1. A Walk in the Woods, Bill Bryson, Rating: 2.2
I really like Bill Bryson--don't let this low rating scare you away from him. Do choose another one of his books to read, however. This book is about hiking the Appalachian Trail, which apparently wasn't quite big enough of a subject for Bill--he fills in the gaps with the history of various towns, complaints about the people he meets, and occasional rants about the government, America, and stupid tourists. Generally speaking, Bryson is very funny and informative, but he's just a little off his game here.
2. The Art of Travel, Alain de Botton, Rating: 3.7
This book is fascinating and absolutely impossible to read straight through. It was highly recommended by several friends, and deserves high praise. It unfortunately was a major struggle for me to get through--I'm really not good at slowing down and enjoying good writing and deep thoughts. I started reading this book last July, and only now finished it. One line in particular, however, was worth reading the whole book for (and conveys exactly why I enjoyed writing my travel blog so much):
"the most effective means of pursuing this conscious understanding [of beauty] was by attempting to describe beautiful places through art, by writing about or drawing them, irrespective of whether one happened to have any talent for doing so." (the endorsement of lack of talent being key to the whole experience)
3. The Vintner's Luck, Elizabeth Knox, Rating: 4.6
Don't let the cover put you off--this is a must-read. The story is slightly odd (a relationship between a French man and an angel, 100 years ago), but the pacing is perfect (each chapter equals one year--how can you get bored when things move that fast?) and the writing is exquisite. Seriously. Thanks to Galen for the recommendation.
4. The Historian, Elizabeth Kostova, Rating: 2.3
This book has been on the NY Times best-seller list forever (at least 6 months). I reserved it at the berkeley library last July, and only got my hands on a copy two weeks ago. Obviously it's quite popular. The story deals with two generations of a family pursuing Dracula, traveling all over the world, and researching in all sorts of exciting libraries. Right up my alley. But...it's just not very good. So not very good that it makes me lose faith in the American book-buying public. The story actually reminds me of The Da Vinci Code--compelling story that overcomes a lack of writing finesse. Except the writing is worse, and the story is less compelling. I didn't hate it (the story at times is quite interesting), but can't recommend it.
5. Oryx and Crake, Margaret Atwood, Rating: 3.2
Very, very odd. I think that's really all I can say about this. It actually falls into one of my favorite genres of fiction--the end of the world--but is very different than other books on the subject. A major departure for Atwood.
Friday, December 16, 2005
Sunday, December 04, 2005
November 2005 Book Reviews
This is a pathetic list--I'll try harder next month. I've got a new friend at work that has made some interesting recommendations.
1. Stolen Figs and Other Adventures in Calabria, Mark Rotella, Rating: 1.7
I really wanted to like this. I had an email recently from Sandra, a lovely Canadian woman I met in Brugges, who is in the midst of planning her wedding and honeymoon. She's taking Italian lessons, and they're planning on spending time in Calabria (in Italy). She mentioned that she was reading this to learn more about the area. Mark Rotella is an editor at Publishers Weekly, and, despite that credential, just can't write very well. The book reads like he took the contents of a guidebook to the region, moved things around about, and inserted a few personal details--often the same details, over and over again. A big reason that I only got through two books this month was the fact that I was determined to finish this, and found it extremely difficult to care about. It did, however, make me interested in Calabria.
2. Three Junes, Julia Glass, Rating: 4.2
Everyone seems to be reading this these days. The first 100 pages are slow going, but it really picks up after that. There are multiple narrators (all connected through blood or friendship) with distinct voices and points of view. There's a plot, but the book really isn't about that--I felt that it was more about exploring relationships and emotions and feelings. Definitely worth checking out.
1. Stolen Figs and Other Adventures in Calabria, Mark Rotella, Rating: 1.7
I really wanted to like this. I had an email recently from Sandra, a lovely Canadian woman I met in Brugges, who is in the midst of planning her wedding and honeymoon. She's taking Italian lessons, and they're planning on spending time in Calabria (in Italy). She mentioned that she was reading this to learn more about the area. Mark Rotella is an editor at Publishers Weekly, and, despite that credential, just can't write very well. The book reads like he took the contents of a guidebook to the region, moved things around about, and inserted a few personal details--often the same details, over and over again. A big reason that I only got through two books this month was the fact that I was determined to finish this, and found it extremely difficult to care about. It did, however, make me interested in Calabria.
2. Three Junes, Julia Glass, Rating: 4.2
Everyone seems to be reading this these days. The first 100 pages are slow going, but it really picks up after that. There are multiple narrators (all connected through blood or friendship) with distinct voices and points of view. There's a plot, but the book really isn't about that--I felt that it was more about exploring relationships and emotions and feelings. Definitely worth checking out.
Sunday, November 06, 2005
October 2005 Book Reviews
This was a successful reading month. No promises for November, though--I've taken up crocheting full-time on the BART, and my book volume is definitely suffering.
1. American Gods, Neil Gaiman, Rating: 4.7
I really liked this. I think Good Omens (one of his previous novels) might be better, but this is a close second. It's very clever and well-researched (the subject matter deals with gods from numerous time periods and religions). Definitely check it out.
2. Y The Last Man, Volume 5 (comic book), Rating: 4.8
I've recommended this series to many of my friends already--it and Fables are the only series I keep up on. The plot deals with the journey of a young man trying to find his girlfriend and stay alive. He's (as far as we know) the only man alive on earth, after a virus wipes out everything with a Y chromosome. The art is gorgeous, the story gripping and very easy to follow. If you're interested in reading comic books, this is a perfect series to start with.
3. Julie & Julia, Julie Powell, Rating: 4.0
I'm sure you've read a review of this--it seems to be getting attention everywhere. It's one of those blog spin-offs (which are suddenly everywhere; is this the latest publishing trend?), a narration of a woman's efforts to cook her way through Julia Child's Mastering the Art of French Cooking in one year. I found the story tedious initially, but got into it when the author stopped complaining so much about her life and started talking more about her cooking. Frequent Buffy references helped, too. If you like food writing, you'll probably enjoy this.
4. Thinking in Pictures, Temple Grandin, Rating: 2.8
This is an interesting, important book that I completely failed to respond to. It's written by an autistic woman, and deals with what's it like to be autistic (as well as what's it's like to be a cow--the author really likes cows). I definitely learned a lot, but finishing it was painful.
5. I'm Not the New Me, Wendy McClure, Rating: 2.8
The was an interesting counterpoint to Julie & Julia. It's also a blog spin-off, this time about weight loss. I would frankly rather read about eating food than not doing so.
6. Welcome to My Planet, Where English is Sometimes Spoken, Shannon Olson, Rating: 2.3
I should have held off on reading this for a few weeks. It was the third book this month (after #3 and #5) about a whiny woman approaching 30 who is dissatisfied (reasonably so) with her life. At least the author of Julie & Julia did something interesting; this woman just complains. Frankly, she's not that good of a writer and it felt like a waste of time to read about her pathetic life. (Wow, did I just write that? A little harsh, but I'm going to leave it there.)
7. Veronika Decides to Die, Paulo Coelho, Rating: 3.5
Beautifully written, extremely insightful. The rating is a little lower because I find the subject matter--suicide--depressing to read about, but I'll check out other books by this author.
8. Round the Bend, Nevil Shute, Rating: 4.2
Like his other novels, this is very interesting, epic in scope, and a pleasure to read. It deals with airplanes, life, love, and religion--you could say that it's got it all. I prefer A Town Like Alice, but this is a close second.
9. Wickett's Remedy, Myla Goldberg, Rating: 3.8
Not nearly as good as Bee Season (her previous novel), but fun nevertheless. I particularly enjoyed the layout of the book--the text flows in the traditional way, but there are funny little comments (from "US," people in heaven) in the margins about where the story's narrator is making a mistake, or embellishing the truth.
1. American Gods, Neil Gaiman, Rating: 4.7
I really liked this. I think Good Omens (one of his previous novels) might be better, but this is a close second. It's very clever and well-researched (the subject matter deals with gods from numerous time periods and religions). Definitely check it out.
2. Y The Last Man, Volume 5 (comic book), Rating: 4.8
I've recommended this series to many of my friends already--it and Fables are the only series I keep up on. The plot deals with the journey of a young man trying to find his girlfriend and stay alive. He's (as far as we know) the only man alive on earth, after a virus wipes out everything with a Y chromosome. The art is gorgeous, the story gripping and very easy to follow. If you're interested in reading comic books, this is a perfect series to start with.
3. Julie & Julia, Julie Powell, Rating: 4.0
I'm sure you've read a review of this--it seems to be getting attention everywhere. It's one of those blog spin-offs (which are suddenly everywhere; is this the latest publishing trend?), a narration of a woman's efforts to cook her way through Julia Child's Mastering the Art of French Cooking in one year. I found the story tedious initially, but got into it when the author stopped complaining so much about her life and started talking more about her cooking. Frequent Buffy references helped, too. If you like food writing, you'll probably enjoy this.
4. Thinking in Pictures, Temple Grandin, Rating: 2.8
This is an interesting, important book that I completely failed to respond to. It's written by an autistic woman, and deals with what's it like to be autistic (as well as what's it's like to be a cow--the author really likes cows). I definitely learned a lot, but finishing it was painful.
5. I'm Not the New Me, Wendy McClure, Rating: 2.8
The was an interesting counterpoint to Julie & Julia. It's also a blog spin-off, this time about weight loss. I would frankly rather read about eating food than not doing so.
6. Welcome to My Planet, Where English is Sometimes Spoken, Shannon Olson, Rating: 2.3
I should have held off on reading this for a few weeks. It was the third book this month (after #3 and #5) about a whiny woman approaching 30 who is dissatisfied (reasonably so) with her life. At least the author of Julie & Julia did something interesting; this woman just complains. Frankly, she's not that good of a writer and it felt like a waste of time to read about her pathetic life. (Wow, did I just write that? A little harsh, but I'm going to leave it there.)
7. Veronika Decides to Die, Paulo Coelho, Rating: 3.5
Beautifully written, extremely insightful. The rating is a little lower because I find the subject matter--suicide--depressing to read about, but I'll check out other books by this author.
8. Round the Bend, Nevil Shute, Rating: 4.2
Like his other novels, this is very interesting, epic in scope, and a pleasure to read. It deals with airplanes, life, love, and religion--you could say that it's got it all. I prefer A Town Like Alice, but this is a close second.
9. Wickett's Remedy, Myla Goldberg, Rating: 3.8
Not nearly as good as Bee Season (her previous novel), but fun nevertheless. I particularly enjoyed the layout of the book--the text flows in the traditional way, but there are funny little comments (from "US," people in heaven) in the margins about where the story's narrator is making a mistake, or embellishing the truth.
Sunday, October 02, 2005
September 2005 Book Reviews
I made it through a fairly substantial list this month. Next month's will be shorter (more on why in a post later this week). I've bolded titles of particular interest.
1. Finding Fish, Antwone Fisher, Rating 2.4
Don't bother with this book--rent the movie instead. While I generally think books tend to be better than the movies that are made of them, this is definitely an exception to the rule. Another one that comes to mind is Nick Hornby's High Fidelity.
2. A Widow for One year, John Irving, Rating: 3.7
Irving is usually a sure thing--he writes well, and knows how to tell a story. That said, the subject of this book gets tedious. Try The Cider House Rules instead (which is better than the movie made of it).
3. Emily's Reasons Why Not, Carrie Gerlach, Rating: 2.1
Why do I continue to read chic lit? It's so rarely worthwhile.
4. My Year of Meats, Ruth Ozeki, Rating: 4.9
Probably the sixth time I've read this, and it's still amazing. For why I like it, see my top 10 list.
5. The Inner Circle, T.C. Boyle, Rating: 3.8
I read my first Boyle book late last year (Drop City; it's on Elese's top 10 and is definitely worth reading), and was excited to dive into this one. I frankly didn't love it, but I think it's my fault--I had just finished Kinsey and PBS's documentary on Kinsey, and had already had my fill on the subject (this book is a fictionalized version of Alfred Kinsey's life).
6. Mary After All, Bill Gordon, Rating: 3.0
A story of a New Jersey housewife. Decent writing, but I had trouble caring about the plot.
7. Skinny Dip, Carl Hiaasen, Rating: 3.7
This is my first Hiaasen book. I'll definitely read more--they're not earthshaking, but he's a funny writer and perfect for reading on vacation.
8. Complications, Atul Gawande, Rating: 4.3
Very good--Gawande is a surgical resident who writes with surprising clarity and depth about issues facing modern medicine. If you read The New Yorker, you're probably familiar with him--he writes for them regularly.
9. The Horse Whisperer, Nicolas Evans, Rating: 3.0
I'm not a horse girl, and this book just didn't do it for me. It's similar to The Smoke Jumper, but less interesting.
10. The Baby Trail, Sinead Moriarty, Rating: 2.9
More chic lit. Again, why do I bother?
11. The All-True Travels and Adventures of Lidie Newton, Jane Smiley, Rating: 2.1
I've read Jane Smiley's novels in the past, and have liked them for the most part. This book, unfortunately, falls far short of the mark--it's just plain bad.
12. The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, Ann Brashares, Rating: 4.1
I'm a bit embarrassed to even admit that I read this, let alone give it such a high rating. It's very well done, though, and I enjoyed it quite a bit.
13. Look at Me, Jennifer Egan, Rating: 2.8
This was a random library pick--it has pages of glowing reviews. I was drawn to the subject matter (identity; it's the story of a model who becomes unrecognizable after a major car accident). The plot, however, goes in strange directions--terrorism, the internet, lots of bad guys--and ultimately lost my interest.
14. The Amateurs, David Halberstam, Rating: 3.8
Halberstam is an exceptional writer. This book covers the lives of 4 world-class rowers, and their struggle to make it to and win in the Olympics. While I'm not particularly interested in rowing, but if you are (or even if you're interested in underappreciated Olympic sports or athletes in general), this is worth checking out.
1. Finding Fish, Antwone Fisher, Rating 2.4
Don't bother with this book--rent the movie instead. While I generally think books tend to be better than the movies that are made of them, this is definitely an exception to the rule. Another one that comes to mind is Nick Hornby's High Fidelity.
2. A Widow for One year, John Irving, Rating: 3.7
Irving is usually a sure thing--he writes well, and knows how to tell a story. That said, the subject of this book gets tedious. Try The Cider House Rules instead (which is better than the movie made of it).
3. Emily's Reasons Why Not, Carrie Gerlach, Rating: 2.1
Why do I continue to read chic lit? It's so rarely worthwhile.
4. My Year of Meats, Ruth Ozeki, Rating: 4.9
Probably the sixth time I've read this, and it's still amazing. For why I like it, see my top 10 list.
5. The Inner Circle, T.C. Boyle, Rating: 3.8
I read my first Boyle book late last year (Drop City; it's on Elese's top 10 and is definitely worth reading), and was excited to dive into this one. I frankly didn't love it, but I think it's my fault--I had just finished Kinsey and PBS's documentary on Kinsey, and had already had my fill on the subject (this book is a fictionalized version of Alfred Kinsey's life).
6. Mary After All, Bill Gordon, Rating: 3.0
A story of a New Jersey housewife. Decent writing, but I had trouble caring about the plot.
7. Skinny Dip, Carl Hiaasen, Rating: 3.7
This is my first Hiaasen book. I'll definitely read more--they're not earthshaking, but he's a funny writer and perfect for reading on vacation.
8. Complications, Atul Gawande, Rating: 4.3
Very good--Gawande is a surgical resident who writes with surprising clarity and depth about issues facing modern medicine. If you read The New Yorker, you're probably familiar with him--he writes for them regularly.
9. The Horse Whisperer, Nicolas Evans, Rating: 3.0
I'm not a horse girl, and this book just didn't do it for me. It's similar to The Smoke Jumper, but less interesting.
10. The Baby Trail, Sinead Moriarty, Rating: 2.9
More chic lit. Again, why do I bother?
11. The All-True Travels and Adventures of Lidie Newton, Jane Smiley, Rating: 2.1
I've read Jane Smiley's novels in the past, and have liked them for the most part. This book, unfortunately, falls far short of the mark--it's just plain bad.
12. The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, Ann Brashares, Rating: 4.1
I'm a bit embarrassed to even admit that I read this, let alone give it such a high rating. It's very well done, though, and I enjoyed it quite a bit.
13. Look at Me, Jennifer Egan, Rating: 2.8
This was a random library pick--it has pages of glowing reviews. I was drawn to the subject matter (identity; it's the story of a model who becomes unrecognizable after a major car accident). The plot, however, goes in strange directions--terrorism, the internet, lots of bad guys--and ultimately lost my interest.
14. The Amateurs, David Halberstam, Rating: 3.8
Halberstam is an exceptional writer. This book covers the lives of 4 world-class rowers, and their struggle to make it to and win in the Olympics. While I'm not particularly interested in rowing, but if you are (or even if you're interested in underappreciated Olympic sports or athletes in general), this is worth checking out.
Wednesday, September 21, 2005
Brooks' Top 10
I love seeing repeats on these lists. Brooks (in brief: Hayden's high school roommate, a recent resident of San Francisco, all-around funny guy, blogger [www.brooksrun.blogspot.com], and boyfriend of the lovely and talented Autumn) has noted that he has two overlaps with Wib's list.
in no particular order:
Atomised, Michel Houellebecq
Tender Is The Night, F. Scott Fitzgerald
Market Forces, Richard Morgan (a recent read, which I adored, but it's also just been optioned by Joel Silver to be the next Matrix. But it was fantastic in the same way as Shogun.)
Shogun, James Clavell (I bought a samurai sword halfway through)
Carter Beats The Devil, Glen David Gold
Really The Blues, Bernard Wolfe, Mezz Mezzrow (autobiography)
Dr. Excitement's Elixir Of Longevity, William Ryan (criminally out of print)
The Moviegoer, Walker Percy (only book I read every couple years)
Franny and Zooey, Salinger
A Wrinkle In Time, Madeleine L'Engle
in no particular order:
Atomised, Michel Houellebecq
Tender Is The Night, F. Scott Fitzgerald
Market Forces, Richard Morgan (a recent read, which I adored, but it's also just been optioned by Joel Silver to be the next Matrix. But it was fantastic in the same way as Shogun.)
Shogun, James Clavell (I bought a samurai sword halfway through)
Carter Beats The Devil, Glen David Gold
Really The Blues, Bernard Wolfe, Mezz Mezzrow (autobiography)
Dr. Excitement's Elixir Of Longevity, William Ryan (criminally out of print)
The Moviegoer, Walker Percy (only book I read every couple years)
Franny and Zooey, Salinger
A Wrinkle In Time, Madeleine L'Engle
Eric's Top 10
Eric is Hayden's co-worker and friend in France. He has been extremely nice to me every time I've been in Paris. He's also a good reader, and (being French) has access to some books that may have not made into onto the american radar:
1. La nuit des Temps, Barjavel (FR, available in the US as The Ice People)
2. American Tabloid, James Ellroy (US)
3. Journey to the End of the Night (Voyage au bout de la nuit), Céline (FR)
4. Bel Ami, Maupassant (FR, various translations available under the same title)
5. The Little Prince, Antoine de Saint-Exupery (FR, widely available)
6. Lord of the Flies, William Golding (UK)
7. The Flowers of Evil, Baudelaire (FR)
8. History of Mountain Climbing, Roger Frison-Roche (FR, available in English)
9. We Could Almost Eat Outside : An Appreciation of Life's Small Pleasures,
Philippe Delerm (FR: amazon says that this was a major French best-seller. It was published here in 1999. The reviews are quite good--I'm surprised I haven't heard of it before.)
10. His Dark Materials, Philip Pullman (UK)
From AB: looking at this list makes me realize that I need to make more of an effort to read foreign writers. There's a wealth of material out there.
1. La nuit des Temps, Barjavel (FR, available in the US as The Ice People)
2. American Tabloid, James Ellroy (US)
3. Journey to the End of the Night (Voyage au bout de la nuit), Céline (FR)
4. Bel Ami, Maupassant (FR, various translations available under the same title)
5. The Little Prince, Antoine de Saint-Exupery (FR, widely available)
6. Lord of the Flies, William Golding (UK)
7. The Flowers of Evil, Baudelaire (FR)
8. History of Mountain Climbing, Roger Frison-Roche (FR, available in English)
9. We Could Almost Eat Outside : An Appreciation of Life's Small Pleasures,
Philippe Delerm (FR: amazon says that this was a major French best-seller. It was published here in 1999. The reviews are quite good--I'm surprised I haven't heard of it before.)
10. His Dark Materials, Philip Pullman (UK)
From AB: looking at this list makes me realize that I need to make more of an effort to read foreign writers. There's a wealth of material out there.
Lisa Bach's Top 12
Lisa is a good friend from Chronicle. She works in the sales department, but is a published editor as well--Her Fork in the Road is an excellent collection of writing by women about food and travel (and really, is there a better thing to write about?). She reports that making this list was pretty hard--it really depends on time and mood. Here's what she came up with:
The Color Purple, Alice Walker
Geek Love, Catherine Dunn
Comfort Me with Apples,Ruth Reichl
Anything written by MFK Fisher
Mrs. Dalloway and A Room of One's Own by Virginia Woolf
The Royal Road to Romance, Richard Halliburton [ab: I wrote about this in the early days of the blog--it's one of the grand novels on "the grand tour."]
Tipping the Velvet, Sarah Waters (Also fancied Fingersmith)
Me Talk Pretty One Day, David Sedaris
The Names of Things, Susan Brind Morrow
The Bluest Eye, Toni Morrison
Autobiography of a Face, Lucy Greely
The Color Purple, Alice Walker
Geek Love, Catherine Dunn
Comfort Me with Apples,Ruth Reichl
Anything written by MFK Fisher
Mrs. Dalloway and A Room of One's Own by Virginia Woolf
The Royal Road to Romance, Richard Halliburton [ab: I wrote about this in the early days of the blog--it's one of the grand novels on "the grand tour."]
Tipping the Velvet, Sarah Waters (Also fancied Fingersmith)
Me Talk Pretty One Day, David Sedaris
The Names of Things, Susan Brind Morrow
The Bluest Eye, Toni Morrison
Autobiography of a Face, Lucy Greely
Monday, September 19, 2005
Wib Walling's Book List
Wib is Hayden's dad, and has recommended numerous good books to me in the past. He also believes in asking people about their favorite books during job interviews--I agree with him that it's a really good way to learn about someone.
(in no particular order, not necessarily his top 10 but a list of books he really likes):
Too Late the Phalerope, Alan Paton
Franny and Zooey, J.D. Salinger
All the King's Men, Robert Penn Warren
Brothers Karamazov, Dostievsky
The Godfather, Mario Puzo
Shogun, James Clavell
A Town Like Alice, Nevil Shute
The Amateurs, Halberstrom, nonfiction
East of Eden, Steinbeck
(in no particular order, not necessarily his top 10 but a list of books he really likes):
Too Late the Phalerope, Alan Paton
Franny and Zooey, J.D. Salinger
All the King's Men, Robert Penn Warren
Brothers Karamazov, Dostievsky
The Godfather, Mario Puzo
Shogun, James Clavell
A Town Like Alice, Nevil Shute
The Amateurs, Halberstrom, nonfiction
East of Eden, Steinbeck
Rebecca's Book List
Rebecca lived with me in college, and is currently studying to be a doctor in Philadelphia. Here's a list of her favorite humor books:
Me Talk Pretty One Day, David Sedaris
Fraud, David Rakoff
Welcome to My Planet, Where English is Sometimes Spoken, Shannon Olson
Choke, Chuck Palanchuk
Girls Guide To Hunting and Fishing, Melissa Bank
Come On Up and See Me Sometime, Erika Krouse
The Unthinkable Thoughts of Jacob Green, Joshua Braff (actually I haven't read this one yet, but it is the next one on my list to read) [from ab: I have read this one; it's quite funny.]
America, Jon Stewart
and here some other books i have thoroughly enjoyed:
Tender at the Bone, Ruth Reichl
Comfort Me With Apples, Ruth Reichl
House of Spirits, Isabel Allende
The Crying of Lot 49, Thomas Pynchon
Me Talk Pretty One Day, David Sedaris
Fraud, David Rakoff
Welcome to My Planet, Where English is Sometimes Spoken, Shannon Olson
Choke, Chuck Palanchuk
Girls Guide To Hunting and Fishing, Melissa Bank
Come On Up and See Me Sometime, Erika Krouse
The Unthinkable Thoughts of Jacob Green, Joshua Braff (actually I haven't read this one yet, but it is the next one on my list to read) [from ab: I have read this one; it's quite funny.]
America, Jon Stewart
and here some other books i have thoroughly enjoyed:
Tender at the Bone, Ruth Reichl
Comfort Me With Apples, Ruth Reichl
House of Spirits, Isabel Allende
The Crying of Lot 49, Thomas Pynchon
Friday, September 16, 2005
My Top 10 Books
I expect this list to change from time to time, but here goes:
(in no particular order)
* The Stand (Stephen King). I love survival fiction--anything that details the end of the world (excepting alien invasion--I just don't find reading about aliens particularly diverting). How the world is destroyed isn't important; it's the regrouping of civilization that I find interesting. This is certainly at the top of the genre. Two other good ones to check out are Lucifer's Hammer and the comic book series Y The Last Man.
* Lonesome Dove (Larry McMurtry). Love, cowboys, the taming of the west--this has it all. The mini-series is pretty good too.
* My Year of Meats (Ruth Ozeki). I re-read this every year. Several people I've loaned this too have found it disturbing (it deals with the evils of modern meat production), but I love the characters and the story.
* Carter Beats the Devil (Glen David Gold). Arguably the best book ever written about Oakland (I realize that many would vote for Hunter S. Thompson's Hell's Angels instead, which is definitely a great work). It's a fictionalized tale of a real-life magician, the love of his life, a lion, and a dead President. Doesn't that sound intriguing? Buy the hardcover edition--it includes several color prints of original Carter posters. Gold is married to Alice Seybold of Lucky fame.
* A Town Like Alice (Nevil Shute). A death march through Southeast Asia, a love story, the creation of a town, and a lonely British lawyer as narrator: this book unites several disparate elements into one incredibly compelling novel. The writing is exceptional.
* Geek Love (Katherine Dunn). This is another book that just isn't for everyone. It's about circus freaks--a family of them, in fact. At times it's very upsetting. It's not unlike Middlesex, but Geek Love is far better.
* The Source (James Michener). I like Michener, unlike most of my friends. He's great to read on vacation, particularly if you can find one on the place you're visiting. I think the trick to enjoying Michener is to be a really fast reader with some time on your hands--if you can't skim through one of his books in under two weeks, you'll find it tedious. The Source deals with an archaeological dig in Israel, and manages to weave in a history of western religions by the end. It's fascinating--I've read it 4 or 5 times, and still enjoy every page.
* In Cold Blood (Truman Capote). I like everything Capote writes, even his short stories (as a general rule, I think most short stories fail--they're either long magazine articles or failed novels, not actual short stories). This murder mystery is a classic. I have yet to meet a person who doesn't like it.
* Pride and Prejudice (Jane Austen). If you haven't read this, give it a chance--Austen is really funny.
The Chosen (Chaim Potok). This book is in a class by itself. Read the books above because they're interesting and fun; read this one because it will make you a better person. Seriously. I cry every time I read it (3 times and counting). It's about friendship and Judaism.
And 4 honorable mentions:
David Sedaris--just about everything. I much prefer his books on tape to the printed versions--his voice adds a lot to the material. "You Can't Kill the Rooster" is my favorite story.
The Time Traveler's Wife (Audrey Niffengger)
White Boy Shuffle (Paul Beatty)
East of Eden (John Steinbeck)
(in no particular order)
* The Stand (Stephen King). I love survival fiction--anything that details the end of the world (excepting alien invasion--I just don't find reading about aliens particularly diverting). How the world is destroyed isn't important; it's the regrouping of civilization that I find interesting. This is certainly at the top of the genre. Two other good ones to check out are Lucifer's Hammer and the comic book series Y The Last Man.
* Lonesome Dove (Larry McMurtry). Love, cowboys, the taming of the west--this has it all. The mini-series is pretty good too.
* My Year of Meats (Ruth Ozeki). I re-read this every year. Several people I've loaned this too have found it disturbing (it deals with the evils of modern meat production), but I love the characters and the story.
* Carter Beats the Devil (Glen David Gold). Arguably the best book ever written about Oakland (I realize that many would vote for Hunter S. Thompson's Hell's Angels instead, which is definitely a great work). It's a fictionalized tale of a real-life magician, the love of his life, a lion, and a dead President. Doesn't that sound intriguing? Buy the hardcover edition--it includes several color prints of original Carter posters. Gold is married to Alice Seybold of Lucky fame.
* A Town Like Alice (Nevil Shute). A death march through Southeast Asia, a love story, the creation of a town, and a lonely British lawyer as narrator: this book unites several disparate elements into one incredibly compelling novel. The writing is exceptional.
* Geek Love (Katherine Dunn). This is another book that just isn't for everyone. It's about circus freaks--a family of them, in fact. At times it's very upsetting. It's not unlike Middlesex, but Geek Love is far better.
* The Source (James Michener). I like Michener, unlike most of my friends. He's great to read on vacation, particularly if you can find one on the place you're visiting. I think the trick to enjoying Michener is to be a really fast reader with some time on your hands--if you can't skim through one of his books in under two weeks, you'll find it tedious. The Source deals with an archaeological dig in Israel, and manages to weave in a history of western religions by the end. It's fascinating--I've read it 4 or 5 times, and still enjoy every page.
* In Cold Blood (Truman Capote). I like everything Capote writes, even his short stories (as a general rule, I think most short stories fail--they're either long magazine articles or failed novels, not actual short stories). This murder mystery is a classic. I have yet to meet a person who doesn't like it.
* Pride and Prejudice (Jane Austen). If you haven't read this, give it a chance--Austen is really funny.
The Chosen (Chaim Potok). This book is in a class by itself. Read the books above because they're interesting and fun; read this one because it will make you a better person. Seriously. I cry every time I read it (3 times and counting). It's about friendship and Judaism.
And 4 honorable mentions:
David Sedaris--just about everything. I much prefer his books on tape to the printed versions--his voice adds a lot to the material. "You Can't Kill the Rooster" is my favorite story.
The Time Traveler's Wife (Audrey Niffengger)
White Boy Shuffle (Paul Beatty)
East of Eden (John Steinbeck)
Jason Headley's Top 10
This is a promising list--there are several books I haven't read yet. I'll have to make another trip to the library. I'm particularly interested to see that he has a Nevil Shute book on here. -ab
In no particular order:
Nobody’s Fool – Richard Russo
Round the Bend – Nevile Shute
The Sweet Hereafter – Russell Banks
Spartina – John Casey
The Stories of Breece D’J Pancake
The Seas – Samantha Hunt
A Good Scent from a Strange Mountain – Robert Olen Butler
The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay – Michael Chabon
The Little Prince – Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
To Kill a Mockingbird – Harper Lee
One more note from Alicia: I know Jason through Chronicle, and in a round-about-way through a family friend. He has written a very good book that I'd definitely recommend: Small Town Odds.
In no particular order:
Nobody’s Fool – Richard Russo
Round the Bend – Nevile Shute
The Sweet Hereafter – Russell Banks
Spartina – John Casey
The Stories of Breece D’J Pancake
The Seas – Samantha Hunt
A Good Scent from a Strange Mountain – Robert Olen Butler
The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay – Michael Chabon
The Little Prince – Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
To Kill a Mockingbird – Harper Lee
One more note from Alicia: I know Jason through Chronicle, and in a round-about-way through a family friend. He has written a very good book that I'd definitely recommend: Small Town Odds.
Thursday, September 15, 2005
Elese's Top 10
I had a bit of inspiration this afternoon--rather than subjecting all of you to my book opinions, I can draw on my friends. The idea is to post a bunch of top ten lists, in hopes that we'll get a better selection of books. I'll add personal comments from time to time. Elese is the first to contribute (and had trouble limiting the list to 10; I suspect that will become the norm). These are listed in no particular order:
The Sun Also Rises (Ernest Hemingway) [alicia's note: I prefer A Farewell to Arms, but you really can't go wrong with Hemingway. There's also a great biography out about one of his wives, who was a pioneering war reporter: Gellorn: A Twentieth-Century Life, By Caroline Moorehead).]
The Sheltering Sky (Paul Bowles) [AB: awesome]
Burmese Days (George Orwell)
Gone with the Wind (Margaret Mitchell)
This Earth of Mankind (Pramoedya Ananta Toer)
Drop City (T.C. Boyle)
Cat's Cradle (Kurt Vonnegut)
Tom Wolfe in general, but none of his books in particular [AB: The Right Stuff is a good one to start with]
Same goes with Bret Easton Ellis
The Art of Travel (Alain de Botton)
Lonesome Dove (Larry McMurtry)
Gig: Americans Talk About Their Jobs (John Bowe, ed.)
(The last two are books I love but they're also two of my favorites to recommend to people)
From AB: I've read 10 of these 12. You really can't go wrong with any. Elese has very good taste.
The Sun Also Rises (Ernest Hemingway) [alicia's note: I prefer A Farewell to Arms, but you really can't go wrong with Hemingway. There's also a great biography out about one of his wives, who was a pioneering war reporter: Gellorn: A Twentieth-Century Life, By Caroline Moorehead).]
The Sheltering Sky (Paul Bowles) [AB: awesome]
Burmese Days (George Orwell)
Gone with the Wind (Margaret Mitchell)
This Earth of Mankind (Pramoedya Ananta Toer)
Drop City (T.C. Boyle)
Cat's Cradle (Kurt Vonnegut)
Tom Wolfe in general, but none of his books in particular [AB: The Right Stuff is a good one to start with]
Same goes with Bret Easton Ellis
The Art of Travel (Alain de Botton)
Lonesome Dove (Larry McMurtry)
Gig: Americans Talk About Their Jobs (John Bowe, ed.)
(The last two are books I love but they're also two of my favorites to recommend to people)
From AB: I've read 10 of these 12. You really can't go wrong with any. Elese has very good taste.
August 2005 Book Reviews
I've decided that the best way to do book reviews is on a monthly basis--I just can't see myself motivating to write after finishing each one. I'm also not sure that I'm up to adding comments for every title--in my journal, I use a rating system to differentiate titles, and just comment on the books I like. I think I'll stick to this system for now, though do let me know if it would be helpful to have more information.
Rating System:**
1 Barely Readable
2 Readable, with major flaws
3 Decent
4 Recommended
5 Excellent
**I'm not pretending to be the New York Times here. I used to rate books in terms of "quality," but have since come to terms with the fact that my taste often tends to be a little low-brow (my favorite book is Steven King's The Stand). My ratings are based entirely on whether or not a book was fun or interesting to read. Therefore, if you're in the market for a new book, stick with 3.5 and above ratings.
Another note: this list is long; I apologize for future short lists. I just have a little extra time on my hands these days.
1. The Many Lives and Secret Sorrows of Josephine B., by Sandra Gullard. Rating: 3.9
I blame Elese for getting me on this historical fiction kick. This series is a bit girly (though surprisingly chaste), and highly readable. The 3-volume set covers, with fairly well-researched details, the entire life of Napolean's first wife.
2. Tales of Passion, Tales of Woe, By Sandra Gullard. Rating: 3.9
Volume 2 of the series.
3. The Last Great Dance on Earth, By Sandra Gullard. Rating: 3.9
Volume 3.
4. Princess, By Jean Sasson, Rating: 3.7
Not very well-written, but a well-intentioned (if oddly structured) look at the life of upper class Saudi women in the 1980s.
5. The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency, By Alexander McCall Smith. Rating: 2.8
What's the deal with this series? It's predictable and often downright boring.
6. Away From You, By Melanie Finn, Rating: 3.2
Memoir; story of a woman that returns to her childhood home in Africa to deal with unresolved father issues. Good descriptions of Africa in the 1960s and today, otherwise skipable.
7. Or Give Me Death, Ann Rinaldi, Rating: 2.9
I realized half-way through this book that it must be written for teens. It's more historical fiction, this time about the wife of Patrick Henry. The author takes major liberties with the story.
8. The Twins of Tribeca, Rachel Pine, Rating: 3.1
Chic-lit, but of the better variety. Whiny (they all are), but has decent insights into what it's like to be a movie publicist.
9. Losing It, Alan Cumyn, Rating 3.0
I read this three weeks ago, and the plot has already skipped my mind. I guess it wasn't that good. All I wrote down was "dark, formulaic, readable."
10. Snowed In, Christina Bartolomeo, Rating: 3.8
This poor book is actually quite good, and cursed with a chic-lit cover. I grabbed it at the library thinking I'd get something really light and fluffy for the weekend, and instead got genuine literary fiction. The author isn't quite there yet, but I'll watch for her future books. The plot is somewhat complicated, but it boils down to finding out who you are.
11. Population: 485, Michael Perry, Rating: 3.0
Another library book, with yet another misleading cover. The jacket claims it's about finding entrance into a community by being a volunteer firefighter. It is about being a volunteer firefighter, but this guy never finds a community. You get the distinct feeling that he wrote this book so that people would think he has friends. It's weird.
12. A Town Like Alice, Nevil Shute, Rating: 4.7
I mentioned this in a previous post--please read it. Ignore everything else on this list. It's really, really good.
13. On the Beach, Nevil Shute, Rating: 4.2
Decent, but read A Town Like Alice instead.
14. The Smoke Jumper, Nicolas Evans, Rating: 4.1
I really liked this, probably because it was a book on tape. I've been painting the living room and dining room, and it passed the time well.
Rating System:**
1 Barely Readable
2 Readable, with major flaws
3 Decent
4 Recommended
5 Excellent
**I'm not pretending to be the New York Times here. I used to rate books in terms of "quality," but have since come to terms with the fact that my taste often tends to be a little low-brow (my favorite book is Steven King's The Stand). My ratings are based entirely on whether or not a book was fun or interesting to read. Therefore, if you're in the market for a new book, stick with 3.5 and above ratings.
Another note: this list is long; I apologize for future short lists. I just have a little extra time on my hands these days.
1. The Many Lives and Secret Sorrows of Josephine B., by Sandra Gullard. Rating: 3.9
I blame Elese for getting me on this historical fiction kick. This series is a bit girly (though surprisingly chaste), and highly readable. The 3-volume set covers, with fairly well-researched details, the entire life of Napolean's first wife.
2. Tales of Passion, Tales of Woe, By Sandra Gullard. Rating: 3.9
Volume 2 of the series.
3. The Last Great Dance on Earth, By Sandra Gullard. Rating: 3.9
Volume 3.
4. Princess, By Jean Sasson, Rating: 3.7
Not very well-written, but a well-intentioned (if oddly structured) look at the life of upper class Saudi women in the 1980s.
5. The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency, By Alexander McCall Smith. Rating: 2.8
What's the deal with this series? It's predictable and often downright boring.
6. Away From You, By Melanie Finn, Rating: 3.2
Memoir; story of a woman that returns to her childhood home in Africa to deal with unresolved father issues. Good descriptions of Africa in the 1960s and today, otherwise skipable.
7. Or Give Me Death, Ann Rinaldi, Rating: 2.9
I realized half-way through this book that it must be written for teens. It's more historical fiction, this time about the wife of Patrick Henry. The author takes major liberties with the story.
8. The Twins of Tribeca, Rachel Pine, Rating: 3.1
Chic-lit, but of the better variety. Whiny (they all are), but has decent insights into what it's like to be a movie publicist.
9. Losing It, Alan Cumyn, Rating 3.0
I read this three weeks ago, and the plot has already skipped my mind. I guess it wasn't that good. All I wrote down was "dark, formulaic, readable."
10. Snowed In, Christina Bartolomeo, Rating: 3.8
This poor book is actually quite good, and cursed with a chic-lit cover. I grabbed it at the library thinking I'd get something really light and fluffy for the weekend, and instead got genuine literary fiction. The author isn't quite there yet, but I'll watch for her future books. The plot is somewhat complicated, but it boils down to finding out who you are.
11. Population: 485, Michael Perry, Rating: 3.0
Another library book, with yet another misleading cover. The jacket claims it's about finding entrance into a community by being a volunteer firefighter. It is about being a volunteer firefighter, but this guy never finds a community. You get the distinct feeling that he wrote this book so that people would think he has friends. It's weird.
12. A Town Like Alice, Nevil Shute, Rating: 4.7
I mentioned this in a previous post--please read it. Ignore everything else on this list. It's really, really good.
13. On the Beach, Nevil Shute, Rating: 4.2
Decent, but read A Town Like Alice instead.
14. The Smoke Jumper, Nicolas Evans, Rating: 4.1
I really liked this, probably because it was a book on tape. I've been painting the living room and dining room, and it passed the time well.
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