My goal is to read 100 books by the end of 2013. I just finished book 59.
The Submission by Amy Waldman
Summary (via the book jacket):
A jury gathers in Manhatten to select a memorial for the victims of a devastating terrorist attack. Their fraught deliberations complete, the jurors open the envelope containing the anonymous winner's name - and discover he is an American Muslim. Instantly they are cast into roiling debate about the claims of grief, the ambiguities of art, and the meaning of Islam. Their conflicted response is only a preamble to the country's.
The memorial's designer is an enigmatic, ambitious architect named Mohammad Khan. His fiercest defender on the jury is its sole widow, the self-possessed and mediagenic Claire Burwell. But when the news of his selection leaks to the press, she finds herself under pressure from outraged family members and in collision with hungry journalists, wary activists, opportunistic politicians, fellow jurors, and Khan himself - as unknowable as he is gifted. In the fights for both advantage and their ideals, all will bring the emotional weight of their own histories to bear on the urgent questions of how to remember, and understand, a nation tragedy.
In this deeply humane novel, the breadth of Amy Waldman's cast of characters in matched by her startling ability to conjure their perspectives. A striking portrait of a fractured city striving to make itself whole, The Submission is a piercing and reasonant novel by an important new talent.
My Opinion:
Here's the deal: it's going to sound like I didn't like this book, but I did.
It was uncomfortable to read because it was so unfortunately realistic (I wish it wasn't so easy to picture the bigotry and discrimination occurring in real life but I know it does), but it wasn't difficult to read because the author wrote such accessible, flawed human characters.
Although it is almost exclusively about emotions (everyone agrees on the facts yet their reactions are so different), it wasn't an overly emotional book. It gave me room to think; by not feeling emotionally manipulated or steered toward one side over the other, I was able to read it like an observational study on human behavior. I would say I almost felt detached but that sounds negative; I found it very interesting and read quickly to find out what the resolution would be.
I give a lot of credit to the author for remaining true to the characters throughout the entire book. The ending didn't feel forced - there was no unrealistic "kumbaya" moment where everyone discovered we're not so different after all but it wasn't all bleak either. Just like life.
Quote from the Book:
"But sometimes America has to be pushed - it has to be reminded of what it is."
Thursday, September 12, 2013
Sunday, September 1, 2013
Bad Habits
My goal is to read 100 books by the end of 2013. I just finished book 58.
Bad Habits: Confessions of a Recovering Catholic by Jenny McCarthy
Summary:
Jenny McCarthy wrote this book about being raised in a very religious household and the journey she took to discover her own personal faith (with a few other topics thrown in as well).
My Opinion:
She makes some valid points when questioning the faith but the presentation is just too over the top, fair or not, to resonate with a large audience. I wasn't offended by this book, I just didn't like it.
You have to be familiar with the Catholic Church to understand the rituals and lessons she references but most practicing Catholics wouldn't like her tone. There are plenty of lapsed Catholics but I think it would be a tough sell for them as well...the story of when she visited the Vatican is outlandishly disrespectful. For her karma's sake, I hope it's not true, although she strikes me as a very honest person (and who would make something like that up?) It's too serious for people that like her funny books and too funny for people that liked her serious books.
Although she writes in a very readable tone and parts of this book were interesting, it's too uneven for me to recommend (and based on the reasons above, I'm not sure what audience I would recommend it to anyway).
Quote from the Book:
"But the problem was I was being held accountable for all my negative actions. I wanted a place that held me accountable for my positive ones too," (describing why she looked beyond the Catholic Church for her spirituality)
Bad Habits: Confessions of a Recovering Catholic by Jenny McCarthy
Summary:
Jenny McCarthy wrote this book about being raised in a very religious household and the journey she took to discover her own personal faith (with a few other topics thrown in as well).
My Opinion:
She makes some valid points when questioning the faith but the presentation is just too over the top, fair or not, to resonate with a large audience. I wasn't offended by this book, I just didn't like it.
You have to be familiar with the Catholic Church to understand the rituals and lessons she references but most practicing Catholics wouldn't like her tone. There are plenty of lapsed Catholics but I think it would be a tough sell for them as well...the story of when she visited the Vatican is outlandishly disrespectful. For her karma's sake, I hope it's not true, although she strikes me as a very honest person (and who would make something like that up?) It's too serious for people that like her funny books and too funny for people that liked her serious books.
Although she writes in a very readable tone and parts of this book were interesting, it's too uneven for me to recommend (and based on the reasons above, I'm not sure what audience I would recommend it to anyway).
Quote from the Book:
"But the problem was I was being held accountable for all my negative actions. I wanted a place that held me accountable for my positive ones too," (describing why she looked beyond the Catholic Church for her spirituality)
Saturday, August 31, 2013
Dear Fatty
My goal is to read 100 books by the end of 2013. I just finished book 57.
Dear Fatty by Dawn French
Summary (via the book jacket):
With a sharp eye for comic detail and a wicked ear for the absurdities of life, Dawn French shows just how an RAF girl from the West Country with dreams of becoming a ballerina/air hostess/bridesmaid/thief rose to become one of the best-loved actresses of our time. Here she reveals the people, experiences, and obsessions that have influenced her and, for the first time, shares the experience of losing her beloved dad and later finding a tip-topmost chap in Lenny Henry.
From hailing the virtues of grandmas, David Cassidy and stealing, to describing the highs and lows of family and friendship, Dear Fatty reveals the surprising life behind the smile.
My Opinion:
Another random interest of mine: British television. Although Dawn French is a well known English actress, I only discovered her about 5 years ago through PBS airing her series The Vicar of Dibley - I enjoyed it (and her) very much. This memoir has been on my "to-read" list for quite some time (it was released in 2008), and I was happy to finally get my hands on a copy.
While there were some stories that didn't interest me because I didn't recognize any of the actors mentioned (my fault, I'm sure a British reader would have no trouble), I liked reading about her professional journey and I found out about many shows and movies she's done that I would like to see (my "to-watch" list is almost as long as my "to-read" list...if only I didn't require sleep!)
The personal stories were much more interesting to me, although they were tinged with sadness for two reasons. One, her father committed suicide when she was 19, so hearing how nurturing he was and how confused she was by his death was heartbreaking. Two, she wrote many pages about Len and what an amazing husband and man he is, and I know that since the book was released they divorced after 25 years of marriage.
I'm glad I had the chance to read it but wouldn't recommend it unless you're very familiar with her work.
Quote from the Book:
"There might have been endless new doors but behind each one was [Mum] and Dad, making a safe and happy place for me to be."
Dear Fatty by Dawn French
Summary (via the book jacket):
With a sharp eye for comic detail and a wicked ear for the absurdities of life, Dawn French shows just how an RAF girl from the West Country with dreams of becoming a ballerina/air hostess/bridesmaid/thief rose to become one of the best-loved actresses of our time. Here she reveals the people, experiences, and obsessions that have influenced her and, for the first time, shares the experience of losing her beloved dad and later finding a tip-topmost chap in Lenny Henry.
From hailing the virtues of grandmas, David Cassidy and stealing, to describing the highs and lows of family and friendship, Dear Fatty reveals the surprising life behind the smile.
My Opinion:
Another random interest of mine: British television. Although Dawn French is a well known English actress, I only discovered her about 5 years ago through PBS airing her series The Vicar of Dibley - I enjoyed it (and her) very much. This memoir has been on my "to-read" list for quite some time (it was released in 2008), and I was happy to finally get my hands on a copy.
While there were some stories that didn't interest me because I didn't recognize any of the actors mentioned (my fault, I'm sure a British reader would have no trouble), I liked reading about her professional journey and I found out about many shows and movies she's done that I would like to see (my "to-watch" list is almost as long as my "to-read" list...if only I didn't require sleep!)
The personal stories were much more interesting to me, although they were tinged with sadness for two reasons. One, her father committed suicide when she was 19, so hearing how nurturing he was and how confused she was by his death was heartbreaking. Two, she wrote many pages about Len and what an amazing husband and man he is, and I know that since the book was released they divorced after 25 years of marriage.
I'm glad I had the chance to read it but wouldn't recommend it unless you're very familiar with her work.
Quote from the Book:
"There might have been endless new doors but behind each one was [Mum] and Dad, making a safe and happy place for me to be."
Wednesday, August 28, 2013
Tough Sh*t
My goal is to read 100 books by the end of 2013. I just finished book 56.
Tough Sh*t by Kevin Smith
Summary (via Goodreads):
That Kevin Smith? The guy who did "Clerks" a million years ago? Didn't they bounce his fat ass off a plane once? What could you possibly learn from the director of "Cop Out"? How about this: he changed filmmaking forever when he was twenty-three, and since then, he's done whatever the hell he wants. He makes movies, writes comics, owns a store, and now he's built a podcasting empire with his friends and family, including a wife who's way out of his league. So here's some tough shit: Kevin Smith has cracked the code. Or, he's just cracked.
Tough Sh*t is the dirty business that Kevin has been digesting for 41 years and now, he's read to put it in your hands. Smear this shit all over yourself, because this is your blueprint (or brownprint) for success. Kev takes you through some big moments in his life to help you live your days in as Gretzky a fashion as you can: going where the puck is gonna be. Read all about how a zero like Smith managed to make ten movies with no discernible talent, and how when he had everything he thought he'd ever want, he decided to blow up his own career. Along the way, Kev shares stories about folks who inspired him (like George Carlin), folks who befuddled him (like Bruce Willis), and folks who let him jerk off onto their legs (like his beloved wife, Jen). So make this your daily reader. Hell, read it on the toilet if you want. Just make sure you grab the bowl and push, because you're about to take one Tough Sh*t.
My Opinion:
First of all, the summary doesn't do the book justice but I'm too lazy to create my own.
I'm a longtime fan of Kevin Smith's. Although I prefer hearing him speak, this quick read had many entertaining stories (I love "behind the scenes" dirt!).
Just as with his movies, Kevin Smith entertains on many layers - the top layer is funny haha (poop jokes and zingy one-liners), the middle layer is funny true (characters you feel like you know yet are crazier and cooler than real life at the same time), and the bottom layer is the moment after the laugh when you realize Kevin Smith is much deeper and smarter than people give him credit for.
Recommended to fellow fans.
My Favorite Chapter:
Holy Shit: Red State, Part II
Tough Sh*t by Kevin Smith
Summary (via Goodreads):
That Kevin Smith? The guy who did "Clerks" a million years ago? Didn't they bounce his fat ass off a plane once? What could you possibly learn from the director of "Cop Out"? How about this: he changed filmmaking forever when he was twenty-three, and since then, he's done whatever the hell he wants. He makes movies, writes comics, owns a store, and now he's built a podcasting empire with his friends and family, including a wife who's way out of his league. So here's some tough shit: Kevin Smith has cracked the code. Or, he's just cracked.
Tough Sh*t is the dirty business that Kevin has been digesting for 41 years and now, he's read to put it in your hands. Smear this shit all over yourself, because this is your blueprint (or brownprint) for success. Kev takes you through some big moments in his life to help you live your days in as Gretzky a fashion as you can: going where the puck is gonna be. Read all about how a zero like Smith managed to make ten movies with no discernible talent, and how when he had everything he thought he'd ever want, he decided to blow up his own career. Along the way, Kev shares stories about folks who inspired him (like George Carlin), folks who befuddled him (like Bruce Willis), and folks who let him jerk off onto their legs (like his beloved wife, Jen). So make this your daily reader. Hell, read it on the toilet if you want. Just make sure you grab the bowl and push, because you're about to take one Tough Sh*t.
My Opinion:
First of all, the summary doesn't do the book justice but I'm too lazy to create my own.
I'm a longtime fan of Kevin Smith's. Although I prefer hearing him speak, this quick read had many entertaining stories (I love "behind the scenes" dirt!).
Just as with his movies, Kevin Smith entertains on many layers - the top layer is funny haha (poop jokes and zingy one-liners), the middle layer is funny true (characters you feel like you know yet are crazier and cooler than real life at the same time), and the bottom layer is the moment after the laugh when you realize Kevin Smith is much deeper and smarter than people give him credit for.
Recommended to fellow fans.
My Favorite Chapter:
Holy Shit: Red State, Part II
Monday, August 26, 2013
The Language of Sisters
My goal is to read 100 books by the end of 2013. I just finished book 55.
The Language of Sisters by Amy Hatvany
Summary (via Goodreads):
Ten years ago, Nicole Hunter left her troubled home behind her, unable to cope with the demands of a life with her disabled sister, Jenny. Though her search for happiness - both in career and in love - has fallen short of her dreams, Nicole pretends that all is well. Then a shattering event turns her world upside down, and suddenly, she is back in her hometown, caring for her pregnant sister and trying to heal her embattled relationship with her mother.
Reunited with her family and forced to confront the guilt that haunts her, Nicole finally has the chance to be the sister she always wished she'd been. And when she is faced with the most difficult choice of her life, Nicole rediscovers the beauty of sisterhood - and receives a special gift that will change her life forever.
My Opinion:
I'm not going to nitpick scenarios/character choices, even though I found them implausible, but I have to address my hot button issue - the gratuitous use of the 'r' word. I could not reconcile the two halves of Nicole: the sensitive Nicole that uprooted her entire life with no hesitation to move home and take care of her sister and the completely offensive Nicole that could utter the phrase "This was not the sole lesson I learned about life as the sister of a retarded child". By the way, the passage that followed that sentence in the book was beautiful and spoke to my heart. The fact that Nicole is a trained therapist adds even more reason that she would never use the 'r' word in such a cavalier fashion and even less reason that she would make all the choices she did. Even when I don't agree with someone's choices, I have to understand why they made them (which is not the same as justifying them; it's just finding their motivation). If I can't make that connection, I'm out.
Although I like the author's writing style a lot and will definitely read another one by her, my opinion on this particular book is to skip it. I just couldn't shake the negative reaction I had at the beginning of the book even though the second half was much better.
Quote from the Book:
I'm not going to nitpick scenarios/character choices, even though I found them implausible, but I have to address my hot button issue - the gratuitous use of the 'r' word. I could not reconcile the two halves of Nicole: the sensitive Nicole that uprooted her entire life with no hesitation to move home and take care of her sister and the completely offensive Nicole that could utter the phrase "This was not the sole lesson I learned about life as the sister of a retarded child". By the way, the passage that followed that sentence in the book was beautiful and spoke to my heart. The fact that Nicole is a trained therapist adds even more reason that she would never use the 'r' word in such a cavalier fashion and even less reason that she would make all the choices she did. Even when I don't agree with someone's choices, I have to understand why they made them (which is not the same as justifying them; it's just finding their motivation). If I can't make that connection, I'm out.
Although I like the author's writing style a lot and will definitely read another one by her, my opinion on this particular book is to skip it. I just couldn't shake the negative reaction I had at the beginning of the book even though the second half was much better.
Quote from the Book:
"My heart ached with emotion I had forgotten I was capable of experiencing."
Tuesday, August 20, 2013
Her Fearful Symmetry
My goal is to read 100 books by the end of 2013. I just finished book 54.
Her Fearful Symmetry by Audrey Niffenegger
Summary (via the book jacket):
Julia and Valentina Poole are American twenty-year-olds whose attachment to one another is intense. Their aunt, Elspeth Noblin, has died of cancer and left them her London apartment under two conditions: that they live in it for a year before they sell it and that their parents not enter it. Julia and Valentina are twins. So were the estranged Elspeth and Edie, their mother. The girls move to Elspeth's flat, which borders Highgate Cemetery. As the girls become embroiled in the fraying lives of their aunt's neighbors, they also discover that much is still alive in Highgate, including - perhaps - their aunt.
My Opinion:
I was trucking right along with this book, not exactly loving it but definitely intrigued by the supernatural aspects, the characters, and the underlying creepiness of the twins. Then about 75% of the way through, a plan emerged and my reaction was "what? come on!" Then it just kept getting stranger and stranger and something that I saw coming but hoped wasn't coming happened. Then it got even stranger. Then it was done.
It was...interesting. A middle of the road read; I wouldn't discourage someone from reading it if I saw it in their hands but I wouldn't make a huge effort to find it either.
Quote from the Book:
"She's going to break my heart and I'm going to let her."
Her Fearful Symmetry by Audrey Niffenegger
Summary (via the book jacket):
Julia and Valentina Poole are American twenty-year-olds whose attachment to one another is intense. Their aunt, Elspeth Noblin, has died of cancer and left them her London apartment under two conditions: that they live in it for a year before they sell it and that their parents not enter it. Julia and Valentina are twins. So were the estranged Elspeth and Edie, their mother. The girls move to Elspeth's flat, which borders Highgate Cemetery. As the girls become embroiled in the fraying lives of their aunt's neighbors, they also discover that much is still alive in Highgate, including - perhaps - their aunt.
My Opinion:
I was trucking right along with this book, not exactly loving it but definitely intrigued by the supernatural aspects, the characters, and the underlying creepiness of the twins. Then about 75% of the way through, a plan emerged and my reaction was "what? come on!" Then it just kept getting stranger and stranger and something that I saw coming but hoped wasn't coming happened. Then it got even stranger. Then it was done.
It was...interesting. A middle of the road read; I wouldn't discourage someone from reading it if I saw it in their hands but I wouldn't make a huge effort to find it either.
Quote from the Book:
"She's going to break my heart and I'm going to let her."
Tuesday, August 13, 2013
Me Before You
My goal is to read 100 books by the end of 2013. I just finished book 53.
I would like to thank NetGalley and Penguin Viking for the opportunity to read and honestly review this book.
Me Before You by Jojo Moyes
Summary (via Goodreads):
Lou Clark knows lots of things. She knows how many footsteps there are between the bus stop and home. She knows she likes working in The Buttered Bun tea shop and she knows she might not love her boyfriend Patrick.
What Lou doesn't know is she's about to lose her job or that knowing what's coming is keeping her sane.
Will Traynor knows his motorcycle accident took away his desire to live. He knows everything feels very small and rather joyless now and he knows exactly how he's going to put a stop to all that.
What Will doesn't know is that Lou is about to burst into his world in a riot of colour. And neither of them knows they're going to change the other for all time.
My Opinion:
This book is lovely and the writing is absolutely stunning. This isn't a grand sweeping story; it's quiet and delicate and emotional and beautiful and perfect. I didn't want it to end but couldn't put it down.
Highly recommended. This is easily one of the best books I've read this year.
Quote of the Blog:
*Since I read an ARC, I couldn't quote from the book directly like I normally try to. Instead, I found a quote from a different book that seemed fitting.
"You have touched my soul, and I have seen your heart, and I know I am forever changed by the essence of you." ~ Jenna Roads, Under a Painted Sky
I would like to thank NetGalley and Penguin Viking for the opportunity to read and honestly review this book.
Me Before You by Jojo Moyes
Summary (via Goodreads):
Lou Clark knows lots of things. She knows how many footsteps there are between the bus stop and home. She knows she likes working in The Buttered Bun tea shop and she knows she might not love her boyfriend Patrick.
What Lou doesn't know is she's about to lose her job or that knowing what's coming is keeping her sane.
Will Traynor knows his motorcycle accident took away his desire to live. He knows everything feels very small and rather joyless now and he knows exactly how he's going to put a stop to all that.
What Will doesn't know is that Lou is about to burst into his world in a riot of colour. And neither of them knows they're going to change the other for all time.
My Opinion:
This book is lovely and the writing is absolutely stunning. This isn't a grand sweeping story; it's quiet and delicate and emotional and beautiful and perfect. I didn't want it to end but couldn't put it down.
Highly recommended. This is easily one of the best books I've read this year.
Quote of the Blog:
*Since I read an ARC, I couldn't quote from the book directly like I normally try to. Instead, I found a quote from a different book that seemed fitting.
"You have touched my soul, and I have seen your heart, and I know I am forever changed by the essence of you." ~ Jenna Roads, Under a Painted Sky
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