The Book Blogger

Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck~★★★★★

2011-07-23T12:38:00.001-05:00

Author: John Steinbeck

Title: Of Mice and Men

Release Date: First released in 1937; this edition released January 1st, 2003

Publisher: First released by Covici Friede; this edition published by Highbridge Audio, Unabridged edition; read by Gary Sinise
Genre: Fiction

Audio Book Cover: "Clinging to each other in their loneliness and alientation, George and his simple-minded friend Lenny (this appears to be a typo of the publisher; his name is spelled Lennie in the book from what I can find) dream, as drifters will, of a place to call their own. But after they come to work on a ranch in the Salinas Valley, their hopes, like 'the best laid schemes o' mice an' men,' begin to go awry. Steinbeck's tale of commitment, loneliness, hope, and loss remains one of America's most widely read and beloved novels."

Taryn's Review: I had not expected this book to have the powerful emotional pull that it had. I really had no idea what the book was about when I started it, and it really left me contemplating the decision that George had to make.

Gary Sinise read the book beautifully and Steinbeck did a marvelous job with the story. His story really highlights the complexity of things that are sometimes deemed black-and-white. His words grab you and you are able to connect with them more and more throughout the book without necessarily realizing that you are sympathetic. I cried at the end of the book! I am glad I was listening to it on the way home from work rather than to work when the book ended otherwise I would have looked like a mess!

In a way, the book shook me up a little. It really made me think about guilt, justice, and intent. George and Lennie's relationship is reminiscent of watching a big brother take care of a younger one; the protection, the harshness, the gentleness; we all know those emotions in our own close relationships and when it comes down to it, George was dealt a cruel choice in life to have to make. I definitely recommend this book. It's a rather short book, so whether you listen or read, it is worth the time. The audio book does have an annoying harmonica at the beginning, but it goes away rather quickly.

Citizen Girl by Emma McLaughlin and Nicola Kraus~★★

2011-07-07T20:49:00.001-05:00

Authors: Emma McLaughlin and Nicola Kraus
Title: Citizen Girl
Release Date: November 16th, 2004
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio, abridged edition; read by the authors
Genre: Fiction

Audio Book Cover: "Working in a world where a college degree qualifies her to make photocopies and color-coordinate file folders, twenty-four year old Girl is struggling to keep up with the essential trinity of food, shelter, and student loans. So when she finally lands the job of her dreams she ignores her misgivings and concentrates on getting the job done...whatever that may be."

Taryn's Review: I kept waiting for this book to get better. I kept wondering what exactly this book was about. I kept wondering if I should quit listening to this book.

I don't know if the authors were trying to be cutesy or what, but the main character's name was Girl. Her boss's name was Guy. They worked for My Company. Other characters had actual names, but I don't understand why Girl was Girl. The authors also read the book, which I think wasn't a good choice. The author made every guy sound like a transplanted California surfer living in NYC. I think she did a fine job reading as Girl, but perhaps a professional actor would have a been a better choice to read the book since the rest of the characters sounded similar.

Girl seemed annoying and overly needy. Her relationship with her boyfriend looked like a train wreck. The end of this book left me bewildered. When I thought the book couldn't get worse, it, in fact, did with the ending. It's possible that my confusion could be due to the fact that this edition of the book was abridged, meaning scenes or dialogue was cut for whatever reason. If that is the reason, they shouldn't abridge books this way. If the book just was poor, abridging it didn't make a difference. Avoid this book. I've heard the authors did well with their first book, The Nanny Diaries, but at this moment, I'm not sure I'd pick it up after reading the mess that is Citizen Girl.

The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake by Aimee Bender~★★★

2011-06-30T22:27:00.001-05:00

Author: Aimee Bender
Title: The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake
Release Date: June 1st, 2010
Publisher: Doubleday
Genre: Fiction

Book Jacket: "On the eve of her ninth birthday, unassuming Rose Edelstein, a girl at the periphery of schoolyard games and her distracted parents' attention, bites into her mother's homemade lemon-chocolate cake and discovers she has a magical gift: she can taste her mother's emotions in the slice.
She discovers this gift to her horror, for her mother-her cheerful, good-with-crafts, can-do mother-tastes of despair and desperation. Suddenly, and for the rest of her life, food becomes a peril and a threat to Rose. Anything can be revealed at any meal. She can't eat her brother Joseph's toast; a cookie at the local bakery is laced with rage; grape jelly is packed with acidic resentment.
Rose's gift forces her to confront the secret knowledge all families keep hidden-truths about her mother's life outside the home, her father's strange detachment, Joseph's clash with the world.
Yet as Rose grows up, she realizes there are some secrets that even her taste buds cannot discern."

Taryn's Review: I was so excited when I began reading this. The "gift" that Rose discovered was so fascinating and my imagination ran wild with the ways the author could spin a fantastic tale. Can you even imagine being able to taste people's feelings and emotions in the food they prepared? I was so impressed with this idea!

However, I never felt like Bender flourished with her thought. The book became stale and the focus shifted often to Joseph, Rose's brother. I could not get into Joseph's "gift" (not even sure to call it that) and was very bored with it. The building suspense of Rose and George, Joseph's best friend, was also a letdown to me. It felt like background noise that shouldn't have been there when it finally came to a conclusion.

I finished the book asking why Bender chose the route for the book that she did. I found Rose's father and mother to be so well-written. The entire story of how they met and how Rose's mother believed in signs and how Rose's father had manipulated the signs in attracting his future wife, while sad, caught me in its pull; you could feel the burden of revelation of Rose's mother's "signs" in her character's actions. Bender, unfortunately, seemed to abandon that aspect and focused on Joseph again. When Rose's father revealed a secret about his own father, I thought, "Brilliant twist!" and I anticipated Bender's inclusion of this into Rose's mindset, or perhaps even in Rose's plans for her future. It didn't do either and I felt deflated that such an amazing secret went nowhere.

I think Bender is a gifted writer (sans her lack of quotation marks - ugh! Quotation marks please!), but the novel didn't meld together the way a good recipe does. The ingredients were there, but a little too much of this and not enough of that made for a mediocre read. I'll definitely read another book by Bender, but I probably wouldn't recommend this book to many.

A Farewell to Arms by Ernest Hemingway~★★★★★

2011-06-17T12:38:00.001-05:00

Author: Ernest Hemingway

Title: A Farewell to Arms

Release Date: First released 1929; this edition released May 1st, 2006

Publisher: First published by Scribner's Magazine; this edition published by Simon & Schuster Audio, Unabridged edition; read by John Slattery
Genre: Fiction

Audio Book Cover: "The best American novel to emerge from World War I, A Farewell to Arms is the unforgettable story of an American ambulance driver on the Italian front and his passion for a beautiful English nurse. Hemingway's frank portrayal of the love between Lieutenant Henry and Catherine Barkley, caught in the inexorable sweep of war, glows with an intensity unrivaled in modern literature, which his description of the German attack on Caporetto---of lines of fired men marching in the rain, hungry, weary, and demoralized---is one of the greatest moments in literary history. A story of love and pain, of loyalty and desertion, A Farewell to Arms, written when he was 30 years old, represents a new romanticism for Hemingway."

Taryn's Review: Oh my, oh my. To say I loved this book feels like such an understatement. Hemingway's style of writing was so modern that at first I couldn't believe this book was published in 1929. It is extremely easy to relate with and Hemingway writes like you or I would talk to our friends.

The story is haunting. Hemingway's book highlights how very quickly life courses can be altered by events out of our control (or are they?). When Lieutenant Henry meets Catherine, I thought Catherine might be a little crazy. I laughed out loud when Henry followed up my thought and said, "I thought she might be a little crazy." The dialogue between the two was mesmerizingly simple, and I absolutely adored it.

Henry's time with the Italian army was also grabbed my attention. I'm not usually one to look forward to battle or army scenes in a book, but in this book I didn't mind at all. I think the Italian flare added with the Italian words kept me on my toes. I listened to the book, but hearing the narrator read those words makes me want to learn Italian, stat!

John Slattery did a fantastic job narrating the book. I can't speak more highly of his ability to change dialects smoothly and he offered quite the variety to the listener.

I can't wait to pick up another Hemingway novel. I'm not necessarily a fan of Hemingway the person, but his talent for writing and making human emotions shine through printed words was amazing. The book isn't a book you'll walk away from feeling happy. It will haunt you, but personally, the toying with my emotions and pushing me to think on an uncomfortable level is what I love in an author's work. This book did that for me, and paved the way for a romanticism that still exists in books today. Give this book a try soon!

The Saint of Lost Things by Christopher Castellani~★★★

2011-06-13T22:30:00.000-05:00

Author: Christopher Castellani
Title: The Saint of Lost Things
Release Date: October 3rd, 2006
Publisher: Berkley Trade
Genre: Fiction

Book Jacket: "It is 1953 in the tight-knit Italian neighborhood in Wilmington, Delaware. In the shadow of St. Anthony's Church, named for the patron saint of lost things, lives the Grasso family. Young Maddalena, a seamstress pregnant with her first child, misses the rolling hills and olive groves of the small Italian town where she was born and longs for her sisters and her mother and father---all so distant, so far away from America. Maddalena's mercurial husband, Antonio, feels lucky to be in the land of opportunity and dreams of opening his own restaurant, until he becomes unwittingly embroiled in his friends' vengeful plot against a neighbor.
Down the street from the Grassos lives Giulio Fabbri, a shy accordion player, still single at forty, who's lost his beloved parents and has dreams of his own: to leave the shelter of his childhood home and reinvent himself.
When Maddalena falls dangerously ill and Antonio's and Giulio's faith is challenged, the prayers of these troubled but steadfast people are heard, and fate and circumstances conspire to answer them in unforeseeable ways.
With great affection and a profound understanding of human frailty and perseverance, Christopher Castellani brings to life a bittersweet time when the world seemed more intimate and knowable, and the American Dream simpler, noble, and within reach."

Taryn's Review: I wish I would have known this was a sequel before I read it. I read the blurb about the author and noticed he was referenced for his "award-winning...A Kiss from Maddalena." Maddalena is the main character of this book, so I was inclined to believe this might be a sequel, but the book jacket didn't indicate it was, so I read it anyway.

While I liked the book, it moved really slowly for me. During my reading, at times I could feel that there was a back story to Maddalena that I wasn't understanding, which made me frustrated that it wasn't more clear that his was the 2nd book.

I do not understand why Giulio (who is Julian most of the book...book jacket fail) is such a part of this story. Again, this could be lost on me because I didn't read the first book. If he wasn't in that book, then I'm not sure if Castellani is planning a 3rd book with Julian as a primary character and will be adding more depth to him. I kept wondering, "Why is Julian such a large part of this book? Why doesn't he sing? Why does Maddalena like him? Is there something I am supposed to know about him that I don't?"

I think the book is fascinating as far as giving a glimpse into the life of an immigrant family during the 1950s, especially in a place like Wilmington. Maddalena and Antonio most likely have a rather "typical" relationship for their situation, which is sad but important to realize. Antonio is not likeable very often and his feelings were confusing for me to understand. I'm not sure if the author alluded to an inappropriate relationship Antonio had with a woman while married, or if he meant that Antonio had a history with the girl before he married Maddalena. Is this explained in the first book? I don't know.

I wouldn't say not to read this book, but I would suggest reading A Kiss from Maddalena first. I had to give it 3 stars because of the confusion I felt while reading the book. Whether this is the publisher's fault for not marketing this as a sequel or the author for thinking anyone could pick up this book and clearly connect to it without reading the first is not known by me. Castellani is a good writer and I loved his Italian perspective, so I'd read him again, but hopefully the author or publisher can do a better job guiding the reader as to what book they should begin with.

Bossypants by Tina Fey~★★★★

2011-06-04T13:04:00.001-05:00

Author: Tina Fey

Title: Bossypants

Release Date: April 5th, 2011

Publisher: Hachette Audio, unabridged edition; read by Tina Fey

Genre: Non-Fiction

Audio Book Cover: "Before Liz Lemon, before 'Weekend Update,' before 'Sarah Palin,' Tina Fey was just a young girl with a dream: a recurring stress dream that she was being chased through a local airport by her middle-school gym teacher. She also had a dream that one day she would be a comedian on TV.
She has seen both these dreams come true.
At last, Tina Fey's story can be told. From her youthful days as a vicious nerd to her tour of duty on Saturday Night Live; from her passionately halfhearted pursuit of physical beauty to her life as a mother eating things off the floor; from her one-sided college romance to her nearly fatal honeymoon---from the beginning this paragraph to this final sentence.
Tina Fey reveals all, and proves what we've all suspected: you're no one until someone calls you bossy."

Taryn's Review: I will tell you that I love Tina Fey. I fell in love with her after seeing an episode of 30 Rock. I always was aware of her, but I didn't realize how awesome she was until that show. Funnily enough, the episode that Fey talks about in depth on the CD titled "Black Tie" is the one I first saw. She talked about how they all thought the absurdity of the episode would surely turn away potential viewers and/or get them canceled. It was the episode that hooked me as a 30 Rock lover!

The book felt like a memoir at first. Fey reminisces about her childhood, her high school theater club, and college. It was fun, but I kept wanting more detail. I wasn't sure why she wasn't explaining these things more, and as the book progressed, it turned more toward a commentary about Fey's career. I must stress that while I enjoyed both sections, they felt a little funny together, thus my 4 star rating. For example, Fey stresses as a young adult how much she loved really white boys and writes about a couple of boys she fell for. However, she suddenly is married in the book with no mention of how her and her husband Jeff met, dated, or anything. She discusses their honeymoon, but I wanted to know about how Jeff and Tina fell in love (aww).

I know Fey can be a private person and perhaps that is why she chose to only share select memories. I did very much enjoy her talking about her time at SNL and 30 Rock. You can definitely see parallels between her real life stories and what is incorporated into the show. Fey read the story herself, which was fun. She's quirky and that shows in her voice, which for me, made it fun. .

Pick up the book if you enjoy Tina Fey or a laugh. She's talented no doubt. She comments a lot on society, life, and pop culture. It's not necessarily a book you can read or listen to in 50 years and know who she's talking about, but for now, it provides giggles and grins. And in closing, I urge you to look up Jersey Floor episode 2 and watch Fey..."I wanna make babies with you!" That's the Fey I love!

When You Are Engulfed in Flames by David Sedaris~ ★★★★★

2011-05-29T13:42:00.001-05:00

Author: David Sedaris
Title: When You Are Engulfed in Flames
Release Date: June 3rd, 2008
Publisher: Hachette Audio, unabridged; read by David Sedaris
Genre: Non-Fiction (with fiction)

Audio Book Cover: "David Sedaris's remarkable ability to uncover the hilarious absurdity teeming just below the surface of everyday life is elevated to wilder and more entertaining heights than ever in this new book of essays.
Sedaris proceeds from the bizarre conundrums of daily life---the etiquette of having a lozenge fall from your mouth into the lap of a fellow passenger or how to soundproof your windows against neurotic songbirds with LP covers---to the most deeply resonant human truths. Taking in the parasitic worm that once lived in his mother-in-law's leg, an encounter with a dingo, and the purchase of a human skeleton, and culminating in a brilliant account of his attempt to quit smoking---in Tokyo---David Sedaris's sixth collection is a fresh masterpiece of comic writing."

Taryn's Review: In 2008 I listened to Sedaris's book Me Talk Pretty One Day on my daily commute to work. I loved his writing, but what made the book even better was listening to Sedaris's voice inflections and his perfection at storytelling. I needed a laugh and this book caught my eye. Perfect.

Sedaris didn't disappoint. Hearing him read the words only added to the hilarity. Often I found myself laughing down the highway and looking forward to car trips to listen to more essays by Sedaris. Two of my favorite were about the sitter Ms. Peacock and the driver in NY that had some peculiar advice for Sedaris. Sedaris tells a great story and so many of them not only grab your attention, but keep you hooked throughout the end of the book. Sedaris really has a gift for acknowledging the little things in life, as well as pointing out the hilarity that we all miss day-to-day.

Sedaris's humor will not be liked by everyone. He's blunt and honest, uses curse words from time-to-time, and can get pretty graphic. However, I quite enjoy his perspective and for me, the addition of having it read by Sedaris enriches the entertainment value. He's a funny guy and I always look forward to his work.

The Summer We Read Gatsby by Danielle Ganek~★★

2011-05-26T21:49:00.000-05:00

Author: Danielle Ganek
Title: The Summer We Read Gatsby
Release Date: May 27th, 2010
Publisher: Viking Adult
Genre: Fiction

Book Jacket: "Cassie is a serious journalist with her feet firmly planted on the ground; Peck is a vintage-obsessed actress with her head in the clouds. In fact, the only thing the Moriarty sisters seem to have in common is their inheritance of Fool's House, a ramshackle cottage left to them by their beloved Aunt Lydia.
Equipped with only a flimsy will, the advice of a few neighbors, and Aunt Lydia's instruction that they 'seek a thing of utmost value' within the cottage, the girls must resolve not only what to do with Fool's House but also their disparate notions of what makes a family and how to respect their sisterly differences.
Set in the end-of-an-era summer of 2009, The Summer We Read Gatsby is filled with fabulous parties, romantic entanglement, and a cast of eccentric characters. As she did in Lulu Meets God and Doubts Him, Ganek, with her pitch-perfect sense of style and wit, indulges our secret desire to peek into a rarefied world in this lively and mischievous romp through one of Long Island's most famous neighborhoods."

Taryn's Review: Again, I was intoxicated the by summery title and picture. It seduced me and before I knew it, the book was in the bag. Unfortunately, my selection of summer books is letting me down thus far.

Beginning this book, I was confused as to where exactly this book was taking place. As someone who has never lived and knows very little about New York and the Hamptons, I was lost at first and Ganek didn't make it clear regarding the area she was talking about. With Cassie being called a foreigner in the beginning of the book and then all this talk of Southampton and such, I wasn't sure if the book's plot was taking place in England and Peck was referring to America and NYC because she loved them, or if the book was taking place in the U.S. and the Hamptons was short for very British sounding town names (again, let me stress I am super naive when it comes to anything East Coast related). I felt like Ganek made the assumption I should know this, and I didn't, and I know a lot of people who also would have no clue.

The book was slow and had a very thinly veiled plot. I think if you're an avid reader, you will immediately suspect the person behind the "mystery" that occurred. Also, the idea of the aunt wanting strained sisters to find something of the "utmost value" in her house while requiring them to live there for a month? Who really believes this refers to an object?

Cassie was a very dull protagonist. Peck may have been dramatic and flamboyant, but at least she captured my attention. Love was also a oddity in this book. Cassie has an admirer apparently for years who swooned from a quiet distance and then proclaimed his love after one awful date and one good date. Peck mythologized her romantic relationship with a man, but seems to have the desire to rekindle the flame once she realizes how much money he has, despite his lies to her.

I loved The Great Gatsby. I don't find this book did it much justice as far as homages go. I don't even want to attempt to draw parallels because I think that would be insulting to Fitzgerald. Find yourself a better summer read, as there are many out there. I don't think I would read another Ganek book; her writing wasn't that strong nor did her story sweep me into the dreamy book world we all want when we start reading a new book. I hate to be harsh, but I was really disappointed in this one.

Stranded in Paradise by Lori Copeland~★★1/2

2011-05-22T10:04:00.001-05:00

Author: Lori Copeland
Title: Stranded in Paradise
Release Date: September 16th, 2002

Publisher: Thomas Nelson

Genre: Fiction

Book Cover: "Tess Nelson is poised to take a well-deserved step up the corporate ladder when it's yanked out from under her With no job and nothing to fill her days---just a nonrefundable ticket for a trip to Hawaii---Tess decides a tropical vacation is just what she needs. But Tess's journey to paradise is a disaster from the beginning. First she sprains her ankle at the airport. Then there's the lost contact lens and the lost luggage, the lightning storm at a luau, and the hotel fire. Not to mention the approaching hurricane. And the attractive, annoying young man who keeps crossing her path---and really shaking her up. All Tess wants to do is get her life back under control. But God, it seems, has something else in mind---like opening her heart to everything her life could be."

Taryn's Review: I picked up this book on a beautiful warm day that gave hints of the glorious summer to come. Technically I'm on summer vacation from school, but work is the focal point of my summer. A little tropical escape via a book seemed like a good idea since sitting in an office is my only plan for the summer!

When I checked out this book, I had no idea that it was a Christian book. This in itself did not deter me. What did turn me off was the simplicity of the book. It is written in a very basic manner. For me, it really lacked the complexity that a strong writer brings to such a book. Also, Copeland had the book moving at a super speed with no character development. She tried to tie in bigger themes, but it just didn't work. The book also had one character slipping up a saying her house was built by her late husband, but later she says her mother left them the house.

The way that Copeland had the Christian characters bringing God to the main character was so stereotypical of what people believe Christian books are and why they choose not to pick them up. I'm not saying that it isn't good that the characters open up their beliefs to Tess, but I feel like in real life someone who was adamantly against God would have shut down when some old woman starts saying in it was "meant to be" that they all meet and would have been turned off. Was the point that Tess was ready to open her heart to God and they were just the mechanism God used? I didn't feel like Tess really had to be convinced of anything and the supporting characters simply threw around their beliefs a few times and voila! Tess is changed. I only stress this because the author wanted us to believe that Tess had a horrible childhood with a verbally abusive mother and a drunk for a father, and Copeland played on Tess's unwillingness to trust. Tess, however, easily forgave her mother after years of pain and hurt when her mother does a simple nice gesture, but not her employer after he realized he made the wrong choice and apologized profusely? That seems off. And let me not get started on how Carter and Tess apparently fell in love throughout this "ordeal." It seemed really forced and not natural, but that could be Copeland's flaw since character development was weak.

This was a hard book for me to review because I feel bad not liking a Christian novel, but I also wanted to be fair and critque all books the same. I admire the goal here. I appreciate that Copeland wanted to write a light-hearted Christian narrative. But ultimately, the book was very underwhelming. I most likely would not pick up a novel by Copeland again. I'll give Christian literature a try in the future sometime, but I wouldn't recommend this one to read to anyone, Christian or not.

My Name Is Memory by Ann Brashares~★★★★★

2011-05-10T12:35:00.004-05:00

Title: My Name Is Memory

Author: Ann Brashares
Release Date: June 1st, 2010
Publisher: Penguin Audiobooks, unabridged; read by Kathe Mazur and Lincoln Hoppe
Genre: Fiction

Audio Book Cover: "Lucy Broward is an ordinary girl growing up in the Virginia suburbs, soon to head off to college. As she prepares for her last high school dance, she allows herself to hope that this might be the night her elusive crush, Daniel Grey, finally notices her. As the events of the night unfold, though, Lucy discovers that Daniel is much more complicated than she imagined, and perceives that there's something going on here that she really doesn't understand. Why does he call her Sophia? And why does it make her feel so strange?
Daniel Grey is no ordinary young man. Daniel has 'the memory,' the ability to recall past lives and recognize the souls of those he's previously known. And he has spend centuries falling in love with the same girl. Life after life, crossing continents and dynasties, he and Lucy (despite her changing name and form) have been drawn together---and he remembers it all. It is both a gift and a curse. For all the many times they have come together throughout history, they have also been torn painfully, fatally, apart. A love always too short.
As we watch Daniel and Lucy's relationship unfold during the present day, interwoven are glimpses of their history together. From sixth century Asia Minor to 1918 England to 1972 Virginia, the two souls share a long and sometimes tortuous path of seeking each other time and again. But just when Lucy begins to awaken to the secret of her past, to understand her relationship to Sophia, and to understand the true reason for the strength of her attraction to Daniel, the mysterious force that has torn them apart in the past reappears. Ultimately, they must confront not just their complicated history, but a persisent adversary as well, if they are ever to spend a lifetime together.
Written with the imaginative, emotionally resonant storytelling that has become Ann Brashares's trademark, and with a profound understanding of what it feels like to fall in love and grieve for it, My Name Is Memory is a deeply romantic and transporting novel---the story of a love that lasts more than a lifetime."

Taryn's Review: I loved this book. I don't say that very often, but this particular story enveloped me in a way that a book hasn't in a long time. I adored long drives in the car because it meant more time for me to listen to the book! The cover of the book caught my eye with its blue-green water, sparkling in the sun, and I selected it based off the cover. I am so pleased that I did!

Brashares is a beautiful writer. Her word choices are so precise and perfect that it makes the novel flow with a wonderful smoothness. The story is compelling and very different from anything I've read. In some ways, it reminded me of The Time Traveler's Wife, but in my opinion, better. Daniel's memory is fascinating and his ability to take us throughout the past, his lives, and his love of Sophia/Lucy is mesmerizing. I must commend the actors reading this book because they both did a fantastic job. Enchantment with the voices made me forget that actors were reading and I was able to feel like Daniel and Lucy were telling the story with their own voices.

I am not normally a fan of love stories or romance novels because they usually end up feeling so predictable. This was different. I was desperate for Daniel and Lucy/Sophia to meet again, for Lucy to realize how long Daniel has loved her, and how long she has loved him. The context combined with Brashares's writing style created a perfect story for me.

However, I was horrified that Brashares ended the book so loosely and in my mind, I demanded that there must be sequel in the work. Much to my pleasure, the book is the first in a trilogy! I cannot wait to read the next one and I highly suggest this book to anyone who loves a great story, especially a love story.

Deep Dish by Mary Kay Andrews~★★★

2011-05-08T13:35:00.002-05:00

Author: Mary Kay Andrews

Title: Dish Deep

Release Date: February 24th, 2009

Publisher: HarperAudio; Abridged Edition, read by Isabel Keating

Genre: Fiction

Audio Book Cover: "Chef extraordinaire Gina Foxton doesn't expect anything to be handed to her on a platter. After years of hard work, she's now the host of her own local Georgia public television show called Fresh Start, and she's dating the show's producer.

But when her show gets canceled---and she hears about her boyfriend's being in flagrante delicto with the boss's wife---Gina realizes that she's meant for bigger and better things. The Cooking Channel is looking or its next big star, and Gina is certain that she fits the bill. Trouble is, the execs alos have their eyes on Tate Moody, the star of a hunting, fishing, and cooking show. Little does Gina know, though, that she and Tate are soon to embark on the cook-off of their lives, spiced up by a little ingredient called love."

Taryn's Review: I had fun listening to this book because as I've said before, I love cooking and eating, so the setting of the book really intrigued me. The story begins in Atlanta, Georgia, and Gina is modeled as a younger spin-off of Paula Deen but with "healthy" Southern recipes (lol, who wants healthy Southern cooking? Give me cream and butter!). I think, once again, had the book cover not given away that Gina's boyfriend had an affair, that would have helped us as a reader connect to Gina and her emotions of the break-up.

I liked Tate Moody's character and his cooking show, which surprised me in a good way. What I didn't like it how unclear it was to me that Tate and Gina had fallen in love with each other. When they start saying how they felt, I was kind of shocked. When did this happen? I don't know if the author was going for a love-at-first sight angle, but if so, it flew over my head. When Gina threw herself at Tate looking for a good time, it hardly sounded like love to me, but apparently that is what it was (so the book said!).

Listening to books makes it hard for me to go back and check things, but I'm fairly positive I caught a mistake. Gina originally ends up giving a ride to Iris, twin of Inez, and while taking her home, they converse and become acquaintances. Tate ended up borrowing items from Inez and talking with her. Later, Gina finds out it was Inez who helped Tate out. I only remember this because when Iris was talking to Gina, she told Gina that Inez was older than her and in my mind, I told myself that Inez came before the name Iris alphabetically, so it was fitting that she was older and was given that name (I never said my mind worked normally, lol!). Anyway, later in the book when Tate and Gina are out together, they talk about how the twin sisters helped them, but it seemed to me the author mixed them up. Gina talked about how Inez helped her during the competition after Inez realized that Iris had helped Tate. In reality, Inez helped Tate and Iris helped Gina. If I'm wrong, feel free to correct me. Again, I don't have the book on hand and I don't have time to skip through the cds right now.

Overall, this passed the time well. After the climax with the Cooking Channel, the book became terribly cheesy. I almost turned it off and I harshly rolled my eyes at the last line due to the cheesiness of the cooking show name! I'm going to call this book a nice little beach read, but unfortunately the way the book played out in the end really turned me off from the story. I think had the author ended the book sooner and not had Gina become obsessed over something so trivial when she supposedly had found the love of her life would have made the book end on a high note.

Garlic and Sapphires by Ruth Reichl~★★★★1/2

2011-04-24T12:00:00.001-05:00

Author: Ruth Reichl

Title: Garlic and Sapphires: The Secret Life of a Critic in Disguise

Release Date: April 5th, 2005

Publisher: Random House Audio; Abridged Edition, read by author

Genre: Non-Fiction

Audio Book Cover: "Garlic and Sapphires is Ruth Reichl's delicious and compulsively readable account of her experience undercover in her position as food critic for The New York Times. She throws back the curtain on the sumptuously appointed stages of the epicurean world to reveal the comic absurdity, artifice and excellence there, giving us her remarkable reflections on role playing and identity.
Reichl knows that to be a good restaurant critic you have to be anonymous, but when she signs up to be the most important restaurant critic in the country, her picture is posted in every four-star, low-star, and no-star kitchen in town. Managers offer cash bonuses for advance notice of her visits and roll out the red carpet whether she likes it or not.
And so begins Reichl's 'adventures in deception.' She dons a frumpy blond wig and an off-season beige Armani suit, and thus, Molly Hollis, the retired high school teacher from Birmingham, Michigan, nouveau riche from her husband's real estate speculation, is born. Molly is duly ignored, mishandled and condescended to by the high-power staff at Le Cirque. The result: Reichl's famous double review, first as she ate there as Molly and then as she was coddled and pampered on her visit there as Ruth, New York Times food critic.
When restaurateurs learn to watch for Molly, Reichl buys another wig and becomes someone else, and then someone else again. As Reichl metes out her critical stars, she gives a remarkable account of how one's outer appearance can influence one's inner character, expectations and appetites. She writes, 'Every restaurant is a theater...even the modest restaurants offer the opportunity to become someone else, at least for a little while."

Taryn's Review: While at the library looking for new books to read and listen to, I was hungry. I was thinking about food and how much I wanted to eat. I still had to run to the store after my library trip, so I also knew it would be a while before anything entered my stomach. While scanning my eyes across the very bottom row of audio books, I focused on what looked like spaghetti on the cover and was sold, lol!

I remember vaguely hearing about this book when it came out, but then it fell off my radar. I'm very glad to have found it again because I so enjoyed listening to this book. Reichl loves food, as do I, so I really enjoyed her descriptions of the meals she was eating. It was really fascinating to even think of having a job as a food critic.

Reichl's view that she needed to be anonymous while eating was really refreshing. She was right; if the restaurant knew it was her, she was treated like royalty. I read a few reviews where people commented that they didn't think Reichl had to go so deep into character, but I liked that. Seeing how the restaurant chose to treat various kinds of people, even the annoying kind, might be worth noting. Besides, I think we all know at least one person whose manners are less-than-stellar, so I don't believe Reichl was too far off in re-enacting other personas.

Reichl is a strong writer and I had a very easy time imagining the food sitting in front of me. She also read the CD; I love when authors read their books when the book is from their own personal perspective. I'm not a fan when authors do this for fiction books, but Reichl is writing as Reichl, so it worked. I must say, I was also pretty impressed with her varying voices for her characters!

I loved traveling along with Reichl to the next restaurant and seeing who she was become next. This book was a wonderful break from the end-of-semester doldrums lurking about and I highly recommend you give it a try. The more you appreciate food, the more you'll probably like the book. I don't know that someone who doesn't know much about food will really "get into" Reichl's food descriptions and might not enjoy it as much. My only complaint about the book was that the sense of time was hard to grasp in the book. I really don't know how long she was at the New York Times and didn't really get a feel if the characters she presented were the only ones she used or if there were others she didn't talk about. I also would have liked to know her husband's thoughts on her going out with another man on a date while in character, even if it was in the name of food!

The Myth of Nations by Patrick J. Geary~★★★★

2011-04-23T12:30:00.013-05:00

Author: Patrick J. Geary

Title: The Myth of Nations: The Medieval Origins of Europe

Release Date: January 13th, 2003

Publisher: Princeton University Press

Genre: Non-Fiction

Book Cover: "Modern-day Europeans by the millions proudly trace back their national identities to the Celts, Franks, Gauls, Goths, Huns, or Serbs---or some combination of the various peoples who inhabited, traversed, or pillaged their continent more than a thousand years ago. According to Patrick Geary, this is historical nonsense. The idea that national character is fixed for all time in a simpler, distant past is groundless. In this unflinching study, Geary dismantles the nationalist myths about how the nations of Europe were born. Through rigorous analysis set in lucid prose, he contrasts the myths with the actual history of Europe's transformation between the fourth and ninth centuries---the period of grand migrations that nationalists hold dear. This book will be intensely debated by all who understand that an unchanging history that reduces the complexities of many centuries to a single, eternal moment isn't history at all."

Taryn's Review: I love books that shake things up and create a stir. Patrick J. Geary comes in and turns things upside down by throwing out a new concept for people to consider.

I'm warning everyone now: I know nothing about European history. I am a United States historian and even as an undergrad, I only took one European history class and it began in the fifteenth century, I believe, so it didn't touch anything in the book that Geary is talking about. I don't know if he's right on what he's talking about and honestly, that isn't the crux of what interested me. What did grab my attention was Geary's suggestion that the history of people and the use of genealogy might need reviewed. He is a medieval historian at UCLA, so I should hope he knows what he's saying regarding the history he uses to prove his point.

Geary looks at the various groups and talks about the different reasons people changed names and left or joined other groups. Sometimes it was willingly, sometimes not. The book really makes you think about identity and ethnicity and the ideas that create each. It's not a very easy book to read, but if you like a challenge, it's a good one. It makes you consider some new ideas, which is always good for the mind, too!

American Chronicles: The Civil War compiled by NPR~★★★★★

2011-04-22T11:45:00.007-05:00

Compiler: National Public Radio (NPR)

Title: American Chronicles: The Civil War

Release Date: March 22nd, 2011

Publisher: Highbridge Company

Genre: Non-Fiction

Audio Cover: "NPR captures the battlefield action, the personal struggles, and the moral dilemmas of the war that pitted brother against brother, family against family. This revealing collection of Civil War stories features gripping history, expert commentary, and unforgettable voices."

Taryn's Review: I struggled as to whether I should review this or not since technically it's not a book. However, they feature a lot of books within the topics, so that was good enough for me (and it's my blog, ha!).

I was given this to listen to by a coworker. I enjoy history about the Civil War, but it's not something I go out of my way to learn about. This CD collection surprised me by how much I enjoyed listening to. It's broken down into segments and each highlight a different area of the war. I liked some segments more than others, but overall I learned something from each one. It's also great because it offers quick stories and the opportunity for frequent breaks, so someone listening in the car who is only driving short distances might really enjoy this for a few days or someone who gets antsy after listening for too long might also like it a lot. I also loved hearing Shelby Foote's voice!

If you personally have an interest in the Civil War, definitely give this CD collection a listen. I think it'd would also be a great gift for a Civil War buff. It also offers a lot of suggestions for more reading since most of the historians they interview had recently published a book on the topic.

Just Breathe by Susan Wiggs~★★★1/2

2011-04-18T08:55:00.004-05:00

Author: Susan Wiggs

Title: Just Breathe

Release Date: April 28th, 2009

Publisher: Brillance Audio on CD Value Priced; Abridged Edition, read by Sandra Burr

Genre: Fiction

Audio Book Cover: (Warning: This book cover contains spoilers). "Chicago cartoonist Sarah Moon tackles life's real issues with a healthy dose of sharp wit in her syndicated comic strip Just Breathe. As Sarah's cartoon alter ego, Shirl, undergoes artificial insemination, her situation begins to mirror Sarah's own difficult attempts to conceive. However, Sarah's dreams of the future did not include her husband's infidelity: snag number two in Sarah's so-called perfect life.

With Chicago---and her marriage---in the rearview mirror, she flees to the small Northern California coastal town where she grew up, a place she couldn't wait to leave. Now she finds herself revisiting the past---an emotionally distant father and the unanswered questions left by her mother's death. As she comes to terms with her lost marriage, Sarah encounters a man she never expected to meet again: Will Bonner, the high school heartthrob she'd skewed mercilessly in her old comics. Now a local firefighter, he's been through some changes himself. But just as her heart is about to reawaken, Sarah discovers she is pregnant. With her ex's twins.
It's hardly the most traditional of new beginnings, but who says life and love are predictable...or perfect? The winds of change have led Sarah here. Now all she can do is just close her eyes...and breathe."

Taryn's Review: The book cover for this book totally gives away what could have been a huge surprise for the reader. The comments that Sarah makes regarding the spoiler would have been fun to overlook or assume they are due to the situation between Sarah and Jack and the shock the reader would have felt along with Sarah would perhaps have helped the reader feel closer to Sarah. However, whoever wrote the blurb disagreed, and in my opinion, that was a huge mistake. I know as a reader I love twists and turns and surprises in some books. In this one, I hated knowing something about Sarah that she didn't know, especially since the book is often told from Sarah's perspective.

Being my first reading of a Wiggs book, I think she really shined with her portrayal of Aurora, Will's stepdaughter. The flighty emotions, the rudeness, the momentary sweetness: Wiggs really did a great job with Aurora. My only squabble was when Aurora used the phrase "gee whiz" and a friend of hers used the term "fly" in reference to something being cool. I'm quite confident that neither of these phrases are used commonly among the junior high students of the United States for the most part especially in the late decade of the 2000s.

The book is completely predictable, but Wiggs is a strong writer that carried the book well. I didn't particularly find Sarah's comic strip to be very funny, but then again, maybe I don't under comic strips very well. I was disappointed when Sarah discovered her husband's affair that meant, of course, that she had never been happy in her marriage. She suddenly realized she was living a life she didn't want. What I don't understand is why often in books, the lead character can't just say, "You know, I was happy, I did believe in this and then life went wrong." Jack was portrayed as being a complete jackass throughout the novel, but Sarah spent many years with this man. Where were the good moments? Also, Jack did go through something very traumatic and Sarah was pushing him to be successful in the one thing his illness took away. I'm sure there would have been some serious psychological issues going on for Jack. But now, this is about Sarah now! I'm not excusing what he did, but honestly, I felt Sarah made it all about her pretty quickly. No need to regard the feelings of the man she swore she'd spend her life with, for better or for worse.

I really enjoyed Sandra Burr's reading of the book and she is very talented in changing her voice for different characters. However, I think she made them sound a bit older than they really were. Will and Sarah are supposed to only be in their late 20s, but the reader's voice projected them as much older. That may not be her fault, though, seeing as how she was probably cast for the book reading. Burr has a smooth voice and it was very easy to know which character was speaking just by her voice. I was very impressed with her overall.

I liked the book and it passed the time well enough. It's very predictable but still light-hearted. I'd find it to be a particularly good beach or poolside read, especially for upcoming vacations. I have my own issues with the storyline, but I'd suggest it overall.

Shakespeare's Wife by Germaine Greer~★★★★

2011-04-10T12:00:00.002-05:00

Author: Germaine Greer
Title: Shakespeare's Wife
Release Date: March 17th, 2009
Publisher: Harper Perennial
Genre: Non-Fiction

Book Cover: "Little is known about Ann Hathaway, the wife of England's greatest playwright; a great deal has been assumed, none of it complimentary. In Shakespeare's Wife, Germaine Greer boldly breaks new ground, reclaiming this much maligned figure from generations of scholarly neglect and misogyny. With deep insight and intelligence, she offers daring and thoughtful new theories about the farmer's daughter who married Britain's immortal Bard, painting a vivid portrait of a truly remarkable woman."

Taryn's Review: Who was Ann Hathaway Shakespeare other than the wife of William Shakespeare and the mother of his children? Germaine Greer tries to answer that question while also trying to destroy the notion that Shakespeare was miserable with his wife, a connotation that many make in regards to the wife of famous men.

The book cover says that Greer paints a "vivid portrait of a truly remarkable woman." That might be a bit misleading. The book paints a vivid portrait of the woman Ann Hathaway might have been. There a very limited documents that survive today regarding Ann, her family, and life. Greer uses sources from other women of the time period to suggest the character of Ann Hathaway and her role in the world.

It is not a biography of Hathaway, in my opinion. We discussed this in great length in class, but for me, the book is a microhistory of late-sixteenth to early-seventeenth century married women who were a little higher on the class scale. Shakespeare's family was in debt and not well off, while it appears the Hathaways were a prominent family that was doing well, so there is a lot of speculation as to how and why Shakespeare and Hathaway ended up together (she being eight years older than him). I don't know the answer, but Greer has fun postulating hypothesis for us to consider.

It is an interesting book to read and very readable. Greer's book also was in response to the book Will in the World: How Shakespeare Became Shakespeare by Stephen Greenblatt. Greenblatt loved the book and he is a very prominent (maybe the most knowledgeable?) Shakespeare biographer/writer of our time, so that might color the reception of the book as well. It might be fun to read them as complements to one another. I haven't read Greenblatt's book, but I would like to and see how it works with Greer. Give the book a try if you have an interest in Hathaway, her husband, or the period.

Hitler's Willing Executioners by Daniel Jonah Goldhagen~★★★

2011-04-09T17:41:00.002-05:00

Author: Daniel Jonah Goldhagen
Title: Hilter's Willing Executioners: Ordinary Germans and the Holocaust
Release Date: January 28th, 1997
Publisher: Vintage
Genre: Non-Fiction

Book Cover: "Published to vast acclaim, this groundbreaking international bestseller lays to rest many myths about the Holocaust: that Germans were ignorant of the mass destruction of Jews, that the killers were all SS men, and that those who slaughtered Jews did so reluctantly. Hitler's Willing Executioners provides conclusive evidence that the extermination of European Jewry engaged the energies and enthusiasm of tens of thousands of ordinary Germans.
Daniel Jonah Goldhagen reconstructs the climate of 'eliminationist antisemitism' that made Hitler's pursuit of his genocidal goals possible and the radical persecution of the Jews during the 1930s popular. Drawing on a wealth of unused archival materials, principally the testimony of the killers themselves, he takes us into the killing fields where Germans voluntarily hunted Jews like animals, tortured them wantonly, and then posed cheerfully for snapshots with their victims. From mobile killing units, to the camps, to the death marches, Goldhagen shows how ordinary Germans, nurtured in a society where Jews were seen as unalterably evil and dangerous, willingly followed their beliefs to their logical conclusions."

Taryn's Review: If you want to get people riled up and stir up controversy, a great way to do that is to write about a very sensitive subject. For me, that is one of my biggest issues with Goldhagen's book: he takes a very sensitive topic and treats it rather insensitively.

What is Goldhagen's thesis (argument)? That Germans wanted to slaughter Jews. That Germans looked forward to performing the horrific murders of the Jewish population. Goldhagen argues that this is the simplest answer to why the Holocaust occurred and is one he feels that historians and other authors have overlooked in their studies.

The book explores the police battalions made of "ordinary Germans" which was comprised of middle-aged men who were not part of the SS, Nazi forces, etc. These groups did kill members of the Jewish population. Goldhagen uses pictures and testimonies of the men in the police battalions as his evidence for his theory. However, it is quite a simplistic leap to say men wanted to kill their their Jewish counterparts.

I think most of us cannot and hopefully will never have to endure the psychological torment and emotional hardship that WWII brought about many groups of people, from Germans to Jews. I refuse to accept that all Germans wanted to participate. Was the choice given to not participate in the killings? Goldhagen says yes and has testimonies of some men choosing not to take part. Another testimony of a man says he didn't want to kill, but didn't want to look like a coward in front of his peers. It's such a complex breakdown, but Goldhagen makes it sound as if this is the only possible answer. Goldhagen also seems to ignore those who did grow up in the antisemitic German world who helped save Jews and protect them to the best of their abilities...by risking their own lives.

Antisemitism did exist, yes. But Goldhagen's sources were also used by another historian who criticized the way Goldhagen presented them. That historian produced a book with the same evidence but came to a very different conclusion. Goldhagen's book does present some very gruesome context for what happened between the police battalions and Jews and it is difficult to read; the pictures are hard to look at as well. Ultimately, I don't agree with Goldhagen's thesis (and it seems very few in my program did either, including others who work predominately on WWII in Germany, Russia, etc.). It created controversy and stirred up debate. WWII buffs might love or hate it, and would probably benefit either way from reading it. It's a big book and one to take your time reading. I cried a few times reading this book because it's heavy on the soul.

Savannah from Savannah by Denise Hildreth~★★★

2011-03-14T20:11:00.001-05:00

Author: Denise Hildreth
Title: Savannah from Savannah
Release Date: June 30, 2004
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
Genre: Fiction

Book Cover: "I'm coming home to prove something...to my city, my mother, and myself.
It is a place known to most as Savannah. It is a place known to me as home. I wish I could tell you it was my love for this city that precipitated my return. But I did not return out of a mere longing for home. I returned because I have something to prove to home. I am Savannah...from Savannah."

Taryn's Review: It's Spring Break and I should be doing homework. Instead I indulged in chick-lit. I know I'm going to hate myself for not doing more homework, but I needed a break! And since it's not Spring-like in my corner of the world, I needed a book to transport me to someplace else!

I think this book is a good book to just relax with when you need a read that you don't have to think too much about. I didn't always enjoy the book, it was very stereotypical in some ways and just bland in others, but it did the job and I wanted to finish it. I also have a fascination with Savannah, Georgia, so that probably kept me interested, too, more so than some people.

Savannah is the daughter of a very wealthy man. She dreams of being a writer. She gets a letter at school saying she won a prestigious award for her novel and that it will be published. She then realized the letter is addressed to her mother and this contest should have no idea who her mother even is. She calls the awarding company and pretends to be her mother and comes to the conclusion that her mother rigged the award when the man obviously knows Savannah's mother, Victoria.

I don't know why Savannah had to go home to prove anything to her mother or herself. Victoria is portrayed as a stereotypical Southern belle with a dramatic flare, but why Savannah felt she had to specifically go home to Savannah to get a job to show up her mother (or prove herself as she says) is a little perplexing. Most people I know trying to prove to their parents (or themselves) that they can handle life on their own don't move into their parents' luxurious historic home in the heart of Savannah, back into their childhood bedroom.

I think one of the biggest turn offs in the book was that Savannah was born with a silver spoon in her mouth. Her mother offers to pay for an $1850 a month townhouse for Savannah, but Savannah refuses on the grounds that it is across the street and she wants to prove herself as a capable adult. But she gladly accepts the Kate Spade pieces from her mother, has no problem mooching things from her father's coffee shop, and lucky for her, Savannah's father's credit card comes in handy for an impromptu flight and car rental to Jackson, Mississippi. Savannah also makes a huge judgment error in her job and according to Savannah's character, it really didn't seem like something she would do. The book just became really unbelievable to me at that point. And honestly, I wasn't impressed with Savannah's "product" of her work, which was a let down.

There are two other books in the series. I'd probably read them if they were available to me and I had time to kill, but I wouldn't go out of my way to find them or consider them a "must-read." I wasn't a fan of Hildreth's book Flies on the Butter, and honestly I doubt I would have picked this out had I recognized the author. This book also seemed to have a lot of product plugs like McDonald's cokes, The Lady and Sons/Paula Deen, Kate Spade, and Clary's Cafe. Also, the author kept mentioning someone named Jonathan Pierce as if he was well known and that I should know him. I did some Googling afterward and found at the time he was her husband and a musician, so Hildreth made some shameless plugs for him. I'm all about supporting your spouse, but I think it was unnecessary to do so in this book.

The Last Girls by Lee Smith~★★★

2011-03-12T14:44:00.003-06:00

Author: Lee Smith

Title: The Last Girls
Release Date: October 10th, 2002
Publisher: Highbridge Audio; Abridged Edition, read by Lee Smith
Genre: Fiction

Audio Book Cover: "On a beautiful June day in 1965, a dozen girls launched their homemade raft on a trip down the Mississippi. Thirty-five years later, four of those 'girls' reunite on the river. This time it's on a luxury steamboat, and when they reach New Orleans, they'll give the river the ashes of a fifth rafter.
Lee Smith tells a brilliantly perceptive story of how college pals who grew up in an era when they were still called 'girls' have negotiated life as women. Harriet is a hesitant teacher who has never married, while Courtney struggles to escape her Southern Living lifestyle. Catherine is suffocating in her happy third marriage, and Anna is a romance novelist escaping her own tragedies through her fiction. Finally, there is Baby, the girl they came to bury---along with their memories of her rebellions and betrayals.
The Last Girls is wonderfully revealing of women's lives---of the idea of romance, of the relevance of past to present, of memory and desire. Lee Smith is, as the New York Times put it, 'nothing less than masterly.'"

Taryn's Review: I used to work in national call center a few years ago. I heard accents from all over the nation. Over the three years that I was on the phone with the public, I got very good at identifying what area someone was from without looking at their information, especially in the South. A Virginian does not sound like a Louisianian. West Virginia and Alabama have very different southern accents.

Lee Smith chose to read this book herself and that, I feel, was a mistake. She read the book with very much the same accent (her own) and didn't seem to vary her dialect or tone from character to character. Each character was from a different part of the South, so this really bothered me (more so than the average person I would assume). The more I listen to audio books, the more I appreciate a good actor/actress reading the novel and really putting backbone and substance through voice into the characters they read. I don't mind authors reading works from their own perspectives (like David Sedaris reading David Sedaris), but when you have many main characters, it probably is for the best that the author doesn't read it. I really wish Smith would have had an actor read the book in this case.

The book itself also never melded its fragments together for me. The cover makes the river trip from the women's youth seem like the center story that the book would revolve around, but while listening to the book, it became evident that the youth river trip was just background noise. Smith focuses on each of the four women and spends a lot of time going over their time in college as well as their personal life both as children and as adults . Oddly, Catherine was very absent from most of these college stories until Smith reveals the senior year of college, where it is said that Baby and Catherine roomed together. Not much else about Catherine's time in school or in relation to the other girls is mentioned.

I think Smith had a good idea and obviously she is strong writer. But it just felt like it was too much information that veered off in the wrong direction. Smith also alludes to many difficulties but never follows up or explains them. Personally I found Baby to be a spoiled, selfish young woman who I think we were supposed to feel sympathy for as a reader. And a chapter is also dedicated to Catherine's husband, Russell, which was was unneeded. The book had 10 cds, and when she read on and on about Russell I felt my mind drifting. That space really could have been used to wrap up some other open ends or perhaps talk more about Catherine and Baby's relationship.

I'm not necessarily upset that I listened to it, but I'm not thrilled either. At times I was really into the reading and looked forward to hearing what unfolded the next time I went for a drive. Other times I was bored or thinking, "Why do I need to know this?" I was afraid to skip ahead though, since I was listening to it and I didn't want to miss any primary plot points. I think if you enjoy Southern fiction, you probably wouldn't mind listening or reading the book. It's not the best, but it's acceptable. I think I might give some of Lee Smith's other works a try, so again, not horrible, not fantastic, just so-so.

Stono edited by Mark Smith~★★★★★

2011-02-27T23:29:00.001-06:00

Editor: Mark Smith
Title: Stono: Documenting and Interpreting a Southern Slave Revolt
Release Date: November 17th, 2005
Publisher: University of South Carolina Press
Genre: Non-Fiction

Book Cover: "In the Fall of 1739, as many as one hundred enslaved African and African Americans living southwest of Charleston joined forces to strike down their white owners and march en masse toward Spanish Florida and freedom. More than sixty whites and thirty slaves died in the violence that followed. Among the most important slave revolts in colonial America, the Stono Rebellion also ranks as South Carolina's largest slave insurrection and one of the bloodiest uprisings in American history. Significant for the fear it cast among lowcountry slaveholders and for the repressive slave laws enacted in its wake, Stono continues to attract scholarly attention as a historical event worthy of study and reinterpretation. Stono: Documenting and Interpreting a Southern Slave Revolt introduces readers to the documents needed to understand both the revolt and the ongoing discussion among scholars about the legacy of the insurrection.
Mark M. Smith has assembled a compendium of materials necessary for an informed examination of the revolt. Primary documents---including some works previously unpublished and largely unknown even to specialists---offer accounts of the violence, discussions of Stono's impact on white sensibilities, and public records relating incidents of the uprising. To these primary sources Smith adds three divergent interpretations that expand on Peter H. Wood's pioneering study Black Majority: Negroes in Colonial South Carolina from 1670 through the Stono Rebellion. Excerpts from works by John K. Thornton, Edward A. Pearson, and Smith himself reveal how historians have used some of the same documents to construct radically different interpretations of the revolt's causes, meaning, and effects."

Taryn's Review: I often get asked by people what historians do since I am working on a master's degree in history. If I had the ability to make people read a book to better understand what historians do, this book would be it.

I love what Smith did with the book. He gives the reader 15 surviving documents that relate to the Stono Rebellion. You read them and reflect. Smith next gives the reader 4 essays to read by Wood, Thornton, Pearson, and Smith himself. Each historian shows how they used the documents to interpret the event, each in a different way. Wood was the pioneer in giving the enslaved perspective in the rebellion. Thornton's essay suggests the enslaved may have been of Kongolese background and how tha ethnic background may have shaped the rebellion. Pearson analyzes how gender roles could have affected the rebellion, and Smith explores the role of the Virgin Mary in the rebellion. Each is unique, yet they build off other historians' works while incorporating their own specialties to provide a new perspective for the event.

This is a relatively short book (123 pages) and one that is really easy to read. Obviously if someone has no interest in history, they should avoid this book at all costs. But I would challenge anyone who has an interest in history, South Carolina, colonial America, or the institution of slavery to give the book a try. It really an awesome book that might surprise you...or even make history cool for some! Lol, that might be a stretch, I know!

Can You Keep a Secret? by Sophie Kinsella~★★★★

2011-02-20T16:33:00.003-06:00

Author: Sophie Kinsella
Title: Can You Keep a Secret?
Release Date: March 1st, 2005
Publisher: Random House Audio; Abridged Edition, read by Emily Gray
Genre: Fiction

Audio Book Cover: Meet Emma Corrigan, a young woman with a huge heart, an irrepressible spirit, and a few little secrets:
Secret from her parents: I lost my virginity in the spare bedroom with Danny Nussbaum while Mum and Dad were downstairs watching Ben-Hur.
Secrets from her boyfriend: I weigh one hundred and twenty-eight pounds. Not one eighteen, like Connor thinks. I've always thought Connor looks a bit like Ken. As in Barbie and Ken.
From her colleagues: When Artemis really annoys me, I feed her plant orange juice. (Which is pretty much every day). It was me who jammed the copier that time. In fact, all the time.
Secrets she wouldn't share with anyone in the world: My G-string is hurting me. I've always had this deep-down conviction that I'm not like everybody else.
Until she spills them all to a handsome stranger on a plane. At least, she thought he was a stranger...But come Monday morning, Emma's office is abuzz about the arrival of Jack Harper, the company's elusive CEO. Suddenly, Emma is face-to-face with the stranger from the plane, a man who knows every single humiliating thing about her. Things couldn't possibly get worse. Until they do...

Taryn's Review: I spend most of my time reading about history. I mean, I do love it. I want to spend my life in the realm of history. However, I need a break from it sometimes. A good, fluffy, indulgent break from the readings. In comes this audio book that I listened to on my way to and from school.

Although Emma seems a little immature at times, she made me laugh out loud often. Kinsella does a wonderful job inserting Emma's witty thoughts at the perfect moments. It was almost like listening to a friend tell the story to you! Emma is British, so it was also fun to hear the British accents read aloud. Emily Gray did a marvelous job reading as Emma and the other characters, although I was least impressed with her reading of Jack. I forgive her though, because again, I adored her as Emma.

I had been concerned that the cover of the book ruined the story: Emma spills her guts to an unknown man on a turbulent flight. The man, who as it turns out, is the CEO of the company Emma works for! But Kinsella works off this and so much more does happen. Albeit, some of it is predictable, but it was just such a fun story to listen to that I really didn't mind (and I don't say that often!). The book had me laughing, dreaming, and blushing right along with Emma!

I have not read or seen Confessions of a Shopaholic, which seems to be Kinsella's most famous novel thus far, but I would definitely pick it up after hearing this one read. I seriously couldn't wait to get to my car and pick up the story again. I even brought the CD inside one night and listened to it on my laptop because I couldn't wait to find out what happened! This book is the perfect time-out from life; the kind of book where you can happily get swept away in Emma's drama and enjoy every moment of it! British chick-lit at its best!

A Biography of No Place by Kate Brown~★★★★

2011-02-02T16:34:00.002-06:00

Author: Kate Brown
Title: A Biography of No Place: From Ethnic Borderland to Soviet Heartland
Release Date: September 6th, 2005
Publisher: Harvard University Press
Genre: Non-Fiction

Book Cover: "This a biography of a borderland between Russia and Poland, a region where, in 1925, people identified as Poles, Germans, Jews, Ukrainians, and Russians lived side by side. Over the next three decades, the mosaic of cultures was modernized and homogenized out of existence by the ruling might of the Soviet Union, then Nazi Germany, and finally, Polish and Ukrainian nationalism. By the 1950s, this 'no place' emerged as a Ukrainian heartland, and the fertile mix of peoples that defined the region was destroyed."

Taryn's Review: It's been too long! I had big plans to read over my Christmas break, but my city decided to rip out the old sewer system downtown and replace it; thus, the library was in the heart of that mess and it was a nightmare to try to park down there. And I'm a big baby when it comes to cold weather, so I wasn't willing to walk that far as the snow and icy wind blew around me. I figured it may be a sign to take a break for a while, so that is exactly what I did. But, I must say, I am happy to be blogging again AND happy to be able to access the library again! I just made a trip today and I can't wait to get reading my selections.

This book was assigned for a class this semester. I was a little pessimistic about it since my knowledge of Soviet Union history is virtually non-existent. However, Brown makes this little borderland's history accessible to where just about anyone picking up the book can understand the area she is speaking of (googling a map helps, too!). She uses unique sources (which we argued about in class, but I enjoyed her methodology so I'm okay with it) like oral history, cultural stories and folklore, which gives the book a different feel than many history books.

This a very unique area, and the USSR's invasion and plans to both identify the people by nationality and "enlighten" the region through modernity's idea of progress was very fascinating. It was also very interesting to read how people react to such demands, especially when before it didn't matter much to them, but now identity meant life for some and death for others when the Nazis invaded.

While this is a book that I think many people could understand, it's probably better suited for the ones who are interested in history. I also think this book would be a fun gift to give to someone who has a desire to learn more or has a background in Russian, Ukrainian, Polish, or German history. It may not highlight a mainstream location, but it still highlights people contributed to history in the middle of "no place."

The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot~★★★★

2010-12-27T22:52:00.000-06:00

Author: Rebecca Skloot
Title: The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks
Release Date: February 2nd, 2010
Publisher: Crown, First Edition edition
Genre: Non-fiction

Book Jacket: "Her name was Henrietta Lacks, but scientists know her as HeLa. She was a poor Southern tobacco farmer who worked the same land as her slave ancestors, yet her cells---taken without her knowledge---became one of the most important tools in medicine. The first 'immortal' human cells grown in culture, they are still alive today, though she has been dead for more than sixty years. If you could pile all HeLa cells ever grown onto a scale, they'd weigh more than 50 million metric tons---as much as a hundred Empire State Buildings. HeLa cells were vital for developing the polio vaccine; uncovered secrets of cancer, viruses, and the atom bomb's effects; helped lead to important advances like in vitro fertilization, cloning, and gene mapping; and have been bought and sold by the billions.
Yet Henrietta Lacks remains virtually unknown, buried in an unmarked grave.
Now Rebecca Skloot takes us on an extraordinary journey, from the 'colored' ward of Johns Hopkins Hospital in the 1950s to stark white laboratories with freezers full of HeLa cells, from Henrietta's small, dying hometown of Clover, Virginia---a land of wooden slave quarters, faith healings, and voodoo---to East Baltimore today, where her children and grandchildren live and struggle with the legacy of her cells.
Henrietta's family did not learn of her 'immortality' until more than twenty years after her death, when scientists investigating HeLa began using her husband and children in research without informed consent. And though the cells had launched a multimillion-dollar industry that sells human biological materials, her family never saw any of the profits. As Rebecca Skloot so brilliantly shows, the story of the Lacks family---past and present---is inextricably connected to the dark history of experimentation on African Americans, the birth of bioethics, and the legal battles over whether we control the stuff we are made of.
Over the decade it took to uncover this story, Rebecca became enmeshed in the lives of the Lacks family---especially Henrietta's daughter Deborah, who was devastated to learn about her mother's cells. Deborah was consumed with questions: Had scientists cloned her mother? Had they killed her to harvest her cells? And if her mother was so important to medicine, why couldn't her children afford health insurance?
Intimate in feelings, astonishing in scope, and impossible to put down, The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks captures the beauty and drama of scientific discoveries, as well as its human consequences.

Taryn's Review: Science and I are not friends. We never have been, and I'm pretty sure we never will be. However, this book still caught my eye. I was a little hesitant that my lack of understanding anything to do with science on more than superficial level might hinder my enjoyment, but I figured I'd give it a shot anyhow.

Skloot makes this book very understandable from the get-go, and the story itself is so fascinating. Henrietta Lacks was a patient at Johns Hopkins when she found a lump on her cervix, which turned out to be cancer. A doctor scraped the cells of her cervix and tumor and sent them to George Gey who also worked for Johns Hopkins and was trying to grow cells. Skloot breaks things down when getting into the cell information so that anyone can understand what it is that was done with Henrietta's cells. Skloot also follows the story of Henrietta's family after her death up to the present time. Another touching yet emotional story within this one is the story of Elsie Lacks, the daughter of Henrietta who was taken to a mental hospital as a child and apparently was never visited by anyone after the death of her mother.

I really wrestled with this one on what to rate it. I found this book engaging and moving, but there were some issues that hold me back. The first is that Henrietta, while uninformed that her cells were taken, was not special in having them taken from what I understand from the book. Everyone had cells taken at Johns Hopkins and those cells were sent to George Gey's lab. Secondly, it doesn't appear that George Gey had any mastermind plan to profit off the cells he grew, and was trying to contribute to science alone in his work. In fact, he never benefited monetarily and gave away all the original cells. Thirdly, there was a lot of time dedicated to the back-and-forth of Deborah and Skloot and Deborah's "torment" with the subject. I would have been okay with a little less Deborah information in the book. I also don't know how I feel on the subject on whether the Lackses are owed money for the use of HeLa cells and if so, how much, and it's not something I would even want to debate here.

What is horrifying is that Henrietta's family was never made aware of the contribution her cells made and the impact they had on the scientific front. I don't know what it would have changed necessarily, but perhaps brought some closure to the children of Henrietta who never got to know their mother. The scientist who gave Deborah a picture of Henrietta's cells was very touching, and it was heart-wrenching to read Deborah's reaction: still a woman longing for the mother she never had, and this is the closest she will ever get in life. It was also shocking to read that Deborah never saw a picture of her mother until she was given a textbook on genetics by one of the doctors who took her blood for further use in regards to HeLa cells.

I would definitely encourage anyone to read this book. Rebecca Skloot's time and dedication to her subject is apparent throughout the book, and her desire to tell the world about the person behind the cells was indeed a noble thing to do. Something I strive for in my work in history is to never forget that every source I deal with involves a person who was living and breathing with a heart and soul at one time, and Skloot gives the world a reminder that HeLa is much more than cells, but cells that at one time sustained the life a young woman named Henrietta Lacks. A powerful, moving story that you should read!

My Life as an Experiment by A.J. Jacobs~★★★★

2010-12-21T00:56:00.004-06:00

Author: A.J. Jacobs
Title: My Life as an Experiment: One Man's Humble Quest to Improve Himself
Release Date: July 13th, 2010
Publisher: Simon & Schuster; Reprint Edition
Genre: Non-fiction

Book Cover: "Bestselling author and human guinea pig A.J. Jacobs puts his life to the test and reports on the surprising and entertaining results. He goes undercover as a woman, lives by George Washington's moral code, and impersonates a movie star. He practices 'radical honesty,' brushes his teeth with the world's most rational toothpaste, and outsources every part of his life to India---including reading bedtime stories to his kids.
And in a new adventure, Jacobs undergoes scientific testing to determine how he can put his wife through these and other life-altering experiments---one of which involves public nudity.
Filled with humor and wisdom, My Life as an Experiment will immerse you in eye-opening situations and change the way you think about the big issues of our time---from love and work to national politics and breakfast cereal.

Taryn's Review: I've never said this before, but I really feel like the book cover blurb didn't grasp the book very well. It maybe even embellishes the truth somewhat; what we think of as going "undercover" is not what Jacobs does in the book. I don't know that I would call a nude picture that hides the parts that would actually make it a nude picture "public nudity." The movie star he impersonates is not really a movie "star," but an actor that not too many people are familiar with.

I don't fault Jacobs for that though. His book made me laugh out loud quite a few times. I really laughed at the chapter where he outsourced his life to India. The things he had those poor women do! I also enjoyed the chapter where he was radically honest.

There were many things in the book that did make me think. I loved how he tried to be rational and that, in turn, made him realize he does some things that aren't rational because someone who he deemed an authority at some point in his life told him to (or not to). I used to be afraid to sleep with a necklace on after my mother told me that I could choke myself to death in my sleep. I had a revelation in high school when I fell asleep in a necklace and found myself awake in the morning, not having choked to death by the grasp of a delicate gold chain. I got him and it made me laugh at my own absurdities as well.

This was a very quick read. Jacobs apparently recycled some older articles he wrote for various magazines over the years for some sections, but I personally wasn't bothered by it, as I haven't read his stuff before. I can see though how that could be annoying if you picked it up expecting fresh material, but I wasn't. It was a fun read and I'd gladly read Jacobs other two books as well. Thought-provoking and funny are always a good mix.

He Knew I Would Tell by Cheryl Mochau~★★★★

2010-12-20T18:28:00.001-06:00

Author: Cheryl Mochau
Title: He Knew I Would Tell: Short Stories of God Moments in the Lives of Ordinary People
Release Date: November 5th, 2010
Publisher: AuthorHouse
Genre: Non-fiction

Book Cover: "Jesus said, 'Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?' John 11:40. Ask anyone who believes in God if they have ever witnessed His presence and they'll probably have a story to share. He Knew I Would Tell is a collection of short stories of 'God moments' as they have occurred in ordinary people's lives.
God moments happen all the time. Most people don't notice, or tend to ignore them or chalk them up to coincidences. But when His presence comes on strong, He is impossible to ignore! He Knew I Would Tell. Maybe, just maybe, these things happened to these particular people because He knew they would tell! Jesus said, 'Return home and tell how much God has done for you.' Luke 8:39."

Taryn's Review: My mom doesn't really read books and she never really has. She would make earnest attempts now and then when a popular book would catch on, but most of the time the book would end up in my little hands and I would devour it. She always wanted to read, but just struggled with attention issues and perhaps was a bit overwhelmed by the sheer size of most books.

Imagine my surprise when she brought me this book the other day and she said she read it! I love when people pick up a book and connect with it, and for my mom, this one did it for her.

It's a smaller book and the font is liberally sized, but the message is sweet and moving. It's a compilation of various stories told by people or told to the author by others. Sometimes the book feels a little disjointed with the many breaks, but I left the book carrying the positive message of those who had an interaction with God or the Holy Spirit. The book is also dotted with scriptures throughout, so for anyone who enjoys biblical passages, it was nice to connect them to the stories.

I think this book is awesome for anyone who loves a moving story combined with Christianity, or maybe a good gift for someone who you know would like to read, but finds some books to be daunting. It's easy to stop and go with this book, or re-read a short little story when you need a pick-me-up. My favorite story in the book was one called, "Welcome Home." I'm in the camp of there is no such as coincidences, so this was a nice, quick read for me and I'm glad to have read it.

The Patron Saint of Liars by Ann Patchett~★★★★

2010-12-09T16:44:00.002-06:00

Author: Ann Patchett
Title: The Patron Saint of Liars
Release Date: March 18th, 2003
Publisher: Harper Perennial; 1st Perennial Ed.
Genre: Fiction

Book Cover: "St. Elizabeth's is a home for unwed mothers in the 1960s. Life there is not unpleasant, and for most, it is temporary. Not so for Rose, a beautiful mysterious woman who comes to the home pregnant but not unwed. She plans to give up her baby because she knows she cannot be the mother it needs. But St. Elizabeth's is near a healing spring, and when Rose's time draws near, she cannot go through with her plans, not all of them. And she cannot remain forever untouched by what she left behind...and who she has become in the leaving."

Taryn's Review: My first semester of school is almost over, and I am going to go the library, take a deep breath of the musty books there and then probably checkout half of the book collection for my own reading pleasure over break, lol! I can't wait to read books of my own choosing again (even if it's temporary!).

This book, The Patron Saint of Liars, is kind of mystery to me as to why I like it so much. Rose is not understandable to me. She makes odd choices and I don't understand why she makes the choices she does. But I am drawn to her, and I am fascinated by the way Patchett has us getting to know her, but yet keeps Rose at a distance (much like the relationship she has with most of the characters in the book). I also adored some of the girls Rose encountered at St. Elizabeth's as well.

I really enjoyed the setting of St. Elizabeth's and the characters that Patchett created there. The location of the book is one I am very familiar with, so it was fun to actually be able to try and visualize the place (even if St. Elizabeth's isn't real!).

Rose probably isn't a character who you'll love or even respect, but the people around her and the impact of the choices she makes made for a really good reading, in my opinion. I don't think I'd classify it as chick-lit or a happy book, but it does make you think about why we do the things we do and how our choices affect other people's lives immediately and in the future.

The Lost Recipe for Happiness by Barbara O'Neal~★★

2010-11-23T12:26:00.001-06:00

Author: Barbara O'Neal
Title: The Lost Recipe for Happiness
Release Date: December 30th, 2008
Publisher: Bantam Discovery
Genre: Fiction

Book Cover: "It's the opportunity Elena Alvarez has been waiting for---the challenge of running her own kitchen in a world-class restaurant. Haunted by an accident of which she was the lone survivor, Elena knows better than anyone how to defy the odds. With her faithful dog, Alvin, and her grandmother's recipes, Elena arrives in Colorado to find a restaurant in as desperate need of a fresh start as she is---and a man whose passionate approach to food and life rivals her own. Owner Julian Liswood is a name many people know but a man few do. He's come to Aspen with a troubled teenage daughter and a dream of the kind of stability and love only a family can provide. But for Elena, old ghosts don't die quietly, yet a chance to find happiness at last is worth the risk."

Taryn's Review: My library had the cutest little Thanksgiving display of books which they called, "Books to Feast On This Thanksgiving!" Most of the books just had a food theme, since there apparently aren't too many Thanksgiving-themed books in my library. I selected this book off the shelf and was looking forward to it, especially since I love food and I love to cook.

However, I was really disappointed in the book. One annoyance (and this is most likely the publisher's fault), but the dog on the cover looks nothing like the dog, Alvin, in the book. Normally this wouldn't be a big deal, but the restaurant in the book is named after this dog. He is commented on by everyone for his beautiful, fluffy soft orange fur. Um, the dog on the cover is not fluffy nor orange. I mean, they name the restaurant the Orange Bear after the dog, for goodness sakes!

Secondly, this book is very cliche. A beautiful but damaged heroine finds herself falling for the gorgeous, rich, and soulful man who can help "save" her from her ghosts. Elena has a best friend who is a decorator who is gay and joins her in Colorado (and really the book could have ignored his storyline and been fine). She has another friend who blows her off to stay in London for love (again, not needed in this book). The food in the restaurant, the atmosphere, and even the old drunken bitter cook come together to create this beautiful, perfect eatery.

Thirdly, hello graphic sex scenes. I am not a prude, don't get me wrong. But I was absolutely not expecting such graphic sex descriptions in this book. Those definitely could have been toned down a touch. It's one thing to pick up a book that has half naked people lustfully holding onto one another and expect some hard-core sex talk, but this book, with a dog, a whisk, and part of a girl on the cover? Not so much. I think one of the least romantic things I've ever read was when Julian says to Elena, "I saw your mouth and wanted to fuck you on the spot" (page 307). Aww, doesn't that just warm your heart? Lol!

I liked the idea of the book. However, it just didn't come together well enough for me. And the end of the book was perplexing to me at first. I had no idea what the gift was and it irritated me. Finally I realized what it was and thought it was so underdeveloped in the book that the gift seemed odd, almost. I hate to be mean to any book, but I'd pass on this one.

Acts of God by Ted Steinburg~★★★★

2010-11-19T20:31:00.000-06:00

Author: Ted Steinburg
Title: Acts of God: The Unnatural History of Natural Disaster in America
Release Date: July 20th, 2006
Publisher: Oxford University Press, 2nd edition
Genre: Non-fiction

Book Cover: "As the waters of the Mississippi River and Lake Pontchartrain began to pour into New Orleans, people began asking the big question---could any of this have been avoided? How much of the damage from Hurricane Katrina was bad luck, and how much was poor city planning?
Steinburg's Acts of God is a provocative history of natural disasters in the United States. This revised edition features a new chapter analyzing the failed response to Hurricane Katrina, a disaster Steinburg warned could happen when the book was first published. Focusing on America's worst natural disasters, Steinburg argues that it is wrong to see these tragedies as random outbursts of nature's violence or expressions of divine judgment. He reveals how the decisions of business leaders and government officials have paved the way for greater losses of life and property, especially among those least able to withstand such blows---America's poor, elderly, and minorities. Seeing nature or God as the primary culprit, Steinburg explains, has helped to hide the fact that some Americans are simply better able to protect themselves from the violence of nature than others.
In the face of revelations about how the federal government mishandled the Katrina calamity, this book is a must-read before further wind and water sweep away more lives. Acts of God is a call to action that needs desperately to be heard."

Taryn's Review: A while ago I worked for a company based in California. While I was thousands of miles apart from my co-workers, we often chatted via Skype. One thing we talked about often was the differences between the West Coast and the Midwest. One thing in particular was earthquakes. I still cannot get over their nonchalant attitudes about earthquakes. I mean, the EARTH moves! Obviously I won't be moving there anytime soon, lol.

But this "normalization" of what are natural occurrences that can cause disaster is what Steinburg focuses on. In the case of California, Steinburg highlights the 1906 earthquakes in San Francisco. The government of San Francisco and Caifornia and the business leaders argued that it was a fire in the aftermath of the earthquake caused so much damage, not the earthquake. In fact, they California was not a seismic state...so move on out to California! (Laughable today, no?).

Why do we do this...move to places that obviously pose higher threats than others? Steinburg talks about how these "natural disasters" moved away from being seen as acts of God to science, but today seems to shift back more to acts of God when nature overtakes man's defenses against it. Why do city planners and builders drain natural barriers, destroy forest protection and more when they know in the long run the plans could have detrimental effects on the city and the people living there?

This book is very readable and passed the time quickly for me. I really enjoyed the section about how agencies actually tried to alter weather through "cloud seeding" or dumping various chemicals and compounds into the eye of storms and such to see if we as humans could alter the path of storms. Sometimes farmers and other people hired out people to try and change the weather patterns to aid their crops. Crazy stuff!

Orientalism by Edward W. Said~★★★★1/2

2010-11-19T20:11:00.000-06:00

Author: Edward W. Said
Title: Orientalism
Release Date: October 12th, 1979; 25th Anniversary Edition
Publisher: Vintage Books
Genre: Non-fiction

Book Cover:"Twenty-five years after its first publication, Edward Said's groundbreaking critique of the West's historical, cultural, and political perceptions of the East has become a modern classic. In this wide-ranging, intellectually vigorous study, Said traces the origins of 'orientalism' to the centuries-long period during which European dominated the Middle and Near East and, from its position of power, defined 'the orient' simply as 'other than' the occident. This entrenched view continues to dominate western ideas and, because it does not allow the East to represent itself, prevents true understanding. Essential, and still eye-opening, Orientalism remains one of the most important books written about our divided world."

Taryn's Review: I am very glad to have been assigned this book to read because I really felt like Said opened my eyes to how Western-oriented thoughts can dominate the world. And, in fact, actually create a world that becomes real in Western eyes only because it was created by the West.

There is no East. There is no West. We culturally construct these ideas. Said takes a very, very in depth look at how this creation silenced the actual "East" and its voices since the West spoke for them. One surprising thing to me was (and this may sound dumb to some, but it is what it is), I hadn't realized that the Middle East was considered part of the Orient. Said does address this, saying most in the United States are more familiar with the Orient being China, Japan, etc, but that in Europe, it is more widely known that the Orient includes the Middle East.

There is so, so much Said packs into this book. Philology, Britain and France's roles in shaping the East, his views on Orientalism, the Orient, and more. Take your time with this one; do not expect to sit down and finish this in an afternoon. That might even be criminal to do that. Really let your mind think about what Said's saying. Ultimately, you might not agree with Said, but it's a book that really makes you think.

Salem Possessed by Paul Boyer and Stephen Nissenbaum~★★★★

2010-11-10T16:12:00.002-06:00

Authors: Paul Boyer and Stephen Nissenbaum
Title: Salem Possessed: The Social Origins of Witchcraft
Release Date: February 1974
Publisher: Harvard University Press
Genre: Non-Fiction

Book Cover: "The stark immediacy of what happened in 1692 has obscured the complex web of human passion which had been growing for more than a generation before building toward the climatic witch trials. Salem Possessed explores the lives of the men and women who helped spin that web and who in the end found themselves entangled in it."

Taryn's Review: This book may be a bit dated, but it still offers a lot on the social history front. It looks at Salem, which was actually split into two factions: Salem Town and Salem Village. The author explore the prominent families, the accused and their locations within Salem, and the disputes between both the Town and Village, as well as the conflicts regarding religion and the hiring of a pastor for Salem Village.

Boyer and Nissenbaum explain that they came across a wealth of documents in setting up a class on this topic and wanted to bring them to light. The last historian to use the documents used them in 1867! They use a lot of really awesome sources, which even made reading the footnotes fun!

This book is not, however, focused on the actual trials of the accused, nor does it really explain the social origin of witchcraft. But if Salem has captured your interest, this might be a book you'd enjoy. Again, it's heavy on the social history, but even so, I found it very readable and we had a good time engaging with it in class.

The Dust Bowl by Donald Worster~★★★★

2010-11-01T14:14:00.000-05:00

Author: Donald Worster
Title: The Dust Bowl: The Southern Plains in the 1930s
Release Date: September 30th, 1994
Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA; 25th anniversary edition
Genre: Non-fiction

Book Cover: "In the mid 1930s, North America's Great Plains faced one of the worst man-made environmental disasters in world history. Donald Worster's classic chronicle of the devastating years between 1929 and 1939 tells the story of the Dust Bowl in ecological as well as human terms.
Now, twenty-five years after his book helped to define the new field of environmental history, Worster shares his more recent thoughts on the subject of the land and how humans interact with it. In a new afterword, he links the Dust Bowl to current political, economic, and ecological issues---including the American livestock industry's exploitation of the Great Plains, and the on-going problem of desertification, which has now become a global phenomenon. Worster reflects on the state of the plains today and the threat of a dustbowl. He outlines some solutions that have been proposed, such as "the Buffalo Commons," where deer, antelope, bison, and elk would once more roam freely, and suggests that we may yet witness a Great Plains where native flora and fauna flourish once again."

Taryn's Review: I've always enjoyed learning about the history of the Dust Bowl. But in studying it, the question always arises, "Why did this happen?" That's where Donald Worster does a great job tying it all together on an economical, political and ecological perspective.

If you've read Timothy Egan's book The Worst Hard Time, this book is very complimentary to it. While Egan focuses much more on what I would call the Dust Bowl victim's perspectives, Worster takes the reader along the for many other views. I really enjoyed Worster's work.

The afterword created a bit of a rowdy discussion in class, but overall, the book is really great for anyone who has an interest in the Dust Bowl or maybe folks who have an interest in the region. It's very readable and has some very moving pictures throughout.

Girl in Translation by Jean Kwok~★★★★

2010-10-29T10:11:00.001-05:00

Author: Jean Kwok
Title: Girl in Translation
Release Date: April 29th, 2010
Publisher: Riverhead Hardcover
Genre: Fiction

Book Jacket: "When eleven-year-old Kimberly Chang and her mother emigrate from Hong Kong to America, they speak little English and own nothing but debt. They arrive in New York hopeful for a better life, but find instead a squalid Brooklyn apartment lacking heat and real furniture, and a life of backbreaking labor in a Chinatown sweatshop. Unable to accept this as her future, Kim decides to use her 'talent for school' to earn a place for herself and her mother in their adopted country. Disguising the most difficult truths in her life---her staggering poverty, the weight of her family's expectations, and the true depths of her culture confusion---she embarks on a double life: an exceptional student by day, and a sweatshop worker by evening and weekend. In time, Kim learns to translate not just her language but herself back and forth between the two worlds she straddles.
For all of her adult pressures, thought, she is still a girl---vulnerable to the same piercing envy and anxiety, and most of all, first love. As her hard-won future is threatened by her feelings for a kind boy in the factory who shares none of her talent or ambition, we feel both the ache of her love for him and the fear that she will lose everything for which she has fought so hard.
Written in an unforgettable voice that dramatizes all the tensions of a girl growing up between two worlds, Girl in Translation is an inspiring debut about a young immigrant in America, a touching love story, and a window onto a world rarely seen with such clarity. Through Kimberly Chang, we feel the shock and struggles of recent immigrants, and see how these experiences can ultimately shape a life and the choices made along the way. It's a remarkable novel, a deeply moving story of hardship and triumph, heartbreak and love, and all that gets lost in translation."

Taryn's Review: This is a book that totally engaged me once I got into the core of it. It began a little slow, with me quitting the first night at page 43. The next night after I picked it up and began reading, I looked down and saw I was on page 160!

Jean Kwok does a fantastic job with her first novel. Kimberly is such a well-written character that you as the reader are really able to connect with her and as you read, you want to know what is going to happen next. The cultural and language barriers that Kimberly encounters are thought-provoking, and Kwok does such a great job highlighting how these aspects can be a real struggle for immigrants in a new country.

The factory/sweatshop that Kim and her mother are forced to work in is owned by Kimberly's Aunt Paula, who is Kimberly's mother's sister. The conditions are awful and the pay is little more than pure show. Sometimes we like to think that here in the good old USA these things don't happen, but I am glad that Kwok included this element in her book.

The end of the book was not at all what I expected, but at the same time, I felt like it made sense to Kimberly's character and the life she wanted. I really enjoyed this book and it was great to be sucked into this book so easily. It was a great escape for the time it took to read it and I'd highly recommend it.

My Booky Wook by Russell Brand~★★★★

2010-10-23T11:52:00.000-05:00

Author: Russell Brand
Title: My Booky Wook
Release Date: November 15th, 2007
Publisher: Hodder and Stroughton
Genre: Non-Fiction

Book Cover: "Russell Brand's scandalous reminiscences were always going to have a literary flavour. But nothing you've heard him say on stage, radio, or TV can prepare you for the impact of this beautifully written memoir.
From his troubled childhood in Essex and his addictions to drink, drugs, and sex, to his giddy rise through the world of entertainment, this is not simply a story of fame but of redemption, achingly and hilariously honest throughout.
Russell Brand is a comedian, journalist, TV and radio presenter and actor. He has won numerous awards including: Time Out's 'Comedian of the Year', 'Best Newcomer' at the British Comedy Awards, 'Best TV Performer' at the Broadcasting Press Guild Awards, 'Most Stylish Man' at GQ's Men of the Year Awards and the Sun's 'Shagger of the Year.' This is his first book."

Taryn's Review: Firstly, I must comment on how odd it is that my small town library had the British version of this book! How that happened is beyond me. Secondly, this book is most definitely not for the faint-of-heart or those who are very conservative. I first learned of Brand while watching the movie Forgetting Sarah Marshall; if that kind of raunchy humor doesn't do it for you, avoid this book at all costs. A good precursor for book is the dedication page, where Brand writes, "For my mum, the most important woman in my life, this book is dedicated to you. Now for God's sake don't read it."

I, personally, found my self laughing out loud at much of Brand's commentary in the book, as well as his explanation of many of his antics. Brand has done some atrocious, hideous things in his past, no argument there. He also was addicted to heroine, alcohol and sex starting in his late teens and throughout the beginning of his entertainment career. Some of the things Brand talks about will make your stomach turn. You will be absolutely disgusted with him at times. But he does make it very clear that he was not of sober mind for many of his antics. I have read some reviews where people say, "Oh he just blames it on the drugs!" Well, I mean, isn't that what drugs do to you?

The real oddity of the book is that Brand seems so intelligent. I've seen him in several interviews and he's always very charming and uses a very extensive vocabulary. The same is in his book. I am fascinated by his obvious intellect. In an interview with Chelsea Handler, I even had to look up a word he used (acerbic was the word if you're interested in knowing my poor vocabulary skill level). Brand was often reminded by teachers that he would amount to nothing, was kicked out of 2 acting schools, and fired from almost every professional job he had for some years due to his erratic behavior from the drugs. But it seems he has learned a lot from his experiences and, in fact, has been sober now for something like 8 years.

If you enjoy Brand's type of comedy, no doubt you'll love his book. He's quite witty and is very lucky to have had the people that he did step in and get him in rehab. His retrospection is poignant at times, but other times your jaw will hit the floor with some of the things he participated in.

Asphalt Nation by Jane Holtz Kay~★★★

2010-10-23T11:25:00.001-05:00

Author: Jane Holtz Kay
Title: Asphalt Nation: How the Automobile Took Over America and How We Can Take It Back
Release Date: October 1st, 1998
Publisher: University of California Press
Genre: Non-Fiction

Book Cover: "Asphalt Nation is a powerful examination of how the automobile has ravaged American's cities and landscape over the past 100 years, together with a compelling strategy for reversing our automobile-dependency. Jane Holtz Kay provides a history of the rapid spread of the automobile and documents the huge subsidies commanded by the highway lobby, to the detriment of once-efficient forms of mass transportation. Demonstrating that there are economic, political, architectural, and personal solutions to the problem, she shows that radical change is entirely possible. This book is essential reading for everyone interested in the history of our relationship with the car, and in the prospect of returning to a world of human mobility."

Taryn's Review: Jane Holtz Kay knew what she wanted to do before she ever put the pen to the paper with this book. She wanted to prove why cars are awful. She cites very poorly (not using Chicago, MLA, or APA) to reference her sources. But she did use sources and pictures throughout her book and she does make her argument very clear.

What's the problem for me? She excludes one huge factor in her work: the human agency. She blames the car, an inanimate object, for the many problems from pollution to infrastructure change to the loss of Main Street America. The issue is that people did it, not the car. People chose to keep buying cars, to throw money at interstate systems, to build parking lots for their stores, and they chose to enjoy their vehicles. Kay disregards the cultural side of America where teens expect cars, people want nice cars, and that people will spend extraordinary amounts for high-end cars. Why is this? I don't know, but Kay doesn't bother to even consider it.

My other issue is that for Kay, it seems rural America is non-existent in her work. She is from Boston, and I'm sure it's possible for her to walk places to get groceries, run errands, and the like. However, here in the Midwest, it is not possible to do these things without a car. In the small town of 700 I grew up in, there are no buses, no trains, no subways to take you where you need to go. You have to have a car to go and buy groceries, as there is no grocery store. You have to have a car to commute to the local city for a job, as jobs existing in my town are few and far between. Kay ignores the idea that some places in rural America only still exist because the car is an affordable means of transportation for the people living there. I'm sure ideally it would be nice for the government to build rail lines to connect smaller places to cities; but speaking in terms of costs, I'm sure it's cheaper just to maintain the roads than have to construct rail lines, stations, and whatever other costs would be involved.

Overall, this book is going to appeal highly to the radical environmentalist, city dwellers, and people who generally hate the car. Her book made me think, sure. But its flaws were glaring for me, and had a definite impact on my enjoyment and application of the book in my life.

Nature's Metropolis by William Cronon~★★★★1/2

2010-10-15T15:26:00.000-05:00

Author: William Cronon
Title: Nature's Metropolis: Chicago and the Great West
Release Date: May 17th, 1992
Publisher: W.W. Norton & Company
Genre: Non-Fiction

Book Cover: "In his groundbreaking work, William Cronon gives us an environmental perspective on the history of nineteenth-century America. By exploring the ecological and economic changes that made Chicago America's most dynamic city and the Great West and its hinterland, Mr. Cronon opens a new window onto our national past. This is the story of the city and country becoming ever more tightly bound in a system so powerful that it reshaped the American landscape and transformed American culture. The world that emerged is our own."

Taryn's Review: I judged this book by its cover. I looked at it and groaned to myself and thought, "Ugh, what a boring book this is going to be!" Well, wasn't it a nice surprise to find myself enjoying this book; at times, even engrossed in the book!

Cronon makes the argument that both the city and country are human abstractions, and that both are dependent on one another and both completely shaped by man, that the country is no more natural than the city. I'll be honest, it slightly broke my heart to realize that the cornfields, some of the trees, and the rustic aren't natural to the landscape that we think of as being perfectly natural. It makes me think about the time I was in a state park, oohing and awing over the trees and how old they must be when I came across a sign that said the trees were all planted in the 1930s by the CCC (Civilian Conservation Corp) as part of the work relief program during the Great Depression. Thus, Cronon argues there are two natures, 1st and 2nd. 1st is the completely natural nature, and 2nd is after man alters it.

Cronon focuses on the grain industry, livestock and meat industry, and capital flow in and out of Chicago, as well as the impact on railroads and Chicago's role in developing the "Great West." A great DVD to supplement this book is PBS's Chicago: City of the Century. I had seen the DVD previous to reading the book and really enjoyed it, especially the section on meat and how freezing meat and shipping it around the country changed meat purchasing in the United States forever. My only complaint about the book is I wish that Cronon would have focused more the canal craze that swept America and its impact on Chicago (he touches on it, but very briefly).

This book again is probably best suited for the history people, but maybe someone who has a love of Chicago as well as economics might really enjoy the book. Again, I was surprised by how much I liked it, and you might surprise yourself, too!

Bodies in Contact edited by Tony Ballantyne and Antoinette Burton~★★★★

2010-10-15T15:08:00.000-05:00

Editors: Tony Ballantyne and Antoinette Burton
Title: Bodies in Contact: Rethinking Colonial Encounters in World History
Release Date: January 1st, 2005
Publisher: Duke University Press Books
Genre: Non-Fiction

Book Cover: "From portrayals of African women's bodies in early modern European travel accounts to the relation between celibacy and Indian nationalism to the fate of the Korean 'comfort women' forced into prostitution by the occupying Japanese army during the Second World War, the essays collected in Bodies in Contact demonstrate how a focus on the body as a site of cultural encounter provides essential insights into world history. Together these essays reveal the 'body as contact zone' as a powerful analytic rubric for interpreting the mechanisms and legacies of colonialism and illuminating how attention to gender alters understandings of world history. Rather than privileging the operations of the Foreign Office or gentlemanly capitalists, these historical studies render the home, the street, the school, the club, and the marketplace visible as sites of imperial ideologies.
Bodies in Contact brings together important scholarship on colonial gender studies gathered from journals around the world. Breaking with approaches to world history as the history of 'the West and the rest,' the contributors offer a panoramic perspective. They examine aspects of imperial regimes including the Ottoman, Mughal, Soviet, British, Han, and Spanish, over a span of six hundred years---from the fifteenth century through the mid-twentieth. Discussing subjects such as slavery and travel, ecclesiastical colonialism and military occupation, marriage and property, nationalism and football, immigration and temperance, Bodies in Contact puts women, gender, and sexuality at the center of the 'master narratives' of imperialism and world history."

Taryn's Review: We only read selected essays from this book, but the ones I read I truly enjoyed. I think this new area called "body studies" is a fascinating angle and a nice supplement to gender analysis.

Some essays were very readable, some were not. While reading one of the essays, I wrote down a column of words I needed to look up to know what they meant! The essays bring up some good thinking material and I love stepping outside the colonizers views of the people they attempted to colonize to get a better understanding of the indigenous people. My favorite essay from the book was by Heidi Gengenbach and her essay, "Tattooed Secrets: Women's History in Magude District, Southern Mozambique." Another of my favorites was Lucy Eldersveld Murphy's "Native American and Metis Women as 'Public Mothers' in the Nineteenth-Century Midwest." However, I don't necessarily think that Eldersveld Murphy's essay belonged in the book, despite my enjoyment of it. I felt like it focused more on gender rather than the actual body studies of the other essays I read, but I'm also willing to admit because I didn't read all the essays, I might be wrong.

This is a very interesting read with many different essays, so you don't have to be afraid of the size. You can easily read a few essays and put the book down for a few days. If you have an interested in gender or the physical body and its impact on history, try this one.

The Wages of Whiteness by David R. Roediger~★★★★

2010-10-15T14:48:00.000-05:00

Author: David R. Roediger
Title: The Wages of Whiteness: Race and the Making of the American Working Class
Release Date: July 17th, 2007
Publisher: Verso; New Edition edition
Genre: Non-fiction

Book Cover: "Combining classical Marxism, psychoanalysis, and the new labor history pioneered by E.P. Thompson and Herbert Gutman, David Roediger's widely acclaimed book provides an original study of the formative years of working-class racism in the United States. This, he argues, cannot be explained simply with reference to economic advantage; rather, white working-class racism is underpinned by a complex series of psychological and ideological mechanisms that reinforce racial stereotypes, and thus help to forge the identities of white workers in opposition to Blacks."

Taryn's Review: You know what I love about history? I love that in the present field, historians can look at events, movements, or whatever they please from various perspectives to maybe help us in the current age understand the past better. This is one of the books where I was like, "Wow...never would have thought of that!"

My class had a good time discussing this book, although we did all struggle a bit to come to the thesis of the book. I'm not sure without my professor that we would have; that might be the biggest flaw of the book.

I'm a bit skeptical of the psychoanalysis argument, but still, a neat book to read. It really makes you think and I love that Roediger looked at this from the perspective he did. This book is definitely suited for the history lovers.

Cod by Mark Kurlansky~★★★1/2

2010-10-09T12:15:00.001-05:00

Author: Mark Kurlansky
Title: Cod: A Biography of the Fish That Changed the World
Release Date: July 1st, 1998
Publisher: Penguin
Genre: Non-Fiction

Book Cover: "Wars have been fought over it, revolutions have been spurred by it, national diets have been based on it, economies have depended on it, and the settlement of North America was driven by it. Cod, it turns out, is the reason Europeans set sail across the Atlantic, and it is the only reason they could. What did the Vikings eat in icy Greenland and on the five expeditions to America recorded in the Icelandic sagas? Cod---frozen and dried in the frosty air, then broken into pieces and eaten like hard-tack. What was the staple of the medieval diet? Cod again, sold and salted by the Basques, an enigmatic people with a mysterious, unlimited supply of cod.
Cod is a charming tour of history with all its economic forces laid bare and a fish story embellished with great gastronomic detail. It is also a tragic tale of environmental failure, of depleted fishing stocks where once the cod's numbers were legendary. In this deceptively whimsical biography of a fish, Mark Kurlansky brings a thousand years of human civilization into captivating focus."

Taryn's Review: This book has a lot of interesting facts in it. The author includes recipes from throughout the ages for cod as well as other fun quips about cod. However, the issue with this book is that Kurlansky takes some massive leaps with the information he acquired to make the history he does.

Kurlansky's book is almost what might be called a "popular history." He does a great job in bringing attention to a topic that does need much more attention. The current supply of cod is depleted, no doubt. However, some people don't want to stop fishing it and corporations don't want to stop selling it because they want to make money. Is wiping out a species of fish worth it so we can enjoy our frozen fillets? Of course not.

Kurlansky spent time as a fisherman, which no doubt played into his writing of the book. However, he sometimes makes sources say something that maybe they weren't. My skepticism of how deep cod played into the wars and revolutions is rather high, but overall, Cod is a book that does a good job of settling what it mapped out to do.

And to answer The Lost Art of Real Cooking's question about cod, the slaves were being fed imported cod by the slave-owners since it was cheaper than taking time to fish locally and slaves had little personal time to fish the local waters for food. :)

The Lost Art of Real Cooking by Ken Albala and Rosanna Nafziger~★★★★

2010-10-09T11:57:00.002-05:00

Authors: Ken Albala and Rosanna Nafziger
Title: The Lost Art of Real Cooking: Rediscovering the Pleasures of Traditional Food One Recipe at a Time
Release Date: July 6th, 2010
Publisher: Perigee Trade
Genre: Non-Fiction

Book Cover: The Lost Art of Real Cooking heralds a new old-fashioned approach to food---laborious and inconvenient, yet extraordinarily rewarding and worth bragging about. From jam, yogurt, and fresh pasta to salami, smoked meat, and strudel, Ken Albala and Rosanna Nafziger arm you with the knowledge and skills that let you connect on a deeper level with what goes into your body.
Ken and Rosanna celebrate the patience it takes to make your own sauerkraut and pickles. They divulge the mysteries of capturing wild sourdoughs and culturing butter, the beauty of rendering lard, making cheese, and brewing beer, all without the fancy toys that take away from the adventure of truly experiencing your food.
These foods were once made by the family, in the home, rather than a factory. And they can still be made in the smallest kitchens without expensive equipment, capturing flavors that speak of place and personality. What you won't find here is a collection of rigid rules for the perfect meal. Ken and Rosanna offer a wealth of recipes, history, and techniques that start with the basics and evolve into dishes that are entirely your own."

Taryn's Review: One of the worst things about being in grad school is that I have no money and very little extra time. Unfortunately, that's what these recipes require! Nonetheless, it's still an interesting book, especially for foodies who love spending time in the kitchen and whipping up new recipes.

I personally love to cook, which is why the book drew my attention. After teaching myself the basics and spending ample time in the kitchen, it's amazing how much better home-cooked food tastes than restaurant food. One of my biggest thrills in cooking is when my husband requested one of my meals over going out to dinner! I was very excited to delve into this book and see what was awaiting me!

Some recipes are calling my name to try. Others are not. I say that not because they don't interest me, but for example, the availability and/or cost of a lot of the meats makes it not possible for me right now. I also don't have time for some of the more time-consuming recipes. But there are still plenty to keep me busy for a while. I also love how the authors encourage you to adjust the recipes to your tastes. If you ever read a Food Network recipes review, people are always reviewing how they adjusted the recipe to their own tastes, so I don't think most people will have a problem with that part.

Again, if you love cooking or food, pick up this book. It has a lot of interesting tidbits in it and you'll learn a thing or two. Oddly, one of the authors commented on a recipe about cod asking why the slaves in the Caribbean didn't use local fish for their recipes...I found out the answer in a book I was reading for class at the same time called Cod (see above!).

Fiction in the Archives by Natalie Zemon Davis~★★★★★

2010-10-09T11:39:00.000-05:00

Author: Natalie Zemon Davis
Title: Fiction in the Archives: Pardon Tales and Their Tellers in Sixteenth-Century France
Release Date: May 1st, 1990
Publisher: Stanford University Press
Genre: Non-Fiction

Book Cover: "A gleaming jewel of a book which throws a fascinating light on the legal, social, and literary history of the sixteenth century...It allows us to observe at work the consciousness of one of the most creative historians."-Henry Heller, Historic Sociale/Social History
"In all her scholarship, Davis has sought to restore our direct contact with voices from the sixteenth century, and her new book represents her most extended and sophisticated effort of this kind...This is an important book. It is a first exploration of how sixteenth-century men and woman narrated---and hence constructed---the realities of their lives. Despite the playful artistry of Davis's own voice, this is a call for social historians to approach their work in new ways."-Jonathan Dewald, Journal of Social History
"As always, Davis's study is superbly written, generously endowed with the contemporaneous feel of life, grandly pagan in its avoidance of verbal or mental idolatry...It also displays that trademark vitality, and self-effacing yet vigorous dedication to the truth that makes for great historical writing."-Richard C. Trexler, Renaissance Quarterly

Taryn's Review: This book is so far from one of the those dry, wordy history books you might have been forced to read at some point in your life. This book is actually incredibly fun to read.

Davis takes what are called "pardon tales" and breaks them down to pull out elements, which in her argument, shows that narrative construction was practiced across all class levels. What is a pardon tale you ask? Well, it's a person's formal explanation of why they killed someone and why they believe they should be pardoned from the crime.

I actually had a nightmare after reading this book, but even that didn't deter my enjoyment of it. It's so readable and access to reading primary sources is awesome, especially since the sources are perfectly readable by us, the 21st century reader. If you have an interest in French history, history, social history, or just like a gory story, try this book.

90 Minutes in Heaven by Don Piper~★★★★

2010-09-17T13:41:00.001-05:00

Author: Don Piper with Cecil Murphey
Title: 90 Minutes in Heaven: A True Story of Death and Life
Release Date: May 1st, 2006
Publisher: Revell; Unabridged Edition, read by Don Piper
Genre: Non-Fiction

Audio Book Cover: "On the way home from a conference, Don Piper's car was crushed by a semi that crossed into his lane. Medical personnel said he died instantly. While his body lay lifeless inside the ruins of his car, Piper experienced the glories of heaven (should be capitalized, as Heaven is the proper name of a place, like Central Park or the Eiffel Tower), awed by its beauty and music.
Ninety minutes after the wreck, while a minister prayed for him, Piper miraculously returned to life on earth (Earth should be capitalized here; it's the proper name of the planet. If he were referring to dirt, it wouldn't be capitalized. Tsk, Revell!) with only the memory of inexpressible heavenly bliss. His faith in God was severely tested as he faced an uncertain and grueling recovery. Now he shares his life-changing story with you.
90 Minutes in Heaven offers a glimpse into a very real dimension of God's reality. It encourages those recovering from serious injuries and those dealing with the loss of a loved one. And now it is available in the audio edition, read by Don Piper himself. The experience dramatically changed Piper's life, and it will change yours, too."

Taryn's Review: I heard about this book a while back, but when I saw the audio book, I figured it'd be a nice book to listen to while I make the drive to school. Don Piper reads the story for the listeners as well, which I thought was a nice touch since it is his story.

I was disappointed with how quickly Piper describes his time in Heaven. I understand that when he says there was no passage of time in Heaven that he can describe, that would be difficult to translate to text. But, really, it was talked about quickly and was over, with most of the book focusing on Piper's recovery.

Piper's ordeal was truly horrific and it truly is a miracle that he survived. At the end of the book there is a revelation for Piper regarding the discovery that he was alive by the minister. I actually had caught this early in the story and was wondering about, so it didn't surprise me as much as maybe Piper had wanted it to. The other issue that stuck for me was when Piper describes the depression he sank into while in the hospital. He credits his overcoming of it to God, which he says God knew that he wouldn't seek help and miraculously cured him of the sadness. I found that really moving, until later in the book, one of Piper's sons included a short essay and talks about how his dad suffered depression bouts throughout his life after the accident. That is perfectly understandable, but I wish Piper would have made it more clear that he feels God eradicated that certain episode of depression for him, not necessarily depression in itself forever, which is how it came off to me originally.

I do like Piper. I didn't feel like he was preachy necessarily, but a normal guy with an extraordinary story and strong faith. I loved when Piper got a little full of himself and he said God spoke to him and said, "They aren't cheering for you, they're cheering for me!" It's admirable that he is so honest about his feelings throughout the ordeal. It passed the time well and for me, I can only hope Piper's experience in Heaven is as glorious as it sounds when I get there one day (hopefully!).

Sacred Gifts, Profane Pleasures by Marcy Norton~★★★★★

2010-09-17T13:14:00.001-05:00

Author: Marcy Norton

Title: Sacred Gifts, Profane Pleasures: A History of Tobacco and Chocolate in the Atlantic World
Release Date: April 1st, 2010 (paperback)
Publisher: Cornell University Press
Genre: Non-Fiction

Book Cover: "Sacred Gifts, Profane Pleasures shows how the exchange between alien civilizations prefigured a revolution in taste that was both genuinely global and largely independent of the power dynamics of colonialism. Norton creatively uses a wide range of sources, from Mayan artwork to early modern medical manuals to Inquisition records, to show how two frequently consumed substances were integrated into European consciousness and diet." - TLS
"Rarely does religious history figure as prominently in a study of commodity culture as it does in Marcy Norton's Sacred Gifts, Profane Pleasures. The very title points to the central paradox at the heart of this book: tobacco and chocolate were used in Amerindian societies for primarily religious purposes before their contact with the Spanish and other Europeans empires, but over the three centuries following first contact between the old world and the new, tobacco and chocolate came to be commodities that could be consumed as secularized luxury products."-Journal of American History
"Sacred Gifts, Profane Pleasures is a superior and fascinating book. Marcy Norton seeks to explain why tobacco and chocolate, shunned by Europeans for most of the first century following Columbus's landfall, subsequently became so enthusiastically accepted. Few other writers have probed so deeply and gracefully into the cultural explanations for consumption in Latin America and the world; and no one, I believe, has employed such a range of archival evidence, a most impressive bibliography in several languages, and adroitly chosen ancient images and illustrations."-American Historical Review
"Chocolate and tobacco will never taste the same. Smokers and chocoholics will understand themselves better, thanks to Marcy Norton's book, not as victims of their own addictions or indulgences but as part of a vast, fascinating, and world-shaping episode in the history of cultural exchange."-Felipe Fernandez-Armesto, Tufts University, author of Pathfinders: A Global History of Exploration

Taryn's Review: We all know (or should know, anyway) that the Americas were used to exploit cash crops to sent to Europe and make some money. Sugar plantations, tobacco plantations, cotton plantations, slave importations, hard labor; these are all connotations that come up when we think of the New World. But Marcy Norton asked a good question: Why were tobacco and chocolate goods that became commodities that the Old World wanted to purchase?

Norton focuses primarily on the Spanish American colonies and Spain. She really explored the cultural use of tobacco and chocolate (or cacao) among the Natives, and then shows the transference of these into European hands and then to the European continent. She is arguing that the reason for the acceptance was due to cultural constructivism and not biological determinism.

The book uses so many sources and covers so much ground. I loved the images throughout the book and Norton really answers any questions you that can think of (We discussed it for 2 1/2 hours in class!). The only question that didn't have an answer: When did cacao and sugar meet? Did that have an impact on the spread and acceptance of Europe? Maybe someone's already got that book in the works! And the tobacco history is really amazing. Again, Marcy's hard work (12 years of work on this book, I believe she said!) really shines. This is definitely not a book you should expect to pick up an read in an afternoon. Take you time and really get to know each chapter. It's a fun book, but one full of awesome information that will leave you stunned at the end!

The Death of Luigi Trastulli and Other Stories by Alessandro Portelli~★★★★

2010-09-17T12:52:00.001-05:00

Author: Alessandro Portelli
Title: The Death of Luigi Trastulli and Other Stories: Form and Meaning in Oral History
Release Date: October 1st, 1990
Publisher: State University of New York Press
Genre: Non-fiction

Book Cover: "Portelli offers a new and challenging approach to oral history, with an interdisciplinary and multicultural perspective. Examining cultural conflict and communication between social groups and classes in industrial societies, he identifies the way individuals strive to create memories in order to make sense of their lives, and evaluates the impact of the fieldwork experience on the consciousness of the researcher. By recovering the value of the storytelling experience, Portelli's work makes delightful reading for the specialist and non-specialist alike."

Taryn's Review: This book was a surprise hit with me. In talking about oral sources, the complexity of them is really highlighted by Portelli, but in the same token, he also points out their rich value as sources.

My class was not in agreement over the value of the oral sources, but I was one in favor and found Portelli's examples to be really wonderful. A young man named Luigi Trastulli was killed in a skirmish between the government and workers in 1949 outside a steel factory in Terni, Italy. In 1952/53, mass layoffs came about at the factory. When many of the people Portelli interviews tie these two events together as happening at the same time, it brings up the question: Why are people remembering this event collectively as happening at a different time? He also interviews miners who lived in a mine-owned camp from Harlan, Kentucky, which was a fascinating read as well.

Portelli does stray a little with his talk of phonology and the horizontal and vertical shifts of the interviews, but the rest of the book makes up for it. He also points out the impact the interviewer is going to have on the source given by the interviewee, which was really eye-opening for me. I really enjoyed this book immensely. It's one that might seem like it wouldn't grab your attention, but surprisingly, Portelli keeps you reading on his topic in the book.

Archive Stories edited by Antoinette Burton~★★★★★

2010-09-13T19:02:00.006-05:00

Editor: Antoinette Burton
Title: Archive Stories: Facts, Fiction, and the Writing of History
Release Date: December 30th, 2005
Publisher: Duke University Press
Genre: Non-fiction

Book Cover: "Despite the importance of archives to the profession of history, there is very little writing about actual encounters with them---about the effect that the researcher's race, gender, or class may have on her experience within them or about the impact that archival surveillance, architecture, or bureaucracy might have on the histories that are ultimately written. This provocative collection initiates a vital conversation about how archive around the world are constructed, policed, manipulated, and experienced. It challenges the claims to objectivity associated with the traditional archive by telling stories that illuminate its power to shape the narratives that are 'found' there.
Archive Stories brings together ethnographies of the archival world, most of which are written by historians. Some contributors recount their own experiences. One offers a moving reflection on how the relative wealth and prestige of Western researchers can gain them entry to collections such as Uzbekistan's newly formed Central State Archive, which severely limits the access of Uzbeck researchers. Others explore the genealogies of specific archives, from one of the most influential archival institutions in the modern West, the Archives national in Paris, to the significant archives of the Bakunin family in Russia, which were saved largely through the efforts of one family member. Still others explore the impact of current events on the analysis of particular archives. A contributor tells of researching the 1976 Soweto riots in the politically charged atmosphere of the early 1990s, just as apartheid in South Africa was coming to an end. A number of essays question what counts as an archive---and what counts as history---as they consider oral histories, cyberspace, fiction, and plans for streets and buildings that were never built, for histories that never materialized."

Taryn's Review: What do you think of when you think of an archive? For me, I used to think of a dusty old room in the back of a library, filled with various collections, and being helped by a nice old librarian lady. When I went to my undergrad university, they built a brand new archive in their brand new library, which was a small, quiet room with tables and chairs. It had some shelves housing some old books and things, and then it had a collection room in the back where the librarians housed much of the collections (and the space was very specially climate-controlled). That was about it as far as my thoughts on archives went.

This book really opened my eyes to how much the archive is shaped by people, places, and things, just like so much of history. What if the archivist won't let you have access to a collection you know the library has? It happens. What if archivists dissuade you from your topic because in the country's culture where the archive is, it isn't "right" for a woman to be studying such a thing? It happens. What if a country completely denies a certain part of their history and eliminates sources or bars access to any material that contradicts that belief? Again, it happens.

One of my favorite essays in the book was by Adele Perry and her work, "The Colonial Archive on Trial: Possession, Dispossession, and History in Delgamuukw vs. British Columbia." It presented the question of oral sources---are they archives, are they legitimate sources and can oral sources be used as evidence in court? A native tribe without a written history sued British Columbia for their rights back to their land and presented their oral history in court. It was a really fascinating read.

There are many different essays that cover an array of topics. I really enjoyed his book and questions as well as the predicaments it brought forth. History fans, researchers, and library lovers might really find themselves enveloped in this work.

Keepers of the Game by Calvin Martin~★★★★

2010-09-13T18:41:00.001-05:00

Author: Calvin Martin
Title: Keepers of the Game: Indian-Animal Relationships and the Fur Trade
Release Date: April 26th, 1982
Publisher: University of California Press
Genre: Non-Fiction

Book Cover: "A brilliant book which deals with the complex relationship between American Indians and animals, as it changed through time. Martin argues that an aboriginal ecosystem...was destroyed by 'European disease, Christianity, and the fur trade,' and the symbiosis which had existed between hunters and their game turned into an adversary relationship. -New Republic"
"The nature of the relationship between Indian and animal, he argues, was essentially a contract of mutual obligation and courtesy. When European epidemic disease began to ravage them, destroying perhaps 90 percent of the native population, Indians took it to be a 'conspiracy' by game animals against them. When their own medicine men were unable to cure these diseases, the stage was set for a 'war of retaliation'---the sacred agreement with the Keepers of the Game having been broken...There is a fine and fair mind at work here. -Harper's"
"The clarity, directness and originality of this small book should...earn it many readers, who will wonder at the tangled web of the living world and the variousness of the human mind. -Scientific American"

Taryn's Review: Sometimes when we look at history, we accept a certain idea as the absolute truth and then leave it alone. This, however, might cause us to overlook some fundamental questions that need asked regarding the truth that was constructed and accepted. Calvin Martin asked a fair question: Why else might have Native Americans participated in the fur trade other than for capitalistic reasons?

Martin's book provides a new view to look at the fur trade through: the Native American perspective. He focuses mainly on the Ojibwa and their spiritual realm in the world before Europeans and how their views played into the acceptance of the fur trade. Martin uses a lot of different sources, although maybe not as much native material (or studies) as I would have liked, but nonetheless, still valuable sources. He also focuses on the despiritualization the natives experience when the game was depleted and European diseases were taking an extraordinary amount of native lives.

A great thing about this book is its readability. Martin presents his argument smoothly; I was able to read this book in one sitting without feeling dragged down by heavy words and unnecessary drivel. We had a great discussion in class regarding this book, so it opens up a lot of pathways to talk about. If you have an interest in the fur trade, Native Americans, or maybe even nature, this book might be up your alley.

The Last Lecture by Randy Pausch with Jeffrey Zaslow~★★★★

2010-09-03T12:01:00.001-05:00

Author: Randy Pausch with Jeffrey Zaslow
Title: The Last Lecture
Publisher: Hyperunion Audio, Unabridged edition, read by Erik Singer
Release Date: April 10th, 2008
Genre: Non-Fiction

Audiobook Cover: "A lot of professors give talks titled 'The Last Lecture.' Professors are asked to consider their demise and to ruminate on what matters most to them. And while they speak, audiences can't help but mull the same question: What wisdom would we impart to the world if we knew it was our last chance? If we had to vanish tomorrow, what would we want as our legacy?
When Randy Pausch, a computer science professor at Carnegie Mellon, was asked to give such a lecture, he didn't have to imagine it as his last, since he had recently been diagnosed with terminal cancer. But the lecture he gave---'Really Achieving Your Childhood Dreams'---wasn't about dying. It was about the importance of overcoming obstacles, of enabling the dreams of others, of seizing every moment (because 'time is all you have...and you may find one day that you have less than you think'). It was a summation of everything Randy had come to believe. It was about living.
In this audiobook, Randy Pausch has combined the humor, inspiration, and intelligence that made his lecture such a phenomenon and given it an indelible form. It is an audiobook that will be shared for generations to come."

Taryn's Review: I enjoy listening to audiobooks while I commute, especially now that I'm in school and actual reading normally has to be done only with books that I have to read for class. However, I probably shouldn't have listened to this book while driving. Why? Because a few times I teared up or had tears streaming down my cheeks as I was listening to this book. Probably not the safest way to drive!

Randy Pausch seems like he was a very cool guy. Passionate about his work, his family, his wife, and his life, Pausch gives a great example of someone who seems to have tried to live life to the fullest he could. I loved some of his stories and how they shaped him. Some of the computer science stuff was a bit over my head, but nonetheless, his accomplishments were great.

Pausch is very candid about things, but also is able to find the humor where he can. When he and his wife discover that his cancer is back and is terminal, he notes the irony that the doctor's office had no tissues in the room and transfixes on it, and even in such a dark moment, brings a smile to your face.

I teared up the most when Pausch was writing directly to his children and his wife. I can't imagine the pain and horror of the situation, but Pausch leaves behind a beautiful legacy for his family, and many great lessons for us to take along. He claims he loves cliches and highlights stories to go along with many of his favorites. It's a great book to pick up and read (or listen to, as in my case). Make sure afterward you go and give your loved ones a great big hug. Time is short, he reminds us, so make sure you live life the best way you can.

The Columbian Exchange by Alfred W. Crosby, Jr.~★★★★★

2010-09-03T11:40:00.000-05:00

Author: Alfred W. Crosby, Jr.
Title: The Columbian Exchange: Biological and Cultural Consequences of 1492
Publisher: Praeger, 30th Anniversary Edition,
Release Date: April 30th, 2003 (first release date was 1971).
Genre: Non-fiction, History

Book Cover: "Thirty years ago, Alfred Crosby published a small work that illuminated a simple point: the most important changes germinated by the voyages of Columbus were not social or political, but biological in nature. He told the story of how 1492 sparked the movement of organisms large and small is both directions across the Atlantic. This 'Columbian exchange' between the Old World and the New brought dramatic and irrevocable change to our entire planet's history.
The Columbian Exchange brought profound and lasting change to the field of history. It has become one of the foundational works in the burgeoning field of environmental history, and remains one of the canonical texts for the study of world history. This 30th anniversary edition of The Columbian Exchange includes a new preface from the author, reflecting on the books and its creation, and a new foreword by J.R. McNeill."

Taryn's Review: This book is truly astounding in its breakthrough methods of combining numerous disciplines to come to the conclusions it did. Crosby was a pioneer in bringing forth environmental history as a sub-field in history, which up to that point hasn't been considered in history. Now it is also the norm and expected for historians to combine many fields and not just focus on social and political documents to prove points. In fact, Crosby himself is the one to coin the phrase, "The Columbian Exchange."

Did you know the tomato was native to the Americas, not Europe? As Crosby points out, can you even fathom Italian cooking without tomatoes? Did you know potatoes are indigenous to the Americas as well? I think we've also all heard of Kentucky bluegrass, right? Well, until the Europeans brought it over, no such thing existed in the Americas. Many things that you may have considered "American" perhaps were not so until they became part of the Columbian exchange, and vice versa. Crosby has many examples of this, from flora to fauna that might revolutionize your views!

The biological aspect of two different peoples meeting for the first time were ultimately much more detrimental to the Indians than the Europeans. Smallpox epidemics raged, almost wiping out entire areas since the Indians had little to no immunities to the disease. This was also a primary reason the Europeans were able to gain control like they did, since the Indian populations were so weakened by the biological warfare brought upon them, even if it not purposefully done so. An entire section is also devoted to syphilis and its possible origins, as well as its horrendous impact on the Europeans (which in the new preface Crosby regrets spending so much time on).

This book is incredibly readable and very interesting. If you have any type of interest in history at all, pick up Crosby and try it out. The book is broken down into 5 essays, so you can always move around if some other topics seems to suit you better. The next time you are out on a long drive, walk, or bicycle ride, this book might forever alter your view on the environment around and make you realize the things you may have thought were American in origin perhaps are not!

Hammer and Hoe by Robin D.G. Kelley~★★★★

2010-09-03T11:15:00.001-05:00

Author: Robin D.G. Kelley
Title: Hammer and Hoe: Alabama Communists during the Great Depression
Publisher: The University of North Carolina Press
Release Date: November 16th, 1990
Genre: Non-Fiction, History

Book Cover: "Hammer and Hoe documents the efforts of the Alabama Communist Party and its allies to secure racial, economic, and political reforms. Sensitive to the complexities of gender, race, culture, and class without compromising the political narrative, Robin Kelley here illuminates one of the most unique and least understood radical movements in American history. Robin D.G. Kelley is associate professor of history and Afro-American studies at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor."

Taryn's Review: I know some of you might be scratching your heads thinking, "Why in the world did she pick this?" Well, this semester is my first semester of graduate school! I am beginning my 1st year into my master's degree for history and I am very excited. So for the duration of the time, you will be seeing some history books pop up on here. I understand that these kinds of books don't appeal to the masses, but you never know what might pique your interest. Who knows, you might pick up one of these and fall in love! :) That might be wishful thinking, but I hope maybe of few of the books for school might inspire some to try a new genre they might not have delved into before.

This book did what it set out to do very, very well. Kelley does a great job to combine many aspects into a readable, well thought-out book. The African-American history in the Communist Party was not something I was familiar with, but the sources Kelley used show a people in Alabama who were ready for a change and tried make it happen. The violence the blacks suffered by the white is astonishing and sickening. They were attacked because of beliefs and were even falsely accused of crimes, which set them up to be attacked mob-style and the attack normally didn't end until the victim was dead or appeared to be dead.

Often I think that people believe history jumped from Reconstruction to Civil Rights Movements for African Americans, but I loved that Kelley highlighted a group of people in the late 1920s, 1930s, and 1940s that were striving for the things the Civil Rights Movement ultimately brought to national attention. The protests, the marches, the meetings, and the hope that blacks in the Communist Party in Alabama had is fantastic.

I really enjoyed the rich political history that Kelley brought forth. I loved the interviews especially, but really missed having a strong female African-American voice throughout the book to complement the words of Hosea Hudson, James Jackson, Lemon Johnson, and others. If you have an interest in African American history, Alabama history, or Communist Party history, give this book a try. You might surprise yourself!

Raising Hope by Katie Willard~★★★1/2

2010-08-23T21:43:00.002-05:00

Author: Katie Willard
Title: Raising Hope
Release Date: May 2005
Publisher: Warner Books
Genre: Fiction

Book Jacket: "There couldn't have been two more dissimilar girls in the town of Ridley Falls, New Hampshire. Ruth Teller, raised by a hardworking single mother, barely scraped through high school before she settled into a minimum-wage job. Sara Lynn Hoffman, doted upon by her well-to-do parents, graduated class valedictorian before conquering college and law school. Their paths shouldn't have crossed again, but life threw them some curveballs and now they are sharing a home...and more. Together, they are raising a girl named Hope, who came into their lives as an infant and changed everything.
Set in the summer of Hope's twelfth year and moving back and forth in time, this heartwarming novel is the story of an unlikely family. It's the story of Hope, on the edge of growing up and yearning to find out everything she can about her birth parents. It's also the story of Ruth and Sara Lynn---the girls they once were and the women they've become. Finally, it's the story of Aimee, Sara Lynn's mother, and Mary, Ruth's mother---both of whom formed their daughters for better and for worse.
Told from the perspectives of four unique female voices from three generations, this luminous debut novel is about mothers, daughters, and the power of family love. Raising Hope exquisitely depicts the bravery of ordinary people risking everything to find out just how full their lives---and hearts---can be."

Taryn's Review: This is the type of book for me that would be deemed a "beach read." It's quick, it tells a decent story, and it's light-hearted. I actually selected this book because I liked the bright, cheery cover!

I think one thing the author could have done to help the readers would have been to title each chapter with the perspective it's being told from, such as "Ruth" or "Hope," etc. Sometimes it wasn't easy to tell right off the bat who was telling the story, which is an important element for the book. The book wasn't such where titling the chapters would have done any harm, but really would have been more helpful in my opinion.

At first I was worried about Hope's character development, but as the book went on, I thought Willard did a great job running through the emotions of a 12-year-old. The beginning was spotty with Hope saying and thinking a few things that I'm not sure most 12-year-olds would, but by the end Hope was much more pre-teen like in both her thoughts and actions.

I think what keeps the book held back for me is the Ruth/Sara Lynn storyline. I didn't feel like Willard really had them interacting much in the beginning to middle of the book, and suddenly at the end they are close friends and dearly love one another. I wish Willard would have focused less on some things (namely Ruth's mother/daughter relationship, which I didn't feel did much for the book) and really focused on how Ruth and Sara Lynn adjusted to the situation of Hope and how they came through their differences to raise her.

And Sara Lynn's emotional hang-up because of her mother was really, well, cliche for me. In a world with therapy and the Hoffmans having plenty of money, I don't understand why Sara Lynn wouldn't be in therapy regarding her feelings toward her mother and their relationship. And why in the world she let it hold her back for so long is really not something Willard develops much other than using the "Sara Lynn wanted to make her mother happy," route by having Aimee wanting the perfect daughter so she primed Sara Lynn to be the best at everything and make everyone happy, namely her parents.

Overall, a good beach/pool read for me, or maybe a book to tote along when you have to wait somewhere to pleasantly pass the time. The story is entertaining, but not engrossing. Hope is by far the shining star of the book, and while the others have their stories, Willard's best work shows when she wrote from Hope's perspective. I would be more than happy to pick up another novel by Katie Willard. Give her a shot for some light reading.

When Did You Stop Loving Me by Veronica Chambers~★★★★

2010-08-20T09:13:00.004-05:00

Author: Veronica Chambers
Title: When Did You Stop Loving Me
Release Date: May 25th, 2004
Publisher: Doubleday
Genre: Fiction

Book Jacket: "When Did You Stop Loving Me is the warm and tender story of Angela, a young girl growing up in 1970s Brooklyn. One day Angela goes to school and returns home to find her mother gone. Her magician father, Teddo, left to raise Angela alone, insists on keeping Melanie's disappearance shrouded in mystery, but later Angela wryly observes, 'My father was a magician, but my mother was the real Houdini.'
Veronica Chambers has written a compelling story about a young girl's struggle to navigate her way through her family's web of love, loss, and magic. As Angela tries to piece her world back together and figure out why her mother has abandoned her, she's left to ponder the soul-shattering question: When did you stop loving me?
A universal story that is both finely tuned and elegant, When Did You Stop Loving Me captures the intricacies, pleasures, contradictions, and complexities at the heart of every family. Spare and exquisitely told, this novel will seep beneath your skin and stay with you long after the last page has been turned."

Taryn's Review: This is one of the those books that was very easy to read through quickly, but held my attention strongly as well. Eleven year old Angela's discovery of her mother's abandonment brings her to remember her mother through flashbacks, which Veronica Chambers writes very well. You can really feel the admiration and love Angela has for her mother when she recounts the memories of her.

Chambers also does a great job of showing the difficulty Angela's magician father, Teddo, has in dealing with the leaving of his wife. It wasn't that Angela and Teddo weren't close before she left, but Angela depended on her mother for things like cooking, cleaning, personal hygiene, money management, etc. Angela witnesses her father's attempt to do these things, and realizes how much she has to learn to handle some of these things on her own now.

I think the bond Teddo and Angela develop is sweet, while sour at times. Teddo doesn't always make the right or best decisions regarding Angela, but works hard to try and make a family again for him and his daughter. He also does his best to instill Black pride in her and to make her aware of her past and present times as an African-American in the 1970s. Angela discovers growing up without a mother is not easy, but manageable.

The ending was a bit of a disappointment. There were some issues in the book that I would have liked Chambers to review and explain, or at least follow-up on what happened to certain characters that came into contact with Angela. The book almost bluntly comes to an end. Despite that, Chambers has a draw on her words that really pull you. I wouldn't necessarily call this beautiful prose like in some works, but the point of view in this book is from an 11-year-old, and Chambers really did a fantastic job writing from that point as well as hooking the reader in.

Between the Sheets by Lesley McDowell~★★★★

2010-08-18T16:06:00.002-05:00

Author: Lesley McDowell
Title: Between the Sheets: The Literary Liaisons of Nine 20th Century Women Writers
Release Date: April 1st, 2010
Publisher: Overlook Hardcover
Genre: Non-fiction

Book Jacket: "Why did a gifted writer like Sylvia Plath stumble into a marriage that drove her to suicide? Why did Hilda Doolittle want to marry Ezra Pound when she was attracted to women? Why did Simone DeBeauvoir (throughout the book it is "de Beauvoir" and McDowell refers to her as "Beauvoir"- tsk, tsk proofreading!) pimp for Jean-Paul Sartre? The list of the damages done in each of these sexual relationships between female writers and their male literary partners is long, but each relationship provokes the same question: would these women have become the writers they became without the experience of their own particular literary relationship?
Focusing on the diaries, letters, and journals of each woman, Between the Sheets explores nine famous literary liaisons of the twentieth century. Lesley McDowell examines the extent to which each woman was prepared to put artistic ambition before personal happiness, and how dependent on their male writing partners these women felt themselves to be. She probes the consequences of the women's codependence and reveals how, in many instances, their partnership liberated unspoken desires, encouraged artistic innovations, and even shored up literary reputations. Fascinating and insightful, Between the Sheets is a marvelous read and an invaluable addition to the literature of feminism."

Taryn's Review: This book was not only interesting to me because of the subject, but also because it introduced me to many new writers and books/poetry. Not being versed in literature myself, I hadn't heard of many of these people (and maybe I'm embarrassing myself to admit that!), but now I have a list of works that I would like to add to my list!

McDowell poses some interesting questions while presenting us to the following relationships: Katherine Mansfield/John Middleton Murray, Hilda Doolittle/Ezra Pound, Rebecca West/HG Wells, Jean Rhys/Ford Madox Ford, Anais Nin/Henry Miller, Simone de Beauvoir/Jean-Paul Sartre, Martha Gellhorn/Ernest Hemingway, Elizabeth Smart/George Barker and Sylvia Plath/Ted Hughes. She really tries to analyze how these relationship affected their creative outlets of writing as well as personally.

I think the most fascinating relationship for me to read about was Ernest Hemingway and Martha Gellhorn. I had no idea how brutal and abusive Hemingway was and Gellhorn had an extraordinary story herself, being a war-correspondent (as a woman no less; she even was there during D-Day in WWII) during many wars and traveling abroad to cover stories. The two did seem to feed off one another creatively, as both had their biggest literary successes while together, but both seemed to pay a high personal price together and individually.

I think the least interesting relationship in the book was Katherine Mansfield and John Middleton Murry, although the writing may have had something to do with it. It just didn't seem to flow as smoothly as the others and at times I felt confused by what McDowell was presenting. Maybe this relationship was more difficult to piece together, I'm not sure, but it just didn't grab me like the others did.

I really enjoyed questions this book raised as well as the introductions to so many new authors. I think the most tragic for me to read about was not Sylvia Plath's, but Elizabeth Smart's. Smart began a relationship with George Barker, only to end up bearing him 4 children, none of which he financially or emotionally supported (it seems he didn't with any of the 15 children he had, among 4 different lovers). I hope to read her work, By Grand Central Station I Sat Down and Wept, very soon. The title alone seems to be haunted by hurt.

One thing shocked me while reading this was the amount of sex going on outside of the relationships presented. I don't know if this was limited to the literary world at the time, but wow, it was crazy to read how many of them slept with one another (hetero- and homosexual experiences). I'm not very knowledgeable on early 20th century history, but this book really made me question what I thought I knew!

Overall, this is a interesting book. It seems a bit long when you pick it up, but keep in mind it shares 9 different relationships in the book. I think a good question to keep in mind while reading is to ask if some of these women really had any choice but to make these men their lovers to get the attention they desired for their art; what women writers did they have available to them as teachers? Was payment for literary help their bodies? Don't be intimidated; this book seems moderately readable and wasn't difficult once you get started. Definitely recommend for anyone who enjoys literature, or anyone who just likes to read about a scandal or two.

The Cure for Grief by Nellie Hermann~★★★

2010-08-01T12:26:00.000-05:00

Author: Nellie Hermann
Title: The Cure for Grief
Release Date: August 5th, 2008
Publisher: Scribner
Genre: Fiction

Book Jacket: "Ruby is the youngest child in the tightly knit Bronstein family, a sensitive, observant girl who looks up to her older brothers and is in awe of her stern but gentle father, a Holocaust survivor whose past and deep sense of morality inform the family's life. But when Ruby is ten, her eldest brother enters the hospital and emerges as someone she barely recognizes. It is only the first in a startling series of tragedies that befall the Bronsteins and leave Ruby reeling from sorrow and disbelief.
The disarmingly intimate and candid novel follows Ruby through a coming-of-age marked by excruciating loss, one in which the thrills, confusion, and longing of adolescence are heightened by the devastating events that accompany them. As Ruby's family fractures, she finds solace in friendships and the beginnings of romance, in the normalcy of summer camp and the prom. But her anger and heartache shadow these experiences, separating her from those she loves, until she chooses to reconcile what she lost with whom she has become.
Nellie Hermann's insightful debut is a heartbreakingly authentic story of the enduring potential for resilience and the love that binds a family."

Taryn's Review: Throughout this book, I felt something was off and I had a hard time figuring it out. I was reading and just not connecting to the characters when it hit me: dialogue! I needed dialogue!

The story is sad as Ruby Bronstein's family experiences horrible tragedies, but the author really lacks in having them interact with one another enough for the reader to feel a connection to the family. As the story is told from Ruby's perspective and her thoughts; often, only a sentence or two of dialogue is thrown into the paragraphs and then again, we are back in Ruby's view only.

I did not emotionally connect enough in this book to actually feel the pain and sorrow that Ruby suffers through. I hated that I was reading such a sad book and felt nothing. Again, I feel like the lack of dialogue played a large role in this for me, as I really didn't get a sense of who any of Ruby's family members were and what they were thinking as things progressed.

The book itself did hold my attention, but I often skimmed the descriptions since I felt like so much time was spent highlighting things that weren't important to the story. While I liked it enough to finish it, the emotional investment in the story wasn't there. If for some reason I wasn't able to finish the book, I don't think I would have felt I lost anything by not finishing it.

The Stranger by Albert Camus~★★★★

2010-07-30T19:12:00.002-05:00

Author: Albert Camus
Title: The Stranger
Release Date: First released in French in 1942, English in 1943; this edition from 1993
Publisher: First published by Libraire Gallimard ; this edition published by Everyman's Library
Genre: Fiction; Existentialism

Book Description: "Albert Camus' spare, laconic masterpiece about a Frenchman who murders an Arab in Algeria is famous for having diagnosed , with a clarity almost scientific, that condition of reckless alienation and spiritual exhaustion which characterizes so much of twentieth-century life. Possessing both the force of a parable and the sentence-by-sentence excitement of a perfectly executed thriller, The Stranger is the work of one of the most engaged and intellectually alert of our century's writers."

Taryn's Review: This is a very unique book. I'm not anyone who knows much about existentialism, so I won't pretend I do and I'll just present the book as I understand it.

Mersault is a man who doesn't seem to be very emotional. He is very matter-of-fact in his answers. He shows no emotion when his mother passes suddenly and the next day, resumes his life activities as normal. He becomes involved with a girl whom he says he will marry simply because it will make her happy, but also notes he can't say if he loves her. When he kills a man, he treats it the same way he has everything else in life...bluntly.

The book is written in shorter sentences, but they still hold a huge burst of interest. It's very hard to relate to someone like Mersault, but I found my not wanting to put this book down. In the end, Mersault speaks of the absurdity of man and justice in relation to his trial.

This book really gets the old wheels turning. Pick it up and give it a shot. It's very readable and Mersault is not someone you are likely to forget anytime soon.

The Heretic's Daughter by Kathleen Kent~★★★★1/2

2010-07-21T11:51:00.000-05:00

Author: Kathleen Kent
Title: The Heretic's Daughter
Release Date: September 3rd, 2008
Publisher: Little, Brown and Company
Genre: Historical Fiction

Book Jacket: "In 1752, Sarah Carrier Chapman, confined to her home and weak with infirmity, writes a letter to her granddaughter, revealing the secret she has guarded closely for six decades. It is a haunting account of the horrors that enveloped a New England town called Salem, and compelled Sarah, then just a young girl, to make a decision that would change her life forever.
A little more than a year before the with trials will begin, Sarah and her family arrive in nearby Andover to face a community gripped by superstition and fear. With the increase in Indian raids and the spread of the plague, the Puritans come to believe that heretics in their midst are responsible for their misfortune. Based the accusations of a dozen young girls, neighbor is pitted against neighbor, friend against friend, and the hysteria escalates, sweeping more than two hundred men, women, and children into prison on charges of witchcraft---Sarah's mother, Martha Carrier, among them. Often at odds with each other, mother and daughter must now stand defiantly together in the face of imprisonment, torture, and even death. Out of love for her children, Martha asks Sarah to commit an act of heresy---a lie that will most surely condemn Martha even as it will save her daughter."

Taryn's Review: What a fantastic book. It was so great to pick up a book that once I started reading, I didn't want to put down!

Kathleen Kent is a beautiful writer. Her words elegantly embrace you and the story she chose to tell is a haunting one. The Salem Witch Trials are known of by many, but few really know or think about the horrors of such proceedings. Kent highlights the story of her ancestor, Martha Carrier, and her unfair accusation of being a witch, along with some of her family members. Martha's daughter, Sarah, is the storyteller for Martha.

I have read a few sources on this event and it is so sad that so many people were killed because of the lies of some other people. It really is a horrifying situation and one that leaves you stunned.

My only reason for not giving the book 5 stars was that I was on the edge of my seat wanting to know what was in the red book Martha gave to Sarah, but it was never revealed. That would have wrapped up the story, at least for me. Kent focuses a lot of time on Sarah's imprisonment and while it was awful, I wish less of the story had been dedicated to that and a bit more to the life of Sarah and her family after she was released and the aftermath for the Carrier family.

Overall, this is a stunning debut novel by Kathleen Kent and I most definitely look forward to more of her books!

My Summer of Southern Discomfort by Stephanie Gayle~★★1/2

2010-07-17T14:41:00.001-05:00

Author: Stephanie Gayle
Title: My Summer of Southern Discomfort
Release Date: June 26th, 2007
Publisher: William Morrow
Genre: Southern Fiction

Book Jacket: "Convicting arsonists and thieves in Macon, Georgia, was never Harvard Law grad Natalie Goldberg's dream. The pay is abysmal, the work is exhausting, and the humidity is hell for a woman with curly hair. But when a steamy romance with her high-powered New York boss went bad, Natalie jumped at the first job offered, packed her bags, and headed south.
Natalie's leftist Yankee background brands her a conspicuous outsider in this insular community. Her father, a famous civil rights lawyer, refuses to accept her career change---or talk to her. Her best friend begs her to come back home, and Natalie keeps thinking she sees her former lover everywhere.
But Natalie's not completely alone. There are a garden-obsessed neighbor, a former beauty queen-turned-defense lawyer, and a handsome colleague who has a nervous tic whenever she gets near. And then there's a capital case that has her eating antacids by the truckload. Yep, it's going to be one heckuva long, hot summer..."

Taryn's Review: When the weather outside is so hot that the weather advisory tells people to stay inside, you should, but balance out the AC with a fun summer read! When I went to the library last week, I just did a quick browse to find something that screamed summer fun to me. I picked up this book based firstly on the summery-cover, as well as the fact that I love a good Southern fiction book.

I was really disappointed with this book for a long while. I debated quitting it multiple times. I felt like Gayle was over-describing some really mundane things. Part of a really good fiction book is to get images into the readers mind without having to explicitly spell them out, and at times Gayle was spelling out all this imagery without it being part of the dialogue or without it just flowing seamlessly from the pages.

The other thing was the main character, Natalie, was boring and kind of a Debbie Downer. I almost think this book would have really benefited from a narrative switch for a few chapters so we could see Natalie from another perspective, especially since Natalie is the outsider in the community.

There were obvious set-up scenarios coming so that a blind man could have spotted them a mile away. The book felt like a very Freshman effort, especially compared to the Southern fiction books that I've read that really sweep you away. This story was not one of them. It's very forgettable and, for me, not written from the best views all the time. I myself love a good fluffy read now and then, but this book was just lacking both entertainment and character growth. Unfortunately, I'd have to recommend passing on this one.

The Seven Levels of Intimacy by Matthew Kelly~★★★★★

2010-07-15T09:53:00.004-05:00

Author: Matthew Kelly
Title: The Seven Levels of Intimacy: The Art of Loving and the Joy of Being Loved
Release Date: January 9th, 2007
Publisher: Fireside
Genre: Non-Fiction Self-Help

Book Cover: "We all crave the heartwarming, incomparable connection of intimacy. But oftentimes, this complete, unrestrained sharing of ourselves is too daunting a task. Now, in The Seven Levels of Intimacy, Matthew Kelly explains step by step how to move beyond our fears and experience the power of true intimacy. By achieving each of Kelly's seven levels, we can understand and gain confidence in our partners and ourselves until we are fully able to experience love, commitment, trust, and happiness.
With profound insight and the use of powerful and relatable examples, The Seven Levels of Intimacy redefines the most important relationships in our lives and how we view our interactions with one another. By finally comprehending and experiencing the great depths of intimacy, we can create the strong connections, deep joy, and lasting bonds that we all long for in our lives."

Taryn's Review: Sometimes I think self-help books have a stigma about them; and that stigma is that no one wants to be seen reading one or checking one out from the library or even *gasp* buying one in the book store! Remember that scene in Sex in the City when Charlotte is embarrassed to buy a self-help book after her divorce? Yeah, I think we all have those feelings at some point. Especially in a society where we are expected to drive the perfect car, live in the perfect house, have perfect kids, and be in perfect relationships...who wants to admit that maybe things aren't so perfect?

Luckily for me, I don't have an issue admitting that my relationships maybe aren't where I want them to be and this book was an excellent, excellent choice I grabbed. Matthew Kelly's ideas aren't necessarily "revolutionary," but they are thoughts and actions that we overlook in our daily lives, especially with those people that we love the most (not just significant others, but in all relationships you have).

Kelly begins by going over some topics and getting the reader ready for the Seven Levels. I really enjoyed Kelly's writing style. He is incredibly personable in his writing and his words are straightforward, precise, and moving.

The Seven Levels were a huge eye-opener for me. Again, nothing that maybe I couldn't have realized on my own I had really dedicated time to it, but Kelly takes the guesswork out of it and you can identify your issues and say, "Okay, that is definitely something I can relate to," or you can recognize some of the behaviors in your own relationships.

What's great is that Kelly offers help and ideas on how to get past the obstacles that are looming over your relationship and gives you confidence that you can do this, if not for the relationship, then to make you a better-version-of-yourself (his words). I read some selected sections to my husband and it really opened up some good dialogue between us.

I would highly recommend this book to anyone, whether single, coupled, engaged, or married. The tips can be asserted to most relationships and really help you also analyze yourself and ask yourself some tough questions. I would love to buy this book and go back and highlight some of my favorite passages. And the end maybe sappy to some, but I loved it and even teared up a little! Most definitely consider this book if you feel like you have a relationship (or a few) that could use work, or even if you feel like you yourself could use a little perspective.

The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald~★★★★★

2010-07-03T13:10:00.004-05:00

Author: F. Scott Fitzgerald

Title: The Great Gatsby

Release Date: Originally published April 10th, 1925 by Charles Scribner's Sons; this edition published June 1996

Publisher: Scribner Classics

Genre: Classic Fiction

Book Jacket: "The exemplary novel of the Jazz Age, F. Scott Fitzgerald's third book, The Great Gatsby (1925), stands as the supreme achievement of his career. T.S. Eliot read it three times and saw it as the 'first step' American fiction had taken since Henry James; H.L. Mencken praised 'the charm and beauty of the writing,' as well as Fitzgerald's sharp social sense; and Thomas Wolfe hailed it as Fitzgerald's 'best work' thus far. The story of the fabulously wealthy Jay Gatsby and his love for the beautiful Daisy Buchanan, of lavish parties on Long Island at a time when, The New York Times remarked, "gin was the national drink and sex the national obsession,' it is an exquisitely crafted tale of America in the 1920s that resonates with the power of magic, romance, and mysticism, The Great Gatsby is one of the great classics of twentieth-century literature.

This is the definitive, textually accurate edition of The Great Gatsby, edited by Michael J. Bruccoli and authorized by the estate of F. Scott Fitzgerald. The first edition of The Great Gatsby contained many errors resulting from Fitzgerald's extensive revisions and a rushed production schedule, and subsequent editions introduced further departures from the author's intentions. This critical edition draws on the manuscript and surviving proofs of the novel, along with Fitzgerald's later revisions and corrections, to restore the text to its original form. It is The Great Gatsby as Fitzgerald intended it.

Taryn's Review: A long time ago, I read The Great Gatsby. I remember not really liking it. Now that I'm older and have read the book (and am much more well-read than I was back then), I found myself in admiration of the book.

F. Scott Fitzgerald writes in such way that reminds me of having a butterscotch in my mouth; his words are silky smooth and leave an aftertaste that left me desiring more. I love that he told the story from Nick Carraway's point of view rather than Gatsby's or Daisy's or Tom's. To be in that love triangle would have been such a skewed perspective, but Fitzgerald's choice of view was perfect.

The deception, the hope, the greed, the lust (or maybe love?) was fantastic. It was hard for me to understand the upper-society side of the book and Gatsby's change from his old self to his wealthy, elite self. It's something to think about.

Overall, I'm so glad I revisited this book. The twist was quite the ride, and I do agree this this book is a fantastic representation of great American fiction.

Loving Frank by Nancy Horan~★★★

2010-06-15T20:56:00.006-05:00

Author: Nancy Horan
Title: Loving Frank
Release Date: April 8th, 2008
Publisher: Ballatine Books
Genre: Historical Fiction

Book Jacket: "'I have been standing on the side of life, watching it float by. I want to swim in the river. I want to feel the current.'
So writes Mamah Borthwick Cheney in her diary as she struggles to justify her clandestine love affair with Frank Lloyd Wright. Four years earlier, in 1903, Mamah and her husband, Edwin, had commissioned the renowned architect to design a new home for them. During the construction of the house, a powerful attraction developed between Mamah and Frank, and in time the lovers, each married with children, embarked on a course that would shock Chicago society and forever change their lives.
In this groundbreaking historical novel, fact and fiction blend together brilliantly. While scholars have largely relegated Mamah to a footnote in the life of America's greatest architect, author Nancy Horan gives full weight to their dramatic love story and illuminates Cheney's profound influence on Wright.
Drawing on years of research, Horan weaves little-known facts into a compelling narrative, vividly portraying the conflicts and struggles of a woman forced to choose between the roles of mother, wife, lover, and intellectual. Horan's Mamah is a woman seeking to find her own place, her own creative calling in the world, and her unforgettable journey, marked by choices that reshape her notions of love and responsibility, leads inexorably to this novel's stunning conclusion.
Elegantly written and remarkably rich in detail, Loving Frank is a fitting tribute to a courageous woman, a national icon, and their timeless love story."

Taryn's Review: I picked out this book on a simple recommendation. Someone said they liked it, I checked if the library had it, and then I checked it out. I really had no background about the book, so I didn't have any idea what the story was about.

It took me a long while to realize the feminist element that Horan presents Mamah Borthwick Cheney as having. In fact, at first I was very annoyed with Mamah. She "settled" for Edwin Cheney as a husband and stepped into the role of housewife knowing full well she wasn't in love with Edwin. Nothing screamed feminist about that to me. In fact, she paid no heed to the deceit she was living in regards to Edwin, which was so unfair to him.

Next, Mamah falls in love with the architect Frank Lloyd Wright when her husband commissions Wright to build them a house. Mamah and Frank begin an affair, despite the fact that both are married and both have children. To me, I didn't really understand how this was a feminist move, either. Breaking up another woman's family? Traveling to Europe together, abandoning her children (and leaving them in the care of her ex and her sister) and Frank's children for a year (Mamah longer).

I think one of the ironies for me is that without Edwin making as much money as he had and being able to hire Wright, Mamah may have never met Wright. Mamah's best friend Mattie even tried to point out how Mamah is spoiled by Edwin. I was appalled with Mamah's suggestion in debating a divorce would be that Edwin could support her and the children (and her worst case scenario was that he wouldn't and she would have to get a job). I would think a true feminist wouldn't expect her ex-husband to support her!

I also felt like the relationship was so one-sided. Mamah was alone at some holidays while Frank went back to his wife and their children to spend the day. Mamah relocated to Wisconsin for Frank's dream of having a farm there. Mamah is the one who had to help Frank out of his debt. Mamah went without seeing her children daily because of her relationship with Frank; she was scorned in Chicago, while Frank was free to go back with little repercussions. One could even argue that Mamah's untimely death was in direct correlation to her relationship with Frank.

I think Horan is a splendid writer, but I wasn't overly found of the topic she chose. I also would have loved an works' cited page where she gave credit to the sources she used for some elements of her book.

I would definitely read another of Horan's book, but I hope she decides to do fiction. I'm not a big fan of historical fiction (using some real elements and making up the rest), as it does a lot of damage to my field of study (history). Horan writing style is elegant and was really the draw for me to continue the book.

Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil by John Berendt~★★★★★

2010-06-11T11:47:00.005-05:00

Author: John Berendt
Title: Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil: A Savannah Story
Release Date: Originally published Jan. 1994; this edition printed June 28th, 1999
Publisher: Vintage
Genre: Non-fiction/Southern Suspense

Book Jacket: "Shots rang out in Savannah's grandest mansion in the misty, early morning hours of May 2, 1981. Was it murder or self-defense? For nearly a decade, the shooting and its aftermath reverberated throughout this hauntingly beautiful city of moss-hung oaks and shaded squares. John Berendt's sharply observed, suspenseful, and witty narrative reads like a thoroughly engrossing novel, and yet it is a work of nonfiction. Berendt skillfully interweaves a hugely entertaining first-person account of life in this isolated remnant of the Old South with the unpredictable twists and turns of a landmark murder case.
It is a spellbinding story peopled by a gallery of remarkable characters: the well-bred society of ladies of the Married Woman's Card Club; the turbulent young redneck gigolo; the hapless recluse who owns a bottle of poison so powerful it could kill Savannah; the aging and profane Southern belle who is the 'soul of pampered self-absorption'; the uproariously funny black drag queen; the acerbic and arrogant antiques dealer; young blacks dancing the minuet at the black debutante ball; and Minerva, the voodoo priestess who works her magic in the graveyard at midnight. These and other Savannahians act as a Greek chorus, with Berendt revealing the alliances, hostilities, and intrigues that thrive in a town where everyone knows everyone else.
Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil: A Savannah Story is a sublime and seductive reading experience. Brilliantly conceived and masterfully written, this enormously engaging portrait of a most beguiling Southern city is certain to become a modern classic."

Taryn's Review: I had heard of this book numerous times and heard how great it was. I don't know what exactly I thought it was about, but I had decided it didn't appeal to me for whatever reason. That was a mistake.

This book "had me at hello" as Jerry McGuire said. I really was enthralled right from the beginning. I loved it and was so eager to find out what happened. The story is set in mysterious, beautiful Savannah. Honestly, I didn't know much about Savannah and maybe that was part of the turn-off for me originally. Then Paula Deen buttered me up (ha!) to the city when she showed clips of the city on her show on Food Network.

The story has so many eclectic characters and Berendt is masterful is making them seem so real. I would have thought for sure this was a fiction work had I not known from others that it was non-fiction due to the elegance and detail in the writing.

The book does focus on homosexuality quite of bit, so if that sort of thing makes you uncomfortable, I wouldn't recommend this book to you. Other than that, I would say to definitely add this book to your summer reading list if you haven't read it and let the humidity and drama of Savannah sweep you away.

Where Am I?

2010-05-30T00:23:00.008-05:00

(I'm not in this picture, but I wish I were!)

I'm here, I promise! We recently got a puppy, albeit a big puppy (70lbs at 10 months) and she's cut into my book time this month. In fact, she ripped up/ate 2 of the books I was reading, so I didn't get to finish AND I had to pay the library to replace the books. :(

But, I am hoping to dive right back into some books on my list, especially now that it feels like summer. Now if only I could find a pool or large body of water to relax by and catch up on my reading I'd be a happy girl!

Happy Summer Readings to you all!

Amigoland by Oscar Casares~★★★

2010-05-12T21:44:00.006-05:00

Author: Oscar Casares
Title: Amigoland
Release Date: August 10th, 2009
Publisher: Little, Brown and Company
Genre: Fiction

Book Jacket: "Don Fidencio and Don Celestino are brothers with more in common than either will admit: fiercely independent, sharp as tacks, and stubborn. Between them stands an argument so old neither wants to concede. The dispute---over their grandfather's alleged kidnapping in Mexico more than a century ago and the truth of their family heritage---appears destined to die with two men too consumed with the past to ever put it behind them.
Enter Socorro, the delightful and kindhearted Mexican housekeeper with whom Don Celestino falls in love. She hasn't lived nearly as long as the brothers, but she's learned that people can indeed run out of time to make amends. She leads the begrudging pair on a quest to end their estrangement---while they still can.
In a story full of warmth and wonder, the unlikely trio ventures far into Mexico and deep into the past, following their only lead: that of the lost, and possibly mythic, El Rancho Capote, home of the brothers' grandfather. As the two men test the limits of their pride and patience, they uncover long-hidden truths both painful and redemptive, and learn it's never too late for a new beginning.
With the winsome prose and heartfelt humor that won widespread accolades for his story collection, Brownsville, Oscar Casares's novel of family lost and found radiates with the generosity and grace of a truly original voice in American fiction."

Taryn's Review: If the book jacket for this story is correct, then this book went way over my head. I mean, waaay over.

I didn't personally find the brothers to be similar at all other than being stubborn about petty things. Don Fidencio begins his story in a nursing home, and while I know the author was trying to be funny with giving Fidencio's cohorts names like The One with the Hole in His Back, but it was draining to read. The beginning was the least favorite part of the book and I contemplated quitting because I just wasn't getting into the story at all.

Don Celestino is a widower of only a few months when he begins sleeping with his housekeeper, Socorro. Socorro is so focused on making a public relationship/life with Celestino, but I kept feeling like she was being so selfish; Celestino's wife death was fairly recent, which was one of his main reasons for not opening up to Socorro. He feared hurting so badly again and what his children and friends would think to see he had moved on so soon.

Socorro, in her desperation to make herself a bigger part of Celestino's life, urges him to reach out to his estranged brother, Fidencio, as she would like to meet his family (and is upset he didn't tell her sooner that he had a living brother).

I don't know why Celestino relented. He and Fidencio hadn't talked in years and they just bicker for the most part when they do meet, which again, left my interest waning.

I'm not particularly glad I finished the book, but I didn't hate it. Overall, it was just kind of blah for me. I think Casares is a good writer, but the story itself didn't catch my imagination or light a fire in me to keep reading. I might pick up the author's other book, but I can't say I would recommend this one.

The Road Less Traveled by M Scott Peck, M.D.~★★1/2

2010-05-03T20:35:00.004-05:00

Author: M. Scott Peck, M.D.
Title: The Road Less Traveled
Release Date: Original release date 1978; this edition, 2002
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Genre: Non-fiction

Book Jacket: "Perhaps no book in this generation has had a more profound impact on our intellectual and spiritual lives than The Road Less Traveled. With sales of more than 7 million copies in the United States and Canada, and translation into more than 23 languages, it has made publishing history, with more than 10 years on The New York Times bestseller list. Now, with a new introduction by the author, written especially for this 25th anniversary deluxe hardcover edition of the all-time national bestseller in its field, M. Scott Peck explains the ideas that shaped this book and that continue to influence an ever-growing audience of readers. Written in a voice that is timeless in its message of understanding, The Road Less Traveled continues to enable us to explore the nature of loving relationships and leads us toward a new serenity and fullness of life. It helps us determine how to distinguish dependency from love; how to become a more sensitive parent; and ultimately how to become one's own true self. Recognizing that---in the famous opening lines of his book---'Life is difficult' and that the journey to spiritual growth is a long one, Dr. Peck never bullies his readers, but rather gently guides them through the hard and often painful process of change toward a higher level of self-understanding. Combining profound psychological insight and deep spirituality, this one-of-a-kind hardcover anniversary edition is a book to treasure and turn to again and again for inspiration and understanding. As Phyllis Theroux wrote in The Washington Post when the original edition of The Road Less Traveled was first published, 'It is not just a book but a spontaneous act of generosity.'"

Taryn's Review: This book was recommend to me by an older acquaintance and she really seemed to love it. I went in with really high hopes, but quickly found myself disappointed.

I don't think Dr. Peck is a poor writer at all. I simply think that his mind set in the 1970s when the book was written and for what audience has changed significantly. This book was published 32 years ago and when reading it, I kept getting the sense it was something my mother could have benefited from...and then I realized when it was written and for who and it all clicked.

The first section of the book was about discipline. I think most people will tell you that I am one of the most disciplined people they know. I am a prioritizer to the max. I'm a planner. Yes, I'm that lame girl who did extra notes for class because I thought it would help me learn better and look better. I didn't get much from the book throughout the first section.

I am not trying to start some generational war, but I think my generation doesn't necessarily think in the same way the targeted audience did when the book came out, especially in the next section on love. In fact, something that irritated me to no end was Dr. Peck's suggestions of how to help your spouse. He suggested that men watch the kids for the afternoon, make dinner one night, or something like that to thank his wife. One idea he suggested for the wife was that she could get a part-time job to ease the financial burden to thank her husband for his help. Because the husband watching the kids for an afternoon is equal to a part-time job? Okay.

I picked up a few interesting ideas on the final section on religion, but again, nothing earth-shattering. I think again one of the major differences is that my generation is much more likely to explore other faiths than the people of the 70s. I know my parents were given no option in their religion and were expected to practice and believe as their parents had. They did not do that to me, nor can I say that personally I have seen any of my friends pressured by their own parents in that way. It's just different now.

Again, I don't think it's a bad book, but I think the target audience has been met and it's doubtful that people my age are going to take much from this book or pass it along. I'm glad it met successful and helped so many, but for me, it really didn't do much and I wouldn't recommend it.

Half Broke Horses by Jeannette Walls~★★★★

2010-04-23T20:02:00.006-05:00

Author: Jeannette Walls
Title: Half Broke Horses
Release Date: October 6th, 2009
Publisher: Scribner, 1st edition
Genre: Based on true story

Book Jacket: "'Those old cows knew trouble was coming before we did.' So begins the story of Lily Casey Smith, Jeannette Walls's no-nonsense, resourceful, and spectacularly compelling grandmother. By age six, Lily was helping her father break horses. At fifteen, she left home to teach in a frontier town---riding five hundred miles on her pony, alone, to get to her job. She learned to drive a car ('I loved cars even more than than I loved horses. They didn't need to be fed if they weren't working, and they didn't leave big piles of manure all over the place') and fly a plane. And, with her husband, Jim, she ran a vast ranch in Arizona. She raised two children, one of whom is Jeannette's memorable mother, Rosemary Smith Walls, unforgettably portrayed in The Glass Castle.
Lily survived tornadoes, droughts, floods, the Great Depression, and the most heartbreaking personal tragedy. She bristled at prejudice of all kinds---against women, Native Americans, and anyone else who didn't fit the mold. Rosemary Smith Wallls always told Jeannette that she was like her grandmother, and in this true-life novel, Jeannette Walls channels that kindred spirit. Half Broke Horses is Laura Ingalls Wilder for adults, as riveting and dramatic as Isak Dinesen's Out of Africa or Beryl Markham's West with the Night. Destined to become a classic, it will transfix readers everywhere."

Taryn's Review: I loved Jeannette Walls's memoir The Glass Castle. It was one of those books I finished in one reading. I was pleasantly excited when I saw this book on the bookshelf at the library!

Half Broke Horses, while it doesn't have the same magic that The Glass Castle did, is still a darn good read. Lily Casey Smith had a childhood that began in West Texas and ended up in Arizona, and Walls takes the book in a direction so that Lily is portrayed with the same dryness that West Texas and Arizona are known for. Lily says things just like they are, doesn't dwell on much, and does what needs done no matter what.

There was a point in the book where I teared up (the personal tragedy the jacket talked about). Walls, in the fashion of the book, doesn't build up to the event, doesn't talk about Lily's emotions, but just puts in out there and moves on, which almost made it that much more painful for me to read. And the closing line of that chapter was heart-wrenching.

I would definitely recommend this book. For those that read The Glass Castle, again, it's not up the caliber of greatness that I felt that book was, but is another book that makes you not want to turn out the light in bed so you can keep reading.

The Vagrants by Yiyun Li~★★★

2010-04-14T20:18:00.003-05:00

Author: Yiyun Li
Title: The Vagrants
Release Date: February 16th, 2010
Publisher: Random House Trade Paperbacks
Genre: Fiction

Book Jacket: "In luminous prose, award-winning author Yiyan Li weaves together the lives of unforgettable characters who are forced to make moral choices, and choices for survival, in China in the late 1970s.
As morning dawns on the provincial city of Muddy River, a spirited young woman, Gu Shan, once a devoted follower of Chairman Mao, has renounced her faith in Communism. Now a political prisoner, she is to be executed for her dissent. While Gu Shan's distraught mother makes bold decisions, her father begins to retreat into memories. Neither of them imagines that their daughter's death will have profound and far-reaching effects, in Muddy River and beyond. Among the characters affected are Kai, a beautiful radio announcer who is married to a man from a powerful family; Tong, a lonely seven-year-old boy; and Nini, a hungry young girl. Beijing is being rocked by the Democratic Wall Movement, an anti-Communist groundswell designed to move the country toward a more enlightened and open society, but the government backlash will be severe.
In this spellbinding novel, the brilliant Yiyun Li gives us a powerful and beautiful portrait of human courage and despair in dramatic times."

Taryn's Review: I didn't find the book to powerful; I often had to force myself through it. For me, there was just too much going on and too many characters to try and sympathize with.

I really wish Li would have narrowed down her characters so that the reader could really connect with someone or one of the stories. The people in the book are centered around the execution of Gu Shan, who Li tells us very little about. Shan's parents' story is told, mainly her father's story, but for me, without knowing more about Gu Shan and her life, I couldn't connect with the Gus.

Bashi is another main character, a very mixed character. Bashi can be awful and cares little about his actions and their consequences on others; yet, his story interweaves intensely with Tong's. In fact, Bashi is the reason that Tong's story goes the way it does, as well as Nini's. Bashi is someone you sincerely hate at times. He also has an odd fascination with having a little girl, which was lost on me.

There were more characters I could talk about, but it makes my mind swirl a bit to get into them. Li is a good writer sometimes I would get into the reading, but then I was forced to switch to someone else, which I didn't feel worked well in this book. It isn't a book I would discourage anyone from reading, but I'm not sure I would encourage anyone to pick it up, either.

Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell~★★★★★

2010-04-05T21:21:00.003-05:00

Author: Margaret Mitchell
Title: Gone with the Wind
Release Date: First published 1936; this edition released April 1st, 1999 Publisher: First published by Macmillan; this edition published by Warner Books
Genre: Fiction

Book Cover: "The greatest love story of our time, the story of of Scarlett O'Hara and Rhett Butler. Margaret Mitchell's monumental epic of the South won a Pulitzer Prize, gave rise to the most popular motion picture of our time, and inspired a sequel that became the fastest selling novel of the century. It is one of the most popular books ever written; more than 28 million copies of the book sold in more than 37 countries. Today, more than 60 years after its initial publication, its achievements are unparalleled, and it remains the most revered American saga and the most beloved work by an American writer..."

Taryn's Review: I first came across the book Gone with the Wind in my hometown's dinky little library. It was one of the few books whose title I recognized on a pathetic, half-stocked shelf, so I checked it out on a hot summer day with plans to stay indoors and tackle what I considered to be a massive book.

I fell in love that day. I don't know what it is about Scarlett O'Hara that makes me love her so. She's really awful to most people and totally selfish in a lot of what she does. She sassy and manipulative and just plain dreadful, yet, you want to know Scarlett. She's gorgeous and spirited and says exactly what she thinks about people and the world around her, good or bad.

And how can one not love the Rhett/Scarlett storyline? It's not the traditional love story at all, and maybe that's why I'm so drawn to it. It's definitely not happily-ever-after.

I don't take the book to be factual nor representative of all Southern history (or U.S. history). It's not. It's a fictional book about a very small, elite group of people, but it's a damn good one. And if you are ever bored on the internet, look up Margaret Mitchell and do a little reading about her. She wrote one book only, and wanted nothing to do with the movie. She herself was a spitfire and has some real hot-fired quotes out there to read. Sadly, all she wanted was privacy after the movie came out and successfully exploded; in the end, however, she died a tragic death at a very young age.

The movie may be classic, but the book is way better. For me, it's an escape book; a book that sweeps you away and helps you leave the 21st century for a while. The book also gives Scarlett's relationship with her parents more background and helps the reader understand much better why Scarlett loves her mother so fiercely, as well as how Scarlett's Irish father ended up with Tara, the plantation they all loved so much. I've read this book many, many times and yet I still get excited when I pick it up for the next reading.

And the winner is...

2010-03-24T07:22:00.004-05:00

Comment #5...Lori! (I used random.org to make the selection)

Lori, email me at bookbloggertaryn@aol.com to claim your prize (don't forget to include your address so I can get the book out to you).

Thank you everyone that participated and/or became a follower! If you didn't win today, don't worry; I've got a book or two that I'll be giving away in the next few weeks in another giveaway!

Thanks again everyone! :)

A Book Giveaway!

2010-03-22T21:52:00.003-05:00

If you love free books, I've got one to give away! I'm giving away one (1) free paperback copy of Shanghai Girls by Lisa See. This is my first giveaway and I'm excited to be able to do it!

I received this book for free and I'd like to pass it along for someone else to enjoy for free. I will pay for the shipping to anywhere in the United States or Canada.

All you have to do is be a follower of my blog (if you're not, please join! I'd love to have you and welcome!) and leave a comment letting me know you'd like to be entered in a random choosing (using random.org) to win Lisa See's Shanghai Girls.

Leave your comment no later than 11:59pm Central Standard Time on March 23rd, 2010. Entries after this time are not eligible. And please, only one comment per person.

Good luck to all! Happy reading!

The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie by Alan Bradley~★★★

2010-03-22T21:21:00.005-05:00

Author: Alan Bradley
Title: The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie
Release Date: April 28th, 2009
Publisher: Delacorte Press
Genre: Fiction

Book Cover: "In his wickedly brilliant first novel, Debut Dagger Award winner Alan Bradley introduces one of the most singular and engaging heroines in recent fiction: eleven-year-old Flavia de Luce, an aspiring chemist with a passion for poison. It is the summer of 1950---and a series of inexplicable events has struck Buckshaw, the decaying English mansion that Flavia's family calls home. A dead bird is found on the doorstep, a postage stamp bizarrely pinned to its beak. Hours later, Flavia finds a man lying in the cucumber patch and watches him as he takes his dying breath. For Flavia, who is both appalled and delighted, life begins in earnest when murder comes to Buckshaw. 'I wish I could say I was afraid, but I wasn't. Quite the contrary. This was by far the most interesting thing that had ever happened to me in my entire life.'
An enthralling mystery, a piercing depiction of class and society, The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie is a masterfully told tale of deceptions---and a rich literary delight."

Taryn's Review: This is a book I was really looking forward to reading due to so many great reviews people had given me. Unfortunately, the book didn't grab me the way it had others, which was a big disappointment; I really wanted to be captivated by the book, but something just wasn't there for me.

Flavia de Luce is a brilliant, witty girl. She loves chemistry and apparently has been studying it since birth. Flavia is something of a prodigy when it comes to everything else as well. She also loves to sass and torture her two older sisters. While I enjoyed Flavia's retorts and knowledge, at times I just felt Bradley took her a touch too far, especially since she is only supposed to be 11 years old. Many times I couldn't believe be convinced of Flavia; she is still a child, but in the book, she perfectly solves a complex murder and not once does she do anything, well, childish.

I'd say I didn't really become interested in the book until around page 140 maybe? I talked myself to keep pushing through, hoping it would get better. The beginning didn't make we want to continue at all.

I'm glad I finished, but I most likely will not be picking up Bradley's second book, which I believe just came out. Bradley is a strong writer and uses a beautiful array of words in his story. While Flavia de Luce is certainly interesting, I would love to have seen elements of a child in her rather than a little chemist/genius who seems too big for her britches.

The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde~★★★★

2010-03-17T19:00:00.002-05:00

Author: Oscar Wilde
Title: The Picture of Dorian Gray
Release Date: Originally released as a novel in 1891; this edition, June 2003
Publisher: Original publisher Ward, Lock, and Company; this edition, Barnes and Nobles Classics
Genre: Fiction

Book Cover: "Oscar Wilde brings his enormous gifts for astute social observation and sparkling prose to The Picture of Dorian Gray, his dreamlike story of a young man who sells his soul for eternal youth and beauty. This dandy, who remains forever unchanged---petulant, hedonistic, vain, and amoral---while a painting of him ages and grows increasingly hideous with the years, has been horrifying, enchanting, obsessing, even corrupting readers for more than a hundred years.
Taking the reader in and out of London drawing rooms, to the heights of aestheticism, and to the depths of decadence. The Picture of Dorian Gray is not only a melodrama about moral corruption. Laced with bon mots and vivid depictions of upper-class refinement, it is also a fascinating look at the milieu of Wilde's fin-de-siecle, world, and a manifesto of the creed, 'Art for Art's Sake.'
The ever-quotable Wilde, who once delighted London with his scintillating plays, scandalized readers with this, his only novel. Upon publication, Dorian was condemned as dangerous, poisonous, stupid, vulgar, and immoral, and Wilde as a "driveling pedant." The novel, in fact, was used against Wilde at his much-publicized trials for 'gross indecency,' which led to his imprisonment and exile from the European continent. Even so, The Picture of Dorian Gray firmly established Wilde as one of the great voices of the Aesthetic movement, and endures as a classic that is as timeless as its hero.

Taryn's Review: I can remember while back in high school having to read some the most dreadful works of literature...at least, to a teen. Many times, I just wasn't educated enough to have any clue what the work was talking about and instead of learning something, I was scarred by it and vowed to never pick up anything from England and deemed as "classic" again. Now that I'm older, I wanted to jump back into the "classics" and see what it is that appeals to so many.

The Picture of Dorian Gray was a great choice and one that I was initially afraid of. Although it is a wordy book, it's perfectly readable. The edition I read was really helpful, too, by starring certain archaic words or phrases and then explaining them in the footnote at the bottom of the page. Endnotes were also added to elaborate on some scenes, events, people, or objects, which again, was really insightful and made the book more enjoyable for me.

The story itself was really fascinating. Dorian stays youthful after trading his soul for youth, yet a portrait of him shows the aging and decay of what would be his face if his actions were reflected on his beauty. Dorian begins the book very innocent and sweet, but after speaking with the pompous Lord Henry Wotton, he begins to immerse himself in the pleasures and vices of life.

Lord Henry is wordy. Sometimes he says something really insightful. Other times, it's utter crap. But his influence over Dorian is undeniable, despite the pleas of the painter of the portrait, Basil Hallsworth, to Lord Henry to leave Dorian alone.

I think after reading this book, a 21st century spin would be to compare society's fascination and moderate acceptance of plastic surgery. Many people in the book make assumptions about Dorian based on his innocent, beautiful face. His peers often say no one evil could look like Dorian, because a rough life shows wear-and-tear. Here in 2010, we can erase the wear-and-tear with injections, creams, and surgeries, so what will our faces show? Just food for thought.

I would definitely recommend this book. It's not one of those books, at least for me, that you will be wrapped in and finish in an afternoon. But taking time to read the book really helped me think about the chapters and scenes. The vocabulary is harder, but worth it. There is a big section where Wilde goes off about jewels and multiple things Dorian enjoyed as well as past nobles and such that wasn't really necessary in my opinion. I skimmed it and still got so much out of the book. Pick it up...it's not nearly as scary as some classics you've been forced to read in the past!

Shanghai Girls by Lisa See~★★★1/2

2010-03-13T22:54:00.005-06:00

Author: Lisa See
Title: Shanghai Girls
Release Date: February 2nd, 2010
Publisher: Random House Trade Paperbacks
Genre: Fiction

Book Cover: "In 1937, Shanghai---the Paris of Asia---twenty-one-year-old Pearl Chin and her younger sister, May, are having the time of their lives. Both are beautiful, modern, and carefree---until the day their father tells them that he has gambled away their wealth and that to repay his debts, he must sell the girls as wives to suitors who have traveled from Los Angeles to find Chinese brides. As Japanese bombs fall on their beloved city, Pearl and May set out on the journey of a lifetime, from the Chinese countryside to the shores of America. Though inseparable best friends, the sisters also harbor jealousies and rivalries. Along the way they make terrible sacrifices, face impossible choices, and confront a devastating, life-changing secret, but through it all the two heroines of this astounding new novel hold fast to who they are---Shanghai girls."

Taryn's Review: I came into this book as a while back I signed up through a link from a friend to receive a free book periodically from Random House. They even sent a bag of white chocolate, which made me very happy the rest of the day! Books and chocolate; perfect!

I really, really enjoyed this book...until the end. I hate when that happens in books and I was shocked by the direction the author chose to take at the end. The book through sections 1 and 2 was written very well and I was captivated by the story. Pearl was a great angle to show the story from. There are times I would have loved to see things from May's point of view, as her and Pearl were such opposites in how they viewed life.

However, the big "secret" the cover eludes to is so, so, so obvious that it irritated me to no end that Pearl didn't see it. How could she not? Honestly, it wasn't a secret at all, more of Pearl ignoring the facts in front of her. The end was very cluttered with so many things happening within a few pages of one another. And obviously See has plans to write a sequel to this book. If not, then the end would be a mass disappointment. I'm not a big fan of sequels to begin with, so this cliffhanger ending was not something I enjoyed.

Overall, the book held my attention very well and was a very good story, but the end was filled with too many things happening at once. The books moved at a well-timed pace for the most part, but in the end time jumped so quickly and that speed combined with all the commotion just keeps the book at 3 1/2 stars for me.

A Reliable Wife by Robert Goolrick ~★★★

2010-03-09T19:24:00.003-06:00

Author: Robert Goolrick
Title: A Reliable Wife
Release Date: March 31st, 2009
Publisher: Algonquin Books
Genre: Fiction

Book Jacket: "Abandoning her worldly life, traveling to a remote Wisconsin town in the dead of winter, trusting her future to a man she had never met---such was Catherine Land's new beginning. But there was an ending in sight as well, an ending that would redeem the treachery ahead, justify the sacrifice, and allow her to start over yet again. That was her plan.
For Ralph Truitt, the wealthy businessman who had advertised for "a reliable wife," this was also to be a new beginning. Years of solitude, denial, and remorse would be erased, and Catherine Land, whoever she might be, would be the vessel of his desires, the keeper of his secrets, the means to recover what was lost. That was his plan.
Set just after the turn of the twentieth century, A Reliable Wife is the story of these two people, each plagued by a heart filled with anger and guilt, each with a destiny in mind. But neither of anticipates what develops between them---the pent up longings that Catherine discovers in this enigmatic man and the depth of her own emotional response; the joy Ralph experiences in giving Catherine the luxuries she has never known, his growing need for her, and a desire that he thought was long buried.
Seductively suspenseful, filled with unexpected twists and turns, A Reliable Wife is a debut reminiscent of the classic novels of the Brontes and du Maurier. Unfolding in a frozen Wisconsin landscape, it's a haunting story of love and madness, passion and murder."

Taryn's Review: This book was a mixed bag for me. Sometimes, I really got into what was happening and felt like I understood the characters. Other times, I was disconnected from them all, especially when I felt like the flow of the book was off.

Catherine Land is presented mysteriously, but to be honest, I would have loved to know her story before I learned of Ralph Truitt's. To me, Ralph should have been the mystery. Who puts an ad in the paper for a wife...especially an insanely wealthy man? It isn't odd that many women would reply, nor is it odd that many would lie, like Catherine did, to try and became the wife of a very wealthy man.

Also, Catherine and Ralph apparently both have the same desire to right wrongs from the past. Ralph's is introduced quickly, while Catherine's need suddenly appears in the middle of the book with no foreshadowing of it. I really think Catherine's guilt should have been highlighted much, much sooner to make it more believable, or left entirely out of the book.

The book claims to be a story of despair, and it is at times. I don't know how much I believe the patience of Ralph Truitt in the book, but I could believe the change in Catherine. Overall, I'm not sure it's a book I'd recommend to many people, but it does a have a quality about it that makes you keep reading. It's not an amazing debut novel, but certainly not a bad one. The flow of the story was a bit off for me, especially when Catherine encounters Antonio on her own, yet, something kept me interested. I think Goolrick has a definite talent, I'm just not sure this book fully expanded it.

Little Bee by Chris Cleave~★★★★

2010-03-05T16:06:00.003-06:00

Author: Chris Cleave
Title: Little Bee
Release Date: February 10th, 2009
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
Genre: Fiction

Book Jacket: "We don't want to tell you what happens in this book. It is truly a special story and we don't want to spoil it. Nevertheless, you need to know enough to buy it, so we will just say this: This is the story of two women. Their lives collide one fateful day, and one of them has to make a terrible choice, the kind of choice we hope you never have to face. Two years later, they meet again---the story starts there...
Once you have read it, you'll want to tell your friends about it. When you do, please don't tell them what happens. The magic is in how the story unfolds."

Taryn's Review: Even though I found the introductory blurb rather annoying, this story was good. I always enjoy a book that isn't typical; the kind of book where you don't know what's unfolding before you.

Little Bee's voice was the best writing in the book. The young woman has seen so much in her short 16 years and she has suffered in so many ways. I really enjoyed the chapters written by her (Cleave did such a good job developing Little Bee) and loved when I started a new chapter and became excited to see it was told by Little Bee.

I wasn't nearly as impressed with Sarah or her story. It just didn't grab me in a way that made me want to know more. Perhaps it was the mere fact that after reading Little Bee's story, Sarah's was so...created. Little Bee had no choices in what was happening to her. She escaped one horror, only to be put in another against her will. Sarah chose many of the things in her life in regards to the things making her sad. She ignored many of them, like her husband, Andrew. And she distracted herself with Lawrence and, ugh, don't get me started on Lawrence. How could Sarah see anything in him?

I wasn't crazy about the end, but over all, the story of Little Bee is fantastic. It's gritty and hard to read the horror that has occured, but worth it. Sarah, Charlie, Andrew, and Lawrence are merely background noise to me in this read, and the real joy is Little Bee.

Sleepwalking in Daylight by Elizabeth Flock~★★★★★

2010-02-17T13:16:00.005-06:00

Author: Elizabeth Flock
Title: Sleepwalking in Daylight
Release Date: September 29th, 2009
Publisher: Mira
Genre: Fiction

Book Jacket: "Once defined by her career and independence, stay-at-home mom Samantha Friedman realizes her days have been reduced to errands, car pools and suburban gossip. It's a role she always assumed she wanted to play, but now Sam has a nagging awareness that this might be all there is. Today she deals with a husband who shows up for dinner but is too preoccupied for conversation, and a daughter swathed in black clothing an Goth makeup who won't talk at all.
Believing she's an adopted mistake, seventeen-year-old Cammy has fallen into sex and drugs, and pours herself into her journal filled with poetry and pain. On parallel paths, mother and daughter indulge in desperate, furtive escapism---for Sam, a burgeoning relationship with her supposed soul mate, fueled by clandestine coffee dates and the desire to feel something; for Cammy, a secretive search for her birth mother punctuated by pills, pot and the need to feel absolutely nothing.
New York Times bestselling author Elizabeth Flock's novels have been hailed as 'haunting' (Booklist) and 'tremendously touching' (Kirkus Reviews). With Sleepwalking in Daylight, she perceptively reveals the inner workings of a modern marriage and the complicated mother-daughter relationship with unflinching honesty, delivering her most powerful, provocative story to date."

Taryn's Review: I didn't expect too much from this book when it caught my eye on the shelf. I didn't even read the book jacket. I just picked it up, threw it in my bag, and moved along. I am so glad I did. This book, while very dark and heavy, was entrancing. I didn't want to put it down. I started it in the afternoon and before I knew it, I was on page 247.

I am truly haunted by this book. Flock did a great job showing how wrapped up people can become in themselves and not realize the mistakes others are making. Cammy, sweet Cammy, was suffering so much in this book. You just wanted to reach through the pages and hug her, and to tell her she was wanted.

The spiraling path Cammy quickly finds herself on isn't noticed by Sam until Cammy is deeply lost. Sam herself is walking around lost as she realizes that she and her husband Bob don't love one another and that sadly, neither of them seem to care that much. Sam meets a man on a train and quickly he becomes the center of her world. His emails, their dates, his voice---these are things that Sam thinks about.

I finished this book before bed and laid awake for some time, just going over the book. I couldn't get it out of my mind. I even went back and re-read the ending. I don't know what I was looking for, but I didn't find it. The book is heavy and depressing. This is not a book I would recommend for anyone who doesn't like tough reads. However, this book is great. It's not easy, that's for sure, but wow, it's a wonderfully-written book. It's powerful and it makes think about how easy it is for us get lost in ourselves and how self-centered we can become. The book also makes us realize the possible consequences that are lurking when we don't realize those we love need help.

Josie Underwood's Civil War Diary edited by Nancy Disher Baird~★★★★

2010-02-14T16:06:00.004-06:00

Author: Josie Underwood, edited by Nancy Disher Baird
Title: Josie Underwood's Civil War Diary
Release Date: February 17th, 2009
Publisher: The University Press of Kentucky
Genre: Non-Fiction

Book Jacket: "A well-educated, outspoken member of a politically prominent family in Bowling Green, Kentucky, Josie Underwood (1840-1923) left behind one of the few intimate accounts of the Civil War written by a southern woman sympathetic to the Union. This vivid portrayal of the early years of the war begins several months before the first shots were fired on Fort Sumter in April 1861. 'The Philistines are upon us,' twenty-year-old Josie writes in her diary, leaving no question about the alarm she feels when Confederate soldiers occupy her once-peaceful town.
Offering a unique perspective on the tensions between the Union and the Confederacy, Josie reveals that Kentucky was a hotbed of political and military action, particularly in her hometown of Bowling Green, known as the Gibraltar of the Confederacy. Located along important rail and water routes that were vital for shipping supplies in and out of the Confederacy, the city linked the upper South's trade and population centers and was strategically critical to both armies.
Capturing the fright and frustration she and her family experienced when Bowling Green served as the Confederate army's headquarters in the fall of 1861, Josie tells of soldiers who trampled fields, pilfered crops, burned fences, cut down trees, stole food, and invaded homes and businesses. In early 1862, Josie's outspoken Unionist father, Warner Underwood, was ordered to evacuate the family's Mount Air estate, which was later destroyed by occupying forces. Wartime hardships also strained relationships among Josie's family, neighbors, and friends, whose passionate beliefs about Lincoln, slavery, and Kentucky's secession divided them.
Published for the first time, Josie Underwood's Civil War Diary interweaves firsthand descriptions of the political unrest of the day with detailed accounts of an active social life filled with travel, parties, and suitors. Bringing to life a Unionist, slave-owning young woman who opposed both Lincoln's policies and Kentucky's secession, the diary dramatically chronicles the physical and emotional traumas visited on Josie's family, community, and state during wartime."

Taryn's Review: I really, really enjoyed Josie's storytelling abilities in capturing the world around her. She writes so smoothly and anyone can easily understand what she is talking about. In fact, it is quite easy to follow along with her when she is discussing military and war matters, as the way she writes is just so plain, yet lovely. Josie is also very sassy and quite a few times I laughed aloud at what she said to those around her!

Josie's situation is so unique from many other Civil War accounts I've read. She and her family are strong Union supporters living in the heart of Kentucky. Although Kentucky claimed neutrality, many people were strongly Confederate. This divide takes hold of Josie's family, while some of her brother-in-laws are staunch Rebels, while her own mother and father are Unionists (but not Yankees!). The climate is just brewing trouble for Josie's family, especially when Bowling Green is taken over by the Confederates.

The reason I can't give it 5-stars is there is some doubt to the authenticity of the work. Although Nancy Disher Baird right now is in the camp that it is real, it also might not be. The actual diary itself is not in existence that we know of. A typed manuscript of the diary mysteriously was received in the mail by a Bowling Green church since a copy of Josie's marriage certificate was attached to the manuscript. The reasoning for this is unknown, especially since most of the Underwoods' possessions had been donated to the museum at Western Kentucky University sometime ago. Also, the typed manuscript has some major issues. One is that is records a death 3 months before it actually occurred. Did Josie go back and add things? It's mystery, for sure.

Ultimately, despite being questionable, it is a really fascinating read. The beginning was a bit slow, but once into the book, it quickly becomes on you won't want to put down. I highly recommend this book, for both those who have an interest in the Civil War and those who don't. Josie is admirable, witty, and a subject whose life you will be captivated by.

The Unbearable Lightness of Scones by Alexander McCall Smith~★★★

2010-02-04T20:46:00.004-06:00

Author: Alexander McCall Smith
Title: The Unbearable Lightness of Scones
Release Date: January 12th, 2010
Publisher: Anchor
Genre: Fiction

Book Cover: "Featuring all the endearing characters we have come to know and love, The Unbearable Lightness of Scones finds Bertie, the precocious six-year-old, still troubled by his rather overbearing mother, Irene, but seeking his escape in the cub scouts. Matthew is rising to the challenge of married life with newfound strength and resolve, while Domenica epitomizes the loneliness of the long-distance intellectual. Cyril, the gold-toothed star of the whole show, succumbs to the kind of romantic temptation that no dog can resist and creates a small problem, or rather six of them, for his friend and owner Angus Lordie.
With his customary deftness, Alexander McCall Smith once again brings us an absorbing and entertaining tale of some of Scotland's quirkiest and most beloved characters---denizens of the beautiful, stoic city of Edinburgh."

Taryn's Review: At first I didn't realize this book was part of a series until I was halfway into it. I was wondering why the background wasn't explained more and then I actually read the back of the book and realized what was going on!

I really liked some the characters' stories. Bertie and his family dynamics really captured my attention, as well as how Bertie deals with a mother who is very, well, suffocating. Matthew and Elspeth were interesting, especially since they both seem so keen on running their marriage in an odd fashion that really has nothing to do with love. I also found Domenica to be a mystery and would love to learn more about her story.

I did not enjoy Angus Lordie's story and halfway through the book just started skipping his sections. Big Lou and her boyfriend had the same effect on me. I don't know exactly what it was, but those sections were so forced to try and get through so I gave up.

I think I would give another book in the series a try (preferable the first one!), but if it didn't convince me to keep reading, I wouldn't bother. I don't know if for more me the stories I did enjoy are enough to keep me reading, especially through the ones I really didn't like.

The Elephant Keeper by Christopher Nicholson~★★★★

2010-01-29T15:14:00.003-06:00

Author: Christopher Nicholson
Title: The Elephant Keeper
Release Date: August 4th, 2009
Publisher: William Morrow
Genre: Fiction

Book Jacket: "England 1766: After a long voyage from the East Indies, a ship docks in Bristol, England, and a rumor quickly spreads about its unsafe cargo---some say a mermaid is on board. A crowd forms, hoping to catch a glimpse of the magical creature. One crate after another is unpacked: a zebra, a leopard, and a baboon. There's no mermaid, but in the final two crates is something almost as magical---a pair of young elephants, in poor health but alive.
Seeing a unique opportunity, a wealthy sugar merchant purchases the elephants for his country estate and turn their care over to a young stable boy, Tom Page. Tom's family has long cared for horses, but an elephant is something different altogether. It takes time for Tom and the elephants to understand one another, but to the surprise of everyone on the estate, a remarkable bond in formed.
The Elephant Keeper, the story of Tom and the elephants, in Tom's own words, moves from the green fields and woods of the English countryside to the dark streets and alleys of late-eighteenth-century London, reflecting both the beauty and the violence of the age. Nicholson's lush writing and deft storytelling complement a captivating tale of love and loyalty between one man and two elephants that change the lives of all who meet them."

Taryn's Review: When I was younger and in the 7th grade, my teacher decided we had to write our own little books. Mine was about a boy who found a baby elephant and tried to keep him in his garage. When I saw the cover of the book, I picked it up off the New Fiction shelf as it brought back the warm fuzzy feelings of my little book about an elephant!

I am glad that I picked this book because for the first two parts of the book, I really loved this book. Tom Page is such a great character and the elephants are written so well. Tom is amazed by the elephants and makes it his job to teach them and protect them. He privately names them Jenny and Timothy and spends most of his time with them.

I was so captivated by the story in the first two parts and was thrilled to read such a refreshing book. It was different, yet believable; and the topic was so interesting to think about...what kind of exotic animals were brought back to England during the Expedition ages (people for that matter, too)?

However, the third part was a big let-down. I'm not sure where the author was trying to take the book, but I didn't like it. Tom and Jenny are now living in London, and Tom's venture back to his hometown seemed so unconvincing. Also, the sudden obsession with an old sweetheart by the name of Lizzy Tindall really made the last part just drag.

Despite the poor ending, the the first two of the book are spectacular. I would have gladly given this book a 5-star review had the last part been better. Nicholson is a gorgeous writer, and I look forward to his next book (hopefully with some improvements regarding book endings!).

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak~★★★1/2

2010-01-25T18:27:00.005-06:00

Author: Markus Zusak
Title: The Book Thief
Release Date: September 11th, 2007
Publisher: Alfred A. Knopf
Genre: Fiction

Book Cover:
"'How does it feel?' 'How does what feel?' 'When you take one of those books?' At that moment, she chose to keep still. If he wanted an answer, he'd have to come back, and he did. 'Well?' he asked, but again, it was the boy who replied, before Liesel could even her mouth. 'It feels good, doesn't it? To steal something back.'"

Taryn's Review: I heard a lot of hype about this book and was excited to finally read it. I'm not one to normally get into Young Adult books, this one had such glowing reviews that I knew I had to give it a chance.

At first, I almost quit the book. I hated the narrator. He was a big turnoff for me, but I pushed through and once I got into the heart of the story, I was intrigued enough to stay. Liesel Meminger is given to the Hubermann family who live on Himmel Street as their foster daughter. Liesel makes a life for herself in Molching, Germany right before the start of World War II with her new mama and papa while still dealing with the horrors of her own past.

I did not find myself attached to Liesel as much as I was to the young man who was Liesel's best friend and neighbor named Rudy Steiner. He was sweet, but still had his tough exterior when he needed it. You could just tell in his heart he only wished good things for Liesel, and as he got older, I loved how he kept pestering her for a kiss!

At one point in the book, the Hubermanns hide a Jew in their basement by the name of Max. I really felt uncomfortable with Max and Liesel's relationship. I know it wasn't sexual or romantic, but it still felt like Max was doing something wrong with Liesel, perhaps depending too much on the child for comfort and hope. I can't quite explain it, but I just didn't like it.

As with many around the globe, WWII permanently altered the only world Liesel and the others on Himmel Street had ever known. Although not the best book I've ever read (and maybe not deserving for as much hype as it got) I would still recommend this book to anyone, adult or young adult, and if you're like me and turned off by the narrator, just keep going and ignore him. It's worth the read (and you will need tissues). I normally would prefer a little more of an adult vocabulary, but keep in mind, this book is written for Young Adults.

The House at the End of the Road by W. Ralph Eubanks~★★★★

2010-01-19T15:01:00.006-06:00

Author: W. Ralph Eubanks
Title: The House at the End of the Road: The Story of Three Generations of an Interracial Family in the American South
Release Date: May 19th, 2009
Publisher: Smithsonian
Genre: Non-Fiction

Book Jacket: "In 1914, in defiance of his middle-class landowning family, a young white man named James Morgan Richardson married a light-skinned black woman named Edna Howell. Over more than twenty years of marriage, they formed a strong family and built a house at the end of a winding sandy road in South Alabama, a place where their safety from the hostile world around them was assured, and where they developed a unique racial and cultural identity. Jim and Edna Richardson were Ralph Eubank's grandparents.
Part personal journey, part cultural biography, The House at the End of the Road examines a little-known piece of this country's past: interracial families that survived and prevailed despite Jim Crow laws, including those prohibiting mixed-race marriage. As he did in his acclaimed 2003 memoir, Ever Is a Long Time, Eubanks uses interviews, oral history, and archival research to tell a story about race in American life that few readers have experienced. Using the Richardson family as a microcosm of American views on race and identity, The House at the End of the Road examines why ideas about racial identity rooted in the eighteenth century persist today. In lyrical, evocative prose, this extraordinary book pierces the heart of issues of race and racial identity, leaving us ultimately hopeful about the world as our children might see it."

Taryn's Review: As someone who recently became fascinated with her own family history, Ralph Eubanks' book really swept me up. So often people just want a name of those in their family tree without ever wondering who that person really was.

Eubanks, who considers himself black, has a unique situation in that his maternal grandfather was born white to an elite family, while his maternal grandmother was black (or interracial). Although the children are born looking white and even have "white" written on their birth certificates, Eubanks' grandparents chose to raise their family as black in the predominately black town of Prestwick, Alabama. In fact, Eubanks' own mother did not realize her father was white until her own mother died suddenly and someone mentioned it to her.

Eubanks asks great questions on his quest to really get to know his grandparents Jim and Edna while trying to understand how and why his grandparents chose the path they did in life. He pieces together what information he can, sometimes finding new ideas, yet other times getting shut down (especially in personal interviews). Eubanks' writing style also reminds me of a professor lecturing on his or her favorite subject, where you can just feel the thought and care that has gone into understanding and sharing the topic.

There was one question that plagued me while I was reading. Eubanks' grandfather Jim was raised in the neighboring white city but moved to Prestwick when he married Edna. Eubanks notes that while Jim was friendly to those in Prestwick, he could have a bad temper to the point of people being afraid of him. Jim also kept his white ties with the higher ups of the area to retain safety during his bootlegging campaign, but interacted with the blacks in his community as friends and employees in his logging business. Eubanks never raises the question of what if the community (or some within the community) didn't want Eubanks there? What recourse could black citizens in the 1910s, 1920s, 1930s, and 1940s even have if they wanted him out? They couldn't chase him out, as whites would have done, because of the color situation. I know many whites were opposed to the marriage, but I'm inclined to think that some of Edna's family and friends had to be equally as appalled at her marrying a white man. Again, this is speculation on my part, but it's not an angle that Eubanks discusses in the book.

Overall, this was a great read combining the idea of race and identity in a way that most people can understand, even if they can't relate to it. Eubanks' use of his own family also helps his passion show throughout the book. I would have loved if Eubanks put in more pictures, especially since he often eludes to the fact that he looks like his white grandfather and photos would have helped that visual, but even without pictures, it's a wonderful book.

The Bright Side of Disaster by Katherine Center~★★★★

2010-01-14T18:23:00.005-06:00

Author: Katherine Center
Title: The Bright Side of Disaster
Release Date: June 26th, 2007
Publisher: Ballantine Books
Genre: Fiction

Book Jacket: "Jenny Harris always expected that she'd fall in love, get married, and have a baby---in that order. Now, very pregnant and not quite married, she actually doesn't mind that she and her live-in fiance, Dean, accidentally started their family a little earlier than planned: she's happy to have to so much to look forward to. But Dean---who is charming enough that Jenny can overlook his bad facial hair, his smoking habit, and his total commitment to a cheesy cover band--is acting distant, and not in a pre-wedding jitters kind of way. The night he runs out for cigarettes and just doesn't come back, he demotes himself from future husband to sperm donor. And the very next day, Jenny goes into labor.
In the months that follow, Jenny plunges into a life she never anticipated: single motherhood. At least with the sleep deprivation, sore boobs, and fits of crying (both hers and the baby's), there's not much time to dwell on her broken heart. And things start looking up: Jenny learns how to do everything one-handed, makes friends in a mommy group, and even manages to give dating tips to her sweet, clueless father---who's trying to court her sassy mother again, fifteen years after their divorce. She also gets to know a handsome, helpful neighbor---with a knack for soothing babies---who invites her out dancing. But Dean is never far from Jenny's thoughts or, it turns out, her doorstep, and in the end Jenny must choose between the old life she thought she wanted and the new life she's been lucky to find."

Taryn's Review: I actually liked this book more than I thought I would, which is always nice. We all know a girl like Jenny; she's with the completely wrong guy who is a total jerk, but she is also one of the sweetest girls you know. Dean made it clear to Jenny she was an afterthought after another woman turned him down, but Jenny, despite opinions from those to who love her, got into a serious relationship, engaged, then whoops, pregnant! You have a girl you're thinking of, don't you! I know it, me too.

Anyway, the book wasn't what I'd call deep reading, just a book about a girl who finds herself in a crappy predicament while 40 weeks pregnant. Center doesn't dig to deep into the psyche of her characters, but still lays out an entertaining story line, especially in highlighting the juggling act Jenny has when it comes to caring for her baby alone.

I did like the way the author had Jenny teeter when Dean tried to pop back into the picture. I think that's true for so many women who are like Jenny. Besides, isn't it so much harder to tell the man "no" when he throws the fact that he is the baby's father in her face?

One point I didn't like in the book was Jenny's struggle to breastfeed in regards for how long her baby went without adequate milk because Jenny was so against formula feeding. I don't imagine most mothers would have their children on the verge of dehydration because they refused to give them formula. My other annoyance was how Jenny wasn't working the entire 8 months after the baby was born (where did her income come from?) and how easily it was made for her to never have to worry about it again. It just gets annoying...sometimes I want to read about women who don't have a rich mommy/daddy to make life perfect.

Overall, it was entertaining and passed the time quickly. So often you want to shake some sense into Jenny, but that's what keeps you reading the book!

Resilience by Elizabeth Edwards~★★★★

2010-01-13T09:48:00.002-06:00

Author: Elizabeth Edwards
Title: Resilience: Reflections on the Burdens and Gifts of Facing Life's Adversities
Release Date: May 8th, 2009
Publisher: Broadway
Genre: Non-Fiction

Book Jacket: "She’s one of the most beloved political figures in the country, and on the surface, seems to have led a charmed life. In many ways, she has. Beautiful family. Thriving career. Supportive friendship. Loving marriage. But she’s no stranger to adversity. Many know of the strength she had shown after her son, Wade, was killed in a freak car accident when he was only sixteen years old. She would exhibit this remarkable grace and courage again when the very private matter of her husband's infidelity became public fodder. And her own life has been on the line. Days before the 2004 presidential election—when her husband John was running for vice president—she was diagnosed with breast cancer. After rounds of surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation the cancer went away—only to reoccur in 2007. While on the campaign trail, Elizabeth met many others who have had to contend with serious adversity in their lives, and in Resilience, she draws on their experiences as well as her own, crafting an unsentimental and ultimately inspirational meditation on the gifts we can find among life’s biggest challenges. This short, powerful, pocket-sized inspirational book makes an ideal gift for anyone dealing with difficulties in their life, who can find peace in knowing they are not alone, and promise that things can get better."

Taryn's Review: I really admire Elizabeth Edwards. Recently, I heard on the radio where Elizabeth Edwards said that her husband did, in fact, father the child of Rielle Hunter (his mistress) then he needed to step up. She was quoted as saying, "Every child needs their father." Wow. I was blown away by this attitude of understanding. I then caught a glimpse of her book on the library shelf and knew I had to read it.

Elizabeth Edwards writes very eloquently. She touches on her life and it is so painful to read at times I don't know how anyone could survive and still have the grace she seems to possess. The book is not a political commentary at all, but truly focuses on Elizabeth's life, both in the past and now.

I could hardly stand to read about the death of her son, Wade. He sounds like he was an extraordinary young man and the quotes that Elizabeth chose from some of his essays are quite stunning to have been written by someone who was so young. Only years later to endure breast cancer, remission, return of cancer and a very private betrayal by her husband turned public is so much hurt and pain.

Yet, Elizabeth seems to so elegant in her attitude on how to deal with everything. I can't imagine that I would have the ability after all that hurt to deal with the world so beautifully, but she seems to be legitimately trying.

She does not harp into deals on the affair, which was very appropriate in my opinion. She simply states things from her side and perhaps a touch of bitterness towards his mistress does show in the book, but honestly, that's the worst that comes from Elizabeth on the matter in the book and what woman wouldn't be bitter? I can't say if I were in her position I would have the dignity to not write horrible things about the woman who engaged in an affair with my spouse!

At times, Elizabeth does overwrite some memories and explanations and repeats some things too often. In a few sections I felt my attention wane a bit because of this, but overall, it wasn't a huge issue that I found deterred me from the book. I would really recommend this book. Elizabeth Edwards has endured some horrific obstacles, but she is very admirable in her decision of how to handle them.

Flies on the Butter by Denise Hildreth~★★

2010-01-02T13:47:00.004-06:00

Author: Denise Hildreth
Title: Flies on the Butter
Release Date: April 8th, 2008
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
Genre: Fiction

Book Cover: "Rose Fletcher's come a long way from her South Carolina up-bringing of Sunday church and Mamaw's fried chicken. As a high-powered child advocate in Washington, DC, Rose has put her Southern upbringing behind her. But the peace and happiness she sought has eluded her. With her marriage on the brink of disaster, her mind races with the chaos her life has become.
But now Rose must head South for home---a place where the mother she headed north to escape still resides.
She'll face her demons, relive her coming-of-age, and confront the issues that kept her away all these years. It'll take the intervention of strangers and a painful miracle of grace to help her find that place called 'home' once again."

Taryn's Review: I really struggled to finish this book. A great example why glares on the back of the book...upbringing is spelled two different ways in the first two sentences. These inconsistencies are the same in the book. It lacks any real flow and was wretchedly cutesy while trying to be serious.

Rose basically is "messed up" because of something her mother did (the author doesn't say until the end). But many of her flashbacks are wonderful, which gets you wondering, what was so terrible? And because of her "messed up-ness" Rose lies to her husband Jack, who adores her beyond belief, about wanting children and continues to take her birth control, and then engages in an affair with a senator, all the while Jack still loving her. Gag me, please.

On her trip home to see her dying Mamaw (grandma), Rose meets a Lily and a Daisy. Really. Some preacher in a random church knows her old best friend when Rose stops to sit in the church. And finally, some old lady in the hospital creepily knows what is going on with Rose, gives her advice, and Rose is awakened. When Rose goes back to thank said lady, she's gone, her cancer having magically disappeared. Sure.

I could have done without reading this one. I was intrigued what Rose's mother did to her that was so awful and when I found out, I wasn't shocked. In fact, it was ridiculous because Rose became exactly the woman her mother was through her selfish acts. My opinion on this book is to pass it over.

The Penny Pinchers Club by Sarah Strohmeyer~★★★1/2

2009-12-27T15:35:00.007-06:00

Author: Sarah Strohmeyer
Title: The Penny Pinchers Club
Release Date: July 2nd, 2009
Publisher: Dutton Adult
Genre: Fiction

Book Jacket: "Living in New Jersey---the state that boasts the most malls per capita---Kat's favorite recreational activity is a no-brainer: shopping. But when she discovers that her husband, Griff, has been hiding a secret bank account and exchanging dubious emails with his attractive young assistant, her joyful consumerism suddenly loses its appeal. Are their fights about money more serious than she understood? Is he, as her friends suggest, preparing for a divorce? Just in case, Kat decides it's time to start saving. Unfortunately, having racked up tens of thousands of dollars in debt (of course she needed those tiki torches from Pier 1!), Kat finds herself in way over her head.
Drastic times call for drastic measures. Kat starts by canceling cable and kicking her $240 monthly Starbucks habit. But what starts out as a simple effort to cut costs soon becomes an over-the-top obsession when she joins an eclectic but lovable group of savers called the Penny Pinchers Club. Soon she is pumping her gas at dawn (when it is thicker) and serving dinner she retrieved at the grocery store Dumpster. Kat is saving money, to be sure, but what she's really saving is time---time she spends with Griff, their daughter...and an old flame, who resurfaces
at precisely the wrong moment, offering Kat a life where money is no object.
An irresistible and wonderfully warmhearted novel about the unexpected ways hardship can lead to happiness, The Penny Pinchers Club is the perfect pick-me-up for these troubled times."

Taryn's Review: This was a quick, fun read for me. I started before bed one night and was done the next afternoon. Strohmeyer writes in such a way that it's really easy for someone to get sucked in and not notice how quickly the pages are being turned!

I think Kat found herself in a situation to where if one looks at all the evidence, the outcome appears to be pretty grim. But rather than talking to her husband about the evidence, she takes the worst-case-scenario mindset and meets with a divorce lawyer at the urging of her sister. The divorce lawyer tells Kat to buck up, save her money, and contact her once she's got $15,000 saved for the divorce fee and get her affairs in line.

This is how Kat finds the Penny Pinchers, via her cleaning lady. I really wanted to love the group, but none of the characters really stuck out to me. In fact, as much as I hate to say it, I think I would have liked the book more without them. Kat could have got some ideas from them, looked for ideas online, and taken the same route she did. I truly did try to like the club members, but none are memorable to me, even now as I just finished the book.

I really liked how Strohmeyer made both Griff (Kat's husband) and Kat's old flame Liam likable, conflicting the reader as to what Kat should do. I was with Kat sometimes, thinking, "How can Griff be cheating? He acts like he loves her so much!" But then Liam sweeps in, with his money and open heart, and he's pretty tempting.

The end was a surprise for me. I thought it would be more predictable (and some parts were), I was pleasantly shocked. This is a great book for when you're trapped inside on a cold snowy afternoon, or just want a chick lit book for a little getaway.

Old Christmas by Washington Irving~★★★★★

2009-12-21T14:52:00.004-06:00

Author: Washington Irving
Title: Old Christmas: From the Sketch Book of Washington Irving, Illustrated by R. Caldecott
Release Date: First released 1875; this edition is the 4th ed. reprinted in 1925
Publisher: Macmillan & Co: London
Genre: Non-fiction

First Paragraph: "There is nothing in England that exercises a more delightful spell over my imagination than the lingerings of the holiday customs and rural games of former times. They recall the pictures my fancy used to draw in the May morning of life, when as yet I only knew the world through books, and believed it to be all that poets had painted it; and they bring with them the flavour of those honest days of yore, in which, perhaps with equal fallacy, I am apt to think the world was more home-bred, social, and joyous than at present. I regret to say that they are daily growing more and more faint, being gradually worn away by time, but still more obliterated by modern fashion. They resemble those picturesque morsels of Gothic architecture which we see crumbling in various parts of the country, partly dilapidated by the waste of ages, and partly lost in the additions and alterations of latter days. Poetry, however, clings with cherishing fondness about the rural game and holiday revel, from which it has derived so many of its themes---as the ivy winds its rich foliage about the Gothic arch and mouldering tower, gratefully repaying their support by clasping together their tottering remains, and, as it were, embalming them in verdure."

Taryn's Review: I have a thing for old, lonely, beat-up books tucked deep between shiny new books on the library book shelf. A faded glint of gold caught my eye, and on the maroon binding I saw in fancy scroll the title Old Christmas. The book itself is just plain maroon and rather small, but I felt attached immediately and added to my bag.

The story itself is fun. Irving talks about how much times have changed, especially among the new generation at Christmas (sound familiar?). The main story of the book is about how one past Christmas he was invited by his friend to celebrate the holiday at his friend's family's old manor in the country. The host of the festivities, The Squire, is hellbent on keeping old traditions alive and explains many of them to Irving along the way. The book is divided into 3 sections: Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, and Christmas Dinner. Some of the traditions are lost today, but are enjoyable to read about. I've heard of Wassail and Yule Log, for example, but it was much for exciting to hear about it in context rather than just having it explained for what it was.

The book can be a challenge on the vocabulary front, but I enjoyed it and learned some new words along the way. I love Irving's writing style and Caldecott's pictures only make the book that much more quaint.

The book doesn't have a lesson; it's just about a festive, jovial, wonderful English Christmas memory and also passes along some Christmas traditions that Irving enjoyed being a part of. It's not going to be for everyone, trust me on that, but if you have an open mind, I would highly suggest this little Christmas gem.

Stories Behind the Best-Loved Songs of Christmas by Ace Collins~★★★

2009-12-19T15:51:00.004-06:00

Author: Ace Collins
Title: Stories Behind the Best-Loved Songs of Christmas
Release Date: October 1st, 2001
Publisher: Zondervan
Genre: Non-fiction

Book Jacket: "Behind the Christmas songs we love to sing lie fascinating stories that will enrich your holiday celebration. Taking you inside the nativity of over thirty favorite songs and carols, Ace Collins introduces you to people you've never met, stories you've never heard, and meanings you'd never have imagined.
The next you and your family sing 'God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen,' you'll have a new understanding of its message and popular roots. You'll discover how 'Angels from the Realms of Glory,' with its sublime lyrics and profound theology, helped usher in a quiet revolution in worship. You'll learn the strange history of the haunting and powerful 'O Holy Night,' including the song's surprising place in the history of modern communications. And you'll step inside the life of Mark Lowry and find out how he came to pen the words to the contemporary classic 'Mary, Did You Know?'
Still other songs such as 'O Come, O Come, Emmanuel' trace back to mysterious origins---to ninth-century monks, nameless clergy, and unknown commoners of ages past. Joining hands with such modern favorites as 'White Christmas' and 'The Christmas Song,' they are part of the legacy of inspiration, faith, tears, love, and spiritual joy that is Christmas.
From the rollicking appeal of 'Jingle Bells' to the tranquil beauty of 'Silent Night,' the great songs of Christmas contain messages of peace, hope, and truth. Each in its own way expresses a facet of God's heart and celebrates the birth of his greatest gift to the world---Jesus, the most wonderful Christmas Song of all."

Taryn's Review: I think this book would be a great one to start at the beginning of December and just read two or three of the song stories up until the night of Christmas. I liked the book a lot because some songs you know by heart, but some you just don't hear often on the radio or on your favorite Christmas CD. I actually brought up YouTube and pulled up some of my favorite songs, some forgotten carols, as well as ones I hadn't heard of before, like "Good King Wencesles."

Do I believe the author on some of his histories regarding the songs? No. He cites nothing, will tell the reader the origin of this song is a mystery, but then drum up some story about it still. I chose just to take it at face value and enjoy what could be the history of some of the songs.

I didn't like at one point in the book the author claims that one theologian was "less-educated" than another so he didn't really take the Bible as literally, making him radical because of this. I don't think it's fair to say being "less-educated" (I don't know what Collins defines educated as, either, so that creates another issue) makes one choose how they interpret the Bible. But, Collins has his own biased in writing the book from his religious standpoint, and at times it filters through in his stories how the songs came about.

I do wish Collins would have either started each story with the lyrics or at the end. They are just randomly stuck on a page in each story. It was annoying to be mid-sentence and on the next page was the song itself, then the next page continued the story. I don't like to be interrupted and I felt like that's what the lyrics did in their placement.

Overall, a cute Christmas collection in my opinion. I really enjoyed looking up the songs afterward and listening to them as well. I wouldn't take the book as fact on all accounts, but it was still nice to have memories drummed up of songs from the past.

Happy 1 year to The Book Blogger!

2009-12-17T14:28:00.002-06:00

It's our 1st birthday!

Civil War Wives by Carol Berkin~★★★★

2009-12-13T20:06:00.004-06:00

Author: Carol Berkin
Title: Civil War Wives: The Lives and Times of Angelina Grimke Weld, Varina Howell Davis, & Julia Dent Grant
Release Date: September 8th, 2009
Publisher: Knopf
Genre: Non-fiction

Book Jacket: "Here are the life stories of three women who connect us to our national past and provide windows onto a social and political landscape that is strangely familiar yet shockingly foreign.
Berkin focuses on three "accidental heroes" who left behind sufficient records to allow their voices to be heard clearly and to allow us to see the world as they did. Though they held no political power themselves, all three had access to power and unique perspectives on events of their times.
Angelina Grimke Weld, after a painful internal dialogue, renounced the values of her Southern family's way of life and embraced the antislavery movement, but found her voice silenced by marriage to fellow reformer Theodore Weld. Varina Howell Davis had an independent mind and spirit but incurred the disapproval of her husband, Jefferson Davis, when she would not behave as an obedient wife. Though ill-prepared and ill-suited for her role as First Lady of the Confederacy, she became an expert political lobbyist for her husband's release from prison. Julia Dent Grant, the wife of Ulysses S. Grant, was a model of genteel domesticity who seemed content with the restrictions of marriage and motherhood, even though they led to alternating periods of fame and disgrace, wealth and poverty. Only late in life did she glimpse the price of dependency.
Throughout, Berkin captures the tensions and animosities of the antebellum era and the disruptions, anxieties, and dislocations generated by war and its aftermath."

Taryn's Review: I really enjoyed this book and was glad it caught my eye at the library. Many times we are taught the masculine side of history and women's roles are overlooked and deemed insignificant. Carol Berkin chose three interesting women for her study.

The book isn't representative of all women in the Civil War. All three are white, elite women married to prominent figures of the time. Yet, it's still interesting the similarities the women share and the difference in opinions and view they have. The book is especially nice because you can read one woman's life story, leave the book for a while, and then come back and start a new person's story.

I think Berkin did a fantastic job on each woman's story, but at times I felt Varina's story was overshadowed by her husband, Confederacy president Jefferson Davis. At times when reading Varina's story, I would wonder what Varina was actually doing when the story focused on Jefferson. I also wish Berkin would have mentioned their ages more often. I know she gives the birth date for each, but as a reader, it would have been helpful if at times Berkin threw in a phrase like, "Now forty-seven, Grimke..." She does occasionally, but normally when the girls got married and a few years before they passed away and upon their deaths.

It's not often I do this, but I really disagree with the book jacket when it speaks of Julia Dent Grant. I don't think she was ever really restricted by marriage and motherhood. In fact, of all the women, she seemed to most enjoy her role as "Gen. Grant's wife" and she didn't seem to mind that she lacked knowledge on pressing topics of the day. She seemed perfectly happy attending to her domestic duties as wife, mother, and hostess.

Ultimately, this book is a great read. Again, I think Varina's story got overshadowed quite a bit (thus 4 stars), but it's one I would highly encourage anyone to read, especially women who want to more about some of the historic women that experienced life during America's horrific War Between the States.

The Christmas Pearl by Dorthea Benton Frank~★★★

2009-12-06T13:19:00.003-06:00

Author: Dorothea Benton Frank
Title: The Christmas Pearl
Release Date: October 23rd, 2007
Publisher: William Morrow
Genre: Holiday Fiction

Book Jacket: "Theodora is the matriarch of a family that has grown into a bunch of truculent knuckleheads. While she's finally gotten them all together in South Carolina to celebrate, this Christmas looks nothing like the extravagant, homey holidays of her childhood.
What happened to the days when Christmas meant tables groaning with home-cooked goodies, over-the-top decorations, and long chats in front of the fire with Pearl, her grandmother's beloved housekeeper and closest confidante?
Luckily for Theodora, a special someone who heard her plea for help arrives, with pockets full of enough Gullah magic and common sense to make Theodora's Christmas the love-filled miracle it's meant to be."

Taryn's Review: Last year I noticed this book on my library's list of Christmas books, but it was always checked out. I get sentimental around Christmas and really wanted to read a heartwarming story about Christmas so I waited eagerly for it to come in, but I always missed checking it out. When I went to the library at the end of November this year, I snatched it up, as I need a little holiday cheer.

The book is sappy, sweet and Southern. I really enjoyed the beginning of the book when Theodora recounts what Christmas time was like when she was a child. Granted, she grew up as the white child of an wealthy, elite family in the South, so her Christmases were grand, but she also felt loved by those all around her, including her family's maid Pearl. Pearl never seems to mind her role as maid and seems to genuinely love Theodora and her family.

Flash forward 80-some-odd years later. Theodora is the last living member of her childhood Christmas memories and all her current family members do is bicker and fight. This is where the book seemed to lose it's hold on me. Theodora takes little responsibility for never piping up and telling her family members to stop it, so in sweeps Pearl, a Christmas angel, to help Theodora's family realize the gift they have in each other through her Gullah magic.

Sometimes I like magic in a book, but in this case, I wish the family could have gotten along without the Gullah spells placed on them by Pearl. It seems so, well, easy to make everyone get along then. There isn't much substance to the family making up, just a yelling match and then all is well. But I did enjoy hearing about the recipes in the book and loved that author included some at the end of the book.

Overall, it was okay for me. I loved the beginning, but even with Pearl back, I really didn't feel the holiday vibe I was looking for in the 2nd half of the book. I think there are much better Christmas books out there, but this was quick and fairly entertaining, especially if you want a Christmas read and don't have much time to devote to a book in December.