Well, kids, here's the book list. It's short. I spent too much time outside enjoying the nice weather (or inside playing around with my new computer), I guess. Here it is anyway.
The Valley of Fear by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle: This book is typical Sherlock Holmes fare. I like the short stories better, but this book picked up by the end. It felt like it read a little differently than some of the others. Typically a Sherlock Holmes story seems to go like this: Someone shows up with a problem, Sherlock disappears to solve it, he sets a trap for the bad guys, they fall into it, he makes them explain the situation. All of that still happened, but I felt like the explanation was longer than it normally was. It was almost as though the explanation was the heart of the story rather than the crime that led to it. I found this interesting, especially given Doyle's love-hate relationship with the character. It made me wonder if he didn't just throw Sherlock in because he knew that it would sell if he did, but he really wanted to tell a completely different story. I was intrigued. It was still a good book.
Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury: This was a sci fi book set in the future where televisions take up the entire four walls of a room and nobody is allowed to read books anymore. Houses are all fire proof, but if you get caught with books, they come and burn your house down. The main character is a "Fireman" (someone who sets fire to people's houses when they've been caught with books) who has a bit of an awakening. On the whole, I liked this book. I felt it had a much more hopeful tone than others along similar lines.
Well, that's it for the reads this month. Feel free to share your own in the comments.
Posted by LoWriter at July 6, 2006 08:02 AMyeah... i traveled a lot this month, which downplayed the quality and quantity. but cheers to the weather!!!
The Devil Wears Prada
enjoyable audiobook. kept me entertained, but also annoyed me. i listened to the Nanny Diarys (same author) a few years back and had the same reaction. the main character is smart, witty and fully capable - until someone looks at her funny, then her credibility goes out the window and she becomes a timid mouse. i have worked for bad bosses before, but dammit, i also stand up for myself, timid or not. i didnt have much respect for the main character at all. but the situations were clever, the dialogue witty and clear, and i do want to see the movie.
Plan B, Further Thoughts on Faith
Anne Lamott
another true blue anne lamott short essay collection. for fans, she's quirky and loveable as ever. for others, she delves into the spiritual quite a bit, and totally unabashedly, so buyer beware. i felt great after reading this book knowing that there are real liberal christians out there.
Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants (1)
cute!! i totally enjoyed this one. cute adolescent girls in awkward situations... i will make my roomie queue it up on Netflix now. :o) and my mom and sister have the other two books so i will prolly indulge all summer long (as there is no harry potter till next year!).
I have to read Plan B. It is totally on my list!
And Sisterhood rocks.
Posted by: Lo at July 6, 2006 02:53 PMSteven Pressfield, specifically finally reading Gates of Fire which is amazing. It really talks about the beauty of war, which is an oxymoron, but it's just an amazing look at the warrior's life. It is set in the Persian and Greek conflict around 350 BCE.
Also read Sharon Shinn's new book The Thirteenth House which is a sequel to her last new book. I love the main character, she is someone I would really want to be, and it is a great story. I got done reading it and I immediately wanted to read it again (this doesn't work for me though - so I resisted). Amazing.
Slow month in all though, I picked up a few books and just didn't get through them.
Posted by: 10lees at July 7, 2006 09:58 AM