 Icelandic cafe decor. These are color coordinated books that look cool, but the books have been cut away about 3 inches from the spine so that they can be displayed. The bookshelves don't need to be full sized this way, but the books are unreadable.
|
 Persepoli. Marjane Satrapi. 2000. While in Mexico last week I read the graphic novel Persepolis, which I quite enjoyed. So many people have recommended this to me over the years that I read it in print since it is not available in any audio format. It’s a memoir about growing up in Iran during the revolution. If you don’t know that history, you would particularly enjoy this way of learning about it. Not on the list because there isn’t an audio version, it was perfect for a trip where I needed to conserve phone battery or be at the pool. Recommend.
 The Painted Girls. Cathy Marie Buchanan. 2012. The Painted Girls (Lora): I might have enjoyed this more if I was more of an appreciater of art since it is about the painter Degas' relationships with his models. I think part of the point here was to highlight the way women were treated in this era, but as it was written, I found the misogyny wasn’t addressed in any kind of a creative or interesting way, just left there for me to digest. It felt heavy in content, but without deep thought. I just couldn’t get into it. It’s been a few days since I finished it & I haven’t thought about since, which is a sign that it didn’t resonate for me.
Recommended by Lora. *** Comments: Lora: It was one that my book club picked. I wasn’t a big fan of it either but it was a book I would have never picked on my own to read. Good to know I wasn’t the only one who found it difficult to get into.  Untangled. Lisa Damour. 2016. Not on the list, but I took another detour to read Untangled, recommended by Michele. I really highly recommend this book for anyone with a teen girl. It is the only parenting book I’ve ever liked or related to. Definitely recommend it.
Michele: It’s the side of the pool analogy that I keep coming back to 🙂 glad you liked it ... I found it by accident ! I deviated from The List because of the Oregon Batter of the Books (OBOB) "controversy" about this book. Apparently, some parents don't want their kids to read a book about a trans girl in elementary school. It was actually quite a lovely little chapter book. It follow a very predictable chapter book format in terms of predictability and resolution, but I know a lot of 6-7-8-9 year-olds who would love this one. Recommend.  George. Alex Gino. 2013.  Lust for Life. Irving Stone. 1934. Lust for Life (Michele): This is a fictionalized novel about Vincent Van Gough. It is a low start and took a long while to suck me in. I am not an art fan and I knew nothing of his life other than he painted and cut off his ear. I had no idea the depth of his mental illness or the incredibly selfless and tortured person he was. It is a pretty shocking reminder of mental health services in that era. It was a the train wreck you can't look away from, though, and once I was hooked, it was really powerful and moving. Spoiler alert (not): it is really sad. Like, the whole book is really sad. Recommend. Next up...I don't know. I am reading Untangled as my next non-fiction, not on the list. Then I will be back to fiction for the next one off the list.
My CPA and walking budding, Michele, added this: Since we share books all the time It is hard for me to give you a book you haven’t read ! But since I just was in Amsterdam - how about Lust For Life by Irving Stone ... on my all time fav list .  Sister Outsider. Audre Lorde. 1984. Sister Outside (Rhonda): Okay, I just loved this book and have no idea how I missed it for so long. The only thing I didn't love was the last essay, which I thought was sloppy and disappointing. But every white feminist should read this book as it gives specific examples of how white feminists have failed women of color and we can do better. The letter to Mary Daly was so powerful. I recommend you Read. This. Book.
Next up: Lust for Life, but I took a detour to read George. Recommended by Rhonda. P.S. This is the fastest I have ever gotten through a yearly reading list like this, but in fairness to me, I had surgery and spent a significant period of time in bed or on the couch recovering, so I got a lot of reading done and I taught myself to do genealogy online, so it wasn't a complete waste of time. Good news is I am on the mend and might have less time to read in April.  Little Fires Everywhere. Celeste Ng. 2017. Little Fires Everywhere (Beth): About a quarter of the way through when it introduced the issue of inter-racial adoption, I was worried it was going to be trite and predictable. I think I almost groaned out loud & wondered if I could even keep reading. Turns out, though, that it wasn’t going where I thought. I ended up quite enjoying this unusual discussion of alternative reproduction, reproductive choice, adoption, parenting, & abandonment. Recommend.
Recommended by Beth. *** Comments: Julie: Good cuz I am listening now Me: what did you think? Julie: I liked it a great deal. Lela: Reese Witherspoon and Kerry Washington are making a tv show based on the book.  Whipping Girl. Julia Serano. 2007. Whipping Girl (Lisa): This falls into the categories of books I meant to read ages ago, but somehow never got to. It is an already dated book about trans issues. It was good in some parts notwithstanding the dated language & over simplified discussion of some parts. Not sure I’d recommend it, though.
Recommended by Lisa.  The Magicians. Lev Grossman. 2009. The Magicians (Quinn): This book is all plot & no character development. The plot goes at lightening speed, zipping through years without giving me any sense of caring for the characters. In fact, they were almost universally unlikable, doing things to hurt each other that seemed incongruous with who I thought they were up to that point. It made it hard to actually care about them.
The world the author creates (a magical fantasy world within a magical realistic world) is interesting & clever. A grown up version of Harry Potter where people use magic in their sexual relationships & just casually to hurt each other. But without an emotional connection to anyone living in either of those worlds it was tough to really get into the story. There are two more books in the series, which I may come back to sometime, but usually after the first book of a trilogy, I can’t wait to get started on the next one. This time, not so much. Next book is Whipping Girl, which is one of those books I somehow missed when it came out & then it was outdated so I skipped it, but with the new addition now in audio format finally, I’m looking forward to it. Suggested by Quinn, although I later learned he had only seen the show and not read the book before recommending it. *** Theresa: Totally agreed with that assessment, which is why I totally prefer the SyFy series, which is so much better at character development. Me: I am quite enjoying that series, which seems smarter, too. That scene where Elliot and Margo/Janet talk all in code was amazing. "Best Buffy episode ever?" "Musical?" "No, the other one." And they put in the "English subtitles," that was delightful. But, it is still light on character, heavy on plot, which makes for a guilty pleasure tv show. And the characters are definitely more likable and act consistent with their developed character in the show. Michele: Did Quinn enjoy the Magicians? Me: He didn't read it. He just told me I should read it. He does like the tv show, though. *** My kid recommended I read this, although I am not even sure that he actually read it before he suggested it.  Stiff. Mary Roach. 2003. Stiff (Kelly): Cannibalism, head & brain transplants on live puppies and primates, testing on decapitated heads, and the medical testing and health benefits of various cadaver body parts. Too much for me. I finished it. Best thing about it is that if I was craving food, this would put an end to that. Not on my recommend list.
Next up: The Magicians. Recommended by Kelly: Stiff by Mary Roach Kim: She has so many good ones, Boink is also a favorite! Kelly: I agree! Those footnotes!!! The rat in polyester pants! *** Comments: Jane: I loved it. Take what you will from that. Me: I’ve no doubt I’ve loved books that would make you vomit. Jane: I am also the person who made my ob/gyn hold up my uterus so Jonathan could get good photos, and the person who asked to take my removed veins home when my legs were stripped. Me: I still love you even if we need to differ on these quirks. Me: And I’m going to borrow your book to see if the footnotes make a difference. |
AuthorI'll read anything a friend recommends & I love telling people what I think about it. Every year, I read 50 books recommended by 50 different friends. Welcome to My 50 Bookish Friends Blog. SearchCategories
All
|
RSS Feed