June 2008 Book Challenge - Page 5

[A&A]

Originally Posted by snazzy_mom

I was confused for a bit too, there are so many books listed and so many posts that don't say whether or not the book is worth the read.

Yeah, the analysis is the only thing that makes this thread worthwhile. Otherwise it's just a bunch of (almost random) titles.

[A&A]

Originally Posted by Bufomander

I'd just comment that there are times where I have time to post detailed posts and times when I don't -- but if I've been contemplating reading a book that someone else posts about, I can always post and ask them what they thought, for more details, etc. I do try to post plot summaries and reviews, but when I don't, I feel that others can always ask more questions...... ?

Even a short "read this" or "don't read this" would be really helpful. Otherwise why do I care about the titles you're reading? Why would I read this thread otherwise? And yes I could ask questions, but then I'd be asking ten people ten different questions, at least. It's easier to post a BRIEF review in your original post about the book.

[spiderdust]

Originally Posted by A&A

And...........what did you think of it? Good? Bad? Worth other people's time?

Oops! I'll fix that right now!

The Bonesetter's Daughter by Amy Tan

A woman in San Francisco tries to cope as her mother's Alzheimer's is worsening and struggles untangle the contradictory things that her mother says about her past. As she translates her mother's journal, she learns more about her mother and her history. A very good read!!

Ruby Slippers, Golden Tears by Ellen Datlow and Terri Windling

A collection of retold fairy tales for a grown-up audience. One of my favorite stories in this collection was a modern day version of "Beauty and The Beast" written by Tanith Lee, simply titled "The Beast". The stories aren't simply rehashed in a modern setting, but have their own creative twists. Definitely a worthwhile light read.

Darkly Dreaming Dexter by Jeff Lindsay

This is the book that the tv series Dexter is based upon. Being a fan of the show, I was really looking forward to reading this book. I was worried that I would already know the story since I had seen the show, but there were plenty of differences between the book and the TV series to still keep me guessing. Definitely a worthwhile read if you're a fan of the show; might be a good one to try if you're a fan of murder mysteries.

Black Heart, Ivory Bones by Ellen Datlow and Terri Windling

From the same series of retold fairy tales as Ruby Slippers, Golden Tears. Contains a unique version of "The Little Red Shoes", told from the perspective of a country line-dancing lesbian who has been cursed for her pride. Also an enjoyable read.

A Wolf at the Door and Other Retold Fairy Tales by Ellen Datlow and Terri Windling

Seems to be aimed at a younger audience than ]Ruby Slippers, Golden Tears and Black Heart, Ivory Bones, but not a bad read. Deals with the fairy tales from a teenage perspective.

After the Baby's Birth: A Woman's Way to Wellness: A Complete Guide for Postpartum Women by Robin Lim

This book was recommended by my midwife. Definitely a good read for someone interested in a natural, gentle postpartum period, especially those who are planning a homebirth.

Henry IV, Part I by William Shakespeare

I confess, I read this for a class. If you enjoy reading Shakespeare, you'll enjoy this historical drama, peppered here and there with the occasional fart joke and bawdy humor.

[snozzberry]

Originally Posted by Bufomander

I'd just comment that there are times where I have time to post detailed posts and times when I don't -- but if I've been contemplating reading a book that someone else posts about, I can always post and ask them what they thought, for more details, etc. I do try to post plot summaries and reviews, but when I don't, I feel that others can always ask more questions...... ?

:

But A&A, I understand where you're coming from. While I would prefer that everyone always give a review along with the titles they've read, I think we owe it to each other to be understanding of each other's time. We are all busy parents or parents-to-be, after all.

Maybe as a compromise, if we're short on time we could put a quick next to titles we thought were worth the read? NewCrunchyDaddy, could you maybe add a quick tip about something like that in the first post?

Originally Posted by crosscat

So I set the novel aside, and now I've finished up The Happiest Baby on the Block by Dr. Harvey Karp. The book is really well-organized, and Dr. Karp makes good arguments for the logic behind his baby-calming methods. The only drawback is that it doesn't seem like the baby-calming tricks really warrant an entire book - it could be summed up in a few pages really. To the author's credit, however, the book is pretty entertaining to read in spite of that. I can't vouch for how effective his methods are until October, I guess.

I think reading that before you have a baby is time well spent. We found the methods very effective for our little one! I only wish we would have read it before she arrived.

Quick Question: Abby's just 2 months away from the 6-month mark...eek! So I'm ready to start doing some research about introducing solids. Do any of you have favorite books about that topic?

[fremontmama]

Originally Posted by fremontmama

#26 The True and Outstanding Adventures of the Hunt Sisters

Almost done, but I'm listing it now. I'm not sure I like the letter format for telling the story, but I'm curious what will happen to the characters, so I think I'll finish it.

I'm quoting myself b/c I have to readjust my opinion. I ended up skimming to the end to see what happened b/c I couldnt stand the format anymore. It was just dragging on and irritating me. I wouldn't recommend it, too something, cant think of the word, maybe one-sided? You get some character development I guess reading one person's letters, but really, it just comes off sounding very self-serving or narcissistic....

[fremontmama]

Originally Posted by snozzberry

Quick Question: Abby's just 2 months away from the 6-month mark...eek! So I'm ready to start doing some research about introducing solids. Do any of you have favorite books about that topic?

Super Baby Food is a good one for introducing solids. Plus it's just an all around great resource for the household in many other ways too.

[chellemarie]

Dear Everyone At MDC Who Read Case Histories by Kate Atkinson,

Thank you for reading it and posting it here. I wouldn't have found this book without you.

Love,
Me

This isn't the best book ever for me but it's good. I've read good books lately that made me want to keep reading, but the pages of Case Histories demand to be turned. I love that in a book. It did unravel a bit toward the end. As though the author couldn't maintain the intensity and just GO THERE. But it's still very much worth reading.

[fremontmama]

Originally Posted by A&A

Even a short "read this" or "don't read this" would be really helpful. Otherwise why do I care about the titles you're reading? Why would I read this thread otherwise? And yes I could ask questions, but then I'd be asking ten people ten different questions, at least. It's easier to post a BRIEF review in your original post about the book.

Respectfully, I never really considered reviewing the books as a requirement of the thread, I always thought it was a yearly challenge to ourselves to track how many books we read throughout the year. The thread's a good way to keep track of the books and we can ask each other about books if something catches our eye. Certainly, if we have time, it's fun to write a little something, but I never really thought of it as a prerequisite....... :

[A&A]

(Edited to put it nicely):

Please recall the point of this thread, as laid out by its founder, NewCrunchyDaddy, on his first post (and this is what his first post always states, every month. Thank you)


"The rules are simple. Post the books you read throughout the month with a quick whether or not you liked it and/or you'd recommend it."

[NewCrunchyDaddy]

#63 Heart-Shaped Box (Audio)
by Joe Hill
read by Stephen Lang

My review of Heart-Shaped Box can be found here.

#1 The Time Machine, #2 The Shining (Audio): Redux, #3 Curious George, #4 Animal Farm: A Fairy Story, #5 The Tragedy of Othello, Moor of Venice (Bantam Anthology), #6 A Study in Scarlet and The Sign of Four, #7 "A Study in Emerald", #8 The Zombie Survival Guide: Complete Protection from the Living Dead, #9 Fantastic Beasts & Where to Find Them, #10 Quidditch Through the Ages, #11 On the Day You Were Born, #12 The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark (Bantam Anthology), #13 The Man Who Was Thursday: A Nightmare, #14 Rubyfruit Jungle, #15 John, Paul, George & Ben, #16 The Merchant of Venice (Bantam Anthology): Redux, #17 Dinotopia: A Land Apart from Time, #18 Trent's Last Case, #19 Cyrano de Bergerac: A Heroic Comedy in Five Acts, #20 Animal Dads, #21 Faggots, #22 A Day with Wilbur Robinson, #23 And Then There Were None, #24 Eating Between the Lines: The Supermarket Shopper's Guide to the Truth Behind Food Labels, #25 Henry IV, Part One, #26 Zami, A New Spelling of My Name: A Biomythography, #27 Twelfth Night, or What You Will (Bantam Anthology), #28 Murder Must Advertise, #29 Stagestruck: Theater, AIDS, and the Marketing of Gay America, #30 Angels in America, A Gay Fantasia on National Themes, Part One: Millennium Approaches, #31 The Tragedy of Macbeth (Bantam Anthology), #32 Stone of Destiny: The Story of Lady Macbeth, #33 Ian Pollack's Illustrated King Lear #34 Celtic Folklore Cooking, #35 Angels in America, A Gay Fantasia on National Themes, Part Two: Perestroika Revised Edition), #36 The Winter's Tale (Bantam Anthology), #37 Tolkien's Art: A Mythology for England, #38 The Body (Audio), #39 Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption (Audio), #40 Four Past Midnight: The Sun Dog (Audio), #41 The Tempest (Bantam Anthology): Redux, #42 World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War, #43 Science Verse, #44 Frankenstein Makes a Sandwich and Other Stories You’re Sure to Like Because They’re All About Monsters and Some of Them are Also About Food. You Like Food, Don’t You? Well, All Right Then, #45 Case Histories, #46 Time Bandit: Two Brothers, the Bering Sea, and One of the World's Deadliest Jobs, #47 Why Pandas Do Handstands and Other Curious Truths About Animals, #48 Rolling the R's, #49 Spooky ABC, #50 A is for Arches: A Utah Alphabet, #51 Raven: A Trickster Tale from the Pacific Northwest, #52 E is for Evergreen: A Washington Alphabet, #53 Beowulf (Longman Anthology), #54-60 The Harry Potter Series (Audio), #60 Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (Audio), #61 The Gingerbread Girl (Audio), #62 A Whale Hunt: Two Years on the Olympic Peninsula with the Makah and Their Canoe, #63 Heart-Shaped Box (Audio)

[snozzberry]

Originally Posted by A&A

(Edited to put it nicely):

Please recall the point of this thread, as laid out by its founder, NewCrunchyDaddy, on his first post (and this is what his first post always states, every month. Thank you)


"The rules are simple. Post the books you read throughout the month with a quick whether or not you liked it and/or you'd recommend it."

I don't want to beat a dead horse, but I am hoping you will try to see the point of view of others on this. I think you have made some people not feel welcome here if they don't always have the time to post more than just titles.

Can you agree that we all have busy lives and might feel at certain times that we don't have time to make detailed posts?

I guess it comes down to the fact that this challenge thread is here for our enjoyment. It's not like it's a job with requirements for how we "perform". We're here to have fun, right? And if we can't be accepting of other people and what they feel they have time to contribute, that makes it less fun for those people. And really, it makes it less fun for me to know that we're scaring potential participants away.

And FYI, although NewCrunchyDaddy has been doing an awesome job starting our threads this year, the book challenge idea/thread started long ago by someone else. I forget their name, but just wanted to give them credit for the great idea in the first place.

my .02,
Kelly

[yogamonkeyjo]

Originally Posted by spiderdust

Black Heart, Ivory Bones by Ellen Datlow and Terri Windling

From the same series of retold fairy tales as Ruby Slippers, Golden Tears. Contains a unique version of "The Little Red Shoes", told from the perspective of a country line-dancing lesbian who has been cursed for her pride. Also an enjoyable read.

A Wolf at the Door and Other Retold Fairy Tales by Ellen Datlow and Terri Windling

Seems to be aimed at a younger audience than ]Ruby Slippers, Golden Tears and Black Heart, Ivory Bones, but not a bad read. Deals with the fairy tales from a teenage perspective.

After the Baby's Birth: A Woman's Way to Wellness: A Complete Guide for Postpartum Women by Robin Lim

This book was recommended by my midwife. Definitely a good read for someone interested in a natural, gentle postpartum period, especially those who are planning a homebirth.

thanks! I'm going for these next. You're the second one recently to bring up the Windling books. Someone mentioned Deerskin(?) and said it was very adult but very good...

[NewCrunchyDaddy]

Originally Posted by snozzberry

And FYI, although NewCrunchyDaddy has been doing an awesome job starting our threads this year, the book challenge idea/thread started long ago by someone else. I forget their name, but just wanted to give them credit for the great idea in the first place.

: just coming to post that. This was going on long before I joined MDC, and I think we need to scale back here and realize that we all have different expectations for the Book Challenges there are no hard and fast "rules" more of what you'd call "guidelines" (in the words of Captain Barbossa).

As for those "guidelines" all I've been doing is reproducing what someone else wrote a year or so ago ... so they're not even mine.

Anyway, let's try to keep it all friendly and above the belt here? Can we agree to that? I know I, for one, would hate to see the Book Challenge head south, so to speak.

[kaliki_kila]

I just finished Sisterchicks Go Brit! by Robin Jones Gunn. All the Sisterchicks books are stand-alone, so you can read them separately. They are always about two middle-aged women who take a trip together somewhere in the world - Hawaii, Australia, etc.

Also read The Uncommon Reader by Alan Bennett and I did not like it, although it only took about 5 minutes to read because the book is so small and the margins are huge. None of the characters were fleshed out and there was really no storyline to follow, other than the Queen discovering that she likes to read. (How's that for a "do not recommend?")

[FarmerCathy]

#12 The Penderwicks: A Summer Tale of Four Sisters, Two Rabbits, and a Very Interesting Boy by Jeanne Birdsall

Good fun read about four sisters adventure one summer while they stay in a vacation rental with thier dad and dog Hound for 3 weeks. Fun and lighthearted.

[snozzberry]

#40 The Sweet Far Thing by Libba Bray

Clever, passionate, self-deprecating Gemma Doyle—I'm going to miss you. This final book of the Gemma Doyle trilogy was maybe a little on the long side, but I enjoyed it all and I was sad when it was over. At the moment I finished reading the last page, I found myself wanting to immediately start re-reading the first book of the trilogy—A Great and Terrible Beauty. The only other time I've felt that urge with a fiction series is with Harry Potter!

I can't wait to see what else this writer does.

[OMama]

Hi all!

I've never posted in this forum but I'd love to join you all.

Some of the books I read are for my book club, meaning I wouldn't have necessarily selected them on my own. These are what I have read in June so far.

Runaway by Alice Munro
This was a collection of short stories. Very well written and beautiful but also very melancholy and depressing IMO. Each was tinged with such sadness and a sense that life had passed the characters by. The best was over and not much good was to come.

The Arc of Justice: A Saga of Race, Murder, and Civil Rights in the Jazz Age by Kevin Boyle
An incredible book! I devoured this one. You must love history and lots of details to get in to this book, but it was so very worth it. It deals with a famous murder case and civil rights issues, and the history of slavery and segregation in the US. It was also about the legal system and politics. The story and writing were amazing. And definitely relevant to today as well.

Soul by Tobsha Learner
This definitely goes more into the "fluff" category for me, but it was still a fun, page turner. I have also read her Witch of Cologne and enjoyed that as well. Again, not exactly "literary" in nature, but good for a little escapism.

I know this is supposed to be for the month of June, but I can't resist throwing in a couple of my favorites from last month too. Especially in case anyone wants to discuss.

Whitewashing Race: The Myth of a Color-Blind Society by Michael Brown and Elliot Currie
I highly recommend this to anyone who is interested in current-day race relations in the US. Very academic but packed with lots of pertinent information. I actually bought a copy to keep as reference. Again, I'd love to discuss if anyone is up for it.

Not on Our Watch: The Mission to End Genocide in Darfur and Beyond by Don Cheadle
Great activism book. And I love Don Cheadle. I learned a lot more about Darfur and what I could do to help enact change.

The River Wife by Jonis Agee
I wasn't sure what this one would be like when I first picked it up, but then I loved it! Another definite page turner but it kept me on my toes as well. Stories are woven together and it was really fascinating! It would be a great summer read.

Child of Mine: Feeding with Love and Good Sense by Ellyn Satter
This is a great book for anyone who has ever had any question on feeding his or her children. It was really useful for my husband and I and how we feed and think about feeding our children.

Right now I'm reading the Audacity of Hope and The Nine by JeffreyToobin. But I think I might start The Rossetti Letter as well (it's my next book club selection).

[Jenifer76]

7. "The Gilded Chamber" by Rebecca Kohn
A retelling of the story of Esther from the Old Testament. While the story follows the Biblical one, the author takes creative license with the details. Esther is one of my favorite books in the Bible but I did find myself bored with this book. Didn't hate it but I won't tell you to rush and get it.

[NewCrunchyDaddy]

Now that everybody's had a cookie and their bloodsugar is normal and we're all friends again ...

#64 The Host
by Stephenie Meyer

My review of The Host can be found here.

#1 The Time Machine, #2 The Shining (Audio): Redux, #3 Curious George, #4 Animal Farm: A Fairy Story, #5 The Tragedy of Othello, Moor of Venice (Bantam Anthology), #6 A Study in Scarlet and The Sign of Four, #7 "A Study in Emerald", #8 The Zombie Survival Guide: Complete Protection from the Living Dead, #9 Fantastic Beasts & Where to Find Them, #10 Quidditch Through the Ages, #11 On the Day You Were Born, #12 The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark (Bantam Anthology), #13 The Man Who Was Thursday: A Nightmare, #14 Rubyfruit Jungle, #15 John, Paul, George & Ben, #16 The Merchant of Venice (Bantam Anthology): Redux, #17 Dinotopia: A Land Apart from Time, #18 Trent's Last Case, #19 Cyrano de Bergerac: A Heroic Comedy in Five Acts, #20 Animal Dads, #21 Faggots, #22 A Day with Wilbur Robinson, #23 And Then There Were None, #24 Eating Between the Lines: The Supermarket Shopper's Guide to the Truth Behind Food Labels, #25 Henry IV, Part One, #26 Zami, A New Spelling of My Name: A Biomythography, #27 Twelfth Night, or What You Will (Bantam Anthology), #28 Murder Must Advertise, #29 Stagestruck: Theater, AIDS, and the Marketing of Gay America, #30 Angels in America, A Gay Fantasia on National Themes, Part One: Millennium Approaches, #31 The Tragedy of Macbeth (Bantam Anthology), #32 Stone of Destiny: The Story of Lady Macbeth, #33 Ian Pollack's Illustrated King Lear #34 Celtic Folklore Cooking, #35 Angels in America, A Gay Fantasia on National Themes, Part Two: Perestroika Revised Edition), #36 The Winter's Tale (Bantam Anthology), #37 Tolkien's Art: A Mythology for England, #38 The Body (Audio), #39 Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption (Audio), #40 Four Past Midnight: The Sun Dog (Audio), #41 The Tempest (Bantam Anthology): Redux, #42 World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War, #43 Science Verse, #44 Frankenstein Makes a Sandwich and Other Stories You’re Sure to Like Because They’re All About Monsters and Some of Them are Also About Food. You Like Food, Don’t You? Well, All Right Then, #45 Case Histories, #46 Time Bandit: Two Brothers, the Bering Sea, and One of the World's Deadliest Jobs, #47 Why Pandas Do Handstands and Other Curious Truths About Animals, #48 Rolling the R's, #49 Spooky ABC, #50 A is for Arches: A Utah Alphabet, #51 Raven: A Trickster Tale from the Pacific Northwest, #52 E is for Evergreen: A Washington Alphabet, #53 Beowulf (Longman Anthology), #54-60 The Harry Potter Series (Audio), #60 Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (Audio), #61 The Gingerbread Girl (Audio), #62 A Whale Hunt: Two Years on the Olympic Peninsula with the Makah and Their Canoe, #63 Heart-Shaped Box (Audio), #64 The Host

[Bufomander]

Originally Posted by NewCrunchyDaddy

Now that everybody's had a cookie and their bloodsugar is normal and we're all friends again ...

I'm still trying to decide if I want to keep posting here or not, but I did want you to know that I took this as permission to have a cookie(s?) for breakfast this instant while everyone is still asleep.