false 5 55 52 true 5629519 read 1 true 4117981 currently-reading 2 true 4117980 to-read http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/79247796 1989: The Struggle to Create Post-Cold War Europe (Princeton Studies in International History and Politics) by Mary Elise Sarotte
bookshelves: currently-reading
]]> http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/73882847 to: The Tin Drum (Hardcover) by Günter Grass
It was fascinating having read this book in high school to read it again with the perspective of middle-age. I loved it both times, though more so now as it was easier to understand and appreciate Grass's sardonic wit. His mastery of magical realism clearly foreshadows Rushdie, another of my favorite authors. What a wonderful, timeless classic! ]]> http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/66740850 to: The Enchantress of Florence (Hardcover) by Salman Rushdie
]]> http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/70031705 to: True Compass: A Memoir (Hardcover) by Edward M. Kennedy
I loved this book. I've always been much more interested in politics than celebrity , so I never really followed the saga of the Kennedy family in the popular media. As a result, much of this was new to me. What a great man he was, and what a national treasure the Kennedy's were and are. ]]> http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/60550953 to: Hawaii: A Novel (Paperback) by James A. Michener
My summer of long books comes to a close, having tackled "Atlas Shrugged" and James Michener's "Hawaii." This was a terrific story, though the last two hundred pages or so seemed increasing episodic until the book didn't so much end as it just petered out. Still, I learned a lot about Hawaii and its fascinating history and mix of cultures. A fun, albeit long, summertime read. ]]> http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/64127064 to: Rocket Men: The Epic Story of the First Men on the Moon (Hardcover) by Craig Nelson
Fabulous history of the Apollo 11 mission that captures the essence of the era of the space race with the Soviet Union. ]]> http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/60550909 to: Atlas Shrugged (Paperback) by Ayn Rand
One-dimensional characters, long and windy speeches, clunky dialogue, unintentionally hilarious love scenes - so why am I giving this book five stars?! I loved it for the same reason I love the movies "Gone With the Wind" and "Titanic" - it's epic storytelling on the grandest of scales. "Atlas Shrugged" is an extremely compelling book that I could not put down and I already miss it now that I'm done. Take it for what it is and enjoy the ride! ]]> http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/66740773 to: That Old Cape Magic (Audio CD) by Richard Russo
Shorter and funnier than most of Russo's books, and poignant at times. In the end though, this book is as light as the summer breeze. ]]> http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/66741148 Mastering the Art of French Cooking (Vol. 1) by Julia Child
bookshelves: to-read
]]> http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/57088984 to: The Much Too Promised Land: America's Elusive Search for Arab-Israeli Peace (Hardcover) by Aaron David Miller
Terrific book that substitutes depth and nuance for the more traditional hyperbole of books on the Middle East. Miller's third chapter on "Israel's Lawyers" is a frank examination of Israeli and domestic Jewish influence on U.S. government policy without the bombast of Mearsheimer and Walt. His chapter on the failure of the 2000 Camp David summit casts blame all around - including on himself - and exposes the myth, popular in America, that Arafat caused the failure. ]]>