whether or not I should just put it down and move on (because on one hand it could be viewed as so dumb) or sit on the edge of my seat and read straight through till I was done (because I had to find out what happened!).

Before I tell you what it's about, I'll tell you a story to give you an idea of what the feeling is. I used to work for county mental health with a man who told me all kinds of stories about how he used to work for the CIA and they erased his brain, and he was part of some brainwashing scheme, etc. etc. Obviously needs medication, right? But on the drive home, I always wondered....."what if....?"

This book is like that. The main character suffers on the surface from "dissasociative fugue" which is where you have no memory of yourself or your life and you have a penchant for traveling and disappearing. (Yeah, it's a real - but rare - diagnosis). Then the author puts you in "his" head. What's really happening for people like this? We're giving it some name, but is it really something else? Something far more sinister and horrible?

This book is a romp of imagination. I can't even imagine how an author gets such an idea -- Steven Hall, if not a genius, is some kind of storyteller. Even if you think the concepts he pus forth are a bit "out there", read it just to be blown away by the whole paradigm shift....what we think of mentally ill people may not be what they are experiencing at all. I'm gonna think about this book for a long, long time.

I loved Bel Canto a few years ago, so thought I'd try Ann Patchett's new book. I didn't think this book was nearly the book that Bel Canto was, but it was still a good offering. Ann Patchett is a wonderful character author, building family relationships and portraying setting in such a real way. It's not the kind of book that will have you staying up late and tormenting yourself, but you'll be glad you read it.

Review: Rocket Man by William Hazelgrove

2008-11-15T17:35:00.001-08:00

I received an Advance Review copy of this book from the publisher through the Library Thing Early Reviewer program. I got it super fast, which always makes me think the publisher is very motivated! Therefore, I felt compelled to set aside the other book I was reading and read this one right away so I could make a review.

This book is hilarious. Not being given to laughing out loud at books, it was unusual for me to have several people asking me "What are you reading, anyway?" because I was cracking up. Basically it is the story of the quintessential Rennasaince man stuck in the cookie cutter home life of modern suburbia. It is filled with good questions, like 'how is it that we are satisfied with the material existence we've created for ourselves?' And it asks these questions without being maudlin; in fact, helps us laugh at ourselves as we see ourselves clearly in the narrative.

There are a couple of things I didn't like about the book. Shallow as it may be, the cover doesn't appeal to me. And I confess to being one of those people who has and does pick up a book and buy it simply on the basis of the cover or the "feel" of the book. I don't think this cover adequately captures the essence of the book. Granted, this may not be the cover they are planning for release. Also, there was an enormous amount of swear words in this book. I'm not a prude and I will happily read a book where there are swear words if it seems an integral part of the story. The sheer volume of profanity in this book, however, made me feel like it was gratuitous. This isn't a huge problem for me - I just skip right over it - but if I was listening to it on audio, it would be a big factor.

All in all, it's going to be a winner. I read a blurb that said William Hazelgrove is comparable to Richard Russo, and I'd agree. It is a great character study and an entertaining read.

Review: The Eaves of Heaven by Andrew X. Pham

2008-09-28T16:38:00.000-07:00

Ok, of all the books I've read this year, this is the one you just HAVE to read. I can't believe I'm gushing so much about a non-fiction book, which is normally not my forte. But this book is absolutely wonderful.

This is a true story, a memoir that Andrew Pham wrote from stories his father told him of his early life in Vietnam. You've seen all the Vietnam movies, you have your American idea of what "Vietnam" is, right? Well, now you can read about 'Vietnam' from the perspective of someone who grew up there, from someone who doesn't necessarily think with a French or American brain.

Pham's father was one of the rich gentry class in Vietnam. And then the French came. And then the Americans came...wars, wars, wars. And the things they lived through. You just can't imagine it. This is the book that will change what you think of Vietnam from "hellhole" to something vastly different.

My only complaint is that the chapters alternate between his youth in the North and the later years in the South -- this would not have been a problem had I been reading the book and could have easily flipped back to see where we had left off before....but I read it on the Kindle, where it's harder to do that. If you're reading the paper version, it shouldn't be a problem.

I loved, loved, loved this book. We'll see what happens, but it'll definitely be in the running for my favorite book of the year.

Review: What the Dead Know by Laura Lippman

2008-09-12T12:58:00.000-07:00

I've never read anything else by Laura Lippman, and I've had this one on my list for quite some time. So long, in fact, that I had no idea what it was about when I picked it up. Turns out to be a great and fascinating mystery that I could not put down. I'll definitely look up her other books.

So I would say this falls somewhere between "high" literary fiction and mainstream mysteries. It is well written and thought out, but with a definite suspenseful quality. Two girls disappear after going to the mall in 1975, and in the present day, a woman claims to be one of them after getting in a car accident. This all happens in the first chapter and the rest of the book is the unraveling of what really happened.

It's not going to change your world forever, and might not be your favorite of the year....but it's a great, quick read with a lot of depth and I'd highly recommend it!

Review: These Is My Words by Nancy Turner

2008-09-07T17:10:00.001-07:00

When I got my new Kindle, my best friend reached over and downloaded this book onto it. I'm thinking - in panic - I have 125 books before this one on my "To be Read" list!! But she kept asking if I'd read it, and so eventually I cracked it open, virtually.

A prairie book. Cowboys and Indians and such. Now my friend (the one who downloaded it) Emily is the only person I know who could actually live on the prairie. But seriously, who would want to?? I mean, this is a time period when everyone dies. Your kid gets the measles? Dead. So I was a bit irritated to be reading this book with so much tragedy. Just not my thing.

BUT. This is just a fantastic book. So well done. I love, love, love the narrator, the writer of the journal. And I grew up in Arizona, so there were so many places I recognized. This is a great love story, without being cheesy or gratuitous like so many of today's romances. I can't imagine any book lover hating this book. It's been over a week since I've been finished with it, I'm well into another book, and yet anytime I'm daydreaming, it's still all about this book. This one's gonna stay with me for a long, long time.

Review: The Night Watch by Sarah Waters

2008-08-29T12:36:00.001-07:00

This book has been on my list for a really long time. I even checked it out once and then couldn't get to it. Finally, I downloaded it onto my new Amazon Kindle and read it. It's a really long book, set in London around the time frame of World War 2, and the blitz on London. One thing that was praised about the book was the style of working backwards. It was definitely interesting, but it wasn't my favorite writing style. Basically, you get to read from the end of the story backwards.

Secondly, I knew that there was a lesbian character in the book. But that's not how I would characterize the book. I would say the book is more about being lesbian than it is about World War 2. I'm not making moral judgments at all, but I'm not a big fan of sex scenes even in heterosexual fiction. This book was a bit more than I really wanted to know about the subject. I don't know; maybe that makes me ignorant or whatever. But I think rather than being mainstream fiction, this really falls under a much narrower category of gay and lesbian fiction. Just my opinion - I've read a lot of positive reviews on the book, so I may be the one who is in the minority.

Review: On Call in Hell by Richard Jadick

2008-08-18T16:11:00.001-07:00

Oh, man. Don't even think about reading this book unless you want to cry. This guy was a Navy doctor serving front line Marines in the battle of Fallujah. He personally knew almost every traumatically wounded guy who came into his tent, and I don't even know how you deal with something like that. Whether you think this war is important or whether you think it's a waste, I believe there's not an American out there that doesn't respect our fighting men and women. This is an important book and you should read it. Go to Costco and get the jumbo case of Kleenex first, though.

Review: Forgive Me by Amanda Eyre Ward

2008-08-02T19:38:00.001-07:00

I loved, loved, loved Amanda Eyre Ward's other books, How To Be Lost and Sleep Toward Heaven. When I saw she had a new book out, I put it on my 'to be read' list immediately.

This book has her trademark great writing, easy readability, and somewhat dark subject matter. There's nothing to not like in her style of writing. This particular book was about apartheid in South Africa, a subject that is pretty confusing to me in many ways. Heavy material, too - reading about the injustices and deaths of people in that part of the world, and trying to figure out how I could have been playing on the beach in California innocently while it was all going on; wondering what is going on now while I sit in my easy chair and read. It's that kind of book - one that will inspire deep and somewhat disturbing thoughts about life and the world at large.

But the writing in this book in particular confused me greatly. I was confused while reading it, turned back to see if I'd missed something, read it again, looked back again. After I finished the book, I couldn't sleep trying to figure out what I'd missed. Finally, in the middle of the night, I woke up realizing what had happened in the book. It seems to me kind of a sleight of hand, author-style. I'm pretty sure she intentionally tried to "trick" the reader here. I'm sorry I can't say more, because it would be a major spoiler, but I was not happy about the way it turned out. It made me want to read the book all over again, this time with the knowledge I now possess. I don't have time for that, and don't really appreciate reading a book only to feel like I should read it again to get the whole experience.

If you want to read this book, go ahead. Write me when you're done though, so I can see if I'm just stupid, or if it's really as confusing as I thought it was.

Review: The Commoner by John Burnham Schwartz

2008-07-27T17:12:00.000-07:00

Ok, I have so many books on my 'to be read' pile now that I used a Random Number Generator to choose which one in my pile to read!! Now that's crazy!! Moving on....

Well, I've never heard of John Burnham Schwartz before, but I'm starting to regret that he has three other books out there that I haven't read. Staying with the theme of the Far East, we have here the story of the Empress of Japan, told in her voice in a book written by a man. And very cleverly done, indeed.

This is the story of a girl, who in the 1950's is the first 'commoner' ever to be chosen to marry the Crown Prince of Japan. I'm smiling as I read it, thinking of Princess Diana and the childish dream of becoming a princess....

But the story that follows -- the isolation, the restrictions, the horror of it -- oh, you just feel so for her and all she goes through. I know it's a work of fiction, but I know it was meticulously researched and I can just see how so much of it must be born of truth. What a shame that people are so lost in pomp and circumstance, so overcome by tradition, that they forget how to be human and have human relationships.

Absolutely beautifully written and not to be missed!

Review: The Foreigner by Francie Lin

2008-07-22T15:41:00.001-07:00

Another free book I received from the Early Reviewers Group at Library Thing!! And boy, did they get this match right, because.....

This is one of the best books I've read this year. As Francie Lin's first book, you can't help but wonder what she'll do as a follow up! It's absolutely brilliant, well-written and fast paced. Even with my hopelessly busy schedule, I simply couldn't put it down (it helped that our Internet service was out for a day!).

One of the things I've realized lately is how much I love a book written in the first person. I love being told a story from the character's point of view, feeling almost as if I am the character as I'm living their story with them. And I'm amazed in this book (as I was amazed conversely at how great Arthur Golden wrote as a woman in Memoirs of a Geisha) at how Francie Lin writes from a man's perspective - a man's voice - so well. You'd think she was a man -- but the picture on the back cover says it's not so!

Anyway, It's the story of Emerson Chang, a forty year old financial analyst in San Francisco. When his mother dies, he goes to Taiwan in search of his long lost brother. This begins a dramatic, suspenseful and beautiful journey with all kinds of twists and turns. Just trust me, you'll love it. It's going to be on my short list for the best book of the year. Here's an example of some of Francie Lin's gorgeous way with words:

It was the hour of the night when cities show themselves. Traffic lights blinked, off-line; street dogs wandered in the alleys, carrying away trash and scraps, shitting in the gutters. The pavements gave off steam like a long, collective breath, and the smell of open drains hung in the air. In my mother's stories about the old country, Taipei had been a land with a single train going to and from school, a church and a priest, fresh sugarcane, candy stores, earthquakes, curfew. One more death, I thought vaguely, sleepy -- death of a memory, of an image.

Review: The People's Act of Love by James Meek

2008-07-21T08:42:00.000-07:00

I've had this book on my reading list for a couple of years and finally got to it. I've never read anything but good about it, but actually struggled at about 100 pages over whether or not I wanted to finish it. There are a lot of characters, all with Russian and Czech names, and the author makes the assumption that you know something about what happened in Siberia in the first World War. I thought that I would probably give it a not-so-good review.

But now that I've finished, I have to say that I liked the book and I'm glad I read it. I wish I had read it at a time when I could really dedicate some time to sorting out all the characters and maybe looking into some background information about what happened in this time period in Siberia. Most of my negative reactions are probably my own fault.

Still, combine a freaky religious sect (apparently based on the truth) with a squadron of Czech soldiers.. lay on top of that the town widow and her son who have past connections with certain characters in the town. Pretty fascinating. And then, out of the forest walks a convict with a story about cannibalism that turns the town upside down. All in all, it requires some patience to read but it's a very good story. You'll learn some things -- and you might just enjoy yourself!

Win a Book!

2008-07-18T14:56:00.003-07:00

Hey! Run over to Lori's Reading Corner to win a copy of The Host!! You know you want it!!

Review: Say You're One of Them by Uwem Akpan

2008-07-18T08:53:00.000-07:00

I belong to a group on Library Thing called 'Reading Globally'. Each month they read a book based in a certain country, or by an author from that country. July's choice is Nigeria, which I was thinking of passing on -- because I'm so busy and I've already read Half of a Yellow Sun, which is the quintessential Nigerian read. But then....there was an article in our paper about a new book out by a Nigerian author...Say You're One of Them. So I changed my mind and read.

This book is a collection of short stories - 5 of them. From the slums of Kenya to the massacres in Rwanda to a treacherous bus ride through Nigeria, these stories are hair-raising one and all. I wish the world was such that no one could even imagine things horrible enough to write a book like this. But alas, this stuff didn't come out of thin air...I'm sure that these stories are thinly veiled fictional accounts of the truth. The worst part is, most of the stories are about the struggles of children in horrible circumstances like this. It's true that they highlight the resilience of children and the bond between siblings -- but I can't imagine my kids ever having to face such tragedy. I don't want to be naive, but really - it's a truth I wish I didn't know. The writing is great, but the content is highly disturbing.

Review: Loose Girl by Kerry Cohen

2008-07-04T12:35:00.001-07:00

I requested this book from the Early Reviewers program at Library Thing because I'm a psychotherapist. Women who use sex and love to feel worthy are abundant, and the residue of these experiences can be hard to work through. I thought this might be a good book to have in my library for clients.

Well, I really liked the book, but I don't know that I would give it to clients. This is a fascinating look at promiscuity - what it's roots are and the internal damage it can do. I could barely put it down, which is unusual for me since I'm not a huge fan of non-fiction.

But, like other reviewers, I wanted more at the end. I wanted to hear her conclusions about what happened to her and how she makes sense of it now, especially since she's now a psychotherapist herself. I wanted to know what the journey was like between then and now. To give it to a client, I'd want some kind of a diary about how to get out of the pattern, not just a diary of the pattern.

Ahem...a sequel, maybe?

I also had difficulty with the present tense, first person style. Here's an example:

Once, Susan calls me to the window to see a fox in their backyard.

I'm sure this is grammatically fine, but she is saying "once" as in, in the past, and then the rest of the sentence is present tense...? This style tripped me up, and several times, like with this sentence, I found myself re-reading the sentence and saying "huh?" to myself. As I say, I'm sure it's defendable grammatically, but I just didn't like it much.

Review: The Interloper by Antoine Wilson

2008-07-02T21:15:00.000-07:00

I read some of the other reviews of this book, trying to figure out what people liked about it. I did read it all the way through, something I doubt I would have done if it wasn't an Early Reviewer book from Library Thing. The main character just gets crazier and crazier, more and more bizarre, as the book carries on. As I read other reviewers comments, I realized I had to admit that this was certainly the author's intent. The discomfiture I felt watching him lose his mind was carefully crafted by the author, and I'm sure that I felt just as he wanted me to feel!

Still, as a psychotherapist, I was really stuck in the idea that "There's medication for this, ya know??" It really is a very good piece if you want to see in action what delusional disorder is really all about. But a warning: YOU might go crazy reading about it!

What a dud!

2008-06-02T16:48:00.000-07:00

Wow. I only read one book in May. I bet that is a record for me for LEAST books read in a month, in my entire life. Usually I'm never seen without a book in hand. But starting this yoga studio was just WAY busier than I anticipated. (Duh. I don't know what I anticipated!) Part of the problem too is that I'm slogging through The Interloper, a free book I got from Library Thing Early Reviewers. I'm not enjoying it, and haven't yet figured out if it's the book, or if I'm just too busy to enjoy reading. Hopefully I'll figure it out shortly. I'm running an "enlightened" book club for the yoga studio, so I know I'll at least be reading one book a month!! Our first pick is "Will Yoga and Meditation Really Change My Life?" by Stephen Cope. I love him and highly recommend ALL his books.

Anyway, this blog might be a little dull for awhile, but soon I hope to be back to my regular reading self!!

Tuesday Thingers (on Wednesday; getting better!)

2008-05-21T18:53:00.000-07:00

This week's topic: Discussion groups. Do you belong to any (besides Early Reviewers)? Approximately how many? Are there any in particular that you participate in more avidly? How often do you check?

Answer: I used to belong to a book discussion group (I can't even remember the name of it) and I found it pretty unsatisfying. Plus it's hard to follow, remember to check, and all that.

I belong to several list-serv type discussions for psychotherapists -- one for therapists in the East Bay Area (California) and one for those practicing Emotionally Focused Therapy. Every once in awhile we have a pretty divisive discussion, and I've actually decided to pretty much stop participating. It's amazing how mean therapists can be to each other!! (I know, that's not what you want to hear, is it?)

I am also a member of a yoga forum in which I keep a blog and we have various discussions. However, since I decided to open a yoga studio, I don't have much time for talking (or doing yoga for that matter!)

I follow about 100 blogs using Bloglines, and comment often, but that's not really a discussion group.

So not too many, maybe none by strict definition.

Book Review: House of Meetings by Martin Amis

2008-05-20T21:48:00.001-07:00

I swear I got smarter while I was reading this book. Seriously, though, this is some intense fiction. I revisited a common complaint of mine, which is that the author makes the assumption that one knows something about his subject; in this case modern Russian history. Half the time I had no idea what he was talking about! I know relatively nothing about Stalin, post WWII Russia, the Gulag and all that. I know about relationships, though - oppression, lust, hatred - this book has it all.

I never even considered putting this book down; it almost makes me want to go check out a book on Russia and learn more. That's the impact of the book. Add to that Martin Amis' beautiful, stunning writing and you've really got a winner. Here's a brief quote from the book that doesn't give anything away:

Let me tell you what I loved about August 4, 1953, when we stood arm in arm. When we stood and faced the state and its whirlwind of iron. I had reached the end of philosophy: I knew how to die. And men don't know how to do that. It might even be that all the really staggering male exertions, both great and base, are brought on by this single incapacity. No other animal is asked to form an attitude to its own extinction. This is horribly difficult for us, and may be thought to mitigate our general notoriety...You need mass emotion - to know how to die.

Tuesday Thing (on Saturday)

2008-05-17T17:26:00.000-07:00

Ok, ok, so I'm a little late; you'll understand shortly.

I'm in a group of Early Reviewers on Library Thing and we are going to have a blogring on Tuesdays where we talk about what's new with us. Last Tuesday being the first time, we were supposed to introduce ourselves.

My name is Lisa and I'll be turning 40 this year. I spent 11 years as an Air Traffic Controller before I had kids and had to quit because of the schedule. Then I went back to school and am now a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist in California, counseling about 12-15 couples a week. Recently I decided to open a yoga studio with my yoga instructor and we open ONE WEEK from today!!! (now you know why I'm doing this so late!)

I have an angel of a husband, and two kids - 7 and 3, both boys.

I'm totally exhausted.

But I simply cannot live without books, nor can I stop reading, no matter how busy I get.

Review: Happiness Sold Separately by Lolly Winston

2008-05-16T14:52:00.000-07:00

I finished this book some time ago, but waited to review it because my book club discussed it last night! I've just joined a brand new book club after not having one for several years. This time, I joined a group of strangers on craigslist, and in doing so, hope to avoid gossip sessions in lieu of book discussions. We'll see. I was dubious when several of the people said "I don't really read much; I joined this club hoping it would inspire me to read". For years now, I've wanted a serious book club where we really do discuss the book.

Because I didn't know how dedicated people were, I picked this book as our first selection. I knew it wasn't real intellectual, but I wanted to see how the discussion would go to ascertain whether we could go more serious or not.

Everyone hated it. I actually like it more than most people, and I was a little surprised at the negative response. Truly, it's basically "chick lit", with not a huge amount of seriousness required. Still, being a marriage counselor, I thought it was a pretty good introduction to how the experience of infertility can impact a marriage. Still, people thought that the characters were undeveloped and it was overly stereotypical.

I was appalled at the marriage counseling that took place in the book, and wanted to know if that's what people thought marriage counseling would be like!! Thank goodness, everyone realized that it was pure fiction and a bad portrayal of counseling and its effectiveness.

I'd still recommend the book. It's a quick read and I like her writing. True, you're not going to stretch yourself or necessarily learn anything by the reading, but if you just want an quick, easy read, it's good.

Review: End of Story by Peter Abrahams

2008-04-25T15:33:00.000-07:00

There has been some discussion lately in the blogging world about not ripping into authors when doing reviews on your blog. I'm conscious of this, too, since Jonathan Santlofer visited my blog after I read his latest book. My intention would never be to rip into an author, knowing how "birthing" a book must be such a labor of love.

However, the point of a book review blog is that one can critically review a book, which includes the option to really dislike a book now and then. So with all respect to Peter Abrahams, I really did dislike this book.

You know those horror movies where you are watching and practically yelling at the main character "Don't!! Don't go in there!!! Can't you hear the scary music??" Well, this book was kind of like that for me. The main character, Ivy, just gets stupider and stupider as the story goes on. At one point, she is just making such totally poor choices that I was truly tempted to just not finish the book at all. And I, the reader, had this mystery figured out way before she did, leaving me feeling like maybe her elevator didn't go all the way to the top floor. It was pretty blatantly obvious what was going on, and she was blind as a bat.

Maybe it's because I'm a marriage counselor, and I see people ruining their lives with crazy and ridiculous choices all the time. I'm fully aware of the power of love, but I also fully believe in the power of counseling to help a person get a hold of themselves and stop ruining their lives. There were some points here where, had I been a fellow character in the book, I would have dragged Ivy to counseling kicking and screaming. She needed some serious help.

Granted, I think the author meant for the reader to feel this kind of dismay towards Ivy and possibly the frustration I felt was his plan all along! Still, it really really made me mad when she got rewarded in the end for her ridiculous behavior. It's been awhile since I had such a strong reaction to a book, but if it weren't a library book, it'd be in the trash right now just for spite.

Review: Blind Submission by Debra Ginsberg

2008-04-20T13:20:00.001-07:00

I know, I'm a prolific reader lately, huh? When my life gets stressful, I read, read, read.

Oh, boy, if you have a book somewhere inside of you, you're going to have a hard time with this one. I myself have a non-fiction book in the works (pretty halfheartedly) and found myself setting down this book to search for agents online!!! It really whets your appetite to get published, so watch out for this one if you're not ready to submit query letters.

Set in a literary agency, the main character gets caught up in a mystery concerning an anonymous author who seems to be writing the story of her life -- with a not-so-savory ending, if you get my drift! The thing I just loved about this book was the characters, particularly the literary agent, Lucy Fiamma. It escapes me how anyone can imagine such a crazy lady!! And, I would have never, in a million years, guessed who-done-it.

What a great, fabulous book for book lovers everywhere!! Get your manuscripts out and ready to edit!

Review: The Abortionist's Daughter by Elisabeth Hyde

2008-04-18T18:04:00.000-07:00

First let me say there wasn't anything that I didn't like about this book. It's highly readable, has great characters, moves along quickly, and I darn well spent half the night reading it!

Still, it's not going to be my favorite book of the year. I can't put my finger on it. I did not dislike it. However, I didn't love it either. Having a murdered abortion doctor as one of the main figures of the book, maybe I felt like the author was using the political issue as a catalyst? I'm not sure. She definitely tries to create sympathy for one who chooses this profession, and yet, she does a good job of not making the character entirely likable, too. So I don't even have a major complaint there.

I'd recommend this book. Particularly if you've got a long car ride, travel day, beach day and so on. It's a fast paced read and it'll keep you entertained, for sure. There's just nothing magical about the prose or totally engrossing about the storyline -- nothing that puts it in the "you have to go to the bookstore and get it right this minute" category.

Review: The Murder Notebook by Jonathan Santlofer

2008-04-17T18:22:00.001-07:00

What's that you say? This book isn't even out yet? Why, you're absolutely correct! I received it from the Early Reviewers Group on Library Thing! You can request books in advance of publication, to read and review. Some people say they have never received a book, but I've received one every single month that I've requested one!

I really enjoyed this book. I don't think I would have ever picked it up in a bookstore, although I'm not sure why. I think it has something to do with the cover, all the blood...? I'm usually not a mystery, and certainly not a gory type of reader. So I may have passed this one by. However, having recieved it from the Early Reviewers group, I felt I should give it a try.

It's a story about a police sketch artist, and how he helps solve cases with his drawings. His girlfriend, a homicide detective, is trying to solve a big case and he's called in. Other characters include his mother, a therapist, and his dead father, a cop whose death he seems to feel responsible for. There's plenty here for readers like me who seek out books mostly about the complexities of relationships and how they play out in our lives. Throw in a dash of suspense, and you'll be up all night!

I know some readers will be turned off by the combination of the storyline and the sketch drawings that pepper the book. I can hear some of my fellow readers now saying that it's "gimmicky" and another way to stand out from the rest of the mystery crowd. It didn't bother me; in fact, the drawings were wonderful and helped me in my imaginings of the characters. I know, I know, though - some people like their own imaginings, thank you very much. At most, it would be a very minor criticism of a great book.

Review: Out Stealing Horses

2008-04-14T14:02:00.001-07:00

Darn. I had a whole bunch of pages turned down in this one, because I wanted to treat you to some of Per Petterson's wonderful writing, but alas -- I returned the book to the library and hadn't finished this review!!

This one got great critical acclaim, and I have to add my applause. It was translated from Norwegian, and at first I was bothered by short, choppy sentences, but soon forgot that in the beautiful writing and wonderful storyline.

Set in Norway at the turn of this century (2000), with flashbacks to the narrators childhood during the second World War. It's one of the kinds of books that I love, where there isn't so much fast paced action as there is deep reflection on the nature of things. It's just great. Read it.

Catching Up.....4 Reviews...

2008-04-02T18:24:00.000-07:00

What can I say without starting a huge political debate? The only thing, I guess, is to say that there is really not much here that can start a debate. Barack Obama is so clear on one thing: We are all Americans, we all have a right to our opinions, and if we all really listened to each other, we might learn something. He does, obviously, share his opinions on things - but all the while pointing out what the "other guys" think that has some value and validity. Yes, you'll feel like you know a bit more about his platform if you read his book. But it really is about hope. Do you want to stop feeling hopeless about this country and get back that feeling that we really can survive. Yeah. Well, read this then. Even if you're a Republican. Seriously.

Ah, yes. I think the thing I liked best about this book was the cursive writing on the cover. Love it! The remainder .... not so enthusiastic. It is a book based in Argentina at the time of civil unrest. I wasn't all that interested in the characters. Even the relationships seemed unreal to me for some reason. Note that I did like it enough to finish it, so I guess that says something, but I wouldn't read it again knowing what I know now. If you're really interested in Argentina, though, go for it!

I loved "Amy and Isabelle", Elizabeth Strout's first book. We read it year's ago in my book club and I remember loving it. So I was pretty excited to read her latest. I liked it, too, sailed right through it. But it's another in a genre that I've kind of exhausted lately (Gilead, Be Near Me), that of the secret lives of priests and ministers. This one is a lot less heavy than Be Near Me. I loved the characters and thought it really portrayed small town church life very well. Worth reading, especially if you read at stop lights! (That was for you, Jay Are!)

Ah, finally I read Byron Katie. Years ago I heard about her, and I recommended this book for my mom. But I never read it!! In fact, I resisted reading it because I thought it was cognitive-behavioral. (As a therapist, I'm not cognitive-behavioral. I don't like the thought that changing our thoughts changes our mood. While I think that's probably true, I find this approach in therapy largely ignores emotions and I don't like to do that).

Well, I read her. And I don't think it's some 1-2-3 way to ignore your emotions. It's not CBT. It's more like Buddhism. It's total acceptance. It's taking responsibility. Even more, it's taking responsibility and being happy about it! Here's some of her quotes that I love:

No one can hurt me; that's my job.
Would you rather be right, or free?
When I argue with reality, I lose -- but only 100% of the time
I am the cause of my own suffering -- but only all of it.

Oh, do read it. Read it, please!

Book Review: Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn

2008-03-09T19:23:00.001-07:00

Blurb on the back of the book, written by Stephen King: "To say this is a terrific debut novel is really too mild. I haven't read such a relentlessly creepy family saga since John Farris's All Heads Turn as the Hunt Goes By, and that was thirty years ago, give or take. Sharp Objects isn't one of those scare-and-retreat books; its effect is cumulative. I found myself dreading the last thirty pages or so but was helpless to stop turning them. Then, after the lights were out, the story just stayed there in my head, coiled and hissing, like a snake in a cave. An admirably nasty piece of work, elevated by sharp writing and sharper insights."

Impressive. For a first novel, it's quite incredible. I think Stephen King might be overstating it just a wee bit, but then again, I can't wait until she comes out with her next book. Yes, it's pretty creepy, but not in a unrealistic kind of way. It's psychologically creepy. And, being a mental health worker, I found it totally, completely fascinating. And I don't think you'd have to be in the field to think so.

I kind of feel the same way about Gillian Flynn as I do about Stephen King. How can a normal person come up with this creepy stuff?? She says in her acknowledgements that no one in her family is remotely like this family. mmm-hmm. She's got quite the imagination then.

The Oakland newspaper groups are doing a monthly book club. This is their pick this month and I'm hoping to be able to attend the discussion at my local book store. I crave a real life book club and just haven't been able to make it happen, so maybe this will be a good substitute. It's great. If you have the courage, read it.

Book Review: Zoli by Colum McCann

2008-03-06T17:33:00.001-08:00

Heaven knows why this wasn't the most popular book of 2006. It is positively delicious and everyone should read it!! It is a great saga of a Gypsy woman (it seems the word Gypsy is or can be offensive and the more politically correct way to refer to them is Roma). It's a lifestyle that has always interested me. For many years I've had "Bury Me Standing" on my To Be Read list, and Colum McCann says in the postscript that he was inspired to write this novel from that one.

When I went to get this cover image off Powells website, it was one of their staff picks. The staff member who picked it said:

Open Zoli to just about any page and you'll find a passage worth reading two or three times. The prose is gorgeous, the story remarkable — characters practically leap out from the bindings. McCann's novel reminded me why I read fiction: to be transported, completely and without hesitation, into the lives of strangers. It belongs on a shelf alongside Michael Ondaatje's best work.

Yeah, ok, I agree with all that. You should read this book. On another note, some people on the Amazon reviews didn't like it because they couldn't figure out who was narrating each time there was a new section. I agree, it does take a page or two to figure out who the voice of the narrator is when he starts a new section. Ok, maybe that's a drawback, but once I knew that, it didn't bother me as much. The only other criticism that I found, and that I partially agree with, is that the book doesn't give enough background -- it assumes you know something about Roma history. Well, I don't, and I still loved the book. Maybe now I'll read "Bury Me Standing" and get more of the background.

Book Review: The Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill by Mark Bittner

2008-02-26T10:05:00.000-08:00

You might not know this about me if you don't know me, but I'm into birds. We just lost a cockatiel and I've been working on getting a new one. He arrived last Saturday, and as I write this, is cooing contentedly on my shoulder. So a friend bought me this book for Valentines Day. I live in the San Francisco bay area, and I'd never even heard of this book!

I am also notorious for not doing non-fiction very well, so I was dubious. But I loved this book!! Apparently there is a flock of wild parrots (conures, to be exact) who live in San Francisco and frequent Telegraph Hill. I had recently heard of them because I was working with Mickaboo to get a new cockatiel. They do bird rescue here, and occasionally rescue these wild parrots when they get hurt or diseased. I even met one when I had to go to a bird class with Mickaboo!

Anyway, the author Mark Bittner was living on Telegraph Hill as a caretaker and started feeding and befriending these wild parrots. By the time he was done with the book, there were 70-some parrots. He named them and got to know them individually, at times bringing them in the house when they got hurt or sick. It's really amazing -- the subtitle "a love story...with wings" is really apt. Even if you don't like non-fiction, you'll like this one. (There's also a documentary of the same name, if you prefer your non-fiction onscreen!)

I can't wait to take a trip into San Francisco, visiting the places in this book to look for the parrots!

Review: Nobody's Fool by Richard Russo

2008-02-26T09:59:00.001-08:00

Ugh. That's really my one-word review for this book.

I like Richard Russo. I read Empire Falls a few years ago and loved it. Then last fall, I listened to Bridge of Sighs on audiobook, and I also loved that. He is the absolute master of small town sagas, almost making the town itself a character in the book.

At first I thought maybe I'd just taken on another thick Richard Russo too soon after Bridge of Sighs. But I don't think that was it. This book was long, and the main complaint I have is that the main character simply wasn't likable. He tried to make him so, giving him little quirks that supposedly should have offset the fact that he was a total loser. But no, he was just a total loser. I got tired of reading about him and his loser life. If I lived in that town, I'd probably cross the street on the other side when I saw him coming. I mean, everyone's got problems, but you try to rise above. He didn't try to rise above -- didn't seem to even have enough deep thought to feel like he should rise above.

I finished the book, because I think Richard Russo is a great author and I wanted to see it through. But I wouldn't recommend it. If you have read the other two I've read, read one of those!

Several book reviews...

2008-02-18T14:49:00.000-08:00

I'm woefully behind on my reviews. I've been sick so reading a lot, but reporting...not so much. Anyway, here goes:

Western Limit of the World by David Masiel

This is a seafaring novel, and one I never considered giving up on, although I'm not sure if I'd recommend it to anyone. The story goes along well enough, although the main character is decidedly unlikeable. I think that's intentional. You're supposed to love him anyway, but I had a hard time summoning up any kind of deep feelings for him whatsoever. I liked this book; I suppose the writing was what carried it through -- and yet, I'm still not really sure I totally followed the plotline. I have a vague uneasy feeling that I missed something somewhere along the way. David Masiel is a great writer (although the fact that he named one of the characters Maciel kind of annoyed me), but if you're looking for a great seafaring adventure, I guess I'd recommend "Voyage of the Narwhal" by Andrea Barrett first.

No Visible Horizon by Joshua Cooper Ramo

I used to be an air traffic controller and know a lot about aerobatic flying, so this book was interesting to me. Had to be, because I'm a notorious non-fiction hater. I'd like to be intelligent enough to enjoy non-fiction, but usually the lack of a running plotline makes me sigh and give up. This book, though, was great! I loved learning more about aeronautics and the kind of lives these people lead. Joshua Ramo does a great job of describing it, giving some backup research and even waxing philosophical about it. I really loved this one. There is some pretty technical information here, so if you don't know anything at all about aviation, you might be overcome with details. Also, in the version I read, the chapter headings drove me bananas. Instead of Chapter 1, Chapter 2 and so on, there would be blank page with a sentence on it, say "Bill Hunter was a great pilot". Then on the next page, a new chapter would start, beginning with said sentence - "Bill Hunter was a great pilot". Kind of drove me batty. I'd rather just see a simple Chapter 12 than to read the same silly sentence twice as some sort of a dividing sentence. I know, a silly little criticism, but it can't be helped.

Taming Your Gremlin by Rick Carlson

This is a non-fiction self help book. Generally, I'm not of the "change your thoughts and you can change your life" vein....(as a therapist, I believe that sometimes it's the feelings or circumstances that precede the thoughts, and they are the things that sometimes need to change first)....but having said that, this book is worth a look. Basically, the gremlin is that little guy (or girl) who lives in your head and says mean things to you all day long, like "why can't you be more successful?" "are you ever going to lose that weight? you look awful" or "if you weren't such a failure, you'd be doing xyz". and so on. By externalizing this voice into the guise of a gremlin, Rick Carlson helps you begin to see it as your archenemy, something that you need to war and battle against. If this kind of gimmick works for you, it could be powerful. No question that most of us need to be more aware of the way we talk to ourselves and be a little nicer!! I know I do.

Things I Want My Daughters To Know by Elizabeth Noble

Guess what? I got this book FREE as an advance copy (it's not even OUT yet!) from the publisher because I'm a member of the Early Reviewers Group on Library Thing!! Isn't that cool? Anyway, I'm supposed to review it, and I don't have to give it a good review if I don't want to.

The story of a family with four daughters, the book begins with the mother's death. You get to read alternating passages about each of the four daughters and their (largely messed up) lives. The mother left letters and a diary with advice and lessons she wanted her daughters to know, also cleverly interspersed into the narrative. The writing was lovely, the characters well-drawn. I don't know if it was because I was reading this while my cousin was dying or not, but it was all very "Terms of Endearment" to me. If you like that sort of heart-wrenching, life-examining kind of work, it was really good. I'm afraid it was a bit maudlin for me, but an easy read and one that wasn't just entertaining but meaningful too. I'd read Elizabeth Noble again in a New York minute, but maybe I'd wait until I was in a better mood for this one!

Book Meme

2008-02-09T18:52:00.000-08:00

Ok, ok, I got tagged for a meme. I rarely, if ever, do these things. But my kids are in the bathtub and I have two minutes to myself. It's a short one, so here goes. Here's the rules:

The rules of this particular meme are:
1. Pick up the nearest book (of at least 123 pages)
2. Open the book to page 123
3. Find the fifth sentence
4. Post the next three sentences
5. Tag five people

So the nearest book is one I bought for my 6 year old at Costco today called "The Original Adventures of Hank the Cowdog". The three sentences are:

"Right now we've got another case to crack. Now look at these tracks. What do you make of them?"

Easy enough. Unfortunately, I don't have enough time to tag 5 other people (my two minutes are up - sigh), so if you're reading this, you're tagged!

Review: Grief by Andrew Holleran

2008-02-08T20:09:00.001-08:00

I liked this book. Andrew Holleran's writing is very good, and I always seem to like these "memoir-type" books -- this is very similar in style to Gilead, Rules for Old Men Waiting, those types of books.

The story is narrated by an aging gay man whose mother has just died. He comes to Washington D.C. to teach a semester as a way of getting a change of scenery and dealing with his grief.

My problem with the book is the gay-centered themes. I have no problem with a gay character, but it's kind of like violence or sex: As long as it's not gratuitous, no problem. But if I feel like it's just thrown in because it's the authors pet issue, then it's a bit overdone. Such is the case here, at least for me. Yes, I know all about the struggles of being gay (I am a therapist, after all!); Yes, I know about the AIDS epidemic and the losses sustained; I'm not unsympathetic. But it's almost like instead of it being weaved surreptitiously throughout the story, it's too much of the plotline or something. It's hard to explain, but I just felt like it was overdone, and I would have had more tolerance for it if it had been more subtle.

I'd read it again, though, and I'd recommend it in certain circumstances. Surely, if you have a particular interest in the subject, it's a good read.

Another one in the trash bin

2008-02-08T17:45:00.000-08:00

Apparently this is my year to give up on books. Really, I feel like I have so many books I want to get through this year. I really want to whittle down my list a bit. And I love that feeling when I start a book, and I just can't wait to pick it up again and get back to it. I guess I've decided that there are so many books in the world I feel that way about, that it's not worth it to spend too much time on a book I don't feel that way about.

This book wasn't terrible. It was good writing. The characters were well-written and the story was moving. But I just found days going by before I'd want to pick it up. I always found an excuse to do something else. Finally, I admitted to myself that I just didn't really like the characters. I couldn't relate. And I wasn't really interested in finding out if they became more relatable. So I gave up and moved on. I've started to make a list on the sidebar of books that just didn't make the cut. Sadly, I anticipate more of this, because my standards are just getting more stringent. I don't have time for books that aren't fabulous.

Two Reviews: In the Country of Men/Case Histories

2008-02-02T15:38:00.001-08:00

I've been wanting to read Kate Atkinson's Case Histories for a long time. Basically, it tells the story of three cold cases (in police terms) and one private investigator. All of these stories, of course, intertwine with each other and with the life of the private investigator.

It's a quick read, well written and entertaining. However, a disclaimer is that there is a lot of blood and gore, especially in the beginning. It's not gratuitous; the story couldn't really be told without it. But still, don't read it while you're eating anything with tomato sauce! Seriously.

All in all, though, a definite good read. I like her style and would read anything else she has written.

I've also had this book on my list for quite some time. Most likely, it got on the list from a Bookmarks Magazine review. It is a very interesting and engaging book, narrated by a 9 year old boy growing up in Libya. Sometimes reading about childhoods in other countries can seem daunting or unreal, but this book is easy to read, while informative about the leadership of Qaddafi and his people. It could be because Hisham Matar does such a great job weaving the story of the relationships in the book - which of course, is universal to us all. Either way, though, this book is a good example of a book I never saw anyone hand-selling, never saw get much exposure -- and yet, it's a fantastic book that deserved better. If you're interested at all about learning about some of the politics of Libya and what it was like to grow up there, read this book.

Book Review: Be Near Me by Andrew O'Hagan

2008-01-27T16:49:00.000-08:00

It's quite difficult to review this book without spoiling the plotline. So if it seems rather general, I'm sorry. I really loved Andrew O'Hagan's writing, though. One of the quotes on the book said he "writes like an angel" and I'd have to agree.

This book reminds me of Gilead, both in writing style and content. It is narrated by a fifty-something priest, in a new diocese and lonely. As in Gilead, nothing really "happens" per se, it's simply the slow, unfolding story of his life. Fascinating and beautiful.

Here's a sample:

I can only say it now. At the centre of himself, a man cannot choose whom to love. He can choose how to live and can honour the truth of himself where he may. But he cannot choose whom to love, any more than he can choose how tall he is or how good. One can take up platform shoes or fine deeds, but the heart will always have the last word, and when the word is love we can recognise, we can respond, we can submit and we can try to ignore, but we can never choose. Love is not a matter of choice but an obdurate fact of surrender.

Book Review: Tree of Smoke by Denis Johnson

2008-01-24T18:33:00.000-08:00

60 page rule. Then I gave up. It got great reviews but did nothing for me. I couldn't keep track of the characters, and couldn't tell you what was going on by 60 pages. I've got 88 books on my list to read this year and can't waste my time on books that don't grab me.

Book Review: The Last Disciple by Hank Hanegraaff

2008-01-23T17:16:00.001-08:00

Well, if I had it to do over again, I wouldn't read this book. I couldn't follow it. It had way too many characters, way too many chapters before they surfaced again so that when they did, I had no idea who they were. The only reason I kept reading a couple of times was that my mom really wanted me to read this book.

In the end, it started to get good and I enjoyed it - about the last 100 pages or so.

The Last Disciple presents an alternative to the popular Left Behind series. The Left Behind series features a rapture prior to the tribulation. This is a different philosophy, saying that the Tribulation was actually connected to Roman rule and wasn't referring to the 21st century in any way.

Interesting. But not really my cup of tea. Thanks anyway, mom.

Review: Eclipse by Stephenie Meyer

2008-01-19T20:16:00.001-08:00

Well, I'd hoped against hope that this would be the last book in this series. Seriously, the series is enough to crush a person with anticipation. I can't stand the suspense. Sadly, there will be a fourth, and we'll probably have to wait until towards the end of 2008 for it. Maybe by then I'll have enough willpower to pass it by.

Don't get me wrong. This is a great book. Great. She hasn't slowed down or lost her stuff at all in between Twilight and Eclipse. My advice is to read the end of this one in the bathtub, like I did, so when your husband comes in you can pretend you're sweating and not crying. Spoilers in the rest of this review, though....

*******

The problems is: I like Jacob so much better than Edward. Now that Bella realizes that she loves Jacob too, why wouldn't she pick him? She could have a normal life, have kids, etc. etc. From here it appears that Stephenie Meyer has written herself into a lose/lose situation. There's just no solution to this problem that's going to please everyone. Or maybe even anyone. I thought the end of this book was about the best she could do to end it all, given the corner she's written herself into. Who in the world knows what she'll do next?

Review: Deadly Advice by Roberta Isleib

2008-01-02T10:13:00.001-08:00

So back on December 14th, Roberta Isleib read my blog reviews, commented, and asked me if I'd like a copy of a book she'd written called Deadly Advice. Wow! The blogosphere can be a weird place, so I went to her website, and she seemed to be a legitimate person. "Of course", I said, "I'd love a copy of your book! I'll even review it!" I worried about the last. What if it was terrible? I didn't promise a great review, and I have to be honest about my book opinions. Cross that bridge if it comes I thought.

I got the book (signed!) amazingly fast, and delved in. I promise you, readers, I'm not just saying this because I was a victim of random kindness -- I really loved the book! It's good. Mind you, it's not a literary tome that will be discussed in graduate literature. No, this is the little mystery you grab when you are going to the beach, or waiting for some interminable appointment and you just want to be entertained, darn it!

The main character is a clinical psychologist. I'm not a psychologist, I'm a psychotherapist (M.A. instead of a Ph.D.) but still, I could relate. I must say, though, I usually hate books where there is a therapist as the main character, because the authors usually get it so wrong. I find myself saying "She can't reveal that!" or "She would never say that!" through the whole book. Roberta got it spot on. Silly me, it took me half the book to glance at her bio and realize she is a clinical psychologist! No wonder she has it so right! duh. These clinical details don't mire you down, but even if you have a faint interest in the therapy world, you'll be glad that it's done right.

I also like mysteries where the main character isn't necessarily a sleuth or detective, just a normal person finding themselves swept up in investigating something. Roberta does this very realistically, not making it seem like the main character is excessively nosy or bizarre. Of course, at the end, her motivations are even more clear. And then there's the very end, which of course leaves you hanging deliciously so that we can look forward to the next in the series.....

There will be a next, right, Roberta?

She also has a golf mystery series that I might check out. I just love having small, easily readable paperback mysteries on hand for those occasions where a book in the purse is just what you need....

Books of 2007

2008-01-01T09:26:00.001-08:00

Ok, I don't have time for a fancy list with links to all my reviews. I'm just going to post my completed reading list for 2007 here so I can start a 2008 reading list on my sidebar. In 2007, I read 66 books - 15 non-fiction, 51 fiction. As usual, before the list, here's my dubious awards:

Best Book of the Year, hands down: The Book Thief
Worst Book of the Year, hands down: The Inheritance of Loss
Best Young Adult Book: The Giver
Best Non-Fiction Book: Yoga and the Quest for the True Self
Book that made me laugh so hard milk came out my nose: Eat, Pray, Love
Book I loved that other people hated: Special Topics in Calamity Physics
Book I hated that other people loved: The Echo Maker/The Eyre Affair
Book I just can't stop thinking about: The Doomsday Book

And without further ado, here's the list:

This Year I Will...by M. J. Ryan
Shantaram by Gregory David Roberts
Changing for Good by John Norcross
An Unfinished Season by Ward Just
Change your Brain, Change your Life by Daniel Amen
The Inheritance of Loss by Kiran Desai
Empire of the Sun by J. D. Ballard
The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
Deception by Denise Mina
The End of the Affair by Graham Greene
Plot Against America by Philip Roth
The Doomsday Book by Connie Willis
The Power Tactics of Jesus Christ by Jay Haley
Half of a Yellow Sun
Lost in the Forest by Sue Miller
The Brief History of the Dead by Keven Brockmeier
Beasts of No Nation by Uzodinma Iweala
What is the What by Dave Eggers
Turn Stress Into Bliss by Micheal Lee
Giraffe by J. M. Ledgard
A Hole in the Universe by Mary McGarry Morris
Special Topics in Calamity Physics by Marisha Pessl
The Trumpet of the Swan by E.B. White
Dinner at the Homesick Restaurant by Anne Tyler
The Secret by Rhonda Byrne
A Certain Chemistry by Mil Millington
Falling in Love is Not Enough by Joseph Dragun
The State Boys Rebellion by Michael D'Antonion
Waxwings by Jonathan Raban
Yoga and the Quest for the True Self by Stephen Cope
The History of Love by Nicole Krauss
The Unbearable Lightness of Being by Milan Kundera
A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini
And Baby Makes Three by John Gottman
The Echo Maker by Richard Powers
TRACON by Paul McElroy
Shalimar the Clown by Salman Rushdie
Forgetfulness by Ward Just
The Memory Keeper's Daughter by Kim Edwards
The Dark River by John Twelve Hawks
Lean Mean Thirteen by Janet Evanovich
Coraline by Neil Gaiman
Number the Stars by Lois Lowry
The Indian in the Cupboard
The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield
The pH Miracle by Robert Young
The Giver by Lois Lowry
How to Improve your Marriage without Talking about it by Patricia Love
Operating Instructions by Anne Lamott
New England White by Stephen Carter
The Divide by Nicholas Sparks
The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde
I Am the Messenger by Marcus Zusak
Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card
Fall on Your Knees
Prayer for the Dying by Stewart O'Nan
The Bridge of Sighs by Richard Russo
Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert
Twilight by Stephanie Meyer
New Moon by Stephanie Meyer
Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen
A Little Love Story by Ronald Merullo
Blood Memory by Greg Iles
72 Hour Hold by Bebe Moore Campbell
How to be a Wealthy Therapist by Casey Truffo
True Evil by Greg Iles.

Mega Book Reviews

2007-12-14T12:08:00.000-08:00

Ok, I've been seriously remiss in updating you all (all two of you!) about my reading progress. I have been reading some fantastic books, but the time to write about them hasn't been forthcoming. So below, without graphics or fanfare, are my opinions about my latest 11 books:

Fall on Your Knees: An Oprah book, if you want to know. Seriously, though, a couple of people chose it for the Something About Me challenge and I'd been wanting to read it. Engrossing, a quick read, very good. I'd highly recommend it, especially if you are interested in literature about Nova Scotia.

Prayer for the Dying: I've wanted to read more of Stewart O'Nan since I read The Good Wife a year or so ago. This was the one the library happened to have so I picked it out. But geez Louise, this was a hard book to read! It's about a town in Civil War era that is swept by cholera. Stewart O'Nan is a beautiful writer, but man oh man, don't choose an emotional time to read this one.

The Bridge of Sighs: I love, love, love Richard Russo. When I saw he had a new book out, I couldn't wait to read it. So I didn't. I listened to it, through Audible.com. I had to drive to San Diego (6 hours) by myself, and hour of commuting for 12 days and then home again. So I needed something to do, and I listened to this book the whole way. Like other times when I've listened to a book, part of what I come to love about it is the reader's voice and the ambiance of listening to it, so I can't say if you'll love it as much as I did if you read it. But I bet you will. Richard Russo has a way of bringing you into small town upstate New York life like no one else.

Eat, Pray, Love: Yeah, I know, everyone has read this one. Reading it at a yoga training makes it even better. This is non-fiction, if you don't know. I really don't like non-fiction, reviews always claiming that they are "laugh out loud funny" and they don't even make me crack a smile. This one really did make me laugh out loud. It's feel good all the way. If you haven't ever had a spiritual crisis, or any other kind of crisis, I guess maybe you won't really get it. But for the rest of us, it's solid gold.

Twilight/New Moon by Stephenie Meyer: These are the first two books in Stephenie Meyers series. I don't know how many books she's planning, but me and all her other readers (I'm sure about this) hope it will go on forever. I heard about these in the book blogging world, hesitated because I'm not a vampire story lover, but finally gave in. I finished Twilight on a Tuesday about noon, and we were supposed to travel on Wednesday. I actually drove to the bookstore and bought the second one for my trip, something I rarely do. I'd had to wait a month for the first one from the library and I wasn't about to wait that long again!! I've got the third one, Eclipse, on hold now. Everyone I've gotten to read Twilight has promptly called me to tell me they hate me, as piles of laundry threaten their lives. Yep, you won't be able to do anything else once you start.

Water for Elephants: What an unusual book. I almost got this one several times and decided I wasn't in the mood to read a story about a traveling circus. Finally I read it because my sister in law loaned it to me. All I can say is, don't hesitate!! What wonderful writing, what a departure from all the run of the mill books you might choose. It's powerful, you'll love it, go get it right now.

A Little Love Story: Well, I liked this book. A book about falling in love. Falling in love with someone sick with cystic fibrosis, to be exact. A good, fast read. Really didn't like being left hanging at the end, though. It's not a bad book, but I could take it or leave it.

Blood Memory: I'm a psychotherapist, and my supervisor once recommended this book in our supervision group as having a lot of information about working with people who have childhood sexual abuse issues. I put in on my list, as that's not my specialty but you never know when it will show up. But if you're not a psychotherapist, never you mind. It's a gripping crime novel type read. Nothing majorly literary about it, it's very John Grisham/James Patterson/John Sanford-y (although I think Greg Iles is a better writer than some of those). It's a big book and I read it in two days. You just have to know what happens!

72 Hour Hold: I'm reading this now and almost done, so I'll leave a review, because heaven knows when I'll be back here. I wonder if this book is fascinating to me simply because I'm a therapist, or if it would be no matter what I did. I'm not sure. The writing is good, it really delves into the dynamics that happen to parents when their kids turn out to be mentally ill. If you have no interest in this area, however, I just don't know how much you'd like it.

Alright, that's it. See you in six months! haha. Just kidding. I hope to be able to update this more regularly in the new year...it's not a resolution or anything, mind you.....

Review: Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card

2007-10-11T17:19:00.001-07:00

I read this book for the Something About Me challenge. I've had the feeling for years that perhaps I'm the only person in the entire world that hasn't read this book! It's my friend Emily's favorite book in the world, so I took this opportunity to read it.

I really liked it. Normally, science fiction isn't my thing, but in the past few years I've been finding more and more SF titles that are great. This is one of them. Of course you have to suspend your own reality, but the characters are so great (and human) that you can really let yourself travel into the future and see the sights.

Even if you think you don't like SF, you'll like this one.

Review: I Am The Messenger by Markus Zusak

2007-10-03T12:10:00.001-07:00

This is my last "official" book for the Something About Me Challenge. I'm done! However, I'm quickly moving on to my "I hope I have time to read these" list.

Loved this book. Loved it. It only took me two days to read, because I just couldn't put it down. Authors like Markus Zusak amaze me. What happens with so many authors that I like is that after a few books I never read them again because, well, read one and you've read them all. I mean, I swear, pick up a John Grisham or a James Patterson and you can just substitute names and places and "voila!" you've got a new book! (Sorry Grisham and Patterson fans).

Not so with Markus Zusak. If you read The Book Thief and loved it, prepare for the same engaging, can't-put-it-down style, but a completely different book. Totally different premise, totally different setting, timeline, etc. There's not a thing about this book that reminded me of his other, except how much I loved it.

Now you're reading about a 19 year old card-playing cabdriver who's a bit of a loser. All of a sudden, he starts getting messages delivered to him on playing cards and you're off on a great adventure. Read this, read The Book Thief, and then you'll probably do what I'm going to do, which is scour the library and book stores for his other ones.

Review: The Eyre Affair

2007-10-01T09:26:00.001-07:00

I know, I know, I'm really behind on reviewing the books I've read. You'll have to forgive me until I take my big test this week. Then I should have some extra brain power for other things!

I read this one for the Something About Me challenge I'm hosting. I really wanted to like it. I tried to like it. I did finish it, although it took me absolutely forever. It's about a female literary detective of sorts that pursues literary mysteries. A person who loves books should love this book!

I didn't love it, though. It has a pretty distinct science-fiction type flavor, with a bizarre world that is unrecognizable. Part of my dislike was that I felt like this imaginary world wasn't described well enough. The book is supposed to be set in 1985, but it's not like the 1985 I lived through. So what happened? How did the world get in such a state? I guess it's really not necessary to describe - you just have to let go and accept that this is a totally different world and just get into it. But I just couldn't. I liked the characters well enough, and I wanted to read to the end and make sure the bad guy got taken care of. But I just couldn't suspend my "reality" enough to fall into this crazy book world.

It probably has something to do with all the stuff that's going on in my life right now. I have little patience for reading anyway, and then this book was a little too much imaginary work. So if you have this on your list, don't give up. You might have a totally different experience. I might even try the second in the series at some point when my life isn't so crazy, who knows?

I only have one more to go from my original list of 6!

Review: Improve your Marriage!

2007-09-01T14:34:00.001-07:00

I read this book, well, because I'm a marriage counselor and consider it my duty to know what's out there in terms of the latest self-help material. People often come in with half-baked attempts at fixing their relationship based on some book they read, or Dr. Phil show they watched, and I have to pick up the pieces! Having said that, I highly respect Pat Love, one of the authors of this book.

I don't know if there is a man on the face of the earth who would read this book. Seriously. Even though it is co-written with Steven Stosny, who is a therapist who focuses on men's issues; and even though it is actually quite male-friendly; I just can't see my husband highlighting passages and saying "hey honey! You've got to come read this paragraph!" You know what I mean?

The good news is that it's a pretty good book for women to read. I have several women clients who desperately need couples counseling, but whose husbands will not set foot in the therapy room. I share with them my firm belief that a relationship can be changed one person at a time, and this book would be a great guide to help get them there. It preaches many of the things that I am continually saying to my clients, mainly that you want to conduct your relationships according to your own personal integrity of the kind of partner you want to be, regardless of how the other person is acting.

The book is full of stereotypes. To be fair, they address this head on in the beginning. If you happen to be a woman who does not want to have long emotional conversations with your husband, or if you happen to be a man who does not withdraw when faced with conversation -- this book might not make sense to you. Largely, though, women are pursuing connection through conversation, and men are wanting to have less conversation, already. So the book is valuable, but might not apply to everyone. What I like about it, though, is that it teaches you how to be a better, more loving partner. Which, even if you are in a great relationship, certainly can never harm you!

Two "Something About Me" reviews

2007-08-19T20:43:00.000-07:00

Kristin picked this for the Something About Me challenge because she loves libraries, books, etc., and also because she thought it was one of the best new books she has read recently! I'm so glad she picked it, because I've been dying to read it! I have read a few tepid reviews of it, though, so I was a little worried. I totally, thoroughly enjoyed it, though. It's the kind of book where you are so engrossed in the story, you wouldn't notice any inconsistencies or other editorial issues. (or at least, I wouldn't). The writing is easy, pulls you in and sits you on the edge of your chair. On the other hand, when you are finished and look back, you realize how deftly the mystery was handled and how skilled the writer really is. I also love libraries and antiquarian bookstores, so this book was a treasure to find. I loved it.
JMC chose this book for the Something About Me challenge, and again, a winner in my opinion! She said this book is an "easy A" because it's so short (children's picture book) but she also said it will make you cry unless you are "cold and heartless". Yeah, pretty much. A philosophical statement about parenting, or more accurately, how to let go as a parent, it's pretty heartbreaking. Like my husband says, parenting is 18 years (and more) of letting go. Incidentally, my kids (6 and 2) loved this book as well and begged me to read it to them many times, although they didn't get the deeper message.

Here's an update on where I'm at with the challenge (the ones I've read in bold):

The Eyre Affair (heidijane and Valentina)
Number the Stars (booklogged) or The Giver (Sarah Miller) - whichever I can get
Stick Kid (JMC)
I Am The Messenger (Jill)
The Thirteenth Tale (Kristin)
Operating Instructions (in memory of Nattie)

I have Operating Instructions in my possession, and I'm truckin' along. I'm glad of this, because there are lots more that I wanted to read if I had time, and I think I might! Thanks, girls, for some great suggestions so far!

Two Young Adult reviews

2007-08-10T17:49:00.000-07:00

First, The Indian in the Cupboard. Recently, a minister in my church said it was the "best book ever written". Well, besides the Bible, he reframed. Ha. I got a kick out of that, so I got it at the library, with the idea that I'd read it to my 6-year old at night. Well, he now prefers to read by himself (lah-di-dah) and didn't want me to read it. So it sat around. Until yesterday, after my surgery to get my tubes tied. I had meant to go to the library and have "The Thirteenth Tale" waiting for me to read in recovery, but time had gotten away from me. So here I was - a day in bed, Vicodin and NO BOOK. So I picked up The Indian in the Cupboard. Awesome! The best thing about it is that there is more. There's about five more sequels. Which is great, because this is fantasy at it's best. I don't know if I'd say it's the BEST book I've ever read, but if I'd read it as a child, I bet I would. It is simply delicious.
And then "Number the Stars", for the Something About Me reading challenge. Two of Lois Lowry's books were nominated, and after reading this one, I'm hoping for time to read "The Giver" as well. This is a very well developed short novel, and I really enjoyed it. I must say, I've read many books about German children during World War II, and never one about Danish children during World War II. I'm sure in some high school history class I probably knew that Denmark was occupied by the Nazis, but it gave me no more of a passing fancy than that. This book gives you yet another perspective of those who were terrorized by the Nazi regime. Oh, and did I say it made me want to visit the Netherlands? Lois Lowry will be hearing more from me.

I'm kinda getting into this YA genre! Oh yay, another 10,000 books for my TBR list. Great.

Review: Coraline by Neil Gaiman

2007-07-31T16:12:00.000-07:00

Another book I've read just for fun. I'm finding, with my study schedule, that it's great to keep things light and there's nothing better for that then Young Adult Fiction. I usually don't read this genre, but many blogs I've read have reviewed Coraline, and loved it. I was curious about the storyline so I picked it up. It seemed incomplete to me, like the story could have been developed so much more. A great idea, and I'd have like to have seen a lot more story development. But, it only took me a couple of hours to read it and it was a good book. I'd like to read some more from Gaiman. It's on my long list of things to do.

A Review and an "I Give Up"

2007-07-28T18:40:00.001-07:00

What can you say about Lean Mean Thirteen? If you have read the rest of the series, you already know that you'll love it. If you haven't read the rest of the series, you should get started. At the pool this summer, I ran into a mom on #8. By the time the swimming lessons were over two weeks later, she was waiting for #13 like the rest of us. I told her the only problem with starting now from the beginning is that you'll eventually reach the place the rest of us are at -- where you have to wait a year now for the next one. Bummer.

I'm really bad at series. In fact, I can't even remember where I left off on Harry Potter. It's true that these are pretty much all the same and I try to analyze why they keep my interest then, when no other series do. I think it's because they crack me up. I mean, I actually guffaw OUT LOUD wherever I happen to be reading. I usually never laugh out loud reading books, so that really says something. Bad language, though, for those of you who are sensitive to that sort of thing.

I finally gave up on Suite Francaise. I can see how it will be a very good book and it is still on my To Be Read list. I have limited time for reading right now, though. I'm studying for licensing exams and considering buying into a yoga business here in town that is in trouble, something I have no idea how to do. Light reading is my best bet right now. So Suite Francaise will have to be shelved while I read some fast paced reads and young adult reads. I don't usually give up on books but simply have to admit that the timing is not right.

Review for FUN!: The Dark River by John Twelve Hawks

2007-07-19T08:10:00.001-07:00

This is the second book in a series. I know I reviewed the first one, "The Traveler" at some point, but it was before I had a book blog and I just can't find it. Let me just say, though, that the WORST thing about reading this series is that you'll have to wait for the third book! I was walking through my library the other day, saw that the second in the series was out and available and I almost yelped! in the library. What I DID do was snatch it up in a hurry.

I don't know quite what genre to call this series. I suppose it would be categorized as science fiction, which I don't particularly like and isn't my regular genre. It has a political message too -- if you think it's just hunky dory that we're listening in on other people's phone calls and holding people without cause, you might get a little annoyed by this book. Basically, it's a futuristic type book where "Big Brother" has gotten out of control and everything we do, buy, say...etc. is recorded and controlled.

The people who do this controlling are called The Brethren. The people who primarily resist this force and come up with new ideas and shake up the system are called The Travelers. They can travel to other realms (our world is the Fourth Realm, hell is the First Realm, etc.) and thus see things from a larger perspective. There are also warriors called Harlequins whose only job is protecting Travelers from the Brethren. I know, it sounds complicated. But, gosh, don't you wonder what would happen if a Harlequin fell in love with her Traveler?? You'll have to read it to find out!!!!

This is just, quite simply, a fun quick read. You won't be able to set either book down. As I said, the only thing that I don't like is that I'm hanging off a cliff for probably, oh, a year while I wait for the third and final installment.

Summer at my house

2007-07-16T19:04:00.001-07:00

My kids, 6 and 2. It's all about Garfield, man.

Review: The Memory Keeper's Daughter by Kim Edwards

2007-07-08T14:34:00.000-07:00

This will be a relatively short review. This is a great book. There was nothing that I didn't like about it or that dragged, etc. But somehow, it probably won't be on my "greatest books I've ever read" list. The story was good, the subject matter was sufficiently disturbing to keep me interested, and the characters were well developed. I'd recommend the book to anyone looking for a quick, satisfying literary read. I'll definitely look for more from Kim Edwards and will pick up her next book without hesitation. I read the book in just a few days and liked it.

There seemed to be something missing, something that would have made it unforgettable; and yet, I just move on to the next book and go on. I can't put my finger on what that might be...

In another note, I'll be reading a lot less over the next few months. I know that sounds crazy, what with me sponsoring the Something About Me challenge and all. Something I hadn't considered when I started that challenge was that I was going to be (and now am) in full study mode for the State Licensing exams in California for my profession. There are two exams in order to be a Marriage and Family Therapist in California, and I'm hoping to take the first one in September and the last one just before Christmas. I will select a book per month for the Something About Me challenge (can't study all the time!) and choose alternates in case I have more time to read than I think. Still, my main focus will be elsewhere until the end of the year. I do still want to read Suite Francaise before the challenge starts in August, since that is my last book for the NYT Notable challenge.

Wish me luck!! (I'll need it, if the stories I've heard are any indication)

NYT Notable Review: Forgetfulness by Ward Just

2007-07-04T10:58:00.001-07:00

I thoroughly enjoyed this book by Ward Just. I have only read one other of his books, An Unfinished Season (link is my review). I liked that book also, but I liked this one better. Perhaps you have to be "in the mood" for Just's books, and I was this time.

In Ward Just's books (it seems...I've only read two) nothing much happens. They are not action-packed. There is a pivotal event, and then you get to ride around in the character's head for the rest of the book while they figure out how they feel about it, what it means, and so forth. When you finish a Ward Just book, you feel like you are losing a friend in a way, so close have you been inside this person's head.

This particular book centers around the murder of a French woman married to an ex-pat American (that's not a spoiler, really, it's on the jacket and comprises the first pages of the book). This takes place post 9/11, and we get a view of how the idea of terrorism has changed the world, and the views of different cultures about it. Fascinating, a quick read, and deep well developed characters.

I said this before, when I read Unfinished Season, but Ward Just has been a prolific writer and more of his books are going on my list.

LAST TBR Review: Shalimar the Clown by Salman Rushdie

2007-06-30T19:44:00.000-07:00

Well, folks, I'm done with the 2007 TBR challenge. I know that I'm supposed to read one book a month, but I'm trying to get done with my other challenges before the challenge I'm hosting, Something About Me, starts on August 1.

Of course I've heard of Salman Rushdie. I remember vaguely the flap about the book Satanic Verses, back when I was in high school. It all sounded so political, so Islamic..? Back then I was ignorant, but I carried with me this idea that his books would be tome-like, too intellectual, above me somehow. So I never read that, or any other of his books.

When Shalimar the Clown came out and I read the reviews, I thought "well, maybe I should try reading Rushdie after all". I'm so glad I did. This is just the type of book that I like. Education and insight into another culture and country (in this case Kashmir) without feeling like you are being educated. In other words, Rushdie is a master at educating the reader about the conflicted region of Kashmir, while weaving it into the storyline in a way that is entertaining and masterful.

This book has it all: love, revenge, politics, culture. Read it, oh do. Here's a sample passage that I like:

For Shalimar the clown the total abnegation of the self was a more problematic requirement, a sticking place. He was, he wanted to be, a part of the holy war, but he also had private matters to attend to, personal oaths to fulfill. At night his wife's face filled his thoughts, her face and behind hers the face of the American. To let go of himself would be to let go of them as well; and he found that he could not order his heart to set his body free.

Two Reviews

2007-06-22T12:48:00.001-07:00

NYT Notable Challenge Review: The Echo Maker by Richard Powers. Ugh. That's all I really want to say about this book. Why on earth it made it to the NYT Notable list I don't know. Bookmarks Magazine also gave it a pretty good review....it was already on my to be read list before I signed up for the challenge. Usually I have good luck following Bookmarks' suggestions. This is a book about a guy who gets in a car accident and ends up with Capgras syndrome, which is a rare brain issue. There's a lot of information about brain function in the book, which I generally find interesting but in this novel was utterly boring. Also, there's a lot of information about birds -- the lead in to most chapters is a description of bird life. Also pretty boringly written. I read another book entirely while stalled in the middle of this book, something I rarely ever do. I didn't want to pick up this book to finish it, but I was on vacation and hadn't brought another book to read. So I finished it, grudgingly.
I chose this as one of the books that says something about me for the Something About Me challenge. It was the only book I chose that I hadn't read, but I knew without reading it that it would say something about me! I was an Air Traffic Controller for 11 years before I had kids and my husband still does the job. Almost every book, article, movie, etc. about air traffic control gets it hideously wrong. Don't get me wrong, I really enjoyed watching the movie Pushing Tin. They got some things right, too, but that's not how it really is. This book is phenomenal in detail, getting almost everything right. I "recognized" the language, the culture and the camaraderie. He goes into a lot of detail about air traffic control and how it works. This was highly interesting to me, but I'm not sure if it would be for the layperson. Still the story is engaging and horrifying (not too sure if I should have picked it to read on a plane, but...) and fast paced. If you like good suspense, I think you'll like it. Not only that, you'll get some education about the politics that go on for air traffic controllers, and you might even do something about it, like visit The Main Bang or write your senator!

Review: And Baby Makes Three by John Gottman, Ph.D.

2007-06-09T10:00:00.001-07:00

I've said before how much I love John Gottman. As a couples therapist, I counsel primarily on the concepts that have been studied and proven to work by this brilliant man. He is one of the only marital therapists alive who is actually studying results in scientific studies and can tell us without a doubt what works and what doesn't.

This is his newest book. I have a few couples making the transition to parenthood right now, so I thought I'd read it to see if anything is new. Considering that there is a 67% drop in marital satisfaction after the first child is born, something should be done! In our society, we do all kinds of things to prepare for baby, but no action is usually taken to prevent the marital distress that usually follows the first child into the world.

This book, as expected, is wonderful for new parents to read to normalize what is happening in their relationship and to open up subjects for discussion. Many things, previously taken for granted (like good sex), now have to be renegotiated. The conversation might be easier to start if it can start with "So what did you think about what he said about x?"

If you're having a baby, or if your first child sent your relationship into a tailspin and you can't figure out why, I implore you to read this book.

Blogger Tribute

2007-06-08T09:09:00.001-07:00

Natalie Rose
December 15, 1973 - June 7, 2007

Some of you know, from my sidebar, that I am hosting a reading challenge starting in August. The idea is to choose five books that somehow represent you. Then, when everyone has listed their five books, you choose some books you'd like to read - either because of the content of the books, or because you'd like to get to know a certain blogger better.

One of the participants of this challenge was Nattie Rose. I added her blog to my blogroll and she became one of my "blogger friends". She loved to read (she was hosting a Newberry reading challenge on her blog), had two small children, was divorced, and was an online advocate for Christian women.

On May 21st, she reported on her blog that she had been diagnosed with cancer, some kind of rare stomach cancer. Things happened quickly. We found out through her father that her cancer was inoperable, and yesterday he posted the above picture, letting us know that she had died. She was 33.

This is a new world of "friendship" now that we have blogging to connect us. How should one grieve for someone one has never met, or should you even? Does this even qualify as a "friend"? I've not commented on her blog, because I was in a dilemma over what one could say that would sound sincere when you've never even met someone. I've a feeling this issue will only continue to grow as we connect with one another cyber-ly, and the emotional implications are fascinating for me.

All said, I'm sad.

Review: A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini

2007-06-04T17:30:00.001-07:00

I don't believe it. The man is a genius. I have a hard time believing that there is any book out there that could possibly be better than The Kite Runner, but I think he's done it!!

I read this book in about two days. Slept terrible last night, wondering what on earth would become of Mariam and Laila (both names I LOVE, by the way!) This is a book that could be consumed in one sitting, except for the enormously heavy emotional toll it takes. I, not given to crying over books, cried three times in the course of this book. Last night, lying in bed, I just couldn't believe that in the 1990's, when I was driving around in my convertible with loud music, dating guys and making a lot of money -- women, somewhere in the world, were being treated like this. I'm ashamed of my lighthearted levity concerning my privileges. That's what this book does to you.

Yeah, it's fiction. But don't kid yourself. There's probably a thousand women who could tell Mariam or Laila's exact story, only it's the truth. Khaled Hosseini makes you hold your breath, gasp, cry ... he makes you want to quit your job and go work for the Red Cross or something.

One of the things I loved about the Kite Runner, and can also be said for this book -- it's like getting an education without reading a textbook. Hosseini is great at weaving details about the Afghan region into the narrative in ways that are not cumbersome or preachy.

I know this review is all over the place. It's because I'm stunned. This is truly a masterpiece. And I wouldn't be surprised if Hosseini has more in him. I can hardly wait to find out.

TBR Review: The Unbearable Lightness of Being by Milan Kundera

2007-06-02T09:27:00.000-07:00

I've wanted to read this book for a long time. Specifically, since I saw the movie as a teenager. A boyfriend took me to the movie at the time, presumably for it's titillating qualities -- indeed, I'd call the movie 'soft porn'. Anyway, I didn't really understand the characters in the movie. I mean, I was a teenager and all, but even then I couldn't understand their motivations, didn't get what they were about.

I'm so glad I read the book. I'd like to see the movie again now, but from what I remember, the movie is very different than the book. The book goes into more detail. Tereza, who in the movie is a weak, waif like dependent wife, is really an abandoned child looking for someone with strength to take care of her. But also, she understands a lot more than it appears. These things are able to be fleshed out in a book format, but not so much in a movie. So, in the book, you get more of a character study of each character and why they are behaving in such manners.

Having said that, I didn't really like the book all that much. The characters seem unconnected. There isn't really a storyline. You get inside one person's head in one chapter, and another's the next. But it isn't in the context of an ongoing story. In addition, at times Kundera completely steps out of the story altogether and starts talking to the reader about his philosophical ideas which are barely connected to whatever part of the story he has been telling. I really don't like it when authors do this. Tell a story, or write a nonfiction book about your philosophical ideas...but don't try to do both at once. Later in the book, he branches off for entire chapters about his views on religion and politics. By the end, I was skimming over entire pages just to get to the end.

So the final verdict is that I'm glad I read it because of my personal history with the film....but you might not be so glad if you read it. :)

TBR Review: The History of Love by Nicole Krauss

2007-05-27T14:31:00.000-07:00

My goodness. I can't for the life of me figure out what everyone thought was so great about this book. Along about page 160, I finally admitted that I had no idea what was going on. I couldn't follow who was narrating now and how they were connected...sometimes I truly didn't care about a particular narrator, mostly because the factoids given in such sections seemed to have no relevance whatsoever to the rest of the book.

I know what you're wondering (if you haven't read it). And yes, it all did end up tying together in the end. But it was all much too clever and convoluted for me. Maybe if I read it a couple more times, I'd understand it. Too much work for pleasure reading, in my opinion. I still don't get it. But I'm moving on. This is me. Moving on.

Today's the Day!

2007-05-22T08:02:00.001-07:00

A Thousand Splendid Suns goes on sale today!! I cannot wait to read this book, which is getting RAVE reviews. The Kite Runner was one of my favorite books of all time, and apparently Khaled Hosseini's second offering does not disappoint! I'm off to the bookstore......

TBR Review: Waxwings by Jonathan Raban

2007-05-11T16:13:00.000-07:00

This book has been on my list forever, it seems. I've never heard of Jonathan Raban before, and can't remember where I got this recommendation. But it's just the kind of book I love, with well-drawn characters, and engaging story and a realistic plot. There's no fairytale endings here, but a twinge of hope and triumph to get you through.

Basically, it's the story of Tom Janeway, a British man living in Seattle with his wife and son. It's a character study, a book where nothing of major importance happens, but you feel like you've been handed a slice of someone's life to look over and dwell in for a time.

He has a new book out, Surveillance, which I just put on my TBR list. It goes to prove that nothing I can do will diminish the list! Anyway, I'm planning on reading more from Jonathan Raban. I loved his style!

TBR Review: State Boys Rebellion by Michael D'Antonio

2007-05-06T12:39:00.000-07:00

I'm not a non-fiction fan, and I have no recollection of where I got the recommendation for this book. BUT, having now read it, I can say that everyone should read this book. D'Antonio has an easily readable and engaging style, so even if you don't love non-fiction, you can get through it easily.

Basically, it follows the life of Fred Boyce, one of the "State Boys" of Massachusetts in the 1950's. But to tell Fred's story is to tell the story of thousands of others - boys and girls caught up in the idea of "eugenics". Here's the dictionary definition of eugenics:

the study of or belief in the possibility of improving the qualities of the human species or a human population, esp. by such means as discouraging reproduction by persons having genetic defects or presumed to have inheritable undesirable traits (negative eugenics) or encouraging reproduction by persons presumed to have inheritable desirable traits (positive eugenics).

There were people in the early part of this century who believed that we should take all "feebleminded" children and lock them away...not allowing them to be part of society, or to reproduce, and so forth. Many of the children targeted were children like Fred Boyce, foster kids who had simply never had a loving home or any quality education and were therefore considered "retarded" or "feebleminded" when actually they were nothing of the kind.

The story told here specifically is quite interesting. But you're also left with larger looming issues. Which of our beliefs today will someday be considered horrific? Are we making assumptions, or even decisions, about certain people based on looks, language, etc., that will turn out to be horrifyingly wrong? This is a great book, not only for the content of the book, but for the thoughts that will spring from the subject matter. You should read it.

Bookmarks is the bane of my life - not!

2007-05-02T14:24:00.000-07:00

I love Bookmarks Magazine. Really I do. But I almost dread its arrival in my mailbox, because it always means adding more books to my growing - and growing - To Be Read pile (My Library Thing, on the sidebar, is actually by TBR list). I now have 77 books I want to read. And although I'm reading books at a faster rate than ever before, I can't seem to read more in a month than I add with each month's Bookmarks Magazine. Therefore, I'll never catch up. I'll be drowning in books forever. The End.

TBR Review: A Certain Chemistry by Mil Millington

2007-04-28T15:13:00.000-07:00

I am embarrassed to review this book on my book blog. It is R-A-U-N-C-H-Y. That is, when you look up "raunchy" in the dictionary, there is a picture of this book. So read what follows, but whatever you do, don't recommend it to your church's book group. (Although it was recommended to me by someone in my church - you know who you are!)

This is the story of a British man who cheats on his girlfriend with a soap star, and how he justifies this behavior to himself. Aside from the fact that it is totally dirty and raunchy, it is dang hilarious. My husband was losing patience with my guffaws while he was watching TV; everyone at the hair salon had to know what I was reading....seriously, I have never, ever read a book as funny as this one. I'm not particularly wont to laugh out loud at books. And I have been reading some pretty heavy material lately, so maybe I was just ripe.

So if you aren't easily offended...ok, if you aren't moderately easy to offend, and you need a laugh, this is your book. If grauitous sex and swearing - along with a downright offensive God narrator - isn't your thing, guess you'll have to find something else to laugh about.

Below is the only - and just barely - printable section that I earmarked to share:

Her reply was to hoist up her nightdress and moon at me. Bit of an own goal, though, of course. Men can moon and it's funny or abusive or whatever. If a woman bends over and shows her bare bottom to you, well, the worst that can happen is you'll be too choked up with gratitude to get the words "Thank you" out properly. And, what's more, Sara's gesture was especially doomed to failure because she was unfortunate enough to possess a particularly fantastic bottom.

Review: Dinner at the Homesick Restaurant by Anne Tyler

2007-04-26T14:25:00.000-07:00

I love Anne Tyler. After The Road debacle, I needed something a little lighter. Not that Anne Tyler is what you'd call "light". The families she portrays are so realistic, but also always a little bit depressing, too. This book is no exception. Many places where I've read biographies of Anne Tyler's writing, people have said that Dinner at the Homesick Restaurant is her best work. I really, really loved it. Sorry I don't have much to say about it right now, but if you like Anne Tyler, and you haven't read this one, read it. If you haven't read Anne Tyler, start here.

The Road - No Way, No How

2007-04-21T21:05:00.000-07:00

First let me say that I am not a person who gives up on books I don't like. I rarely don't finish a book. Having said that, there is no way in H E double hockey sticks that I could finish this book. No way. I made it to page 50.

I guess all parents have terror, that story that fills you with dread when something wakes you up at 2 a.m. and you can't go back to sleep? My nightmare is thinking about something bad happening to our country and being left to care for my children without money, food or medicine. I just can't bear the thought of it. I want to jump out of my skin.

Plus, my oldest boy must be about the age of the child in this book. I could totally see my boy asking the same questions the boy in the book was asking, having the same sweet confusion. I started reading it after the kids went to bed tonight. By the time I got to page 50, sitting in the bath, I was getting pretty crazily emotional and felt like I was going to hyperventilate.

I did read the last few pages. I just wanted to see what happened. I know, it's against all book-reading rules, but I wanted to confirm that my decision to quit was a good one....I just felt that there was no way there could possibly be a satisfactory conclusion to this saga. I was right. I'm glad I quit.

I nod to Cormac McCarthy. I know he's a gifted writer, and he probably deserves all the accolades he's gotten. But he'll have to get them from someone other than me.

NYT Notable Review: Special Topics in Calamity Physics

2007-04-21T07:37:00.000-07:00

What an unusual book. This is Marisha Pessl's first book, and she sure shows off her talent for writing! I turned down so many passages I loved that I couldn't possibly highlight them here.

This is the story of Blue van Meer, a high school girl that undergoes a crisis experience in her senior year. There was a point reading the book where I said "I really don't like this book, because I hate this character." Since I believe it was the author's intent that the reader would feel that way at that point in the narrative, I guess it's an example of good writing. Many people have commented that the book really picks up the pace in the second half, and I'd have to agree. An intricate mystery, the author spends the first half of the book painstakingly putting each thread in place and then unraveling them with lightning speed in the second half.

The book is written like a research paper, so very often in the book the narrator will be talking about something and then reference a written work or fictional story in parenthesis. This is really clever, but ended up being the only thing I really didn't like about the book. By the end, I was pretty much just skipping over all the parenthesis in order to get back to the real story.

Here's an example of her writing:

As Dad said, the difference between a dynamic and a wasted uprising depends upon the point at which it occurs within a country's historic timeline (see Van Meer, "The Fantasy of Industrialization", Federal Forum, Vol. 23, Issue 9). Jade and Lu were still developing nations. And thus, while it wasn't fantastic, it also wasn't too terrible for them to have a backward infrastructure and a poor human development index. But Hannah - she was much farther along. She should have already established a robust economy, peacefulness, free trade - and as these things weren't yet assured, frankly, it wasn't looking good for her democracy. She could very well struggle forever, with "corruption and scandal perpetually undermining [her] credibility as a self-ruled state."

Wikipedia Meme

2007-04-17T16:19:00.000-07:00

Oh this is really fun. I really just tagged myself after reading Kookiejar's blog and then researching my own birthday! Here's how you play:

Go to Wikipedia.com and put in your birthday, without year in the search bar (mine is August 14)
Then list on your blog 3 events, 2 births, 1 death and 1 holiday that happens(ed) on your birthday
Then tag 5 more people to do it!

I'm not tagging, but if you read this and want to tag yourself, like I did - feel free! It's fun!

Three events from August 14th:

1908 - First beauty contest held in Folkestone, England
1936 - Rainey Bethea is hanged in Owensboro, Kentucky in the last public execution in the U.S.
2005 - Helios Airways Flight 522 crashes north of Athens, killing the 121 on board

Two births on August 14th:

1771 - Sir Walter Scott, Scottish historical novelist
1947 - Danielle Steele, American novelist

One death on August 14th:

1951 - William Randolph Hearst, American newspaper magnate

One Event celebrated on August 14th (I really love this one!):

National Creamsicles Day, United States

6th TBR Book Review: A Hole In the Universe by Mary McGarry Morris

2007-04-14T16:47:00.000-07:00

I've liked everything Mary McGarry Morris has ever written. I've had this one on my list for so long, hence the place on my TBR list to finally get read. On the face of it, her books are such an easy read. Well developed characters, unforgettable situations, and great dialogue. I read this one in one day.

And yet, it's not exactly a beach read. This book reminds me of "On Parole" by Akira Yoshimura. It's really a discussion about foolish crimes young people commit, and then how in the world they should reassimilate into society after years of being behind bars.

I have a special place in my heart for this topic. I am a therapist by trade, and I have a client who spent much of her life behind bars. A three-time felon, most people wouldn't give her the time of day. And yet, I have seen her struggle for years now just to make ends meet, just to make a friend, to have a menial job. I don't have the answers. I know that most three-time felons probably shouldn't be trusted. But this book just opened up again the thought process.....how on earth should we rehabilitate someone who has paid the sentence for their crime?

Book Review: Giraffe by J. M. Ledgard

2007-04-13T12:57:00.000-07:00

I don't know if I've ever read a book that stirred such mixed feelings within me. I really like and admire J. M. Ledgard. He is an investigative reporter who writes for The Atlantic, and I always read and enjoy his stories. So when I saw he had written a novel, I was interested. When I saw the subject matter, that it was about the slaughter of 49 giraffes in captivity in Czechoslovakia in 1975, I was even more interested. The book disappointed my expectations -- and at the same time, I can't stop thinking about it.

I'm not sure why J. M. Ledgard chose to make this a novel instead of a non-fiction type investigative report type book. I read somewhere (and now can't remember the source) that he started out writing a novel because the true story of what happened to the giraffes wasn't actually known. Remember, Czechoslovakia was behind the Iron Curtain in 1975 and no one was telling the real story of what happened...if indeed, anyone was alive to tell the story. But in the course of his research for this book, J. M. uncovered the truth of what really happened. Maybe it was too late to go back and change it into a non-fiction read. Maybe his sources wouldn't be cited. I don't know.

What I do know is that character development isn't strong in the story. I felt the telling of the story from so many different viewpoints was choppy, and I didn't feel a strong connection to the narrators. (I did, however, like that one of the giraffes narrates)! So I was trudging through - almost deciding at one point to call it quits but I was in a car on a long road trip so I trudged on - and then I came to the actual slaughter of the giraffes. I cried. I don't know if I'll ever forget that literary scene. It could have been on the big screen for all that it is engraved on my mind.

As I said, I really like J.M. Ledgard. I think he would have done the story more justice if he had stuck to his genre of investigative reporting. But he didn't -- and I still think you should read this book, even if you slog through the first 200 pages.

Ok - Join the Something About Me challenge!

2007-04-13T11:44:00.000-07:00

I've created a new blog just for the "Something About Me" challenge. For those of you who are interested, go on over here, and comment on the first post with your email address. I'll invite you to be a contributing member of the blog and then you can start to post your book choices. You can change, add or modify your lists until the challenge starts on August 1st. Then you'll choose the list of books you'll read and our discussions will begin!

The "Something About Me" Reading Challenge

2007-04-09T17:45:00.000-07:00

Ok, I'll make this challenge idea I have a August or September challenge, since that is after the Non-fiction Five and some of the others are finished....

I'm working on a button....

Start thinking about some books to nominate that will "represent" who you are as a person outside the blogging world. The characters could do your career, your hobbies, live your life....or the setting could be where you live, etc.

Everyone can nominate up to 5 books that represent them (fiction or non-fiction)....then each reader will choose a list they want to read out of all the books nominated. We won't read them collectively as a group, everyone will make their own list...

Any other suggestions?? Pass the word along, as it might take people awhile to figure out what books they want to nominate for the list...

Also, we can start compiling the lists in the summer -- June or July -- so that people can choose their reading lists and be ready to start by August or Sept...

This will be fun...my mind is spinning with the possibilities for my choices!

The seeds of a challenge idea...can someone finish my thought?

2007-04-06T15:03:00.000-07:00

I have the seeds of what could be a new book challenge, but can't seem to complete the thought into a coherent idea....maybe our community of book lovers can comment to tell me if this is a lame idea, or if it could be fun.. What I was thinking about originally was a way for us to all get to know each other a little more than just our book reading lives. So the challenge would go something like this:

First, each participant would nominate a book (or books) that relates somehow to herself (or himself?). In other words, I could nominate a book in which one of the characters was a therapist...Lesley or bookseller chick could nominate a book where one of the main characters works in a bookstore...OR, you could nominate something that doesn't have anything to do with your job -- I could nominate a book set in San Francisco, or a book about yoga, or anything that, if you read it, you might feel like you knew me just a bit better...

Then, when we have a large list of books to choose from (along with who recommended them), we could choose a number of them that we commit to read. We might choose based on the book itself, or maybe curiosity about the one who chose it...

The "Get To Know You" book challenge?? Someone? Anyone?

I'm a thinking blogger!

2007-04-06T14:21:00.000-07:00

I finally got nominated by Kookiejar for the Thinking Blogger award. This is a sort of "chain letter" that's been going through the book blogging world. I don't mean that in a bad way, I just mean that there is no official Thinking Blogger Foundation or anything...it's just a way to showcase five blogs that you read and that make you think. Then the people you nominate do the same, and perhaps somewhere along the process you'll pick up a few more blogs to add to your daily blog addiction!

Most of the book blogs that I read and appreciate have been nominated already, which is partly the reason for this lengthy introduction. I'm going to nominate 5 blogs that I read often that do really make me think. Maybe some of my fellow book bloggers will appreciate the content, maybe not. But it will definitely bust out of the book world. Whether or not these bloggers will pass on the favor, who knows????

Without further ado:

Derring-Do: She's been a little quiet lately, and does occasionally post about something she read in People magazine. But when she's thinking about something deep, she'll knock you off your feet!

Moments of Adequacy: This is your spot for analyzing male/female relations -- or hockey stats, take your pick.

Playin' the Edge: Corilee's yoga blog is about a lot more than yoga....recently "how to let go if you're a control freak". Let her wisdom wash over you.....

Yoga Gumbo: Also a wise yogini, Yogamum will tempt you with delicious recipes, motivate you to write a novel, and occasionally - like today - help you do things like manage your restless mind...

Smart Sisters: How could I leave them out of the Thinking Blogger award with a title like that?? Two sisters with advanced degrees who are in the middle of the struggle of so many of us.....how do we be great mommies and still have a brain??

Ok, that's five and I do hope these people are good sports and play along....Nominate five, link back to the person who nominated you, and if you want to, display the Thinking Blogger award in your post or on your site.

Yeah, okay, I can't stick to five, but the last one is someone who doesn't read my site. But really, if you want to know the sorry state of air traffic control, you have to read the Main Bang. You might not fly again -- OR, you might write to your Congressperson.

*crossposted on my main blog.

FINALLY! Review: What is the What by Dave Eggers

2007-04-03T17:35:00.000-07:00

I feel like it took me absolutely forever to read this book. It's almost 500 pages, but with very dense typeset and tiny margins, it's more like 1,000 pages in "real life".

The subject matter, however, is fascinating. It's labeled "fiction", but it's really non-fiction with some facts that can't be verifiable. So to avoid the James Frey issue, they're calling it fiction. The subject is the war in Sudan (different from the Darfur conflict going on now) and one of the "Lost Boys" as they came to be known. Hundreds of boys ran from their villages and were orphaned or lost track of their families and thereafter lived in refugee camps for the remainder of their childhood.

One of these lost boys was Valentino Achak Deng, who is now living and working in the United States. This is basically his story, from the time he ran from his village, to hearing boys eaten by lions, to life in the refugee camp, to transitioning to life in the United States. I've never really been able to get into Dave Eggers writing (although I admire him and McSweeney's) but boy does he do this subject justice.

I had jury duty the other day and saw a guy reading this book. We were both at about the same spot in the book, and I just wanted to go sit by him and have a lengthy discussion of the book...but didn't because I didn't want him to think me totally annoying. But trust me, if you read this book, you're going to want to talk about it! I have a hard time thinking about the conditions described in this book - and to think of people living under these conditions just 5 years ago, as I was cuddling my first baby in my warm, safe house full of food and clothing. Heck, who am I kidding? I can't believe people are living like this in refugee camps all over the world this very moment. It's really hard to comprehend.

This closes my "Africa" month. I didn't intend for it to be that, but after Half of a Yellow Sun, Beasts of No Nation and What is the What, I think I'm ready for something lighter!

I haven't disappeared.....

2007-03-29T12:19:00.000-07:00

I'm just reading "What is the What" which is a very long and dense book. Must say, though, it's the first book by Dave Eggers that I've really enjoyed.

More to come.....

NYT Notable Review: Beasts of No Nation by Uzodinma Iweala

2007-03-21T19:30:00.000-07:00

A horrible and shocking little book. At 142 pages, it sure packs a wallop, and is a book I probably won't forget for a long, long time. Set in an unnamed African country, it is the story of a young boy who is conscripted to be a soldier in some unnamed war. Placed in a terrible dilemma - go along with the soldiers or die - you journey with him into hell.

One of the difficult things about reading this book is that it is written as the character would think -- in other words, in a type of pidgin English. You get used to it very quickly, but here's a small sample:

This darkness is so full like it is my mother's hug. Heya! I am remembering my mother and how she is so good to me that each time she is hugging me that is all I am needing to see the dark skin of her arm holding me close to her and I am knowing that the life I am living is so good. I am walking with my hand stretching out in front of me because I am trying to catch all of those thought that is floating around me so I can make sure no part of me is missing.

On a side note, the author of this book - notable by the New York Times, was born in 1982. So that's what it's come to. I'm reading books by people born when I was in high school. Boy, do I feel old.