fiftytwo

Book Two: Faithful Place

2012-01-19T21:28:00.000-08:00

Faithful Place, Tana French

Oh, Ms. French, I am so glad I gave you a second chance. And now this third chance. Because I am totally in love with you. Maybe you still don't know quite how to end a book with a bang, and maybe the who in this whodunnit was a tad obvious, but I'll forgive you that as long as you continue to write so well and create compelling characters.

Book One: Left Neglected

2012-01-04T23:55:00.000-08:00

Left Neglected, Lisa Genova

If this book is a portent of the year to come, then I am scared. In short, it was poopy. No wait, let me explain. It had a compelling premise. Sarah, a workaholic mom, is forced to slow down after a traumatic brain injury that leaves her unable to recognize anything on her left side. And in case you don't get that, the author is going to tell you that again and again and again. And again. And again. And again. And again. And again.

Are you tired of me writing that? Because that's how much Lisa Genova felt the need to explain the left sided absence. Again and again and again. One of the problems is that it's told in the first person, so Sarah just keeps saying repeatedly "I can't see anything on my left. Did you know I have no concept of my left? You guys, I have no idea what my left is! OMG, what the hell does 'left' mean anyway?" GAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!

And also the writing is just so very dull. It felt like reading the most uninspired blog of all time. And okay, another thing, she just couldn't stop mentioning brands, so much so that I honestly wondered if they were sponsored. And either way, that's really just the height of tedium. And so heavy handed! The first 50 or so pages are just one long dirge that attempt to demonstrate just how busy and type-A Sarah is. With no sense of humor whatsoever. In short: all tell, no show.

Lastly, you can see the ending coming a mile away. And I don't like that.

Book Fiftyone: The Forgotten Affairs of Youth

2012-01-01T23:10:00.000-08:00

The Forgotten Affairs of Youth, Alexander McCall Smith

Can we pretend that I finished fifty two books this year? Because, seriously, I was soooooo close. I actually did finish this one many days ago. And in the meantime I am halfway through one book, a quarter of the way through another, and a quarter of the way through a third. That adds up to one completed book, no? And I rarely read more than one book at once, but for some reason I found myself in the midst of three, and I blame that for the reason why I just couldn't manage to finish any of them. Ah well. I still feel great about my year given that I carried a baby for half the year and then birthed it and then cared for it for the other half!

So yeah, about this book! I loved it! I love all the Isabel Dalhousie books enthusiastically! In this one Isabel helps a new friend find information about her birth parents while she and Jamie plan their wedding, their baby Charlie is growing up, and Isabel philosophizes and overthinks (in the best way) everything. I like this yearly slipping into of her little world in Edinburgh and now I can't wait for next year's installment.

Book Fifty: Mockingjay

2011-12-25T09:43:00.000-08:00

Mockingjay, Suzanne Collins

So really, I finished this a day or so after finishing Catching Fire. I just couldn't stop. In fact, I probably can't even tell you where one book ended and the other began since I downloaded Mockingjay at about 3am directly after finishing the last one. What else do I have to say? I did love this, really I did, but all that action near the end almost crossed the line into ridiculous for me. And, even though I'm a pretty good visualizer of books, I had a very hard time picturing all of that craziness in the Capitol. But then, at the very end, the book won me back with those last few lines. I honestly didn't quite see any of what happened coming. So either I'm really slow or this was a great book.

And so as not to give away any spoilers to the three remaining people on the planet who haven't read this, I will end there.

Book Fortynine: Catching Fire

2011-12-02T00:11:00.000-08:00

Catching Fire, Suzanne Collins

I had been waiting forever for this to come out in paperback. Because, for the most part, I really dislike reading hardcover books. So I waited and waited and waited and it never came out. And then I realized that I could download it (for cheap, even!) and read it on the Kindle app for the iPhone. And, I may be the last person in the world to figure this out, the best part is that it's so easy to hold my phone in just one hand, that I can now read whilst nursing the baby. You have no idea how happy this makes me. I have been reading up a storm and the screen doesn't even bother my eyes or anything. So, turns out that technology is actually good for something after all.

I don't really need to say anything about this series, I'm sure, since everyone has probably already read it and written more than I can ever say about it. I'll just say that I love it as much as everyone else does, and that I'm totally looking forward to the movie. I find it terrifying and lovely and it takes turns I didn't quite expect, which gave it more depth than I imagined.

Book Fortyeight: A Red Herring Without Mustard

2011-11-27T23:31:00.001-08:00

A Red Herring Without Mustard, Alan Bradley

I honestly can't believe how fast Mr. Bradley cranks these books out! I just picked up this paperback, and noticed that a new hardcover of the fourth installment in the series is already out! Who does he think he is, Alexander McCall Smith? I shouldn't let that color my impressions of these books, and yet I worry that with speed comes sloppiness. However, I did quite enjoy this one, much as I did the previous two. Bodies keep piling up in Bishop's Lacey and Flavia is still as precocious, spunky, and sleuthy as ever. Though, if he keeps writing these books at this pace, in a few years we might start to become suspicious and have to wonder if Flavia herself is behind any of these murders (she's a regular Jessica Fletcher, this one).

Book Fortyseven: A High Wind in Jamaica

2011-11-22T23:15:00.000-08:00

A High Wind in Jamaica, Richard Hughes

A friend casually said to me at a Halloween party, "So, are you going to be doing NaNoWriMo this year?" I'm sure there was no reason why he asked me in particular, and I'm guessing that this was his idle party chatter for the season, but for some reason it really stuck with me. I thought, "Hey, why not try to write a novel? Who says you can't? I've got things to say!"

But then I read this and realized that I will never write a book. Because I am not a writer and will never be this good. This is stinking good writing. What I write is poop compared to this (case in point: my over usage of the word poop). So yeah, thanks Richard Hughes for making me realize where the bar is and helping me understand that I probably won't ever reach it. But honestly, I'm okay with that, as long as I have books to read that are this amazing.

The plot is crazy: a group of young children, en route to England after their parents have decided that British-occupied Jamaica is not safe for them, are captured by pirates and accidentally taken aboard their ship. But it's not what you expect. The pirates don't really want the children there, but the children adapt quickly to life with the pirates. Everything about this feels child-like, even though the themes and storytelling are quite adult.

But the writing! There are passages I want to quote at length, but I lent my book to someone and can't. I suppose that's all for the best, since I would probably go on an on with excerpts if I could. I'll just say that if you like books about the sea, then this is for you. If you like books with adventure and action, this is for you. If you like books that make you think, then this is definitely for you. If you like books that both delight you with beauty and alarm you with harsh realities, then this is absolutely for you.

Book Fortysix: Love and Rockets: New Stories #4

2011-11-22T22:30:00.000-08:00

Love and Rockets New Stories: Volume 4, Los Bros Hernandez

I believe that when I read the previous issue of Love and Rockets last year, I said the Hoppers story broke my heart. Well, that one was amazing, but this one… wow. I must have sat there forever when I finished it, just flipping through the final pages of "Love Bunglers" over and over again, and feeling so tenderly about Maggie and Ray and Hopey (and, of course, Jaime). I really should go back and re-read all the Maggie and Hopey stories. Sometimes it feels weird to feel so close to imaginary characters (never mind, cartoon imaginary characters), but I feel like they are my friends, in a way, watching them grow and change over the years. If this isn't the best story ever, I don't know what is.

Book Fortyfive: The Spellman Files

2011-11-22T17:33:00.000-08:00

The Spellman Files, Lisa Lutz

This book arrived in a package from my stepfather with gifts for the snowdrop. But this was obviously for me. And I loved that he thought to send a little something that he knew I would like. And I did! This was the perfect blend of humor and a detective story with some dysfunctional family thrown in on top. Izzy Spellman works for her mom and dad's detective agency, which also employs her 14-year-old sister and her alcoholic bender-prone uncle. Hilarity mostly ensues, but also some serious stuff. The mysteries aren't completely mysterious, but that doesn't make the book any less terrific.

Book Fortyfour: The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde and Other Tales of Terror

2011-10-31T22:08:00.000-07:00

The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde and Other Tales of Terror, Robert Louis Stevenson

Even though I knew the general spoilers for Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (who doesn't, right?), it didn't ruin the fun of it. Though I found it more intriguing than actually scary. It seems to be more commentary on the dual nature of man than a "Tale of Terror". If I knew Dr. Jekyll though, I might call him out on his delusions about what Hyde is up to. I don't think what prevents people from doing bad things is the threat of getting caught. Most of us, I would guess, are prevented from doing bad things because of our conscience. Though, I suppose that's what Jekyll figures out in the end.

I'm not sure I enjoyed Olalla so very much. I like my vampire stores pretty bloody, and this was too poetical for me. Now, The Body Snatchers, that was somewhat creepy, and perfect for a spooky October evening.

Happy Halloween!

Book Fortythree: By Blood, By Moon

2011-10-25T00:12:00.000-07:00

By Blood, By Moon, Heather E. Hutsell

I went to school with Heather. When we were in middle and high school, she went by Teddy, nicknamed after Corey Feldman's character in Stand by Me. It was Teddy who got me to see The Lost Boys and made me forever love that movie (it seems she was always into vampires). I've long admired her steadfastness and commitment to her passions. I got to reconnect with Heather via Facebook (as, I'm sure, we have all reconnected with old school friends), and discover that she has self-published several books over the past few years. And that's pretty freaking cool.

I love how Heather holds nothing back and dives right into this tale, throwing us into the action with our heroine Elena as she is pursued by three vampires and happens upon a mysterious stranger, who we soon learn is a Lycan. There's some mystery, some gore, and a whole lot of sexy (without being nasty-sexy, if you know what I mean). None of the characters are what they seem, so there's plenty of intrigue and much to keep the story propelling forward.

I'm happy to be reminded that Heather is as lovely a storyteller as she is a person!

Books Fortyone and Fortytwo: The Passage and Stumptown

2011-10-22T17:08:00.000-07:00

Alas, I woke this morning to remember that today is the Read-a-Thon, and unfortunately, you may have noticed, I am not Read-a-Thonning right now. Sigh. I wish I could but that would be near impossible with a babe in the house. I may try to manage a few pages here and there, but any serious reading will not be in the cards for me. Instead, I will tell you about two books I finished recently but neglected to write about.

The Passage, Justin Cronin

You know what's a huge bummer? Finishing a near-800 page book only to realize that said tome is actually part of a trilogy. Blargh. It's not so much that I don't like a good series, but I really dislike having my expectations shattered. Like, shouldn't this story be resolving right about now? Double blargh. Otherwise, this book was right up my alley… that alley being of the vampire apocalypse variety. And not sexy-sparkly vampires, but nasty-monstrous-killing-machine vampires.

So, the story jumps around, starting with the origins of how the apocalypse came about (government shenanigans, natch) including the origin story of the world's savior, a six-year-old girl (no spoilers, that fact is on the cover of the book). Then we skip ahead about 90 years later to catch up with a surviving colony of humans. You can guess that all these stories converge, which is done quite nicely. My only gripe is that there's too much religious metaphor, and its done too clunkily. Really, why oh why does most vampire fiction have to involve so much God talk? And oh, okay, I've got one more gripe. Too much of the action towards the end felt too rushed. And slightly implausible. Wish is crazy given that this is an almost 800 page book. And also crazy given that we have to suspend so much disbelief already. Like, you're already asking me to believe that there's been a vampire apocalypse, but now you want me to go along with a mega-mind-controlling vampire? Sigh.

But you know I'm going to read the sequels.

Stumptown, Greg Rucka

Might I recommend following up an epic vampire novel with a noir-ish detective comic? I like comics, I like detectives, I like Portland. What's not to like?

Book Forty: Rosemary's Baby

2011-10-09T23:23:00.000-07:00

Rosemary's Baby, Ira Levin

Oooh, super creepy. I remember seeing the movie several years ago and thinking through the majority of it, "This isn't scary at all!" And then the last 10 minutes or so scared the bejesus out of me. The book freaked me out even more. Was it knowing what was coming that made it more frightening? Or just the nicely plotted suspense? Either way, I'm still wondering if I should be disturbed that I had the same due date as Rosemary. Ingrid can be pretty difficult sometimes, but she's far from being Satan's offspring. Mostly.

Book Thirtynine: The Pursuit of Love

2011-10-05T23:42:00.000-07:00

The Pursuit of Love, Nancy Mitford

I absolutely adore this kind of writing, so seemingly light and trivial, but when you start paying attention you realize just how perfectly crafted it is. This is the kind of writing that makes me wish I was a better writer.

"Rawl had been a white hunter, the only husband she had ever lost respectably through death, having shot him by accident in the head during a safari."

However, it ends far sadder than I ever expected and I'm still feeling gloomy over it.

Book Thirtyeight: Arcadia

2011-09-24T09:13:00.000-07:00

Arcadia, Tom Stoppard

Tom Stoppard is super funny. Reading Tom Stoppard might even be better than seeing Tom Stoppard performed, just so you can take time to appreciate all the jokes and the references (and also, perhaps, look up some of those references, ahem). And despite the whole, tired science-as-metaphor-for-life schtick, this really worked for me. Honestly, give me enough funny and I can forgive even the worst gimmicks.

Book Thirtyseven: The Night Season

2011-09-19T23:15:00.000-07:00

The Night Season, Chelsea Cain

My favorite thing about the latest installment in this Portland-based serial killer series? The most preposterous murder weapon ever! Honestly, I don't want to spoil it for anyone who wants to read this book, but trust me, you would never have guessed this one. Some serious suspension of disbelief is required. Otherwise, I'm glad that Chelsea Cain backed off on the whole Gretchen Lowell thing because it was becoming a little much. But detective Archie Sheridan is back along with his kicky little sidekick reporter Susan Ward, and they are trying to figure out who is killing people and throwing them in the rising river as the Willamette threatens to flood all of Portland.

Since I mostly read these books for the terrific Portland ambiance, I was happy that this one really played that whole aspect up. I loved the non-stop rain, the flooding river, and the overall dark creepiness. Otherwise, this was pretty formulaic, though the formula continues to work for me.

Book Thirtysix: Wuthering Heights

2011-09-18T22:15:00.000-07:00

Wuthering Heights, Emily Bronte

We had a Bronte sisters smackdown* at my recent book club. Since I read Jane Eyre last year I picked up Wuthering Heights in order to compare. But oof, I have to say, this book doesn't hold a candle to Jane Eyre. I can't even handle making a comparison. And I'm not talking about the fact that all the characters are so hateful (a criticism that, I think I've mentioned previously, drives me nuts when applied to any book), I'm talking about the structure of the book and the clunky writing. So, the story is told by Lockwood, a new tenant at the Grange, who hears most of the story from Mrs. Dean, who peppers her story with first hand accounts from others. So essentially this book is second, third, and fourth-hand accounts of the action. It gets so convoluted and the premise is so strained at times that I'm sure I heaved many audible sighs of disgust and/or impatience.

And my two cents: I had always assumed this was a love story, but to me this is a story of hate. Of such deep, horrible hate and deeply, horribly hateful people whose only goals are to bring down everyone in their paths. I don't mind books about hate, but this was some seriously dark hate that completely eclipsed any love story that could have been there.

Oh, and lastly: girt eedle seeght. Yup, that's all I have to say about that.

*The results of the smackdown? All but one of us preferred Jane Eyre or, at least, did not enjoy Wuthering Heights. So there.

Book Thirtyfive: My Teenage Werewolf

2011-08-31T23:20:00.000-07:00

My Teenage Werewolf, Lauren Kessler

I know, I know, I am kind of jumping the gun with this one. My daughter will not be a teenager for, oh, more than 12 years. And yet when I saw this on the shelf at the library I couldn't resist. I am fascinated by the mother-daughter dynamic and this seemed like it would be a great, personal exploration of that often fraught relationship. And it did not disappoint. Essentially, Lauren Kessler immerses herself in her 12-(and then 13) year-old daughter's life for a year and half in order to better understand their relationship and to also just try to better their relationship. It's a nicely personal story, but also one meant to be relatable. Ms. Kessler really tries to get into all areas of her daughter, Lizzie's life, from following her around at school, to going to her summer camp, joining her in her online life, and trying to understand her relationships with friends and boyfriends. It's quite touching and sweet, and also just flat-out informative. And sure, kind of scary, thinking about the kinds of things young teenage girls put their mothers through. (I had always wanted a daughter, but this book honestly has me wondering why I wished for that so much. What was I thinking?) But I have at least a few years to get ready for all of that drama. For now I will focus on getting my daughter to sleep through the night and worrying about trivialities like diapers and bouncy chairs and fussing.

Book Thirtyfour: Metzger's Dog

2011-08-28T20:09:00.000-07:00

Metzger's Dog, Thomas Perry

I honestly have nothing really to say about this book. It was enjoyable, silly, engaging, well-written, and yet I am still at a loss. I guess these are the things that make a book a trifle, a confection. A pretty good summer read.

Book Thirtythree: The Widower's Tale

2011-08-26T22:44:00.000-07:00

The Widower's Tale, Julia Glass

I have discovered my kryptonite, and it is novels about white people's problems that are set in New England. It is even doubly powerful if it features some good, hard-core house porn. Julia Glass just might be the master of this genre. Allegra Goodman is a close second. And this is also probably why I loved The Monsters of Templeton so very much.

Honestly, I can hardly remember the plot of any Julia Glass novel, but I always think of her books with the greatest fondness. I'm sure that's because she creates terrific characters and places in such a way that the plot almost become irrelevant. Here she gives us a very disparate cast: central to the story is Percival Darling, the 70-year-old titular widower, around whom the other characters orbit as their stories intersect with his. Though I might argue that the real protagonist is his historic home in Massachusetts, which is central to his identity, the story of his late wife, and the current situation that propels the plot forward (how's that for a vague plot summary?). Even though I might forget every detail of this novel tomorrow, I'm sure I won't forget how much discovering a new Julia Glass book at the bookstore makes me squeal with delight.

Book Thirtytwo: A Life's Work: On Becoming a Mother

2011-07-26T22:30:00.000-07:00

A Life's Work: On Becoming a Mother, Rachel Cusk

Oof, this is not happy-go-lucky new mother reading. This is serious stuff. Writerly stuff. In fact, pretty depressing stuff. Rachel Cusk, in other words, is no Jools Oliver. But it is quite good. She paints a very surreal world where it feels as if the only inhabitants are her and her newborn daughter. Other characters, including her infrequently mentioned husband, float in and out like ghosts. I'm sure this is on purpose, as it brings you closer to her own feelings of being trapped by the experience of motherhood… this is a very claustrophobic book. I have a feeling that reading this right after having my own child and floating through my own little ghost world was maybe not the best idea. It made me feel isolated and strange.

I do admire her honesty, though. I've always thought it very unfair to expect new mothers to be instantly in love with their new children and to automatically be perfect parents. With hormones surging and this new, strange being in your life, making the transition to motherhood feels awkward and foreign. And so she writes about this jarring change in identity, from being a woman who can read magazines or visit with friends whenever one chooses, or be defined by one's career, to being completely beholden to an infant's sleep and feeding schedule.

But, with all that said, part of me just thinks, "Oh, get over yourself. All you did was have a baby." Women do this every day all around the world and it isn't some big existential crisis. Here in America (and Europe, I suppose) we're so self-involved. It's probably good for us to think about something other than ourselves for a change. Being so wrapped up in our identity and sense of individuality can't be healthy. Can it?

Book Thirtyone: The Diary of an Honest Mum

2011-07-14T11:19:00.000-07:00

The Diary of an Honest Mum, Jools Oliver

I am totally amused by the fact that I was reading this book, and then finished it, when I went into labor. I remember falling asleep at about 10:00 on Saturday night, and waking at around 1am with a strange cramping sensation. I wasn't sure what was going on, but I thought I should sit up and wait it out. So, I picked this up off my nightstand (my friend Anika had been over on Friday and lent me a stack of mother books, so this is what I had been working on) and kept on reading. At about 3:00, I finished the book and noticed that maybe these weird cramping sensations were coming with some kind of regularity, so I woke C up to help me time them. Ha! Turns out I was having contractions that were about 4-5 minutes apart. Yipes!

Anyhow, we'll leave the rest of my birth story for another time. As for this book, it really is a sweet little read. I was naturally drawn to it first out of the stack that Anika brought over because I am slightly obsessed with Jamie Oliver, Jools Oliver's husband. The book reads like your super sweet, slightly naive, but completely enthusiastic best friend is telling you all about her own experience. You can hear where she gets excited and feel for her when things get difficult. There's nothing terribly enlightening in here, and she's not the world's greatest writer, but it was still quite compelling. At least, compelling enough for me to not be able to put it down even through some very close contractions. One thing I learned about Jamie Oliver is that, boy oh boy, I would not want to be married to that man. Not because he doesn't sound like a sweet husband and father, but because it seems like he's just never around! And being a brand new mom at home with a newborn at the moment, I can't tell you how terrible that sounds. I couldn't do this without C by my side right now, whether he's taking the baby so I can get some extra sleep, bringing me breakfast in bed, or just being my wonderful, silly, sweet, amazing husband.

Book Thirty: Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet

2011-07-01T14:18:00.000-07:00

Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet, Jamie Ford

I grew up on Bainbridge Island, which was the home of the very first Japanese Americans who were interned during the Second World War. As I went through school on Bainbridge, we learned explicitly about this history, often first-hand from those who were interned themselves, as several of my teachers were children during the war. I've seen "Visible Target" I don't know how many times. Maybe I took it for granted that everyone knew about this horrible period of American history. When I went to the east coast for college, I couldn't believe how many of my well-educated classmates didn't even know about the internment of the Japanese Americans. They weren't taught this in history class and had no idea that such a huge number of American citizens were treated as criminals during the war. Yikes, right?

So, even though I have a particular interest in this time period and bit of history, I found this book so very, very (very) terrible. I mean it, this book downright stinks. I love that it's trying to shed light on and bring exposure to a crappy aspect of our country's history, but I just can't abide by the worst writing I've read in ages, terrible stilted dialogue, and the tritest of trite plots. I mean... ugh. I found myself thinking this read and felt more like a YA novel, but that's almost not doing YA novels the justice they deserve. Seriously, whatever you do, don't subject yourself to this book. There are so many other either enjoyable or educational ways to learn about Japanese American history that there's no reason to give this dreck one second of your time.

Book Twentynine: The Janissary Tree

2011-06-27T10:46:00.000-07:00

The Janissary Tree, Jason Goodwin

I've been waiting to read this book for, like, ever. I heard about it many years ago, bought it a couple of years ago on a trip to Powell's, and it's been sitting in my stack waiting to be read at just the right time. I figured a fast-paced historical mystery would be a good read for the weeks before my due date to take my mind off things. But honestly, it was way too hard to concentrate on this novel. I'm not sure if it's the fault of the book or just me, but either way I just couldn't wrap my brain around the words on the page. I had to reread sections over and over again because I wasn't sure what was going on. I think I can partly blame the book. It's a description-dense read, as it seriously tries to evoke a sense of place in early 19th century Istanbul. And, as a thriller/mystery, there is a lot of action described in painstaking detail. Like, "he moved his left hand two inches this way, and felt so-and-so's right ear moving 35 degrees this way, and then his knee abutted something to the north northwest as he turned his head 48 degrees south." (No, that's not a direct quote, and yes, I am exaggerating a bit. Apologies, but this is exactly what it felt like at times. Pages and pages of this level of detail.)

I did find the hero, eunuch and investigator Yashim, intriguing, especially in that I had no idea what level of eunuch he was. Like, no testicles and no penis? Or just no testicles? Was I supposed to know? Because I assumed it was a full package deal until a scene that led to me to believe, but not explicitly, that he engaged in sex with a woman. So I'm still scratching my head. And also, while I'm on the topic of vagaries, there was just so much language in here that it seemed I was expected to know. And I mean, language and words specific to early 19th century Istanbul. I don't mind looking things up, but this book could have used a nice glossary or at least, some explanation for all the very foreign terms.

But again, this lack of patience could have stemmed from my very pregnant brain. Did I mention that tomorrow is my due date? Yup, I'm ready to be done.

Book Twentyeight: The Lonely Polygamist

2011-06-22T20:46:00.000-07:00

The Lonely Polygamist, Brady Udall

Oh, this was so very good. So yeah, I'm perhaps a wee bit obsessed with Mormons, especially of the fundamentalist/polygamist variety, but beyond that, this is just really good writing and a really good story. See, Golden Richards has four wives and 28 children and, as the title suggests, things are not going well. Golden is slightly pathetic, has no control over his family, no insight into his wives' happiness, no ability to manage his construction business, and worst of all, the inability to make any good decisions... so you can guess that his life starts to spiral out of control. We get to see things not only from Golden's perspective, but also from his wives and one of his most troubled kids. In fact, the story told from 11-year-old Rusty's perspective was my favorite. The constant shifting of both character and style is intriguing, with lots of flashbacks and changing stories. It's funny and silly and horrifying and awful and depressing and uplifting, all at the same time.

I wish it had ended with more of a bang... well, it does end with a literal bang (peppered throughout with lots of little bangs, too), but I wanted a little more from it. It felt a little too much like, "Oh well, guess I hit 600 pages. Time to wrap this sucker up!"

Book Twentyseven: Anne of the Island

2011-06-13T21:53:00.000-07:00

Anne of the Island, L.M. Montgomery

I don't know what it is, but when summer rolls around the first thing I want to do is read the next Anne of Green Gables book. (Technically it's not summer here in Seattle quite yet, but we're so on the verge and the feeling is there.) In fact, I find myself looking forward to the season (a season which is typically my least favorite of the four) just because it's captured so well by Anne's spirit. Reading this one made me feel particularly sentimental because I couldn't help but imagine my own little girl reading these books. Honestly, just thinking of that prospect choked me up a little.

Oh man, I have got to birth this baby soon. These hormones are killing me.

Book Twentysix: The Big Burn

2011-06-05T22:53:00.000-07:00

The Big Burn: Teddy Roosevelt and the Fire that Saved America, Timothy Egan

A year or two ago I tried to read Timothy Egan's The Worst Hard Time (for book club #1) and just couldn't bear it. I made it just under a hundred pages in and had to throw in the towel. I can't really remember why I disliked it so much, but I knew it had to do with the writing. So I was worried when this one was picked as an upcoming book club selection (for book club #2). But I was pleasantly surprised! It was not a slog at all, the writing was terrific and I feel like I actually learned something. A triple threat!

It tells the story (of which I was not previously aware) of a massive forest fire that swept through Idaha, Montana, and some of Oregon and Washington in 1910 that wiped out huge amounts of forests and killed a bunch of people. But what makes the story riveting is that the fire came in the wake of Teddy Roosevelt's presidency where he set aside all of these giant forest reserves and essentially created our modern day national parks system. Who would have thunk that this was a hugely controversial move and that many a douchey conservative congressman despised TR for this? Not little ol' naive me!

Anyhow, this book gives you lots of compelling stories, from the gory details of the fire told by the survivors and park rangers who were on the frontlines fighting the flames and trying to save their towns, to the backstory of Roosevelt's friendship and political alliance with Gifford Pinchot, who was at the first chief of the US Forest Service, to the inner workings of the political machine and big business that were up in arms over TR's conservation efforts, to the tragic flailings of Taft who succeeded Roosevelt and whose negligence helped make the Big Burn so very massive.

Highly recommended, six thumbs up.

Book Twentyfive: Dead Reckoning

2011-05-19T18:18:00.000-07:00

Dead Reckoning, Charlaine Harris

Charlaine Harris, why can't I quit you?! I mean, boy, do these books stink. And yet I put a hold on this at the library the day I heard it announced so I got it right away. I am really starting to not respect myself.

If you are interested in the plot, just take a quick look at some of the amazon reviews, where die-hard fans rip into the plot holes and continuity problems. Now that's entertaining.

And speaking of entertaining, let me leave you with a few of my most favorite quotes:

"[Eric] changed into his own party clothes. I braided his hair so it would look neat and tied the end with a black ribbon. Eric looked like a buccaneer out on the town."

Because there's nothing sexier than a buccaneer in party clothes out on the town, right? Oh Charlaine, you are so in touch with tastes of the modern woman!

"[Bill] smiled. 'Only you would say that. I love you. I think you're beautiful and kind and good, and yet you stand up for yourself. You have a lot of understanding and compassion, but you're not a pushover. And to descend a few levels to the carnal, you have a pair of breasts that should win the Miss America Tit Competition, if there were such a thing."

Book Twentyfour: The Unnamed

2011-05-10T18:29:00.000-07:00

The Unnamed, Joshua Ferris

It's always scary when an author's first novel is one of your all-time favorites and you go to pick up their second. But wow, have no fear with this one. While it is completely different from Then We Came to the End, it is almost equally amazing. Last night, while nearing the end, it had me sobbing in the bathtub, just from the pure truth of words that came out of a character's mouth. And the loops and turns this book takes you on are thrilling and subtle all at once.

If you are like me, you will worry over what it all means for a while. Is it some kind of allegory for the human condition? Or commentary on marriage/work/love/life/death/insert-big-deal-thing-here? I suppose I've decided, in my complete inability to make sense of it, that it really doesn't matter in the end. This is not the book I want to dissect bit-by-bit in Contemporary American Literature 101. I want to just simply enjoy it and feel for the characters and experience all the sadness, love, fear, horror and sweetness that it throws at me.

Book Twentythree: Squirrel Seeks Chipmunk

2011-05-10T18:28:00.000-07:00

Squirrel Seeks Chipmunk, David Sedaris

Call me crazy, but I'm a fan of giving writers some latitude to try new things and work outside of their usual genres. So I was totally charmed by this little trifle of a book. I found it funny, horrible, entertaining, sweetly written, and true. Sure, it's nothing like his previous memoirs and essays, but you can so clearly hear his voice in here and the morals seem quite in keeping to his past work.

Book Twentytwo: Cardboard Gods

2011-05-02T17:54:00.000-07:00

Cardboard Gods, Josh Wilker

Good things: This book is gorgeous. The cover is lovely, the pages feel great in your hands, the reproductions of the baseball cards the start each chapter are terrific. The gimmick is catchy: Mr. Wilker uses a particular baseball card from his collection as a jumping off point to tell a story from his childhood. The stories he tells are often touching and sad or funny and silly.

Bad things: Too many run-on sentences (parentheticals [inside parentheticals]--contained by em dashes--and so on), making this a clunky read. I also wonder who this is really for. I feel like he assumes you know as much about baseball as he does, which I don't, which led me to honestly believe throughout most of the book that Bucky Dent really was killed in a freak wood chipper accident. And there are parts where he goes into deep baseball-speak, which for me translated into the Peanuts adult voice, "Wah wah wah waah wahhh, wah wah wah." But on the other hand, it seems to me that there's not really enough here about baseball itself to make it a compelling read for the serious baseball fan, since the real story is about the author and his unconventional family. You know, classic memoir stuff.

Mostly, not bad, fine for a book club pick, but not really great either.

Book Twentyone: American Pie

2011-04-25T21:16:00.000-07:00

American Pie: Slices of Life (and Pie) from America's Back Roads, Pascale Le Draoulec

If you don't expect this to be an end-all-be-all exploration of all kinds of pie across our great nation, then you'll be pleasantly surprised. But, if you were, say, expecting this to be written by a pie expert (she's not), or that her cross country journey would be at all planned out (it's not), or that she offered anything new or insightful about pie (she doesn't), then you will be pretty disappointed. It's really just a sweet and simple story about a woman who decides to take a road trip with a friend to eat pie and write about her journey. The book is ultimately successful in that I really just wanted to a big old slice of pie while reading the whole thing. But it's a bit of a disappointment when you realize how little pie she actually tries on her journey and she often doesn't even comment on the pie once she finds it. But, there's a whole lot of recipes and some photos scattered throughout, and, hey, it's a book about pie!

Book Twenty: Birthing From Within

2011-04-19T21:49:00.000-07:00

Birthing From Within, Pam England and Rob Horowitz

This was clearly not the book for me, I should have known that from the start. Even though I sometimes fall on the hippie side of the spectrum, this was just way too much out-there-hippie-craziness even for me. I ended up skimming a lot of this, particularly the sections on creating birth art, which were surprisingly numerous. No, really, like it was a huge portion of this book. Seriously, how much birth art can one pregnant woman make?! I'm sure there are ladies who benefit from this, but I honestly don't need to draw a picture of a bunch of scary male doctors coming at me with knives to know that there are elements of the delivery process that scare the crap out of me. And there were so many horrifying birth stories in here, I'm not entirely sure what the purpose was. Obviously, I know every woman experiences birth in her own way and I don't want to dismiss anyone's individual story as not valid, but the taste left in your mouth after finishing this is that having a hospital birth is horrible and you will be in control of nothing and even if things go "fine" you will still suppress feelings of being violated and ignored that will only surface later when you create yet more terrifying birth art. I guess what I'm saying is, too much negative, not enough positive! And the positive in the book is often trite examples of other culture's birthing traditions with little explanation on how to apply it to your own experience. (Ms. England does throw in the gratuitous "hospital births are fine!" and "it's okay if you choose to use pain medications!" but I didn't really believe them, given the focus of the rest of the book.)

There is a somewhat extensive section on pain coping techniques that seemed actually helpful, though I wasn't actively following along with the exercises. Mostly because I know that we'll have a doula and we'll be doing exercises like this together for our birthing prep. So, why bother duplicating efforts, right? But yeah, aside from that, I don't feel like I got a huge amount out of this. Because I'm not going to be doing coyote howling or creating a birth statue to bring to my birth anytime soon.

Book Nineteen: Fair Play

2011-04-17T21:01:00.000-07:00

Fair Play, Tove Jansson

This is sort of a novel, sort of short stories, sort of autobiography (I'm guessing)... but pretty much entirely amazing. Sure, I'm prejudiced in my love for Tove Jansson, but I'm going to say that this little book is absolute loveliness. It's about two friends (can we assume they're lovers, even if it's not explicitly mentioned?), Jonna and Mari, in older age, artists, who live across the attic from each other. Each short chapter is a little episode in their life together, like watching B-movies together to spending time on their own island (just like the island in The Summer Book) to creating and discussing their art to traveling together in America. There's no back story to explain their relationship, no real thread that connects these chapters, other than the two women's friendship and the art that ties them together. The last line is particularly beautiful.

Read-a-Thon Wrap-Up and Mini-Reviews for Books Thirteen to Eighteen

2011-04-12T13:02:00.000-07:00

Well, I made it nearly 19 hours before completely pooping out. Just being in bed lulled me to sleep pretty quickly, but I don't regret it. I had a great Read-a-Thon and feel good about my 18+ hours of reading (and eating and napping). I imagine with a child entering this family in the next couple of months I won't have that kind of leisure time for many, many years. So it was a last hurrah, of sorts.

A Gate at the Stairs, Lorrie Moore

A young college student takes a job as a nanny to an unsettling couple who are adopting a biracial toddler. That's pretty much the plot here, despite the fact that some weird shit goes down in this book. This is filled with classic Lorrie Moore stuff: self-deprecating characters, sarcasm, wit, clippy dialogue, and the most devastating of human tragedies. Given that it has been years and years since I've read Lorrie Moore, I ate this up. Highly recommended.

The Other Side of the Island, Allegra Goodman

I've always known Allegra Goodman as a fantastic adult novelist and short story writer, so I was tickled to discover this book amongst the YA fiction. It's just another post-apocalyptic tale with a teenage heroine, this time the world seems to have been devastated by global warming and the only inhabitable areas of islands created from what remained from the sinking of the continents (I'm guessing at this since it wasn't explicitly described in the book). The world is ruled by the Earth Mother Corporation and islands have been enclosed so that weather can be controlled, and the everything stinks of fascism gone very, very wrong. It's not that this wasn't a horrible book, but I kept thinking, "Allegra Goodman is a much better writer than this." And the climax felt way too rushed and obvious. Not a bad read (in fact, a good Read-a-Thon read) but not great either.

Betsy-Tacy, Maud Hart Lovelace

Just another one of those classics I never read as a little girl. And I'm sure I would have loved it. This book is nothing but sweetness and love. And sugar and spice. You get the idea. Nothing really happens, aside from Betsy and Tacy becoming best friends and having little adventures around town and being super adorable and just the kind of daughter I want to have. I'll keep this to read to my daughter and pass down to her.

Zombie Spaceship Wasteland, Patton Oswalt

Is this as funny as Patton Oswalt's stand up? Nope. But is it still funnier than 99% of humor books? Absolutely. There's lots of random essays inside, from true (I hope) stories about family and childhood and being a young stand-up comic, to plain silliness including a comic about vampires, greeting cards, and a D&D poem. I totally heart you, Patton.

Mrs. 'Arris Goes to Paris, Paul Gallico

Mrs. Harris (pronounced 'Arris) is a London charwoman who one day sets her heart on owning her own Christian Dior gown. So, naturally, she gambles and saves her precious money for several years in order to save up enough to travel to Paris to buy herself a gown. It's a simple story, but honestly, really sweet. Everyone Mrs. 'Arris encounters on her journey can't help but be touched by her and she seems to spread her natural good cheer everywhere she goes. There are lovely little illustrations speckled throughout this original edition I was reading, and even though you can guess that she probably gets her dress in the end, you'll still be surprised at the outcome.

Bossypants, Tina Fey

I'll just admit that Tina Fey is my hero, so she can't really do any wrong in my eyes. This book is everything she is: funny, charming, silly, gross... perfect. There are some lovely personal stories and a lot of frankness about how she got where she is. I loved seeing behind the scenes on 30 Rock, one of my favorite shows. And hey, this is the first e-book I've ever read! The experience was pretty ok (easy to hold, light, convenient) but I'm not sure I'll switch permanently. I found I was reading much, much slower on the iPad than my pace with regular books, even though the pages seemed the same length. And and iPad doesn't smell nearly as good as a nice, worn-in paperback.

Read-a-Thon Update: Hour Eighteen

2011-04-09T23:05:00.001-07:00

Currently reading: Bossypants

Pages read last hour: 27

Time spent reading this hour: 30 minutes

Consumed this hour: Just words

Reading location: Bed!

Pages read so far: 908

Total time spent reading: 736 minutes

Books completed so far: A Gate at the Stairs, The Other Side of the Island, Betsy-Tacy, Zombie Spaceship Wasteland, Mrs. 'Arris Goes to Paris

Thoughtsicles: Still awake! Thanks to the hilarity of Ms. Fey. Or perhaps my desire to try to make it to 1000 pages before I throw in the towel. Or maybe it's the sweet sounds of the Swing Years on KUOW keeping me going. Either way, I'm cozy and happy and still plugging away.

Read-a-Thon Update: Hour Seventeen

2011-04-09T22:05:00.000-07:00

Currently reading: Bossypants

Pages read last hour: 34

Time spent reading this hour: 35 minutes

Consumed this hour: Cherry vanilla ice cream

Reading location: Sofa

Pages read so far: 881

Total time spent reading: 706 minutes

Books completed so far: A Gate at the Stairs, The Other Side of the Island, Betsy-Tacy, Zombie Spaceship Wasteland, Mrs. 'Arris Goes to Paris

Thoughtsicles: I'm not sure why I'm sharing the disaster that is our kitchen right now, but it seemed like a good idea when I took the picture. Anyhows, this is the aftermath that is Read-a-Thon.

Also, Bossypants is just continuing to validate my crush on Tina Fey.

Also, I started this hour with all the energy in the world, but quickly crashed. Could it be the ice cream? Or maybe just the fact that I am tired? I think I am headed for bed to do some more reading there, and see if nature takes its course. If you don't hear from me, you can probably guess what happened.

Read-a-Thon Update: Hour Sixteen

2011-04-09T21:14:00.000-07:00

Currently reading: Bossypants

Pages read last hour: 61

Time spent reading this hour: 45 minutes

Consumed this hour: Pasta salad

Reading location: Sofa

Pages read so far: 847

Total time spent reading: 671 minutes

Books completed so far: A Gate at the Stairs, The Other Side of the Island, Betsy-Tacy, Zombie Spaceship Wasteland, Mrs. 'Arris Goes to Paris

Well, consider me charmed by Mrs. 'Arris Goes to Paris! I picked this up last year, maybe, at Powell's purely because the cover was so sweet and am happy now that I did. This is great Read-a-Thon fodder what with the sweet story, happy characters, charming illustrations and lovely moral.

Even happier, C just surprised me by downloading Tina Fey's Bossypants onto the iPad, so I've dived right into that. This is the first book I've read on an iPad and so far it's a pretty great experience. Also, there is now ice cream for me to consume.

Read-a-Thon Update: Hour Fifteen

2011-04-09T20:03:00.000-07:00

Currently reading: Mrs. 'Arris Goes to Paris

Pages read last hour: 63

Time spent reading this hour: 50 minutes

Consumed this hour: Strawberry kefir

Reading location: Sofa

Pages read so far: 786

Total time spent reading: 626 minutes

Books completed so far: A Gate at the Stairs, The Other Side of the Island, Betsy-Tacy, Zombie Spaceship Wasteland

Still feeling delighted and content and happy knowing there's food in the house. It's getting dark outside and it's starting to feel cozy in here again. I'm betting I can keep this up for a couple of more hours, but not sure how much more than that will be possible.

Read-a-Thon Update: Hour Fourteen

2011-04-09T19:04:00.000-07:00

Currently reading: Mrs. 'Arris Goes to Paris

Pages read last hour: 44

Time spent reading this hour: 35 minutes

Consumed this hour: Chips and guacamole!

Reading location: My trusty sofa

Pages read so far: 723

Total time spent reading: 576 minutes

Books completed so far: A Gate at the Stairs, The Other Side of the Island, Betsy-Tacy, Zombie Spaceship Wasteland

Happy to have chosen this delightful little book. And happy to have some delicious snacks by my side. I think the outside time did me good, I'm much less sleepy than I was this afternoon and feeling more comfortable. Have I mentioned that I'm pregnant? And that sitting hurts my tailbone? And that I can't lie flat or on my stomach? And that I have to get up and pee every half hour? Oh wait, I probably have. Sorry.

Read-a-Thon Update: Hour Thirteen

2011-04-09T18:19:00.000-07:00

Currently reading: Zombie Spaceship Wasteland

Pages read last hour: 60

Time spent reading this hour: 45 minutes

Consumed this hour: A finger scoop of peanut butter, three bites of cottage cheese and several glasses of water

Reading location: Yeah, I'm just going to stay here on the sofa

Pages read so far: 679

Total time spent reading: 541 minutes

Books completed so far: A Gate at the Stairs, The Other Side of the Island, Betsy-Tacy, Zombie Spaceship Wasteland

Got desperate for snacks, as you can see. Fortunately, as I stepped outside at the end of the hour to get some fresh air and take a tour about the garden (aren't those checkerboard fritillaria neat?) C came home with a couple of bags of groceries. Yay for awesome husbands!

Read-a-Thon Update: Hour Twelve

2011-04-09T17:09:00.000-07:00

Mid-Event Survey:

1. What are you reading right now?
Zombie Spaceship Wasteland by Patton Oswalt

2. How many books have you read so far?
Three

3. What book are you most looking forward to for the second half of the Read-a-thon?
Honestly I have no idea what I'm going to read next. Just taking it one book at a time.

4. Did you have to make any special arrangements to free up your whole day?
I pretty much turned down every offer of going out or doing something fun today. Because nothing is as fun as the Read-a-Thon!

5. Have you had many interruptions? How did you deal with those?
Not really. Though an interruption sounds kind of nice right now. Maybe I should call my mom back.

6. What surprises you most about the Read-a-thon, so far?
Just how insanely tired I am compared to last time. I'm sure it's just the fact that I'm pregnant, but wow. So tired.

7. Do you have any suggestions for how to improve the Read-a-thon next year?
Nope! I'm loving it.

8. What would you do differently, as a Reader or a Cheerleader, if you were to do this again next year?
I should have prepared more this time around. I have food in the house, but didn't really stock up on good snacks. In fact, C just went out for food because I really needed some more ice cream. And chips. I also should have given my book choices some more thought, but so far it's working out pretty good.

9. Are you getting tired yet?
Indubitably.

10. Do you have any tips for other Readers or Cheerleaders, something you think is working well for you that others may not have discovered?
Taking an hour to read while soaking in the bath is pretty rejuvenating. Highly recommended.

Read-a-Thon Update: Hour Eleven

2011-04-09T16:02:00.000-07:00

Currently reading: Zombie Spaceship Wasteland

Pages read last hour: 35

Time spent reading this hour: 25 minutes

Consumed this hour: The last five bites of the mint chocolate chip ice cream

Reading location: My precious sofa

Pages read so far: 559

Total time spent reading: 446 minutes

Books completed so far: A Gate at the Stairs, The Other Side of the Island, Betsy-Tacy

Thoughtsicles: Patton Oswalt and ice cream: two great things that go great together. Wish I had more ice cream, though.

Read-a-Thon Update: Hour Ten

2011-04-09T15:26:00.001-07:00

Currently reading: Zombie Spaceship Wasteland

Pages read last hour: 34

Time spent reading this hour: 30 minutes

Consumed this hour: Leftover lasagne

Reading/sleeping location: Sofa

Pages read so far: 524

Total time spent reading: 421 minutes

Books completed so far: A Gate at the Stairs, The Other Side of the Island, Betsy-Tacy

Things I learned this hour: Two books I've read today have name-checked Bridge to Terabithia and I just have to give into napping when the feeling overtakes me.

Read-a-Thon Update: Hour Nine

2011-04-09T14:02:00.000-07:00

Currently reading: Betsy-Tacy

Pages read last hour: 75

Time spent reading this hour: 40 minutes

Consumed this hour: Nothing

Reading location: Bathtub

Pages read so far: 490

Total time spent reading: 391 minutes

Books completed so far: A Gate at the Stairs, The Other Side of the Island, Betsy-Tacy

Well, that was a delightful hour. I soaked in the tub for a while and finished up Betsy-Tacy. Now I'm settling in to my next pick and will be enjoying some lunch. Have I mentioned how hungry I am?

Read-a-Thon Update: Hour Eight

2011-04-09T13:05:00.000-07:00

Currently reading: Betsy-Tacy

Pages read last hour: 71

Time spent reading this hour: 45 minutes

Consumed this hour: Field roast, cheese and cracker snack plate

Reading location: Sofa party continues!

Pages read so far: 415

Total time spent reading: 351 minutes

Books completed so far: A Gate at the Stairs, The Other Side of the Island

Do I feel a little sheepish that I am essentially reading a children's book right now? Sure. Is that preventing me from enjoying it? Not at all! I have wanted to read these books for ages, and I have a more urgent desire now that I know I will having a daughter of my own in a couple of short months. I feel slightly more fortified having had a little snack plate of field roast, cheddar and some crackers, and happy to have finished another book (even if the ending felt a bit rushed). One third of the way there!!

Read-a-Thon Update: Hour Seven

2011-04-09T12:05:00.001-07:00

Currently reading: The Other Side of the Island

Pages read last hour: 66

Time spent reading this hour: 47 minutes

Consumed this hour: Water

Reading location: Sofa party!

Pages read so far: 344

Total time spent reading: 306 minutes

Books completed so far: A Gate at the Stairs

Thoughtsicles: I have a reading buddy now! C has joined me on the sofa with his fancy Russian novel (NYRB, no less!) and I am still plugging away at The Other Side of the Island. Wishing now that I had better snacks on hand because I am seriously hungry. Reading is hard work, don't you know?

Read-a-Thon Update: Hour Six

2011-04-09T11:08:00.000-07:00

Currently reading: The Other Side of the Island

Pages read last hour: 76

Time spent reading this hour: 55 minutes

Consumed this hour: Water

Reading location: I have not budged from the sofa

Pages read so far: 278

Total time spent reading: 259 minutes

Books completed so far: A Gate at the Stairs

Thoughtsicles: Ah, a good, long stretch of mostly uninterrupted reading! I think I'm enjoying my book, but unsure where it's going. Or maybe I know exactly where it's going. Either way, I feel nervous for this book. Hmph.

Read-a-Thon Update: Hour Five

2011-04-09T10:02:00.000-07:00

Currently reading: The Other Side of the Island

Pages read last hour: 60

Time spent reading this hour: 50 minutes

Consumed this hour: Tea, eggs and toast

Reading location: Sofa

Pages read so far: 202

Total time spent reading: 204 minutes

Books completed so far: A Gate at the Stairs

Thoughtsicles: C got up and made me some eggs and toast and so I am happy.

Read-a-Thon Update: Hour Four

2011-04-09T09:03:00.001-07:00

Currently reading: The Other Side of the Island

Pages read last hour: 20

Time spent reading this hour: 15 minutes

Consumed this hour: Tea

Reading location: Sofa

Pages read so far: 142

Total time spent reading: 154 minutes

Books completed so far: A Gate at the Stairs

Thoughtsicles: I decided not to fight it and just took a little nap. Honestly, I slept horribly last night so these extra few minutes of mid-morning sleep were like pure gold. I could have slept for hours, though.

Read-a-Thon Update: Hour Three

2011-04-09T08:05:00.000-07:00

Currently reading: The Other Side of the Island

Pages read last hour: 42

Time spent reading this hour: 45 minutes

Consumed this hour: English muffin, tea

Reading location: Sofa

Pages read so far: 123

Total time spent reading: 139 minutes

Books completed so far: A Gate at the Stairs

Thoughtsicles: Still insanely sleepy and am drinking way too much decaf tea in hopes that it will trick me into feeling like I'm having caffeine. And, thus, I am peeing constantly, since my bladder is also now the size of a pea. But I adored A Gate at the Stairs and still count Lorrie Moore as one of my favorite authors. I thought I would move on to something less heavy so I chose this YA novel, but now I'm realizing this isn't necessarily light stuff, either.

Read-a-Thon Update: Hour Two

2011-04-09T07:18:00.001-07:00

Currently reading: A Gate at the Stairs

Pages read last hour: 37

Time spent reading this hour: 44 minutes

Consumed this hour: Tea, cereal

Reading location: Sofa

Pages read so far: 81

Total time spent reading: 94 minutes

Books completed so far: Still none!

Thoughtsicles: Holy cow, I just got so insanely sleepy, even doing that briefly-falling-asleep-then-jerking-wildly-awake again. I probably should eat more than the incredibly plain kamut cereal I had... English muffin to the rescue! And, hey, look, it's light outside now!

Read-a-Thon Update: Hour One

2011-04-09T06:03:00.000-07:00

Currently reading: A Gate at the Stairs

Pages read last hour: 44

Time spent reading this hour: 50 minutes

Consumed this hour: Two cups of decaf tea

Reading location: Sofa

Pages read so far: 44

Total time spent reading: 50 minutes

Books completed so far: None!

Thoughtsicles: This is lovely. Sure, I'm pretty sleepy, but the house is so quiet, and the birds are going crazy outside and my tea tastes great. And Lorrie Moore is, as always, totally killing it.

Read-a-Thon Update: Hour Zero

2011-04-09T05:07:00.000-07:00

Currently reading: A Gate at the Stairs

Thoughtsicles:

I'm up, I'm rocking my decaf tea, I've got the last 100 pages of this awesome Lorrie Moore novel to finish to kick off my day of reading and I'm feeling great about the Read-a-Thon!

Read-a-Thon Eve

2011-04-08T18:44:00.000-07:00

Yay, another Read-a-Thon is nearly upon us! I'll admit, I'm probably not as prepared for this go-around. I will blame that on my pregnant belly and super-fatigue from having taught all day today. And (again being totally honest) I wasn't really thinking about which books I wanted to read ahead of time, so this stack is culled from what was just lying around the house. You may recognize some books in there that I didn't get around to last Read-a-Thon... perhaps they will be more appealing this time?

And I'm still doubting my capacity to make it as long as I did last time. This pregnant body tells me that when it's time to sleep, it's really time to sleep. And I have no caffeine on my side this time, either. Double yikes! But otherwise I've cleared my day of all distractions, and just having the luxury of spending time at home with a stack of books is enough to make my giddy with excitement.

See you all at 5am!

Book Twelve: Exile

2011-04-03T20:06:00.000-07:00

Exile, Denise Mina

Maybe I just like these books because everyone is constantly making and drinking tea. Or maybe it's because they're freaking awesome. In fact, it occurred to me in the midst of this second mystery featuring our heroine Maureen O'Donnell, that the Garnethill trilogy is really a much better version of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. As much as I enjoyed the first of that series, the rest of it kind of fell apart for me, feeling as if Stieg Larsson let the story get away from him. Denise Mina, on the other hand, always feels to be tightly in control of her characters and the plot. And I appreciate that. Now I just wonder, why aren't these more popular?

Book Eleven: The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks

2011-03-31T10:05:00.000-07:00

The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, Rebecca Skloot

Huh. I suppose I enjoyed this. Great premise, pretty good writing, science intermixed with ethics and a fascinating human story. And yet, on finishing it, something just didn't sit right with me. Maybe because the Afterward, which discusses bioethics and medical laws, contains the most compelling information? And that had me wondering why that wasn't up front and addressed in the bulk of the book. It just seemed like all the author's efforts to represent the Lacks family well after decades of mistreatment eclipsed her ability to tell the story with any kind of objectivity. And that made me realize that the main character in her story wasn't Henrietta or even her daughter Deborah, but Rebecca Skloot herself. Because the story she ends up telling is the story of how she decides to tell the story and how she tracks down the Lacks family and how she gets involved in their journey and how she travels with Deborah to do research for the book and find out more about her mother and sister and how she feels about the issues. Or maybe her point is that you can't tell a story like this and completely ignore the human element. Though which human element we are supposed to focus on seems a bit blurred. I'm not sure if I should let that bother me or get in the way of the issues it had me thinking about or the things I learned. And yet, it's there, a little fly buzzing in the back of my brain that just won't go away.

Book Ten: The Big Rock Candy Mountain

2011-03-22T18:27:00.000-07:00

The Big Rock Candy Mountain, Wallace Stegner

I feel so bad when I gush over a book. I think a critical eye can be so much more interesting than one tainted by adoration. But I just cannot say a bad word about this novel. Every bit of it is exactly what writing should be. Now, this is truly effortless writing (I'm looking at you, Patti Smith): the kind that appears effortless so much so that you don't even notice the words coming off the page. They just are and the story just is and then, before you know it, you realize that you are enjoying every minute of it. Yeah yeah, gush gush gush. But honestly, we all know that Wallace Stegner is a genius. We've all read Angle of Repose (right? right??) and we all say he's one of our favorite writers. But for the best of reasons because he just is.

This is essentially an autobiography of Stegner's own life. Which could be dangerous territory (this was written less than 10 years after his father died, when he was still a young man and a young writer), but he turns it into something magical. The story starts with his young parents, running from their own tragedy-filled childhoods and finding each other in a lonely North Dakota down, and even though they are so very obviously wrong for each other they are sadly attracted to each other. Here's the point where you want to yell out to young Elsa, "Run! Leave! Do NOT marry this man! This is a VERY BAD idea!" But Elsa does not listen to you, and instead marries Bo Mason and follows him from town to town, job to job, one scheme to another for the rest of their unfortunate lives. They have two sons and as they grow up we start to see the story from their perspectives, too. And that's the beauty of the book. It's told in the third person, and yet you get the perspective of each of the family members, so your sympathies are constantly shifting. Even Bo, who is clearly a terrible father, feels sympathetic at times. Like, he's doing the best he can. And then, when we see Elsa's perspective, we realize again that his best isn't very good at all.

The story is at times thrilling and nail-biting, at times slowly ponderous and gorgeous, at times so sad I may just have sat reading while bawling violently (or that just might be the pregnancy hormones). But it was never dull. Wallace Stegner, you are my hero.

Book Nine: The Source

2011-03-16T09:42:00.000-07:00

The Source: The Untold Story of Father Yod, Ya Ho Wa 13 and the Source Family, Isis Aquarian and Electricity Aquarian

This is the picture that got me to read this book.

I saw it and thought, "I have got to read about these people!" I just can't resist a load of pregnant ladies in hippie garb gathered around a Rolls Royce. Who can't?! I realized mid-book, that I unintentionally picked this up right after Just Kids, which essentially chronicles a different music scene happening more or less at the same time on the other side of the country. With an entirely different vibe. And yeah, this one is less about music and the arts and the "Earth Trip" and more about the story of what some call a cult, told from the perspective of former family members.

So, there's this guy. Jim Baker. With a checkered past that includes some armed robberies and killing two men with just the power of his two hands, and a professed war hero, judo master, and archery champion. He becomes a successful restauranteur in Los Angeles, and his third endeavor, a vegetarian restaurant on Sunset Boulevard called The Source leads him have a dramatic yogic conversion. And then the whole things snowballs and next thing you know, he's the leader of a cult! Or rather, a bunch of hippies feel drawn to him and his powerful energy, so he starts leading morning meditations and then decides that everyone needs to live together as a family. And then he's Father Yod (and later, Ya Ho Wha) the leader of a cult! The rest/bulk of the book talks about the Family's journey, both spiritually and physically, as we see the evolution of the Family and watch them move from LA to Hawaii to San Francisco and back to Hawaii again. And really, it's all kind of fascinating. In the most kooky and insane way. Because, honestly, these people aren't writers, so it reads as this scattered, loony tale of pseudo-religion and Sacred Herb (yes, that herb) and the Age of Aquarius and polygamy and megalomania (in my opinion, mind you) and psychedelic music. Isis Aquarian, the family's official record keeper, writes the majority of the text, but it's healthily interspersed with first-person accounts by other family members. Most are flattering of Father Yod and the experience of being a member of the Family, and some are slightly critical. And some of it made me laugh out loud at the pure craziness. But, for someone who snorted her way through half of this book, I felt oddly touched by the last few pages. Because it felt so honest and true, and even though these might not be things that I personally believe in, I am not such a monster that I can't recognize that everyone has their own way of looking for meaning and experiencing life, and these people truly found beauty and inspiration through this experience. And if no one got hurt (well, just a couple of people died who probably shouldn't have), then who am I to judge?

But I can judge the music, which is featured on the accompanying CD, and I feel good about saying that it's truly, truly terrible. Seriously, don't listen to this, whatever you do. Yipes.

The 24-Hour Read-a-Thon

2011-03-08T10:17:00.000-08:00

Yup, I'm insane. I just signed up for another round of Dewey's 24-Hour Read-a-Thon. And at that point (Saturday, April 9th) I will be nearly 7 months pregnant. Though sleeping now is getting pretty uncomfortable, so maybe that will keep me up reading all night? But even if I only manage 12 hours of reading, I will consider that a success. So no pressure this time around. I honestly had a great time last October, and that's really what's motivating my participation again.

You should sign up, too!

Book Eight: Just Kids

2011-03-08T10:08:00.000-08:00

Just Kids, Patti Smith

I was pretty excited to read this, but now I don't remember why. I don't have any specific interest in Patti Smith or Robert Mapplethorpe, but I suppose I'd heard it was a good book. And it's fine. But I kept being reminded in my lack of interest in these people and their scene. I'm certainly not going to accuse her of name dropping, since I have no doubt as to the truth of her story, but it often feels like that. Like, hey, here I am talking to Jimi Hendrix and here I am having an affair with Sam Shepard and here I am hanging out at the Chelsea with Janis Joplin and so on. Again, not necessarily a problem, but totally not my scene. I am just one of those squares who find the whole New York arts scene/Jim Morrison worship/Studio 54 hangers-on/drug-induced haze a bit tedious.

But Patti Smith's writing is pretty effortless, and by that I mean it feels like she put very little effort into writing this book. Sometimes that means that there are moments are pure beauty that rise out of the simplicity, and other times it feels like it needed some serious editing.

Book Seven: The Lotus Eaters

2011-02-28T20:56:00.000-08:00

The Lotus Eaters, Tatjana Soli

This is the kind of novel that sweeps you away and folds you into its little world. Or rather, big world, being that it takes place in Vietnam during the war. I mean, a huge, scary, horrifying world. It's really lovely at times and really awful at times. And I wonder if it would have appealed to me more if I was the kind of person who had a better sense of adventure. Because the main character is a war photographer who stays in Vietnam for 10 years, and who doesn't really want to leave, no matter the amount of death and sadness she has to experience. And even though Ms. Soli did a great job of getting us into her head and her situation, I just keep thinking "Get the eff out of there, stupid!!! Why in the world do you want to stay in this horrible, death-ridden place?!" And really, this is kind of the point of the book. The title refers to Homer's Odyssey, when they visited the land of the Lotus-eaters, and "those who ate the honeyed fruit of the plant lost any wish to come back and bring us news. All they now wanted was to stay where they were with the Lotus-eaters, to browse on the lotus, and to forget all thoughts of return." Which is obviously implying an addiction to a place, so intoxicating that one forgets everything else in the world. Which I saw, and yet I just personally could still not wrap my head around. I am a slave to comfort, and I suppose there are types out there who are slaves to adventure.

The last little bit of the book, though, was so magical and so mesmerizing, that I just couldn't put it down to go to sleep. It was so awful and surreal and strange (and did i mention, awful?), and I think Ms. Soli really captured the true horror of war and how one can become almost numb to it. It was, at least, a great finish to a pretty good book.

Book Six: The City & The City

2011-02-22T19:36:00.000-08:00

The City & The City, China Miéville

This is, what, maybe my third or fourth science fiction/fantasy novel? All of them have been pure gold, and yet I still persist in saying that I'm not at all interested in the genre. What is wrong with me?

Okay, so you can read this novel as a crazy fantasy or as utter realism. Premise: there is a murder in the city of Beszel and detective Borlu has to travel to neighboring city Ul Qoma to help solve the crime. Sure, it's a detective novel at heart, but I think the real mystery is figuring out what the deal is with these two cities. They are next to each other, and yet they overlap in places. Residents must "unsee" the foreigners who appear to walk the same streets or risk Breach (both an entity and a crime). The strangeness is immediately felt through Miéville's awkward language. Every sentence is technically grammatically correct and yet constructed in such a way as to make you need to go back frequently to re-read them just to make sure you understood. Or maybe that's me. But I do stand by the fact that this book very successfully grounds itself in realism enough to convince you of its weirdness.

I look forward to reading more Miéville in the future!

Book Five: 44 Scotland Street

2011-02-06T08:57:00.001-08:00

44 Scotland Street, Alexander McCall Smith

There's nothing like a good Alexander McCall Smith novel to get the bad taste of a crappy book out of your mouth. I wasn't sure I would like this series, but now that I've finished the first book I honestly have no idea why I was so worried. Obviously, it has everything good I love in it. Edinburgh, art, little moments in the lives of regular people, humor, kindness, silliness, general philosophizing, and a dog with character. I know it's not groundbreaking or amazing or transcendent, and yet it's the best thing for a grey February when you need to be reminded of the general goodness of humanity.

Book Four: Honeymoon with My Brother

2011-01-30T18:54:00.000-08:00

Honeymoon with My Brother, Franz Wisner

Oh boy, did I dislike this. Seriously, I really really hated this book. I can find nothing redeeming to say about it. This guy comes off as a major-league asswipe through his telling of his being dumped just days before his wedding, and I can't imagine how one could think anything but, "Thank god she left him!" And then he sets off on this extended "honeymoon" with his brother, and he tries to be a travel writer, and yet all of his observations about other cultures and countries are so trite and/or don't make you at all interested in the places he's been. Not to mention many of his stories are simply about the women he sleeps with, my favorite being the sexy "model" in Prague who tries to stick around after they have sex (apparently, ladies, this is a bad thing), which freaks him out enough to lie and say he's leaving town just to get rid of her (but not before he bemoans having to do this since the sex was so very great). Seriously, this guy lives in super yikesy-ville. Or we could discuss the fact that the premise of this book is that over the course of his travels he really gets to know his brother, but his brother still just feels like a shadow of a person with no real inner life or motivations. All I can recall about him is that he liked to run. That's all. Is this because he really didn't get to know his brother at all, or because he's simply not a good writer? Probably, it's both.

I hate to be such a hater, but I can not tell you enough how much you should not read this book.

Book Three: How to Have Your Second Child First

2011-01-19T20:52:00.000-08:00

How to Have Your Second Child First, Kerry Colburn and Rob Sorensen

I don't even know if I can critique the advice in this book since my first child is still floating around in my belly, but I will do my best. It definitely made for a good read, seeing as how it's the only baby book I've read cover to cover so far, so points for that. It's organized in giant list format, so there's 100 points of advice about how to raise your child. I enjoyed and was enlightened by much of the advice ("You don't need to buy all that stuff," "The baby name you've chosen is perfect," "Don't fear the nighttime noises," "Changing tables are not imperative," and "You really can take a shower" were all great). The problem for me is that a lot of the advice was repetitive, and that got more apparent as the book went on. It's like they front loaded all the good stuff and when they got to number 45 or so they started stretching it a bit. It also started to get into whatever-you-do-is-okay-just-stop-worrying-about-it territory. Which is probably great advice, I'm sure, and not at all a bad thing, but the redundancy wore on me. Also, it feels like there were a few bits of contradictory advice. In one point they tell you not to overpack your baby bag with too much stuff, and then in another they tell you to load up your car with everything but the kitchen sink. Which is it? And then they tell you to hold off on making plans because you won't want to go anywhere for a while, and few pages later they tell you to get out and travel and go places and, hey, it's not that big a deal with a baby! I'm sure this all fits into the do-whatever-you-want-and-your-baby-will-be-fine theme, however as a first-time parent, I want to know what's what!

I know I'm acting like I know it all (hubris, what's that?). But clearly, I don't. That's why I'm reading books like this. Still, I would recommend it. If only for the fact that it's comforting to know you don't have to worry over every single detail and having actual, real-life parents remind you of that is a good, good thing.

Book Two: The Egg and I

2011-01-19T19:44:00.000-08:00

The Egg and I, Betty MacDonald

Okay, I really loved this book. Everything about it pushed all my buttons. A young wife moves to the country with her husband who has a dream of starting a chicken farm. She has to help her husband with all of the farm work and also run a household including doing all the cooking, washing, baking, canning and cleaning, all without running water or power. And the country she moves to is the Olympic Peninsula, just an hour or so from where I grew up, so of course I'm a softie for that. It's a story told with such a great sense of humor by a woman who obviously disliked much of her circumstances. There's a reason this book is a classic, including the fact that it introduces the Maw and Paw Kettle, Betty MacDonald's hilarious neighbors, to the world.

However, it's just too hard to ignore the horribly racist chapter about the Pacific Northwest Native Americans, "With Bow and Arrow" (never mind the various comments sprinkled throughout the book about how much she can't stand "Indians.") I know some people can excuse this because of when it was written (1945) but this level of awfulness is just too much. Not only does she put down specific Native Americans that she meets for being drunk or lazy, but she says that "the coast Indian is squat, bowlegged, swarthy, flat-faced, broad-nosed, dirty, diseased, ignorant and tricky. There were few exceptions among the many we knew." Oh, but it gets worse. "Little red brothers or not, I didn't like Indians, and the more I saw of them the more I thought what an excellent thing it was to take that beautiful country away from them."

I know, right?! I honestly think that there's no excuse for that kind of writing, no matter what the time or place. For a book that is so very funny and touching and moving, to have such a vitriol-filled chapter thrown in the middle of it, just really poops all over a great thing and leaves a bad, poopy taste in my mouth.

Book One: The Serpent's Tale

2011-01-06T21:04:00.000-08:00

The Serpent's Tale, Ariana Franklin

Whew! It's good to know that my eyes can still scan pages and that my brain can turn letters into words and sentences that I am able to understand and make sense of. Because I seriously thought I had lost it. In my favor was the fact that this was a good old fashioned page turner, a medieval mystery with a tight plot and good characters. Yes, it's the sequel to a book that I read a couple of years ago and just looking back on that review, I'm surprised that I didn't like it more. Maybe it's better than I thought? Or better in my recollection of it? Because I was honestly excited to pick this one up and continue reading the adventures of Adelia, the Sicilian pathologist who goes to England to solve various mysteries at the behest of King Henry II. Sure, it still has its share of clunkiness, in the form of having to remind us every few pages that Adelia is a woman and that she shouldn't be practicing medicine and that people think less of her because she is a woman and isn't it awful the way women are belittled and oppressed. Okay, I get it already! Things suck for women in the 12th century! Yes, I'm proud to call myself a feminist but I don't need to be reminded of these things at every turn.

Books Fiftyseven and Fiftyeight: Oryx and Crake and A Christmas Carol

2011-01-02T19:38:00.000-08:00

Whoa, what happened to me? Well, you can go here to read the long story, or I can just tell you that I got knocked up (and I got married... see how smart that was?) and suddenly lost all ability to read. Seriously, I don't know what happened, other than all I could do for the last three months was lie around on the couch watching television and bemoaning my queasiness. However, looking back at my long lost book blog, I did realized that I managed to finish almost two more books by the end of the year (and, in my queasiness, just neglected to write about them), bringing my yearly total up to a record-breaking 58. Secretly I had been planning on trying to read at least 62 books to make up for the 10 Sookie Stackhouse books that I disgustingly sucked up this year, but I'll be fine settling for 58. So, here's some mini reviews of what I managed to actually finish.

Oryx and Crake, Margaret Atwood

I enjoyed the majority of this novel in spite of itself, though I hated the ending. There, I said it. And then I hated it more when I read that Margaret Atwood hadn't even planned on writing a sequel. But until I got to the last few pages, I actually enjoyed the journey uncovering the mystery of what happened. And even the strange and enigmatic characters (what few there were) were enjoyable to be with. But wow, what a shitty ending.

A Christmas Carol, Charles Dickens

On the other hand, I love everything about Dickens. Now that's and ending! Sure, it's a little trite and we all know the story, but if it's written well, who cares, right? And I was happy to read a Christmas book to get me in the holiday spirit.

See, I meant it when I said "mini-reviews," because that's all you're going to get. Now, looking ahead to 2011, which I resolve to pronounce "twenty eleven" even if it kills me. Since the baby is due at the end of June, that means I'm probably going to have to buckle down and do some serious reading before then. And, even with my poor math skills, I think that means I'll have to read two books a week, right?

Yikes!

Book Fiftysix: Cassandra at the Wedding

2010-11-12T09:16:00.000-08:00

Cassandra at the Wedding, Dorothy Baker

Author comparisons are so difficult and loaded. And most of the time they seem entirely unfair. But I'm going to have to agree with the Salinger comparisons here, because it's hard not to read this and think immediately of both The Catcher in the Rye and Franny and Zooey. You get the troubled but incredibly compelling narrator in Cassandra, who has the bite and humor of Holden, but the story suddenly and surprisingly changes part way through when Judith, Cassie's twin sister picks up the narration, in much the same way Franny and Zooey flip-flops with the first person business. And all these books have, at their cores, a protagonist who is completely coming undone. So, yeah, it's super hard to ignore the similarities, but I would like you to forget I even mentioned it when you pick up this book, which you are going to do because there is no way around its awesomeness.

Nutshell synopsis: Cassandra and Judith are identical twins and have had, perhaps, a relationship that is a bit too close in that for most of their lives they have seemed to be unable to live without one another (and then there's Cassandra's lesbian leanings, which complicates how we see their relationship). They come from a charming family (with a strong history of mental illness) with their now-dead mother being an accomplished writer and their still-alive father an intellectual drunk recluse. In the past year Judith has gone to New York to graduate school to learn to live apart from her sister and has fallen in love with a doctor and has come home to the family's southern California ranch to be married, and Cassandra has come down from Berkeley to see them married, but as we see from her mind's workings, to try to stop the wedding entirely.

And oh, Cassandra! Such a beautiful mess. Being inside her mind is frustrating and delightful and exhausting and fun all at once. She excels at making one see her way and agree with her plans even though you are probably horrified by plans. She has such explanations for her failings and reasons for her alcohol and pill dependency that are as funny as they are alarming. Is it wrong to want to try her orange juice/egg white/"white port wine" (aka vodka) breakfast drink?

And then, when you think you can't take it much longer, Judith steps in to tell her small bit of the story, and while you welcome to break from Cassie's trainwreck of mind, maybe Judith is just a little bit conventional? But it's a perfect balance, really, and you can see how they almost do complete each other and how lost Cassandra will probably be when her other half marries and leaves her alone.

Please, please please read this book. If you like exceptional but un-showy writing and fascinating characters and being immersed in a strange and wonderful family and don't mind being just a little depressed, this is the book for you.

Want to see more NYRB Reading Week reviews? Go here!

Book Fiftyfive: The Haunting of Hill House

2010-10-28T19:53:00.000-07:00

The Haunting of Hill House, Shirley Jackson

You know, I never really thought haunted houses were that scary, and then I read this INSANELY SCARY BOOK. I suppose I'm like the characters in the story, really, who perhaps believe in the supernatural (wait, I don't really believe in the supernatural... do I?), but can't imagine anything terribly awful happening to them. At the outset. Because what's truly scary about this is the idea of losing one's own mind. Ooh, super creepy. Sure the banging on the doors and the chill by the nursery and the hand-holding in the dark, and even Mrs. Dudley are all pretty frightening, but the inner workings of Eleanor's mind as the house slowly gets inside of her is just perfectly creepy.

My most favorite part of all, though, is when Mrs. Montague and her friend Arthur show up and spread their phony supernatural hilarity through the house. (It's like when, finally, Stephen Fry's character shows up in Gosford Park, and you're thinking, yay, some comedy!) But that hilarity just makes the spookiness all the more spooky. You know, juxtaposition!

In short: good-time Halloween awesomeness.

Book Fiftyfour: The Charming Quirks of Others

2010-10-23T16:45:00.000-07:00

The Charming Quirks of Others, Alexander McCall Smith

Sometimes it feels like Alexander McCall Smith has a window on my brain and knows exactly what I want from a book. He pours on the quaintness, sweetness, thoughtfulness, tiny human interactions, and a swig of Scottish goodness. For me this is a comfort series, but one that doesn't make me feel all icky and violated and, inevitably, feeling guilty, like a certain someone does. This is the perfect book for a long bath, a rainy day, a cup of tea, and some shortbread. Its philosophical meanderings are just right and don't go into overboard territory. And it's surprising how well-written this series is for a man who is so insanely prolific. It is also saying something that this is the only series I will buy in hardcover.

Book Fiftythree: Great Expectations

2010-10-21T19:02:00.000-07:00

Great Expectations, Charles Dickens

Perhaps I say this all the time whilst in the middle of a really good book, but I swear I meant it this time when I declared to C the other day, "This is the best book I've ever read!" And now, having finished it I can say the feeling still remains, and even more so. Will I still feel the same after I read two or three more really good books and declare them to be the best books ever? Maybe not, but I sure hope so! I hope my memory of the fantastic writing, the beautiful characters, the crazy plot, and the insane imagery stay with me for as long as am able to read.

As I am not good at giving plot overviews, I will leave it at this: young Pip escapes his poor upbringing after a very generous--and very unknown--person bequeaths him a large amount of money in order that he become a gentleman. Pip doesn't mind leaving his former life behind because he has detested his poverty ever since meeting cruel Estella and her guardian, Miss Havisham. And, obviously, the crueler Estella is, the more he loves her, a fact that drives much of the plot.

What strikes me now is that it feels as if the book took place in an England that consisted of, let's say, 20 people. Funny how the same characters keep coming around again and again and are all connected in some crazy way. Is this a stock element of the Victorian novel? Either way, it definitely works for me. Especially when the characters are so freaking great: the escaped convict that Pip encounters on the marshes as a young lad; Pip's comically abusive older sister who watches over him along with her super-duper-loverly husband, Joe the blacksmith (can we all have a Joe in our lives?); the infamous Miss Havisham in her greying and decaying wedding dress and her stand-still life; Mr. Jaggers the lawyer; Mr. Pocket who, in his frazzledness, pulls his hair so that he seems to lift himself out of his chair; and, probably my most favorite character ever (ever!), Mr. Wemmick. Oh, Mr. Wemmick! I could write pages and pages on how much I adore you. I love your ideas on portable property, your Aged Parent (is it wrong to look forward to the day I get to take care of my own Aged P?), your drawbridge and cannon, your generosity underneath all that stinginess, your Miss Skiffins, and your post-office like face.

There is simply so much good to be had here. There is Action and Adventure! There is Romance. There is Mystery. There is Horror. There is Morality. Yes, there is definitely a lot of Morality. But dosed in such a way that one feels that, yes, I can swallow that Morality and no, sir, it's not bitter at all. Because this is essentially a story of poverty and overcoming one's own background, and it asks if that's really possible or if, perhaps, the source of one's wealth is important at all. And, really what is wealth? One of my favorite demonstrations of this whole wealth vs. poverty notion is illustrated with Pip's back-to-back dinners with Mr. Jaggers and Mr. Wemmick. Jaggers, with all the visual trappings of wealth all around him, a man who doesn't lock his doors at night because he dares anyone to try to break in and steal from him, turns out to be stingy with his food and his dinner guests. But Wemmick, with his guarded home and its moat and drawbridge and his own outward stinginess proves to be the most generous of all, not just with his food but with the sharing of his affections and the sharing of his life.

And there you have my English 101 reading of Great Expectations. You're welcome.

Sidenote: this book features the best wedding ever. "Halloa! Here's a church!" "Halloa! Here's a couple of pair of gloves!" "Halloa! Here's a ring!"

Sigh. I'd like to marry you, Great Expectations.

NYRB Reading Week

2010-10-17T22:54:00.000-07:00

Ooh, look! The Literary Stew and Coffeespoons are hosting an NYRB Reading Week. This is like all my dreams come true!

I am so excited... but what to read? I have a few in my NYRB TBR stack that I've been looking forward to:
Cassandra at the Wedding
A High Wind in Jamaica
Wish Her Safe at Home
Madame de Pompadour

But, I've also been meaning to pick up The Lonely Passion of Judith Hearne. So many choices! And now, the secret is to wait patiently until November 7, then let the NYRB madness begin!

Books Fortyseven to Fiftytwo

2010-10-13T23:03:00.000-07:00

Um, how did I miss that I reached my fifty-two-books-in-a-year goal? Oh yeah, it was 4am and I was delirious after reading continuously for 23 hours. Anyhow, here's a belated, "Yay me!" And now for some quickie reviews that go beyond, "Me like book. Me want tea. Me tired."

The Hunger Games, Suzanne Collins

Do you need me to tell you this is a good book? Because I can. But I must be, like, the caboose of The Hunger Games rah-rah train. Seriously, I bought into the story so quickly and I was totally on the Katniss bandwagon... and then the Games! And it's all super post-apocalyptic craziness! Because you know all these kids are going to die and the part of you that has embraced the book and the story and rules of the Games is thinking, "You go, Katniss." But the part of you that is a normal, thinking, feeling human being is like, "Noooooooooooo! How can they kill off 23 of these kids?!" My only regret is that I did not have books two and three of the trilogy on hand to read immediately after.

Love and Rockets: New Stories No. 3, Los Bros Hernandez

If you asked me to choose which Hernandez brother is my favorite, if you really twisted my arm, then I would be forced to tell you that it's Jaime. Because Maggie truly has my heart. And also because of the new Hoppers story in this issue with young Maggie/Perla. Oh boy howdy, I wasn't lying when I said that it broke my heart a little. And Ray makes an appearance! Swoon.

Austenland, Shannon Hale

Perhaps I wouldn't have chosen this book outside of a Read-a-Thon, but inside of a Read-a-Thon it's too dark to read! Wait, what?

Ok, so I liked this book because of its simple premise: a 30-something woman obsessed with Jane Austen, who has yet to find love, instead finds herself the recipient of a gift from her late great aunt. And that gift is three weeks at Pembrook Park in England, where guests dress up and pretend they're in Regency times. It's such a simple device and makes for great chick lit action. Is Mr. Darcy really that great in real life? Do you really want your fantasy or is reality better? Maybe the Wickhams of the world are more fun? In retrospect, however, I'm realizing some issues with the plot, that being the issue of what is essentially male prostitution. Yipes! Still, a terrific Read-a-Thon book.

Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day, Winifred Watson

Sure, I'd already seen the movie (which I liked a whole lot), but I really loved the book. There's some minor plot differences in the movie, which made reading this feel like a whole new experience. So funny! So fast paced! And pictures!

When You Reach Me, Rebecca Stead

(Wow, writing these reviews is tiring! I will try to make them more succinct.)

1979. Time travel. The $20,000 Pyramid. 12 year olds. A Wrinkle in Time. Friendship. Mystery. Sadness. Secret notes. 100% absolute goodness.

I should read this again because it was that good.

Y: The Last Man, Vol. 3: One Small Step, Brian K. Vaughn

I've been slowly working my way through this series, trying to enjoy it rather than bingeing all at once. Probably because there are so few graphic novels or comics that I read nowadays, so I want something to cling to. What I really like about this, especially where I'm at right now, is that it's not doing at all what I thought the story would be doing. There's much more action and intrigue, and while there's a strong odor of feminism, it's only part of a more complex bouquet.

Okay, sorry. I just like the series. You should read it if you like words and pictures and stories. That is all.

So, I guess that's it for me for the year! No more books until 2011.

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.
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;-)

Read-a-Thon: End of Event Meme

2010-10-10T12:03:00.000-07:00

Yay for the Read-a-Thon! And the end of event meme!

1. Which hour was most daunting for you?
Well, the last hour nearly drove me crazy, but I think somewhere around hour twelve was when I first realized that this might be really difficult.

2. Could you list a few high-interest books that you think could keep a Reader engaged for next year?
Yes! I particularly loved The Hunger Games (duh), but would also recommend Miss Pettigrew Lives For a Day for folks who want something lighter and sweeter and super fast paced.

3. Do you have any suggestions for how to improve the Read-a-thon next year?
No, this was perfect!

4. What do you think worked really well in this year’s Read-a-thon?
I still can't get over how nice it was having cheerleaders.

5. How many books did you read?
Six, plus about 30 pages of my last book.

6. What were the names of the books you read?
The Hunger Games, by Suzanne Collines
Love and Rockets: New Stories No. 3, by Los Bros Hernandez
Austenland, by Shannon Hale
Miss Pettigrew Lives For a Day, by Winifred Watson
When You Reach Me, by Rebecca Stead
Y: The Last Man, Vol. 3, by Brian Vaughn
And I just dipped my toes into Interview with the Vampire by Anne Rice

7. Which book did you enjoy most?
This is tough, I loved all my ~~children~~ books equally!

8. Which did you enjoy least?
I didn't enjoy anything "the least" but I was surprised by how sad Love and Rockets made me, which kind of threw me off my game. I think maybe I should have read that on a day when I could savor it instead.

9. If you were a Cheerleader, do you have any advice for next year’s Cheerleaders?
N/A

10. How likely are you to participate in the Read-a-thon again? What role would you be likely to take next time?
Super likely! I want to be an eternal reader, but maybe next year I'll also sign up to be a cheerleader, too, to help break up the day a bit.

Read-a-Thon Update: Hour Twentyfour (more or less)

2010-10-10T04:29:00.000-07:00

That's it for me. I feel like one of those marathoners who makes it to within 10 yards of the finish line and then collapses and can't move, no matter how hard everyone is yelling for the to get up or how much they want it. I am seriously so tired I am starting to see things. As of 4:30 my body has been up for 24 hours and that's good enough for me. I managed 5 more pages of Interview With the Vampire, making my total page count 1294. Holy guacamole!

My sweet, soft bed beckons and I feel terribly satisfied. Sleep well, dear readers.

Read-a-Thon Update: Hour Twentythree

2010-10-10T04:00:00.000-07:00

Currently reading: Interview With the Vampire

Pages read last hour: 24

Time spent reading this hour: Let's just say 30 minutes

Consumed this hour: Cold coffee

Reading location this hour: Sofa

Pages read so far: 1289

Total time spent reading: 959 minutes

Book completed so far:

The Hunger Games
Love and Rockets: New Stories No. 3
Austenland
Miss Pettigrew Lives For a Day
When You Reach Me
Y: The Last Man, Vol. 3

Mind grapes: Oh noooooes! I am so tired and want to throw in the towel now, but there's just an hour left and that would be the saddest thing in the world. The vampire story is good, but no match for my sleepy bobble-head act. I will try to at least stay awake until 4:30, which is when I woke this morning to get the scones going. That's 24 hours of something, right?

Read-a-Thon Update: Hour Twentytwo

2010-10-10T03:03:00.000-07:00

Currently reading: Finished Y: The Last Man, Vol. 3, starting Interview With the Vampire

Pages read last hour: 67

Time spent reading this hour: 35 minutes (though really, it's so hard to tell what with the continual nodding off)

Consumed this hour: Coffee? Some cake?

Reading location this hour: Sofa

Pages read so far: 1265

Total time spent reading: 929 minutes

Book completed so far:

The Hunger Games
Love and Rockets: New Stories No. 3
Austenland
Miss Pettigrew Lives For a Day
When You Reach Me
Y: The Last Man, Vol. 3

Mind grapes: Being awake and reading for 22 straight hours makes for stupid typos that I, even in my insane sleep deprived stupor, am still unable to forgive myself for. So yeah. Sorry for the slop here. But I'm sure you understand. And when I say "you," I mean the future, unforgiving, me who will be reading this tomorrow.

I love Y: The Last Man, by the way. Such a great graphic novel/comic. Essential premise is that a plague wipes out every single man on earth except for one guy (and his monkey) and what happens to him as a result. Lots of action, pretty pictures, good story. Great Read-a-Thon pick. Thanks to my pal JenB for recommending it.

Read-a-Thon Update: Hour Twentyone

2010-10-10T02:09:00.000-07:00

Currently reading: Y: The Last Man, Vol. 3

Pages read last hour: 100

Time spent reading this hour: 40 minutes

Consumed this hour: Coffee!

Reading location this hour: Home again and on the sofa

Pages read so far: 1198

Total time spent reading: 894 minutes

Books completed so far:

The Hunger Games
Love and Rockets: New Stories No. 3
Austenland
Miss Pettigrew Lives For a Day
When You Reach Me

Mind grapes: This last hour I started strong, but I've been dozing off for the past 10 minutes or so. I'm doing my level best to stay up, but this might be it for me. I'll try to finish this graphic novel, I'll put my all into it, but I can't make any promises. This little reader is sooooo tired!

Read-a-Thon Update: Hour Twenty

2010-10-10T01:10:00.000-07:00

Currently reading: Just finished When You Reach Me, starting on Y: The Last Man, Vol. 3

Pages read last two hours: 65

Time spent reading last two hours: 45 minutes or so

Consumed lately: Coffee!

Reading location this hour: Jenn's house

Pages read so far: 1098

Total time spent reading: 854 minutes

Book completed so far:

The Hunger Games
Love and Rockets: New Stories No. 3
Austenland
Miss Pettigrew Lives For a Day
When You Reach Me

Mind grapes: Change of location! Jenn made a nice cozy fire, so C and I went down the street to partake in her reading-conducive environs (hence the lack of an hour nineteen update). Which ended up being just a little more conducive to talking, but at least I stayed awake. And I did get a bit more reading done. I just love having reading pals. So hello to anyone still up and out there! You are not alone!

Though, honestly, I am struggling to stay awake and trying to convince myself that it would totally okay to allow myself to go to bed after 20 HOURS OF CONTINUOUS READING. That wouldn't make me a failure at all. But I am going to try for a bit more. Bring on the words and pictures!

Read-a-Thon Update: Hour Eighteen

2010-10-09T23:06:00.000-07:00

Currently reading: When You Reach Me

Pages read this hour: 48

Time spent reading this hour: 30 minutes

Consumed this hour: Mmmmmm... cake!

Reading location this hour: Sofa

Pages read so far: 1033

Total time spent reading: 809 minutes

Book completed so far:

The Hunger Games
Love and Rockets: New Stories No. 3
Austenland
Miss Pettigrew Lives For a Day

Mind grapes: Uh oh, now I'm tired. My head feels like an enormous weight and my eyes feel like they have sandbags attached. Super awesome Jenn brought over slices of both of the cakes that we made for the Earth Corps auction tonight. Can I really be sugar crashing so soon?

Read-a-Thon Update: Hour Seventeen

2010-10-09T22:08:00.000-07:00

Currently reading: When You Reach Me

Pages read this hour: 84 (hello, large print!)

Time spent reading this hour: 54 minutes

Consumed this hour: Nothing :-(

Reading location this hour: Sofa

Pages read so far: 985

Total time spent reading: 779 minutes

Book completed so far:

The Hunger Games
Love and Rockets: New Stories No. 3
Austenland
Miss Pettigrew Lives For a Day

Mind grapes: So if When You Reach Me can't keep me awake, nothing can. This book is the bee's knees, people. I love the simple and perfect writing. I love the strange mystery of the plot. I love the simple, everyday details.

Now strategerizing on when the best time is to brew up some coffee. Don't want any too early, but I am starting to feel sleepy again. Fantasizing about bed and how great it will feel to close my eyes. And IT'S ONLY 10:00! I usually don't even go to bed until at least midnight. Considering doing some old-school calisthenics in order to perk up again.

Read-a-Thon Update: Hour Sixteen

2010-10-09T21:02:00.001-07:00

Currently reading: Just finished Miss Pettigrew Lives For a Day, about to start When You Reach Me

Pages read this hour: 52

Time spent reading this hour: 44 minutes

Consumed this hour: Water

Reading location this hour: Sofa

Pages read so far: 901

Total time spent reading: 725 minutes

Book completed so far:

The Hunger Games
Love and Rockets: New Stories No. 3
Austenland
Miss Pettigrew Lives For a Day

Wow, sixteen hours of reading! I am giving myself a pat on the back, for reals. I just looked at my stack of books and almost felt sad knowing that I wouldn't be able to read them all. 48-hour Read-a-Thon anyone?

Read-a-Thon Update: Hour Fifteen

2010-10-09T20:16:00.000-07:00

Currently reading: Miss Pettigrew Lives For a Day

Pages read this hour: 48

Time spent reading this hour: 42 minutes

Consumed this hour: Pizza! And water.

Reading location this hour: Sofa

Pages read so far: 849

Total time spent reading: 681 minutes

Book completed so far:

The Hunger Games
Love and Rockets: New Stories No. 3
Austenland

Ah, pizza. Such a good, good thing. Realized I've mostly been snacking on sweets all day, so this pile of cheesy, bready goodness was just what I needed.

Unfortunately, photos of pizza can never quite convey how delicious they are. But trust me... yum.

Read-a-Thon Update: Hour Fourteen

2010-10-09T19:08:00.000-07:00

Currently reading: Miss Pettigrew Lives For a Day

Pages read this hour: 50

Time spent reading this hour: 45 minutes

Consumed this hour: Chinese herbs

Reading location this hour: Sofa

Pages read so far: 801

Total time spent reading: 639 minutes

Book completed so far:

The Hunger Games
Love and Rockets: New Stories No. 3
Austenland

Thoughtsicles: Ooh, I feel like I've caught my second wind. Probably the Chinese herbs I drank this hour. My body is in desperate need of some yang and some blood. Also, my spirit may have been bolstered by the prospect of pizza being delivered very soon. The sun has set, the sky is gorgeous and black and the rain is really coming down. I feel a dark and stormy night coming on...

And have I mentioned how delighted I am with Miss Pettigrew? I have? Well, let me just tell you again how terrific this book is. It's terrific!

Read-a-Thon Update: Hour Thirteen

2010-10-09T18:05:00.000-07:00

Currently reading: Miss Pettigrew Lives For a Day

Pages read this hour: 40

Time spent reading this hour: 35 minutes

Consumed this hour: Water

Reading location this hour: Bathtub!

Pages read so far: 751

Total time spent reading: 594 minutes

Book completed so far:

The Hunger Games
Love and Rockets: New Stories No. 3
Austenland

Thoughtsicles: Taking a bath may have been a super smart move or a lethal move. It certainly kept me awake, but now that I'm out I'm in that noodley, warm, fuzzy, relaxed state, which may not be the best place to be. On the plus side, my somewhat sore lower half is feeling much better. Also, Miss Pettigrew's escapades are keeping me enthralled. So, yeah, I'll just keep on keeping on!

Read-a-Thon Update: Hour Twelve

2010-10-09T17:14:00.000-07:00

Currently reading: Miss Pettigrew Lives For a Day

Pages read this hour: 43

Time spent reading this hour: 42 minutes

Consumed this hour: Tea.

Reading location this hour: Sinking further and further into the living room sofa.

Pages read so far: 711

Total time spent reading: 559 minutes

Book completed so far:

The Hunger Games
Love and Rockets: New Stories No. 3
Austenland

Thoughtsicles: Oh no, I'm so tired! Not the fault of Miss Pettigrew Lives For a Day, which is absolutely delightful and has me laughing out loud. But seriously, I am really tired.

Read-a-Thon Update: Mid-Event Survey

2010-10-09T17:02:00.000-07:00

Mid-Event Survey:
1. What are you reading right now?
Miss Pettigrew Lives For a Day
2. How many books have you read so far? Three!
3. What book are you most looking forward to for the second half of the Read-a-thon?
When You Reach Me has been calling to me from the stack. But I've been saving it because I know it will be good. Also, The Haunting of Hill House because I'm looking forward to being scared.
4. Did you have to make any special arrangements to free up your whole day?
I refused several invitations to make this day happen. But otherwise I'm lucky in that my life can accommodate 24 straight hours of book reading.
5. Have you had many interruptions? How did you deal with those?
Not a lot. Just a few minutes here and there. They were quite welcome, in fact.
6. What surprises you most about the Read-a-thon, so far?
That the first 8 hours or so just flew by, and that I got insanely tired around hour 10.
7. Do you have any suggestions for how to improve the Read-a-thon next year?
Nothing so far!
8. What would you do differently, as a Reader or a Cheerleader, if you were to do this again next year?
Loving being a reader, but I might sign up to be a cheerleader next time. It sure is nice having such lovely folks leave sweet comments!
9. Are you getting tired yet?
Yes, indubitably. Just had to go stand outside in the rain for a spell to wake myself up.
10. Do you have any tips for other Readers or Cheerleaders, something you think is working well for you that others may not have discovered?
Moving around, managing caffeine consumption, talking to other human beings every now and then: these are all good things.

Read-a-Thon Update: Hour Eleven

2010-10-09T16:07:00.000-07:00

Currently reading: Just finished Austenland, starting Miss Pettigrew Lives For a Day

Pages read this hour: 52

Time spent reading this hour: 45 minutes

Consumed this hour: More tea.

Reading location this hour: Still happily camped out on the living room sofa.

Pages read so far: 668

Total time spent reading: 517 minutes

Book completed so far:

The Hunger Games
Love and Rockets: New Stories No. 3
Austenland

Thoughtsicles: Austenland was some nice clean fun and I was happy to engage briefly with some lighter characters (by the way, real reviews to follow post Read-a-Thon). My next pick, Miss Pettigrew Lives For a Day, continues my British theme, and has inspired me to have a proper tea time. Well, tea and another scone. Because it's four o'clock. Also, I just finished hour eleven, so this is kind of elevensies, right?

Read-a-Thon Update: Hour Ten

2010-10-09T15:05:00.000-07:00

Currently reading: Austenland

Pages read this hour: 47

Time spent reading this hour: 45 minutes

Consumed this hour: Tea! And chocolate!

Reading location this hour: Living room sofa. Much better.

Pages read so far: 616

Total time spent reading: 472 minutes

Book completed so far:

The Hunger Games
Love and Rockets: New Stories No. 3

Thoughtsicles: I'm totally digging Austenland. It's nice to read some light chick lit that is written competently. I'm happy as a clam right now, all bundled up on the sofa with my book, fueled by a snack of Theo chocolate and more tea. This is pure delight.

Read-a-Thon Update: Hour Nine

2010-10-09T14:08:00.000-07:00

Currently reading: Austenland

Pages read this hour: 50

Time spent reading this hour: 47 minutes

Consumed this hour: More Pero

Reading location this hour: Upstairs in the rocking chair

Pages read so far: 569

Total time spent reading: 427 minutes

Book completed so far:

The Hunger Games
Love and Rockets: New Stories No. 3

Thoughtsicles: Uh oh. I feel like I just boarded the afternoon train to sleepy town. The new chair didn't do much to help with that, so I'm back downstairs in the light-filled living room. Still awake--and still very much enjoying Austenland--but also need something to perk myself back up again. C is out on the porch enjoying some fresh air, which seems pretty darn smart. I, on the other hand, can't handle the cold so I'm going for another pot of tea and, perhaps, a snack.

Read-a-Thon Update: Hour Eight

2010-10-09T13:08:00.000-07:00

Currently reading: Austenland

Pages read this hour: 45

Time spent reading this hour: 48 minutes

Consumed this hour: A bowl of potato leek soup with toast

Reading location this hour: Chair (though it feels like it's time to move again)

Pages read so far: 519

Total time spent reading: 380 minutes

Book completed so far:

The Hunger Games
Love and Rockets: New Stories No. 3

Thoughtsicles: In some respects it hardly feels like a third of the day is gone. But 5am is also starting to feel like a long, long time ago. I'm very much enjoying Austenland... it's providing just the right amount of frivolity and levity that I need.

Also, a hot bowl of homemade soup didn't hurt either.

Read-a-Thon Update: Hour Seven

2010-10-09T12:09:00.000-07:00

Currently reading: Finished Love and Rockets: New Stories No. 3, starting Austenland

Pages read this hour: 100

Time spent reading this hour: 50 minutes

Consumed this hour: Steaming hot mug of Pero and some cake bits

Reading location this hour: Chair!

Pages read so far: 474

Total time spent reading: 335 minutes

Book completed so far:

The Hunger Games
Love and Rockets: New Stories No. 3

Thoughtsicles: Oh god. I forgot how tragic Love and Rockets can be. My heart is breaking a little right now. Time for something lighter.

Also, BRRRRRRRRR!!!! It is beyond cold in our house. I've bundled up some more and warmed up the heating pad for my toes and neck. But still enjoying the rain which has turned into a more constant shower. Sigh.

Read-a-Thon Update: Hour Six

2010-10-09T11:08:00.001-07:00

Currently reading: Finished The Hunger Games and just starting Love and Rockets: New Stories No. 3

Pages read this hour: 59

Time spent reading this hour: 40 minutes

Consumed this hour: Half a cup of cold tea... didn't want to have to get up to reheat it.

Reading location this hour: Chair! This chair is being very good to me.

Pages read so far: 374

Total time spent reading: 285 minutes

Book completed so far:

The Hunger Games

Thoughtsicles: Funny how when you're nearing the end of a book time just flies by and you seem to read that much faster. Kind of now wishing that I had the next two books on hand so I can just finish the story here and now. But maybe having variety will be even better? I'm going to alternate words with words+pictures and get into some Love and Rockets. Which just happens to fall under the Indie Pride challenge! What better independent book publisher is there than Fantagraphics? (Well, okay, NYRB is equally awesome, but I'm saving them for later.)

Also, time for a snack. Some non-caffeinated Pero and extra cake bits. Yum.

Read-a-Thon Update: Hour Five

2010-10-09T10:09:00.001-07:00

Currently reading: The Hunger Games

Pages read this hour: 66

Time spent reading this hour: 50 minutes

Consumed this hour: A whole lot of words.

Reading location this hour: Chair!

Pages read so far: 315

Total time spent reading: 245 minutes

Book completed so far: None!

Thoughtsicles: Time is really flying by. I honestly can't quite believe I've been at this for five hours already. I am enjoying sitting in a different chair and have decided to lay off the caffeine for a while.

Read-a-Thon Update: Hour Four

2010-10-09T09:09:00.000-07:00

Currently reading: The Hunger Games

Pages read this hour: 52

Time spent reading this hour: 42 minutes

Consumed this hour: One cup of tea (and one more scone)

Reading location this hour: Living room sofa. Okay, now I'm moving to a new chair.

Pages read so far: 249

Total time spent reading: 195 minutes

Book completed so far: None!

Thoughtsicles: Just stepped outside for some fresh air after a brief visit from our neighbor, George. I guess while we were reading the sun must have come up. Sort of. It's a delightfully overcast and drizzly morning.

The book just made me cry (you know, when she gets the loaf of bread... yeah, that part). Seriously. So good. And I love that it keeps going in a different direction than I think it will.

Read-a-Thon Update: Hour Three

2010-10-09T08:11:00.000-07:00

Currently reading: The Hunger Games

Pages read this hour: 70

Time spent reading this hour: 50 minutes

Consumed this hour: One cup of tea, one scone

Reading location this hour: Still (still!) on the living room sofa. I should really think about changing locations soon.

Pages read so far: 197

Total time spent reading: 153 minutes

Book completed so far: None!

Thoughtsicles: Seriously, how much do I love The Hunger Games?! Soooooooo much. And speaking of things I love, how much do I love having cheerleaders? It is maybe one of the best feelings in the world, having strangers leave such encouraging comments for me. I wish I could have cheerleaders in every part of my life. Thanks you guys!

This is C's read, not mine. Bless his heart, he is reading (or, rather, finishing) Anna Karenina. His commitment really blows my mind.

Read-a-Thon Update: Hour Two

2010-10-09T07:02:00.000-07:00

Currently reading: The Hunger Games

Pages read this hour: 61

Time spent reading this hour: 48 minutes

Consumed this hour: One cup of tea

Reading location this hour: Still on the living room sofa

Pages read so far: 127

Total time spent reading: 103 minutes

Book completed so far: None!

Thoughtsicles: C just said to me, whilst brewing up a second pot of tea, "I have an idea. Let's stop watching TV at night and get up early every morning to read!"

Read-a-Thon Update: Hour One

2010-10-09T06:06:00.000-07:00

Currently reading: The Hunger Games

Pages read this hour: 66

Time spent reading this hour: 55 minutes

Consumed this hour: Two cups of tea, two scones

Reading location this hour: Living room sofa

Pages read so far: 66

Total time spent reading: 55 minutes

Book completed so far: None!

Thoughtsicles: So, now this feels like an adventure. The Hunger Games is terrific and captivating and, so far, everything I hoped it would be. C just joined me downstairs and my belly is full of warms scones and Welsh brew. Just 23 more happy hours to go!