26 - One Last Thing Before I Go, by Jonathan Tropper
WHY I PICKED IT: I read everything by Tropper
ELAPSED TIME: 3 Days
RATING: Very Good
Aging almost-rock star Drew Silver is divorced, barely speaks to his daughter, and scrapes by on the residuals from one song that he wrote years earlier. Silver also has a heart condition requiring surgery to save his life. But why? Silver is unhappy and doesn't see the point in existing simply for the sake of existing... so he rejects the surgery and makes a list of things to do
1) Be a better father
2) Be a better man
3) Fall in love
4) Die
What starts out as a sad tale morphs into a warm and funny tale of a guy who is trying to do right while the mini-strokes have him putting (unintended) voice to the narration of his mind. A really enjoyable read; highly recommend (especially if you like Nick Hornby and his ilk).
This blog is a simple review of every book that I read... For all books I’ll tell you why I picked it, how long it took me to read it, and give it a rating (burn it, not good, meh, good, very good, and required reading). I ask (encourage?) all readers of my blog to post their thoughts of any of the books in my comments :). Thanks!
Tuesday, July 30, 2013
Thursday, July 25, 2013
2013-25 - The Night Circus, by Erin Morgenstern
25 - The Night Circus, by Erin Morgenstern
WHY I PICKED IT: Recommended by my friend Joanne
ELAPSED TIME: 1 week
RATING: Very Good
Celia's Dad commits her to a competition when she's still a child. Marco is plucked out of an orphanage to compete against her. Taught as magicians and illusionists, they are committed to a competition from which they cannot quit. The arena is a black and white circus, that opens at dusk and goes all night... almost every night for years.
This book was fantastic. It sucked me into the story and captivated me; the only critique being that I don't really like books that go for 500+ pages. I don't want to ruin the book, so that's all I'll write. Highly recommend it.
WHY I PICKED IT: Recommended by my friend Joanne
ELAPSED TIME: 1 week
RATING: Very Good
Celia's Dad commits her to a competition when she's still a child. Marco is plucked out of an orphanage to compete against her. Taught as magicians and illusionists, they are committed to a competition from which they cannot quit. The arena is a black and white circus, that opens at dusk and goes all night... almost every night for years.
This book was fantastic. It sucked me into the story and captivated me; the only critique being that I don't really like books that go for 500+ pages. I don't want to ruin the book, so that's all I'll write. Highly recommend it.
Friday, July 19, 2013
2013-24 - Billy Lynn`s Long Halftime Walk, by Ben Fountain
24 - Billy Lynn`s Long Halftime Walk, by Ben Fountain
WHY I PICKED IT: Saw it in a book store
ELAPSED TIME: 3 days
RATING: Good
Billy Lynn, aged 19, signed up for the US Army and was deployed to Iraq. Following a firefight that was caught on camera by a Fox crew, he and his squad are sent on a tour of the USA to promote the war. The annual Thanksgiving Dallas Cowboys football game is the last stop... before they redeploy back to Iraq for their remaining 11 months.
This is a really well written story... of a kid who was pushed into the military, who loves the camaraderie, but doesn't know much else. Over the course of the day, you learn why he signed up, what happened in the firefight, and how his squad views the world. It's a melancholy tale that is quite well written, but will ultimately be quite forgettable.
WHY I PICKED IT: Saw it in a book store
ELAPSED TIME: 3 days
RATING: Good
Billy Lynn, aged 19, signed up for the US Army and was deployed to Iraq. Following a firefight that was caught on camera by a Fox crew, he and his squad are sent on a tour of the USA to promote the war. The annual Thanksgiving Dallas Cowboys football game is the last stop... before they redeploy back to Iraq for their remaining 11 months.
This is a really well written story... of a kid who was pushed into the military, who loves the camaraderie, but doesn't know much else. Over the course of the day, you learn why he signed up, what happened in the firefight, and how his squad views the world. It's a melancholy tale that is quite well written, but will ultimately be quite forgettable.
Monday, July 15, 2013
2013-23 - The 100-year-old Man who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared, by Jonas Jonasson
23 - The 100-year-old Man who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared, by Jonas Jonasson
WHY I PICKED IT: Recommended by my friend Tess
ELAPSED TIME: 1 week
RATING: Meh
If you enjoyed Forrest Gump, you might enjoy this story. Alan Karlsson escapes from his nursing home on his hundredth birthday... and has another adventure. The story alternates between the present-day adventure (which includes stealing a large sum of money from drug dealers and going on the run) and Alan's exciting life (which is a bit Gump-ish - Saves Franco's life in Spain, helps the USA and then Russia develop the atomic bomb, participates in the Chinese Cultural Revolution... amongst others).
The story is supposed to be funny. Unfortunately, I found it a bit tedious. Meh.
WHY I PICKED IT: Recommended by my friend Tess
ELAPSED TIME: 1 week
RATING: Meh
If you enjoyed Forrest Gump, you might enjoy this story. Alan Karlsson escapes from his nursing home on his hundredth birthday... and has another adventure. The story alternates between the present-day adventure (which includes stealing a large sum of money from drug dealers and going on the run) and Alan's exciting life (which is a bit Gump-ish - Saves Franco's life in Spain, helps the USA and then Russia develop the atomic bomb, participates in the Chinese Cultural Revolution... amongst others).
The story is supposed to be funny. Unfortunately, I found it a bit tedious. Meh.
Monday, July 8, 2013
2013-22 - The Rosie Project, by Graeme Simsion
22 - The Rosie Project, by Graeme Simsion
WHY I PICKED IT: Saw it in a book store
ELAPSED TIME: 4 days
RATING: REQUIRED READING
This (quick read) is a lovely little story. Told in the first person, Dr. Don Tillman is a genetics professor who has a brilliant mind, but very limited social skills. At age 39 he decides to embark on The Wife Project - a questionnaire designed to help him identify a mate. Rosie Jarman is not that person, failing to pass the threshold requirements on several fronts. But she needs help from a geneticist to identify her father... and so The Wife Project gets put on hold in order to pursue The Father Project.
Not going to ruin the book with more detail. If you're looking for a light summer read that will leave you with a smile on your face, read this book :)
WHY I PICKED IT: Saw it in a book store
ELAPSED TIME: 4 days
RATING: REQUIRED READING
This (quick read) is a lovely little story. Told in the first person, Dr. Don Tillman is a genetics professor who has a brilliant mind, but very limited social skills. At age 39 he decides to embark on The Wife Project - a questionnaire designed to help him identify a mate. Rosie Jarman is not that person, failing to pass the threshold requirements on several fronts. But she needs help from a geneticist to identify her father... and so The Wife Project gets put on hold in order to pursue The Father Project.
Not going to ruin the book with more detail. If you're looking for a light summer read that will leave you with a smile on your face, read this book :)
Thursday, July 4, 2013
2013-21 - Meat Market, by Laurie Penny
21 - Meat Market, by Laurie Penny
WHY I PICKED IT: Loved her other book, so bought this
ELAPSED TIME: 4 days
RATING: Good
This short book is a collection of academic essays on feminism.
The first one, on societal view of female sexuality is quite good.
The second, a study on eating disorders is actually quite fantastic. Did you know that (some) people with eating disorders aren’t doing it to be more attractive (they know that being too skinny makes them less attractive), but to make themselves invisible?
The third essay is a study on the definition of femininity and feminism. To be honest, when Penny started a commentary on how some feminists reject transsexuals, I started skim reading…
The final essay is a study on opportunity and salary with many interesting thoughts:
(a) A quote by Juliet Mitchell that reads: “The most elementary demand is not the right to work or receive equal pay for work, but the right to receive equal work itself.”
(b) Despite 100 years of feminist movement, men do 5 hours of domestic work per week, while women do nineteen. And if American women were paid for this work, it would cost the equivalent to six times the US military budget (!).
WHY I PICKED IT: Loved her other book, so bought this
ELAPSED TIME: 4 days
RATING: Good
This short book is a collection of academic essays on feminism.
The first one, on societal view of female sexuality is quite good.
The second, a study on eating disorders is actually quite fantastic. Did you know that (some) people with eating disorders aren’t doing it to be more attractive (they know that being too skinny makes them less attractive), but to make themselves invisible?
The third essay is a study on the definition of femininity and feminism. To be honest, when Penny started a commentary on how some feminists reject transsexuals, I started skim reading…
The final essay is a study on opportunity and salary with many interesting thoughts:
(a) A quote by Juliet Mitchell that reads: “The most elementary demand is not the right to work or receive equal pay for work, but the right to receive equal work itself.”
(b) Despite 100 years of feminist movement, men do 5 hours of domestic work per week, while women do nineteen. And if American women were paid for this work, it would cost the equivalent to six times the US military budget (!).
(c) Men see dirt and understand the work, but simply refuse
to support… making it a true war of the genders.
(d) Many women are passing the buck… hiring house cleaners
(poor women), who are the bottom of the barrel when it comes to power (being
unable to hire a cleaner themselves).
All in all, not as good as her book on dissent and protests,
but a decent read. I’ll continue to
follow Laurie Penny.
Monday, July 1, 2013
2013-20 - The Submission, by Amy Waldman
20 - The Submission, by Amy Waldman
WHY I PICKED IT: Recommended by a friend of my friend Joanne
ELAPSED TIME: 2 Weeks
RATING: REQUIRED READING
This book is fantastic. An independent jury is reviewing blind submissions for the 9/11 Memorial in Manhattan. The winner, selected by a majority, is a walled-in garden... but when the envelope listing the architect is opened, his name is Mohammad Khan. What follows is the debate between the jury, the American public, and the architect.
Waldman does a great job of building characters with depth, and shows their varied perspectives ... with respect on both sides of the rational spectrum, while showing the crazies on both sides for what they are.
The book starts slow, but I stayed up until almost 5am to finish it, and couldn't sleep for a while afterwards... thinking about how Waldman wrote a truly honest likely outcome. Highly recommend!
WHY I PICKED IT: Recommended by a friend of my friend Joanne
ELAPSED TIME: 2 Weeks
RATING: REQUIRED READING
This book is fantastic. An independent jury is reviewing blind submissions for the 9/11 Memorial in Manhattan. The winner, selected by a majority, is a walled-in garden... but when the envelope listing the architect is opened, his name is Mohammad Khan. What follows is the debate between the jury, the American public, and the architect.
Waldman does a great job of building characters with depth, and shows their varied perspectives ... with respect on both sides of the rational spectrum, while showing the crazies on both sides for what they are.
The book starts slow, but I stayed up until almost 5am to finish it, and couldn't sleep for a while afterwards... thinking about how Waldman wrote a truly honest likely outcome. Highly recommend!
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