The Book Challenge discussion
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Amanda's Alphabet Weekends FINISHED CHALLENGE
(1) Alphabet Weekends: Love on the Road from A to Z by Elizabeth Noble 3 stars“Adulthood isn't black and white - it's a thousand shades of grey. Or taupe. It's not who you are, it's where you are.”
loved the idea and the relationship that developed between the main characters as they did the "love on the road from A to Z" thing. but i thought that the other characters were distracting for the most part (and a downer when you try to focus on the whole love blossoming part of the story) although I get why there were included. So there was a bit of a love/hate thing for me with the friends and family. just wanted to focus on the falling in love not the after part.
(2) The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton 4 stars“Memory is a cruel mistress with whom we all must learn to dance.”
really great story, like a fairy tale for grown ups. reminded me of Possession and gothic romances in a way with the interwoven stories and the mysterious Authoress with her book of fairy tales. this was a lighter read and the mystery element wasn't difficult to figure out but it was still too good to put down for long.
(3) How to Marry a Duke by Vicky Dreiling 2.5 stars Goodreads Win“He'd missed matching wits with her. "Shall we duel with our lips?"
this was a first reads win (otherwise I might not admit to reading it). the concept didn't work for me (and it was annoying) but the relationship between the two main characters kept me interested enough to finish it up in one night. and who doesn't love a good steamy scene.
(4) The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot 4.5 stars“She's the most important person in the world and her family living in poverty. If our mother is so important to science, why can't we get health insurance?”
i'd only read positive things about this book but i still found it surprising good. the author did an excellent job combing the history of the cells with the history of Henrietta. The advances made through the use and study of the cells were extremely interesting, as was Skloots interaction with the Lacks family and her relationship with Debra. Definitely the best non-fiction I've read lately.
(5) The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society byMary Ann Shaffer 4 stars“That's what I love about reading: one tiny thing will interest you in a book, and that tiny thing will lead you to another book, and another bit there will lead you onto a third book. It's geometrically progressive - all with no end in sight, and for no other reason than sheer enjoyment.”
i was expecting something heavy and depressing for some reason but this was the complete opposite. i've noticed a lot of people complained that this one was too light and ended on that perfect "happy ending" note. And what's wrong with that? I think it was handled perfectly, loved the characters and the light touch given to the serious subject. I think we need more epistolary novels by the way.
(6) Home in the Morning by Mary Glickman 3.5 stars Librarything Win"Jackson Sassaport was named for both the capitol of Mississippi and his uncle Yakov, signifying him instantly as Southern and Jewish, and as such, the perfect husband, a man chivalrous and loquacious at once. He had no ability to mislead his wife and harbored far less the desire to do so, for his sensibilities were especially fine. Stella was a trial of a woman, a virago of passionate pursuits who regularly forgot him."
i was happy to win this proof copy since it sounded similar to To Kill a Mockingbird and The Help and i wasn't disappointed. it's really good for a first novel and has all the expected elements of southern fiction but it still seems fresh. i only wish the big reveal at the end had been a little more exciting and it'd be nice to have seen what happened to Bubba Ray. because i love to hate that 'ol Bubba Ray.
*sigh* going to have to cut back on the amount of firstreads books i try for. i have a small stack of them distracting me from that awesome list up there. but who doesn't love the possibility of a free book in the mailbox at the end of the day?
(7) Graceling by Kristin Cashore 2.5 stars“I'm not going to wear a red dress," she said.
"It would look stunning, My Lady," she called.
She spoke to the bubbles gathered on the surface of the water. "If there's anyone I wish to stun at dinner, I'll hit him in the face.”
i agree with the all the complaints on this one but I did really like the idea. The bad guy isn't developed enough to be scary, the girl is more bitchy hardass than strong female and the guy is named Po. Other than that the romance was rushed and the last bit of book made a pretty dull ending. The high notes were in the wrong places but I did really want to like it so I guess that counts for something.
(8) The Mistress Of Nothing byKate Pullinger 2.5 stars Goodreads win" … Without it [corset], I felt fully unwrapped and as though everyone was looking at me. My back and arms seemed loosened and free, even with the stiff brown muslim on once again. I felt odd, as though along with the stays, I’d removed my spine and become a kind of jelly creature, supple, porous.”
Interesting historical fiction based on the life of Sally, maid to Lady Duff Gordon who wrote letters from Egypt during her 7 year stay. The relationship between the maid and her Lady was the highlight of the novel. While those characters were well developed Omar, dragoman and lover/husband/baby daddy to Sally was pretty flat. Which was a disappointment because he could have contributed a lot to the story, which was short and often repetitive.
Amanda. I joined your group to invite you to the 2011 Winter Fiction Panel next week (Feb 7-12) which I'll be participating in with Lisa Alther, Susan Minot and Susan Straight. It touched me that you love to hate Bubba Ray as I do, too! I admire your goals here. Quite ambitious. I've been trying to read The Finkler Question for two months and haven't come close to finishing yet. It's not that it's a bad book, it's a very very good book but when I'm writing I find it really hard to read. So hats off to intrepid readers like yourself! The closest I've ever come to challenge worthy activity is when I decided to read all of Balzac one year I was between writing one novel and the next and only got through about 35 of his 98 or so novels. But then I was looking for translations that were hard to find!
(9) Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson 4 stars“It's easier not to say anything. Shut your trap, button your lip, can it. All that crap you hear on TV about communication and expressing feelings is a lie. Nobody really wants to hear what you have to say.”
one of those books you see and hear a lot about so you want to read it but have no idea what it's really about. I'm glad I finally picked it up yesterday and that I didn't know anything about it because it sort of unravelled as I read it. I thought it was very subtle and beautifully written, wish more YA novels were like this one.
(10) The Weeping Rose by Janet L. Foster 2 stars Goodreads wina collaboration of the poetry and photographs of two sisters this was a solid effort, although from the description I was expecting something mysterious and got love poetry. most of her poems read like love songs but a few, those that strayed from the love topic, were really good.
(11) The Secret Lives of Toddlers: A Parent's Guide to the Wonderful, Terrible, Fascinating Behavior of Children by Jana Murphy 4 starseasy to read toddler manual, love how she asks "Why do toddlers..." do certain things, gives the answer, and then suggests what you can do about it. The information may not all be new but the format is great when you only have time to read about certain topics like potty training or food throwing or why he just stuck a pea up his nose.
(12) Incarceron by Catherine Fisher 2.5 stars“Only the man who has known freedom can define his prison.”
interesting science fiction/fantasy/steam punk/dystopian kind of YA thing. incarceron the prison was well done for the most part but there were a few major plot holes and some characters *coughFinncough* who had absolutely no personality. And there was tons of potential chemistry between a teacher and her pupil that wasn't even touched on which has annoyed me to no end. sometimes the little things can kill the reading experience. so I'm not sure about reading Sapphique as it will probably disappoint.
(13) An Amish Love: Healing Hearts/What the Heart Sees/A Marriage of the Heart (Inspirational Amish Anthology 3 stars Goodreads winnot sure what inspired me to request this one but i was pleasantly surprised. Not sure what I was expecting but these are three well written novellas that made for good bathtime reading with candles and bubblebath. Don't see myself reading much Amish fiction in the future but I'm glad I won this one.
(14) The Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett 5 stars“Nevertheless, the book gave Jack a feeling he had never had before, that the past was like a story, in which one thing led to another, and the world was not a boundless mystery, but a finite thing that could be comprehended. ”
so glad i finally read this one, it was probably the best book I've read in the last couple of years. a great epic scale historical fiction novel, excellent characters, detailed setting, just a perfect story. it may have been a little longer than necessary but it was never boring and always held my interest.
(15) Love Poems 3 starsnice little pocket size collection of love poems. contains a lot of well known favorites and some i'd never heard of. Washington tried to include a variety of poets from around the world which was a nice touch but I wish he'd have focused on creating a collection of the most popular, timeless love poems.
(16) Notorious Royal Marriages: A Juicy Journey Through Nine Centuries of Dynasty, Destiny, and Desire by Leslie Carroll 4 stars"The bishop blessed the couple and wished them many years of fruitful life together, then departed and left the newlyweds to nature. Or not – depending on whom you asked. And depending on the circumstances in which you asked, and how many days, weeks, or years it was from the wedding night itself."
interesting look at many infamous royal couples, most of which were unhappily married and had less than healthy relationships with their spouses. Carroll managed to pack a lot of information on each couple into relatively small chapters and also kept the book interesting and humorous. I was glad to finally discover two couples (Victoria & Albert and Nicholas & Alexandra) at the end of the book that were loving and devoted to one another after centuries of scandalous monarchs.
(17) Cinderella Ate My Daughter: Dispatches from the Frontlines of the New Girlie-Girl Culture 3.5 stars“There is only one princess in the Disney tales, one girl who gets to be exalted. Princesses may confide in a sympathetic mouse or teacup, but they do not have girlfriends. God forbid Snow White should give Sleeping Beauty a little support. Let's review: princesses avoid female bonding. Their goals are to be saved by a prince, get married, and be taken care of the rest of their lives.”
i was expecting a little more from this book, which is written in a blog type style and focuses on the how the prevalent "girle-girl culture" will impact young girls growing up. Orenstein started off strong but I wish she had done more research and presented a solution or two to the problems she discusses. And she wastes too much time talking about what Miley, Britney, Lindsay, etc have done. I think we're familiar enough with them that we don't need a repeat of everything scandalous they've done from your point of view. Other than that she makes some good points so it's worth reading.
(18) Love Letters 4 starsthe quality of selections tends to vary with the Everyman's Pocket Library books but i felt this volume was almost perfect and read it all in one day. the letters were divided into sections by topic or theme and most of them were romantic, although there were a few husbands reminding their wives to write more letters, flirt less in public, etc. overall a sweet, romantic collection that also provides a peek into the private lives of writers.
(19) The Zookeeper's Wife by Diane Ackerman 3 stars“God may promise not to destroy creation, but it is not a promise humankind made - to our peril.”
this nonfiction work, which focuses on the life of a Polish zookeeper and his family during WWII, was based on information from the zookeeper's wife's diary. i enjoyed their story and the history of the war as it pertained to their story but i felt the author added to many facts randomly throughout the book that were unnecessary. for example, she ended the book with a section about an animal preserve that was only vaguely relevant to their lives and experiences and thats why i gave this one a lower rating.
(20) So Many Ways to Begin by Jon McGregor 2 stars Goodreads win“Lives were changed and moved by much smaller cues, chance meetings, overheard conversations, the trips and stumbles which constantly alter and readjust the course of things, history made by a million fractional moments too numerous to calibrate or observe or record.”
this one was just ok, it was well written and the story (man finds out he was adopted as a baby and struggles with it) was good but i quickly got bored with it. did like the format (man is looking back through items he's kept over the years and is reminded of a memory that becomes a chapter for each item).
(21) Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption by Laura Hillenbrand 5 stars“Dignity is as essential to human life as water, food, and oxygen. The stubborn retention of it, even in the face of extreme physical hardship, can hold a man's soul in his body long past the point at which the body should have surrendered it.”
holy cow, really glad i bought this one because it's a keeper. the story was excellent, never boring or anything less than exciting and horrific and heartbreaking. the writing was perfect with lots of details (and she makes it easy for all the non-history buffs out there). every book lover should read this one.
(22) Major Pettigrew's Last Stand by Helen Simonson 4.5 stars“You are a wise man, Major, and I will consider your advice with great care--and humility." He finished his tea and rose from the table to go to his room. "But I must ask you, do you really understand what it means to be in love with an unsuitable woman?"
"My dear boy," said the Major. "Is there really any other kind?”
a charming Major, mature love story, English village overflowing with characters and a happy ending! Kind of reminds one of Austen. And leads to a google search for English country cottages for sale. A girl can dream.
(23) The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood 4 stars“Don't let the bastards grind you down.”
reminds of all the high school required reading (yuck) that I should probably read again since i enjoyed this one. don't think they can top this one though.
(24) Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll 3 stars“I can't go back to yesterday because I was a different person then."
didn't enjoy this one as much as expected. it was clever and witty and sharp and nonsensical but it was just ok for me. maybe you have to be in a certain mood?
(25) Beauty and the Beast by Jeanne-Marie Le Prince de Beaumont 3 stars"No, dear Beast," said Beauty, "you must not die. Live to be my husband; from this moment I give you my hand, and swear to be none but yours. Alas! I thought I had only a friendship for you, but the grief I now feel convinces me, that I cannot live without you." Beauty scarce had pronounced these words, when she saw the palace sparkle with light; and fireworks, instruments of music, everything seemed to give notice of some great event. But nothing could fix her attention; she turned to her dear Beast, for whom she trembled with fear; but how great was her surprise! Beast was disappeared, and she saw, at her feet, one of the loveliest princes that eye ever beheld;"
short and sweet fairy tale, a bare bones version of the story told in the Disney movie and novels like Beauty: A Retelling of the Story of Beauty and the Beast.
(26) The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas 5 stars“Fool that I am," said he,"that I did not tear out my heart the day I resolved to revenge myself".”
“Life is a storm, my young friend. You will bask in the sunlight one moment, be shattered on the rocks the next. What makes you a man is what you do when that storm comes. You must look into that storm and shout as you did in Rome. Do your worst, for I will do mine! Then the fates will know you as we know you”
“It's necessary to have wished for death in order to know how good it is to live.”
How is it that I've just now read this book and why did I ever say eww, I'm not reading that monster. Not sure what to say aside from *gush gush gush* the perfect novel *gush gush gush* everyone should read it *gush gush gush* justice, vengence, mercy, forgiveness, hope, faith on an epic scale *gush gush gush* go read it
(27) Jesus, Interrupted: Revealing the Hidden Contradictions in the Bible & Why We Don't Know About Them by Bart D. Ehrman 3.5 stars“[P]eople need to use their intelligence to evaluate what they find to be true and untrue in the Bible. This is how we need to live life generally. Everything we hear and see we need to evaluate—whether the inspiring writings of the Bible or the inspiring writings of Shakespeare, Dostoevsky, or George Eliot, of Ghandi, Desmond Tutu, or the Dalai Lama.”
kind of shocking what people learn in seminary school but don't teach in church. focusing on the historical-critical approach to the bible Ehrman focuses on how the New Testament was written and all the contradictions, misconceptions, etc most people aren't aware of. at times repetitive and slightly confusing in a too-much-info-to-process kind of way overall it was really informative.
(28) Beastlyby Alex Flinn 3 stars“Just because something is beautiful doesn´t mean it´s good.”
cheesy, yes. predictable, of course. characters developed to their full potential, not so much. but it was still a semi-fresh take on an old tale with enough of the right ingredients to make the female young adult reader (and some older females like me) swoon. Or at least get a little weepy. guilty pleasure.
(29) Spook: Science Tackles the Afterlife by Mary Roach 3 stars“In my experience, the most staunchly held views are based on ignorance or accepted dogma, not carefully considered accumulations of facts. The more you expose the intricacies and realtities of the situation, the less clear-cut things become.”
this one was a little all over the place and not as engaging as I expected. still, it was packed with informative tidbits and Mary Roach has a style of humor that is difficult not to enjoy. I hear Bonk: The Curious Coupling of Science and Sex calling my name...
(30) Bonk: The Curious Coupling of Science and Sex by Mary Roach 4 stars“The paper does not provide the exact number of penises eaten by ducks, but the author says there have been enough over the years to prompt the coining of a popular saying: 'I better get home or the ducks will have something to eat.”
i was maybe just a little too engaged with this one but i'm not complaining. it was interesting, informative (maybe a little too much so at times) and funny, a nice little peek at how science has approached sex research over the years. Almost (but not quite) as good as Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers
(31) The Coupon Mom's Guide to Cutting Your Grocery Bills in Half by Stephane Nelson 4 starsobviously i want to cut my grocery bills in half so this was my naughty impulse buy because it will "pay for itself!". it started out half common sense/half helpful tips, tricks and ideas I hadn't thought of so I had a solid 3 star book. i kicked it up a star because of the way our somewhat bossy guide shows you not only how to use coupons but how to organize them, where to use them, how to get the most bang for your buck, how to cook to save money and even some of her best recipes, plus how to use her webiste on a weekly basis and which companies will send out coupons when you send them a nice little e-mail. So did it pay for itself? Perhaps.
(32) Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov 3.5 stars“She was Lo, plain Lo, in the morning, standing four feet ten in one sock. She was Lola in slacks. She was Dolly at school. She was Dolores on the dotted line. But in my arms she was always Lolita.”
ugh, i thought this book would never end. yes technically it was good and the story was good but there was both too much (wordiness, good grief) and not enough (there wasn't much to the characters of HH or L) and the second part was sloooow and repetitive (and I'm not one of those people just in it for the eroticism). i get it, it's a "great" book but i just didn't enjoy it (and i really wanted to).
(33) The Girlfriends' Guide to Toddlers by Vicki Iovine 3 starsmore of a how to deal book than a what to do book about raising toddlers. this was actually refreshing. where the other books tend to stress you out about doing the right thing this one reassures you that everything will work out and you're not a terrible parent for any number of reasons you daily consider. so while i'll continue to use the other books for advice this one will be on hand for comfort and a much needed laugh. because the girlfriends got my back.
(34) Stuff: Compulsive Hoarding and the Meaning of Things by Randy O. Frost 4 stars“You can't hook up a U-Haul to a hearse”
sort of an intro to hoarding this one explores hoarding history, psychology, treatment, etc. and provides several histories of hoarders willing to participate in the research. especially intriguing were the chapters on animal hoarding and children hoarders. interesting, very interesting...
(35) The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin 5 stars“The belief that unhappiness is selfless and happiness is selfish is misguided. It's more selfless to act happy. It takes energy, generosity, and discipline to be unfailingly lighthearted, yet everyone takes the happy person for granted. No one is careful of his feelings or tries to keep his spirits high. He seems self-sufficient; he becomes a cushion for others. And because happiness seems unforced, that person usually gets no credit.”
yes, i just gave one of those lame annoying stunt books 5 stars. this just happened to be one that clicked perfectly with me and what i personally feel i need to work on so i'm aware my 5 star rating may be just a little bit biased. but it's one of those books where you're reading things you think all the time but can't quite put into words or actions so you're immediately hooked. and come on, who doesn't want to be happier in their everday life. Happiness Project here I come.
(36) The English Patient by Michael Ondaatje 3.5 stars“We die containing a richness of lovers and tribes, tastes we have swallowed, bodies we have plunged into and swum up as if rivers of wisdom, characters we have climbed into as if trees, fears we have hidden in as if caves."
"I wish for all this to be marked on by body when I am dead. I believe in such cartography - to be marked by nature, not just to label ourselves on a map like the names of rich men and women on buildings. We are communal histories, communal books. We are not owned or monogamous in our taste or experience.”
*sigh* another book I'd been meaning to read forever and expecting to love but didn't. The puzzle pieces of the plot were so confusing, revealed in dream like memories so that you're not always sure which of the four your getting a glimpse of. This makes it difficult to connect with anyone and hard to care about them even when you want to. The lyrical style of writing was beautiful and the relationship built between the four damaged individuals is beautiful but I just felt I was slugging through something that shouldn't have been difficult. Maybe a second read would improve my opinion on this one.
(37) The House of Mirth by Edith Wharton 5 stars“Do you remember what you said to me once? That you could help me only by loving me? Well-you did love me for a moment; and it helped me. It has always helped me.”
“She was so evidently the victim of the civilization which had produced her, that the links of her bracelet seemed like manacles chaining her to her fate.”
“As the pain that can be told is but half a pain, so the pity that questions has little healing in its touch. What Lily craved was the darkness made by enfolding arms, the silence which is not solitutde, but compassion holding its breath.”
“There is someone I must say goodbye to. Oh, not you - we are sure to see each other again - but the Lily Bart you knew. I have kept her with me all this time, but now we are going to part, and I have brought her back to you - I am going to leave her here. When I go out presently she will not go with me. I shall like to think that she has stayed with you.”
“He knelt by the bed and bent over her, draining their last moment to its lees; and in the silence there passed between them the word which made all clear.”
one of those books where you know you're reading a new favorite for the first time but you can't slow down and enjoy it because you have to know what happens. This one makes up for all the other bad books I have read/will read this year. Lily Bart=amazing character. With no pervious knowledge of this one I loved how it gradually slipped into the tragic and you keep thinking she'll find her way out until the last pages.
(38) Organizing from the Inside Out, second edition: The Foolproof System For Organizing Your Home, Your Office and Your Life by Julie Morgenstern 2 starsmore about organizing the organizing process than organizing your stuff this book provides good suggestions for which areas to tackle first and the order to work in (analyze, strategize, attack, sort, purge, etc etc.). Aside from that it's not much help. It would have been more helpful if she'd done separate books for home and office and provided some actual tips for organizing your things aside from which containers she likes to use. Good enough to get you started but that's about it.
(39) A Tailor-Made Bride by Karen Witemeyer 3 stars"Mr. Tucker looked away and Hannah drew in a deep breath, willing her stomach to stop its silly fluttering. The man was as prickly as a cactus. Just because he had eyes the color of melting honey didn't mean she had to go all soft over him."
i can happily say this satisfied my romance novel craving. i didn't have high expectations for this one because (a) it's a historical romance novel (sorry, book snob) and (b) it was a free kindle book but i was pleasantly surprised with the quality of the writing. so after i devoured this one i realized (a) a romance novel on occasion won't rot my brain because good ones do exist and (b) i should try more of those free/bargain kindle books. this was the perfect book to finish up on a quiet mother's day afternoon, ahhhh.
(40) The Things That Keep Us Here by Carla Buckley 4 stars“Easy enough to fight when the monster kept its distance, easy enough to draw the line. But when the moster was literally outside the door, that's when your actions mattered. The hard choice wasn't opening the door. The hard choice was keeping it closed.”
excellent apocalyptic/dystopian novel about a family struggling to survive through a flu pandemic. both edge-of-your-seat-whats-going-to-happen-next-reads-like-a-screenplay exciting and extremely realistic and emotional as it examines one family trapped in their home trying to survive. essentially about relationships between husband and wife, parent and child. and yes, there were tears.
(41) The Letters of Abelard and Heloise 5 stars“[A]s though mindful of the wife of Lot, who looked back from behind him, thou deliveredst me first to the sacred garments and monastic profession before thou gavest thyself to God. And for that in this one thing thou shouldst have had little trust in me I vehemently grieved and was ashamed. For I (God [knows]) would without hesitation precede or follow thee to the Vulcanian fires according to thy word. For not with me was my heart, but with thee. But now, more than ever, if it be not with thee, it is nowhere. For without thee it cannot anywhere exist.”
nothing can top the first Heloise letter for passion, and romance, and that hairs-standing-up-and-goosebumps feeling. the Abelard letters are a different story and while part of me completely understands and sympathizes with his response the other part of me agrees with those readers who say he became more of a dick after losing his dick. my copy was a cheapie kindle version which contained just the love letters (who wants the other preachy stuff anyway?) followed by Pope's epistle, which was improved (if possible) by reading the letters first. Must now make everyone I know read this.
AmandaLil wrote: "(41) The Letters of Abelard and Heloise 5 starsnothing can top the first Heloise letter for passion, and romance, and that hairs-standing-up-and-goosebumps feeling. the Abelard let..."
Whoa. How does dude-man lose his man-member?
Megan wrote: "AmandaLil wrote: "(41) The Letters of Abelard and Heloise 5 starsnothing can top the first Heloise letter for passion, and romance, and that hairs-standing-up-and-goosebumps feeling....
Sounds like he was tutoring young Heloise and worked his charms on her so her Uncle cut off his man-member. Ouch.
(42) The Uncoupling by Meg Wolitzer 2.5 stars“People like to warn you that by the time you reach the middle of your life, passion will begin to feel like a meal eaten long ago, which you remember with great tenderness.”
i can say that meg wolitzer is a good writer but that's about it. i really didn't enjoy reading this one. the premise didn't work for me at all as the seriousness of the loss of desire and the silliness of the "spell" just seemed to clash. most of the novel was just depressing and the ending was predictable and a little lame. it was good enough to finish but not good enough to recommend.
(43) Is Heathcliff a Murderer?: Great Puzzles in Nineteenth-Century Fiction by John Sutherland 4 starslucky me for discovering this one, provides "answers" to nagging questions, problems and discrepancies in victorian novels. i don't understand all the complaints i've read that his answers are only guesses. I don't think he really intends to provide a concrete answer generally, but to analyze the writing, the author and the history to show us what was likely intended but not actually said (often because it couldn't be). And what more can he do really. Good read for fans of victorian lit.
(44) Snow Flower and the Secret Fan by Lisa See 3.5 stars“For my entire life I longed for love. I knew it was not right for me — as a girl and later as a woman — to want or expect it, but I did, and this unjustified desire has been at the root of every problem I have experienced in my life.”
finally got around to reading this one which i will probably remember as "that icky footbinding book" sorry to say. but seriously it was a good story, See is a great writer (adding more stuff of hers to my list) and it was an excellent glimpse of China back in the day (and I'm very glad I was not a woman living back then, thank you jesus). i really liked it but didn't love it for some reason. i'd almost rather it was told from snow flowers pov as she was way more interesting and likeable.
The Book Challenge
Books mentioned in this topic
The Postmistress (other topics)Squirrel Seeks Chipmunk (other topics)
Lost in Shangri-la: A True Story of Survival, Adventure, and the Most Incredible Rescue Mission of World War II (other topics)
Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience and Redemption (other topics)
Holidays on Ice (other topics)
More...
Authors mentioned in this topic
Sarah Blake (other topics)David Sedaris (other topics)
Mitchell Zuckoff (other topics)
David Sedaris (other topics)
Charles Dickens (other topics)
More...
Fiction
A: Alphabet Weekends: Love on the Road from A to ZB: BeastlyC: The Count of Monte CristoD: The Distant HoursE: The English PatientF: The Forgotten GardenG: The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie SocietyH: The House of MirthorThe Handmaid's TaleI: I am LegendorIncarceronJ: Juliet, Naked
K: The Kitchen House
L: The Little PrinceM: Major Pettigrew's Last StandN: Notes From The Underbelly
O: One Flew Over the Cuckoo's NestP: The Pillars of the EarthQ: The Queen's Fool
R: Revolution or The Red Tent
S: SpeakT: The Things That Keep Us HereU: The UncouplingV: The Virgin Suicides
W: World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie WarX: Far from Xanadu
Y: Year of Wonders
Z: The Zombie Survival Guide: Complete Protection From the Living DeadNonfiction
A: Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life
B: Bonk: The Curious Coupling of Science and SexC: Cinderella Ate My Daughter: Dispatches from the Frontlines of the New Girlie-Girl CultureD: Dewey: The Small-Town Library Cat Who Touched the World
E: Einstein Never Used FlashcardsF: First Year Teacher's Survival Guide: Ready-To-Use Strategies, Tools & Activities For Meeting The Challenges Of Each School DayG: The Girlfriends' Guide to ToddlersH: The Happiness ProjectI: The Immortal Life of Henrietta LacksJ: Jesus, Interrupted: Revealing the Hidden Contradictions in the Bible & Why We Don't Know About ThemK: Kindergarten: A Teacher, Her Students, and a Year of LearningL: Lucky
M: My Secret: A PostSecret BookN: Notorious Royal Marriages: A Juicy Journey Through Nine Centuries of Dynasty, Destiny, and DesireO: On Writing
P: PostSecret: Extraordinary Confessions from Ordinary LivesQ: Queen Bees and Wannabes: Helping Your Daughter Survive Cliques, Gossip, Boyfriends, and Other Realities of Adolescence
R: The Rape of the Masters: How Political Correctness Sabotages Art
S: Stuff: Compulsive Hoarding and the Meaning of ThingsorSpook: Science Tackles the AfterlifeT: 32 Third Graders and One Class Bunny: Life Lessons from TeachingU: Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and RedemptionV: The Vagina Monologues
W: Why Do Men Have Nipples? Hundreds of Questions You'd Only Ask a Doctor After Your Third Martini
X: X Saves the World: How Generation X Got the Shaft but Can Still Keep Everything from Sucking
Y: The Year of Living Biblically: One Man's Humble Quest to Follow the Bible As Literally As Possible
Z: The Zookeeper's Wife: A War Storyor ZeitounI'm also working on this list of books that have been on my tbr list for over a year for The Book Addicts! Reading Group Challenge for 2011:
(1) The English Patient(2) Lolita(3) The Alchemist
(4) A Prayer for Owen Meany
(5) Doctor Zhivago
(6) On the Road
(7) Lucky
(8) Snow Flower and the Secret Fan(9) The Painted Veil
(10) The Red Tent
(11) The Pillars of the Earth(12) The Virgin Suicides
Alternates:
(1) The Mists of Avalon
(2) The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy