This month, I did a great job of sticking to my resolution to read at least 50 pages a day. So this month, it was 4 books, totally 1,663 pages. And an interesting mixture of genres this time. Despite only reading 4 books.....
Fly Away by Kristin Hannah (400 pages). I've read one book by this author before (shocking when I realize how many books she's written). So I was excited to add another one to the list. Not sure I was excited by the time I finished it. The story bounces back and forth between 2010 and the past. Tully and Katie have been best friends since they were young. When Katie dies, she asks Tully to watch out for her husband and kids. The bad news is that Tully can barely watch out for herself. The family shatters at the death of Katie. But when another tragedy strikes, they find themselves inexplicably coming back together. It took me quite a while to get into the rhythm of the book. As a result, I wasn't the biggest fan. It took me eight days to read.
Life Mask by Emma Donoghue (639 pages). Another very fictional historical fiction. Which is usually a hit with me. This one takes place in London, from 1787 to 1797. Eliza Farren is a famous actress who has long been wooed by Lord Derby, he of horse race fame. As long as Derby's wife is alive, Eliza refuses to allow their courtship to advance beyond friendship. But Derby is hellbent on having her in his world. To that end, he introduces to her many of his friends, including Anne Damer, a widow and a sculptress. Anne had long had Sapphic rumors swirling around her. Rumors she adamantly denied. Which made her friendship with Eliza quite scandalous. But after 16 years of courtship, Derby's wife finally dies, freeing him to marry Eliza. And Anne realizes that sometimes rumors are frequently true. Amongst the cast of characters, there was also a world of political upheaval occurring. The author herself stated it's the slowest paced of all of her novels. This was my third one by her, but I have to agree. If I weren't the type who finishes a book no matter what, I might have stopped after day one. Which would've been my loss, as all of this history was fascinating! It took me twelve days to read.
Peyton Place by Grace Metalious (372 pages). I recently started the Gilmore Guys podcast while traveling for work. They were discussing obscure references in one of the episodes and Peyton Place came up. So I decided to give it a read. I'm pretty sure the reference was to the tv show from the 1960's, and not the book from the 1950's, but ultimately it's the same thing. This book was super scandalous when it first came out. Like 50 Shade of Gray levels of scandalous! Not, however, 50 Shades levels of insanity in the story. The book opens in 1937 in the bucolic seeming Peyton Place, New England. But just like every idyllic small town, this one has so many scandals. Incest, illegitimate children, affairs, suicides, crises of faith, secrets, lies, murder, you name it and it's happening in this town. I couldn't put it down. Amusingly, not as salacious in today's society as it was in the 1950's. But definitely a page turner. I was reading it while I was getting my nails done. When the nail tech asked what I was reading and I told her, the older woman next to me perked up a little bit at the title. She'd watched it in the 1960's and acknowledged how risqué it was at the time. It took me five days to read.
Chocolates for Breakfast by Pamela Moore (252 pages). I literally picked this book because I knew I needed a 250 page book to finish out the month. And shockingly it was another scandalous book from the 1950's. Clearly an inadvertent, but enjoyable, theme this month. The story opens with 15 year old Courtney, who is at boarding school on the East Coast because her divorced parents aren't sure what else to do with her. Her mother is an actress in Hollywood. Her father is an executive in New York. But Courtney is her own person. She develops a slight crush on one of her (female) teachers. She leaves school and moves to Hollywood, where she loses her virginity to a bisexual actor who is over a decade older than her. Eventually, she and her mother move to New York, where she is reunited with her wild child boarding school roommate, Janet, a fixture on the young New York party scene. Eventually a tragedy causes Courtney to reevaluate her life and her desires. The book was pretty good (I've read better). But then I googled the author. She was 18 when this book was published. And it was a best seller! She delved into great detail of young adult sexuality and hedonism in a most shocking way. It was sad to me that she committed suicide at 26, 9 months after giving birth. Makes me wonder if she could have survived if postpartum were acknowledged then like it is now. It took me five days to read, just as anticipated.
Friday, March 31, 2017
Tuesday, February 28, 2017
Fabulous February
This month was very successful. I finished 5 books at 1696 pages. Not too shabby! So here we go
The Fifth Mountain by Paulo Coelho (245 pages). This is my seventh Coelho novel. And so far, I haven't experienced a bad one. I have always thought of Coelho as more of a spiritual author than a religious one, but religion does play an important role in almost all of his writing. For anyone who knows their Bible, they know the story of Elijah. After he told Ahab and Jezebel that no rain would fall while the land worshipped Baal, he flees to the brook, where ravens keep him fed. The LORD then tells Elijah to go to Zarephath, where a widow woman will care for him. After three years of drought, Elijah returns to confront Ahab. This story covers those three years with the widow woman (obviously it does go into the background that leads him to Zarephath). According to the widow, who was not a Christian, Baal and the other gods lived on the Fifth Mountain (hence the name of the book). While Coelho liberally uses verses from the Bible, the rest of the story isn't even remotely Biblical. Kind of like The Red Tent. Sure, it's based on a story from the Bible. But it's so loosely based. To the point that I found myself a little sad that Elijah's story was so changed. And his faith so weak. This might have been the first Coelho novel that I wasn't a super fan of. His writing is still phenomenal. But the story bothered me. It took 5 days to read.
The Night Sister by Jennifer McMahon (319 pages). The story centers around the Tower Motel in London, Vermont. It covers three generations of a family and their friends. In the 19060's, sisters Sylvie and Rose are nothing alike. Their family runs the Tower Motel, which is quickly falling into disrepair now that the new highway has taken most of the traffic away. Rose is convinced that her sister has a big secret. Little does Rose know that she herself is the one with the secret. In the 1980's, Rose's granddaughter Amy and her friends, sisters Piper and Margot, investigate some of the secrets of the Motel. What they learn drives a wedge between the friends. In 2013, Piper comes home to London when Margot tells her that Amy killed her husband, son and self, leaving only her daughter Lou alive. But Amy left a cryptic note for the sisters. As Piper starts investigating what really happens, she uncovers a secret about Amy's family that changes everything. The book was AMAZING! Dark, scary, intriguing. I absolutely loved it! It took 6 days to read.
The Shining by Stephen King (659 pages). Seemed like a natural progression- one creepy hotel into another. I've seen two movie versions of this book. Stanley Kubrick's (which King apparently didn't like) and a made for tv (which King did like, probably because he penned the screenplay). So I was excited to finally read the book. Creepy. That's the only word I can think of to describe the book. I knew it was going to be creepy before I picked it up. My mom commented that when she read it, she hide in the corner of the den, as far away from the windows as she could get! In the book, Danny is only 5. He's very precocious, thanks to the shining. His dad is just a normal guy with a major alcohol problem. And his mom is NOT Shelley Duvall. She's a little more plucky than that! There are no twins. There is no maze. There was no "All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy" or "here's Johnny". Tony doesn't speak through Danny. He just speaks to Danny. Heck, the ending isn't even the same. Which is a little weird to me. But the Overlook itself was all the craziness that I wanted it to be. It was literally its own entity, taking over Jack's mind and driving him to a desperate attack on his family. The made for TV movie was much more faithful to the book, just as an FYI. I definitely see why King wasn't thrilled with Kubrick's version, however amazing and creepy that version was. It took 10 days to read (yes, I read more than 50 pages a day again).
The All-Girl Filling Station's Last Reunion by Fannie Flagg (347 pages). I knew I had 7 days left in February, so needed to find a 350 page book. This one was perfect! The book is basically two stories- that of Sookie, a 59 year old married mother of 4 in Alabama, and of Fritzi, a young WASP during the War from Wisconsin. Skokie finds out some family history that completely changes her life. Fritzi, on the other hand, lived a fantastical life. She was a wing walker and pilot, ran her father's Phillips 66 with only her three sisters during the War (hence the nationally famous All Girls Filling Station), and lived an extraordinary life. The family connections were strong in this book. And the history lesson about the WASPs, the all female pilots who ferried planes during the War, was amazing. What made this book even more amazing for me is that we have a family friend who was a WASP. To know what she did- training pilots, ferrying planes, all to help the War effort. And then to have their efforts be stricken from the history books. To not be given the GI bill benefits. To not be given veteran's benefits to the families of the 39 women who died. Heartbreaking. Heartbreaking and awe inspiring. I finished the book in only 5 days (I planned poorly).
Forest Acres by Warner M. Montgomery, Ph.D (126 pages). Only two days left in the month and I didn't want to start a long book. I've had this on the shelf for years. As someone who grew up FA adjacent, but has been living in FA proper for nearly 15 years, I thought it was high time to read a little about my town's history. It was a ridiculously easy read- not a lot of reading, a LOT of photos! I found it quite interesting that my high school and my town are both connected to the James H Hammond family. Just not the same James H. It was so interesting to learn about my town, and to see some of the things I remember. I read it over 2 days. So boom- month done!
The Fifth Mountain by Paulo Coelho (245 pages). This is my seventh Coelho novel. And so far, I haven't experienced a bad one. I have always thought of Coelho as more of a spiritual author than a religious one, but religion does play an important role in almost all of his writing. For anyone who knows their Bible, they know the story of Elijah. After he told Ahab and Jezebel that no rain would fall while the land worshipped Baal, he flees to the brook, where ravens keep him fed. The LORD then tells Elijah to go to Zarephath, where a widow woman will care for him. After three years of drought, Elijah returns to confront Ahab. This story covers those three years with the widow woman (obviously it does go into the background that leads him to Zarephath). According to the widow, who was not a Christian, Baal and the other gods lived on the Fifth Mountain (hence the name of the book). While Coelho liberally uses verses from the Bible, the rest of the story isn't even remotely Biblical. Kind of like The Red Tent. Sure, it's based on a story from the Bible. But it's so loosely based. To the point that I found myself a little sad that Elijah's story was so changed. And his faith so weak. This might have been the first Coelho novel that I wasn't a super fan of. His writing is still phenomenal. But the story bothered me. It took 5 days to read.
The Night Sister by Jennifer McMahon (319 pages). The story centers around the Tower Motel in London, Vermont. It covers three generations of a family and their friends. In the 19060's, sisters Sylvie and Rose are nothing alike. Their family runs the Tower Motel, which is quickly falling into disrepair now that the new highway has taken most of the traffic away. Rose is convinced that her sister has a big secret. Little does Rose know that she herself is the one with the secret. In the 1980's, Rose's granddaughter Amy and her friends, sisters Piper and Margot, investigate some of the secrets of the Motel. What they learn drives a wedge between the friends. In 2013, Piper comes home to London when Margot tells her that Amy killed her husband, son and self, leaving only her daughter Lou alive. But Amy left a cryptic note for the sisters. As Piper starts investigating what really happens, she uncovers a secret about Amy's family that changes everything. The book was AMAZING! Dark, scary, intriguing. I absolutely loved it! It took 6 days to read.
The Shining by Stephen King (659 pages). Seemed like a natural progression- one creepy hotel into another. I've seen two movie versions of this book. Stanley Kubrick's (which King apparently didn't like) and a made for tv (which King did like, probably because he penned the screenplay). So I was excited to finally read the book. Creepy. That's the only word I can think of to describe the book. I knew it was going to be creepy before I picked it up. My mom commented that when she read it, she hide in the corner of the den, as far away from the windows as she could get! In the book, Danny is only 5. He's very precocious, thanks to the shining. His dad is just a normal guy with a major alcohol problem. And his mom is NOT Shelley Duvall. She's a little more plucky than that! There are no twins. There is no maze. There was no "All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy" or "here's Johnny". Tony doesn't speak through Danny. He just speaks to Danny. Heck, the ending isn't even the same. Which is a little weird to me. But the Overlook itself was all the craziness that I wanted it to be. It was literally its own entity, taking over Jack's mind and driving him to a desperate attack on his family. The made for TV movie was much more faithful to the book, just as an FYI. I definitely see why King wasn't thrilled with Kubrick's version, however amazing and creepy that version was. It took 10 days to read (yes, I read more than 50 pages a day again).
The All-Girl Filling Station's Last Reunion by Fannie Flagg (347 pages). I knew I had 7 days left in February, so needed to find a 350 page book. This one was perfect! The book is basically two stories- that of Sookie, a 59 year old married mother of 4 in Alabama, and of Fritzi, a young WASP during the War from Wisconsin. Skokie finds out some family history that completely changes her life. Fritzi, on the other hand, lived a fantastical life. She was a wing walker and pilot, ran her father's Phillips 66 with only her three sisters during the War (hence the nationally famous All Girls Filling Station), and lived an extraordinary life. The family connections were strong in this book. And the history lesson about the WASPs, the all female pilots who ferried planes during the War, was amazing. What made this book even more amazing for me is that we have a family friend who was a WASP. To know what she did- training pilots, ferrying planes, all to help the War effort. And then to have their efforts be stricken from the history books. To not be given the GI bill benefits. To not be given veteran's benefits to the families of the 39 women who died. Heartbreaking. Heartbreaking and awe inspiring. I finished the book in only 5 days (I planned poorly).
Forest Acres by Warner M. Montgomery, Ph.D (126 pages). Only two days left in the month and I didn't want to start a long book. I've had this on the shelf for years. As someone who grew up FA adjacent, but has been living in FA proper for nearly 15 years, I thought it was high time to read a little about my town's history. It was a ridiculously easy read- not a lot of reading, a LOT of photos! I found it quite interesting that my high school and my town are both connected to the James H Hammond family. Just not the same James H. It was so interesting to learn about my town, and to see some of the things I remember. I read it over 2 days. So boom- month done!
Tuesday, January 31, 2017
New year, new readings
I made a New Years Eve resolution to read at least 50 pages a day, every day. I stuck to it, and actually did better than planned. 5 books and 2064 pages. Good job me! So let's get to it.
Slammerkin by Emma Donoghue (334 pages). A slammerkin is an old word, used to define a loose gown or a loose woman. I was eager to learn which one the author was referencing, as it seems like the protagonist, a prostitute, also was a bit of a clothes horse. It's the late 1700's in London. Mary Saunders is 14 when she falls in love. With a red ribbon. The peddler takes advantage of Mary's innocence and she soon finds herself pregnant. When her mother kicks her out, she befriends Doll, a local prostitute, and quickly learns to make her way in Doll's world. She becomes infatuated with the colorful clothes and immune to the touch of a man. But after a few months in the Magdalen, a reformation home from prostitutes, she returns to a world she doesn't want anymore. So she escapes to her mother's hometown of Monmouth, where she goes to work for the Jones, her mother's childhood best friend. She becomes a respectable maid/apprentice seamstress. She becomes engaged. But you can't teach an old dog new tricks. Mary's true, darker nature comes out when she realizes how badly she wants to return to London, but as a wealthy lady this time. So she goes back to her old "job." And here's where fiction becomes fact- Mary murders Mrs. Jones. And is hanged for her crime. I liked this book more than I thought I would, but less than I wanted to. I'm not even sure that makes sense. It took me 7 days to read (only five days of actual reading time)
Beach Music by Pat Conroy (628 pages). I've yet to read a Conroy that I didn't enjoy. Which always makes me scared to read another one. Even my favorite authors have made (at least to me) an occasional misstep. And I'm always worried that the next Conroy I pick up is going to be the bad one. Fortunately, this one wasn't the bad one! Jack McCall left Charleston in his rear view when his wife committed suicide by jumping off a bridge. He took their daughter and fled to Rome. For five years, he had almost no contact with the South. Then, his old life tracked him down. In the form of his sister in law, his best friends, and his family. Suddenly, he must return home to South Carolina and face years of secrets that have long been buried. Betrayals, deaths, the Vietnam War, love and loss all come crashing back as four former best friends try to come to terms with the paths their lives have gone down. I laughed, I cried. Darn you, Pat Conroy. Darn you and your literary acumen. I decided that I needed to stick to my (jokingly made) New Years resolution of reading at least 50 pages a day. So it took me 12 days to read this one.
Palisades Park by Alan Brennert (416 pages). Each and every time I picked up this book to begin my daily reading, I found myself singing. If you don't know the 1962 song of the same title, do yourself a favor and give it a listen. "You'll never know how great a kiss can feel when you stop at the top of a Ferris wheel, when I fell in love, down at Palisades Park." Anyway, back to the book. It was actually a lot more historical fiction than I realized it would be (which never bothers this reader in the slightest!). It opens in 1922 in New Jersey. Eleven year old Eddie Stopka and his family go to Palisades Park, for the first and only time in his young life. And, as expected, he has the best time he's ever had- a saltwater wave pool, rides, food, everything a young boy would love! Fast forward eight years. Eddie has returned to New Jersey, after several years on the carnival circuit. He finds a new life working at the Park- a new job, a new home, even a wife. He and Adele work concessions and have two children, Antoinette and Jack. The family experiences so much- WWII, new owners of the Park, a fire that wipes out the Park, segregation at the saltwater pool, the Korean War, love, loss, you name it. While spending time in the family's French fry stand, Toni watches the acts that come through the Park and has dreams of becoming a high diver. Each family member has their own dreams- Eddie wants to open a tiki bar in New Jersey (so the locals can get a taste of Hawaii), Adele wants to be on the stage, and Jack wants to be a comic book illustrator. But can ever member of the family happily live their dream without sacrificing something? I really enjoyed the story- mixing fictional characters (the Stopkas) in with real ones (most of the others) and real places is always a great read to me! It took me 5 days to read (for those math geniuses, yes, I averaged more than 50 pages a day on this one)
The Swan House by Elizabeth Musser (442 pages). A few years ago, I took a girls' trip to Atlanta. And we paid a visit to the Swan House (or President Snow's House, for fans of the Hunger Games movies). It's such a beautiful home! So I decided to give the book a read. The back of the book gave no indication that the story was taking place in 1962. Mary Swan Middleton has just finished her sophomore year in high school. Everything in her life seems to be perfect- she lives in Buckhead with her loving parents and little brother, she has been chosen for a prestigious honor at her prep school- to be the Raven and solve a dare handed down by the senior girls. Then, the Orly Crash of Air France Flight 007 occurs (look it up, it's real. And heartbreaking). While both of the Middletons were booked on the flight, JJ decided he should take a later flight. But nonetheless, Swannee's life turns upside down over night. She also comes face to face, literally, with the racial divide in the city she loves. A racial divide of which she had been completely unaware. She also works on solving the Raven Dare, which happens to be a mystery involving a painting of her mother's that had disappeared a year before the crash. Turns out the story is also a Christian lit book. Which aren't always my favorites. This one was much better than most. The story was poignant- love, death, tears, awareness, grief, faith. I found myself in tears at multiple times, both tears of overwhelming sadness and of great joy. Sadly, this book also made me keenly aware of how our education system has changed (and failed). Swannee and her friends can quote poems that they actually LEARNED in school. And they know about art work and history. I'm going to guess most of today's rising juniors barely know what poetry is. It took me 6 days to finish the book (yes, again, more than 50 pages a day).
My Antonia by Willa Cather (244 pages). I am slightly embarrassed that, as an English major, I had never read this book. It's the story of a young Bohemian girl named Antonia who finds herself and her family in Nebraska in the (presumably) 1800's. She quickly befriends her nearest neighbor, Jim. Antonia's family lives through some tough times. Eventually Antonia moves into town and finds new friends. But Jim is always dear to her. And Jim remains in love with Antonia throughout the years. He goes away to college and eventually becomes a lawyer in New York. But Antonia is always in the back of his mind. When he finally goes through Nebraska and stops to see Antonia, he finds her happy, with a large family, and still the same girl he's always loved. It was a beautiful book. I'm so glad I read it, even if it should've been read long ago! I'm not really sure what I expected this book to be. But I really liked it. The characters were colorful and full. It took me 4 days to finish. And I finished it on the last day of the month!
Slammerkin by Emma Donoghue (334 pages). A slammerkin is an old word, used to define a loose gown or a loose woman. I was eager to learn which one the author was referencing, as it seems like the protagonist, a prostitute, also was a bit of a clothes horse. It's the late 1700's in London. Mary Saunders is 14 when she falls in love. With a red ribbon. The peddler takes advantage of Mary's innocence and she soon finds herself pregnant. When her mother kicks her out, she befriends Doll, a local prostitute, and quickly learns to make her way in Doll's world. She becomes infatuated with the colorful clothes and immune to the touch of a man. But after a few months in the Magdalen, a reformation home from prostitutes, she returns to a world she doesn't want anymore. So she escapes to her mother's hometown of Monmouth, where she goes to work for the Jones, her mother's childhood best friend. She becomes a respectable maid/apprentice seamstress. She becomes engaged. But you can't teach an old dog new tricks. Mary's true, darker nature comes out when she realizes how badly she wants to return to London, but as a wealthy lady this time. So she goes back to her old "job." And here's where fiction becomes fact- Mary murders Mrs. Jones. And is hanged for her crime. I liked this book more than I thought I would, but less than I wanted to. I'm not even sure that makes sense. It took me 7 days to read (only five days of actual reading time)
Beach Music by Pat Conroy (628 pages). I've yet to read a Conroy that I didn't enjoy. Which always makes me scared to read another one. Even my favorite authors have made (at least to me) an occasional misstep. And I'm always worried that the next Conroy I pick up is going to be the bad one. Fortunately, this one wasn't the bad one! Jack McCall left Charleston in his rear view when his wife committed suicide by jumping off a bridge. He took their daughter and fled to Rome. For five years, he had almost no contact with the South. Then, his old life tracked him down. In the form of his sister in law, his best friends, and his family. Suddenly, he must return home to South Carolina and face years of secrets that have long been buried. Betrayals, deaths, the Vietnam War, love and loss all come crashing back as four former best friends try to come to terms with the paths their lives have gone down. I laughed, I cried. Darn you, Pat Conroy. Darn you and your literary acumen. I decided that I needed to stick to my (jokingly made) New Years resolution of reading at least 50 pages a day. So it took me 12 days to read this one.
Palisades Park by Alan Brennert (416 pages). Each and every time I picked up this book to begin my daily reading, I found myself singing. If you don't know the 1962 song of the same title, do yourself a favor and give it a listen. "You'll never know how great a kiss can feel when you stop at the top of a Ferris wheel, when I fell in love, down at Palisades Park." Anyway, back to the book. It was actually a lot more historical fiction than I realized it would be (which never bothers this reader in the slightest!). It opens in 1922 in New Jersey. Eleven year old Eddie Stopka and his family go to Palisades Park, for the first and only time in his young life. And, as expected, he has the best time he's ever had- a saltwater wave pool, rides, food, everything a young boy would love! Fast forward eight years. Eddie has returned to New Jersey, after several years on the carnival circuit. He finds a new life working at the Park- a new job, a new home, even a wife. He and Adele work concessions and have two children, Antoinette and Jack. The family experiences so much- WWII, new owners of the Park, a fire that wipes out the Park, segregation at the saltwater pool, the Korean War, love, loss, you name it. While spending time in the family's French fry stand, Toni watches the acts that come through the Park and has dreams of becoming a high diver. Each family member has their own dreams- Eddie wants to open a tiki bar in New Jersey (so the locals can get a taste of Hawaii), Adele wants to be on the stage, and Jack wants to be a comic book illustrator. But can ever member of the family happily live their dream without sacrificing something? I really enjoyed the story- mixing fictional characters (the Stopkas) in with real ones (most of the others) and real places is always a great read to me! It took me 5 days to read (for those math geniuses, yes, I averaged more than 50 pages a day on this one)
The Swan House by Elizabeth Musser (442 pages). A few years ago, I took a girls' trip to Atlanta. And we paid a visit to the Swan House (or President Snow's House, for fans of the Hunger Games movies). It's such a beautiful home! So I decided to give the book a read. The back of the book gave no indication that the story was taking place in 1962. Mary Swan Middleton has just finished her sophomore year in high school. Everything in her life seems to be perfect- she lives in Buckhead with her loving parents and little brother, she has been chosen for a prestigious honor at her prep school- to be the Raven and solve a dare handed down by the senior girls. Then, the Orly Crash of Air France Flight 007 occurs (look it up, it's real. And heartbreaking). While both of the Middletons were booked on the flight, JJ decided he should take a later flight. But nonetheless, Swannee's life turns upside down over night. She also comes face to face, literally, with the racial divide in the city she loves. A racial divide of which she had been completely unaware. She also works on solving the Raven Dare, which happens to be a mystery involving a painting of her mother's that had disappeared a year before the crash. Turns out the story is also a Christian lit book. Which aren't always my favorites. This one was much better than most. The story was poignant- love, death, tears, awareness, grief, faith. I found myself in tears at multiple times, both tears of overwhelming sadness and of great joy. Sadly, this book also made me keenly aware of how our education system has changed (and failed). Swannee and her friends can quote poems that they actually LEARNED in school. And they know about art work and history. I'm going to guess most of today's rising juniors barely know what poetry is. It took me 6 days to finish the book (yes, again, more than 50 pages a day).
My Antonia by Willa Cather (244 pages). I am slightly embarrassed that, as an English major, I had never read this book. It's the story of a young Bohemian girl named Antonia who finds herself and her family in Nebraska in the (presumably) 1800's. She quickly befriends her nearest neighbor, Jim. Antonia's family lives through some tough times. Eventually Antonia moves into town and finds new friends. But Jim is always dear to her. And Jim remains in love with Antonia throughout the years. He goes away to college and eventually becomes a lawyer in New York. But Antonia is always in the back of his mind. When he finally goes through Nebraska and stops to see Antonia, he finds her happy, with a large family, and still the same girl he's always loved. It was a beautiful book. I'm so glad I read it, even if it should've been read long ago! I'm not really sure what I expected this book to be. But I really liked it. The characters were colorful and full. It took me 4 days to finish. And I finished it on the last day of the month!
Sunday, January 1, 2017
Cheers to 2016- here's to good reading in 2017
December was a bit of a bust, reading wise. I've been lot more focused on binge watching documentaries and old TV shows. I only got one book read. Sad. But it was really good. As far as 2016 goes, I read 35 books at 13,870 pages. Makes for 38 pages a day. If only I actually read that much every day. Maybe I should. 2017 resolution- read 50 pages a day every day. I could get a LOT of books read that way! Anyway, here is the last of 2016's readings. Cheers!
The Accidental Empress by Allison Pataki (478 pages). After some rereads last month, I decided to revisit a favorite genre- historical fiction. This is the story of Elisabeth, wife of choice of Emperor Franz Joseph of Austria. In 1853, fifteen year old Sisi, her mother, and her older sister Helene traveled to meet their cousin, the young emperor and her sister's intended. But from the moment Franz Joseph laid eyes on Sisi, his heart was hers. Sisi was the second daughter of a minor Bavarian duke, ill-equipped for this new life. Ill-equipped, but strong willed. As she came into her own in this new life, she became invaluable to her new empire. Especially as her country faced defeat during battles and wars fought against prior allies. It was due to her that Austria and Hungary formed an alliance and created the Austro-Hungarian monarchy. Of course, me being me, I did a little research on Empress Sisi as well. Boy- was she even more of a character than I realized. At 5'8" and 110 pounds, she was also obsessed with staying young and thin. Like, frighteningly so. I always love historical fiction and this was no exception! It took me six days to read (only five days of actual reading time)
The Accidental Empress by Allison Pataki (478 pages). After some rereads last month, I decided to revisit a favorite genre- historical fiction. This is the story of Elisabeth, wife of choice of Emperor Franz Joseph of Austria. In 1853, fifteen year old Sisi, her mother, and her older sister Helene traveled to meet their cousin, the young emperor and her sister's intended. But from the moment Franz Joseph laid eyes on Sisi, his heart was hers. Sisi was the second daughter of a minor Bavarian duke, ill-equipped for this new life. Ill-equipped, but strong willed. As she came into her own in this new life, she became invaluable to her new empire. Especially as her country faced defeat during battles and wars fought against prior allies. It was due to her that Austria and Hungary formed an alliance and created the Austro-Hungarian monarchy. Of course, me being me, I did a little research on Empress Sisi as well. Boy- was she even more of a character than I realized. At 5'8" and 110 pounds, she was also obsessed with staying young and thin. Like, frighteningly so. I always love historical fiction and this was no exception! It took me six days to read (only five days of actual reading time)
Wednesday, November 30, 2016
Not a bad November
Sometimes, when I count up my actual reading days, I realize I don't read nearly as much as I thought I did. But then I also realize I get a lot of pages read in not a lot of days. 9 days of actual reading time, 4 books, 1344 pages. That's an average of 150 pages a day. If I could read that much every day, dang, I'd read a LOT! Like 12+ books a week. Oh well. Here we go with this month's reading.
Love Comes First by Emily Giffin (380 pages). I decided to return to my roots and read a little chick lit. And it had definitely been a while since I'd read any Giffin (like 4 years or so). It's days before Christmas when the Garland family's lives are forever changed by the death of oldest child, Daniel. Fifteen years later, their lives are still wrecked. Middle child Josie isn't where she thought she'd be- she's single and currently a teacher with her ex's daughter in her class. Youngest child Meredith also isn't where she thought she'd be- she's unhappily married to her brother's best friend, has a daughter she loves, and is a lawyer rather than the actress she wanted to be. As the sisters try to repair what remains of their family, deep truths are revealed. I really liked this book- it was a little deeper than typical chick lit. It took me three days to finish it (only 2 days of actual reading time)
Ape House by Sara Gruen (303 pages). John Thigpen is a reporter, sent to cover a human interest story about the language skills of bonobos at the Great Ape Language Lab. He quickly becomes fascinated with them and the scientist in charge of them, Isabel Duncan. When an explosion blasts the lab, it changes Isabel's life and her family of the apes. She must go up against great odds to rescue her apes from their new torturous life. With the help of John and several others, she travels to New Mexico to save her apes. It was a very fascinating and intriguing story. Knowing the true language abilities of apes, it was very interesting to read (an albeit fictional) account of their abilities. And their personalities. Now I want to go to a bonobo sanctuary and actually interact with them! It took me four days to finish it (only 2 days of actual reading time).
A Woman Named Damaris by Janette Oke (219 pages). This was actually a reread for me. I've read pretty much every book written by Janette Oke and loved them all. I'm currently reading Acts and there is a verse about a woman named Damaris who believed. Which reminded me of this book, so I decided to pull it out and reread it. Damaris is barely 15 when her mother plants a seed in her mind- that she doesn't have to live her mother's life with her abusive, alcoholic father. So she runs away and joins a wagon train. She finds a new life in a small town. She also learns that family can be created, all men aren't alcoholics, and God is good. Oke is a Christian author, so all of her books focus on faith. Which I love. And most of her books take place in the Wild West. Or at least the time of wagon trains and tough living. I had actually forgotten some of the story, so was thrilled to read it again. It only took me one afternoon to read it
Valley of the Dolls by Jacqueline Susann (442 pages). The movie has been on Netflix and I just read an article that it's not going to be streaming after this month. So I rewatched it. And after watching it, remembered that the book was so much better. So I decided to reread it. It's been at least a decade since I've read it. And it was sooooo much better than the movie. Why in the world they completely butchered the movie by changing the ending, I will never understand. The book opens in New York City in 1945. Twenty year old Anne Welles has just moved there to start a life far away from her Puritan hometown. She quickly befriends seventeen year old Neely O'Hara, a vaudeville kid with big talent, and twenty something year old Jennifer North, a gorgeous girl with no talent. Their friendships span nearly twenty years of success, failure, love, heartbreak, and more dolls than you could shake a stick at! The dolls (or pills) help you sleep, help you diet, help you have energy, anything you need. I get that it's hard to condense a nearly 450 page book into a good movie. But boy, did they mess up the story. Oh well. It took me seven days to finish it (only 4 days of actual reading time).
Tuesday, November 1, 2016
October was a win, at least page-wise
I didn't read a lot of books this month (only 2). But I did get a lot of pages read (1,147 pages). In my defense, I didn't have a whole lot of free time last month. Fingers crossed, I'll have some more free time this month so I can get more reading done!
China Dolls by Lisa See (376 pages). The story starts in San Francisco in 1938. Grace, Ruby and Helen all meet, by chance, in Chinatown. Grace has just arrived from Ohio, convinced her years of dance training will help her become a star and escape her violent father. Ruby, talented and intoxicating, has her own secrets. And then there is Helen, a traditional Chinese girl who decides it is time to spread her wings. The girls immediately bond. And for the next 10 years, their lives remain intertwined as they remain in show business. Just because their lives are intertwined doesn't mean they always like each other. The Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor rocks their lives and shocking betrayals bring a lot of things to light. I really liked this book. I loved how the author used real people, real places and real events to make the girls' story seem like it could have been true. I love the detail she put into describing the Chinese-American nightclub era. It took me five days to finish it (only 2 days of actual reading time).
The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt (771 pages). Apparently, I am late to the game in reading this one. Seeing as it was a Pulitzer Prize winning book and all. It was well worth the wait. Theo Decker is 13 years old. He lives with his mother in New York City. His father abandoned them, but Theo doesn't care- he and his mom have always been a twosome, even before his dad left. One day, an unimaginable accident takes the life of his mother. And lands him with a world famous piece of artwork. After a short stay with his friend's family, Theo's dad reemerges. And off Theo goes to Vegas. There, he meets Boris and his world changes. When his dad dies in a car accident, Theo runs home to New York and creates a new family and a new life for himself. Years later, Boris returns to his life, with a shocking secret about a shocking secret of Theo's. Together they enter a dangerous world, all in the hopes of recovering something Theo thought was lost to him forever. It was a darkly beautiful book. Very dark. It took me twelve days to finish it (only 6 days of actual reading time).
Saturday, October 1, 2016
September readings
I'm pretty proud of the reading I got done in September. Between the vacation and days by the pool, I was able to get 8 books at 2,554 pages read. Yay for me! So here goes....
The Summer of Katya by Trevanian (239 pages). It was billed as a thriller. And for the first half of the book, I was seriously questioning the thrill. The story takes place in France in 1938. Young Jean-Marc is fresh out of medical school and working as a small town doctor when he meets the beautiful Katya. She and her family are a little bit strange (her twin bother is super protective, her father is an absentminded academic, and her mother died in childbirth). But Jean-Marc falls head over heels. Then, the thrill started. I will NOT say what happened. But my mouth was agape for the last several pages! I really, really liked it. Way more than I expected to! It took me five days to finish (only two days of actual reading time).
The Little Paris Bookshop by Nina George (370 pages). Jean Perdu owns quite possibly the most amazing bookstore in all of Paris- the Literary Apothecary, a bookstore fashioned out of an old barge. From this floating bookstore, Jean sells books that his customers' hearts and souls truly need. But his heart and soul have been dead since the love of his life left him. Twenty years earlier. Left him with nothing but memories and an unopened letter. When he finally opens the letter, it sends him on a journey. Both literally and figuratively. He makes new friends. In the most unlikely of places. It was also one of the most poetically, literarically (yep, English major word creation rears its head) books I have ever read. I enjoyed this book like an amazing meal. I finished it in two days while sitting by the pool.
A Walk with Jane Austen by Lori Smith (218 pages). This was a memoir. The author was, like many of us, slightly obsessed with Jane Austen. So she decided to travel around England for a while, taking in everything that Jane might have experienced and learning a bit about herself as well. I saw some of myself in the author. She's in her thirties, unmarried and a strong Christian. I really wanted to like this book. But I didn't. Probably because no book was going to measure up to the one I'd just finished. I should've given myself a little more time to enjoy the after effects of The Little Paris Bookshop before I started another book. It took me six days to read (only three days of actual reading time).
The American Heiress by Daisy Goodwin (465 pages). It's 1893 and Cora Cash is the belle of the Gilded Age in New York City. As one of the wealthiest heiresses in the country, Cora's mother wants more for her than just to marry another wealthy American. She has her eye on the ultimate prize- a title. When Cora and her mother go to England, Cora manages to land herself a duke, and all the shabbiness that accompanied titled gentlemen of that time. Little does Cora realize though, the world she has married into is far stuffier and more reserved than her upbringing. But Cora is an American after all, passionate but brave. And determined to show the world that she made the perfect marriage for herself. I really enjoyed this book. An interesting combination of Downton Abbey and the Gilded Age of America. It took me three days to read (only two days of actual reading time).
Tales of the Peculiar by Tansom Riggs (160 pages). This book was referenced in Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children. It was basically like an aesop's fables or a fairy tale book of nothing but peculiars. It was 10 stories of different peculiars and the lessons you can learn from their peculiarities. It was a super easy read and as someone who loved the original trilogy, this was like a perfect cherry on the top of it. It took me two days to read.
The Postmistress by Sarah Blake (352 pages). First off, I was annoyed that she "made up" the town of Franklin, Massachusetts, as a coastal town when there is Franklin, Massachusetts, about an hour southwest of Boston and about an hour west of the Cape. Don't create a fictional town when that town actually exists! Apparently, it's supposed to be Provincetown. Oh well. Secondly, I don't like a write up on the back of a book that doesn't really do the book justice. The main character ISN'T the postmistress. The fact that she doesn't deliver one letter ISN'T the whole premise of the story. However, let's get to it. The year is 1940. The war is going on in Europe. And the new postmistress of Franklin is settling into her job. The new doctor's new wife has just arrived in town. Everyone listens to news woman Frankie Bard reporting her experiences from England. Everything seems to be perfect(ish). Until one night, when Dr Fitch loses a patient. And with that, the course of lives change. Dr Fitch goes to England, a letter is delivered to Mrs Fitch that isn't actually delivered to her, and Frankie experiences more of the war than she imagined. When the three women's lives finally intertwine in Franklin, some truths come out and some stay hidden. The book is an interesting look at how we never get the whole story. Just some of it. It took me three days to read (although I read all but 5 chapters in one day. I love vacation!)
Midwives by Chris Bohjalian (372 pages). Sibyl Danforth has been a midwife for at least a decade and successfully delivered hundreds of babies. She loves her job, she loves her husband and their fourteen year old daughter Connie and she loves her life in Vermont. But one icy night in March, Sibyl faces a difficult delivery, one that results in the death of the mother and an emergency C-section. While Sibyl is an experienced midwife, she isn't a medically licensed one. So what if the mother wasn't dead when Sibyl performed the C-section and her actions actually killed the mother? The charge of involuntary manslaughter and ensuing trial challenge Sibyl's family, Sibyl's chosen profession and even the town. I've always liked Bohjalian's writing and this one was no different. In typical Bohjalian fashion, there was a twist at the end. I read it in one day (ah, the pros of traveling)
At the Water's Edge by Sara Gruen (378 pages). Maddie Hyde was living an extraordinarily pampered life in Philadelphia in 1944. Her husband Ellis and his best friend Hank were her best friends and they were all gloriously wealthy. The war in Europe barely even effected them, other than Ellis and Hank being "medically unfit" to serve. Then, one drunken New Years Eve, Ellis decided to do what his father couldn't- prove that the Loch Ness monster was real. Off the three of them went to Scotland. Once they were ensconced in a little inn on the shores of Loch Ness, Maddie realized quite a few things about the life she thought she loved. And realized she didn't want that life anymore. One afternoon on the loch, everyone's beliefs about the monster, and themselves, are put to the test. I started reading it by the pool and four hours later, when I went inside and hadn't quite finished it yet, I went ahead and finished it. Yep- one day.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)