Author: David Mitchell
Historical novel set in Deijima, an island connected by a land bridge to Nagasaki, and Japan's only trading post with the world in 1799. Jacob is a clerk with the Dutch East India Company, and falls in love with Orito, a burn scarred midwife. Fascinating cultural study and lots of details.
Now I want to read The Cloud Atlas. Promising title.
Friday, April 29, 2011
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
Disaster Preparedness
Author: Heather Havrilesky
Memoir about growing up with parents that didn't sugarcoat the bad news (kind of like mine).
Enjoyed the cultural references (ahh, the 70's) and the style of writing. If I see her name again, I'll definitely pick the book/article up and expect to enjoy it.
Memoir about growing up with parents that didn't sugarcoat the bad news (kind of like mine).
Enjoyed the cultural references (ahh, the 70's) and the style of writing. If I see her name again, I'll definitely pick the book/article up and expect to enjoy it.
Thursday, April 21, 2011
You dropped a blonde on me
Author: Dakota Cassidy
Trophy wife gets dumped and left with nothing, struggling jobless while at her mother's retirement home.
Pretty funny, conveniently wealthy new love interest.
Trophy wife gets dumped and left with nothing, struggling jobless while at her mother's retirement home.
Pretty funny, conveniently wealthy new love interest.
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
The 100 Thing Challenge
Author: Dave Bruno
Not the best written book, sometimes you can tell when a blogger's been picked up. Also, in light of Freeconomics, it's a bit too bourgeois philosphically. But I might try it, because it's easy and I can make up the rules and keep all my books, conveniently called 'my library'.
Not the best written book, sometimes you can tell when a blogger's been picked up. Also, in light of Freeconomics, it's a bit too bourgeois philosphically. But I might try it, because it's easy and I can make up the rules and keep all my books, conveniently called 'my library'.
Monday, April 18, 2011
The Knitting Diaries
Authors: Debbie Macomber / Susan Mallery / Christina Skye
Romance compilation involving knitting. Just what the burnt-out web warrior needed.
Romance compilation involving knitting. Just what the burnt-out web warrior needed.
Sunday, April 17, 2011
Ghost a la Mode
Author: Sue Ann Jaffarian
I love ghost stories and I love the gold rush era, so this was fun, a divorcee being haunted by an ancestor until the ghost's name could be cleared for murdering her husband. And some light romance as well.
I love ghost stories and I love the gold rush era, so this was fun, a divorcee being haunted by an ancestor until the ghost's name could be cleared for murdering her husband. And some light romance as well.
Friday, April 15, 2011
The Flaw in the Blood
Author: Stephanie Barron
She also writes the Jane Austen mysteries.
This one had Queen Victoria, and access in to Queen Victoria's head. Scary place to be, since she was out to murder the hero & heroine of the story, a young woman doctor and an Irishman.
The flaw refers to haemophilia, and it seemed to be suggested that perhaps Victoria wasn't truly heir, that her father had been someone else. Not really clear on that, perhaps a biography of Victoria is in order.
She also writes the Jane Austen mysteries.
This one had Queen Victoria, and access in to Queen Victoria's head. Scary place to be, since she was out to murder the hero & heroine of the story, a young woman doctor and an Irishman.
The flaw refers to haemophilia, and it seemed to be suggested that perhaps Victoria wasn't truly heir, that her father had been someone else. Not really clear on that, perhaps a biography of Victoria is in order.
The Lost Conspiracy
Author: Frances Hardinge
This author is one of the best namers I have ever read. Mistleman's Blunder, the Wailing Way,
Jealousy (due to poor translation), Hathin, a name that sounded like dust settling.
Also a great book, fast paced, lots of great characters and situations, and a heroine easy to empathize with.
Must find Well Witched, the only book she's written that I haven't yet read.
This author is one of the best namers I have ever read. Mistleman's Blunder, the Wailing Way,
Jealousy (due to poor translation), Hathin, a name that sounded like dust settling.
Also a great book, fast paced, lots of great characters and situations, and a heroine easy to empathize with.
Must find Well Witched, the only book she's written that I haven't yet read.
Monday, April 11, 2011
Moonwalking with Einstein
Author: Joshua Foer
The Art & Science of Remembering Everything.
It sounds like a fair bit of work. I like the memory palace idea, that you walk through a place and put things down (but make them really crazy and stick in your brain visual) and then you can come back and pick them up later when needed.
Techniques for memorizing numbers were too much trouble to consider.
The Art & Science of Remembering Everything.
It sounds like a fair bit of work. I like the memory palace idea, that you walk through a place and put things down (but make them really crazy and stick in your brain visual) and then you can come back and pick them up later when needed.
Techniques for memorizing numbers were too much trouble to consider.
Sunday, April 10, 2011
Fadeaway Girl
Author: Martha Grimes
Yay!
Emma of Spirit Lake again, with Ulub and Ubub and all the rest of the gang, wondering whatever happened to the baby that was kidnapped from Bell Ruin 20 years earlier.
The population and locations are so rich that I want to time travel and viosit. Funny that 12 year old myustery solving girls seem to inhabit the 50's more than any contemporary time.
Yay!
Emma of Spirit Lake again, with Ulub and Ubub and all the rest of the gang, wondering whatever happened to the baby that was kidnapped from Bell Ruin 20 years earlier.
The population and locations are so rich that I want to time travel and viosit. Funny that 12 year old myustery solving girls seem to inhabit the 50's more than any contemporary time.
Crazy for You
Author: Jennifer Crusie
Light reading, an beige boyfriend who doesn't understand no, a best friend who won't sleep with her and a stray dog that needs love.
Rather long, but full of echoing repercussions that affect the people all around, I enjoyed.
Light reading, an beige boyfriend who doesn't understand no, a best friend who won't sleep with her and a stray dog that needs love.
Rather long, but full of echoing repercussions that affect the people all around, I enjoyed.
The Woefield Poultry Collective
Author: Susan Juby
Even though Susan's well known for her YA fiction, I've always just thought she was a damn good writer. She manages to take a character like Prudence, an urban greenie and drop her on a tragic farm, and keeps her human and humane in dealing with the misfits that surround her.
Written in four POVs each character with a voice and heart of their own, shines a light on the tenuous strands that link us together.
Even though Susan's well known for her YA fiction, I've always just thought she was a damn good writer. She manages to take a character like Prudence, an urban greenie and drop her on a tragic farm, and keeps her human and humane in dealing with the misfits that surround her.
Written in four POVs each character with a voice and heart of their own, shines a light on the tenuous strands that link us together.
A Treasury of Regrets
Author: Susanne Alleyn
Another tale of the french revolution, based on a historical case where a maid is accused of poisoning her employer.
Well-written, great characters and an absorbing mystery and relationships.
Another tale of the french revolution, based on a historical case where a maid is accused of poisoning her employer.
Well-written, great characters and an absorbing mystery and relationships.
Friday, April 8, 2011
A Reliable Wife
Author: Robert Goolrick
An interesting story, but too full of the author's presence. I hate being addressed directly in the first few pages, and found that the style was far from my favorite - too much lolling around in words. I made it through though, because the story was interesting.
An interesting story, but too full of the author's presence. I hate being addressed directly in the first few pages, and found that the style was far from my favorite - too much lolling around in words. I made it through though, because the story was interesting.
Tuesday, April 5, 2011
Dear Toni
Author / Illustrator: Cyndi Sand-Eveland
Hackmatack winner.
A journal assignment in class - to write for 100 days to a grade 6 student 40 years in the future.
Great story, dogs, best friends, gifts and a little brother.
Hackmatack winner.
A journal assignment in class - to write for 100 days to a grade 6 student 40 years in the future.
Great story, dogs, best friends, gifts and a little brother.
Sunday, April 3, 2011
Maybe Later
Author / Illustrator: Philippe Dupuy & Charles Berberian
A comic book journal about the lives of two guys collaborating on a comic book. Grateful for the insight to the insecurity and especially grateful for this quotation:
"I came to believe, like an archer with closed eyes, that thought is both the arrow and the target and that worrying about the nature of the arrow and the target is useless and distracting, because it's enough to draw the bow, without releasing the arrow."
From Rezvani: The Painter's Second Thoughts
(he gave up painting for writing 30 years ago, he took up 17 unfinished canvases to complete them now)
'It's that we don't do things for practical reasons only, but also for the beauty of the act.'
A comic book journal about the lives of two guys collaborating on a comic book. Grateful for the insight to the insecurity and especially grateful for this quotation:
"I came to believe, like an archer with closed eyes, that thought is both the arrow and the target and that worrying about the nature of the arrow and the target is useless and distracting, because it's enough to draw the bow, without releasing the arrow."
From Rezvani: The Painter's Second Thoughts
(he gave up painting for writing 30 years ago, he took up 17 unfinished canvases to complete them now)
'It's that we don't do things for practical reasons only, but also for the beauty of the act.'
Masterpiece
Author: Elise Broach
A beetle that lives behind a kitchen cupboard plays with a lonely boy's ink and paper and ends up copying a Durer masterpiece, to allow it to be stolen to help the F.B.I. track the theft ring.
All beetle POV, a great story.
A beetle that lives behind a kitchen cupboard plays with a lonely boy's ink and paper and ends up copying a Durer masterpiece, to allow it to be stolen to help the F.B.I. track the theft ring.
All beetle POV, a great story.
Tam Lin
Author: Pamela Dean
Fantasy meets coed college in this tale of mortals that knew Shakespeare, wandering the campus of Balckstock College. Loads of references to reading things that I've never touched, and better still reading in the original language, greek or latin.
Still the story comes round and the old ballad is lived through again, with a hint of dark foreboding that should have spawned a sequel.
Fantasy meets coed college in this tale of mortals that knew Shakespeare, wandering the campus of Balckstock College. Loads of references to reading things that I've never touched, and better still reading in the original language, greek or latin.
Still the story comes round and the old ballad is lived through again, with a hint of dark foreboding that should have spawned a sequel.
Saturday, April 2, 2011
The Heart and the Bottle
Author / Illustrator: Oliver Jeffers
First read this as an iPad app and was dissatisfied with the ending, so found a paper copy in the library.
Gorgeous illustrations and much better uninterrupted flow of text and image on paper.
The app is great, except for one misstep at the end.
First read this as an iPad app and was dissatisfied with the ending, so found a paper copy in the library.
Gorgeous illustrations and much better uninterrupted flow of text and image on paper.
The app is great, except for one misstep at the end.
Friday, April 1, 2011
The Creative License
Author / Illustrator: Danny Gregory
A guidebook for the creatively inhibited, bought for the simple pleasure of illustration and text sharing the page and filled with useful exercise and inspiring quotes and art.
A guidebook for the creatively inhibited, bought for the simple pleasure of illustration and text sharing the page and filled with useful exercise and inspiring quotes and art.
Cockeyed
Author: Ryan Knighton
I heard the author reads from this years ago, so knew it would be funny and wry. Really well written, with a great sense of the absurd and of story, his memoir of becoming blind and coping was well worth reading.
Looking forward to the sequel about parenthood.
I heard the author reads from this years ago, so knew it would be funny and wry. Really well written, with a great sense of the absurd and of story, his memoir of becoming blind and coping was well worth reading.
Looking forward to the sequel about parenthood.
The Year of the Dog
Author: Grace Lin
The fact that I've read this book before is why I started this record. Small library, inevitable rereads.
Still enjoyed very much and recommend it to Sky. Taiwanese-american and the only chinese girl in her school until her new best friend moves in, Pacy tries to find herself.
The fact that I've read this book before is why I started this record. Small library, inevitable rereads.
Still enjoyed very much and recommend it to Sky. Taiwanese-american and the only chinese girl in her school until her new best friend moves in, Pacy tries to find herself.
Raven Summer
Author: David Almond
I love his work even when it gets too violent and savage for my taste as this one did, albeit with purpose.
It started in one place and went somewhere else altogether, the found baby at the start, the child soldier at the end confronted by the real soldiers. Great writer. Even when I don't like the content, I can't put it down.
I love his work even when it gets too violent and savage for my taste as this one did, albeit with purpose.
It started in one place and went somewhere else altogether, the found baby at the start, the child soldier at the end confronted by the real soldiers. Great writer. Even when I don't like the content, I can't put it down.
Envious Casca
Author: Georgette Heyer
A murder mystery, better than most, since I had not a clue until the murderer was revealed. Great characters for the most part, in a Great Depression setting in the English country house.
A murder mystery, better than most, since I had not a clue until the murderer was revealed. Great characters for the most part, in a Great Depression setting in the English country house.
Too Far
Author: Rich Shapiro
This was given to me outside the UBC student union building to promote literacy? or reading?
The story is a parable about two six year olds exploring the forest of Alaska. Lots of chilling scenes, and definitely not for kids. Hated that it ended as a parable instead of as a story.
Some brilliant descriptions of place, particularly a bog.
This was given to me outside the UBC student union building to promote literacy? or reading?
The story is a parable about two six year olds exploring the forest of Alaska. Lots of chilling scenes, and definitely not for kids. Hated that it ended as a parable instead of as a story.
Some brilliant descriptions of place, particularly a bog.
The Eternal Smile
Author: Gene Yang
Illustrator: Derek Kirk Kim
Three graphic short stories in one book. Stylistically, each story is so astoundingly different that it's hard to believe that one artist did them.
Loved the last two stories, found the first to be a bit of a cautionary tale. Influences of Scrooge McDuck were visible.
Illustrator: Derek Kirk Kim
Three graphic short stories in one book. Stylistically, each story is so astoundingly different that it's hard to believe that one artist did them.
Loved the last two stories, found the first to be a bit of a cautionary tale. Influences of Scrooge McDuck were visible.
Trixie Belden and the Mystery Off Old Telegraph Road
Author: Kathryn Kenny
Good old Trixie Belden. Childhood trip down memory lane (remember Honey?).
This time forgers are at work in an abandoned house. Trust Trixie to get in deep trouble, only to be rescued by her friends, again.
Good old Trixie Belden. Childhood trip down memory lane (remember Honey?).
This time forgers are at work in an abandoned house. Trust Trixie to get in deep trouble, only to be rescued by her friends, again.
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