Stages of Life - May 31, 2014

Currently Reading:

• Goldfinch by Donna Tartt      
• Natchez Burning by Greg Iles (received through the publisher)
• Like No Other by Una LaMarche (received through the publisher)
• The Three by Sarah Lotz (received through NetGalley)

On Deck:

• Great Expectations by Charles Dickens
• Colonel Roosevelt by Edmund Morris
• Eleanor and Park by Rainbow Rowell
• The Angry Years: The Rise and Fall of the Angry Young Men by Colin Wilson (received through NetGalley)
• The Good Spy: The Life and Death of Robert Ames by Kai Bird (received through Goodreads)

Recent Reviews:

About Face by Carol Howard (received through NetGalley)

4 stars

Ruth is at a crossroads in her career and her life.  Well into her fifties, she is a successful business woman and a former Peace Corp volunteer and these two parts of herself start to come into conflict as her husband tries to convince her to retire early and she begins to reevaluate her life.  What follows is a meditation on what it means to age and how the direction our lives take may not be what we imagined when younger.  Even though I am not yet to Ruth’s age, I definitely empathized with her situation.  I thought the sections of the book that explore her Peace Corp time in Africa were interesting and I would have like to see more of them.  At times this book slowed down and Ruth’s musings on her own life could be monotonous.  Overall though, I enjoyed the honest and refreshing look at aging and thought that this was a book worth reading for that alone.  I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. 

War and Famine - May 28, 2014

So I have read yet another book about one person’s relationship with one book.  So far I have covered George Eliot’s Middlemarch, James Joyce’s Ulysses and I currently finished one about Leo Tolstoy’s War and Peace.  All three intimidating books that I doubt I will get around to, but I always have admiration for those who pick them up and not only read them…but read them multiple times. 

Currently Reading:

• Goldfinch by Donna Tartt      
• Natchez Burning by Greg Iles (received through the publisher)
• About Face by Carol Howard (received through NetGalley)
• Like No Other by Una LaMarche (received through the publisher)

On Deck:

• Great Expectations by Charles Dickens
• Colonel Roosevelt by Edmund Morris
• Eleanor and Park by Rainbow Rowell
• The Angry Years: The Rise and Fall of the Angry Young Men by Colin Wilson (received through NetGalley)
• The Good Spy: The Life and Death of Robert Ames by Kai Bird (received through Goodreads)

Recent Reviews:

The Third Horseman: Climate Change and the Great Famine of the 14^th Century by William Rosen (received through NetGalley)

3 stars

I’ve been looking forward to reading this book for a while as I have done quite a bit of reading about the time period and know some of the history.  I was mostly excited about examining the role of climate change during this time, but found it was only a small part of the extensive history covered in this book.  It also covers Vikings, Scottish rebellion, and other wars that contribute to the reason the countries were not well prepared for the drought and resulting famine.  The book is well researched but very dense and I lost interest at times.  Overall a well written history of the time but one that could have been pared down.  I received this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Give War and Peace a Chance: Tolstoyan Wisdom for Troubled Times by Andrew D. Kaufman (received through NetGalley)

4 stars
 
Andrew Kaufman is a Tolstoy scholar an admirer of his work, including the long and daunting War and Peace.  In this book, he not only discusses the main characters and plotlines of the book but also examines how he has used parts of the book in relation to his own life.  There are also facts about Tolstoy, his relationships, careers and philosophy.  It is divided into sections about subjects such as love, family, happiness, and death and uses excerpts from the book as well as episodes in Tolstoy’s life.   What I enjoyed most about this book is the idea that some books are timeless and while the situation changes the characters and ideals can be used throughout time.  Kaufman writes clearly and passionately on the subject and I felt as if I had a good understanding of Tolstoy’s epic by the time I finished.  I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

May 22, 2014

My reviews this week are a little strange.  I have been working on the Mark Twain book for ages and though I am over halfway done, I am throwing in the towel on that one.  The other was good…so good in fact that I am terrified of giving something away so I kept that one brief. 

Currently Reading:

• Goldfinch by Donna Tartt      
• Natchez Burning by Greg Iles (received through the publisher)
• The Third Horseman by William Rosen (received through NetGalley)
• Give War and Peace a Chance: Tolsotyan Wisdom for Troubled Times by Andrew D. Kaufman (received through NetGalley)

On Deck:

• Great Expectations by Charles Dickens
• Colonel Roosevelt by Edmund Morris
• Eleanor and Park by Rainbow Rowell
• The Angry Years: The Rise and Fall of the Angry Young Men by Colin Wilson (received through NetGalley)

Recent Reviews:

The Bohemians: Mark Twain and the San Francisco Writers who Reinvented American Literature by Ben Tarnoff

I was excited about this book, the same way I am excited anytime a book is about people who write books.  I just can’t get into this one though.  It covers the writers living in California during the Civil War, including Mark Twain.  The group, known as the Bohemians, are attempting succeed in showing the east coast that the frontier has the class and talent to produce high caliber artists.  I think that I may have just been too distracted to read this fully but it just was slow, slow, and slow.  Well written about interesting characters but not something that I am currently in the mood for. 

 

Then and Always by Dani Atkins (received through NetGalley)

5 stars

This book really had it all.  It was emotional, romantic, and suspenseful in surprising ways.  The characters were well developed and interesting.  I am almost afraid to write too much in case that I in some way ruin the story and the reading experience.  I finished this book in one day and was absorbed the entire time.  I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. 

Obscene Reads - May 20, 2014

I picked up Ulysses by James Joyce at one point with a plan to struggle through the mammoth modernist classic.  Almost immediately, I judged it boring and frustrating.  Since then it has become an example of the kind of book that I just don’t get…yet am fascinated by those that do.  My review below is of the people who fought hard to get the book published.  They obviously got the book…and loved it enough to face ridicule, income loss and even possible jail time.  Maybe one day I will pick up the book again and actually read it, but I somehow doubt it. 

 

Currently Reading:

• The Bohemians: Mark Twain and the San Francisco Writers who Reinvented American Literature by Ben Tarnoff
• Goldfinch by Donna Tartt      
• Natchez Burning by Greg Iles (received through the publisher)
• The Third Horseman by William Rosen (received through NetGalley)
• Then and Always by Dani Atkins (received through NetGalley)

On Deck:

• Great Expectations by Charles Dickens
• Colonel Roosevelt by Edmund Morris
• Eleanor and Park by Rainbow Rowell
• The Angry Years: The Rise and Fall of the Angry Young Men by Colin Wilson (received through NetGalley)

Recent Reviews:

The Most Dangerous Book by Kevin Birmingham (received through the publisher)

4.5 stars

James Joyce’s Ulysses, which I have attempted and failed to read, was a chore to publish.  Harsher obscenity laws in the United States and England forced printers to turn away the work in order to avoid fines or imprisonment.  The small newspapers that included the book in serialization form faced lawsuits and increased scrutiny.  In addition, Joyce was difficult to work with at times.  He refused to make the changes needed to evade sensors, he was behind deadlines due to multiple health issues and he lived well above his meager means.  All of this makes for an exceptionally fascinating story behind the group of people, including Ezra Pound and Sylvia Beach, who made the publication of Ulysses possible.  This was a well written account of that time period and very readable.  Its focus on both James Joyce and the state of publishing in the 1920’s created a varied account and was never boring.  I didn’t find Joyce to be a particularly likable individual and the fact that so many intelligent people fought so hard for his book was surprising yet admirable.  As we live in a time when so many books are published, it is hard to believe that the battle to print this book was so difficult.  Overall, I found this book well written and extremely interesting.  I received this book from the publisher. 

Early Summer Reading - May 19, 2014

Currently Reading:

• The Bohemians: Mark Twain and the San Francisco Writers who Reinvented American Literature by Ben Tarnoff
• Goldfinch by Donna Tartt      
• Natchez Burning by Greg Iles (received through the publisher)
• The Most Dangerous Book by Kevin Birmingham (received through the publisher)
• The Third Horseman by William Rosen (received through NetGalley)

 
On Deck:

• Great Expectations by Charles Dickens
• Colonel Roosevelt by Edmund Morris
• Eleanor and Park by Rainbow Rowell
• The Angry Years: The Rise and Fall of the Angry Young Men by Colin Wilson (received through NetGalley)

Recent Reviews:

Bittersweet by Miranda Beverly-Whittemore (received through NetGalley)

4 stars

Naïve and curiously needy Mabel becomes college roommates with the rich and glamorous Ev and is invited to stay with her large and creepy family during a summer at Winloch, the family’s Vermont getaway.  The dark and twisty plot resembles a gothic romance and keeps the reader guessing until the end.  Although I felt annoyed and somewhat repulsed by Mabel’s strange obsession with the Winslow family, I was completely entranced and recommend it as a great summer read.  I received this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. 

Danger, Suspense and Teenagers - May 13, 2014

Currently Reading:

• The Bohemians: Mark Twain and the San Francisco Writers who Reinvented American Literature by Ben Tarnoff
• Goldfinch by Donna Tartt      
• Natchez Burning by Greg Iles (received through the publisher)
• The Most Dangerous Book by Kevin Birmingham (received through the publisher)
• Bittersweet by Miranda Beverly-Whittemore (received through NetGalley)                                            

On Deck:

• Great Expectations by Charles Dickens
• Colonel Roosevelt by Edmund Morris
• Eleanor and Park by Rainbow Rowell
• The Angry Years: The Rise and Fall of the Angry Young Men by Colin Wilson (received through NetGalley)
• The Third Horseman by William Rosen (received through NetGalley)

Recent Reviews:

I am the Weapon: The Unknown Assassin Book 1 by Allen Zadoff (received through NetGalley)

4 stars

A teenage boy is trained to blend in, get close and then kill.  He starts a new high school, befriends the children of the rich and corrupt and then disappears after he completes his assignment.  This is a strangely fascinating start to a series and I found it compulsively readable.  You can see the conscious of “Benjamin” shining through as he gets close to the New York mayor and his daughter on his current assignment.  This book was well written and the main character and his story was fascinating.  The mayor’s daughter, Sam, fell a bit flat and I didn’t think the female characters were as well written in general but it didn’t deflect from the story.  I look forward to reading future books in this series and see how all of the pieces fit together.  I receive this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

We Were Liars  by e. Lockhart (received from publisher)
5 stars

The beautiful Sinclair family arrived on the Mayflower, owns a private island and has all of the internal squabbles and family drama that such prestige carries.  The Liars are four teenagers who inhabit the island every summer until the one summer when everything changes.  Beautifully written and eerily suspenseful, this novel unravels as the main character attempts to uncover her memories of that summer.  This book is lyrical, emotional and extremely intelligent and I find myself still thinking about the story days after finishing.  I received an advanced proof of this book from the publisher. 

 

Mom's Day Reading - May 10,2014

Tomorrow is Mother’s Day and as a mother and daughter and daughter-in-law, I will be celebrating heavily.  The book I review today is probably not the best example of motherhood but it is a beautifully written book about living through life’s hard parts.

Currently Reading:

• The Bohemians: Mark Twain and the San Francisco Writers who Reinvented American Literature by Ben Tarnoff
• Goldfinch by Donna Tartt      
• We Were Liars by e. lockhart (received through the publisher)
• Natchez Burning by Greg Iles (received through the publisher)
• The Most Dangerous Book by Kevin Birmingham (received through the publisher)
• I am the Weapon: The Unknown Assassin Book 1 by Allen Zadoff (received through NetGalley)

On Deck:

• Great Expectations by Charles Dickens
• Colonel Roosevelt by Edmund Morris
• Eleanor and Park by Rainbow Rowell
• The Angry Years: The Rise and Fall of the Angry Young Men by Colin Wilson (received through NetGalley)

 

Recent Reviews:

The Hollow Ground by Natalie Harnett (received through NetGalley)

5 stars

Brigid begins this book as an eleven year old girl living in the 1960’s on the hollowed out ground above the mines of Pennsylvania.  I actually had to do a little additional research to discover that the mines of this region did “catch fire” and force the evacuation of many people.  The almost apocalyptical setting provides the darkness that envelopes this book.  It includes a multi-generational curse, a mystery set in a deep mine and extremely complicated familial relationships.  I can’t say this was an entirely happy or hopeful book but beautiful writing abounds and it ranks as one of the top books that I have read this year.  I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

 

Minute Review - May 8, 2014

The end of the school year and lots of busy days ahead.  I'll always have time for reading but I fear my reviews keep getting shorter and shorter. 

Currently Reading:

• The Bohemians: Mark Twain and the San Francisco Writers who Reinvented American Literature by Ben Tarnoff
• Goldfinch by Donna Tartt      
• We Were Liars by e. lockhart (received through the publisher)
• Natchez Burning by Greg Iles (received through the publisher)
• The Most Dangerous Book by Kevin Birmingham (received through the publisher)
• The Hollow Ground by Natalie Harnett (received through NetGalley)

 

On Deck:

• Great Expectations by Charles Dickens
• Colonel Roosevelt by Edmund Morris
• Eleanor and Park by Rainbow Rowell
• The Angry Years: The Rise and Fall of the Angry Young Men by Colin Wilson (received through NetGalley)

Recent Reviews:

Stupid Girl by Cindy Miles (received through NetGalley)

3.5 stars

Olivia is a tough ranch girl with a complicated past and a desire to start anew.  Brax grew up in foster homes on the tough streets of South Boston.  In this case opposites do attract and they form a sweet friendship that leads into something more.  I liked the characters in this book and their interactions with each other were quirky and cute.  I did find myself hoping that the author would steer clear of some of the current clichés in the genre but they were all there (the troubled, tattooed, violent and promiscuous male has been done ad nauseam).  Otherwise there was a good story here with enough heart to keep me reading.  I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Armchair Travels - May 6, 2014

After spending a semester abroad in Europe I gained a love of travel that was only trumped by my love of travelogues.  I had discovered that I could experience many of the adventures of travel without even having to actually experience them.  And while that may sound extremely lame…it has oddly worked for me.  Below is my review of a short, but incredibly interesting travelogue through the middle east, which is definitely one area I will probably only ever explore from the comfort of my old recliner.

Currently Reading:

• The Bohemians: Mark Twain and the San Francisco Writers who Reinvented American Literature by Ben Tarnoff
• Goldfinch by Donna Tartt      
• We Were Liars by e. lockhart (received through the publisher)
• Natchez Burning by Greg Iles (received through the publisher)
• The Most Dangerous Book by Kevin Birmingham (received through the publisher)
• Stupid Girl by Cindy Miles (received through NetGalley)

On Deck:

• Great Expectations by Charles Dickens
• Colonel Roosevelt by Edmund Morris
• Eleanor and Park by Rainbow Rowell
• The Angry Years: The Rise and Fall of the Angry Young Men by Colin Wilson (received through NetGalley)
• The Hollow Ground by Natalie Harnett (received through NetGalley)

Recent Reviews:

From Souk to Souk: Travels through the Middle East by Robin Ratchford (received through NetGalley)

4 stars

Robin Ratchford used to look through his collection of stamps and dream about the places that he writes about in this book.  Each chapter represents his visit to a different Middle Eastern city and the locales include Baghdad, Damascus, Jerusalem, Kabul, Dubai and more.  The descriptions of the places and the people were beautifully written and always interesting.  I did think it could have been longer but it is a wonderful and honest introduction to the area and was easily read in a short time span.  I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. 

One book, one decade - May 2, 2014

Currently Reading:

• The Bohemians: Mark Twain and the San Francisco Writers who Reinvented American Literature by Ben Tarnoff
• Goldfinch by Donna Tartt      
• We Were Liars by e. lockhart (received through the publisher)
• Natchez Burning by Greg Iles (received through the publisher)
• The Most Dangerous Book by Kevin Birmingham (received through the publisher)
• From Souk to Souk: Travels through the Middle East by Robin Ratchford (received through NetGalley)

On Deck:

• Great Expectations by Charles Dickens
• Colonel Roosevelt by Edmund Morris
• Eleanor and Park by Rainbow Rowell
• The Angry Years: The Rise and Fall of the Angry Young Men by Colin Wilson (received through NetGalley)
• The Hollow Ground by Natalie Harnett (received through NetGalley)

Recent Reviews:

The 40’s: The Story of a Decade by the New Yorker (received through NetGalley)

5 stars

As an avid reader of the New Yorker magazine, I looked forward to reading this collection of pieces from the 1940’s and I was not disappointed.  It begins with a fascinating introduction by David Remnick which describes the beginnings of the magazine and how its intent evolved during the years of World War II.  The pieces begin with the German invasion of Paris and continue throughout the war and beyond.   There is one particularly spectacular piece about John F. Kennedy’s war experience.  It is a large book and I have approximately one third left to read, but I would highly recommend it to anyone with an interest in well written prose.  I am currently reading this as an egalley but would recommend a hard copy as it would be a nice book to flip through.  I received this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.