March 2009 Book Challenge - Page 9

[Jenifer76]

Originally Posted by NewCrunchyDaddy

Asking a Lit Studies student this question is no fair!

Before going back to school, it was two: one in print, one audio. Now, however, it is a ridiculous amount. I am currently reading:

1. The First 49 Short Stories by Ernest Hemingway
2. As I Lay Dying by William Faulkner
3. The Portable Steinbeck
4. America and Americans by Steinbeck
5. The Winter of Our Discontent by Steinbeck
6. Brick Lane by Monica Ali
7. New British Poetry
8. Breaking Dawn by Stephenie Meyer (Audio)
9. Plus my French textbook

So ... I'm reading far too much right now, and I can only assume that it's only going to get worse as I get into my Masters program

Wow.

I got a resolution to my audio book issue -- none of my books transferred over to my new laptop so I lost them all. Pfft.

[Fiestabeth]

Snow Flower and the Secret Fan by Lisa See

I did like this, but I didn't find it riveting. I felt sick during the foot binding portrayal. I felt the last 50 pages or so were rushed, and I felt like the plot twist was forced and the characters didn't act like themselves towards the end. Beautiful imagery throughout, but very intense. In addition to foot binding there is physical abuse, miscarriage, and a lot of death.

[kofduke]

Paper Towns, John Green

(audio) This has been reviewed quite a bit. I really enjoyed it and especially liked the character of Q and how he was developed. I'll be looking for other books from this author, especially since others have said his other books are even better.


The Sparrow, Mary Doria Russell

In 2019, humanity finally finds proof of extraterrestrial life when a listening post in Puerto Rico picks up exquisite singing from a planet which will come to be known as Rakhat. While United Nations diplomats endlessly debate a possible first contact mission, the Society of Jesus quietly organizes an eight-person scientific expedition of its own. What the Jesuits find is a world so beyond comprehension that it will lead them to question the meaning of being "human." When the lone survivor of the expedition, Emilio Sandoz, returns to Earth in 2059, he will try to explain what went wrong... Words like "provocative" and "compelling" will come to mind as you read this shocking novel about first contact with a race that creates music akin to both poetry and prayer.

I found this book to be very compelling -- the characters, especially those who travelled to Rahkat, were so authentic and moving. At the same time, the author's conceptualization of the alien races, and what ultimately happens, was deeply disturbing. I think this book will stay with me for a long time.

#1 Fresh from the Vegetarian Slow Cooker, #2 Moosewood Restaurant New Classics, #3 Autobiography of God, #4 The Ghost Orchid, #5 The Poe Shadow, #6 Knit One Kill Two, #7 Citizen Girl, #8 The Fourth Bear, #9 The Third Secret, #10 Change of Heart, #11 Guardian Angels, #12 The Gore, #13 The Undomestic Goddess, #14 From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil T. Frankweiler, #15 Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives, #16 Blood Memory, #17 A Thousand Splendid Suns, #18 Then we Came to the End, #19 - Feed, #20 - Paper Towns, #21 - The Sparrow

[friendtoall]

Originally Posted by PassionateWriter

one Q: how many books do you guys read at a time? i am currently reading 2 books but then listening to a book in my car and then one on my computer. i think im listening/reading to too much at a time! lol!

I typically am reading a fiction, a nonfiction, and listening to something.

[mammastar2]

#15 - The Amateur Marriage by Anne Tyler

This is only the second Anne Tyler I've read, and I must say I really enjoy her books - smart, observant and compassionate about people. I did find the tail end fizzled slightly, but nonetheless really liked it overall.

[NewCrunchyDaddy]

Originally Posted by kofduke

The Sparrow, Mary Doria Russell

I found this book to be very compelling -- the characters, especially those who travelled to Rahkat, were so authentic and moving. At the same time, the author's conceptualization of the alien races, and what ultimately happens, was deeply disturbing. I think this book will stay with me for a long time.

This sounds facinating ... I'll have to put it on my TBR pile.

[fremontmama]

Originally Posted by NewCrunchyDaddy

::::::::

I just recieved an admissions acceptance into the M.A. program in Literature at Western Washington University. I've got a month to accept, so I just have to wait and hear back from some other schools ... but at the very least, we'll be headed to Bellingham, Washington, in a couple of months!

I just had to come and share with my "tribe."

::::::::

Congratulations!!!!! Bellingham is a great place :

Originally Posted by Keeta

: : : : :

Yay!!! Congratulations, NCD!!! If you end up in Bellingham we'll have to have a Washington MDC bookclub meetup.

Where else are you waiting to hear from (if you don't mind me asking)?

Where are you? I'm in Seattle

Originally Posted by PassionateWriter

one Q: how many books do you guys read at a time? i am currently reading 2 books but then listening to a book in my car and then one on my computer. i think im listening/reading to too much at a time! lol!

I usually have a few books on the nightstand, but only focus on one book at a time. I can't really jump around too much, but sometimes I start a book or two and kinda round robin read.

Originally Posted by Fiestabeth

Snow Flower and the Secret Fan by Lisa See

I did like this, but I didn't find it riveting. I felt sick during the foot binding portrayal. I felt the last 50 pages or so were rushed, and I felt like the plot twist was forced and the characters didn't act like themselves towards the end. Beautiful imagery throughout, but very intense. In addition to foot binding there is physical abuse, miscarriage, and a lot of death.

I read that too, it made life sound pretty dismal during that era.


I'm readying the Thirteenth Tale right now. Am I remembering correctly that some of you have read that too? My stepmom loaned it to me. I'm really enjoying it. :

[cathe]

Originally Posted by fremontmama

I'm readying the Thirteenth Tale right now. Am I remembering correctly that some of you have read that too? My stepmom loaned it to me. I'm really enjoying it. :

I loved Thirteenth Tale

[kangamitroo]

: congrats, NCD! that's great that you have an acceptance in hand. good luck as you wait for other letters.

[Keeta]

Originally Posted by fremontmama

Where are you? I'm in Seattle

I'm in West Seattle! We've been here since June, really like it.

[panamama]

congrats NCD!!!! :


my march 2009 reading so far:
10. Segu (Maryse Conde)
11. Dreams from My Father (Barack Obama)
12. Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil (John Berendt)
13. The City of Ember (Jeanne Duprau)
14. Fit and Fabulous in Fifteen Minutes (Teresa Tapp)

jan - feb 2009
1. Hundred Dollar Holiday: The Case For A More Joyful Christmas (Bill McKibben)
2. Waiting (Ha Jin)
3. The Undomestic Goddess (Sophie Kinsella)
4. Sisterella At The Well: What Happens When a Woman's Well Runs Dry (Kelly Lynn Spencer)
5. Trinidad Noir (Jeanne Mason)
6. The Creative Habit: Learn It and Use It For Life (Twyla Tharp)
7. How to Read a French Fry: And Other Intriguing Stories of Kitchen Science (Russ Parsons)
8. Homeopathy: How It Really Works (Jay W. Shelton)
9. 72 Hour Hold (BeBe Moore Campbell)

[fremontmama]

Originally Posted by Keeta

I'm in West Seattle! We've been here since June, really like it.

Cool! We're in Wallingford/Fremont. Glad you like it! And heads up, the Seattle Public Library spring sale is coming up. It's fabulous!!! An entire airplane hanger full of books, if you go on Sunday just about everything is less than a dollar I think the sale is the weekend of April 17th....

[NewCrunchyDaddy]

Originally Posted by fremontmama

Cool! We're in Wallingford/Fremont. Glad you like it! And heads up, the Seattle Public Library spring sale is coming up. It's fabulous!!! An entire airplane hanger full of books, if you go on Sunday just about everything is less than a dollar I think the sale is the weekend of April 17th....

When we were living in Magnolia, we'd hit that sale every year. Never missed it. A good part of my 1700+ book library came from either those sales or from the Half Price Books in the U District. Ahhh, good times.

[Keeta]

Originally Posted by fremontmama

And heads up, the Seattle Public Library spring sale is coming up. It's fabulous!!! An entire airplane hanger full of books, if you go on Sunday just about everything is less than a dollar I think the sale is the weekend of April 17th....

OMG. I'm speechless. I can't wait! Maybe my parents can drive up to babysit so I can spend as much time as I want....ooooh....

[Keeta]

Originally Posted by NewCrunchyDaddy

A good part of my 1700+ book library came from either those sales or from the Half Price Books in the U District. Ahhh, good times.

This list is becoming very dangerous to my wallet! I'm going to have to seek out half price books soon, too!

[NewCrunchyDaddy]

Originally Posted by Keeta

This list is becoming very dangerous to my wallet! I'm going to have to seek out half price books soon, too!

There's one in the University District on Roosevelt between 50th and 45th near the U District library. It's great: most of the books are half-off the cover price (or less). So, I got some older copies of books (printed in the 70s or 80s) that were only a dollar or two that were on the shelf next to their more recently published counterparts that would have been four or five dollars. Some books are a $1.00 or less on clearance. www.halfpricebooks.com is the website for exact location information. (Also, I recommend www.ABEbooks.com which is good for cheap and obscure.)

[fremontmama]

Originally Posted by NewCrunchyDaddy

When we were living in Magnolia, we'd hit that sale every year. Never missed it. A good part of my 1700+ book library came from either those sales or from the Half Price Books in the U District. Ahhh, good times.

Damn! You must have a lot of bookshelves!

Originally Posted by Keeta

OMG. I'm speechless. I can't wait! Maybe my parents can drive up to babysit so I can spend as much time as I want....ooooh....

You totally should. I bring my daughter with me, and it's pretty fun, but it would allow a LOT more browsing to go sans kids.

[kangamitroo]

Drinking Coffee Elsewhere by ZZ Packer

this is a collection of 8 stories pubd in 2003. one of the stories is 55 pages long, much longer than what i usually think of for a story collection--that is, i picked up the book thinking "short stories", whereas a couple of these put me in mind of Flannery O'Connor. they are all well-written, but a couple of them gave me that "i-can't-believe-this-is-happening" sick in my stomach feeling (e.g. a 14yo runs away, gets hit on by a 30 something drug dealer). the stories all have interesting characters, including a born-again nurse who finds love in an unexpected place.

[kaliki_kila]

28. Tortilla Flat by John Steinbeck

29. The Penelopiad by Margaret Atwood

I really liked both of them. Tortilla Flat was very authentic and the characters were so believable. The Penelopiad was a very short retelling of The Odyssey from Penelope's perspective and I love The Odyssey so this was fun to read.

[NewCrunchyDaddy]

Originally Posted by fremontmama

Damn! You must have a lot of bookshelves!

Sure do! and there are five that you can't see in that photo! I have my own library and my wife is okay with that! :