false 30 511 394 true 5647538 read 6 true 184813 currently-reading 60 true 184812 to-read 31 true 1442789 read-significant-part-of 20 true 3865329 reference 136 false 2854115 novel 132 false 184885 childrens-youngadult 79 false 184952 nonfiction 55 false 185391 philosophy-theology-theory 49 false 184944 classics 40 false 185388 artsy 34 false 185387 social-justice 28 false 3246055 science 16 false 185415 short-stories 15 false 185414 essays 14 false 184984 books-i-dont-remember-reading 13 false 3774317 digital 10 false 2854169 plays 7 false 185386 poetry 3 false 7988016 graphic-novel 3 false 7175385 music http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/78363523 Patience with God: Faith for People Who Don't Like Religion (or Atheism) by Frank Schaeffer
bookshelves: to-read
]]> http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1329148 to: A Wind in the Door (Time, Book 2) by Madeleine L'Engle
bookshelves: childrens-youngadult
I reread this. I'd forgotten this particular story. I love the idea of Naming -- that we can remind each other of our true selves and thus not be Xed, extinguished, forgotten. I love how something microscopically small can be just as important as a galaxy, that every being and each entity matters. ]]> http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/78243873 Things That Make Us (Sic): The Society for the Promotion of Good Grammar Takes on Madison Avenue, Hollywood, the White House, and the World by Martha Brockenbrough
bookshelves: to-read
]]> http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/77667115 The Lacuna: A Novel (Hardcover) by Barbara Kingsolver
bookshelves: to-read
]]> http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/41739111 to: Persepolis 1: The Story of a Childhood (Paperback) by Marjane Satrapi
bookshelves: graphic-novel, novel
Lovely and heartbreaking. And educational. Quite, quite good. ]]> http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/76418942 Walking on Water: Reflections on Faith and Art (Paperback) by Madeleine L'Engle
bookshelves: to-read
]]> http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/15849617 to: The Reluctant Fundamentalist (Hardcover) by Mohsin Hamid
bookshelves: novel, social-justice
I'm not sure how I feel about this book. I didn't quite buy the narrative voice of a monologue in this particular case, and got annoyed when he'd say things like, "but you wanted to know who that man in the corner is?" or "but I can see that your hands are clenching into fists as I say this," etc. And I didn't like the character, even at the beginning when he hasn't said anything "objectionable" yet, because I wanted to yell "WHY ARE YOU TALKING LIKE THAT?" and "geez, you talk a lot," and I didn't like the person he's talking to (is that also supposed to represent me? i don't like me?) because he just sat there and didn't say anything and clenched his fists or sighed or drank his tea and their meeting there, their conversation, didn't make any sense to me.

So all of my frustrations with the setup made it difficult for me to pay attention to the story itself, but even then I didn't like Erica -- she just seemed so flat and flighty -- and nothing really rang true to me. I completely realize that I have no knowledge of what it is to be in a situation like Changez's, and many reviewers seem to really like this book, so maybe the fault is with me. I do get the underlying sentiment, the growing bitterness, the change in worldview, the recognition of posturing... But all in all, eh. ]]> http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/75127135 to: Coraline-Graphic Novel (Hardcover) by Neil Gaiman
bookshelves: childrens-youngadult, graphic-novel
I think I would have preferred to read the actual novel, not the adapted to a graphic novel version. I've realized that sometimes I don't want to be SHOWN what something looks like, I want to be TOLD. Who knew. Also the movie was so interestingly done visually that the people in this one seemed too... normal. BUT the plot and the story are great. Awesome, actually. ]]>