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Leslie G.'s 50 for 2009
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77. Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West by Gregory Maguire 
I liked this story and the opposite point of view from The Wizard of Oz. At times, though, the book was wordy and I lost track of what the point was. I would like to try another book by the author. (And if you haven't seen the musical, go see it when it comes near your city. It is awesome!)
74. Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon 
A great read! The characters were uniqe and the story was intriguing.
73. Twenties Girl by Sophia Kinsella
Very similar to a lot of her other books, but I kind of liked the little ghost story. It was a good, quick, light read.
71. Under the Dome by Stephen King 
Another great one from Stephen King. It really makes you think about what your town might be like in case of a terrible disaster (although probably not a dome cutting off your town!) leaving the town (and its officials) to fend for themselves....
70. Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet by Jamie Ford 
I really liked this book. A historical novel about the time in America during WWII when the Japanese-Americans were being sent to internment camps. It is told from the perspective of a Chinese-American which makes it even more interesting.
Molly wrote: "Leslie wrote: "69. The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath 
Interestingly, the woman who authored Girl, Interrupted was treated at the same facility as Ms. Plath a few years la..."
Molly wrote: "Leslie wrote: "69. The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath
I found a lot of humor in The Bell Jar also. When it was compared to Catcher in the Rye I was worried I would hate it, and it would be juvenile, but I really liked this book. I haven't read Girl, I, either and am also a big fan of the movie. I wondered if it was based on the Bell Jar while I was reading, so I did a little research. I will probably now have to read Girl, I too now!
Leslie wrote: "69. The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath
Interestingly, the woman who authored Girl, Interrupted was treated at the same facility as Ms. Plath a few years later..."
I did not know that Leslie! I loved The Bell Jar - I actually found lots of humor in it which surprised me. I haven't read Girl, Int. either but am a big fan of the movie.
69. The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath Haunting. An amazing portrait of depression and its treatment in the 1950s. While reading, I was reminded of the similarities between this "semi-autobiographical" novel and the movie (which is also a book that I haven't read) Girl, Interrupted. Interestingly, the woman who authored Girl, Interrupted was treated at the same facility as Ms. Plath a few years later....
if you liked Lost Boy try the one by Elissa Wall Stolen Innocence My Story of Growing Up in a Polygamous Sect, Becoming a Teenage Bride, and Breaking Free of Warren Jeffs. I read this earlier in the year.
68. Lost Boy by Brent Jeffs 
More insight into the FLDS. I got a technical introduction from "Under the Banner of Heaven", and this was a more personal account of the church under Rulon and Warren Jeffs. Crazy, interesting, and heartbreaking.
68. The Woman Who Would Be Pharaoh by William Klein 
I just couldn't get into this book. The writing seemed simple, and I found myself half-reading paragraphs and not losing any of the storyline. It is kind of neat that it is loosely based on some letters written by King Tut's widow, but that is about it.
68. The Monster of Florence 
True story. Very interesting. I was continually amazed at how inept the Italian judicial/police system was (is?).
67. Dark Places by Gillian Flynn 
Another dark novel, but really good. I liked this one even better than Sharp Objects, and this time I didn't have the ending figured out before the end!
66. Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil by John Berendt 
I really liked the writing of this book. It paints a vivid picture of Savannah and Savannahians themselves. I liked getting to know the very colorful characters surrounding the story, and found myself laughing even though the book is ultimately about an infamous Savannah murder trial.
65. Firefly Lane by Kristin Hannah 
Reminiscent of Beaches (two close girlfriends who needed each other and stayed close through the years; one rich, one a family woman; friendship ups and downs...), but well written. Found myself really caring about the characters, despite the fact that I figured out pretty much how it was going to end. Maybe because I relate.....
64. The Book Thief by Markus Zusak 
I really, really liked this book. Such a tragic story about a young girl in WWII Germany, but heartwarming as well. It was very interesting to be told from Death's point of view....
63. The Land of Little Rain 
Another read for an upcoming trip. Took me over a month to read 107 pages. I found it mostly boring and wordy and confusing. I think a lot of this is because she was describing many plants and regions that I do not know much about (hence the trip). It was also written about a hundred years ago, so the writing style may have been part of the problem for me. If you are really into nature writing, I would recommend this read.
62. The Girl Who Played With Fire by Stieg Larsson 
This started a little slow, like The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, but ended up being just as compelling. Unfortunately, the end was very abrupt and now I have to wait for the third book to come to the States...
60. Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden 
A beautiful and enlightening story. I live by "the book is always better," but part of me wants to see the movie, as I don't think my imagination can comprehend the beauty of not only the kimono, but the geisha and their lives as well.
61. The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold
I especially enjoyed the way this book was written. Such a unique point of view.
59. Complications: A Surgeon's Notes on an Imperfect Science 
A little simple for me since I work in the operating room, but for a surgeon, he tells a good story and hopefully people not in the healthcare field will get a little take-home message by reading this book. (Doctors and other healthcare providers are imperfect people, and medicine isn't a perfect science!)
58. The Host 
I feel so bad that I had just started this book and someone at work asked me about it and I told them it was really good so far. I hope she takes the "so far" part to heart. About 1/3 of the way in I realized I hated the main character just like I ended up hating Bella from the Twilight series because the character is so unbelievably naive and "altruistic" (to use the author's word). The beginning of the book sucked me in and I thought the story had so much potential and then it turned into the same tired love story/triangle with the same cheesy dialogue from the Twilight books. It's like the beginning was written by a completely different person, and the end was written by a 12-year-old. I will never read anything else written by Ms. Meyer.
55. Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn 
Wow! I guess I'm into f***ed up characters (there is no better phrase for the "heroine"). I could not put this book down, although I can see how the people that hated it, really hated it. It is dark, and turns out to be much less about a murder mystery than dirty family secrets and the effect they have on those immersed in them.
53. The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd 
I had a sense of deja vu while reading this book. I don't know if the story was so typical (unhappy motherless girl finds people to love) or if I've read it before.
52. Desert Solitaire by Edward Abbey 
I read this book for "recommended reading" for a trip I have planned in Death Valley. Let me say, I HATE this author. If he could have left out his personality and opinions, and stuck with his wonderful descriptions of the desert and its beauty, the book could've been great. Unfortunately, I read it as fast as I could because every time I thought he was redeeming himself, he made some asinine comment that made me angry (and also a little happy he is now deceased because he scares me a little--in a Charlie Manson kind of anti-social way).
51. The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring by J.R.R. Tolkien 
I will finish the trilogy because I started it. I was bored by the first part of the movie and turned it off (which I never do) and thought, "The book is always better, I will read them instead." I found the book to be nearly as boring as the movie I started.
I will admit it was a good story after it got going, but after reading the introduction, which thoroughly confused me, I was already disappointed. I think Tolkien had this detailed imaginary world in his head, and decided that every last detail he held in his mind was significant to the story. In my opinion, it was so full of extraneous information that didn't contribute to the plot that it was frustrating to read. Every time the storyline got interesting, it was bogged down by imaginary geography and history that seemed irrelevant.
49. The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan 
Interesting story. Reminded me a little of an M. Night Shyamalan movie called "The Village".
48. Dead Until Dark 
I really like HBOs True Blood and this book was exactly what happened in season one with a few missing characters & side story-lines from the show, that I don't think I want to read the rest of them for fear of ruining the show. Has anyone read the whole series that watches True Blood? Will it ruin it for me?
46. The Brief and Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao 
This was a very interesting story. So real, I kept checking the jacket to see if it was non-fiction. It also made me want to read more about the history of the Caribbean. I do wish it came with a glossary for all of the spanish words that I did not know. I started to look them up, but found that most of them are slang that were not in standard Spanish/English dictionaries, and also there were so many of them that it became too tedious. Still a great book, though.
Pam wrote: "how did you like The Guernsey Literary...? It's on my to read list, but I haven't had a chance to read it yet.."I liked the way it was put together (a series of letters), so I felt a little more connected to all the characters in the story. I also like historic fiction and it gave me a little more insight into the effects of WWII on a more isolated area of Europe.
how did you like The Guernsey Literary...? It's on my to read list, but I haven't had a chance to read it yet..
Leslie, re 'Lies', I assumed he may have been discussing teaching history earlier than 1995. My history lessons were much more patrioticly white-washed when I was in school. I think texts are more 'balanced' now. For instance, my Dad who is 63 said he never learned about the Holocaust in school. He wasn't really aware of it until we visited the Holocaust Museum in Washington D.C. And he's certainly not dumb--just unaware. Strange, hmmm?
Leslie wrote: "42. Lies My Teacher Told Me...
Leslie, I totally agree about Lies My Teacher Told Me. Give me more things my teacher got wrong, not repeated lectures about history being taught incorrectly.
42. Lies My Teacher Told Me...43. Moose...
I got some interesting factoids from "Lies", but I don't recall ever being so "fooled" by American History textbooks as the author claims to think all high school students are (i.e. I very clearly knew that the Civil War was all about slavery, and not "state's rights"). This book was published in 1995, and I was in high school at this time. Maybe I'm not remembering correctly, but really I don't think he's giving students enough credit. Despite that, his points are very valid in regards to the way history books are written, and the way history is typically taught. I just wanted more juicy details and less lecture on what is wrong with the writing and teaching of history.
Kelley wrote: "Water for ELephants reminded me a lot, but not exactly, of the HBO series Carnivale. I did not read Black Girl/White Girl but I did read one Joyce Carol Oates book previously. Ihated it and off..."
That was my first & last Joyce Carrol Oates book. I have read reviews where she is basically either loved or hated. I'm going to assume I am the latter after reading Black Girl/White Girl. Glad to hear I'm not the only one who doesn't want to gve her another shot!
Water for ELephants reminded me a lot, but not exactly, of the HBO series Carnivale.
I did not read Black Girl/White Girl but I did read one Joyce Carol Oates book previously. Ihated it and off the top of my head I can't remember the title. But I now purposely avoid her books. They may not all be that bad but there are so many other things to read that I skip them.
40. Alice by Sara Flanigan This is a YA book I first read in Jr. High and fell in love with. It is out of print and finally found a copy to re-read it. I still think it is great!
37. Black Girl/White Girl 
I absolutely hated this book. I found the characters to be so childishly ridiculous I just got angry while I was reading. I read it as fast as I could so that I didn't have to listen to the main character anymore.
38. The Girls' Guide to Hunting and Fishing
Cute and funny, I love the main character's sense of humor! There is one chapter in the middle that I don't know why it is in there (the one from the neighbors downstairs? If anyone can explain it, I'd like to know!)
39. The Nanny Diaries
Liked it. Really reminded me of The Devil Wears Prada, though.
