By Patrick Rothfuss (1107 pp.)
I took 1800 pages on vacation and managed to read 1400 in two weeks and it took 3 weeks to finish the last 400 pages. These books hold up great second time through. The only bummer is I bet Book 3 won't be here for at least another couple of years.
Tuesday, October 28, 2014
Thursday, October 9, 2014
31. The Name of the Wind
By Patrick Rothfuss (720 pp)
This is the second time I've read this. I wanted to wait until I knew book 3 was coming out but it seemed like the perfect vacation book and it was. I was always happy to get back to it when I was sitting on a train or sleepless at an odd hour. I only made it about 375 pp into Book 2 and I'm worried it will take me forever to finish when reading has to compete with all the other things in my non-vacation life. Original review here. Still highly recommend. Second reading greatly enhanced by Jo Walton's Re-Read.
This is the second time I've read this. I wanted to wait until I knew book 3 was coming out but it seemed like the perfect vacation book and it was. I was always happy to get back to it when I was sitting on a train or sleepless at an odd hour. I only made it about 375 pp into Book 2 and I'm worried it will take me forever to finish when reading has to compete with all the other things in my non-vacation life. Original review here. Still highly recommend. Second reading greatly enhanced by Jo Walton's Re-Read.
Saturday, September 13, 2014
30. The Night Circus
By Erin Morgenstern (387 pp)
I resisted reading this book for ages and I think it's because the cover reminded me of a Tim Burton movie I didn't like. Isn't that a terrible reason not to read a book? My sister gave me her copy and I finally read it and what do you know? I liked it a lot. I felt like it was more atmosphere and setting than story but it kept pulling me along so much that I dragged a hardcover book on the bus with me. It's about a mysterious circus and its players and a couple of magicians who are in a competition they don't understand. Recommend.
I resisted reading this book for ages and I think it's because the cover reminded me of a Tim Burton movie I didn't like. Isn't that a terrible reason not to read a book? My sister gave me her copy and I finally read it and what do you know? I liked it a lot. I felt like it was more atmosphere and setting than story but it kept pulling me along so much that I dragged a hardcover book on the bus with me. It's about a mysterious circus and its players and a couple of magicians who are in a competition they don't understand. Recommend.
Saturday, September 6, 2014
29. a land more kind than home
By Wiley Cash (306 pp)
This book did not work for me. It's set in a small town in North Carolina and while the setting descriptions are lovely and there are some suspenseful moments, I thought it was a cliched southern evil preacher story. The story is about a young boy and his brother who see something they aren't supposed to see which makes a bunch of terrible things happen. The entire story is just terrible things happening.
This book did not work for me. It's set in a small town in North Carolina and while the setting descriptions are lovely and there are some suspenseful moments, I thought it was a cliched southern evil preacher story. The story is about a young boy and his brother who see something they aren't supposed to see which makes a bunch of terrible things happen. The entire story is just terrible things happening.
28. The Birthday Problem
By Caren Gussoff (216 pp)
How to describe the undescribable book? It's set in a future Seattle where nanobots used to improve health end up making people crazy. Civilized life falls apart. But that's just the backdrop Really it's about loosely connected characters trying to keep their act together while dealing with friends and family and loss and the world undone. It was a little more intense than I was expecting which is a total user error since Caren was in my Clarion West class so I'm familiar with her writing. Recommend.
How to describe the undescribable book? It's set in a future Seattle where nanobots used to improve health end up making people crazy. Civilized life falls apart. But that's just the backdrop Really it's about loosely connected characters trying to keep their act together while dealing with friends and family and loss and the world undone. It was a little more intense than I was expecting which is a total user error since Caren was in my Clarion West class so I'm familiar with her writing. Recommend.
Saturday, August 30, 2014
27. A Tale for the Time Being
By Ruth Ozeki (418 pp)
I've had this writer on my list forever and I finally grabbed a book. For the most part I was wildly in love with this book. However, last night I had terrible insomnia that I knew it was hopeless so I got up and went to the living room to read. Unfortunately, I was at a terribly dark part of the book which wasn't the greatest at 3am. This is about a woman who finds the diary of a 16 year old Japanese-American girl on the beach. She has her own issues and as she reads the diary learns of the 16 year old's issues. One of the featured characters is a 104 year old Buddhist nun. The book is hilarious, sad and has some tough spots but overall: RECOMMEND.
I've had this writer on my list forever and I finally grabbed a book. For the most part I was wildly in love with this book. However, last night I had terrible insomnia that I knew it was hopeless so I got up and went to the living room to read. Unfortunately, I was at a terribly dark part of the book which wasn't the greatest at 3am. This is about a woman who finds the diary of a 16 year old Japanese-American girl on the beach. She has her own issues and as she reads the diary learns of the 16 year old's issues. One of the featured characters is a 104 year old Buddhist nun. The book is hilarious, sad and has some tough spots but overall: RECOMMEND.
Friday, August 22, 2014
26. Writing is My Drink
By Theo Pauline Nestor (249 pp)
Hannah gave me this book for my birthday - it's both memoir and how-to for writing memoir. Here's a quote from when Nestor was unable to write something for work in a crunch: "I did not die because we never do die in those moments when we come toe-to-toe with the version of ourselves that's a fraction of the person we want to be." If would have been nice to read that in a book 30 years ago. Recommend for people interested in memoir.
Hannah gave me this book for my birthday - it's both memoir and how-to for writing memoir. Here's a quote from when Nestor was unable to write something for work in a crunch: "I did not die because we never do die in those moments when we come toe-to-toe with the version of ourselves that's a fraction of the person we want to be." If would have been nice to read that in a book 30 years ago. Recommend for people interested in memoir.
Sunday, August 17, 2014
25. Green Grass, Running Water
By Thomas King (431 pp.)
This book came out in 1993 and it's interesting how timeless it felt. Sure, there were VCRs and no cellphones so it's not like you can't tell it was written over 20 years ago, but the issues the Indians were dealing are pretty much unchanged. I can't believe I had never heard of it before. (Thanks Carter).
I wasn't sure if this book was going to work for me because it has a magical realism thread and I can't always get into that. However, this book is hilarious. It concerns some missing elders and a group of contemporary First Nations people in Alberta dealing with life. Unique structure that took me awhile to figure out. Recommend especially for people who like contemporary Indian stories. Also I feel compelled to add that there is a character on p. 281 named Robert Loblaw.
This book came out in 1993 and it's interesting how timeless it felt. Sure, there were VCRs and no cellphones so it's not like you can't tell it was written over 20 years ago, but the issues the Indians were dealing are pretty much unchanged. I can't believe I had never heard of it before. (Thanks Carter).
I wasn't sure if this book was going to work for me because it has a magical realism thread and I can't always get into that. However, this book is hilarious. It concerns some missing elders and a group of contemporary First Nations people in Alberta dealing with life. Unique structure that took me awhile to figure out. Recommend especially for people who like contemporary Indian stories. Also I feel compelled to add that there is a character on p. 281 named Robert Loblaw.
Sunday, August 10, 2014
24. Wolf Hall
By Hilary Mantel (604 pp)
I had two half finished books before I went on vacation and of course I can't take a half finished book on vacation. I've been wanting to read this and I like taking a tome on vacation so this was it. Actually I originally chose 2 tomes but I smartly put one back. Over the course of vacation I read 450 pages and I was afraid I would never get around to finishing this. But I am still feeling worn out from travel and the busy week I had this week so I spend a couple of lazy afternoons finishing it. It is a King Henry VIII story from the POV of Thomas Cromwell. It's a little dense for a vacation book. I like KHVIII as much as the next person but after awhile I can't keep track of who is who and jeez, they sure liked executing people. Definitely recommend for people who love KHVIII stories.
I had two half finished books before I went on vacation and of course I can't take a half finished book on vacation. I've been wanting to read this and I like taking a tome on vacation so this was it. Actually I originally chose 2 tomes but I smartly put one back. Over the course of vacation I read 450 pages and I was afraid I would never get around to finishing this. But I am still feeling worn out from travel and the busy week I had this week so I spend a couple of lazy afternoons finishing it. It is a King Henry VIII story from the POV of Thomas Cromwell. It's a little dense for a vacation book. I like KHVIII as much as the next person but after awhile I can't keep track of who is who and jeez, they sure liked executing people. Definitely recommend for people who love KHVIII stories.
Saturday, July 5, 2014
23. Eleanor & Park
By Rainbow Rowell
This is a YA romance set in 1986 and it's really good. Unfortunately, I can't say a whole lot of what was so good about it without spoilers. I can say: it's not a typical romance story and the author has perfectly captured the fresh and super-intense feelings of being in love for the first time. Remember that? When you could spend hours in your head re-living the tiniest details. Like after the dance when he put his suit jacket over your shoulders so you wouldn't feel cold. Mm. Recommend.
This is a YA romance set in 1986 and it's really good. Unfortunately, I can't say a whole lot of what was so good about it without spoilers. I can say: it's not a typical romance story and the author has perfectly captured the fresh and super-intense feelings of being in love for the first time. Remember that? When you could spend hours in your head re-living the tiniest details. Like after the dance when he put his suit jacket over your shoulders so you wouldn't feel cold. Mm. Recommend.
Saturday, June 28, 2014
22. The Known World
By Edward P. Jones (388 pp.)
This book won the Pulitzer in 2004 and it's been on my bookshelf almost that long. I started it once and couldn't get into it and although I always intended to pick it up again, it never seemed the right time. Then I finally tried again and got a little stuck at first. It took me awhile to figure it out. It drops in and out of different story lines and sometimes will tell the entire story of a character upon introduction and then never mention that character again. After about 25 pages I went back and started again and made a little cheat sheet to help me remember who was what. It is a fabulous book. It's set in Virginia and revolves around slave owners and former slaves who own slaves. It is not an easy story but really well done. If you've had it on your shelf for almost 10 years, time to dust it off.
This book won the Pulitzer in 2004 and it's been on my bookshelf almost that long. I started it once and couldn't get into it and although I always intended to pick it up again, it never seemed the right time. Then I finally tried again and got a little stuck at first. It took me awhile to figure it out. It drops in and out of different story lines and sometimes will tell the entire story of a character upon introduction and then never mention that character again. After about 25 pages I went back and started again and made a little cheat sheet to help me remember who was what. It is a fabulous book. It's set in Virginia and revolves around slave owners and former slaves who own slaves. It is not an easy story but really well done. If you've had it on your shelf for almost 10 years, time to dust it off.
Saturday, June 14, 2014
21. Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Won't Stop Talking
By Susan Cain (271 pp)
A couple of people recommended this book for me. I've had it on the shelf for awhile and finally read it. It is terrific and would have been helpful information about 30 years ago. It's about introverts and talked about it in the context of kids, the workplace and life in general. It's a bit long-winded in spots but a lot of great information.
A couple of people recommended this book for me. I've had it on the shelf for awhile and finally read it. It is terrific and would have been helpful information about 30 years ago. It's about introverts and talked about it in the context of kids, the workplace and life in general. It's a bit long-winded in spots but a lot of great information.
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