Irish Librarian

Good Reads

2011-06-04T09:25:00.001-07:00

I have been super busy with life and am sorry to say I've neglected this blog. I finally gave in and started logging my books on Good Reads, though, and I would be most delighted to connect with you there, too--look me up!

I'd like to use this blog for the stand-out books I read. I read maybe one fantastic book a month (and 10 or so not-so-fantastic books) so I'll still be around!

Meanwhile, I run a book club that has been going incredibly well. If anyone has suggestions for future discussions, I'm totally open!

The Science of Single

2011-04-16T06:52:00.000-07:00

The Science of Single: One Woman's Grand Experiment in Modern Dating, Creating Chemistry, and Finding Love by Rachel Machacek

When I read about this book, I got the feeling it had a new twist--someone had actually looked at the science of love and figured out how to date in a way that you easily find the right chemistry. That's not what this is--it's actually just the same dating book that's been written thousands of times. 30-something single woman sets out on a year-long dating experiment to see what tactics work best--online dating, singles events, blind dates, etc. There was nothing original about this book, except perhaps that it took place in Washington DC (usually it's New York--home of the most writers by sheer volume and surely per capita as well). I enjoyed the references to DC landmarks and bars (although I've never lived there, I love DC and have had many good times there) and Machacek is a likable heroine. So, while it's nothing new, it's entertaining nonetheless.

The Imperfectionists

2011-04-11T20:27:00.000-07:00

The Imperfectionists by Tom Rachman

This one lives up to its reputation of one of the best debut novels in recent years. Rachman has created vivid portraits of several staff members at an English language newspaper in Rome, and the chapters each read like short stories--packed with punch. In between the chapters, each one focusing on a different staff member's personal life, we learn the history of the newspaper--50 years of history. The book is as funny as it is sad, and always incredibly sharp.

History of a Suicide

2011-04-11T20:21:00.000-07:00

History of a Suicide: My Sister's Unfinished Life by Jill Bialosky

Bialosky's younger sister took her own life 20 years ago and the writer has only recently begun to come to terms with the loss. This memoir reads like a tribute to a beloved sister and friend and it's truly heartfelt; however, I felt there was a bit more personal information than the reader needed. The book was most interesting when Bialosky talked about the experiences of others in her Suicide Survivors Support Group and the research she's done on suicide. Bialosky has still not figured out the why by the end of the book, but perhaps the comfort is knowing that no one can ever really know why. By the long list of requests at the library for this book, it's clear the subject resonates with many and for that, it's a noble read.

Virtually You

2011-04-04T10:40:00.000-07:00

Virtually You: The Dangerous Powers of the E-Personality by Elias Aboujaoude

Aboujaoude, a California psychiatrist who specializes in obsessive-compulsive disorder, presents perhaps one of the best written books (one of the only?) on the dangers of society's Internet dependence. Although he presents studies and uses some medical terminology, this book is very readable and even enjoyable. He gives real-life examples of the ways in which Internet addiction has affected people--breaking up relationships and pulling people away from reality. He touches on the differences in people's actions online versus offline (the "e-personality" really can be quite different from the offline personality in some cases), and really gives the reader pause to think about how dangerous the Internet can be for our mental health.

2011-03-28T10:26:00.000-07:00

Crime: Stories by Ferdinand von Schirach

This is a very interesting book as it reads like a collection of short true crime stories, but they are all fiction. The author is a German defense attorney so the 11 cases are all based on true stories--he has just added all the backstory so that the reader can actually feel compassion toward some of the criminals. I'd recommend it to all Law & Order fans!

Can't Think Straight

2011-03-15T18:44:00.000-07:00

Can't Think Straight: A Memoir of Mixed-up Love by Kiri Blakeley

I've got to hand it to Blakeley--after a 10-year relationship, her boyfriend tells her he's gay, and she carries on with her life. However, the carrying on that includes hooking up with all kinds of slutty men is not admirable, and I found myself pitying her more than rooting for her to learn the big life lesson I'm sure she meant to learn. I'm not really sure she learned any lesson, though. Disappointing.

Half in Love

2011-03-15T18:35:00.000-07:00

Half in Love: Surviving the Legacy of Suicide by Linda Gray Sexton

Linda, daughter of the Pulitzer Prize-winning poet Anne Sexton, writes an affecting story about growing up with her mother's mental illness. She then details the mental illness that struck her after her mother's mental illness--an illness with which she still battles. It's a page-turner, as enthralling as a novel.

The Paris Wife

2011-03-06T19:27:00.000-08:00

The Paris Wife by Paula McLain

I was in tears twice during this book which speaks for not only the compelling subject matter, but for the nuanced writing that offers a powerful look at an intense marriage. At one point, Hadley loads a suitcase full of three years of Hemingway's work to bring to him because she is certain it is the most loving thing she can do, but the suitcase is stolen. The pain of both Hadley and Ernest in this scene is just devastating--and it's this type of intensity that surrounds their five year marriage. To be sure, McClain has added the emotions to Ernest Hemingway's first marriage, but it is a marriage that could belong to anyone who has ever loved with all his being, only to wonder how to keep such an almighty love afloat.

At the end of the novel, "Hem" calls Hadley while writing his memoir "A Moveable Feast," a time of his life in which she is a central figure, the support that buoys his early writing career.
"Tell me, do you think we wanted too much from each other?" he asks.
"Oh, I don't know. It's possible."
"Maybe that's it. We were too hooked into each other. We loved each other too much."
"Can you love someone too much?"

McClain sprinkles other literary figures from 1920's Paris into the story including F. Scott Fitzgerald, Ezra Pound, Gertrude Stein, and James Joyce. She says she tried to stay as true to the facts as she could, which makes this book all the more intriguing.

The Paris Wife is incredible-- one of the very best books I've ever read.

Dating Memoirs: Three decent choices

2011-02-10T19:50:00.000-08:00

I went on a dating memoir binge and found three pretty decent ones. (That is to say, most of this variety are bland). Here are some good prospects for Valentine's reads.

Straight Up and Dirty by Stephanie Klein

Klein married young and got divorced in her twenties. Her memoir explores her time with the "wasbund" and the dating she dove into a month after the divorce. She ultimately discovers (with a therapist's help) that she has much to learn about herself before she can truly be in a healthy relationship. It's a common tale told with a light-hearted and often funny voice.

I Don't Care About Your Band: What I Learned from Indie Rockers, Trust Funders, Pornographers, Faux Sensitive Hipsters, Felons, and Other Guys I've Dated by Julie Klausner

Klausner, a writer for VH1's Best Week Ever, is in her thirties and she's dated all kinds (as the sub-title suggests). She's not completely jaded, though, she declares at the beginning that she "love(s) men like it is my job.”

Dating Amy: 50 True Confessions of a Serial Dater by Amy DeZellar

Another thirty-something navigating the dating scene, an unemployed DeZellar moves to Seattle and begins a blog about all the dates she goes on throughout a year. She doesn't see 50 different men (some stick around for more than one date), but this one's a silly and quick read about just how easy it is to suffer a really, really bad date with what had been a promising prospect.

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

2011-01-09T10:28:00.000-08:00

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson

After starting and stopping this novel no less than four times, I finally finished it. It took about 100 pages for me to actually get involved with the characters simply because there are SO MANY characters. Being the first book of a series, I understand why so much is presented so early, but it was still frustrating and confusing for me. The financial scandal and the journalism issues weren't really that interesting to me, despite my interest in journalism. The mystery, the disappearance of a young girl in the 1960's is what's interesting, and once that story line becomes the focus, it's a race to the finish. I'm not sure I'm interested in Lisbeth Salander to continue the series, but I may pick it back up. I'm hoping there's another cool mystery--if there's not and I discover that after 100 pages, I'm done!

Tangled

2011-01-09T10:20:00.001-08:00

Tangled by Carolyn Mackler

A girl-next-door with normal self-esteem problems, an Upper East Side princess with a professional modeling and acting career, a popular jock, and a computer nerd--a Breakfast Club collection of teenagers whose lives become "tangled" after a Caribbean vacation. Mackler was fantastic with The Earth, My Butt, and Other Big Round Things, but her latest isn't up to par. The characters are all cookie cutter and the big issues--Depression and death, are handled as lightly as if they were well, not actual matters of life and death.

Perhaps I'm too harsh on YA fiction. (And perhaps I'm too old to be reading it.)

The Year of Magical Thinking

2010-12-06T20:21:00.000-08:00

The Year of Magical Thinking by Joan Didion

This one has been on my list for years simply because Joan Didion is so celebrated and this is her most personal collection of essays. Focused on the year after her husband dies and in which her only daughter fights death in hospital beds, Didion not only shares her own experience with grief but she shares psychological research on grief. It's clear that Didion shared a great love with her husband, John Gregory Dunne, and this memoir was probably written as therapy--they had been married for 40 years. This book is best suited to those who have experienced such grief and trauma, but will most likely prove powerful to other readers, too.

The Husbands and Wives Club

2010-11-28T11:04:00.000-08:00

The Husbands and Wives Club: A Year in the Life of a Couples Therapy Group by Laurie Abraham

This book is as engrossing as non-fiction comes. A blurb on the cover from Tom Perrotta likens it to a novel because of the strong characters and suspense and he is so right. Abraham, a journalist, chronicles a year of a couples therapy group (six couples) while interspersing her observations with research from top marriage and couples counseling pyschologists. From the beginning, you know there are bigger reasons for why each couple is there--they aren't all just having communication problems, but we don't find out until the story builds and I was engrossed to the last page. 100% recommended.

The Book of Kehls

2010-11-18T11:05:00.001-08:00

The Book of Kehls by Christine Kehl O'Hagan

O'Hagan's family has a long history of Duchenne muscular dystrophy, a fatal form of the genetic disease that affects young males and this memoir is as much a portrait of a disease that devastates families as well as a tribute to O'Hagan's youngest son, Jamie and the short life he led. It was a hard book to read--nearly every male in O'Hagan's life was affected by the disease from her great uncles to her brother to her own son. But it was also inspiring, seeing this family persevere through so much tragedy.

One Day

2010-11-08T15:37:00.001-08:00

One Day by David Nicholls

This is the best book I've read in a very long time. A non-typical, realistic love story between two Brits, that follows them from the ages of 22-38. We check in on where they are in different years, always on the same day (July 15) and we fast-forward and rewind in time throughout the book. Yes, it's gimmicky--the guy and girl best friend that should definitely be together, but somehow never get it together--but it's told in a new way. Loved it, loved it, loved it.

Little Bee

2010-11-01T20:51:00.000-07:00

Little Bee by Chris Cleave

Little Bee is heavy, but enjoyable. Little Bee is the 16-year-old Nigerian refugee who flees her country and seeks out Andrew and Sarah--a young, well-educated couple in suburban London. Ultimately a friendship blooms between Little Bee and Sarah--two disparate characters joined together by one tragic and haunting experience on a Nigerian beach.

Squirrel Seeks Chipmunk

2010-10-20T21:24:00.000-07:00

Squirrel Seeks Chipmunk by David Sedaris

If anyone could write a book for adults about animals from the points-of-view of animals, it's David Sedaris. A squirrel and a chipmunk on a date, a stork explaining sex to her son, an owl seeking wisdom from other animals--genius! I'd expect no less from Sedaris.

Freedom

2010-10-18T20:37:00.000-07:00

Freedom by Jonathan Franzen

After more press, more anticipation, more build-up than any novel I can recall, Freedom was a real let-down. How do people use their freedom? How can freedom some time lead people astray? Why are so many middle-class Americans depressed and unhappy with their lives? Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Luckily, David Sedaris has a new book...

Orange is the New Black

2010-10-07T20:01:00.000-07:00

Orange is the New Black: My Year in a Women's Prison by Piper Kerman

Thirty-something Piper Kerman spent nearly 15 months in a minimum security prison for her involvement in a drug ring shortly after college. Orange is the New Black" is a detailed reflection on her time behind bars in Danbury, CT. I was prepared for stories of sad lives and mentally ill prisoners, but I wasn't prepared for all the privileges Kerman enjoyed behind bars--reading books for hours, taking yoga classes, and watching television with her prisonmates. At times it sounded like a college freshman dorm. If anything, this is a book with a strong voice against the absurdness of the justice system. Most of the women behind bars were in for minor drug offenses. The charge per prisoner per year? Over $30,000.

It was interesting for 200 pages and then it takes a boring drop. I wanted to hear what life was like after prison, but she stops before we can get to that part of the story.

Reference Librarianship: Notes from the Trenches

2010-09-23T19:23:00.000-07:00

Reference Librarianship: Notes from the Trenches by Charles R. Anderson and Peter Sprenkle.

I can't count the number of times I've talked with two of my library friends about writing books about life on the reference desk. My friends who don't work in libraries are shocked by what actually goes on at a reference desk. This book proves how strange and interesting reference desk interactions can be, but truth be told, it didn't make for the best reading. The backstory to the book is that "a young reference librarian in a Midwest library, using the pseudonym 'Ref Grunt,' posted these transactions daily to an online blog. These blogs are published here in unexpurgated form..." Indeed, we get text message size nuggets such as "An Internet terminal crashes. 'Grant books are over here, right?' Consumer Reports for lawn mowers. Train schedules. Books on leadership. You need to type @ after your username, sir. Asbestos information, but she wants the other side of the argument. The third request for divorce forms today. He did not read asign, the copier took his money, and he's mad at me." Funny. But to anyone who doesn't work at a reference desk? Maybe not. You just gotta experience it yourself for the full effect.

Fly Away Home (audiobook)

2010-09-23T19:15:00.001-07:00

Fly Away Home by Jennifer Weiner

I can't say enough how plesantly surprised I was by this book. I'd not read any of Weiner's previous novels so I decided to try the latest in audiobook. Sylvie Woodruff, a 60ish Senator's wife from New York City, finds her life torn apart when she learns (via the television news) that her husband had an affair with a much younger legislative aide. While the mother deals with that crisis, her twenty-something daughters deal with crises of their own. None of the storylines are trite, and none are easily wrapped up. I'm ready to read her backlist!

Elegies for the Brokenhearted

2010-09-16T20:39:00.000-07:00

Elegies for the Brokenhearted by Christie Hodgen

Elegies for the Brokenhearted is an original book about some common topics--love, family, and loss. Hodgens spins five little stories together about different people in Mary Murphy's life, and through the stories of these people, we follow Mary as she grows up a quiet, but insightful girl. The writing is beautiful, the stories are sad and shocking and true.

The Elegance of the Hedgehog

2010-09-13T19:20:00.000-07:00

The Elegance of the Hedgehog by Muriel Barbery (audiobook)

In this novel by French author Muriel Barbery, the two main characters become unlikely friends--Rene Michel, the 54-year-old concierge of an elite apartment building in Paris, and Paloma, the 12-year-old daughter of one of the building's rich tenants. This was basically one long diatribe against society's class system. Rene Michel is interesting, but Paloma and her melodramatic suicidal declarations are annoying. I expected more from this book after all the buzz it got at pub, but I was left disappointed.

And the Heart Says Whatever

2010-09-08T19:19:00.000-07:00

And the Heart Says Whatever by Emily Gould

Next, please. I was so excited for this book because Emily Gould is a former editor of Gawker (my favorite website back when it was new and I was a member of the NYC media scene myself) and I expected the same snarkiness about New York City's celebrities and media companies that I get from Gawker. Wrong. The writing was bland, the editing was atrocious (Stephen King's name as actually spelled wrong), and Gould does not paint a pretty picture of herself. She comes off as arrogant and lazy.

As an aside, turns out she worked for an affiliated publishing company of one I worked for at the same time. I wonder what her former co-workers at Hyperion think about the essay on her three years there. At least she makes it clear she stopped working in publishing because she was too lazy to hack it.

The Man of My Dreams

2010-08-27T13:34:00.001-07:00

The Man of My Dreams by Curtis Sittenfeld

I love Curtis Sittenfeld! She has created a truly believable and likeable character in Hannah, and she uncovers many truths about love, relationships, sexuality, and growing up. Hannah observes all the relationships around her and wonders if she can ever have a functional relationship after growing up with a poor relationship with her father. We follow Hanna from the age of 14 through the early stages of her adult life and it's a truly heart-warming journey.

The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao

2010-08-14T18:40:00.001-07:00

The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao by Junot Diaz (audiobook)

**I've recently started listening to audiobooks because of a new semi-long work commute; therefore, I'll be reviewing those in addition to the print versions.**

I've been told The Brief Wonderous Life of Oscar Wao is a must-read for the past two years, but have only just now gotten around to reading it... well, actually listening to it. I'm a big word person and I'm quite visual so audiobooks aren't as exciting for me and what struck me most was the talent of the reader, Jonathan Davis. The story was indeed tremendous with young, nerdy Oscar and his somewhat sad search for love and his dream of being the next J.R.R. Tolien. His sister, Lola, Lola's sometimes boyfriend and Oscar's best friend, Junior (also the very likable narrator), their mother and many other members of their Dominican family have interesting stories. The language, written in the vernacular is vulgar and offensive at times, but it may have been more pronounced in the audiobook. Ultimately I enjoyed the story--as tragic as it was.

Duchess of Death: The Unauthorized Biography of Agatha Christie

2010-08-11T20:11:00.000-07:00

Duchess of Death: The Unauthorized Biography of Agatha Christie by Richard Hack

Hack claims to have studied "over 5,000 previously unpublished letters, notes, and documents" to tell the somewhat mysterious life of Agatha Christie. That is, the singular incident in her life that was cloaked in mystery--the car accident she faked and her ensuing 11 day disappearance. This part of her life, and the drama that went on with her first husband was pretty fascinating. However, the rest of the biography reads like a dry chronology of publication dates. Perhaps for true Christie fanatics, it's a must read, but I could've done without everything but the 25 or so pages about the period of her life that played out like one of her own novels!

Drunk, Divorced and Covered in Cat Hair

2010-07-28T09:31:00.001-07:00

Drunk, Divorced and Covered in Cat Hair: The True-life Misadventures of a 30-something Who Learned to Knit After He Split by Laurie Perry

This one was recommended as a successful blog-turned-book and the title drew me in. Laurie Perry was semi-happy 33-year-old graphic designer living with her husband in Los Angeles. And then her husband left her and, well, that's where this memoir takes off. We get the requisite depressing chapters and the dating-after-divorce stories (especially interesting is the commentary Perry gives on dating in a tech world when she was married before email became a primary form of communication), but we also get funny insight into the life of a thirty-something woman looking for happiness. It was a quick read and there was enough humor to keep me interested.

The Secrets to Happiness

2010-07-28T09:29:00.000-07:00

The Secrets to Happiness by Sarah Dunn

I had high expectations based on the reviews and description of this novel set among the New York thirty-something dating scene, but The Secrets to Happiness fell very, very short of those expectations. The book revolves around Holly Frick, a 35-year-old recently divorced writer, and her circle of friends. The problem for me actually lied with the characters. Holly was perfectly likeable, but her friends were all flat and boring. And I didn't really see any change in Holly's character... there was a climax, but it wasn't all too exciting. With all the similar novels out there, I'd skip this one.

Talking to Girls About Duran Duran

2010-07-26T08:32:00.000-07:00

Talking to Girls About Duran Duran: One Man's Quest for True Love and a Cooler Haircut by Rob Sheffield

Those who love music will likely recognize Sheffield's name from Rolling Stone. He's interviewed some of the most popular and acclaimed musicians and also had a hand in deciding which bands were given the (at least at one time important) RS stamp of approval with reviews. This memoir about the 80s (and 90s) is written in true magazine journalism style and is really more like 25 short stories that flow together. Anyone who grew up in the 80s or enjoyed that fascinating decade will laugh out loud throughout every story. Sheffield's humor and sharp eye for what made that decade so humorous are outstanding. I was just a small child in the 80s, but I still found myself relating to so many of the references. I enjoyed the book so much, I immediately ordered his first book Love is a Mix Tape.

2010-07-20T19:47:00.000-07:00

Slow Love by Dominique Browning

It must be nice to be laid off and enjoy a year of self reflection with little worry about finding a new job. Of course, Browning does panic (a little) about finding a new job at the beginning of this memoir of the year after House & Garden magazine folds (she was Editor-in-Chief), but after one chapter the worry seems to leave as she enjoys her little seaside home in Rhode Island. Of course, Browning is not 25, she's a seasoned write and editor with many years in the workforce under her belt--and that's precisely why this book had promise (the overworked NYC editor finds that the slow life is better). Unfortunately, I feel Browning fell flat of sharing anything interesting about that year of her life. I guess she's happy at the end? All I know for sure is she claims to finally be over an unhealthy relationship--the man making appearances in nearly every chapter and not really being too intersting. "Slow" describes this book, but it never really picked up.

Commencement

2010-07-19T08:00:00.000-07:00

Commencement by J. Courtney Sullivan

Commencement follows four young women through their lives in that exciting 10 year span from freshman year of college through the 20s. Celia (the NYC publishing assistant with the fast single life), Bree (the Southern Belle turned lesbian), Sally (the affluent wife), and April (the uber feminist activist) are an unlikely group of best friends, and their stories are vastly different. Sullivan is gifted at creating these realistic characters and showing how the friendship evolves through the years while the novel shifts between the perspectives of all four girls. It's like Sex & the City meets Smith College... I'd probably have enjoyed it more had I gone to Smith (the author did and there are jokes about the school peppered throughout that were lost on me), but the characters were so likeable that I was hooked until the last page--wanting to see how their lives all ended (at least, where they stood at 27).

Promises to Keep

2010-07-10T10:27:00.000-07:00

Promises to Keep by Jane Green

Jane Green is still reigning as a princess of chicklit, and after years of churning out popular novels for women, she remains as such. Why? Through every chapter of this predictable, but sweet book, I found myself asking why the author committed cardinal sin #1 of creative writing: Show, don't tell. She did a great job of telling an interesting and very real and moving story. However, she kept telling me tha things were as they were. "Callie and Reece had the greatest love ever." Really? I didn't really see it, but I was told.

It was a quick, enjoyable read once all the characters were introduced. As long as you're not a writing critic, I'd recommend it.

Emma-Jean Lazarus Fell Out of a Tree

2010-07-04T14:06:00.001-07:00

Emma-Jean Lazarus Fell Out of a Tree by Lauren Tarshis

Emma-Jean Lazarus is somewhat of an outcast at William Gladstone Middle School. She eats lunch alone and usually only talks to the janitor. Emma-Jean is smart--smarter than any other 7th grader for sure--and the other kids don't understand her. And it's with those smarts and her powers of logic that she ultimately is able to befriend others as she helps her fellow students solve their own problems. Of course, solving others' problems sometimes creates more problems and gets her and others into sticky situations. This was a cute book with a lot of heart. I'd recommend it to readers in 4th-6th grades.

Let the Great World Spin

2010-07-04T13:36:00.000-07:00

Let the Great World Spin by Colum McCann

I could not put this book down. It's one of few books I've finished that scream "masterpiece." McCann is a master of language, but beyond the phrases and descriptions that had me stopping every few pages to marvel at how he created such visions and feelings with words, he has created incredibly real characters in his latest novel, Let the Great World Spin. It's New York City in 1974 and the World Trade Center tightrope walker is amazing people from every part of the city. And all the characters that McCann includes are brought together by this one event on this singular day. We get some flashbacks to the Irish background of the central character Corrigan, the multi-faceted immigrant and radical monk who spends his life helping the down-trodden in The Bronx projects and we get some glimpses into the future (the last "Book" which takes place in 2006), but the core of this book is how "the great world spins" on this one day. And it is beautiful, amazing, sad, and true.

How Did You Get This Number

2010-06-24T07:01:00.000-07:00

How Did You Get This Number by Sloane Crosley

Sloane Crosley is hilarious. If I had a great sense of humor, I would hope to write essays just like hers. With that being said, her writing is probably only funny to a niche audience and I happen to fall into that niche--children of the 70s/80s who have lived in New York or a city like it (yeah, I know there's no city "like" NYC, but bear with me). Her latest collection isn't as good as I Was Told There'd Be Cake, but in How Did You Get This Number, the stories are less about the city and more about her childhood (8os!) and her experiences outside of New York (and therefore, perhaps more palatable for non-New Yorkers). I literally laughed out loud at certain lines and especially dug into her last and best essay, "Off the Back of a Truck", when she lets down her guard a bit and lets us into a serious heartbreak (though somehow she makes even that seem hilarious).

Heart of the Matter

2010-06-18T17:03:00.000-07:00

Heart of the Matter by Emily Giffin

Halfway through Emily Giffin's latest bestselling chicklit title, I realized most of her books center on the question of love--do we ever get over those we've loved before and can we ever be sure we won't love someone greater than the one we love now? I was prepared to hate the book because I figured the theme was overtold; however, I LOVED this book. It's not as good as Something Borrowed, but it's still a great story. She could have shaved off 50-100 pages in the middle because the characters were developed well early on, but once I got to the climax, I plowed through to see how it would end. I really wasn't sure. And so, by the end, I felt that 50-100 snoozers in the middle were worth it--Giffin really nails the heart of the matter with this one.

Imperfect Birds

2010-06-13T18:39:00.000-07:00

Imperfect Birds by Anne Lamott

Lamott is a good writer and the characters were well developed in Imperfect Birds, but the story wasn't too exciting. Two middle-aged hippies worry about their 17-year-old daughter's drug addiction. 17-year-old girl continues to rebel and mother gets more and more distraught. I was disappointed.

When Will There Be Good News?

2010-06-05T19:16:00.000-07:00

When Will There Be Good News? by Kate Atkinson

I knew this book would have some suspense, but since it was categorized as simply "Fiction" and not more specifically as "Mystery" at my library, I was not prepared for just how suspenseful it would be! Or for just how much bad news could be told in one novel. Atkinson has a talent, though, for somehow interweaving dark and realistic storylines and providing the right human touches through different narrative voices to keep the reader hanging on. I was hooked from the beginning and, even though much was gruesome and I did find myself asking "When will there be good news," it was worth the ride.

Spoken from the Heart

2010-05-31T10:55:00.000-07:00

Spoken from the Heart by Laura Bush

One-hundred pages in and I was completely invested in Laura Bush's autobiography. The writing was touching and I kept wondering how much of it was actually written by her because it was so impressive. The way she described her mother's miscarriages and her own infertility as well as the joy she reaped from working in libraries and with children was beautiful. These lines are examples of what was really touching: "For an absence, for someone who was never there at all, we are wordless to capture that particular emptiness. For those who deeply want children and are denied them, those missing babies hover like silent, ephemeral shadows over their lives. Who can describe the feel of a tiny hand that is never held?"

And then, she met George again at age 30, got married in four months, and the book became really boring. She mentions that her family were long-time democrats, but somehow she never mentions that intriguing piece of her life again. She tells George she is not interested in politics, and they begin their married life by campaigning for a spot for him in Congress. And she really never speaks anymore about that. Does she suddenly become interested in politics? I'm not really sure. The last 3/4 of the book did not feel like it was "spoken from the heart," but instead from a scheduler's book with two lines about each event. It felt tedious and it felt boring. How could the life of a First Lady be boring? Somehow Laura manages to make it sound boring. And I still never really saw the bond she has with her husband. I'm sure it's there, but I wanted to see it. She's got it with her daughters and that was clear, but there weren't enough touching moments about her husband. Perhaps I was looking for too much--wanting to know what would make a liberal librarian without an interest in politics fall for George Bush. I still don't know, but perhaps that's a secret to be kept between them.

Gimmeacall

2010-05-25T18:04:00.000-07:00

Gimmeacall by Sarah Mlynowski

Has anyone not had the thought "If only I'd known then what I know now" at some point? I doubt it and Sarah Mylnowski has created a winning young adult book based on this concept. 18-year-old Devi begins talking to her 14-year-old self after dropping her cell phone in a water fountain. Yeah, the premise sounds hokey and I'll admit it took me a while to get used to the back and forth (Devi, freshman year/Devi, senior year), but as the book progresses Mylnowski does an excellent job of showing all the different ways Devi's life could play out based on the choices of her younger self. Seriously, if given the opportunity, wouldn't you call your 14-year-old self and offer advice? Recommended for teens and all who enjoy fun, girly young adult lit.

Happy Now?

2010-05-18T19:17:00.000-07:00

Happy Now? by Katherine Shonk

What an amazing, tough story. Claire's husband of less than two years, Jay, has committed suicide on Valentine's Day and Happy Now? explores the terrible grief and mixed emotions Claire experiences in the aftermath. When the book opens, the tragedy has already occurred so we get to know about Jay's depression and their relationship through flashbacks as Claire struggles to understand the how and why of the situation. If it sounds depressing, it is. But in a sense, it's uplifting. It's one woman's fight to survive what some might think is insurmountable.

The Last Time I Saw You

2010-05-16T19:50:00.001-07:00

The Last Time I Saw You by Elizabeth Berg

Elizabeth Berg is very good at what she does and what she does is write fiction for middle-aged women about issues close to the hearts of her audience. Her latest, The Last Time I Saw You, follows several men and women in the days leading up to and after their 40th high school reunion. I didn't think this was one of Berg's finer works. Perhaps I was waiting for a bigger ending, for something huge to happen at the reunion, but it was a slower, gradual climax that left me disappointed. I also found it a bit hard to keep up with all the characters she introduced so quickly. If she'd focused on a smaller number, perhaps I would have been more invested in what happened to them.

Tinkers

2010-05-05T18:58:00.000-07:00

Tinkers by Paul Harding

The 2009 Pulitzer Prize winner Tinkers taught me that the following LC subject headings exist: Reminiscing in old age -- Fiction and Identity (Psychology) in old age -- Fiction. Perhaps that's not interesting to anyone else, but I found it to be interesting. The short novel is also is a fine example of descriptive writing; Harding has an exceptional talent for description of place and I found myself re-reading several lines to ponder how he was able to put such perfect words together. The subject matter, on the other hand, left me unsatisfied. Yes, it wasn't going to be a happy story--the reader is essentially told that the main character, George Washington Crosby will die in eight days. And Harding then takes the reader back in time to meet George's father, Howard, and Howard in turn reminisces about his own father. It was sad and heartbreaking, but also a reminder of the power and continuity of familial bonds and love. Worth a read, if only for the exemplary writing craftsmanship.

Getting the Pretty Back

2010-05-04T13:42:00.000-07:00

Getting the Pretty Back: Friendship, Family, and Finding the Perfect Lipstick by Molly Ringwald

This is what I would call a froufrou book and not intended for anyone but the biggest of Molly Ringwald fans. It's written as a sort of "girl to girl" advice book on everything from dating to cooking to fashion to raising children. Ringwald includes interesting tidbits about her past and her current life and is at her best when talking about her husband whom she clearly adores. It seems most of the stories revolve around him, but that's ok. I love Molly Ringwald, as a good number of women in their 30s likely do (who could not love her in "Sixteen Candles?") so it was worth the short time it took to flip through.

Will Power!

2010-04-16T10:44:00.000-07:00

Will Power! Using Shakespeare's Insights to Transform Your Life by George Weinberg

Weinberg is an esteemed psychotherapist and Shakespeare enthusiast and he brings the two together for an interesting take on human behavior. Each section begins with a passage from a Shakespeare play and then continues with a character study that translates to modern day people. I found his examples incredibly true to life and surprisingly spot on. Most people who read literature are looking to relate to other humans, but Weinberg takes this a step further by showing us how to learn from the behavior of Shakespeare's most famous characters. If you enjoy pop psychology and are done with self-help books that are no help, give this one a try.

Marry Him

2010-04-12T15:08:00.000-07:00

Marry Him: The Case for Settling for Mr. Good Enough by Lori Gottlieb

If you're not an unmarried woman between the ages of 25 and 35, you are probably unfamiliar with Gottlieb's controversial article from The Atlantic in which she accuses single women of being too picky in the dating scene. (And if you ARE unmarried and 30ish, you likely received a copy of the article in your inbox from number friends and family members.) It was a good, eye-opening article. Prince Charming is a myth, right? Through interviews with matchmakers, psychologists, scientists, and everyday people who have been both lucky and unlucky in love, Gottlieb has writen an entire book on the subject.

Although the book could easily have ended at 100 pages, it was still an interesting read. Gottlieb's own vested interest in the subject (she's 41 and single) adds to the content as do the personal stories of her friends' love lives.

This is obviously made for a small audience, but somehow it's still on the Bestsellers List. Single women rule the world, apparently. Or at least read a lot.

The Wife's Tale

2010-04-06T10:25:00.000-07:00

The Wife's Tale by Lori Lansens

Lansens has delivered a solid second novel with The Wife's Tale. Mary Gooch is a trapped middle-aged woman but she's not trapped in the typical fashion of cliche stories. This is the story of how she realizes her potential and steps out of that trap and the journey is heartfelt and entertaining.

Where the God of Love Hangs Out

2010-03-20T07:58:00.000-07:00

Where the God of Love Hangs Out by Amy Bloom

Bloom teaches creative writing at Yale so one would think she knows how to write a short story and this somber, yet realistic collection showcases her talent. The stories all take on the theme of love and many are inter-related. Perhaps the finest linked stories are those about a family that loses the father, and the relationships that grow between the stepsons, stepmother, and grandchildren through a period of 30 years. The stories may not be flowery and fun, but they are real and will certainly strike a nerve with everyone, for everyone is involved in a love story of some sort.

Sizzle

2010-03-14T09:51:00.000-07:00

Sizzle by Julie Garwood

Predictability? Check. Cheesiness? Check. Far-fetched fairytale plot? Check. The only good part of this novel by best-selling novelist Julie Garwood was the very brief passage in which one of the villains tries to steal books from a library and comments on how "hot" and tough the librarians are. Otherwise, it was fluff and the fluff wasn't even as good as what I've read of Nora Roberts. Obviously she's got a magic formula that works for some readers--I'm just not one of them.

The Secret Life of Emily Dickinson

2010-03-11T08:54:00.000-08:00

The Secret Life of Emily Dickinson by Jerome Charyn

Charyn is a Emily Dickinson scholar and has created a novel based on her life and many of the characters in it, with a few added story lines to make it, well, fiction. Dickinson is still an old maid, but we see many of the men who excite her and woo her, as well as the women who create drama around her. What we don't see is her brilliant poetry and she's rarely writing it. Perhaps Charyn felt that wasn't interesting, but that's what I was looking for.

Gracefully Insane

2010-03-03T06:24:00.000-08:00

Gracefully Insane: The Rise and Fall of America's Premier Mental Hospital by Alex Beam

McLean Hospital was once the premier mental institution in America. And by premier, I don't just mean it had the best doctors and best treatments. I mean it was (and still is, though not to the same degree) the country club of mental institutions--where $1,000/day stays were "enjoyed" by the richest and most powerful Americans with mental illness. It was the hospital about which Girl, Interrupted and The Bell Jar were written, and Dennis Lehane loosely based the hospital in Shutter Island on McLean. For some of the elite patients, like James Taylor and Ray Charles, stays at McLean were simply short respites--a retreat away from the stressful world. For others, like a 79-year-old patient Beam interviews who has been at McClean for over 50 years, it's a necessary home. Beam, a journalist for the Boston Globe, captures the human interest elements of the hospital's history--the fascinating patients and their doctors, the cutting edge treatments, and, finally, the current state of mental health care in the United States and the economic problems that have affected McLean as they have other treatment facilities. I found it fascinating, but it may only be fascinating to others interested in mental health care.

The Brightest Star in the Sky

2010-03-01T06:11:00.001-08:00

The Brightest Star in the Sky by Marian Keyes

Marian Keyes is the queen of Irish chicklit and she has earned her throne. Her bio claims she's written 10 novels, and Brightest is her latest. The plot sounds hokey--the narrator is a spirit that floats between flats in a four-floor Dublin townhouse and observes the secrets and relationships brewing in each home--but Keyes sells it well. The characters are all very different, yet it's believable how their lives overlap. Each chapter is divided into "days" and we see that the spirit has a countdown going on, starting from 66. As we get closer to 0, it's obvious that something big is going to happen, and the countdown really intensifies the build-up. The ending isn't at all predictable, and I was quite pleased, which is saying a lot. I'm usually disappointed in clean endings, but this one is worth the ride.

This Book is Overdue!

2010-02-23T17:15:00.000-08:00

This Book is Overdue! How Librarians and Cybrarians Can Save Us by Marilyn Johnson
All

Well, this book was a surprise considering Johnson is not a librarian and the publisher isn't Libraries Unlimited. Johnson chronicles the work of public librarians and academic librarians and Library 2.o champtions. She pins the profession right when she describes librarians as: "Civil servants and servants of civility...they would be whatever they needed to be that day: information professionals, teachers, police, community organizers, computer technicians, historians, confidantes, clerks, social workers, storytellers..." There's not much else for me to say about this. My main problem with this book is that Johnson didn't present any solutions to the mass problem of disappearing libraries and librarians. It's a wonder she even found people with the "librarian" label to interview.

Five Men Who Broke My Heart

2010-02-22T07:14:00.000-08:00

Five Men Who Broke My Heart by Susan Shapiro

Shapiro's memoir offers a glimpse into the six most important romantic relationships in her life--five men who broke her heart and the one she is currently married to at 40. Not only does she offer humorous recollections of these failed relationships, she also sets out to meet up with all of them to talk about what went wrong in the past and how things are going now. Her path crosses with four of them within months--a couple she has to force but the men are very willing to meet--and another refuses to meet but rather answers questions via email. The memoir is at its best when Shapiro talks about the past five relationships, but it becomes very slow when she jumps into the last few chapters about her husband. Still, any woman who has had her heart broken and still thinks of the heartbreaker 20 years later would likely laugh and cry along with Shapiro's stories.

2010-02-20T07:54:00.000-08:00

When Ghosts Speak: Understanding the World of Earthbound Spirits by Mary Ann Winkowski

Ok, so not everyone believes in ghosts and some might say that a woman who speaks to ghosts for a living is not only loony, she's a scam artist. If you're one of those non-believers, this book might change your mind. Winkowski was the inspiration for the TV show "The Ghost Whisperer" and she has successfully helped detectives solve murder cases and ordinary people rid their houses of "earthbound spirits." In this book, she tells stories of various encounters with spirits and gives readers insight as to what to do when it's suspected that a ghost is present. She also touches on why some people choose to stay on earth as ghosts instead of "crossing over" into the "white light." I found this to be a fascinating read and recommend it to anyone who's ever pondered the idea of ghosts.

The Year of Living Biblically

2010-02-16T19:39:00.001-08:00

The Year of Living Biblically: One Man's Humble Quest to Follow the Bible as Literally as Possible by A.J. Jacobs

Jacobs is agnostic, but he decides to spend a year living his life as the Bible dictates which includes the obvious--following the Ten Commandments--and the less obvious, growing a beard and not shaking hands. The book is most interesting when Jacobs takes the reader inside uber religious communities and shares objective and open-minded insight on believers from Hasidic Jews to Amish to creationism enthusiasts. He points out some pretty strange lines from the Bible that leave much to be interpreted. For example, Mark 16:18 states, "They will pick up Serpents..." and many Christians take "serpents" to be a metaphor for challenges. For literalists like the Tennessee man who attends the Church of God, devotion to Jesus is shown by picking up venomous snakes during church services. I probably would have enjoyed the book more had it only covered six months. It started dragging a bit and I found myself getting annoyed at his continued project and couldn't help but feel sympathy for his family and friends. In the end, it's a new twist on religious tolerance.

The Last Single Woman in America

2010-02-11T07:40:00.000-08:00

The Last Single Woman in America by Cindy Guidry

I thought this memoir would be more about dating and marriage and being single at 40 (because that’s what Guidry is and that’s her shtick—she’s single at 40), but unfortunately it’s a big mish mash of stories that sometimes fit together and sometimes don’t. Guidry is funny and has an interesting view on life in Los Angeles (why is everyone so wealthy but never working?), but David Sedaris she is not. The publisher advertises the book as “The funniest, freshest essayist since David Sedaris, Cindy Guidry examines American culture and present-day gender relations in all their confusing, heartbreaking, and hilarious glory.” I’ve read funnier and fresher. When she sticks to the hilarious dating stories, she’s good. When she talks vaguely about working in film, she’s boring.

Too Much Happiness

2010-02-07T21:06:00.000-08:00

Too Much Happiness by Alice Munro

I have taken two classes on writing short stories and in both classes I was told to study Munro as she is one of the modern masters. Indeed, her latest collection won the Booker Prize and from the very beginning I found myself stopping to think about how she was able to convey so perfectly what I'd just read. Most of the stories focus on mid-life Canadian women and the different types of sadness they face. None of the stories could really be described as "uplifting," but as is Munro's style, they are all especially true. That is, she has conveyed real life and the struggles within it with a grace that really does make me pause and contemplate how she has made the ordinary sound so extraordinary.

The Weight of Silence

2010-02-07T20:57:00.000-08:00

The Weight of Silence by Heather Gudenkauf

This novel kept my attention despite the plot holes and unsurprising "plot twists." We follow the disappearance of two 7-year-old girls through the viewpoint of several different narrators related to the tragedy. Calli, one of the young girls, is a selective mute and much of the drama arises from her inability to speak and the quest for her to again find her voice. Gudenkauf created strong characters and an engaging story that moves quickly through the tension that builds between each narrator's voice. A pretty good novel, but not fantastic.

An Affair to Remember

2010-02-01T14:33:00.000-08:00

An Affair to Remember: The Greatest Love Stories of All Time by Megan Gressor and Kerry Cook

Another book with true love stories--this one covering those that are well-known. Everyone from Lordy Bryon to Elizabeth Taylor to Napoleon to Mary Queen of Scots to Charlie Chaplin to Marie Antoinette and the loves of their lives are covered. Each story is very short, no more than 5 pages, but the authors manage to start each one with an interesting event in the couple's lives and then concisely cover more of the ups and downs of the love affairs. What was most interesting to me in reading this was to see how similar love affairs from the 1700 and 1800s were to those today. Jealousy, affairs, long-distance relationships, multiple divorces...all are covered in this interesting compilation of some of history's most famous couples.

Shutter Island

2010-01-31T16:35:00.000-08:00

Shutter Island by Dennis Lehane

Although this is the first book by Lehane I've read (a co-worker claims it's his best), it's clear he has a knack for mind twisters that translate to the big screen (i.e. Mystic River, Gone Baby Gone, and now Shutter Island). This novel pulled me in right from the start with its vivid descriptions of the mental patients and their afflicitions that occupy the hospital on Shutter Island. Lehane is a talented writer and he makes Teddy a very likeable protagonist, so much so that I kept reading to make sure he escaped the island. The plot twist is done very well, and the ending is such that I still need to think about what happened and how Lehane was able to pull that off. That's a mark of a truly great novel, one that leaves you thinking long after you've finished reading. I'm eager to see the movie to see how what Martin Scorcese was able to do with the story.

Angry Conversations with God

2010-01-29T09:14:00.000-08:00

Angry Conversations with God: a Snarky but Authentic Spiritual Memoir by Susan Isaacs

Ahhh, back to a funny memoir! Isaacs is a comedian so it makes sense that she's created a memoir of her struggle for both career and love success from her teens to her 40s that actually generates laughs. While being a part of the creative entertainment industry circles in both LA and New York, she's had struggles with her relationship with God. That's why she goes to a therapist and tells him she needs marriage counseling--God being her marriage partner. Mixed in with tales of the ups and downs of her life, she includes "snarky" dialogue between her and "God," and between her and the spiritual therapist. It's truly funny and heart-warming at the same time.

Us

2010-01-28T10:46:00.000-08:00

Us: Americans Talk about Love, edited by John Bowe

My most favorite subject of all is that which is written about more than anything: Love. It's been written in seemingly every way it can be written so I'm always excited for a new take. And considering this book includes real stories from every day Americans on "the person whom (they) have loved the most," they are all new stories. And they are all wonderful! The stories are arranged by the amount of time it's been since each person realized they were in love so we see everything from teenagers experiencing the high school dating scene to couples who have been married for decades, giving insight as to what makes love last. The stories are not all happy, in fact many will make you cry. But that's why it was so realistic... the oral historians who collected these stories captured it all and I would recommend this book to anyone with an interest in true love stories.

Push

2010-01-26T08:22:00.000-08:00

Push by Sapphire

Well, I was prepared to hate this book because the voice of the near illiterate 16-year-old Precious Jones is so hard to deal with. However, I found myself zipping through the final pages (and it didn't take too long since the book is less than 150 pages in length) as Precious became stronger and more educated and therefore someone I wanted to root for and ensure that she comes out ahead in the end. As most people probably know by now, since the huge movie hit Precious has been making headlines lately, Push is the story of a teenage girl living in Harlem who births two children by her father and deals with a very abusive mother. When she starts at alternative school, Precious meets a dedicated teacher who helps liberate her by giving her education and compassion. Besides the poor grammar (because it was written in Precious' voice), most of this was hard to read because of the sad content. I have a feeling the movie is probably even more difficult to watch--I can't imagine most of the scenes playing out on the big screen. It's just horrific.

enLIGHTened

2010-01-25T13:37:00.000-08:00

enLIGHTened: How I Lost 40 Pounds with a Yoga Mat, Fresh Pineapples, and a Beagle-Pointer by Jessica Berger Gross

A quick look at the author photo and the author's own admission that she is currently a size 4 made the premise of this book hard to latch on to. Gross apparently has struggled with her weight her entire life, but when she learns the basic principles of yoga while studying abroad in Nepal as an undergraduate and consequently loses 40 pounds, she claims that her life is forever changed. I thought the book would be more about yoga, but the majority focuses on healthy eating (including the merits of being a vegetarian!) and she includes some of her tried and true recipes. She does include photos and instructions for several core yoga poses and she shares a bit of the philosophy behind yoga, focusing on how the meditation and self-awareness of the practice can help create a happier and healthier life. Frankly, it was a fairly boring book about a woman losing weight in my opinion. And looking at her tiny frame in that photo, I'm still skeptical that she ever weighed 40 pounds more than that!

The Noonday Demon

2010-01-24T15:15:00.000-08:00

The Noonday Demon: An Atlas of Depression by Andrew Solomon

Well, this is not light reading, but it is interesting and packed with information. Solomon includes glimpses of his own life with Depression, but he also shares pieces of hundreds of interviews with others who suffer from the illness, as well as doctors and psychologists who work with depressive patients. He covers everything from the history of the disease to what is being done in the political sphere to help mental illness. As I was reading, I was struck by the clarity of Solomon's prose. At 571 pages, not one word seems superfluous. This is not for the faint of heart or the casual psychology scholars. For those who have a real interest in the topic, I couldn't recommend a textbook any more.

The Happiness Project

2010-01-22T08:37:00.000-08:00

The Happiness Project: or Why I Spent a Year Trying to Sing in the Morning, Clean My Closets, Fight Right, Read Aristotle, and Generally Have More Fun

Well, well, well--it's another gimmicky memoir about trying something new for one year! For Rubin the goal is happiness. For all its contrived sweetness, though, much of the book was quite interesting because Rubin included her own research on happiness. Little insights like whether or not money can buy happiness keep it interesting, and her anecdotes are some times funny. It was a little hard to take her seriously when she (admittedly) has a pretty great life with a loving husband, two kids, a nice apartment in Manhattan (which means she obviously has money), a close-knit family, and a career as a writer (seriously, she talks about quitting a career in law for a career in writing as if it's perfectly normal to pursue writing as a career). However, in a way that made it all the more interesting to see how a seemingly happy person can actually create a life even more fulfilled. She encourages everyone to start their own "happiness project," and provides some tools on getting started.

Have a Little Faith

2010-01-19T20:06:00.001-08:00

Have a Little Faith by Mitch Albom

Yes, it's surprising that I picked up Mitch Albom's latest because I thought Tuesdays with Morrie was too cheesy and not at all sincere and The Five People You Meet in Heaven was, well, boring. The premise for this book intrigued me and it's being discussed a lot at my church so I gave it a "try." And three hours later, I've plowed through the entire book and ended up crying legitimate tears at the end, and I actually believe Albom was crying his own tears. It's a beautiful, completely moving story about a rabbi with a 60-year career in the synagogue and a Christian preacher who creates a church in the most impoverished area of downtown Detroit after a life of crime and breaking every one of the Ten Commandments. Albert Lewis (aka The Reb), the Rabbi, was likeable from start to finish and his stories of tolerance and hope and love were inspirational, not totally hokey as I'd feared. Henry Covington, a man who essentially grew up in the streets of rough Brooklyn and spent time in prison, is much harder to warm up to. However, as Albom moves the story along and we see how Covington strives to turn his life around, he is redeemed in my heart and it gives hope that we call can find the way to a "good" life. Through it all, the story-teller as well as the spiritual leaders stress that it doesn't matter what your religion is or how you practice. It's just that you "Have a little faith." But as The Reb tells Albom and both the strong men in this story show, "Faith is about doing. You are how you act, not just how you believe."

Beautiful, beautiful story that I would recommend to anyone who needs a pick me up and renewed faith in the human spirit.

Nanny Returns

2010-01-18T16:31:00.000-08:00

Nanny Returns by Emma McLaughlin and Nicola Kraus

I loved Nanny Diaries. I loved it so much it's one of my favorite chicklit books of all time. But the authors let me down with their follow-up, Citizen Girl, and I'm even more let down by the Nanny sequel, Nanny Returns. It's a boring repeat of Nanny Diaries, quite frankly, with older kids and HH (Harvard Hottie) the husband now instead of the elusive love interest. The commentary on New York's UES ladies who lunch was still funny, but there was less of that in this book. All the drama swirling around Nan was far-fetched and ridiculous at times and I read quickly just to see if the ending would make up for the rest of the book. It didn't.

Living Oprah

2010-01-17T09:20:00.000-08:00

Living Oprah: My One-Year Experiment to Walk the Walk of the Queen of Talk by Robyn Okrant

Another formulaic memoir with potential that failed to excite me in any way. Okrant decides to live for one year as Oprah advises in her magazine, on her web site, and of course on her TV show to see what it's like to live "your best life" (a term Oprah likes to use). Each chapter is a month of 2008 and includes a tally of the time and monetary costs of everything she does (i.e. purchasing the magazine, buying products the Queen of Talk endorses on the show, etc) which is interesting to see, but the commentary on the month is really not interesting. Okrant is a yoga teacher in grad school with a loving husband and close friendships so it would seem she's already living a good life and (I don't want to spoil anything so I'll remain mum) we see rather or not following Oprah's advice really enhances her life. I think I was really hoping to hear more of Oprah's advice and what worked, but she doesn't really talk a whole lot about how the advice helps her believe it or not. It's more just about how it consumes her life. Eh, it's interesting to try something new for a year, but following Oprah's advice didn't really seem all that interesting by Okrant's account.

A Gate at the Stairs

2010-01-15T14:11:00.000-08:00

A Gate at the Stairs by Lorrie Moore

Wow, wow, wow. I could not put this book down! Moore's prose is absolutely beautiful and the stories in this novel are as familiar as they are devastating. The protagonist, Tassie Keltjin, is a college student when 9/11 occurs and the country goes to war with Afghanistan. Although the specifics of the event are not mentioned, the time period serves as an important piece in the stories that all fall together in Tassie's life as a farmer's daughter, a nanny for a rich and mysterious couple, the sister of a confused teenaged boy who decides to join the war, and a lover of a foreign man. Tassie's voice is incredibly interesting because we get two voices--the present Tassie, one who is presumably grown up and perhaps middle-aged and has a new perspective on this time period, and the Tassie from 2001-2002 when life became much more complicated and tragic.

Many of Moore's passages were so powerful, I had to re-read them. And each chapter left me wanting to know more, more, more. One of the best novels I've ever read.

An Unquiet Mind

2010-01-13T08:34:00.000-08:00

An Unquiet Mind: A Memoir of Moods and Madness by Kay Redfield Jamison
Yet another memoir on depression. Jamison's Unquiet Mind specifically explores her life with manic depression--an illness that hits her at the age of 18. What's unique about Jamison's experience is that she has a PhD in Psychology and she has served as the director of the UCLA Affective Disorders Clinic (while also teaching at the university) and a Professor of Psychiatry at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. In short, she is researching her own disease and helping others cope with their mood disorders.

Jamison's scientific background shows in this book, and although she is a very good writer and does a great job of describing both her manic and depressive periods, much of the novel reads a bit like a medical journal. I'm not convinced she was able to merge the two together so well (her own knowledge of the illness as well as her experiences with it) and I almost wish she'd stuck with just the science behind it. When she does talk about the current research and breakthroughs on manic depression, it's quite interesting. When she's talking about her experiences, she comes across as a bit narcissistic and unlikable (somehow she has been able to have several great loves in her life while dealing with her moods--with very handsome men--her words, not mine). A must-read for anyone who has dealt with this illness, but probably not of interest to anyone else.

Divine Madness

2010-01-12T10:01:00.000-08:00

Divine Madness: Ten Stories of Creative Struggle by Jeffrey A. Kottler
Some might say I've been reading too many stories about mental illness, but I find it fascinating. Kottler's collection includes 10 stories about incredibly fascinating people who suffer(ed) from severe mental illness, but also managed to create many kinds of phenomenal art: Sylvia Plath, Judy Garland, Mark Rothko, Ernest Hemingway, Virginia Woolf, Charles Mingus, Vaslav Nijinsky, Marilyn Monroe, Lenny Bruce, and Brian Wilson (the lone living example of madness and creativity seemingly intertwined). Kottler's writing is so engaging that the stories read like perfectly crafted fiction, but it's all real--told here through research that includes studying the subject's own journals and several biographies. I originally thought I'd just read those that interested me most (Virginia Woolf and Ernest Hemingway). Instead, I found myself completely taken into the creative and yet sometimes mad worlds of the other artists.

The Man Who Loved Books Too Much

2010-01-10T20:35:00.000-08:00

The Man Who Loved Books Too Much: The True Story of a Thief, a Detective, and a World of Literary Obsession by Allison Hoover Bartlett
John Gilkey has stolen more than $100,000 worth of rare books in the past 15 years. Ken Sanders, a rare books dealer in Utah, is the former security chairman of the Antiquarian Booksellers Association of America and the detective who has been obsessively tracking Gilkey for nearly as long as the thief has been stealing. Both are motivated by their love of books and Bartlett does a great job of revealing that drive exploring the world of all bibliophiles. Seeing Gilkey's criminal methods (most of his books were bought with stolen credit card numbers) was eye-opening for me and I shared Sanders' dismay at how little interest the police take in catching rare book thieves. Gilkey has spent quite a bit of time in prison, but by the end of the book it's clear that he's still hungry for more books. Most unsettling for librarians is the little he tells of visiting the San Francisco Public Library. He comes short of talking about stealing any books (though he does admit to taking a map and a few book jackets), but it leads Bartlett to talk a bit about theft at libraries which is as deplorable as any of the other crimes covered in this book.

I was riveted from cover to cover and highly recommend this book to anyone who loves books and/or enjoys a good true crime tale.

Committed

2010-01-10T20:20:00.000-08:00

Committed: A Skeptic Makes Peace with Marriage by Elizabeth Gilbert

I am one of the millions of people who enjoyed Eat, Pray, Love so I was anxious to read Gilbert's follow-up about her relationship with the man she met in Indonesia. It's quite intriguing in the beginning. Felipe is essentially deported (though Gilbert points out Homeland Security didn't use that word) because of heightened security restrictions. Elizabeth and Felipe had decided they would not get married because each had experienced such heartache with their first marriages and subsequent divorces. Faced with this forced separation and with Felipe simply not allowed in the U.S., they have to decide if their negative views on marriage outweigh their love and desire to be together every day in the same house in the same country. And what follows is a long and boring diatribe with a bit of research (but not much) on the history of marriage and Gilbert's own feelings on the matter. It made me wonder why she didn't just make this book she clearly needs to write--"I hate my ex-husband and this is why." Pieces of that relationship come up here and there, but it's only rage that I see, not reasons on why the relationship failed. In Eat, Pray, Love she was a likable heroine. In Committed, she's a narcissistic curmudgeon.

The Curse of the Singles Table

2010-01-06T18:21:00.000-08:00

The Curse of the Singles Table: A True Story of 1001 Nights Without Sex by Suzanne Schlosberg

Another memoir by a single thirty-something woman about how grueling dating can be--with a happy ending! Schlosberg is funny, though, and is every girl who has been through true heartbreak and near despair when going on date after date with no luck. She hit something interesting when talking about her sister's wedding--seemingly her sister and brother-in-law are the perfect couple, but they share their many problems in a book about their relationship for wedding guests. Schlosberg's family is appalled, but it's a nice lesson for all--there is no perfect couple. I just wish she might have focused more on that part of the story instead of going back for too many bad date stories. It dragged a bit at the end.

Shoot the Damn Dog: A Memoir of Depression

2010-01-06T18:04:00.000-08:00

Shoot the Damn Dog: A Memoir of Depression by Sally Brampton

Brampton is a successful journalist in the UK--she launched Elle Magazine in the 80s and currently writes for The Sunday Times. She lives in a lovely flat in London with a garden. She has been married twice (happily at that, both times) and has a daughter. She has many, many friends. She also suffers from severe depression. The "damn dog" is that depression that debilitates her for a long period in her 40s and this is the story of how she fought back. It is not funny. It's bold and courageous and important. Very, very important. The way she describes her moods is simply phenomenol. Brampton wrote, "What matters is to feel that we are not alone." Anyone who has ever been hit with severe depression will feel comfort in knowing they are not the only one to feel the way they do. And anyone who has ever wondered what loved ones go through when battling depression will receive a no-nonsense, realistic account of the illness. Brampton affirms many times that she wants to break down the shameful barriers of mental illness. She likens depression to cancer in that it's a life-threatening illness that needs to be treated.

Brampton deserves an award for this memoir.

The Book of Illumination

2010-01-03T19:33:00.001-08:00

The Book of Illumination: A Novel from the Ghost Files by Mary Ann Winkowski and Maureen Foley

This is a new series by the real-life "ghost whisperer," Mary Ann Winkowski and a collaborator and if the series continues to be this good, I'll be pre-ordering each novel! Anza O'Malley is the fictional ghost whisperer--she indeed communicates with ghosts to help them tie up unfinished business so they can move on to the afterlife. She's also able to solve crimes. This is a case of a stolen manuscript, the Book of Kildare, from the Boston Athenaeum. With the addition of ghosts haunting the museum/library because of their involvement with the manuscript, all kinds of excitement ensues. Anza is a very likeable character--a single mom with a very normal life outside of her sixth sense. I'm looking forward to following her on more ghost adventures!

How the World Makes Love

2009-12-28T19:47:00.001-08:00

How the World Makes Love... And What It Taught a Jilted Groom by Franz Wisner
Well, I missed Honeymoon with My Brother, apparently a bestseller, but I enjoyed the less popular follow-up, How the World Makes Love. Nearly 40 and still struggling to get over the breakup of his 10 year relationship that ended when his fiance literally literally dumped him on his wedding day (by not showing up), Wisner sets off on travels to learn more about how other countries view love. He visits Brazil, India, Nicaragua, Czech Republic, Egypt, New Zealand, and Botswana and interviews natives about their love lives and their thoughts on love, marriage, and sex. What he finds is very different customs, slightly different attitudes, and one unifying theme--hope. Most people have the hope that true love exists, rather or not they have found it. And we see this hope sparked in Wisner as he chronicles his relationship back home in LA amidst all his travels. Many of the tidbits he found in the various countries are interesting, but I was a bit bored with his own commentary.

Hide & Seek

2009-12-28T17:16:00.000-08:00

Hide & Seek: How I Laughed at Depression, Conquered My Fears and Found Happiness by Wendy Aron
This book was fantastic. Aron writes about her struggles with recurring depression as she hits 40, but she somehow makes it funny. Perhaps it's her background as a TV sitcom writer, but she knows how to add humor to sad stories (i.e. a stay at a mental hospital). After we get some background on Aron's condition, she heads into her experiences trying various self-help classes including a self-esteem class, an anxiety class, Weight Watchers, and a creativity class. She really tries to help herself and, in doing so, she is likely able to help others struggling with their own depression and self-esteem. A must-read for anyone who has struggled with depression, anxiety, and/or self-esteem issues.

Darkling I Listen

2009-12-22T20:37:00.000-08:00

Darkling I Listen: The Last Days and Death of John Keats by John Evangelist Walsh

It is not known what exactly killed John Keats at such a young age, though the popular diagnosis is consumption. Reading Darkling I Listen, though, makes me wonder if he didn't die of a passionate heart. Although Walsh focuses on the last 100 days of Keats' life, spent miles and miles away from the love of his life, the most interesting passages focus on Keats' relationship with Fanny Brawne. Many of the 39 surviving love letters he wrote to her are dissected to exhibit a man completely consumed with the best and worst emotions related to love. He was jealous, he was insecure. In one letter he tells Fanny that if his illness doesn't kill him, his love for her will. It was a short love affair in the scheme of things--2 years, but Fanny lived 45 years after Keats' death and somehow managed to keep her relationship with Keats a secret to all--including her husband and three children--until she was on her own deathbed. Although Walsh uncovers some interesting points of history in Keats' life and work, the book probably holds little for anyone but those already interested in Keats. And anyone who has seen the movie Bright Star, which follows the intensity of Keats' and Brawne's intense affair, of course.

Cleaving

2009-12-22T13:39:00.000-08:00

Cleaving by Julie Powell
Ok, Julie & Julia was cute. And Julie Powell's relationship with her husband, Eric, was the cutest part of all. She portrayed him as the super supportive and encouraging husband who put up with all her breakdowns and crazy ideas with nothing but love. So when I found out that Julie cheated on him, multiple times, I had to find out why. She documents their marital problems in her follow-up to Julie & Julia, Cleaving, while also telling her story about learning the fine art of butchering meat.

Full disclosure here--I am a vegetarian and am disgusted enough by meat to not only not eat it, to steer clear of the meat department at grocery stores. So, I skipped a LOT of this book. Each time she went into incredible detail about cutting up pigs was when I skipped straight ahead. The part I did read dealt mostly with her obsessive affair and it was fascinating to see what actually drove her to do that. I could almost understand why she did it. Almost. Really I found myself screaming at her inside for being so stupid and blind to her husband's love. I'm not sure I would recommend this to anyone unless they really, really enjoy meat or have been the adultress in a relationship and can relate to her emotions.

Only in New York

2009-12-17T13:38:00.000-08:00

Only in New York by Sam Roberts

Roberts is the Urban Affairs Correspondent at the New York Times and he does a podcast on the Times' website. This book is a collection of 40 of those podcasts. These stories about the people, places and history of New York are fascinating. He's funny, smart, and full of interesting facts about the greatest city in the world. While the casual New York visitor might not find the stories "fascinating," I believe many would be of great interest to anyone who's lived in New York longer than a month. Did you know the average speed of the 34th street cross-town bus is 3.4 miles an hour? That the law that requires dog owners to pick up after their dogs was enacted in 1978 while Ed Koch was mayor (and he does not have his own dog because he doesn't want to pick up after it)? This is definitely recommended to anyone who loves New York. And if you don't love New York, we probably wouldn't agree on too much.

Bitter is the New Black

2009-12-15T15:23:00.000-08:00

Bitter is the New Black by Jen Lancaster
I really wanted to like this book. For may reasons, among the most important 1.) Lancaster is from Indiana 2.) She was a Pi Phi 3.) She lives in Chicago and most of the stories in this memoir take place in Chicago and 4.) It's billed as a comedic memoir. Alas, I hated this book. Lancaster isn't shy about saying she's a, well, female dog with a capital B. But that doesn't make it any more ok that she's so mean and rude and heartless. I enjoy good memoirs, and I really enjoy funny memoirs, but I couldn't laugh at any of this because the writer is simply not likeable. She wouldn't ever be my friend. If anything, it's terrible that she did get a book deal and that somehow she was given contracts for even more books full of heartless snark.

The Gift

2009-12-08T13:56:00.000-08:00

The Gift by Cecelia Ahern
Cecelia Ahern, Irish author of P.S. I Love You, writes a good story. However, The Gift is loaded with "Christmas Carol" type lessons that make it, frankly, annoying. Perhaps I just expected something filled with more Christmas cheer and all I got was a truly unlikable protagonist and a rather strange angel. I wouldn't recommend it, though, unless you really like cutesy lessons about what matters most in life.

Her Fearful Symmetry

2009-11-29T11:41:00.000-08:00

Her Fearful Symmetry by Audrey Niffenegger

This was easily one of the strangest books I've ever read and that probably makes it worthy of a prize in itself. I'm intrigued by ghosts and the supernatural and I found Niffenegger's description of the supernatural quite interesting. What didn't work for me was the relationship between the young twins and that might be a reason why twins would relate best to this book. It was too hard for me to relate to them when they slept together holding hands and refused to pursue careers that were different in any way. Martin's character, struggling with OCD, was written quite well, but I didn't much see a reason for him being a part of the story. There were a lot of really great ideas in this novel, but it almost seems as though Niffennegger tried to throw in four great novels into one and it doesn't quite work.

Superfreakonomics

2009-11-19T21:21:00.000-08:00

Superfreakonomics by Steven D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner
If you enjoy statistics, pop culture, and current events, you probably enjoyed Freakonomics. And you'll likewise enjoy Superfreakonomics because it is--and doesn't pretend to be anything but--a continuation of Freakonomics. Nothing was earth-shattering in this book, but there were some interesting anecdotes. Most interesting to me was the chapter on altruism and apathy in which they exposed the falsity in the New York Times story about the "38 law-abiding citizens" who watched Kitty Genovese get attacked twice. Although I did see a story about this on 20/20 which exposed the errors in the 1964 front-page story, it was still interesting to read more about this. Levitt's and Dubner's tone is again comical while presenting interesting stories about economists and the research they're doing on everything from prostitution to global warming. It's a quick read, good for dinner discussions, if not because of the intrigue but because it's already another bestseller.

Bright-sided

2009-11-17T07:57:00.000-08:00

Bright-sided: How the Relentless Promotion of Positive Thinking Has Undermined America by Barbara Ehrenreich

Finally. A true challenge to The Secret! That woman and all her millionaire associates are laughing all the way to the bank, and that stupid book is still selling like hotcakes. Ehrenreich sets off to disprove the new wave of positive thinking psychology and the business surrounding it. Her qualifications are good, as well, as she is a breast cancer survivor. Although her views are never kept a secret within the pages, she offers valid points and food for thought for optimists, pessimists, and realists alike. She makes an excelletn point on page 172: "Why advocate for better jobs and schools, safer neighborhoods, universal health insurance, or any other liberal desideratum if these measures will do little to make people happy? Social reformers, political activists, and change-oriented elected officials can all take a much-needed rest."

I mean, honestly. You visualize yourself as a millionaire and it happens? Look at what happened to Wall Street when they got to "positive" and lofty in their goals! Ehrenreich is simply realistic. She doesn't pretend any earth-shattering research and certainly no news that hasn't widely been reported in the media, but she offers an interesting view of the facts.

Ehrenreich wrote, "Happiness is not, of course, guaranteed even to those who are affluent, successful, and well loved. But that happiness is not the inevitable outcome of happy circumstances does not mean we can find it by journeying inward to revise our thoughts and feelings. The threats we face are real and can be vanquished only by shaking off self-absorption and taking action in the world. Build up the levees, get food to the hungry, find the cure, strengthen the 'first responders'! We will not succeed at all these things, certainly not all at once, but we can have a good trying."

Juliet, Naked

2009-11-09T19:41:00.000-08:00

Juliet, Naked by Nick Hornby

How can you not love Nick Hornby? He's funny, he's honest, and his writing flows like a Rolling Stone article. Likely because he writes about pop culture in his other life, and his interest in it comes through in all his novels. This one let me down a bit. I guess I was looking for a deeper look into obsessive fandom or for more of a love story and I didn't get either. It's still Nick Hornby, even if Hornby not at his best, and it still tells an interesting story. But, eh, I wouldn't recommend it.

Something Borrowed

2009-11-04T19:18:00.000-08:00

Something Borrowed by Emily Giffin
Looking for good chick lit? Pick up Emily Giffin! Better yet, pick up Something Borrowed. I enjoyed Love the One You're With, but forgot about it a few minutes after putting it down. Giffin's first novel might just be her best. Sure, it's a common theme--friendships and affairs and true love--but Giffin is such a gifted writer that the reader is never quite sure where the story is going--and that's a good thing! I couldn't put the book down.

Strength in What Remains

2009-11-02T19:37:00.000-08:00

Strength in What Remains by Tracy Kidder

Wow. Deo, an African-turned American, has one inspiring story and Kidder does a phenomenal job of telling it. He comes from Burundi in 1993, escaping Civil War and the genocide in Rwanda and arrives in America with absolutely nothing (well, he does have $200) and no English-speaking skills. Kidder takes the reader from Burundi to America to Rwanda and back to America to tell the remarkable story of how this young man survived and then thrived in New York City, climbing up from making $15 a day as a grocery delivery man to attending Columbia, and then Harvard grad school, and, ultimately, medical school. Having lived in New York myself, I was shocked that he was able to survive living in Harlem crack houses and sleeping in Central Park bushes. But after the atrocities he experienced in his native land, his plights in New York were hardly inconveniences.

Not only is Deo's story inspiring, the generosity of the people he meets in America who help him is truly heart-warming. To think that people could care so much about another human being that they would welcome him into their homes and ensure he received the education he desired is incredible. And to see how Deo gives back all he has gained since he first escaped the horror in Burundi is enough to give anyone faith in humanity. A beautiful story that I feel is a must-read for everyone.

Me vs. Me

2009-11-01T18:09:00.000-08:00

Me Vs. Me by Sarah Mlynowski
I had low expectations for this book--it is a complete chicklit novel and claims to be nothing more, but I was pleasantly surprised! Mlynowski took a common theme--career vs. love--and a common desire--what if I didn't have to choose?--and adds an interesting spin. Gabby, our somewhat likable heroine, doesn't have to choose--she sees what her life would be like with both decisions. It's a plot that most writers couldn't pull off, but Mlynowski does a great job of laying out both scenarios and literally making it hard to decide how she'll wrap it up. I'd recommend this to all chicklit fans, but it probably wouldn't appeal to anyone older than 30 or younger than 20.

State by State: A Panoramic Portrait of America

2009-10-27T07:34:00.000-07:00

State by State: A Panoramic Portrait of America
Edited by Matt Weiland and Sean Wilsey

This is an interesting collection. The premise sounds great in theory--have 50 different writers provide glimpses into each of the 50 states with an essay. Having only lived in two states myself, I of course skipped ahead to Indiana and New York, rather than read the anthology from cover to cover. Indiana was by Susan Choi, an acclaimed writer I've actually never heard of, though apparently she was born in South Bend. I was disappointed in her focus on her relationship with her father and the stereotypical observations (conservative bumper stickers and yard signs such as "Pray to End Abortion") about the state. Where was Fort Wayne? Where was Indianapolis? Where was the hospitality and warmth that really is here in the heartland? It wasn't in Choi's essay and she really showed her disappintment in not being able to write about new York.

Good for the reader, Jonathan Franzen instead got the space writing about New York. His was an innovative essay. He pretended to be interviewing New York State, and of course she was a conceited woman with little time to talk because she was simply too busy. And she had a harried, fast and smooth-talking publicist. It was a comedic look at the state and he did a great job with it. Also interesting were the state rankings in the appendix such as crime rates, educational expenditures, etc. Nothing too surprising here--seems they could've found more interesting rankings.

At any rate, probably worth a read if for nothing else than for seeing what was written about your own state. Hoosiers might want to stay clear, though.

The Glass Castle

2009-10-23T18:46:00.000-07:00

The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls

Walls' memoir about growing up in a family with four normal kids and two dysfunctional parents has been a bestseller for the past few years and after a friend talked about reading it a second time, I figured it was time for me to give it a first try. Her childhood was interesting, to say the least, with an alcoholic father with big ideas and an artistic mother who suffered frequent spells of depression which left her holed up and unavailable to her children. How Jeannette and her siblings get by with litte food and little else is an amazing story, and it's good to see how Jeannette especially awakens to the realization that her parents are failing her and ultimately rises above and makes the life she wants in New York City. I don't think it's worth a second read, but a first read--sure, why not?

Barack and Michelle: Portrait of An American Marriage

2009-10-19T17:53:00.001-07:00

Barack and Michelle: Portrait of an American Marriage by Christopher Andersen

Why is Barack Obama President of the United States? Yes, he's brilliant, eloquent, compassionate, driven... Most of all, Americans see themselves in Obama, and that is why he is our President--he speaks for all of us. And his wife, well she speaks for us, too. And together--well, they are the power team that Hillary and Bill could never be because the romance wasn't quite so evident. As Andersen summed it up: "Barack and Michelle have proved themselves to be remarkable--as man and woman--, as husband and wife, as father and mother. But it is in those things that make them so accessible, so human, that we recognize ourselves--and, if even for a fleeting moment, like what we see. Theirs is, in every way, an American marriage."

Not only does this quick-moving and anecdotal biography tell the story of how two like-minded JDs fell in love, it tells the basic life story of both Barack and Michelle. If you've read Dreams from my Father, you likely know most of the story of Barack. You might not know as much about his days as a "stoner." And you may not know so much about Michelle's upbringing. For anyone looking for the basic background of this power couple, and perhaps a dose of reality (surprise! they have had many arguments and struggles that threatened their relationship)--this is a great read.

It Sucked and then I Cried

2009-10-16T12:06:00.000-07:00

It Sucked and Then I Cried: How I Had a Baby, a Breakdown, and a Much Needed Margarita by Heather B. Armstrong

This one was recommended as a very funny memoir and indeed it was funny, but Armstrong came across more like a whiny, ungrateful new mom than funny for the majority of the book. I'm not sure who I'd recommend it to. I'm thinking the best audience would be women who have had difficult pregnancies and hard times as new mothers or for their husbands (because the men should get insight into how tough it can be, right?). However, Armstrong is really not very likeable. Her husband comes across like a saint, though--a true trooper supporting her through all she went through!

An Abundance of Katherines

2009-10-15T11:02:00.000-07:00

An Abundance of Katherines by John Green

I really wanted to love this book since I loved Paper Towns so much and the premise was so interesting. 17-year-old child prodigy Colin has dated 19 Katherines and each one has dumped him. When Katherine XIX (as he refers to her) breaks his heart, he sets out on a journey to not only reinvent himself, but to find the mathematical solution that will predict how long a relationship will last. It's cute because he really wants it to show that Katherine XIX will come back to him. At any rate, once the funny premise was introduced, it wasn't all that interesting to me. Teenage boys might find it interesting, though.

Redemption

2009-10-14T16:39:00.000-07:00

Redemption by Karen Kingsbury with Greg Smalley

This was my foray into inspirational fiction, or as Borders calls it "Christian fiction." Several patrons recommended this particular book so I figured it was as good as any to try out. I have to say I was pleastantly surprised. I thought it would be all church, all the time, but this one started right out with an affair! And although two outcomes were wrapped up very neatly through the majority of the novel, I went back and forth on which way the story would ultimately end which made it a quick read as I was eager to see what happened. I felt there were too many Bible passages awkwardly stuck into the story and feel it would've been much better without that, but I imagine those devoted to this genre keep coming back because of that.

In the end, the story wasn't even wrapped up as nicely as it seemed to be headed. And that's because this is book 1 of a series. I'm not convinced I need to keep reading to find out what happens to Kari, but I'd still recommend this book if you aren't put off by Bible verses and cheesy relationships.

P.S. It takes place in Bloomington, Indiana!