Author: Linda Seger
Great book, lots of good advice and readable (small enough to hold, unlike Mckee's Story).
Inspired.
Friday, September 30, 2011
The Emperor of All Maladies: A Biography of Cancer
Author: Siddartha Mukherjee
Best non-fiction book I've ever read.
Humane, understandable and well-written. Glad I bought it, as I will be rereading bits and pieces for years to come. My brain grew like the Grinch's heart.
Best non-fiction book I've ever read.
Humane, understandable and well-written. Glad I bought it, as I will be rereading bits and pieces for years to come. My brain grew like the Grinch's heart.
Temperance
Author / Illustrator: Cathy Malkasian
Strange and beautiful and creepy. A prophet/psycho burns villages and convinces the survivors to follow him to a refuge while he continues wreaking havoc on the world, always hungry and always angry.
Some amazing images, especially the peg leg that becomes a doll and comes to life. A sorrowful understanding of the worst of human nature.
Strange and beautiful and creepy. A prophet/psycho burns villages and convinces the survivors to follow him to a refuge while he continues wreaking havoc on the world, always hungry and always angry.
Some amazing images, especially the peg leg that becomes a doll and comes to life. A sorrowful understanding of the worst of human nature.
Sunday, September 18, 2011
Hetty Feather
Author: Jacqueline Wilson
Hetty Feather is an orphan fostered out then returned to the Foundling Home in London. Impulsive and imaginative, her adventures run from riding in the circus to selling posies on the streets of London. Great silhouette illustrations at the start of each chapter, in keeping with the time and characters.
And she does find her Mom, right under her nose, in the end.
Hetty Feather is an orphan fostered out then returned to the Foundling Home in London. Impulsive and imaginative, her adventures run from riding in the circus to selling posies on the streets of London. Great silhouette illustrations at the start of each chapter, in keeping with the time and characters.
And she does find her Mom, right under her nose, in the end.
Death of a Trophy Wife
Author: Laura Levine
I really should know better than to choose books from the large print shelf. There's a reason they're there. What hooked me was that it was a 'Jaine Austen Mystery'. Alas, no resemblance whatsoever, and only one miniscule reference and an awful lot of author asides coupled with elastic waistbands and cat mind reading.
Enough said.
I really should know better than to choose books from the large print shelf. There's a reason they're there. What hooked me was that it was a 'Jaine Austen Mystery'. Alas, no resemblance whatsoever, and only one miniscule reference and an awful lot of author asides coupled with elastic waistbands and cat mind reading.
Enough said.
Friday, September 16, 2011
Wide Sargasso Sea
Author: Jean Rhys
Bertha Mason's story, told in large part by Rochester. Great ambient setting, in contrast to Jane Eyre's moors.
Somehow I never loved Rochester, and this book supports that lack of worthiness. One would have to be a plain, governess type to fall for the likes of him..just like Jane, romantic fool that she is.
Bertha Mason's story, told in large part by Rochester. Great ambient setting, in contrast to Jane Eyre's moors.
Somehow I never loved Rochester, and this book supports that lack of worthiness. One would have to be a plain, governess type to fall for the likes of him..just like Jane, romantic fool that she is.
Sanditon
Author: Jane Austen & Juliette Shapiro
The unfinished manuscript of Austen's finished off by a contemporary author.
Not so good. Jane was off her game or hadn't had a chance to revise the beginning, for the first 3 or 4 chapters dragged without an appropriate heroine on which to pin our hopes. I would like to read the actual Austen manuscript and see just how bad it was. After all, Lady Susan also pretty much sucked, so we know she could write crap.
Best part was the missing ham and silver soup ladle that disappeared with the runaway chambermaid and butler. I love details like that.
The unfinished manuscript of Austen's finished off by a contemporary author.
Not so good. Jane was off her game or hadn't had a chance to revise the beginning, for the first 3 or 4 chapters dragged without an appropriate heroine on which to pin our hopes. I would like to read the actual Austen manuscript and see just how bad it was. After all, Lady Susan also pretty much sucked, so we know she could write crap.
Best part was the missing ham and silver soup ladle that disappeared with the runaway chambermaid and butler. I love details like that.
The Bride Raffle
Author: Lisa Plumley
Historical fiction that takes liberties, forgiveable, given some of the interesting minor characters that populate the small Arizona town on the frontier.
Historical fiction that takes liberties, forgiveable, given some of the interesting minor characters that populate the small Arizona town on the frontier.
The Whole Truth
Author: Kit Pearson
How does she do it? It's sweet, believable and easy to care for the main character, Polly. Read through in one sitting and did spot repeated phrases, questions, largely at chapter ends, reiterating Polly's feelings, but a young reader would miss that.
Also, set during the depression and deeply involved with a story that starts in deprivation, it is still gently and lovingly told. Adult characters come with shades of gray, the hypocrisy is seen and survived, but clearly changes the child's view of the adult.
Time to reread the Kit Pearson canon.
How does she do it? It's sweet, believable and easy to care for the main character, Polly. Read through in one sitting and did spot repeated phrases, questions, largely at chapter ends, reiterating Polly's feelings, but a young reader would miss that.
Also, set during the depression and deeply involved with a story that starts in deprivation, it is still gently and lovingly told. Adult characters come with shades of gray, the hypocrisy is seen and survived, but clearly changes the child's view of the adult.
Time to reread the Kit Pearson canon.
becoming georges sand
Author: Rosalind Brackenbury
Couldn't get into it (maybe not knowing or caring about Georges Sand was a handicap?). Something about the gleeful affair that started the book left me cold. Did not bother finishing it.
Couldn't get into it (maybe not knowing or caring about Georges Sand was a handicap?). Something about the gleeful affair that started the book left me cold. Did not bother finishing it.
Jane Austen ruined my life
Author: Beth Pattillo
An ashamed academic, betrayed by her selfish philandering husband goes to England to pursue Jane Austen's lost letters, which seem to be in the hands of a group calling themselves 'the Formidables'. She meets her old male buddy from college and in pursuing the truth about Jane's life starts to take action on her own.
An ashamed academic, betrayed by her selfish philandering husband goes to England to pursue Jane Austen's lost letters, which seem to be in the hands of a group calling themselves 'the Formidables'. She meets her old male buddy from college and in pursuing the truth about Jane's life starts to take action on her own.
Girls Will be Girls: Raising Confident and Courageous Daughters
Author: JoAnn Deak, Ph.D. with Teresa Barker
Despite gender brain bias, a useful piece worth reading about how girls grow up, how to talk to them and how capable they may already be, given a chance to express themselves.
Passing to Mike to read, esp. the chapter on Fathers & Daughters.
Despite gender brain bias, a useful piece worth reading about how girls grow up, how to talk to them and how capable they may already be, given a chance to express themselves.
Passing to Mike to read, esp. the chapter on Fathers & Daughters.
666 Park Avenue
Author: Gabriella Pierce
Light Rom-com of an unself-identified witch who marries into a powerful witch clan in the upper strata of New York.
Doomed to have a sequel, which I will probably read and enjoy despite some short-comings (not emotionally believable at points).
Light Rom-com of an unself-identified witch who marries into a powerful witch clan in the upper strata of New York.
Doomed to have a sequel, which I will probably read and enjoy despite some short-comings (not emotionally believable at points).
In Pursuit of Elegance: Why the Best Ideas have Something Missing
Author: Matthew E. May
I think this was a reread or else he's dealing with stuff Malcolm Gladwell has written about elsewhere. Symmetry (bilateral, rotational & fractal), Seduction of non finito - empty or undefined spaces (Mona Lisa's blurred edges that bring her to life because the brain animates the fuzzy), law of Subtraction (removing the uneccessary) and Sustainability ( ability to maintain something at certain level indefinitely - kept whole, seeing finite resources as source of innovation - pot-in-pot coolers).
Interesting, helpful and destined to be taken out again to re-read.
I think this was a reread or else he's dealing with stuff Malcolm Gladwell has written about elsewhere. Symmetry (bilateral, rotational & fractal), Seduction of non finito - empty or undefined spaces (Mona Lisa's blurred edges that bring her to life because the brain animates the fuzzy), law of Subtraction (removing the uneccessary) and Sustainability ( ability to maintain something at certain level indefinitely - kept whole, seeing finite resources as source of innovation - pot-in-pot coolers).
Interesting, helpful and destined to be taken out again to re-read.
Monday, September 12, 2011
tinkers
Author: Paul Harding
Sometimes I can slide into language like a pond and just enjoy the way words are strung together, other times it just annoys me when the author goes off into lyrical prose. Both of these reactions came up for me in this book. The narrative is pretty loose, George is dying and hallucinating and remembering, his father is living his itinerant life, his memories, his epilepsy. Despite the meandering path, it does come together at the end with some satisfaction.
But I didn't really like it much. The strange passages took me out of the story without adding anything for me.
Sometimes I can slide into language like a pond and just enjoy the way words are strung together, other times it just annoys me when the author goes off into lyrical prose. Both of these reactions came up for me in this book. The narrative is pretty loose, George is dying and hallucinating and remembering, his father is living his itinerant life, his memories, his epilepsy. Despite the meandering path, it does come together at the end with some satisfaction.
But I didn't really like it much. The strange passages took me out of the story without adding anything for me.
Love is a Four Letter Word
Author: Vikki VanSickle
Sequel to Words that start with B. Dealing with the smaller daily issues of Clarissa and Benji's lives, this book touches deep chords that resonate. Disappointments, missed meetings, hurt feelings, being left out, keeping secrets, all the stuff of middle grade life is here and feels emotionally true.
Started reading at breakfast and had to finish before going to work, so read it in one sitting and loved it.
Sequel to Words that start with B. Dealing with the smaller daily issues of Clarissa and Benji's lives, this book touches deep chords that resonate. Disappointments, missed meetings, hurt feelings, being left out, keeping secrets, all the stuff of middle grade life is here and feels emotionally true.
Started reading at breakfast and had to finish before going to work, so read it in one sitting and loved it.
The Yggyssey
Author: Daniel Pinkwater
Ghosts, ghosts and more ghosts, and three kids that want to see where they're all going when they desert the haunted hotel.
Middle grade light.
Ghosts, ghosts and more ghosts, and three kids that want to see where they're all going when they desert the haunted hotel.
Middle grade light.
Monday, September 5, 2011
Pride & Prejudice: The Wild & Wanton Edition
Author: Amanda Bloom & Jane Austen
In all the retreaded Austen novels one thing must be universally acknowledged: the greater part of the good writing belongs to Jane Austen. All the secondary author can hope for is to avoid damging it.
In some ways this version is not wild enough. In other ways, it adds precious little to the existing text. It was both distracting and helpful to have the additions highlighted in bold, so we could see what had been done.
In some ways the additions cheapen it and take it to a 'Harlequin' romance level - extra emotion where it was not required, that blunts the beauty of the original.
In all the retreaded Austen novels one thing must be universally acknowledged: the greater part of the good writing belongs to Jane Austen. All the secondary author can hope for is to avoid damging it.
In some ways this version is not wild enough. In other ways, it adds precious little to the existing text. It was both distracting and helpful to have the additions highlighted in bold, so we could see what had been done.
In some ways the additions cheapen it and take it to a 'Harlequin' romance level - extra emotion where it was not required, that blunts the beauty of the original.
4 Magic Questions of Screenwriting
Author: Marilyn Horowitz
Instead of trudging through the 3 acts with a saggy middle, she proposes breaking the 2nd act in two and splitting the screenplay into four sections, each corresponding with a question:
What is the main character's dream?
What is the main character's nightmare?
Who or what would they 'die' for?
What is the resolution of the dream or a new dream?
She analyzes the movie Witness in ten minute increments to support this.
Instead of trudging through the 3 acts with a saggy middle, she proposes breaking the 2nd act in two and splitting the screenplay into four sections, each corresponding with a question:
What is the main character's dream?
What is the main character's nightmare?
Who or what would they 'die' for?
What is the resolution of the dream or a new dream?
She analyzes the movie Witness in ten minute increments to support this.
The Clothes on Their Backs
Author: Linda Grant
Strange and fascinating tale of the daughter of immigrants, delving into the family secrets via her estranged Uncle. Struck by the physical imperfection of the heroine, and by how the bulk of her adult life simply had no bearing on the story. I liked that.
Strange and fascinating tale of the daughter of immigrants, delving into the family secrets via her estranged Uncle. Struck by the physical imperfection of the heroine, and by how the bulk of her adult life simply had no bearing on the story. I liked that.
Old Town in the Green Groves
Author: Cynthia Rylant
Very brave trying to fill in the gap in the Little House books. This was a time not written about possibly because of the pain of remembering her dead baby brother, or because it didn't involve the west or the pioneer days. The family sells the farm on Plum Creek (after the third year of grasshoppers) and goes to Minnesota to stay with family, then moves to a well established town in Iowa.
It's quite possible Laura didn't think this time worth writing about. Cynthia Rylant comes pretty close to capturing Laura's voice and openness to nature.
Very brave trying to fill in the gap in the Little House books. This was a time not written about possibly because of the pain of remembering her dead baby brother, or because it didn't involve the west or the pioneer days. The family sells the farm on Plum Creek (after the third year of grasshoppers) and goes to Minnesota to stay with family, then moves to a well established town in Iowa.
It's quite possible Laura didn't think this time worth writing about. Cynthia Rylant comes pretty close to capturing Laura's voice and openness to nature.
Tomorrow's Wizard
Author: Patricia MacLachlan
Only 66 pages long, well written, made up of 6 short chapters, each a lovely story unto itself, rolled into an even better and more satisfying story.
A bit old fashioned, but still worthy.
Only 66 pages long, well written, made up of 6 short chapters, each a lovely story unto itself, rolled into an even better and more satisfying story.
A bit old fashioned, but still worthy.
168 Hours: You have more time than you think
Author: Laura Vandekam
I could swear I've read this before. It must not have sunk in deeply enough, because I needed to read it again. In a nutshell:
Log your time
Create your list of '100 Dreams'
Identify your core competencies
Start with a blank slate
Fill your 168 hours with blocks of core competency time
Ignore, minimize or outsource everything else
Fill bits of time with bits of joy
Tune up as necessary
I could swear I've read this before. It must not have sunk in deeply enough, because I needed to read it again. In a nutshell:
Log your time
Create your list of '100 Dreams'
Identify your core competencies
Start with a blank slate
Fill your 168 hours with blocks of core competency time
Ignore, minimize or outsource everything else
Fill bits of time with bits of joy
Tune up as necessary
Hype & Glory
Author: William Goldman
Easy to read his work, no matter what it's about. Found the Cannes section more interesting and less women as object than the bit about Miss America. A little too much dirty old man crept in there.
Still looking for Adventures in the Screen Trade.
Easy to read his work, no matter what it's about. Found the Cannes section more interesting and less women as object than the bit about Miss America. A little too much dirty old man crept in there.
Still looking for Adventures in the Screen Trade.
Evil Plans: Having Fun on the Road to World Domination
Author / Illustrator: Hugh MacLeod
Pretty similar to his blog posts, but worthy of a look if you're stuck in a cubicle or trapped in the rat race.
Pretty similar to his blog posts, but worthy of a look if you're stuck in a cubicle or trapped in the rat race.
Thursday, September 1, 2011
Heck: Where the Bad Kids Go
Author: Dale E. Basye
Two kids die in an exploding marshmallow accident and end up in Heck (which isn't quite Hell - more like a PG prequel.
Ends with the good kid coming back to life, in an obvious intentional cliff hanger/resolution, since there will be at minimum a sequel, more likely a trilogy, given that three kids worked together to get the one out.
Too much toilet / stinky humour.
Two kids die in an exploding marshmallow accident and end up in Heck (which isn't quite Hell - more like a PG prequel.
Ends with the good kid coming back to life, in an obvious intentional cliff hanger/resolution, since there will be at minimum a sequel, more likely a trilogy, given that three kids worked together to get the one out.
Too much toilet / stinky humour.
Highland Heiress
Author: Margaret Moore
Free harlequin romance. Lots of stock characters, but main characters fairly well rounded, despite some behaviours that were not believable.
Free harlequin romance. Lots of stock characters, but main characters fairly well rounded, despite some behaviours that were not believable.
Graceling
Author: Kristin Shore
Katsa thinks she has a grace for killing, and uses it reluctantly in the service of her King. She starts a council to protect the common folk of all the kingdoms from the whims of their kings, falls for another Graceling, rescues a princess and murders an evil king. All in a day's work.
Hard to put down.
Katsa thinks she has a grace for killing, and uses it reluctantly in the service of her King. She starts a council to protect the common folk of all the kingdoms from the whims of their kings, falls for another Graceling, rescues a princess and murders an evil king. All in a day's work.
Hard to put down.
Witch Baby & Me at School
Author: Deb Gliori
Another romp with the Sisters of Hiss and Daisy the Witch Baby who starts playgroup. Good to see how hard it can be for witches to cope with ordinary life (jobs, meals, money).
Another romp with the Sisters of Hiss and Daisy the Witch Baby who starts playgroup. Good to see how hard it can be for witches to cope with ordinary life (jobs, meals, money).
Rude Awakenings of a Jane Austen Addict
Author: Laurie Viera Rigler
Loved this fish out of water tale of a woman from Austen's day landing in an LA body and coping with modern life.
Loved this fish out of water tale of a woman from Austen's day landing in an LA body and coping with modern life.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)