KATHY F'S (TOCCUA) 50 BOOKS READ IN 2012

[Brandon]

I haven't but will add it to my list! Thanks for the recommendation!

[Bentley, Group Founder, Leader, Chief]

You have done well Kathy F.

[Kathy]

25. Charles Dickens
Finish date: August 24
Genre: Literary Classic
Rating: B+
Review: What a great old classic. I love the way Dickens built the suspense throughout the book. He wrote the book to be printed in installments so there were many cliffhangers throughout the story. The characters, ranging from creepy to absurd, were quite unforgettable. Pip's narration is genius with apparently two Pips throughout: the young boy experiencing his life, and the older Pip, reflecting on the course of events. These two versions of Pip merge well by the end of the story. I enjoyed the moral aspects of the novel; clear messages of the importance of friendship, love and family over social class and wealth. The only fault I can find with the novel is the ending which just did not seem to fit with the ambiance of the rest of the story. Sometimes it is okay if the guy doesn't get the girl.

[Kathy]

SEPTEMBER
26. Michael Carroll
Finish date: September 7
Genre: Science
Rating: B
Review: Lab 257 is located on Plum Island off the eastern edge of Long Island, New York. Established after WW2 , it has been used to study animal diseases under the Department of Agriculture. It has also been used to develop biological weaponry under the Army and is currently under the control of Homeland Security. The book tells of the various known, or suspected leaks of deadly germs and viruses such as Lyme disease and West Nile Virus due to funding cutbacks, poor management, and little to no public or governmental oversight. For me, it was an interesting history and rather scary to learn how lax the safety procedures were there. It illustrated the dangers of placing profit above safety and also for allowing no public oversight. However, there was a lot of speculation which should have been bolstered with more proof.

[Kathy]

27. Climate Central
Finish date: September 15
Genre: Science
Rating: C
Review: A clear, concise summary of the current science of climate change. Written in 60 very short essays (about three pages each). I learned a lot about the science of climate and how humans can affect it. Very well written; however, I definitely felt a political agenda with this book which is a shame since it had a lot to teach. The book was written by “a highly regarded independent, non-profit journalism and research organization founded in 2008—and reviewed by scientists at major educational and research institutions the world over” called the Climate Central, Inc. Who is Climate Central, Inc.? Are they scientists? Who funded them? Who reviewed the book?

[Kathy]

28. J. Courtney Sullivan
Finish date: September 30
Genre: Literary Fiction
Rating: E--------
Review: Had to read this book for my book club. Good news – I finished it. Bad news – I hated it. The entire premise of the book apparently is "life's a bitch and then you die" literally. I want to ask the author why she is so angry; who hurt her so badly, that all of her characters are so angry and dysfunctional. Alice, the primary protagonist, takes great pleasure at the cruelties she inflicted onto her children. Frighteningly, I don't get the impression that the author finds these cruelties horrifying. Alice has a secret which is supposed to make us understand why she is so awful. However, the secret was so stupid and self-centered that instead of feeling sorry for her it pretty much emphasized that she was cruel teenager turned into a cruel adult. Oh why did I have to waste so much time reading about the most miserable people on the planet? I wish they would turn this book into a zombie apocalypse and all the characters would be eaten!

[Kathy]

OCTOBER
29. Chase Novak
Finish date: October 2
Genre: Horror
Rating: C
Review: It being October I thought I would read a "horror" novel. The topic of the book is a fertility treatment that goes horribly wrong with disturbing consequences for the parents and children. This is not a typical horror story where there is an “outside” antagonist to fight. In this book, the parents undergo bizarre changes both physically and mentally. It touches on some interesting ideas – how far should one go to have a child when adoption is an option; what can a child do if they cannot rely on a parent's ability to protect them. The book seems to be written with a film in mind based on the words chosen and the action sequences. It is not a bad story; however, I like a little more psychology and less gore to my horror books.

[Alisa]

Kathy F wrote: "28. J. Courtney Sullivan
Finish date: September 30
Genre: Literary Fiction
Rating: E--------
Review: Had to read this book for my book clu..."

Your review of this book made me chuckle. Really, how do you rate a book that you dislike so much? It is hard to do, and you did it very well. Great stuff!

[Kathy]

Thanks! I wish you could give a book negative stars on the rating system. Maybe falling stars ;]

[Kathy]

30. Steven Konkoly
Finish date: October 15
Genre: Apocalyptic Thriller
Rating: B
Review: The story is about a global flu pandemic spreading throughout the world. It shows how quickly our food supply, electricity, medical care and police protection can be disrupted. The main character is a doomsday prepper who has pigeon-holed enough food and medical supplies to last his family for a year. But what happens when the neighbors, extended family and others need what he has carefully stored. I loved the lists and descriptions of what he had collected, and the rotation method he used so nothing spoiled (batteries, food, water, etc). I didn't like the way the book ended. It kind of fizzled out. The story made me think about whether I should start storing certain items . . . just in case! I could work on my canning hobby a little more and maybe learn how to weave – yes, and exercise a bit with my crossbow!!

[Kathy]

31. Jane Austen
Finish date: October 18
Genre: Literary Classic
Rating: A
Review: I loved this story when I first read it in high school. I love it now many experiences later. The story is about about five sisters coming of age in an era when there is not a whole lot of opportunities available to them. The author uses the plot to showcase her characters' ambitions, vanities, failings and triumphs. The author's observations of human nature are both accurate and comical. She has been criticized for having her heroines depend on the status of marriage to secure social standing and economic security in their lives. However, in 1813, upper-middle class English women had very little opportunities to choose from – getting married, living with relatives or maybe being a governess. So writing about what she is familiar with, while cleverly trying to show the folly of both pride and prejudice, and the progression of her characters' developments is pure genius.

[Kathy]

32. P.D. James
Finish date: October 26
Genre: Historical Mystery
Rating: C
Review: I expected so much more from this book. I have never read any books from this author, but had heard great things about her. What happened? The story is supposed to be a continuation of Pride and Prejudice six years later. The mystery was easy to figure out. The characters were flat and acted in ways that Austin's characters most definitely wouldn't. Basically, the story starts out with a murder. Then, there is a recounting of the incidents leading up to the murder by everyone involved. Then, there is a retelling of the whole incident the following day. Then, the inquest, where the story is told again. Finally, the trial where the details are told once again. This repetition continues throughout the novel, as scenes and activities are described by multiple characters with minor differences between the accounts. Interspersed is Mr. Darcy foreshadowing changes to the English jury system in criminal trials, and the introduction of appeals from jury verdicts. However, I would have to say my biggest problem with the book is that in the final pages the author introduces characters from the book Emma. Harriet Smith, Robert Martin, and the Knightlys end up playing a role in the resolution of the mystery.
Jane Austen Jane Austen

[Bryan]

Great, Kathy. Just add the citations at the bottom of the post, so it reads easier. You can just type out the title and author, then put the citation on the bottom. Thanks.

[Kathy]

Bryan wrote: "Great, Kathy. Just add the citations at the bottom of the post, so it reads easier. You can just type out the title and author, then put the citation on the bottom. Thanks."

Will do. Thanks for the reminder!

[Kathy]

NOVEMBER
33. Deborah Harkness
Finish date: November 5
Genre: Fantasy
Rating: A
Review: This is not your typical paranormal love story. What is really interesting about this book is the way it combines fantasy with science. The underlying story is the discovery of an ancient alchemical manuscript which seems to explain the evolution of humans, daemons, witches and vampires. The central question is are these separate species or have they evolved from one common ancestor. Very clever, the theory of evolution argued in a fantasy setting. There is even a group (the Congregation) of “beings” who is trying to suppress this information; can we be more obvious with the religious terminology. Now the downside, this is a trilogy. The first book is 600 pages long so there is a lot of extraneous stuff going on – romance, time-travel, angst. However, the central story is a wonderful blend of genetics, evolution and alchemy. It is interesting enough to keep me hooked. I will be reading the second novel.

[Kathy]

34. Gayle Tzemach Lemmon
Finish date: November 13
Genre: Biography
Rating: C
Review: The life of Kamila Sidiqi who came of age during the reign of the Taliban in Afghanistan. Her parents and older brother fled Kabul leaving behind four teenage girls and their 6 year old brother to fend for themselves. Kamila became the sole breadwinner for her five siblings. An older sister taught her to sew. She taught her sisters and together they created a thriving business selling beaded dresses to shopkeepers in the market. I felt this book, although well-intended, was shallow and implausible. There were too many inconsistencies that I just couldn't overlook. First, the parents abandon the family to go live in Pakistan. It is much too dangerous for the girls to travel with them. However, towards the end of the book we find out that Kamila has gone on a weekend jaunt to Pakistan with a cousin to see her father. Dad gets mad and sends her back to Kabul. Why didn't the whole family just go up with Kamila? Plus, I simply do not find it feasible that women living under the Taliban would need elaborate beaded garments when most of the population is starving. I understand that the book wants to show the empowerment of women under the most deadly of circumstances. But please tell the real story. I bet it is much more interesting and inspiring than this sugar-coated piece of fluff.

[Kathy]

35. Robert Whitaker
Finish date: November 26
Genre: History
Rating: B
Review: I really liked this book, despite the fact that the title is totally misleading. You don't get to the story of the mapmaker's wife until the last quarter of the book, and the actual murder takes up half a page. Guess the editors thought no one would read the book without a little false advertising. They were wrong. This book is really about the true story of a team of French scientists who traveled to the Spanish colony of Peru in the mid-1700s. Their mission was to measure the length of one degree of latitude at the equator, and in so doing resolve the burning academic question of the day: is the earth a perfect sphere, or is it flattened at either the poles or the equator. The author gives an engaging account of the development of science in the 18th century, and a wonderful narration of the politics and life in colonial Peru.

[Kathy]

36. Ransom Riggs
Finish date: November 27
Genre: Fantasy
Rating: A
Review: “I used to dream about escaping my ordinary life, but my life was never ordinary. I had simply failed to notice how extraordinary it was.” I would rate this book a 5 based on that quote alone. However, there were so many other interesting aspects to the book. It is categorized as a fantasy but I think of it more like a fairy tale. The story is about a group of “peculiar” children who have unusual talents . They are, of course, threatened by the Big Baddies who make an appearance in the very beginning and the very end of the story. Most of the story is defining who these children are and what their world is like. Hence, the fairy tale aspect. The author does something really amazing at the beginning of each chapter. He inserts bizarre vintage photos which introduces a creepiness factor to the story. Quite creative.

[Bryan]

Very cool, I might have to add this to my TBR pile, thanks.

[Kathy]

DECEMBER
37. Michael Capuzzo
Finish date: December 9
Genre: True Crime
Rating: C
Review: The book is a history of the pro-bono members of the Vidocq Society of Philadelphia who use new forensic techniques to solve cold-case crimes. To me, the most interesting parts of the book was the profiling used for different types of murderers. The problem with the book is its organization. The subject matter jumps all over the place. It's fine to move between stories, even between time periods, but in this book there was no flow from chapter to chapter. Half the time, I couldn't tell from the first few sentences of each chapter what case or topic was going to be discussed, even if it was a continuation of a plotline from earlier in the book. Very confusing.

[Jill]

I have this book but haven't read it yet. I have seen a couple more reviews that mirrored yours. So I think I will move it down on my TBR list. Thanks for your insightful comments.

[Kathy]

37. Mark Z. Danielewski
Finish date: December 19
Genre: Horror
Rating: F
Review: This is probably one of the worse books I have ever read. The central story is about a house which defies physics and is actually larger on the inside than it is on the outside. The house is constantly changing; rooms added, dimensions of passageways changing. The secondary story is about a disfranchised youth who is editing the story of the house and who eventually goes crazy while doing it. The author tries to be very artsy in his footnotes written backwards, upside down, etc. He makes some interesting observations on random issues. He made me uncomfortable with the explicit sexploitations of the crazy youth. However, when he wrote about the malicious, unnecessary killing of the abandoned Pekinese dog, I quit reading this piece of trash. I believe the author is trying to use shock as a way of showing how really clever and trendy he is. And if you don't like his book, well you are just not smart enough to get it. Such a shame, because this book could have been really interesting if it wasn't trying so hard to be avaunt garde.

[Kathy]

38. Siddhartha Mukherjee
Finish date: December 23
Genre: Science
Rating: A
Review: A sweeping history of cancer research and our attempts to fight cancer dating from ancient Egypt to present day. A fascinating study of the changing approaches to therapy over the years. The book nicely balances science research, medicine, and the politics of cancer funding. Downsides to the book are its length, 600+ pages. The author went into minutia concerning which researcher contributed to which chemotherapy or surgical method. Also, the author pointed out that we still have a long way to go in finding the cure for most cancers. Still, this book is well worth the read.