My goal is to read 100 books by the end of 2013. I just finished book 42.
The Journal of Best Practices: a Memoir of Marriage, Asperger Syndrome, and One Man's Quest to be a Better Husband by David Finch
Summary
The title sums it up very well. About 5 years after David marries Kristen, he is diagnosed with Asperger syndrome. While this helps explain his frustrating behaviors that are causing problems with their marriage, the diagnosis itself doesn't improve their marriage. For this, he creates a "Journal of Best Practices" filled with such notes as "apologies don't count when you shout them" and "don't change the radio station when she's singing along". This journal, along with conversations/performance reviews from his wife, helps him try to be a better husband and father.
My Opinion:
I think anyone in a relationship would be able to relate to aspects of this book. I was surprised by the similarities I found to my marriage (as was my husband when I read parts aloud to him; I had to reassure him that I wasn't trying to diagnose him), especially concerning the struggles my stereotypically logical engineer hubby has with empathy.
I admire David's willingness to try. Instead of sitting back saying, "you can't expect me to do that...I have a disorder", he genuinely tries to find the tools necessary to support his wife. That being said, I also have to give plenty of credit to his wife for a) not strangling him during the five years before there was a diagnosis and b) helping him so much afterwards.
As his behaviors improved, I was afraid I was reading a "look, I cured my Asperger's with willpower and you can too!" book, but I was able to relax as David went on to explain that some of his selfishness and unwillingness to help around the house were due to chauvinistic tendencies. By altering his view on gender roles around the house, the changes he was able to make (such as helping his wife with the laundry since he no longer viewed it as a woman's job) were able to offset somewhat the aspects of his disorder he can't change (such as the necessity of his morning routine).
David's writing style is very conversational and this book would probably translate well on audio, especially if he does the reading himself.
Quote from the Book:
"Do all that you can to be worthy of her love."
Friday, July 5, 2013
Monday, July 1, 2013
I am the Messenger
My goal is to read 100 books by the end of 2013. I just finished book 41.
I am the Messenger
Summary (via the book jacket):
Ed Kennedy is an underage cabdriver without much of a future. He's pathetic at playing cards, hopelessly in love with his best friend, Audrey, and utterly devoted to his coffee-drinking dog, the Doorman. His life is one of peaceful routine and incompetence until he inadvertently stops a bank robbery.
That's when the first ace arrives in the mail. That's when Ed becomes the messenger.
Chosen to care, he makes his way through town helping and hurting (when necessary) until only one question remains: Who's behind Ed's mission?
My Opinion:
It's inevitable that when an author writes a book that many people not only love but would rank as one of the top books they've ever read, anything that follows will be compared to that book and will often pale in comparison (what a great problem to have, right?). This likely letdown didn't worry me because I'm apparently one of the few people that didn't loooove The Book Thief (don't slaughter me - I liked it, and I'm planning on rereading it since there may have been external factors that influenced my opinion), so now that I've addressed the elephant in the room, on to I am the Messenger with a clean slate...
What a beautiful story. This is the kind of book that sneaks up on you gently...you may be able to put the book down during the first few chapters but be warned: use the bathroom and grab a snack before the messages start. You won't move again until the book is over.
But the ending? Ummm, no. Deflating. I don't know what would have been a successful resolution to the book, but that wasn't it.
Read this book. The brilliance of the story and the opportunity to know such characters as Milla (my favorite message by far) makes the last few pages worth it. Read it.
Quote from the Book:
"There's an aura to this card, and it's been given to me."
I am the Messenger
Summary (via the book jacket):
Ed Kennedy is an underage cabdriver without much of a future. He's pathetic at playing cards, hopelessly in love with his best friend, Audrey, and utterly devoted to his coffee-drinking dog, the Doorman. His life is one of peaceful routine and incompetence until he inadvertently stops a bank robbery.
That's when the first ace arrives in the mail. That's when Ed becomes the messenger.
Chosen to care, he makes his way through town helping and hurting (when necessary) until only one question remains: Who's behind Ed's mission?
My Opinion:
It's inevitable that when an author writes a book that many people not only love but would rank as one of the top books they've ever read, anything that follows will be compared to that book and will often pale in comparison (what a great problem to have, right?). This likely letdown didn't worry me because I'm apparently one of the few people that didn't loooove The Book Thief (don't slaughter me - I liked it, and I'm planning on rereading it since there may have been external factors that influenced my opinion), so now that I've addressed the elephant in the room, on to I am the Messenger with a clean slate...
What a beautiful story. This is the kind of book that sneaks up on you gently...you may be able to put the book down during the first few chapters but be warned: use the bathroom and grab a snack before the messages start. You won't move again until the book is over.
But the ending? Ummm, no. Deflating. I don't know what would have been a successful resolution to the book, but that wasn't it.
Read this book. The brilliance of the story and the opportunity to know such characters as Milla (my favorite message by far) makes the last few pages worth it. Read it.
Quote from the Book:
"There's an aura to this card, and it's been given to me."
Tuesday, June 25, 2013
Golden Boy
My goal is to read 100 books by the end of 2013. I just finished book 40.
Golden Boy by Abigail Tarttelin
Summary (copied via Goodreads):
The Walker family is good at keeping secrets from the world. They are even better at keeping them from each other.
Max Walker is a golden boy. Attractive, intelligent, and athletic, he's the perfect son, the perfect friend, and the perfect crush for the girls in his school. He's even really nice to his little brother. Karen, Max's mother, is a highly successful criminal lawyer, determined to maintain the façade of effortless excellence she has constructed through the years. Now that the boys are getting older, now that she won’t have as much control, she worries that the façade might soon begin to crumble. Adding to the tension, her husband, Steve, has chosen this moment to stand for election to Parliament. The spotlight of the media is about to encircle their lives.
The Walkers are hiding something, you see. Max is special. Max is different. Max is intersex. When an enigmatic childhood friend named Hunter steps out of his past and abuses his trust in the worst possible way, Max is forced to consider the nature of his well-kept secret. Why won't his parents talk about it? What else are they hiding from Max about his condition and from each other? The deeper Max goes, the more questions emerge about where it all leaves him and what his future holds, especially now that he's starting to fall head over heels for someone for the first time in his life. Will his friends accept him if he is no longer the Golden Boy? Will anyone ever want him — desire him — once they know? And the biggest one of all, the question he has to look inside himself to answer: Who is Max Walker, really?
My Opinion:
Good intentions, difficult choices, the horrifying description of THAT moment, desperation, hope, love...all the feelings just came together in this completely original yet realistically grounded story. The characters were achingly human and vulnerable; Daniel was my favorite, followed closely by Max. I loved this book and read it in one sitting.
Highly recommended.
Quote from the Book:
"But then I realize that I am whole, whatever that means and does not mean."
Golden Boy by Abigail Tarttelin
Summary (copied via Goodreads):
The Walker family is good at keeping secrets from the world. They are even better at keeping them from each other.
Max Walker is a golden boy. Attractive, intelligent, and athletic, he's the perfect son, the perfect friend, and the perfect crush for the girls in his school. He's even really nice to his little brother. Karen, Max's mother, is a highly successful criminal lawyer, determined to maintain the façade of effortless excellence she has constructed through the years. Now that the boys are getting older, now that she won’t have as much control, she worries that the façade might soon begin to crumble. Adding to the tension, her husband, Steve, has chosen this moment to stand for election to Parliament. The spotlight of the media is about to encircle their lives.
The Walkers are hiding something, you see. Max is special. Max is different. Max is intersex. When an enigmatic childhood friend named Hunter steps out of his past and abuses his trust in the worst possible way, Max is forced to consider the nature of his well-kept secret. Why won't his parents talk about it? What else are they hiding from Max about his condition and from each other? The deeper Max goes, the more questions emerge about where it all leaves him and what his future holds, especially now that he's starting to fall head over heels for someone for the first time in his life. Will his friends accept him if he is no longer the Golden Boy? Will anyone ever want him — desire him — once they know? And the biggest one of all, the question he has to look inside himself to answer: Who is Max Walker, really?
My Opinion:
Good intentions, difficult choices, the horrifying description of THAT moment, desperation, hope, love...all the feelings just came together in this completely original yet realistically grounded story. The characters were achingly human and vulnerable; Daniel was my favorite, followed closely by Max. I loved this book and read it in one sitting.
Highly recommended.
Quote from the Book:
"But then I realize that I am whole, whatever that means and does not mean."
Friday, June 21, 2013
Imperium
My goal is to read 100 books by the end of 2013. I just finished book 39.
Imperium by Robert Harris
Summary:
This historical fiction novel is written from the point of view of Tiro, slave/constant companion to Cicero (and famous in his own right as the inventor of shorthand), as he looks back and remembers Cicero's rise to power.
*Interesting note: there are rumors that Tiro really did write such a biography, but that book has vanished and this novel is a fictional recreation of what the book might have said.
My Opinion:
As a truly random reader, I read about many subjects outside my normal "knowledge zone". The good books teach me something, the bad books confuse me. This was a good book - I knew very little about Roman politics before reading this book but I was able to follow the story and was fascinated by the drama. I read this book in short spurts over a long period of time to absorb the immense details; this is not a criticism of the book, it was due to my lack of knowledge about the time period. While I can't judge the accuracy of the book, it appeared to be well researched and the author clearly knew his material.
I would definitely recommend this to someone interested in Cicero and ancient Rome.
Quote from the Book:
"Power brings a man many luxuries, but a clean pair of hands is seldom among them."
Imperium by Robert Harris
Summary:
This historical fiction novel is written from the point of view of Tiro, slave/constant companion to Cicero (and famous in his own right as the inventor of shorthand), as he looks back and remembers Cicero's rise to power.
*Interesting note: there are rumors that Tiro really did write such a biography, but that book has vanished and this novel is a fictional recreation of what the book might have said.
My Opinion:
As a truly random reader, I read about many subjects outside my normal "knowledge zone". The good books teach me something, the bad books confuse me. This was a good book - I knew very little about Roman politics before reading this book but I was able to follow the story and was fascinated by the drama. I read this book in short spurts over a long period of time to absorb the immense details; this is not a criticism of the book, it was due to my lack of knowledge about the time period. While I can't judge the accuracy of the book, it appeared to be well researched and the author clearly knew his material.
I would definitely recommend this to someone interested in Cicero and ancient Rome.
Quote from the Book:
"Power brings a man many luxuries, but a clean pair of hands is seldom among them."
Sunday, June 16, 2013
Listen
My goal is to read 100 books by the end of 2013. I just finished book 38.
Listen by Rene Gutteridge
Summary:
The small town of Marlo is completely shaken up when a website begins posting private conversations online for everyone to read. Uproar ensues as neighbors and friends turn on each other, and the police must find out who is behind the website and how the conversations are being recorded before the violence escalates into murder.
My Opinion:
I read this for my book club and believe we will have plenty to talk about.
What a fascinating, frightening concept. Conversations thought to be private (the ones that bothered me the most were the ones recorded between spouses in their own home...who hasn't been their less-than-best selves in those moments before?) turn up verbatim online for the entire town to read. Suspicion, embarrassment, and hurt feelings bring out the worst in people, and this town went crazy. Completely crazy. Actually, unbelievably crazy in my opinion. While the book was compulsively readable, I would recommend it with the caveat that the ending wraps up entirely too neatly for the high-level drama that occurred throughout the entire book.
Quote from the Book:
"All this over a conversation. We humans can tame animals, birds, reptiles, and fish, but no one can tame the tongue."
Listen by Rene Gutteridge
Summary:
The small town of Marlo is completely shaken up when a website begins posting private conversations online for everyone to read. Uproar ensues as neighbors and friends turn on each other, and the police must find out who is behind the website and how the conversations are being recorded before the violence escalates into murder.
My Opinion:
I read this for my book club and believe we will have plenty to talk about.
What a fascinating, frightening concept. Conversations thought to be private (the ones that bothered me the most were the ones recorded between spouses in their own home...who hasn't been their less-than-best selves in those moments before?) turn up verbatim online for the entire town to read. Suspicion, embarrassment, and hurt feelings bring out the worst in people, and this town went crazy. Completely crazy. Actually, unbelievably crazy in my opinion. While the book was compulsively readable, I would recommend it with the caveat that the ending wraps up entirely too neatly for the high-level drama that occurred throughout the entire book.
Quote from the Book:
"All this over a conversation. We humans can tame animals, birds, reptiles, and fish, but no one can tame the tongue."
Wednesday, June 5, 2013
Calling Invisible Women
My goal is to read 100 books by the end of 2013. I just finished book 37.
Calling Invisible Women by Jeanne Ray
Summary:
A wife and mom in her fifties, Clover has felt invisible in her life for awhile. Then one morning she discovers she truly is invisible, and she is crushed when her family doesn't notice (only her best friend and her dog can tell she's invisible). As Clover uses her invisibility to get to know her family better, she joins a group of women that are also invisible, and together they fight for the appreciation and recognition they deserve.
My Opinion:
I loved both the concept and the writing style of this book. I planned to read a chapter or two before bed...those plans immediately changed when I started reading, and I completed this quick read in one sitting.
I knew I would relate to the feeling of invisibility, as any mom does at some point, but I was pleasantly surprised by how positive and empowering the book was. I admire the way Clover continued to care for her family, even when they completely let her down by not noticing she was invisible, and used her situation to help others.
I highly recommend this book, and I will definitely read other books by the author.
Quote from the Book:
"She was invisible even before she knew she was invisible."
Calling Invisible Women by Jeanne Ray
Summary:
A wife and mom in her fifties, Clover has felt invisible in her life for awhile. Then one morning she discovers she truly is invisible, and she is crushed when her family doesn't notice (only her best friend and her dog can tell she's invisible). As Clover uses her invisibility to get to know her family better, she joins a group of women that are also invisible, and together they fight for the appreciation and recognition they deserve.
My Opinion:
I loved both the concept and the writing style of this book. I planned to read a chapter or two before bed...those plans immediately changed when I started reading, and I completed this quick read in one sitting.
I knew I would relate to the feeling of invisibility, as any mom does at some point, but I was pleasantly surprised by how positive and empowering the book was. I admire the way Clover continued to care for her family, even when they completely let her down by not noticing she was invisible, and used her situation to help others.
I highly recommend this book, and I will definitely read other books by the author.
Quote from the Book:
"She was invisible even before she knew she was invisible."
Tuesday, June 4, 2013
This is How
My goal is to read 100 books by the end of 2013. I just finished book 36.
This is How by Augusten Burroughs
Summary:
Each chapter is an essay on how to survive, from the small ("How to Ride an Elevator") to the big ("How to Lose Someone You Love").
My Opinion:
I really liked this book. It was very readable, thanks to the author's great talent of using light words to make deep points (hopefully that made sense; it's a compliment).
My Favorite Chapter:
"How to be Fat"
No, I don't think I'm fat. No, I'm not calling you fat by recommending that you read it. Just read it.
This is How by Augusten Burroughs
Summary:
Each chapter is an essay on how to survive, from the small ("How to Ride an Elevator") to the big ("How to Lose Someone You Love").
My Opinion:
I really liked this book. It was very readable, thanks to the author's great talent of using light words to make deep points (hopefully that made sense; it's a compliment).
My Favorite Chapter:
"How to be Fat"
No, I don't think I'm fat. No, I'm not calling you fat by recommending that you read it. Just read it.
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