A coming of age story of a 15 year old living in Swansea. I really liked the setting and the dialogue. The main character was rather precocious and fu...moreA coming of age story of a 15 year old living in Swansea. I really liked the setting and the dialogue. The main character was rather precocious and funny and reminded me of a less selfish, British version of Nick Twisp. There were some parts of the book that actually made me laugh out loud. The main plot deals with the teen's concerns around his parents' marriage, and his romantic misadventures. I enjoyed this book and look forward to seeing the movie. (less)
Every year I read a classic book over the Christmas holidays, and this was my choice for this year. While I'm doing this project, I also do a lot of r...moreEvery year I read a classic book over the Christmas holidays, and this was my choice for this year. While I'm doing this project, I also do a lot of research to find out the significance of the book, the story etc.
This book was still a bit of a slog for me, but I enjoyed it a lot more than I did last year's pick, which was Vanity Fair. I loved the multiple narrators in this book, the detective work and the mystery. It did have a creepy element.
You can definitely tell that this book was serialized, as all the books that were serialized in newspapers tend to have a lot of extraneous information and weird tangents.
It's worth doing the research on WHY this novel was so important and interesting as you are reading it.(less)
A cross between Alice in Wonderland and the Wizard of Oz. You would think that this would make me love it, but it really didn't. I found this book to...moreA cross between Alice in Wonderland and the Wizard of Oz. You would think that this would make me love it, but it really didn't. I found this book to be really flat. There were a few things I liked, but all in all, I didn't enjoy it that much.(less)
A friend of mine read this book in one day, so I was excited to read it. I was not disappointed. This is a book that is mainly about chimpanzees, but...moreA friend of mine read this book in one day, so I was excited to read it. I was not disappointed. This is a book that is mainly about chimpanzees, but it encompasses many different things. It's the story about a sanctuary that housed 13 chimpanzees who have been damaged by lab research, or abandoned by zoos or the circus. Primatologist turned journalist Andrew Westoll spends 10 weeks working at the Fauna Sanctuary, located in Quebec. He tells the story of the chimps, but also of the people who are working in the sanctuary. This is a story bout pain and hurt, but also about compassion and recovery. There are facts about animal research and such, but it's explained in a easy to read manner. There is both sadness and humour in this book.
Westoll does a great job revealing the personalities of the chimps and explaining their actions, yet he doesn't anthropomize (sp) them. This is a story that will really stick with you and make you think. I cried at the end of the book, and I rarely cry at books.
AMERICANS READING THIS- Invasive primate research is still performed in your country. Please learn about the Great Ape Protection Act, and try to end animal testing on apes. I was truly horrified to learn about this.
I was shocked to say that I was not actually nerdy enough for this book! There were some parts I liked, but during other parts I was like, "blah, blah...moreI was shocked to say that I was not actually nerdy enough for this book! There were some parts I liked, but during other parts I was like, "blah, blah, blah- this is the sound of a nerd masturbating."
Basically, this is a book about a quest involving video games. I did like some of the 80s references, but sometimes all the explanation weighed it down. However, there were some neat plot twists and developments that I enjoyed and if I could get that part of the game that puts you in movies, I'd totally play it.
I don't have enough of an appreciation of video game culture to fully get into this book. At some points, I actually found the world disturbing, because they were basically sitting there, and falling into a virtual world. This was addressed a bit in the book, but I would have liked more of an exploration of what this actually did to people. (It was there a little, but I wanted MORE)
However, I do think this book would make a good movie, and I'll go see the movie when it comes out.(less)
This book took a while to finally let us in our the secret/challenges faced by the characters. It was wonderfully creepy and I really enjoyed the worl...moreThis book took a while to finally let us in our the secret/challenges faced by the characters. It was wonderfully creepy and I really enjoyed the world that she created and the challenges that the characters were given.
At the beginning, I was impatient for her to reveal the dangers/supernatural etc.
I don't want to give anything away, because it's best to go into this book knowing as little as possible.
This is a fun, creepy read and I'd definitely check out more of the author's books.(less)
I had MASSIVE problems with this book, because I felt it was Orientalist. There was a lot of stuff that made me uncomfortable. Be warned- there's rape...moreI had MASSIVE problems with this book, because I felt it was Orientalist. There was a lot of stuff that made me uncomfortable. Be warned- there's rape, and slavery etc. I'm not the only person who feels this way- if you google Habibi and Orientalism, you'll get a lot of hits.
There were some story elements that were interesting, but I felt sort of dirty while I was reading this book. I do have to say that the artwork was beautiful and there was some pictures that drew me in.
While I was reading this book, I also realized that my favourite graphic novels are the autobiographical ones.
I know some people who really liked this, but I was not one of those people.
That's too bad, because I LOVED Blankets.
-Very interesting to note that a lot of other readers had problems with the Orientalism, as well as the depiction of the female character. One person noted that although there is a lot of sex in this book, the sex is consensual ONCE in 700 pages.(less)
There were a few things that I didn't agree with plot-wise, but other than that, I really enjoyed Kevin Chong's second novel.
Things I liked- 1. The ma...moreThere were a few things that I didn't agree with plot-wise, but other than that, I really enjoyed Kevin Chong's second novel.
Things I liked- 1. The main character was Chinese without this having to be a story about him finding his heritage, coping with issues, blah blah. He was just Chinese and didn't seem to have to be dealing with Asian angst. He was dealing with his relationship with his father and his father's death, but it wasn't based around Asian angst. 2. There was a biracial Eurasian character. 3. The interaction between the characters was really interesting and the stories about how people came together were compelling. 4. His Vancouver resembles mine, and I recognized his Montreal too. 5. The writing was good. 6. The character had a sense of emptiness and was searching and grieving, and you really got a good sense of this.
Eugenides is a really talented and compelling writer. He is wonderful at describing things and at creating characters. It was easy to picture everythi...moreEugenides is a really talented and compelling writer. He is wonderful at describing things and at creating characters. It was easy to picture everything that was happening and to see and understand the characters.
I have to admit that the ending of this book was absolutely perfect.
That said, I found the characters to be rather pretentious. These are characters that sit in Eames chairs, discuss Hegel and read Derrida. The number of allusions and literary references was almost over the top. It got to be a little much even for me. At one point, I thought- "These are the type of people who eat artisanal cheese." The next chapter, two of the characters went to a cheese shop. I shit you not.
I found it interesting that I related a lot more to the male characters in this book than I did to the female one. I think that's because she was abnormally wealthy. I really related to Mitchell and his spiritual quest and obsessive romanticization over someone who is out of reach. And I related to Leonard and his frustrations with his mental health, and his fear that he will never do anything extraordinary with his life.
I also think that Eugenides did a wonderful job capturing the angst of 20-something characters. I could relate to some of this, and I think most people will be able to. I will read anything he writes, but I think that people who go into this looking for another "Middlesex" may be somewhat disappointed. (less)
This is an amazing book. I had the pleasure of being at the conference when it was announced that Jalal Barzanji was to be the first Edmonton Writer i...moreThis is an amazing book. I had the pleasure of being at the conference when it was announced that Jalal Barzanji was to be the first Edmonton Writer in exile at the Edmonton Public Library. (The conference was held in Grande Prairie that year) This position is the only one of its kind in Canada. The Edmonton Public Library provides support for a Edmonton based writer who has escaped persecution in their own country. This writer gets an office and a grant so they can work on their own writing.
When Jalal was introduced at the conference, everyone clapped and gave him a standing ovation. I think he spent a lot of time working on this book during his time as Writer in Exile>
This book is moving and a difficult read. Jalal talks about his life in Iraq, his imprisonment, and the torture he endured because he was a Kurdish writer who spoke out against Saddam Hussein's regime. He tells the story about how his family suffered and how he eventually managed to escape his country and move to Edmonton.
The book requires a lot of concentration. It's hard to read because it requires the reader to read scenes about torture, but also because there are many concepts and terms that will be unfamiliar to a Western reader.
This is an important and moving book. I intend to write a column about it this week.
Mom- Jalal was another person who benefitted from Linda Goyette's faith and expertise. I met her at the same conference. (less)
This year's reading theme= drugs. Seriously, I hadn't noticed that I was reading a ton of books about drugs, but after it was pointed out to me, I dec...moreThis year's reading theme= drugs. Seriously, I hadn't noticed that I was reading a ton of books about drugs, but after it was pointed out to me, I decided to embrace it. Anyway, I picked up this one because it was listed in "The Chemical Carousel."
This book continues the theme that we don't actually know that much about marijuana, even though it has been used for over 3,000 years. Some sections of this book are quite interesting and some of the myths about marijuana are completely false. Very few people who use it go on to try other drugs. One third of Americans have tried it. There's one particular side effect that has occurred with one strain of cannabis that causes men to believe that their penis has retracted into their bodies. This effect seems largely to have happened in South East or South Asia and it's called "Koro".
Marijuana research is not considered sexy, which means that research on the medicinal uses have not been conducted. Research on long term effects has not been conducted, as there are many legal and ethical issues around researching marijuana. Those with migraines- Take NOTE- Marijuana has been shown to be beneficial!
Some parts of this book were really interesting, like the bits on perception, social effects, history of medicinal, recreational use and spiritual use, but other parts were just listing of studies, which got kind of repetitive and dull. The author does a really good job of summing up the main points of each chapter. I admit to skimming one or two chapters, because I didn't find them that interesting.
The US drug law chapter was one I skimmed. US drug laws and tests are really weird to me.
Basically, this book just reinforced the idea that we know very little about this drug, which is the world's most popular illicit drug, and the most commonly consumed drug after caffeine, alcohol and nicotine.
I now feel that I understand my neighbourhood better. Seriously, there are days when you can get a contact high just walking around my hood in summertime. (less)
I found that this book wasn't so much a novel as it was a series of vignettes about the lives of three women as they aged from 20-something to 30. The...moreI found that this book wasn't so much a novel as it was a series of vignettes about the lives of three women as they aged from 20-something to 30. The stories were utterly hilarious and truthful and followed the women as they dated, and watched friends get married and have babies. The author was very adept at pointing out the hilarity in everyday life. I actually found myself laughing out loud numerous times, such as when one character uttered, "You're pregnant, you fucker."
There were also comical scenes in which the girls had to attend 6 bridal showers for the same person, and discuss some of their fears. I also laughed about their dating lives.
This is a very demographic specific book. I enjoyed this and actually laughed out loud with recognition, but I wouldn't necessary recommend the book to anyone from another demographic. The humour most resembles the type that was seen in "Bridesmaids."(less)
If you're looking for a light read, you're not going to find it here. This is a very dense, academic book at the history of monsters. It includes topi...moreIf you're looking for a light read, you're not going to find it here. This is a very dense, academic book at the history of monsters. It includes topics like "cartesian theory" and what Aristotle thought about centaurs. There are some interesting tidbits here, but this was a slog. I wouldn't necessarily recommend this book for a casual reader. I read it because I have a special interest in monsters and monster lore, but there was still a bit of skimming involved.(less)
This book was on so many lists that I finally paid attention to it, even though it isn't the type of book I normally read. I'm so glad I read it. It i...moreThis book was on so many lists that I finally paid attention to it, even though it isn't the type of book I normally read. I'm so glad I read it. It is a total mindfuck. On the book's jacket, Dennis Lehane refers to it as "Memento on meth." I actually found it much easier to follow that Memento.
The main character is a woman who awakes one day, and realizes that she has no memory. She can remember some basic things, but every day, she wakes with very, very little memory. She starts to keep a journal so she can remember what has happened to her, and unravel the mystery of her life.
The structure of this book is great. The writing is very immediate and the reader really feels as though they are discovering the mystery with the main character.
Surprised by how much I liked this one. It was another historical novel, set in New York in 1871. Just like The Birth House, the author uses bits of n...moreSurprised by how much I liked this one. It was another historical novel, set in New York in 1871. Just like The Birth House, the author uses bits of newspaper stories and recipes, and notes etc, to flesh out the story.
The main character is named Moth, and she is a 12-year-old girl who is basically sold by her mother. The story is very Dickensian and populated by gypsies, beggars, thieves and whores. Moth is a strong and believable character and she has to keep her wits and a variety of strategies to survive a harsh life on the streets.
This reminded me a bit of Emma Donoghue's early work. I really liked this book, learned a lot and found it to be an easy and compelling read. (less)
I'm not sure why I didn't read this sooner. I'm also not sure why I haven't read more books by David Levithan. I love John Green, and I did love "Nick...moreI'm not sure why I didn't read this sooner. I'm also not sure why I haven't read more books by David Levithan. I love John Green, and I did love "Nick and Norah's Infite Playlist", and this book reminded me a little of that, only more masculine and more gay. I loved the story and the characters and thought it was incredibly sweet. Some of the love stories made me tear up a bit. I also thought it was funny. A great YA read. (less)
Hated. Hate, hate, hated. Hated the main character and her precociousness. Didn't care about the story. Felt tortured. We had to read this for book cl...moreHated. Hate, hate, hated. Hated the main character and her precociousness. Didn't care about the story. Felt tortured. We had to read this for book club. My mom disliked it, but I think I disliked it even more.
It's probably a good thing that I had to miss the book club meeting, because someone else would have liked it and then I would have been a total grinch at the meeting.(less)
I'm not going to star this review because I had a weird reaction to it. I really did not want to read the fiction pieces, because I felt that they bro...moreI'm not going to star this review because I had a weird reaction to it. I really did not want to read the fiction pieces, because I felt that they broke up the collection. If I had been editing this anthology, I would have only included essays. There was also bits of a stage monologue and a comic and those worked for me. I didn't like the fiction in with my essays.
The essays in this collection were great- there was one about casual sex, inappropriate sex, watching as a daughter discovers her sexuality etc. I liked the honest nature of many of these pieces. I also liked that Jong included a variety of women of different ages. I did feel like the collection was a little heteronormative and would have liked a couple of essays written by gay women, just to add a little to the mix.
I was also interested to read that women still have a hard time writing about sex. Many of the women who contributed to this book would only do so after their partners gave them permission to include the essay they had written! Wow!(less)
This book was absolutely genius. It is set in a girls' boarding school in the 1960s. The main character has a rather close friendship with another gir...moreThis book was absolutely genius. It is set in a girls' boarding school in the 1960s. The main character has a rather close friendship with another girl, and this friendship is ursuped by a creepy, vampiric seeming girl called Ernessa Bloch. There are a lot of themes in this- vampirism, and intense female friendships. It's creepy and dark, and I loved it.
Klein makes many references to classic horror and vampire fiction that numerous readers who are versed in the genres are sure to be able to identify.
I sort of feel like I wasn't able to give this beautiful book the attention it deserved because I had a lot going on when I was trying to read it. It...moreI sort of feel like I wasn't able to give this beautiful book the attention it deserved because I had a lot going on when I was trying to read it. It was the story of a family in a logging town called Sawgamet. Various tragedies befall the family, and they have to face the elements; snow, and fire.
The ax is practically a character in this book.
I loved the writing, the darkness of the story and the way that ghosts and creatures that live in the forest came to life. There are some images in the book that will stick in my memory.
This book is destined to be a winter classic (I actually found some of the harshness of winter difficult to read about) and I would definitely check out Zentner's next book.(less)
Four stars for enjoyment of the essays I read. This is a collection of essays and memoirs, and some of them were way more interesting to me than other...moreFour stars for enjoyment of the essays I read. This is a collection of essays and memoirs, and some of them were way more interesting to me than others. I don't really care about his extended family, and I actually skipped a few essays. I loved reading abou this interactions with Martin Scorsese, his relationship with Siskel, his education, work at the newspaper, and his experiences with his struggle for help, his love life and current relationship with his wonderful wife, and his take on the movies.
Ebert writes beautifully. He can write intelligently without being inaccessible and he shows a great love for many things- dogs, food, walking, travelling, movies, books, and people. He has a lust for life and a passion for the world.
This book gives you a view into that world. I am a long time admirer of his work. (less)
I seem to have developed an obsession with reading books about drugs. My mom and I were talking about this, and I realized that this obsession has bee...moreI seem to have developed an obsession with reading books about drugs. My mom and I were talking about this, and I realized that this obsession has been there since I was 16. I started reading books about psychdelia and alternate states and counterculture, and have pretty much been very interested in these things my whole life.
"The Chemical Carousel" should be read by anyone who is interested in drugs and addiction. It's an example of excellent scientific writing. Author Dirk Hanson has struggled with his own addictions to cigarettes and alcohol and his perspective is illuminating. He really goes into the biochemical nature of addiction and what the drugs do to the brain.
He also touches on the history of the drug wars, and why abstinence education in drugs might not work for some people. I am fascinated by neuroscience, and so I was quite interested in his explanation of how drugs work on the brain.
Also, I was stunned by the similarities between the drug addicted brain and the depressed brain, and the link between addiction, depression, sleep disorders and eating disorders. There are also tons of facts in this book-
1. Cocaine used to be used for dental surgery 2. Women who are more highly educated are more likely to be alcoholic 3. There has been VERY little research done on the effects of marijuana 4. Prozac and LSD are rather similar molecules
Hanson also spends a lot of time talking about SSRIS and depression medication, which will be fascinating for anyone who has ever had to take depression meds.
The book is highly scientific, so I wouldn't recommend it to anyone who doesn't like reading words like "serotonin reuptake", "dopamine" or "hippocampus." It's still a pretty accessible read, though.
This book gives a really good explanation of the biochemical nature of addiction. Pair this up with Gabor Mate's emotional and social theories of addiction in "In the Realm of Hungry Ghosts", and you'll have a pretty good understanding of why some people get addicted to drugs while other people don't. (less)
If you write a book called "13", you will start seeing the number everywhere. This book was in the window of a used bookstore, so I had to buy it.
I d...moreIf you write a book called "13", you will start seeing the number everywhere. This book was in the window of a used bookstore, so I had to buy it.
I did learn a lot of fascinating things about the number 13 and the 13 superstitition. The superstition started because there were 13 people at the Last Supper. This spawned the popularity of Thirteen Clubs, where people would gather to risk invoking popular superstitions. These dangers would feature black cats, coffins, spilled salt etc. They were a big deal!
There were some pretty interesting things in this book, but other sections were pretty boring. This isn't necessarily a book that I would recommend to a lot of people.
Still, there was some cool trivia, and quotes about the number 13.(less)
I'll try anything that Kenneth Oppel writes, but he is hit and miss for me. I loved Half-Brother (one of my fave books of 2010) and adored the first t...moreI'll try anything that Kenneth Oppel writes, but he is hit and miss for me. I loved Half-Brother (one of my fave books of 2010) and adored the first three books in the Silverwing series (but didn't like Air borne).
Oppel is highly creative and imaginative and that's why I come back to him again and again.
This book is a pre-quel to the story of Victor Frankenstein. Oppel takes us into the world and head of young Victor, who wants to save his twin after the twin becomes ill. Victor and his cousin Elizabeth and their neighbour Henry start delving into alchemy and meet a bunch of crazy characters. Victor starts to fall in love with his cousin. (Cousin love is one plot point that always turns me off. I try to get past it, but I just have a strong cousin-love taboo)
This book has a fast moving plot, but one of my problems with it is that Victor is really just an asshole. I know that Oppel was trying to show how Victor could become the mad scientist who created a monster, but in trying to show how he became that way, he succeeded in creating a main character who is a nasty person. I couldn't work up a lot of sympathy or compassion for him because he was such a dick.(less)
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