101 Books to Read Before You Die discussion
What are you reading?
Far From the Madding Crowd by Thomas HardyThese 19th century romantic classic novels are just not my cup of tea.
An Introduction to the Old Testament: Canon and Christian Imagination by Walter Brueggemann This was my first sustained, scholarly reading in canonical studies. Prior to this, my primary exposure was to source criticism with its emphasis on the historical context of the text of the Old Testament. Typical of Walter Brueggemann, this overview was thorough, thought provoking, steeped in extensive scholarship and well worth the investment of time and brain cells. I know I have only retained a fraction of the material presented. A re-read is in order as well as additional reading in this field.
We Are Called To Rise by Laura McBrideThe various lives that circle around this novel, until they finally converge, have all known the tremendous pain of PTSD, whether from war, political oppression, domestic violence or the death of a child. PTSD is treated with honesty and sensitivity. The writing may not be award-winning quality and the temptation to unlikely resolutions may pull too hard. But, the challenge, the hope that despite the tragedies in life, we can not only survive, but, if we lean into one another, bring beauty out of the ashes is a powerful take away.
Reconstructing Amelia by Kimberly McCreight
One October morning, wealthy, talented, bright 15 year old Amelia plunges to her death from the roof of her exclusive N.Y. high school. Was it suicide, an accident, murder? The chapters alternate between Amelia’s narration of those first weeks of school and her mother Kate’s search for answers. The plot was sufficiently engaging to keep me reading. However, these rich caddy girls with their social rules and attitudes were so alien to any interaction I have had with adolescents that I found it impossible to connect. Kate’s constant criticism of her mother alongside Amelia’s nonstop praise of hers was overkill. McCreight reduced Kate’s grief to a caricature by resorting to exclusive clichéd histrionics.
Mod
This series feels like literary cheese puffs: empty calories, a slightly artificial taste, but inexplicably addictive."
That's a great description!
Mod
In the 1960s, Armstrong spent 7 years in religious formation, leaving the convent in 1969 at the age of 24. This volume is her me..."
I've wanted to read some of her stuff for awhile, but this one definitely sounds fascinating! Thanks for bringing it to my attention!
Mod
This was my first sustained, scholarly reading in canonical studies. Prior to this, my primary exposur..."
Most of my books I get from the library, but this sounds like one I'd need to hit Amazon for, so I can use my pen and highlighter liberally. I'm such a nerd, but this sounds fascinating!
Mod
by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie-- 3 Stars!Loved the concept and the writing, but didn't love the book."
Concise description :)
Mod
Anyone else checked out this gem yet?
Mod
Soul Sisters Text by Edwina Gateley, Art by Louis GlanzmanTwelve lovely portraits of Gospel figures are accompanied by poetic reflections on that woman. Maybe I don’t sufficiently understand free verse poetry, but these reflections struck me as prose masquerading as poetry by its formatting in short lines. In each of these reflections, Gateley addresses the women in the illustration, linking her presumed oppression under a pervasive patriarchal structure with the similar patriarchal oppression of women today. Old or young, barren or pregnant, vigorous or ill, it would seem that in every state in life, women are inevitably repressed and tormented victims of hypocritical patriarchal authoritarian systems. I will use the illustrations as meditation pieces in days of reflection, but I do not anticipate using the texts.
The Road by Cormac McCarthy
A man and his young son travel through a desolate, violent post-apocalyptic world. The reader is never told the cause of the decimation, but I was given the impression of a catastrophic explosion, most likely that of an enormous thesaurus factory. Read aloud, the phrasing had the cadence of poetry which vividly evoked the desolation. But, that poetic style became a window between me and the world of the story, enhancing my vision, but preventing me from entering. I regret this distance because the love and care between the two was a thing of true beauty in this otherwise harsh landscape.
Alana, When my in-person book group picks a book, I read it whether or not I would have chosen it on my own. In August, we read "The Art of Hearing Heartbeats". I was the only one who did not like it. Because the rest loved it, they wanted to read the follow up one, "A Well Tempered Heart" for October. I will read it even though I have absolutely no desire. I figure, when you are in a group like that, you will get surprised with gems you never heard of, sometimes get the book that has been on your tbr for months, and sometimes get one you dislike. You take the good with the bad.
Finished
by Alan Brennert-- 4 Stars!!Heartbreaking read about an island off the coast of Hawaii where people were sent and quarantined if they showed signs of Leprosy.
My Review:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Brewster by Mark SloukaThis was a powerfully emotional read. The narrator’s voice created true intimacy with the reader, drawing me into the circle of these young friends so that I could touch their pain, hope, grief, confusion, love. Never did this author need to tell the reader what to think or feel, rather he allowed us to accompany the characters and trusted the story to the reader. This is a coming of age story set in a working class town in the late 1960s, when private pain was hidden, domestic tragedies went unacknowledged and youth were expected to fight adult battles for them. I am so glad to have discovered this gifted writer.
The Orchard by Theresa WeirThis is a memoir of Theresa Weir’s marriage to the oldest son of an Illinois apple farming family. It highlights the dysfunctional family dynamics and the hazard of pesticide spraying.
Out of Africa by Isak Dinesen
Dinesen owned a coffee plantation in Kenya during the early years of the 20th century. This is less the narrative of those years than a collection of anecdotes from that period that conveyed the feel of the place and local culture, the sense of her experience.
Mod
I typically do as well, since I've discovered some truly amazing books and authors that way. However, I tried this one, got a chapter in, but it's just not for me (at least, right now). O well, gave it the old "college try" right? :)
The Round House by Louise ErdrichThe narrator’s mother is brutally attacked, a rape and attempted murder, when he was a young teen. As she sinks into a dark depression, he and his father struggle with their craving for justice. This is the account of the impact of a violent crime on a tight-knit family living in a tight-knit community. It is also the story of the way long ago injustices toward native peoples continues to play out today. The story was completely engaging and its narration spun a web that engulfed me. I fell in love with these characters who strove to deal with their pain with integrity.
The Martian by Andy WeirUnlike the many positive comments about this novel I saw on GR, it left me rather flat. The premise was intriguing. An astronaut is accidentally left behind by a Mars expedition when a dangerous storm forced an emergency evacuation. Alone, with only the supplies for a limited Mars project, he is determined to survive as long as possible. He records his adventures in a diary for what ever future expedition discovers him, dead or alive. With gallows humor and the ability to explain complex science in language a junior high student could understand, this has the feel of an after school program. The chipper, can-do attitude of this stranded man never flags. Life threatening disasters are greeted with a four-letter exclamation and a joke before he quickly figures out how to work around it. The story covers nearly a year and a half, but never is there a physical or mental health problem. Meanwhile, back on earth, NASA works with a limitless source of funds, international cooperation and a perky conviction that every difficulty will work out. I kept waiting them to break out in a group cheer. This was a wonderful vehicle to convey basic science lessons for a young adult audience (minus the occasional sex jokes), but it did not work for me as an adult reader.
Station Eleven by Emily St. MandelA virulent flu strain decimates the earth’s population leaving isolated pockets of survivors. Several story lines and time periods are woven together: the cast of a Toronto production of Shakespeare at the time of the pandemic, the lives of several people connected to the star of that cast decades prior to the outbreak and a traveling Shakespearean troop twenty years after the collapse of civilization. I found the jumping between story lines disjointed and confusing. I suspect the point was to contrast the life the reader takes for granted with the hardships we would face if modernity were to disappear. The pre-disaster episodes were characterized by the superficiality of fame and wealth while the later sections depicted self-sacrifice and lasting friendship born of the need for one another. I found the post-apocalyptic world perplexing; apparently classically trained actors and musicians had immunity to this flu strain while electricians, plumbers, chemical engineers, mechanics, computer designers and all with 20th century technical skills fell victim. Musical instruments, ammunition, wine, pens and paper were available and working, but combustion engines and plumbing systems, cultivated farms and cloth production, electricity and currency were a vague memory two decades after the flu ravaged the planet. This just was not my cup of tea.
Dollbaby by Laura Lane McnealI wonder if the author intended this for a young adolescent reader; it would account for the over explanation of southern customs and historical elements. If so, I may be judging this book by an inappropriate standard. The book opens with 11 year old Ibby being unceremoniously deposited on the doorstep of her paternal grandmother, a woman she has never met in a city half a continent away from her home. Two weeks earlier, Ibby’s beloved father died in a bicycle accident to which she was the only witness, now she is abandoned by her heartless mother. But, Ibby shows no signs of trauma and adjusts to her new life with less fanfare than a repotted house plant. The grandmother transforms as rapidly from an ill-tempered loner to a doting care-giver in a matter of hours. A mother/daughter team of “colored” domestics help to nurture this young lady with superior wisdom, infinite cheer and boundless kindness. All potential difficulties are resolved with an ease that only occurs in feel-good fiction. The writing is as uninteresting as the characters and plot line.
West With the Night by Beryl MarkhamThis memoir of a remarkable woman was written with incredible skill.
Finished
by Laura McBride-- 4 Stars!Wow- powerful book dealing with a tough subject matter- PTSD and how it effects every single person in your life. Tragic events lead to a tough read, but offered in a way that makes me think I won't easily forget this one...
My Review:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
The Secret Scripture by Sebastian BerryRoseanne is a hundred years old and has lived more than half her life confined to a mental hospital in Ireland. Dr. Grene is the psychiatrist responsible for that facility. As Dr. Grene attempts to learn Roseanne’s history in order to assess whether she should continue to be institutionalized, Roseanne is secretly writing her own story. I am ambivalent about this novel. I appreciate the way it explores the malleability of personal narrative, formed and reformed by the various memories that hold it. The writing is lovely, quite literary. However, I found this literary writing incongruous with Roseanne’s history. Dr. Grene’s record, a hybrid of personal diary and patient log felt odd. There is no reason to explain either why he records only this single patient’s story, or why any responsible psychiatric institution would consider releasing a 100 year old who has no known family or resources after 6 decades of institutional care. Finally, I am always disappointed by a neat, somewhat improbable ending.
Lila by Marilyn RobinsonThis third in the Gilead sequence is the account of Lila, the young wife of the wise, beloved, older Rev. Ames. Robinson is lauded for her ability to capture the tiny details with a lyrical voice. This character driven, poetically written novel is the type of book that I gravitate to, so I am surprised that I did not enjoy it. The third person narrator closely mirrors the internal voice of Lila which travels in tight loops from her childhood as a migrant farm worker raised by a loving unofficial foster mother to her early squatting in Gilead to her marriage to John Ames and back again. As is true for most of us, that internal voice continued to tread the same ground, making tiny advances in the narrative. I think this is what I disliked about the novel, its repetition. I realize that this is exactly how our thoughts go, but I am bored by my own repeating inner voice, so I was even more frustrated by that of Lila.
Finished
by Theresa Weir- 3.5 stars!Memoir that is as entertaining as fiction. Theresa Weir marries young to an apple farmer. Beautiful imagery and fluent writing make this one hard to put down.
My Review:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
The Sandcastle Girls by Chris BohjalianA middle-aged narrator chronicles the story of her American grandmother and Armenian grandfather during the 1915 conflict in Turkey that saw the brutalization and massacre of more than a million Armenians. I appreciated the unique setting, but found the characters and plot predictable. The author saturates the story with every atrocity suffered by Armenians; this is not the careful placement of a master of the craft of fiction, but the passion of one who wants the reader to acknowledge that the Turks were guilty of genocide. Short passages from the vantage of the contemporary narrator were so thin that these served no purpose in advancing the narrative, but did argue that the Turks are unrepentant to this day.
A Well Tempered Heart by Jan-Philipp SendkerFar too sweet and fanciful for me.
Almost done with
it is amazing! I just learned that she wrote a series prior to this one, so that is next on my reading list.
Finally finished
by Jane Austen-- 4 Stars!How have I gone this long in my life without having met Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy. Highly enjoyed this book!
My Review:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
On Writing, A Memoir of the Craft by Stephen KingI have shied away from reading King because I dislike horror. I was pleasantly surprised by this book, part memoir, part advice to a young writer. King shares personal anecdotes with a quick wit. For some reason, I did not expect that a horror writer could have a sense of humor. Although I have no literary ambition, his sections on the craft of writing were just plain fun; they will make me a better reader. If King writes horror with the same blunt, engaging, zest I found here, I may want to rethink my former prejudice and give his fiction a try.
Finished
by Julian Barnes-- 4 Stars!!Beautifully written gem of a book, reminded me constantly of The Secret History, but so much greater. Highly enjoyed this one.
My Review:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Mod
by Jane Austen-- 4 Stars!How have I gone this long in my life without having met Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy. Highly enjoyed..."
Was this the first time reading this for you? Oh how fun! Didn't you just love it! I know it's the girlie classic and I usually shy away from those, but this book is just so delightful, I love it!
Yes it was- I can hardly believe it myself! I really loved it. I took a break from Austen when I read Emma and hated it!
Finished
by Rebecca Skloot- 4 Stars!!Powerful true story about one woman's journey to immortality using her cancerous cells- taken without her permission. In my opinion, one that everyone MUST read!
My Review:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
A Tour on the Prairies by Washington IrvingThis month-long diary by Washington Irving of his time with a recreational hunting party is filled with derogative comments about those of other races, wanton slaughter of big game and lovely descriptions of the landscape. The attitudes of these early Americans were appalling. Honestly, I was hoping that the buffalo would trample them, the Pawnee that they feared would slaughter them or the circling wolves would devour them. I only read this to fulfill a GR challenge.
And
The Book of Lost Things by John Connolly
Often I read a book that I would not choose simply because one of my book groups has selected it. At times, I am delighted by the unexpected pleasure of being forced into an encounter with a treasure. But, at other times, I find my reluctance confirmed in the pages of that volume. This book is an example of the later. I shy away from books with child narrators because the voice rarely rings true and the juvenile concerns are of no interest to me. I avoid allegories because I usually find them to be trite. And, I avoid with near religious zeal books with fairy tales and mythical elements because these are most often a cheep knock off of classics. Every one of these prejudices was realized in this book. The premise was stolen from The Wizard of Oz and it seemed pathetic in comparison.
Finished
by Diana Gabaldon- 3 Stars.The third book in the Outlander series left me excited and then bored. Felt a little too long, and I think I will take a break before starting the next book.
My Review:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
We Need To Talk About Kevin by Lionel ShriverKevin is a troubled teen who has perpetrated a mass killing at his highschool. The story of his growing up is recounted by his mother in a series of lengthy letters to her husband chronicling their family life. The writing is pretentious, full of unfamiliar words, alliteration and creative metaphors. It was difficult to believe that this was the voice of a confused, hurting mother reaching out to her absent husband. Although details revealed near the end of the book may give perspective to this confessional memoir tone to the series of letters, it came too late for me. I had decided that this felt incongruous 300 pages earlier and had longed passed the frustration point. I also found the family members incomprehensible at times. Kevin is described as deliberately malicious from his infancy. His cruelty was so shocking that I expected his head to spin.
I Hate To Leave This Beautiful Place by Howard NormanReading this memoir felt like unraveling a skein of yarn. Stories wound around other stories, threads seemed to wander out in new directions, then with only the thinnest connection the original thread of an account would be picked up. Through the winding and wrapping, Norman wove an interesting pattern of barely hinted insights.
Finished
by Sarah Addison Allen-- 4 Stars!Perfect read for something lighter. My Review:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Also finished
by Nomi Eve-- 2 stars.Dramatic topic, disappointing read. My Review:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Circling The Sun by Paula McClainThis is a fictionalized memoir of the famous aviatrix and horse trainer, Beryl Markhem. Having read West With the Night, Markhem’s own memoir, just before this piece of fiction diminished my ability to appreciate McClain’s writing. Markhem is the far stronger writer of the two. McClain includes a very different set of narrative events, focusing on Markhem’s relationships with her father, lovers, husbands, etc, material Markhem completely omitted from her own story. It concludes just as Markhhem’s flying career is about to get off the ground. Reading all this personal information, feelings and thoughts which Markhem chose not to reveal to the public made me feel uncomfortable. At times I felt like a voyeur gawking at the dirty laundry of a dead woman. At times I wondered with significant skepticism whether Beryl would recognize herself in this book.
Just finished reading "The Wolf and The Dove" by Kathleen E. Woodiwiss last night.For me, this is my first time reading a medieval romance and I'm really glad that I'm in live with the characters, especially Wulfgar and Aislinn.
Kitty wrote: "Just finished reading "The Wolf and The Dove" by Kathleen E. Woodiwiss last night.For me, this is my first time reading a medieval romance and I'm in love with the characters..."
Girl Waits With Gun by Amy StewartIn July 1914, a car driven by a wealthy thug and his friends runs into a buggy carrying 3 unmarried sisters. When the oldest sister tries to force the driver to pay for the damages, she discovers that she is dealing with a dangerous bully. I found the plot of this story compelling and was not surprised to read in the acknowledgements that it was based on true events. Unfortunately, the writing was not equal to the story line. The gestures, language and reactions of the characters were the thread-bare remnants of numerous paperback novels. Although the prose was serviceable, it lacked any music or magic.
Finished
by Rachel Joyce-- 4 Stars!I really enjoyed this one- wonderful little book about a wonderful man named Harold.
My Review:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
101 Books to Read Before You Die
Books mentioned in this topic
Persuasion (other topics)It (other topics)
The Immortalists (other topics)
The Hate U Give (other topics)
Timekeeper (other topics)
More...
Authors mentioned in this topic
Jane Austen (other topics)Madeline Miller (other topics)
Sarah Henning (other topics)
Sarah McCoy (other topics)
Sarah Pekkanen (other topics)
More...
Loved the concept and the writing, but didn't love the book.
My Review:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...