Still Kickin'
I am still mired in Game of Thrones - finished Book 4 and now about 25% done with Book 5. I think I'll wait to review them together, since they are written in parallel, featuring different characters.
I feel like I've been reading them forever, and really I have. I've read only a few books in between, as noted below, and so far this year I haven't read anything else. I'm taking a break now to read The River of Doubt: Theodore Roosevelt's Darkest Journey. It's a book club selection, although I didn't attend said book club meeting and just started the book. So I am, as always, one step behind. I could have skipped it and moved on to the next selection, but it's captivated me so far, so I'll finish it.
What is everyone else reading? I'm looking for some good recommendations for when I get out of this Thrones fog.
Sunday, February 24, 2013
Wednesday, January 02, 2013
2012 = A Poor Excuse for an Avid Reader
I just did not read much this year. I'm not sure why...though I will say much of my reading time was taken up by Game of Thrones Books 2 and 3, which are hefty tomes.
Here's what else I read in 2012, and a quick review of each:
Mockingjay - Suzanne Collins
The last in the Hunger Games trilogy. A fitting ending, albeit a little too neatly tied up for my tastes. 4 out of 5 stars
The Fifty Shades of Grey trilogy - E.L. James
Yes, yes I did. These were alright. The writing is a bit annoying, read any review and you'll get an earful of all the times Anastasia chews her lip or refers to her "inner goddess." But obviously there was something keeping me interested, and it wasn't the sex scenes. The first book is a cliff hanger, of course...so one must pick up the second. The plot is pretty far-fetched, but as the trilogy wore on I did find myself getting a little more attached to the characters, and rooting for them. Definitely not fine literature, but worth of a beach read (but careful who's looking over your shoulder, because there are some pretty steamy scenes). 2.5 out of 5 stars
On Island Time: Wildlife, Windsleds, and a Wedding on Madeline Island - Patricia Spaulding
A book club friend of mine gave me a hard copy of this memoir, because it was written by someone in her local writing class. It tells the story of a middle-aged couple who decide to build a home on Madeline Island, and the assimilation into "island life" It's a charming recollection of their day-to-day adventures and family events. I really enjoyed it. 4 out of 5 stars
Light in August - William Faulkner
I tried, I really did..but in all honesty I did not finish this book. The writing was captivating but the story was not, at least not at the time. I hope to try this again sometime, but for now it remains unfinished and I won't rate it.
A Visit From the Goon Squad - Jennifer Egan
Now this, this was a highlight of 2012. I realize this might not say much given some of my selections, but I would recommend this book any day. It weaves the stories of Bennie, an aging record exe and former punk rocker, and Sasha, a young woman he hires, along with a host of other eclectic characters. As we start to learn more about Sasha, "troubled" doesn't seem to cover it. Each chapter focuses on a different character across various decades, and music plays a large part in the whole story. One chapter is even written entirely in PowerPoint form, which seems odd, but I found brilliant. Another thing I loved is that the characters are not revealed entirely in the past and present, but we also get a glimpse into their future, and the future of how social media and electronic devices are used to promote and listen to music in the future. Some in my book club found this part a little too strange, but I found it fascinating. I haven't read any other book like this one. 4.5 out of 5 stars
So that was 2012, plus the Game of Thrones books which I already reviewed.
Yes, I know. I need to do better in 2013.
I just did not read much this year. I'm not sure why...though I will say much of my reading time was taken up by Game of Thrones Books 2 and 3, which are hefty tomes.
Here's what else I read in 2012, and a quick review of each:
Mockingjay - Suzanne Collins
The last in the Hunger Games trilogy. A fitting ending, albeit a little too neatly tied up for my tastes. 4 out of 5 stars
The Fifty Shades of Grey trilogy - E.L. James
Yes, yes I did. These were alright. The writing is a bit annoying, read any review and you'll get an earful of all the times Anastasia chews her lip or refers to her "inner goddess." But obviously there was something keeping me interested, and it wasn't the sex scenes. The first book is a cliff hanger, of course...so one must pick up the second. The plot is pretty far-fetched, but as the trilogy wore on I did find myself getting a little more attached to the characters, and rooting for them. Definitely not fine literature, but worth of a beach read (but careful who's looking over your shoulder, because there are some pretty steamy scenes). 2.5 out of 5 stars
On Island Time: Wildlife, Windsleds, and a Wedding on Madeline Island - Patricia Spaulding
A book club friend of mine gave me a hard copy of this memoir, because it was written by someone in her local writing class. It tells the story of a middle-aged couple who decide to build a home on Madeline Island, and the assimilation into "island life" It's a charming recollection of their day-to-day adventures and family events. I really enjoyed it. 4 out of 5 stars
Light in August - William Faulkner
I tried, I really did..but in all honesty I did not finish this book. The writing was captivating but the story was not, at least not at the time. I hope to try this again sometime, but for now it remains unfinished and I won't rate it.
A Visit From the Goon Squad - Jennifer Egan
Now this, this was a highlight of 2012. I realize this might not say much given some of my selections, but I would recommend this book any day. It weaves the stories of Bennie, an aging record exe and former punk rocker, and Sasha, a young woman he hires, along with a host of other eclectic characters. As we start to learn more about Sasha, "troubled" doesn't seem to cover it. Each chapter focuses on a different character across various decades, and music plays a large part in the whole story. One chapter is even written entirely in PowerPoint form, which seems odd, but I found brilliant. Another thing I loved is that the characters are not revealed entirely in the past and present, but we also get a glimpse into their future, and the future of how social media and electronic devices are used to promote and listen to music in the future. Some in my book club found this part a little too strange, but I found it fascinating. I haven't read any other book like this one. 4.5 out of 5 stars
So that was 2012, plus the Game of Thrones books which I already reviewed.
Yes, I know. I need to do better in 2013.
Saturday, October 27, 2012
A Game of Thrones
A Clash of Kings
A Storm of Swords
-George R.R. Martin
So, yeah. When I left off OVER A YEAR AGO I had just finished the first book in the "A Song of Ice and Fire" series, A Game of Thrones. I was totally engrossed in this story and spent a good part of my fantastic lake vacation whiling away afternoons with my nose in the Kindle while my daughter was napping. I never got around to writing about it, and now I've finished the second and third books (with several other books read in between).
This series is a medievil fantasy of sorts, following the intertwining lives of long-standing families the Starks, the Lannisters, the Baratheons, the Targharyens, and a host of others including an old fart named Walder Frey who keeps taking wives and having children, many of them also named Walder. But I digress. It's the Starks you start out with, the noble Ned and his wife Catelyn, and their children Robb, Sansa, Arya, Bran, and Rickon. Ned also has a bastard son, John Snow, who is close to his half brothers and sisters, but is never truly accepted by the Lady Catelyn. They live in the cold north of the Seven Kingdoms, in a castle called Winterfell. Early on they discover a litter of direwolves, a fiercer and larger version of a regular wolf and a species that has not been seen for many years. But it is the sigil of House Stark, and there are six direwolves, one for each of the Stark children and even one white direwolf for the bastard John Snow.
*SPOILERS AHEAD - I'LL TRY NOT TO GIVE IT ALL AWAY...
At some point half of the Starks going to King's Landing, Ned can serve as the Hand of the King, who happens to be his lifelong friend Robert Baratheon. King Robert is married to Cersei Lannister, a cold woman with an interesting relationship with her twin brother Jamie, and a hateful relationship with her dwarf brother Tyrion ("the Imp"). Ned takes his two daughters with him, as Sansa is betrothed to Joffrey Baratheon, the eldest son of the king. The rest of the Starks remain in Winterfell. John Snow has "taken the black," joining the Night's Watch, defending the great wall which protects the northern edge of the realm from the dark, cold forest of mysterious creatures beyond.
Back in King's Landing, through a variety of circumstances the king dies and Joffrey takes his place, which is questioned by some, including King Robert's brothers. I won't give it all away, but people start losing their heads, and a war begins, with many claiming themselves as the rightful king, beginning the "game of thrones."
Young Robb Stark is proclaimed the King of the North, and begins his war march. Stannis and Renley Baratheon, Robert's brothers, also call their own armies and vy against each other for the throne. The Lannister's father is also fighting battles, so back in King's Landing, the imp Tyrion Lannister takes on the role of the King's Hand. Back at Winterfell, young Bran and Rickon remain with their mother, but she soon leaves for matters involving her son Robb. Amongst the battle of kings, the young queen Danaerys Targharyen, the last in her line, is also on the march to stake her claim. And oh yeah, she is the Mother of Dragons. Real dragons, which have not been seen in the realm for hundreds of years.
The battles continue, and families continue to be torn apart and yet the ways the various families are intertwined become even more complicated. While kings battle and people die south of the wall trying to name a true king, it is discovered that what lies north of the wall is a bigger threat than any of them had ever imagined. As the Starks are apt to say, "winter is coming."
These books are richly written and hard to put down. The characters are vivid, and Martin has a way of making you feel empathetic toward even the most hateful of characters at times. Just when you think you want someone to die, half a book later they are one of your favorites. The Starks are beloved for sure, and I found myself rooting for them all along the way. The story is largely a drama, with a little bit of soap opera and a little bit of fantasy thrown in, with a dash of porn and gore to keep things interesting. The author is not afraid to kill off important characters, beloved or no. I have been equally enamored and enraged (one particular scene in the third book had me tossing the Kindle on the bed in rage), and to me, that equals brilliance.
As you might expect, neither book has ended with any clear answers on how this might all turn out. With 2 more books in the series and each at about 1,000 pages, I am both wary and excited to begin the next. It's definitely an investment in time, but well worth it. (And for those of you wondering, the HBO series is also very well done and does the books justice, so far).
A Game of Thrones - 4.5 out of 5 stars
A Clash of Kings - 4 out of 5 stars
A Storm of Swords - 4.5 out of 5 stars
A Clash of Kings
A Storm of Swords
-George R.R. Martin
So, yeah. When I left off OVER A YEAR AGO I had just finished the first book in the "A Song of Ice and Fire" series, A Game of Thrones. I was totally engrossed in this story and spent a good part of my fantastic lake vacation whiling away afternoons with my nose in the Kindle while my daughter was napping. I never got around to writing about it, and now I've finished the second and third books (with several other books read in between).
This series is a medievil fantasy of sorts, following the intertwining lives of long-standing families the Starks, the Lannisters, the Baratheons, the Targharyens, and a host of others including an old fart named Walder Frey who keeps taking wives and having children, many of them also named Walder. But I digress. It's the Starks you start out with, the noble Ned and his wife Catelyn, and their children Robb, Sansa, Arya, Bran, and Rickon. Ned also has a bastard son, John Snow, who is close to his half brothers and sisters, but is never truly accepted by the Lady Catelyn. They live in the cold north of the Seven Kingdoms, in a castle called Winterfell. Early on they discover a litter of direwolves, a fiercer and larger version of a regular wolf and a species that has not been seen for many years. But it is the sigil of House Stark, and there are six direwolves, one for each of the Stark children and even one white direwolf for the bastard John Snow.
*SPOILERS AHEAD - I'LL TRY NOT TO GIVE IT ALL AWAY...
At some point half of the Starks going to King's Landing, Ned can serve as the Hand of the King, who happens to be his lifelong friend Robert Baratheon. King Robert is married to Cersei Lannister, a cold woman with an interesting relationship with her twin brother Jamie, and a hateful relationship with her dwarf brother Tyrion ("the Imp"). Ned takes his two daughters with him, as Sansa is betrothed to Joffrey Baratheon, the eldest son of the king. The rest of the Starks remain in Winterfell. John Snow has "taken the black," joining the Night's Watch, defending the great wall which protects the northern edge of the realm from the dark, cold forest of mysterious creatures beyond.
Back in King's Landing, through a variety of circumstances the king dies and Joffrey takes his place, which is questioned by some, including King Robert's brothers. I won't give it all away, but people start losing their heads, and a war begins, with many claiming themselves as the rightful king, beginning the "game of thrones."
Young Robb Stark is proclaimed the King of the North, and begins his war march. Stannis and Renley Baratheon, Robert's brothers, also call their own armies and vy against each other for the throne. The Lannister's father is also fighting battles, so back in King's Landing, the imp Tyrion Lannister takes on the role of the King's Hand. Back at Winterfell, young Bran and Rickon remain with their mother, but she soon leaves for matters involving her son Robb. Amongst the battle of kings, the young queen Danaerys Targharyen, the last in her line, is also on the march to stake her claim. And oh yeah, she is the Mother of Dragons. Real dragons, which have not been seen in the realm for hundreds of years.
The battles continue, and families continue to be torn apart and yet the ways the various families are intertwined become even more complicated. While kings battle and people die south of the wall trying to name a true king, it is discovered that what lies north of the wall is a bigger threat than any of them had ever imagined. As the Starks are apt to say, "winter is coming."
These books are richly written and hard to put down. The characters are vivid, and Martin has a way of making you feel empathetic toward even the most hateful of characters at times. Just when you think you want someone to die, half a book later they are one of your favorites. The Starks are beloved for sure, and I found myself rooting for them all along the way. The story is largely a drama, with a little bit of soap opera and a little bit of fantasy thrown in, with a dash of porn and gore to keep things interesting. The author is not afraid to kill off important characters, beloved or no. I have been equally enamored and enraged (one particular scene in the third book had me tossing the Kindle on the bed in rage), and to me, that equals brilliance.
As you might expect, neither book has ended with any clear answers on how this might all turn out. With 2 more books in the series and each at about 1,000 pages, I am both wary and excited to begin the next. It's definitely an investment in time, but well worth it. (And for those of you wondering, the HBO series is also very well done and does the books justice, so far).
A Game of Thrones - 4.5 out of 5 stars
A Clash of Kings - 4 out of 5 stars
A Storm of Swords - 4.5 out of 5 stars
Friday, December 30, 2011
Books Read in 2011
Death Comes for the Archbishop - Willa Cather
Summer Son - Craig Lancaster
Giver - Lois Lowry
Interpreter of Maladies - Jhumpa Lahiri
The Help - Kathryn Stockett
A Game of Thrones - George R.R. Martin
America's Women - Gail Collins
The Wind in the Willows - Kenneth Grahame
The Hunger Games - Suzanne Collins
Catching Fire - Suzanne Collins
Death Comes for the Archbishop - Willa Cather
Summer Son - Craig Lancaster
Giver - Lois Lowry
Interpreter of Maladies - Jhumpa Lahiri
The Help - Kathryn Stockett
A Game of Thrones - George R.R. Martin
America's Women - Gail Collins
The Wind in the Willows - Kenneth Grahame
The Hunger Games - Suzanne Collins
Catching Fire - Suzanne Collins
Saturday, July 30, 2011
I Have Been Reading...
I could give you a thousand excuses for why I haven't kept up on this blog (blah, blah, blah) but lack of reading is not among them. Since my last blog in January, I have read the following:
Death Comes for the Archbishop - Willa Cather (3 out of 5 stars)
Summer Son - Craig Lancaster (4 out of 5 stars)
Giver - Lois Lowry (4 out of 5 stars)
Interpreter of Maladies - Jhumpa Lahiri (4 out of 5 stars)
The Help - Kathryn Stockett (4.5 out of 5 stars)
I'm not even going to try to go back and review any of these now...but if you want to know more about what I thought of any of them, leave a comment. I have also recently finished another book which I will write about shortly, and that one was over 700 pages, so I'm doing alright.
All of these books were also read on the Kindle I received for Christmas. I resisted such nonsense and swore I could never give up holding an actual book in my hands. Guess what, folks? Haven't read from anything but my Kindle since. I love it. It's light, it's easy to read, I can bookmark things, and I can have just about any book I want within seconds (for a fee, of course). I can also sync it to my new iPhone and read anytime, anywhere. Technology rules.
I could give you a thousand excuses for why I haven't kept up on this blog (blah, blah, blah) but lack of reading is not among them. Since my last blog in January, I have read the following:
Death Comes for the Archbishop - Willa Cather (3 out of 5 stars)
Summer Son - Craig Lancaster (4 out of 5 stars)
Giver - Lois Lowry (4 out of 5 stars)
Interpreter of Maladies - Jhumpa Lahiri (4 out of 5 stars)
The Help - Kathryn Stockett (4.5 out of 5 stars)
I'm not even going to try to go back and review any of these now...but if you want to know more about what I thought of any of them, leave a comment. I have also recently finished another book which I will write about shortly, and that one was over 700 pages, so I'm doing alright.
All of these books were also read on the Kindle I received for Christmas. I resisted such nonsense and swore I could never give up holding an actual book in my hands. Guess what, folks? Haven't read from anything but my Kindle since. I love it. It's light, it's easy to read, I can bookmark things, and I can have just about any book I want within seconds (for a fee, of course). I can also sync it to my new iPhone and read anytime, anywhere. Technology rules.
Sunday, January 16, 2011
Carrier: Untangling the Danger in My DNA - Bonnie J. Rough
Bonnie Rough comes from a family which is genetically predisposed to a health condition called hypohidrotic ectodermal dysplasia or HED. As she and her husband consider having a family of their own, they start uncovering details of the condition in her family tree, and are faced with harrowing decisions on how they will handle a pregnancy which has a 50/50 chance of producing a child with this life-altering disease.
This memoir captivated me from the very beginning. Not only because it is set partially at the University of Iowa, and then in my old Lake Harriet area neighborhood in Minneapolis, but because it reads in a way that suggests family drama as well as mystery novel. Bonnie's present-day struggle is paralleled by an account of an investigation into her family's past, and the struggles of her grandfather Earl, who lived a life with HED. Earl not only displayed the tell-tale physical symptoms - unusual bone structure, sparse hair and teeth, and the inability to sweat - but also difficulty breathing, infections that never healed, and many years of drug use to numb the physical and emotional pain. These tales are interspersed with accounts from Bonnie's mother Paula, who saw her father deteriorate into an early death, and who herself bore a son with HED. These generational vignettes weave into a beautiful, compelling, heart-wrenching, joyful, terrifying, inspiring account of a journey into parenthood that no one should have to bear. And yet the author successfully brings the reader along and in the end...left me feeling that somehow, this was the way things were supposed to be.
This book certainly addresses a controversial topic. Whether you are pro-choice or pro-life, I guarantee you will be affected by this memoir; and if you are a parent, your heart will break 10 times over while reading it. Then you will go hug your kids.
4.5 out of 5 stars
Bonnie Rough comes from a family which is genetically predisposed to a health condition called hypohidrotic ectodermal dysplasia or HED. As she and her husband consider having a family of their own, they start uncovering details of the condition in her family tree, and are faced with harrowing decisions on how they will handle a pregnancy which has a 50/50 chance of producing a child with this life-altering disease.
This memoir captivated me from the very beginning. Not only because it is set partially at the University of Iowa, and then in my old Lake Harriet area neighborhood in Minneapolis, but because it reads in a way that suggests family drama as well as mystery novel. Bonnie's present-day struggle is paralleled by an account of an investigation into her family's past, and the struggles of her grandfather Earl, who lived a life with HED. Earl not only displayed the tell-tale physical symptoms - unusual bone structure, sparse hair and teeth, and the inability to sweat - but also difficulty breathing, infections that never healed, and many years of drug use to numb the physical and emotional pain. These tales are interspersed with accounts from Bonnie's mother Paula, who saw her father deteriorate into an early death, and who herself bore a son with HED. These generational vignettes weave into a beautiful, compelling, heart-wrenching, joyful, terrifying, inspiring account of a journey into parenthood that no one should have to bear. And yet the author successfully brings the reader along and in the end...left me feeling that somehow, this was the way things were supposed to be.
This book certainly addresses a controversial topic. Whether you are pro-choice or pro-life, I guarantee you will be affected by this memoir; and if you are a parent, your heart will break 10 times over while reading it. Then you will go hug your kids.
4.5 out of 5 stars
Friday, December 24, 2010
The Joy of Board Books
For those of you who may be looking for some last-minute gifts for the tots in your life, might I recommend some board books?
Board books are those thick cardboard-style books made especially for babies and toddlers. I love these types of books because they are functional, cute, and practical. Kids at this age chew on books, throw books, and have no concept of being gentle with paper pages. "Regular" children's books are certainly beautiful and we own and enjoy plenty of those, too. Board books just seem to be better for a little hands-on experience.
And don't get me started on dust jackets on children's books...completely and utterly useless, and stupid, in my opinion. It's not like an adult version where the book is just plain and the dust jacket offers the eye-catching cover art. On a children's book, there is art all over the book itself. Dust jackets just get torn off by eager little hands.
So anyway, back to board books. Might I recommend the following, which have gotten a lot of play at our house, from newborn to 19 months (so far)...
Anytime Books:
My Many Colored Days - Dr. Seuss
Quiet Time With Cassatt - Julie Merberg/Suzanne Bober (also recommend other books in the series - Van Gogh, Monet, etc.)
Anything in the Bright Baby series
The Five Senses - Green Start
Bedtime/Nap Time Books:
Time For Bed - Mem Fox
The Going to Bed Book - Sandra Boynton
Hush Little Baby - Sylvia Long
Good Night Lake - Adam Gamble/Cooper Kelly (series)
Cornelius P. Mud, Are You Ready for Bed? - Barney Saltzberg
Prayer for a Child - Rachel Field (also a great christening gift)
The Napping House - Audrey Wood
Many of these also come in the regular versions. Keep in mind the little square board books (about 3"x3") that often come in sets are also great gifts because they fit easily in the diaper bag and mom's purse when on the go. Happy gift-giving!
For those of you who may be looking for some last-minute gifts for the tots in your life, might I recommend some board books?
Board books are those thick cardboard-style books made especially for babies and toddlers. I love these types of books because they are functional, cute, and practical. Kids at this age chew on books, throw books, and have no concept of being gentle with paper pages. "Regular" children's books are certainly beautiful and we own and enjoy plenty of those, too. Board books just seem to be better for a little hands-on experience.
And don't get me started on dust jackets on children's books...completely and utterly useless, and stupid, in my opinion. It's not like an adult version where the book is just plain and the dust jacket offers the eye-catching cover art. On a children's book, there is art all over the book itself. Dust jackets just get torn off by eager little hands.
So anyway, back to board books. Might I recommend the following, which have gotten a lot of play at our house, from newborn to 19 months (so far)...
Anytime Books:
My Many Colored Days - Dr. Seuss
Quiet Time With Cassatt - Julie Merberg/Suzanne Bober (also recommend other books in the series - Van Gogh, Monet, etc.)
Anything in the Bright Baby series
The Five Senses - Green Start
Bedtime/Nap Time Books:
Time For Bed - Mem Fox
The Going to Bed Book - Sandra Boynton
Hush Little Baby - Sylvia Long
Good Night Lake - Adam Gamble/Cooper Kelly (series)
Cornelius P. Mud, Are You Ready for Bed? - Barney Saltzberg
Prayer for a Child - Rachel Field (also a great christening gift)
The Napping House - Audrey Wood
Many of these also come in the regular versions. Keep in mind the little square board books (about 3"x3") that often come in sets are also great gifts because they fit easily in the diaper bag and mom's purse when on the go. Happy gift-giving!
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