By Margaret Atwood (432 pp.)
It's not that I didn't like this book but it's not my favorite Margaret Atwood. I loved Alias Grace and The Blind Assassin. TBA is sitting on my "to read" shelf for a re-read. I hardly ever re-read books anymore. I think I got a little mucked up with the structure going back and forth in time with different narrators. But the closer the book got to the end, the more I got into it. This is a companion book to Oryx and Crake that I like when I read it. It takes place in the near future when the world is falling apart and then there's a pandemic and it really does fall apart. It made me want to skim Oryx and Crake again except I think my copy must be at Mom's because I can't find it. Recommend for MA fans.
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
Thursday, June 23, 2011
19. The Golem's Eye: The Bartimaeus Trilogy #2
By Jonathan Stroud (562 pp.)
This is second in a series (See Book #16.) I had a much harder time getting into this book and I don't think it was any major thing, it just could have been trimmed by 50+ pages so we got into it quicker. Bartimaeus, my favorite character barely appears in the first 100 pages. But once we headed to the conclusion, it went quick. It's about a djinni, a boy magician (who is a bit of a putz), a common girl who are fighting the magician establishment, and some big bad stuff.
This is second in a series (See Book #16.) I had a much harder time getting into this book and I don't think it was any major thing, it just could have been trimmed by 50+ pages so we got into it quicker. Bartimaeus, my favorite character barely appears in the first 100 pages. But once we headed to the conclusion, it went quick. It's about a djinni, a boy magician (who is a bit of a putz), a common girl who are fighting the magician establishment, and some big bad stuff.
Sunday, June 5, 2011
18. So You Want to Be A Rock & Roll Star
By Jacob Slichter (286 pp.)
When I graduated from college I really wanted to work for a record company or do something in the music business. For numerous reasons it didn't work out, but I'm still interested in how it works.
The book is written by the drummer for Semisonic the band that did the song "Closing Time" which is a great song but was everywhere in 1998. I remember getting to the point where I'd want to jump out the window when that song came on.
This is about them getting started, getting a record deal and trying to get their music on the air. Then getting a monster hit and how it all worked out. Slichter was in his 30's when this happened so he's got a grown-up's perspective. Lots of great inside scoop. The music business is scarily crooked. I'm lucky I didn't end up in it. Good book.
When I graduated from college I really wanted to work for a record company or do something in the music business. For numerous reasons it didn't work out, but I'm still interested in how it works.
The book is written by the drummer for Semisonic the band that did the song "Closing Time" which is a great song but was everywhere in 1998. I remember getting to the point where I'd want to jump out the window when that song came on.
This is about them getting started, getting a record deal and trying to get their music on the air. Then getting a monster hit and how it all worked out. Slichter was in his 30's when this happened so he's got a grown-up's perspective. Lots of great inside scoop. The music business is scarily crooked. I'm lucky I didn't end up in it. Good book.
Friday, June 3, 2011
17. The Miracle of Castel Di Sangro
By Joe McGinniss (404 pp.)
My love for this book grew exponentially as I read it. Very highly recommended for people who love books about soccer. I don't think anyone else will be so thrilled. It's about a soccer team from a tiny town in Italy that makes its way into Serie B. Non-fiction just in case it isn't clear. The author is an American and he lived in the town for the 1996 soccer season to write this story. My biggest beef, and I understand this is how this type of journalism works, is that the author make himself such a big part of the story. But he's such a big personality, I think this is also what makes the story work. It ends on a sour note which almost ruins the whole experience but I think the author and the team would agree on that.
My love for this book grew exponentially as I read it. Very highly recommended for people who love books about soccer. I don't think anyone else will be so thrilled. It's about a soccer team from a tiny town in Italy that makes its way into Serie B. Non-fiction just in case it isn't clear. The author is an American and he lived in the town for the 1996 soccer season to write this story. My biggest beef, and I understand this is how this type of journalism works, is that the author make himself such a big part of the story. But he's such a big personality, I think this is also what makes the story work. It ends on a sour note which almost ruins the whole experience but I think the author and the team would agree on that.
Friday, May 20, 2011
16. The Amulet of Samarkand (Bartimaeus Book 1)
By Jonathan Stroud (462 pp.)
My sister gave me this book and I LOVED it. I'm going to buy the other 2 ASAP. It's a YA book about an ancient djinni (Bartimaeus) and a kid named Nathanial who is studying to be a magician. It's got action, danger, great humor and characters who keep doing the wrong thing and then getting into more trouble when they try to fix it. Recommend!
My sister gave me this book and I LOVED it. I'm going to buy the other 2 ASAP. It's a YA book about an ancient djinni (Bartimaeus) and a kid named Nathanial who is studying to be a magician. It's got action, danger, great humor and characters who keep doing the wrong thing and then getting into more trouble when they try to fix it. Recommend!
Thursday, May 12, 2011
15. Chasing the Game: American and the Quest for the World Cup
By Filip Bondy (293 pp)
This is the story of the US Men's National Soccer team at the World Cup. It tells the story leading up to the 2010 World Cup and also the history of the US and the World Cup. There is a ton of great information in here and I learned a lot of new stuff. However, I found the structure sort-of confusing because the lead up to 2010 is intercut with the historical stuff and as you get closer to the present there are overlapping characters and I sometimes had to take a minute to sort out where I was in time. Plus the backstory of some of the players -- which are fantastic -- are thrown in seemingly at random. I also think the choice to put Tim Howard (click here for a special treat ladies) on the cover is weird. It seems like having a bunch of US players would have made more sense.
This is the story of the US Men's National Soccer team at the World Cup. It tells the story leading up to the 2010 World Cup and also the history of the US and the World Cup. There is a ton of great information in here and I learned a lot of new stuff. However, I found the structure sort-of confusing because the lead up to 2010 is intercut with the historical stuff and as you get closer to the present there are overlapping characters and I sometimes had to take a minute to sort out where I was in time. Plus the backstory of some of the players -- which are fantastic -- are thrown in seemingly at random. I also think the choice to put Tim Howard (click here for a special treat ladies) on the cover is weird. It seems like having a bunch of US players would have made more sense.
Saturday, May 7, 2011
14. As Always, Julia: Food, Friendship and the Making of a Masterpiece
Ed. by Joan Reardon (402 pp)
This is a book of correspondence between Julia Child and Avis DeVoto. They met when Julia wrote a letter to Bernard DeVoto after reading an article he wrote about kitchen knives. It's hard not to love people who are passionate about cutlery. That letter started a correspondence that developed into an amazing friendship. Avis ended up playing a key role in getting Mastering the Art of French Cooking published.
I loved it. It gets a tad long in spots but is easy to skim. One of the things I loved is that they both write about being frustrated with trying to balance all the things they want to do. I feel like my personal challenges are so unique and here are two ambitious women 50 years ago, struggling with the same thing.
This is a book of correspondence between Julia Child and Avis DeVoto. They met when Julia wrote a letter to Bernard DeVoto after reading an article he wrote about kitchen knives. It's hard not to love people who are passionate about cutlery. That letter started a correspondence that developed into an amazing friendship. Avis ended up playing a key role in getting Mastering the Art of French Cooking published.
I loved it. It gets a tad long in spots but is easy to skim. One of the things I loved is that they both write about being frustrated with trying to balance all the things they want to do. I feel like my personal challenges are so unique and here are two ambitious women 50 years ago, struggling with the same thing.
Friday, April 22, 2011
13. A Visit from the Goon Squad
by Jennifer Egan (274 pp.)
Another book of inter-connected short stories that would be tough to sum up in a sentence. People in different places at different times. It's really good. I recommend.
I wanted to check something about the book online and found the author website here which I highly recommend *after* you read the book. She talks about the stories in the book and real life connections to them.
In course of doing that I found a bunch of reviews and blurbs. Man, I'd like to start a project making fun of book reviews. Like, every week on FB I'd review a fake book: "A shocking tour de force that rewards the yearnings of modernity and pits us against the sweeping land mines of the human heart."
This book inspired quite a bit inanity in the review department.
Another book of inter-connected short stories that would be tough to sum up in a sentence. People in different places at different times. It's really good. I recommend.
I wanted to check something about the book online and found the author website here which I highly recommend *after* you read the book. She talks about the stories in the book and real life connections to them.
In course of doing that I found a bunch of reviews and blurbs. Man, I'd like to start a project making fun of book reviews. Like, every week on FB I'd review a fake book: "A shocking tour de force that rewards the yearnings of modernity and pits us against the sweeping land mines of the human heart."
This book inspired quite a bit inanity in the review department.
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
12. A Wind in the Door
by Madeleine L'Engle (211 pp.)
I read this book when I was a teenager and I remember loving it. I did not like it even a tiny bit this time. Tedious. It's a YA book about smart teenager with a science-y family. Her brother is sick and some random beings show up with stuff to teach and there are tests and evil.
I read this book when I was a teenager and I remember loving it. I did not like it even a tiny bit this time. Tedious. It's a YA book about smart teenager with a science-y family. Her brother is sick and some random beings show up with stuff to teach and there are tests and evil.
Sunday, April 17, 2011
11. A Feast for Crows
by George R.R. Martin (684 pp)
I've been sitting on this for awhile. It's book #4 in one of those sweeping epic swords and kings series. The series is still in progress and this is last one that's been written. (book #1, book #2, book #3). The TV series starts on HBO this weekend and supposedly number #5 is coming out this summer so I went ahead and plowed through it.
I didn't hate it but this is my least favorite of the series so far. Too many characters. And characters have more than one name and sometimes more than one identity. At one point I could swear the writer was doing this just to be mean. And it felt like the last book knocked all the pieces off the board and this book was about setting them back up again. But only some of them. There were still lots of good bits and I did manage to read it in two weeks and even dragged it on the bus with me (I read the hardcover). I will for sure continue with the series even though at this point my takeaway is that no matter if you're good, honest, bad or crazy: you will die, probably horribly.
Still, looking forward to the TV series.
I've been sitting on this for awhile. It's book #4 in one of those sweeping epic swords and kings series. The series is still in progress and this is last one that's been written. (book #1, book #2, book #3). The TV series starts on HBO this weekend and supposedly number #5 is coming out this summer so I went ahead and plowed through it.
I didn't hate it but this is my least favorite of the series so far. Too many characters. And characters have more than one name and sometimes more than one identity. At one point I could swear the writer was doing this just to be mean. And it felt like the last book knocked all the pieces off the board and this book was about setting them back up again. But only some of them. There were still lots of good bits and I did manage to read it in two weeks and even dragged it on the bus with me (I read the hardcover). I will for sure continue with the series even though at this point my takeaway is that no matter if you're good, honest, bad or crazy: you will die, probably horribly.
Still, looking forward to the TV series.
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
10. The Native Star
by M.K. Hobson (387 pp.)
I'm on track to read 40 books this year. That's not terrible but I still wish I finished more. I'm trying.
I love the set-up for this book. It's magic and witches/warlocks in 1876 California. There are horses and trains and lumbermen. The protagonist is an everyday witch from a small settlement. Magic goes wrong and pretty soon there are all sorts of unsavory characters trying to find her. Very fun book.
I'm on track to read 40 books this year. That's not terrible but I still wish I finished more. I'm trying.
I love the set-up for this book. It's magic and witches/warlocks in 1876 California. There are horses and trains and lumbermen. The protagonist is an everyday witch from a small settlement. Magic goes wrong and pretty soon there are all sorts of unsavory characters trying to find her. Very fun book.
Sunday, March 20, 2011
9. Unlucky
by Dave Ungrady (207 pp.)
This book is about a soccer team's first year in D3 of the USISL. I'm copying that off the back of the book because I'm not even sure what that means. My big takeaway was: Wow, some guys really want to play soccer. For some of the guys, they hope this will be a jump-off point to bigger things. Some guys seem to be happy just to play for the team. Some guys have issues of one kind or another and just end up here. There was no pay, poor organization and a lot of uncertainty. And they lost a lot. This was in 1998. Looks like the club has done great. That would have been tough to predict from their first season. It's tough to resist the urge to put all those names into a search engine and see where they ended up.
This book is about a soccer team's first year in D3 of the USISL. I'm copying that off the back of the book because I'm not even sure what that means. My big takeaway was: Wow, some guys really want to play soccer. For some of the guys, they hope this will be a jump-off point to bigger things. Some guys seem to be happy just to play for the team. Some guys have issues of one kind or another and just end up here. There was no pay, poor organization and a lot of uncertainty. And they lost a lot. This was in 1998. Looks like the club has done great. That would have been tough to predict from their first season. It's tough to resist the urge to put all those names into a search engine and see where they ended up.
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