75 Books...More or Less! discussion
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Alecia's 2011 challenge
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Andrea, Moderator
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Sep 25, 2011 05:27PM
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This summer I have traveled a lot. France is one of my favorite places. I think it, along with Italy, should be at the top of your list! When you do get to go, run it by me...be happy to throw in my 2 cents.
Alecia wrote: "This summer I have traveled a lot. France is one of my favorite places. I think it, along with Italy, should be at the top of your list! When you do get to go, run it by me...be happy to throw in m..."I would love to go to Italy. I was fortunate enough to get to do lots of traveling when I was in school, through choir. I've been to Europe 3 times and have visited 6 different countries, but Italy isn't one of them, and it's a place I've always wanted to see. Maybe someday.
Book # 66 Snow Drops by A.D. Miller 3/5 starsThis book has a practically non-existant plot line, but is just filled with details of life in Russia. I think the atmosphere A.D. Miller creates is the main draw of reading this novel. It's basically a confessional as told by our "hero"/protagonist, Nick, to his present-day fiancee (the reader never knows her, she's just a plot device). He's an English lawyer in his late thirties living and working in Russia. He gets involved with two youg women and becomes ensnared (quite willingly after a while)in their scheme. There's a moral dubiousness about Nick that makes him a rather honest, if not likeable, character.
Charleen wrote: "Alecia wrote: "This summer I have traveled a lot. France is one of my favorite places. I think it, along with Italy, should be at the top of your list! When you do get to go, run it by me...be happ..."Charleen, I hope you get to go to Italy. There are so many parts of the country that merit a visit, that you could spend 3 weeks to a month there, and still go back for more. I also was in Sicily many years ago and loved that. And Florence is one of my favorite cities.
Book # 67 Family Matters by Rohinton Mistry 4/5 starsNot as intense or depressing as A Fine Balance, Family Matters is still quite a wonderfully written novel. Mistry enables the reader to really know his characters, young, old, male or female. This is about an Indian family having to take care of their elderly patriarch, but it could be describing the stesses on any family. I think it can be universally enjoyed as a story on family life told in beautiful prose.
Mod
Book # 68 A Death in Summer by Benjamin Black 1/5 starsI found this book tedious, with uninteresting characters and, to me, a confusing and plodding plot. I also had no sense of the timeline it was set in (I later figured some time after WWII), and found it difficult to finish.
Book # 69 these Things Hidden by Heathr Gudenkauf 1/5 stars***spoiler alert***
This book was, for me, a mindless page-turning experience. Some might consider it a good "beach book" or "airplane book". I also found the whole hidden pregnancy premise, especially as the character Allison had twins (!),rather preposterous. I know it happens, but in this book, the situation seemed unbelievable, and the coincidences and stereotypes abound. The POV also kept shifting in short chapters, inexplicably changing to the third person for one of the characters, Charm.
Book # 70 Fun & Games by Duane Swierczynski 3/5 starsThis was a fun read, but it started off better than it finished. I felt it went on a bit too long, but I would read more by this author. As someone else put it, it's like a thriller/mystery on speed. I understand it is part one of a trilogy about it's hero, Charlie Hardie.
Book # 71 The Vault by Ruth Rendell 2/5 starsThis latest Inspector Wexford novel has him retired and acting as a police advisor. I found the plot simple, yet the numerous characters confused me, and there was no suspense. Some of the writing about his personal life is good, but I lost track of who was who,couldn't figure out the ending, and actually didn't care much.
Book # 72 The Accident by Linwood Barclay 2/5 starsAfter a strong prologue, I found this book meandered along with too many accidents, too many characters and not enough strong writing.
Book #73 A Killer's Essence by Dave Zeltserman 2.5/5 starsAlthough the writing is good, I felt the story lacked tension, and the plot line seemed to waver a bit. There is an interesting witness to a grisly murder, a neurologically damaged recluse who has demonic hallucinations. He cannot describe the murderer in a conventional manner, hence the "essence" in the title. The protagonist detective's back story of his girfriend troubles, divorce and estrangement from his kids is evoked nicely, but it did not seem taught enough. All the parts did not come together as well as they might have.
Book # 74 When She Woke by Hilary Jordan 4/5 starsI am not usually a sci-fi reader, but this book captured my interest with the first two sentences: "When she woke, she was red. Not flushed, not sunburned, but the solid, declarative red of a stop sign".
When She Woke is a retelling of The Scarlet Letter, set in the indeterminate future. The main character's name is Hannah Payne, her lover's name is Reverand Dale and her unborn baby's name is Pearl. A little heavy-handed...maybe. But the writing is sharp and the pace is fast-moving. Hannah's punishment for having an abortion (classified as murder) is to be made a Chrome-a criminal whose skin color has been genetically altered to match her crime. I found it a particularly scary vision of the future in which certain right-wing ways of thinking have become the law. There is even such a thing as a Creationist Museum. Although I have some reservations about Reverand Dale's characterization at the end of the novel, I enjoyed reading this, and look forward to more from Hilary Jordan.
Hello, Alecia! You're really rockin' with the challenge.I've been thinking about reading something by Ruth Rendell because I keep seeing her books here and there. If I do, I'll make sure I don't start with "The Vault" - based on your description of that one. . .
Joy wrote: "1 more to go!!! Yaaay!!!"Thanks, Joy. I wish the 75th one I was reading was a little better, but onward and upward!
Kay,I used to be a big Ruth Rendell fan, but I find I have been enjoying her writing less and less. I also used to like the books she wrote under her pen name, Barbara Vine. But I noticed on my list, I have 4 Rendell books reviewed and I gave 3 of them two stars and 1 I gave one star. Not good, at least in my opinion. Maybe give her a try with one of her earlier works.
Alecia wrote: "Kay,I used to be a big Ruth Rendell fan, but I find I have been enjoying her writing less and less...I noticed on my list, I have 4 Rendell books reviewed and I gave 3 of them two stars and 1 I gave one star. Not good, at least in my opinion. Maybe give her a try with one of her earlier works."
Hmmm - maybe I will prioritize some of the other stuff I want to get to first! Thanks for the additional information.
Gnatalby wrote: "There is a creationist museum already!http://creationmuseum.org/"
You know, I seem to remember reading about this...well I guess that makes the book even more "realistic"!
Book # 75 Devil Red by Joe R. Landsdale 2/5 starsThe relationship between the two main "operatives" (as these pseudo-private eyes are called in this book) is the main thing in this book. Hap and Leonard have a "bromance" and that feuls the plot line and two main character's motivations, as they really care about each other. The women are secondary. The plot is OK, lots of shooting and other mayhem, and the writing is pretty good at times
Sorry it didn't land on a better book for you, but congrats on 75!
Book # 76 the Devil All the Time by Donald Ray Pollock 4/5 starsThis is a disturbing, powerful, well-written novel. But it is not for everyone, as it is filled with dark doings,lots of intense religious beliefs, all sorts of depravity, and yes, evil. The title of this book does say it all. The threads of three different stories edge closer together and intertwine at the end. I had never heard of Pollock, and just took a chance. I eagerly await his next book.
Book # 77 Fun and Games by Duane Swierczynski 4/5 starsThis is a non-stop, imaginative action thriller. It stars the estimable Charlie Hardie, and the last book in this trilogy is due to come out soon. This is an equivalent to a very good action movie, where the pace doesn't let up for a minute. I think it would be helpful to read the previous book, Fun and Games, to get a background for Charlie's character. The reader will also understand a little better how he ended up captive in a secret prison that houses the most dangerous criminals on earth. This is the location where Hell and Gone begins. It's a lot of fun, and a good ride.
Book # 78 The Adjustment by Scott Phillips 3/5 starsWhat a nasty protagonist Wayne Ogden is! This is an almost plotless (very) noir tale that may not be everyone's cup of tea. WWII is over and Wayne is a returning vet, having spent his time quite lucratively during the war as a supply sargeant in the Quartemaster Corps. He pimped girls and traded in stolen goods. He returns to Witchita, Kansas, to his wife Sally, who becomes pregnant (Wayne is not happy about this). Although Sally is described as being absolutley gorgeous, Wayne spends most of his time carousing in clubs with his new boss (he's returned to pimping for him now), and can't seem to stay home. Phillips has some fun describing Sally's atempts to cook meals for her husband to keep him home. Wayne's got so many women out there, it makes the reader's head spin. The novel turns darker as Wayne turns to blackmail and extortion to "help" his addicted boss thwart the board of director's attempt to dislodge him. I thought the ending worked very well.
Book # 79 A Single Shot by Matthew F. Jones 3/5 starsThe premise is a good one. John Moon, a downtrodden man who is poaching game on a neighbor's land, accidentally shoots and kills a teenage girl and is horrified. He also finds a large stash of money nearby and takes that, as he cannot resist. After covering up the killing and reeling from his act, his life starts to disintegrate. His wife has left him, taking his baby son with her and he tries again to get her back. You know this story is going nowhere but downhill because of John's desperation. I found the first half better than the second. Sometimes the writing was very good, other times, it lost me.
Mod
Thank you! I am currently reading Catherine the Great, and it's a long one!
Book # 80 Catherine the Great by Robert K. Massie 4/5 starsI read Nicholas and Alexandra many years ago,and loved it, and a few years ago read Peter the Great(Massie won the Pulitzer for that wonderful biography). I read Peter the Great right before I went to St. Petersburg, and it helped make all of the monuments and places I saw come alive. I also saw many places attributed to Catherine the Great. This new biography of her now makes me remember what I saw yet again. Robert K. Massie has the ability to turn eight years of research into an information-filled, enjoyable and readable biography, fleshing out the woman that was Catherine.
Born Sophia Augusta Fredericka to a minor noble family in Germany, Sophia's determined mother makes it her mission to arrange an ambitious marraige for her daughter. At the age of 14, she marries Peter, the only living grandson of Peter the Great. With this loveless, unconsumated marriage begins a tale of intrigue, sex and wonderful accomplishments. Sophia becomes Catherine when she converts to the Russian Orthodox religion, and her story unfolds through Robert K. Massie's exhaustive research and wonderful writing. Catherine and her era come alive.
Mod
Andrea wrote: "I'm starting two or more long books this month for one of my other book groups."Which long books will you be reading?
Mod
Then nominations end tomorrow for another group, but it is looking like....
1Q84 Book 1 and Book 2 and Middlemarch or War and Peace
Andrea wrote: "The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and ClayThen nominations end tomorrow for another group, but it is looking like....
1Q84 Book 1 and Book 2 and [book:Middlemarc..."
Wow! I have never read The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay but have heard good things. That IQ84 is supposed to be 945 pages! Is it two books? I did try Middlemarch, I really did. But I could not get into it. So many people love that book that I can only think it must be me! As far as War and Peace, I read it so long ago, I don't even remember it, so maybe one day it will be a re-read. But you will be very busy reading. I hope you enjoy the choices.
Mod
Middlemarch one for our classic nomination so I'm very excited about that! We are just waiting for the poll to end on 1Q84 or A Game of Thrones. I'm not interested in reading either of these, but I will give it a try if I have to be the mod for the discussion. I've looked at both of them and they are not the kind of book I would want to read or spend money on..hahah
Well, if it's any comfort, I loved Game of Thrones on the television series! It's not my kind of subject matter either, but it was really good.
Book # 81 Ghost Lights by Lydia Millet 3 1/2/5 starsIf we had 1/2 stars, I'd give this one 3 1/2. I really liked the writing in this book, and found Lydia Millet to have a wry sense of humor. While being poignant in parts, it is also quite amusing. Hal works for the IRS and has a wife and daughter. His daughter is a parapalegic and he cannot get over that tragedy. His love for his daughter streams through the novel right up until the end. After finding out that his wife is having an affair, he drunkenly volunteers to fly to Belize to look for her missing boss. This is done partly to get away from her and the situation, and partly to show her what a hero he is. Although I did not like the ending, I thought this was quite a good, well-written novel. I like her writing, and would read more by this author.
Mod
Book # 82 American Boy by Larry Watson 3/5 starsLarry Watson is a very good storyteller. This is the kind of book you can read in one sitting, it goes that fast. The story is set in Willow Falls, Minnesota in 1962. Seventeen year old Matthew is the narrator, and his story revolves around his life with the Dunbar family. He practically lives there, as his single mother is always working. He gets immersed in the wonderful family life there, with Dr.Dunbar the charismatic and influential leader of this household. He and Johnny Dunbar are best friends,like brothers. Then, Louisa Lindahl comes into their lives, and things change.
Congrats on finishing, with plenty of time left :)
Book # 83 Ed King by David Guterson 2/5 starsAlthough off to a promising start with the first chapter entitled The Affair with the Au Pair, Ed King deteriorates soon after. The very obvious parallel to the Oedipus myth makes the storytelling strain to fit the character's preordained fates. It becomes labored and meandering, altough Guterson is basically a good writer. And the characters themselves don't seem to mean much of anything except filling time to meet their destinies.
Book # 84 The Art of Fielding by Chad Harbach 3/5 starsSometimes reading a book that has received fantastic reviews and many accolades can be daunting. The Art of Fielding made the New York Times list of the 10 best books of 2011 just as I was starting to read it. While the narrative follows Henry Skrimshander, an incredibly talented shortstop on a small college baseball team, the story is multi-layered with many intertwined characters and their related stories. As Henry's path to big-league stardom goes disastrously off-course, the other characters are also facing their own crises, and forge bonds with one another.
Although the prose is at times quite beautiful, I never found myself truly connected to these characters. And, as the writing never really engaged me, I did not perceive these people populating the book as being "real".I also did not care for the name given to this fictional small college..."Westish", which also did not feel like a "real" name to me, either. As reading is truly a subjective experience, I think others might have a different view, and this book is most definitely worth a try.
Book # 85 the Sense of an Ending by Juian Barnes 3/5 starsThe Sense of an Ending won the 2011 Man Booker Prize, and this novella can be read very quickly. I think it's main theme is basically about the frailty of one's memory as we get older. The way we remember our pasts, in the loop we play over and over in our heads, may not necessarily be accurate. Tony Webster is our 60 year old narrator, and he is trying to solve the mystery of a bequest and a diary left to him by someone out of his past. The book is deivided into two parts, Tony's youth and his older self. The ending poses questions that are never answered to the reader's complete satisfaction.
Book # 86 The Grief of Others by Leah Hager Cohen 3/5 starsLeah Hager Cohen writes very well, at times, beautifully. This is a book about family members experiencing their own isolated grief. I found the desriptions of teenage Paul's victimization and bullying at school very spot-on, and those parts definitely reached me. His misery in school, and his desperation at keeping his only friend are palpable. But the rest of the family's stories were less gripping for me, and I was not crazy about the jumping back and forth in time as a narrative device.
book # 87 11/22/63 by Stephen King 4/5 starsWhat an ambitious effort this was! In the beginning, when I saw the weight and heft of the book, I thought Stephen King might have benefited from a more demanding editor. I have read King's novels, but none recently. I know some of them are epic in length. I liked Misery a lot, but have avoided his works in recent years. 11/22/63 was named one of the five best works of fiction for 2011 by the New York Times, so I thought it was time to revisit Stephen King. I was not disappointed.
Although it is the length of several novels, I enjoyed reading it. I did, however,find myself forgetting some of the threads of the story lines. But King generally prompts the reader's memory, and that was a help. It is an engaging story, with Jake as our intrepid time-traveler, who takes us back to 1958, and ensuing years. The premise of the story is that Jake wants to stop Lee Harvey Oswald from killing JFK. But there is so much more to this story. It is a wildly imaginative, yet very penetrating look at the yearning to undo and change the past. It's a cautionary tale, but it is also full of love and wisdom. What Jake discovers all through the book, but especially at the end astonishes both him and us. I also found the ending quite poignant.
Mod
Yes, it was very hefty! I could've gotten another 3 or so books under my belt in 2011, but that's OK. I got swept along with the story (didn't think I would), and that's a good thing. Hope you enjoy it!
75 Books...More or Less!
Books mentioned in this topic
The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay (other topics)1Q84 #1-2 (other topics)
Middlemarch (other topics)
The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay (other topics)
War and Peace (other topics)
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