Ok, peeps, the book list is short this month. This is because I did a lot of traveling, etc., in July, and did not have time to read. May my winter reading make up for my lack of summer reading.
The Last Report on the Miracles at Little No Horse by Louise Erdrich: This book was pretty good because it was set up by Fargo, so I knew many of the places she was talking about. Also it was good because it was surprising, especially the main characters. It dealt with the relationship between the individual and faith. High quality reading, but I warn you that it's literature.
Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince by J.K. Rowling: I've already commented on this book, but here we go again. This book provides lots of back story about Voldemort's life, etc., which is good. On the other hand, I got angry about some of Rowling's choices. This does not mean that I will stop reading Rowling's books or that I'm trying to tell Rowling what to do. It just means the plot that did appear in this book made me really angry. Also, I feel like some of the character developement of everybody else was sacrificed for the sake of elaborating on Voldemort. In the end, still good because it's Harry Potter and when is it ever not good, but on the whole, not as good as the other books in the series. Worth the read, though.
The Five People You Meet in Heaven by Mitch Albom: This is possibly one of the saddest books I've read all year. It's all about an old man who dies. He is dissapointed with his life, and finds out that in Heaven, you meet five people who teach you how to look at your life and how to learn from what you went through so that you can be happy in Heaven. Parts of it are very moving, especially if you've ever lost someone or if you've ever felt that your life is going nowhere. I especially enjoyed the first person he meets in Heaven and that person's comments at the end of the section. I cried a great deal while reading this, but I wouldn't consider it "sappy" or "girly."
The Truth by Terry Pratchett: This is all about the advent of movable type in Ankh-Morpork. It's pretty funny. You get to see Vimes from the outside looking in, which is a bit more scarey than being inside his head if you can believe that. The story follows William DeWorde who creates the Disc's first newspaper and involves the city accusing the Patrician of stabbing his secretary. What follows is an attempt on the part of the paper to get to The Truth, whatever that might be. I enjoyed it. Not sure where it comes in the series, but somewhere after The Fifth Elephant. On the whole, a pretty good read.
Dr. Jeckyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson: This was my favorite book this month. Robert Louis Stevenson has always been a favorite of mine, and I've read a lot of stuff by him that no one has ever heard of (David Balfour and The Black Arrow are two examples). We all know the basic premise of the story, which is that Dr. Jeckyll turns into Mr. Hyde. The story is so interesting because it's told from the perspective of Dr. Jeckyll's friend and lawyer, and even though we (should) all know that Dr. Jeckyll and Mr. Hyde are the same person, the way it is told is fascinating because the narrator really believes that they are two different people and offers all kinds of theories and conjectures about the situation his good friend is in. It's fascinating. You should definitely read it.
And that's it, kids, unless I finished a volume of Sherlock Holmes that I don't know about yet. Happy reading!
Posted by LoWriter at August 1, 2005 08:20 AMhey, i wouldnt knock your list, man! those are quality books you've got. but for once, i actually managed to read more than you! this will never happen again, i realize, but i shall gloat nonetheless... gloat gloat gloat!
Bridget Jones' Diary by Helen Fielding - audiobook, adn i've listened to it a bazillion times cuz its the only one i own. i didnt have cable for the first 2 weeks of July, and i needed something in the background while i cleaned. works well, i must say! i love this book cuz it's kooky and clean and english.
Babylon Sisters by Pearl Cleage. another audiobook cuz i visited IL and needed company in the car. good book about a single african american mother who lives in upper middle class Atlanta. shenegans ensue. i guess it was a bit disapointing as i heard that this author is actually pretty well known, but the plot was pure candy - very predictable. cheezy ending too, even if the mystery was engrossing.
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by JK Rowling. another re-read. i've got a lot of those this month. but i wanted to refresh my memory before i delve into Half Blood Prince. i like this book a lot but i think my favorite in the series is 4.
The Hours by Michael Cunningham. audiobook for the IL trip. a bit difficult to listen to. i think i would have caught more nuance if i would have read it. follows Virginia Wolfe and 2 other women. they all relate to the story of Mrs. Dalloway. i enjoyed the part of the movie that i watched, and i think it runs pretty close to the book, so either way to enjoy it is fine with me.
Wicked by Gregory Maguire. re-read BUT, i only re-read it b/c i wanted the focus on the philosophy. the first time i read this book (about 2 years ago), i enjoyed the story but almost completely skipped over the philosophy. this time around, i really pulled a lot more out. it's worth it, kids. Good vs Evil and the choices we make.
Until the Real thing Comes Around by Elizabeth Berg. audiobook. dont read it. basically it's crap from a writer who writes half as much as Clive Cussler and without the excitement. i only kept it going cuz i was cleaning again. a 36 year old woman's obsessive life - she wants a baby, has always wanted a baby, does not have a baby, does not even have a relationship and is hopelessly in love with a gay man who is her best friend. yuk. i kept yelling at my stereo - "GROW UP!!"
The Lust Lizard of Melancholy Cove by Christopher Moore. i love Chris Moore. he's got this great ability to bring the fantastical into reality and make you believe it. a Sea Monster invades the town of Pine Cove. it feeds on depressed people, and of course, the town shrink has filled everyone's prescriptions with placeabos. its very light hearted, has great plot twists and even a bizzare love triangle that is satisfying yet creepy and not at all cheesy.
a very satisfying month for me... next month i'll have a bunch of books too as i'm going on vacation and plan to read gratuitous amounts of literature and candy. :o)
Posted by: dr gonzo at August 1, 2005 10:53 AMHahah, I love your analysis of The Real Thing, that made me laugh.
I will update this list tomorrow because I can't remember what I read outside of Harry Potter & HBP. I know I read more, but it's all hazy...
Posted by: 10lees at August 1, 2005 03:03 PM