Reading with Style discussion
note: This topic has been closed to new comments.
Archives
>
FA 2014 RwS Completed Tasks - Fall 2014
20.10 Higher EducationQuiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking by Susan Cain
Review: Cain puts forth much information in support of introverts. She has some good points about the US being extrovert oriented. I read this during the midterm elections 2014. And although, particularly at the state level, there are some introverted policy wonks who manage to get elected, our politicians are almost by definition extroverts. And I agree with her that schools and businesses should make places that are comfortable for everyone especially if they wish to access the talents of all people. She also has some good points for how introverts and their parents can work to find situations that will nurture introverts.
But she brings in all sorts of personality traits that introverts supposedly have (such as persistence, loyalty, deep-thinking, sensitivity) but anecdotally I can point to many extroverts who also have these same strengths. And by the end of the book, she seemed to be whining about how awkward and uncomfortable adolescence is for introverts. I have news for her, there are very few people who go through adolescence without feeling awkward and outcast, even extroverts!
The book did give me some tools to analyze situations and discern where processes could be smoother and more productive, but I come away not convinced of Cain's premise.
+20 Task Freshman Reading Round-Up UTA
+10 Review
+10 Not-a-novel
+5 Combo (10.4)
Task total: 45
Grand total: 495
10.10 Group ReadsTenth of December by George Saunders
+10 task
+10 Not-a-novel (short story collection)
Task total: 20
Grand Total: 215
20.7 Make it StrangeFoucault's Pendulum by Umberto Eco
+20 task
+5 Combo (10.4 – Foucault's)
+5 Oldies (published 1988)
+5 Jumbo (623 pages)
Task total: 35
Grand Total: 555
10.10 Group ReadsTenth of December by George Saunders
Review:
The author does a really nice job reading his own stories. He reads fairly fast - for many audiobooks I use the feature on my mp3 player to speed up the sound by about 20%, but I did not use that for this recording. These stories were fun, unusual, and thought-provoking. I hadn't read anything else by this author, or even really heard of him, before this collection was selected as a Group Read for a book challenge.
"Victory Lap" was a truly creepy and compelling story of an attempted kidnapping. The shifting perspectives created such clear internal dialogue of wholly different characters without losing the impact of the story. Stylistically impressive yet also fun to read.
"Escape from Spiderhead" was also inventively creepy and well-constructed.
Highly recommended collection.
+10 Task
+10 Review
+10 Not-a-novel (short stories)
Task total: 30
Grand total: 655
Task 20.7 - SlipstreamSister Noon (2001) by Karen Joy Fowler
Review:Slipstream novels are designed to be very strange, almost but not quite real. This novel is clearly slipstream. It is set in San Francisco, California,during the late 1800’s “Gilded Age”. The main characters are women and the novel definitely passes the Bechtel Test. There is an uplifting theme to the story. Repeated several times throughout the novel is the phrase: "You can do anything you want. You don't have to be the same person your whole life." Good to know. Of course, sometimes the characters decide to do things that seem, well, strange, and probably impossible, and this being a slipstream novel it all works out well for them. The ending sputtered a bit and then just stopped -- maybe she didn't know how to end the novel? Still a good read. Recommended for when you are interested in an offbeat, unusual, strange, and ultimately uplifting novel.
Added: I just found out that one of the major characters in this novel, a mulatto woman named Mrs. Mary-Ellen Pleasant, was a real-life woman who (according to Wikipedia) actually did in real-life the actions she did in the novel. Truth is stranger than fiction!
+20 Task (#20.7 Slipstream - #86 on page 3)
+05 Combo (#20.7 Underrated)
+10 Review
Task Total: 20 + 05 + 10 = 35
Grand Total: 890 + 35 = 925
20.5 PoliticsA Call to Action: Women, Religion, Violence, and Power by Jimmy Carter
Review:
Former US President Jimmy Carter did not just sit back in a rocking chair when he retired in 1981. He and his wife, Rosalynn, founded the Carter Center which helps improve the situations of people around the world. As a devote Baptist and Sunday school teacher, he is frustrated by the ways male religious leaders--Christian, Jewish, and Islamic--use sacred texts to justify male dominance of women. Some of Carter's concerns are wage discrimination, sexual abuse in the military, rape, slavery and prostitution, child marriages, spousal abuse, genital mutilation, inadequate health care including prenatal care, and honor killings. In some countries, female babies are selectively aborted or killed at birth. This leads to enslaved girls being brought in from other countries to serve as prostitutes since there are not enough women to serve as mates to the increased percentage of males in the population.
Carter is also a member of The Elders, an international group of former political leaders, peace activists, and human rights advocates. Nelson Mandela formed the group to work on human rights projects, as well as concerns about health, war, and climate change.
Carter also has worked with Bill Gates Sr (who manages the foundation set up by his son) to decrease the transmission of AIDS in Africa. He has used his connections as a former president to influence political leaders around the world, and encourages women to seek political office. The international work of Jimmy Carter, who still tirelessly crusades for human rights at age 90, is truly an inspiration.
+20 task
+10 review
+10 not a novel (non-fiction)
Task total: 40
Grand total: 525
20.10 - Higher Education - Liz M's Task:I Am Malala: The Girl Who Stood Up for Education and Was Shot by the Taliban by Malala Yousafzai
Although the writing itself is not stellar, Malala’s story and her version of the history of her country and the events leading up to her shooting incident is engaging and informative. There are many who understand the history and current events in Pakistan better than I do, or have direct experience with the country, so I cannot comment on the “truth” of every statement made in the book. Any memoir or autobiography is colored by the age and point of view of its writer and I’m sure Malala’s story is no exception. Her bravery certainly comes through and her selection for the Nobel Peace Prize adds to my appreciation of her actions and experience. I learned a lot reading this book and also from reading varied points of view in the reviews and comments here on Goodreads.
+20 Task: http://reading.berkeley.edu/srl_2014....
+10 Combo: Combo: 10.4 - 9, 10, 11 (education) / 20.8 - Middle East (Pakistan)
+10 Review
+10 Not a Novel (Nonfiction)
Task Total: 50
Grand Total: 1590
20.10 Higher EducationThe Elegance of the Hedgehog by Muriel Barbery
+20 task (University of Texas)
Task total: 20
Grand Total: 575
15.8 BtW - Constant TravelerTender Is the Night by F. Scott Fitzgerald, 1933
+15 task
+15 bonus
Task total: 30
Grand Total: 940 points
15.9 BtW - Constant TravelerThe Cornish Coast Murder by John Bude, 1935
+15 task
+15 bonus
Task total: 30
Grand Total: 970 points
20.5 - Politics: Dissident Gardens by Jonathan Lethem
I found Dissident Gardens to be uneven in its ability to draw me into the characters and plot. It read more like linked short stories that make up a novel, but don’t quite succeed in painting a complete picture. At times I was fascinated, but at other times I realized I was just turning the pages to get through a section. I was interested in the politics of the novel, but never felt a real passion for the beliefs of the characters coming through. Lethem’s writing is good, but the storytelling lacks emotion somehow. I think the non linear arrangement of the stories also made it difficult for me to follow the characters and the story arc in this book. I don’t always dislike that kind of structure, but it didn’t work well for me in Dissident Gardens. I still enjoyed the book, but I would recommend it only to those who have an interest in the time period and subject matter.
+20 Task: on "political novels" list
+ 5 Combo: 10.4 - 9, 10, 11 (dissident)
+10 Review
Task Total: 35
Grand Total: 1625
20.1 - 19th Century:Journey to the Center of the Earth by Jules Verne
This was quite a fun, quick read. I wish I had an annotated edition that discussed the theories of Verne's day and explained which, if any, geological bits he got right. Like most of Verne's work, the characterization is not well-done as the characters primarily were created to put forward scientific theories. In this novel, the narrator is a young man, who at first is a "voice of reason", explaining to his absent-minded professor uncle why the journey is impossible. The pair, when finally reaching Iceland and the beginning of the real journey, are offset by their guide, a taciturn, miraculous man that is incapable of defeat or exhaustion. The first section of the book, the ones that seem most plausible today, were the most enjoyable. The initial descent and early exploration of the Earth's bowels reminded me faintly of Germinal. But the last, completely outlandish section was harder to enjoy.
+20 task
+5 combo (10.3 - Iceland 8 times)
+10 review
+10 oldies (1866)
Task total: 45 points
Grand Total: 745
10.8 Comfort ReadScarlet by Marissa Meyer
+10 Task (rated Cinder 5-stars prior to the beginning of the fall challenge)
Task Total = 10
Grand Total = 65
10.8 Comfort ReadCress by Marissa Meyer (Lexile 840)
+10 Task (rated Cinder 5 stars prior to the beginning of the fall challenge)
+5 Jumbo (550 pages)
Task Total = 15
Grand Total = 80
20.9 - War BabiesA is for Alibi by Sue Grafton
+20 task (born 1940)
+ 5 oldies (1982)
Task total: 25
Grand Total: 995 points
10.4 9, 10, 11Ali in Wonderland by Ali Wentworth
+10 Task
+5 Multiple
Task Total = 15
Grand Total = 110
10.4 9, 10, 11The Last Summer of the Camperdowns by Elizabeth Kelly
+10 Task
+5 Multiple
Task Total = 15
Grand Total = 125
20.6 UnderratedMinimalism: Essential Essays by Joshua Fields Millburn and Ryan Nicodemus
+20 Task (pub. 24 Sept 2011, 397 ratings)
Task Total = 20
Grand Total = 145
20.5 PoliticsThomas Jefferson: The Art of Power by Jon Meacham
+20 Task
+15 Jumbo (800 pages)
Task Total = 35
Grand Total = 190
10.6 – Short StuffMy Father's Tears and Other Stories by John Updike
Won the O Henry Award in 1966 with ‘The Bulgarian Poetess’ and in 1991 with ‘A Sandstone Farmhouse’
+10 task
+ 10 not-a-novel
+5 combo (20.6 – 811 ratings FP 2009)
Task Total: 25
Grand Total: 700
I just want to add that this is/was the worst task of this challenge for me. Not because I hate short stories but because this was the only book in my local library which fit the challenge. I am thankful that no one else wanted to read it :)
10.4 9, 10, 11Mother. Wife. Sister. Human. Warrior. Falcon. Yardstick. Turban. Cabbage. by Rob Delaney
+10 Task ("Yardstick")
+5 Multiple
Task Total = 15
Grand Total = 205
Post 658 Debra wrote: "20.6 Underrated: 9 ratingsGathered Before God: Worship-Centered Church Renewal by Jane Rogers Vann
Task + 20
Non-Fiction + 10
Book Total: 30
Grand Total: 125+30 = 155"
Jane Rogers Vann was born in 1945, so +5 Combo for 20.9 War Babies.
Post 670 Connie wrote: "20.5 PoliticsA Call to Action: Women, Religion, Violence, and Power by Jimmy Carter
Review:
Former US President Jimmy Carter did not just sit back in a rocking chai..."
Ooops! My bad, a 2014 pub date :-(
Post 681 Anika wrote: "10.4 9, 10, 11Ali in Wonderland by Ali Wentworth
+10 Task
+5 Multiple
Task Total = 15
Grand Total = 110"
We don't have the Multiple style this time, but it is a biography, so +10 Not-a-Novel
Post 683 Anika wrote: "20.6 UnderratedMinimalism: Essential Essays by Joshua Fields Millburn and Ryan Nicodemus
+20 Task (pub. 24 Sept 2011, 397 ratings)
Task Total =..."
+5 Combo 10.4, 9,10,11
Post 685 Anika wrote: "20.5 PoliticsThomas Jefferson: The Art of Power by Jon Meacham
+20 Task
+15 Jumbo (800 pages)
Task Total = 35
Grand Total = 190"
+5 Combo 10.4, 9,10,11 Jefferson
Task 10.3 - Iceland or NorwayOn November 06, 2014: shelved 43 times as Iceland
Hypothermia (Inspector Erlendur #8) (2007) by Arnaldur Indriðason; translated from Icelandic by Victoria Cribb
Review:Inspector Erlendur is a homicide detective in the Reykjavik police department. This book is #8 in the series. (#3 - #11 of series have been translated into English.) The sub-genre would be “police procedural” – the police find a body; then determine cause of death; then, if murder is suspected, talk to everyone who could know something; and run the labs on any physical evidence available. Inspector Erlendur has a special interest in “cold cases”, particularly missing persons cases wherein it is unlikely that the missing person is still alive. In this installment of the series, the novel begins with the suicide of a middle-aged woman. Inspector Erlendur’s spidey sense says that something is awry in the situation, so he starts investigating. He also continues with his obsession on missing persons cases (missing for decades). (The reader is asked to assume that it is a slow period in the homicide department so that he has the time to look after cold cases. The other installments in the series involved the recently deceased.) The ‘cases’ part of the novel are resolved by the conclusion. There is a sub-plot concerning Inspector Erlendur’s fractured homelife (his hostile ex-wife, his 2 semi-estranged children). I enjoyed this novel, and will pick up #9 in the series. I also enjoy sentences like this: p.79 “Yes, my parents are from Kirkjubaejarklaustur.” LOL! Recommended for mystery fans.
+10 Task (#10.3 Iceland)
+05 Combo (#10.4: 11 letters Hypothermia)
+10 Review
Task Total: 10 + 05 + 10 = 25
Grand Total: 925 + 25 = 950
Task 20.6 - UnderratedI’m not positive that the combos would apply. Here’s how they might.
Combo:
10.4 - 9, 10, 11: Read a book with a 9-, 10-, or 11-letter word in the title.
10=Revolution
20.5 - Politics: Read a non-fiction book about politics or a politician.
Lenin’s older brother Alexander was a revolutionary who was executed in 1887. Alexander’s beliefs and execution inspired Lenin to his activities. This book is as much about Lenin as it is about Alexander – when it discusses “Alexander’s father” it is also talking about Lenin’s father; when it discusses the family’s financial woes, Lenin as well as Alexander experience them.
Lenin's Brother: The Origins of the October Revolution (2010) by Philip Pomper (Hardcover, 304 pages)
Review: Lenin’s older brother Alexander was a revolutionary who was part of a group that tried and failed to assassinate Tsar Alexander III on March 1, 1887; he was executed by hanging two months later. Lenin was born 4 years after Alexander, and, by all reports, looked up to his older brother. I can understand why he is an interesting historical figure. When the author describes Alexander’s childhood (parents, schooling, religion) he is also describing Lenin’s childhood. The author attempts to describe why and how Alexander became an anti-monarchist radical. It’s a good attempt, given how little the author had to work from (school essays by 14-year-old Alexander; anecdotes written and published by his siblings post-Russian Revolution). The author does devote a chapter to Alexander’s trial and execution before concluding with a chapter on the “Brothers and History’s Revenge.”
Recommended for those interested in Lenin and his affect on Russian history.
+20 Task
+10 Combo (#10.4 “revolution”; #20.4 politics)
+10 Not-a-Novel: non-fiction
+10 Review
Task Total: 20 + 10 + 10 + 10 = 50
Grand Total: 950 + 50 = 1000
10.5 - Dr. Salk: Year of Wonders by Geraldine Brooks
I was about halfway through Year of Wonders when I remembered that it was Geraldine Brooks’ first novel. This was somewhat hard to believe, because it is quite well written. Her descriptions of both the horrific plague juxtaposed with the beauty of the natural world along with strong characterizations were above the level of many debut novels. I have read all of her other novels and have wanted to go back and complete this one for a long time. The ending has been debated in other Goodreads reviews and has caused some to be disappointed in the book. I was actually pleasantly surprised by most of the events in the ending, but wanted a bit more than the short epilogue and found that part abrupt. It did make it a 4 star book instead of the 5 I would otherwise have awarded it. If you are a fan of historical fiction and can stomach the described ravages of the plague, this one is highly recommended.
+10 Task: #49 on list
+10 Review
Task Total: 20
RwS Finish: 100
Mega Finish:200
Points this Post: 320
Grand Total: 1945
10.4 9, 10, 11 Letter WordAn Affair Before Christmas by Eloisa James
Review: It had been a while since I read the first book in the Desperate Duchesses series, so it took me a few chapters to feel immersed in the world again. Unfortunately, this second book felt like a filler – the supposed protagonists’ story made up what felt like less than a third of the book. The real stars of this series are Jemma and Villiers, and their stories come much later. The good news is that by then they will be fully developed characters, but I wish that wouldn’t have come at the expense of Poppy and Fletch.
This is a really interesting premise – the story takes place four years after a marriage, when both husband and wife have realized how much of a failure it is. It’s rare to see a couple have to work through marital problems as part of a romance novel, and it would’ve been awesome to stay in their story without being jerked out of it to see what Jemma and Villiers were up to. Poppy really needed to work through her issues – she’s been emotionally and physically abused by her mother throughout her life – but that storyline took a backseat, which was unfortunate. I’m looking forward to the next installment, which is supposed to be better than this one was.
+10 Task
+10 Review
Task Total: 20
Grand Total: 910
15.4 – BtW – Constant TravelerLud-in-the-Mist by Hope Mirrlees (pub. 1926)
+15 Task
+15 Bonus
Task Total: 30
Grand Total: 940
Post 670 Connie wrote: "20.5 PoliticsA Call to Action: Women, Religion, Violence, and Power by Jimmy Carter
Review:
Former US President Jimmy Carter did not just sit back in a rocking chai..."
Connie, I'm sorry we didn't get to your question in the Politics thread. While this is authored *by* a politician, it isn't classified as politics at BPL nor at other libraries we checked.
10.2 - HalloweenSwan Song by Robert McCammon 11/2/14
This book is one of The 50 Scariest Books of All Time and one of the Top One Hundred Horror Books.
Review:
Swan Song by Robert McCammon is one of many books written that speculate on what society would be like in a post nuclear war. This one has received many five star reviews, but while I liked the book overall, I could only award it four. In a period post-Viet Nam and pre-9/11 when the Americans and Russians were still in a Cold War stance, someone has set off nuclear war, destroying most (and probably all) cities in the United States. Over a period of more than seven years, the book follows several survivors as they deal with a cold climate, food shortages, and a battle between good and evil. Some story threads are very interesting and kept my interest, while one or two were problematic to me. Still, it was well worth the time spent to listen to this very long (over 34 hours) audiobook.
+10 task
+10 review
+5 oldies (pub. 1987)
+20 jumbo (956 pages)
Task total: 45
BtW total: 75
RwS total: 920
Grand Total: 995
From Post 654Deedee wrote: "Task 20.5 - Politics
Read a non-fiction book about politics or a politician.
Andrew Jackson: His Life and Times (2005) by H.W. Brands (Hardcover, 640 pages)
Review:The..."
+10 Not-a-Novel
From Post 661Heather wrote: "10.8 - rated Wool Omnibus 5 stars
Sand Omnibus by Hugh Howey
+10 task
task total: 10
grand total: 1580"
From Post 647Eleanor wrote: "20.2 - Birthplace
The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists by Robert Tressell
Born in Ireland
+20 Task
+10 oldies (FP-1914 )
+5 jumbo (608 pages)
+10 combo (10.4; 20.4 )
..."
I'm sorry Eleanor, I do not see Tressell on the linked list of Realism authors (20.4). Did I miss him, did you mean to note a different task for this combo?
Anika wrote: "20.5 PoliticsThomas Jefferson: The Art of Power by Jon Meacham
+20 Task
+15 Jumbo (800 pages)
Task Total = 35
Grand Total = 190"
Just to make sure we are on the same page, here's a list of adjustments to your score:
Post 679: -5 Multiple (not a style category this season)
Post 681: -5 Multiple; +10 Not-a-Novel
Post 682: -5 Multiple
Post 683:
Post 685: +10 Not-a-Novel; +5 Combo (10.4)
Post 687: -5 Multiple; +10 Not-a-Novel
Some of these may be duplicated from Elizabeth's posts. Let me know if there are any questions.
20.4 RealismAdam Bede by George Eliot
This starts very slowly. Even at 200 pages in I thought “My anticipation of the pleasure of reading this far out strips my actual pleasure of reading this.” For me, this may have been due in part to the large amount of religious talk and paragraphs of actual prayer. I’m sure this was thought quite normal and acceptable at the time of publication – and perhaps by many readers today – but it is not the sort of writing I embrace. In addition, Eliot thought it necessary to write the speech of her peasant characters in dialect, some of whom had quite a strong dialect, though many others not as much.
”Nay, my lad, my lad, thee wouldstna go away an’ break thy mother’s heart, an’ leave thy feyther to ruin. Thee wouldstna ha’ ‘em carry me to th’ churchyard, an’ thee not to follow me. I shanna rest i’ my grave if I donna see thee at th’ last; an’ how’s they to let thee know as I’m a-dyin, if thee’t gone a-workin’ i’ distant parts, an’ Seth belike gone arter thee, and thy feyther not able to hold a pen for’s hand shakin, besides not knowin’ where thee art? The mun firgie thy feyther – thee munna be so bitter again’ him. He war a good feyther to thee afore he took to th’ drink. …”Finally, though, her story overcame these obstacles, a story which I quite enjoyed. Unrequited love, shame, pride (perhaps false), honor are all a part of this. One woman cast in a supporting role had a sharp tongue, which at first irritated me, but then simply provided humor.
”You’re might fond o’ Craig, but for my part, I think he’s welly like a cock as thinks the sun’s rose o’ purpose to hear him crow.”I won’t quit Eliot, but for the rural setting, I think I prefer Hardy. In spite of my objections to this one, it’s a solid 4 stars.
“I allays said I’d never marry a man as had got no brains; for where’s the use of a woman having brains of her own if she’s tackled to a geck as everbody’s a-laughing at? She might as well dress herself fine to sit back’ards on a donkey.”
+20 Task
+ 5 Combo (20.1)
+10 Review
+15 Oldies (pub 1859)
+ 5 Jumbo (MPE 624 pgs)
Task Total = 55
Grand Total = 545
From post 52Heather wrote: "20.3
A Study in Scarlet by Arthur Conan Doyle
+20 task - #8 on Victorian Mysteries
+10 oldies (1886)
task total: 30
grand total: 45"
+5 Combo 10.7
From Post 100Heather wrote: "20.1 - 83 times
The Sign of Four by Arthur Conan Doyle
+20 task
+5 combo (20.3 - #13)
+10 oldies (1890)
task total: 35
grand total: 120"
+5 Combo 10.7
From Post 319Heather wrote: "20.3 - #25
The Valley of Fear by Arthur Conan Doyle
+20 task
+10 oldies (1914)
task total: 30
grand total: 435"
+5 Combo 10.7
From Post 385Kätlin wrote: "20.3 - Thieves & Mysteries:
Valley of Fear by Arthur Conan Doyle, #25 on the list of Victorian mysteries
+20 task
+10 oldies (published 1914)
+5 combo (20.1 - 19th Ce..."
+5 Combo 10.7
20.9 War BabiesMurder (Stanley Hastings #2) by Parnell Hall
Review:
Stanley Hastings is a Private Investigator. Not the sort from TV or books — he doesn't really do much more than take photographs for an ambulance-chasing law-firm of the cracked sidewalks people have tripped on. His wife, however, is sure he could be a real PI, and asks him to help the mother of one of their son's schoolmates, who has gotten herself into a mess. She had worked once as a high-end escort, but ended up being blackmailed and forced into prostitution.
Stanley has no idea how to handle something like this, but decides he should at least go see the blackmailer… only to find him dead. Now he really has no clue what to do. He can't call the police, or they'll want to know why he was there, which will mean giving up his client. So he comes up with an elaborate plan… which then promptly unravels, leaving him the prime suspect in the murder. His only way out is to find out who the real murderer was.
It's all very similar to the Bernie Rhodenbarr series, though Hall isn't quite in the same tier as Lawrence Block. The whole thing is very over-the-top, but it's quick, fun read. ★★★
+20 Task [born 1944]
+5 combo [20.6 Underrated (87 ratings)]
+5 oldies (1987)
+10 review
Task total: 40
Grand total: 1890
20.9 War BabiesFavor (Stanley Hastings #3) by Parnell Hall
Review:
This time our bumbling PI gets talked into doing a favour for a cop friend who's convinced his daughter's husband is up to no good. All Stanley has to do is go up to Atlantic City and follow him around to find out if anything untoward is happening. Whereupon Stanley not only uncovers the husband's involvement with a loan-shark and a crooked casino dealer, but also discovers another PI, following the wife. He pulls a quick trick to steal that PI's photos from the lab (we're still in the 1980s here) to see if there's anything he should know there, except before he can work out what's going on he finds himself quickly embroiled in a double murder… again with himself as the number one suspect.
Hall starts to find his pace here — this is a definite notch up from the first two in the series. ★★★☆
+20 Task [born 1944]
+5 combo [20.6 Underrated (81 ratings)]
+5 oldies (1988)
+10 review
Task total: 40
Grand total: 1930
20.9 War BabiesStrangler (Stanley Hastings #4) by Parnell Hall
Review:
Stanley's day-to-day work is pretty straightforward. A potential client contacts the law-firm about a possible personal injury case. Stanley goes to meet them, sign them up, and take a few photos. Not the most glamorous — or well paid — of work, but generally fairly simple. Except when you arrive at the caller's apartment to discover they've been strangled. And when this happens more than once in quick succession, then not only does your firm have a problem, but you start to look mighty suspicious too.
Stanley, who reads too many detective novels, is convinced that the killer is an Agatha Christie fan, following the blueprints of The Clocks and The A.B.C. Murders. But the police are rather more skeptical…
This one starts off quite poorly, but picks up well for a solid ★★★.
+20 Task [born 1944]
+10 combo [10.4 9, 10, 11 ("Strangler"), 20.6 Underrated (63 ratings)]
+5 oldies (1989)
+10 review
Task total: 45
Grand total: 1975
10.1 Square PegA Hope in the Unseen: An American Odyssey from the Inner City to the Ivy League by Ron Suskind
This is a book that has been on my “to read” list for years but never actually made it to the pile. I’m happy I did end up reading it. The book recounts the last year of high school and first year of college of a talented student from a very troubled Washington D.C. neighborhood who is admitted to Brown University. I initially grew interested in this book because as an educator, specifically an educator in high-needs schools, I always wondered about the challenges my students faced when they left the (hopefully) safe cocoon of my classroom. Having read the book, I’m impressed that Ron Suskind manages to tell Cedric’s story in a compelling and thoughtful way, raising a number of thorny issues about education and society, without leading readers to a pre-digested conclusion.
+10 task
+10 not-a-novel (nonfiction)
+10 review
Task Total: 30
Grand Total: 295
20.9 War BabiesRipper by Isabel Allende
I’m not sure what to think about Isabel Allende’s foray into crime writing. I have enjoyed a lot of Allende’s writing over the years and I also typically enjoy crime writing, so I was eager to give book a try. I enjoyed it but also found some areas lacking, as other reviewers have noted. The characterization is excellent, and Allende captures the feel of the setting beautifully. The plot kept me interested but when I got to the end I was left with a sense of something missing in the explanation behind a lot of the actions and decisions characters made.
+20 task (Isabel Allende was born in 1942 according to this link)
+10 review
Task Total: 30
Grand Total: 325
This topic has been frozen by the moderator. No new comments can be posted.
Reading with Style
Books mentioned in this topic
Quantum Leap: Obsessions (other topics)The Secret Place (other topics)
Dracula (other topics)
The Trial of Andrew Johnson (other topics)
Stranger Things Happen (other topics)
More...
Authors mentioned in this topic
Carol Davis (other topics)Tana French (other topics)
Bram Stoker (other topics)
Noel B. Gerson (other topics)
Noel B. Gerson (other topics)
More...
Last Post: A Novel by Ford Madox Ford
(Published 1928)
15 pt. task
15 pt. bonus
Task total: 30
Grand Total: 280